[Naturella]

Lihan, there are many good foods out there. The best thing to do is rotate between brands and also protein types – some well-regarded foods are Annamaet, Dr. Tim’s, Victor, Wellness, GO!, Now! Fresh, Earthborn Holistic to name a few. I don’t think all of them are GMO-free, but they are quality foods nonetheless. You can also supplement with canned sardines, fish oil, coconut oil (those three do wonders for skin and coat), probiotics/digestive enzymes/yoghurt/kefir/canned plain pumpkin, cottage cheese, and if particularly “adventurous” – a raw egg here and there and maybe some raw too or Raw Meaty Bones (RMBs – like chicken wings, legs, necks, backs, pork neck bones, beef ribs, etc.) Or, even some good-quality canned or dehydrated will do the trick! 🙂

Shopping online is usually easy and convenient and websites such as http://www.petflow.com , http://www.chewy.com , http://www.wag.com , http://www.petfooddirect.com , etc. usually have good deals that you will know of if you sign up for their emails.

Good luck, happy feeding and rotating, and don’t hesitate to post any and all questons you have – the crowd on this site is amazingly knowledgeable and supportive.

[Bobby dog]

Hey guys
It’s a very, very, very rainy day here, Bobby is not happy.

Akari:
Glad you’re back!! I will post cartridge info later when I can get to my saved info for it. 🙂

Love the bowls and the pics too!!! Alec looks happy to have someone to bother.

C4c:
So jealous of your TJ’s. I have to drive so far to get to one, 🙁 but I will be going by one in the fall as you know so we can compare notes about shopping there! TJ’s is on Dr. Pierson’s list (and my Vet’s list too). I looked at reviews on YouTube and various other sites. I couldn’t find ingredient or analysis info anywhere on TJ’s website. I remember it has rice and fish in some or all recipes. It reminded me of a CSFCLS or BB quality. I am definitely going to try some out. Most reviews I read commented that it was decent quality and budget friendly to add to a rotation.

FYI for all you cat lovers, you know how I love a good PDF download. On Little Big Cat Dr. Hofve’s updated book “What Cats Should Eat” is on sale for $4.97, regularly $8.99 until 8/15. Her approved list of cat food is included which was just updated last month. The list even includes some dry, although as you know she discourages feeding dry food. Also on the approved list are commercial raw (dehydrated, freeze dried, frozen etc), foods that need supplements, treats, toppers, meal supplements, foods considered but not approved, foods that were approved and why they are no longer approved.

I haven’t had a chance to read it, just downloaded it yesterday, but the list I was happy with. I can comment that some of the foods she lists are not an option for me because of the manufacturers, but nevertheless I am glad I purchased the book because there are plently of foods listed. Some chapter topics are dry diets, wet diets, nutrition related diseases, alternative diets, and making your cat’s food at home; it’s 62 pages. Here’s the link to the bookstore on her website if you’re interested: http://www.littlebigcat.com/bookstore/

[USA]

Hi Leah

These are the ingredients from the MSDS sheet for the Allerderm EFA-Z Plus:
Sunflower Oil 85 – 95%
Fish Oil 1 – 10%
Borage Seed Oil 1 – 10%
Zinc Sulfate Monohydrate <1%

The fact that your dog’s “itching decreased by 90% or more” is remarkable and you are very lucky!!!!

If I were to evaluate this product based on the ingredients alone I would say that the Fish Oil (Omega 3’s EPA & DHA) and the Borage Oil (Omega 6, GLA) are two very good oils for reducing inflammation in a dog’s skin. The Sunflower Oil makes up most of this product and I think the Fish and the Borage oil are far superior for itch relief. Zinc Sulfate Monohydrate is actually a skin and eye irritant and I am not sure why it is in this product. It is sometimes used as a zinc supplement.

I would have recommended a Human Grade fish oil product first and a Borage oil supplement second as these are proven to relieve skin irritations.

Bus since you are achieving such amazing results with the Allerderm EFA-Z Plus I say count your blessings and if the time time comes when the Allerderm is no longer doing a terrific job I would try the Fish oil and the Borage oil.

As for changing her diet you might not get as good results or any results at all because we don’t know if the itching is food related but upgrading her to what you consider a better food is always a good idea!

Good Luck and give your little girl a scratch and a belly rub for me!!!

[Leah12345]

Not sure if this is diet and health or another forum so let me know. My year old Lhasa mix had some food allergy issues that led to paw chewing that was solved with better food. Unfortunately after a few months of no itching she started itching this week all over. Biting her behind and scratching terribly. Poor girl. The vet suggested Benadryl and Allerderm EFA-Z Plus. The Benedryl did nothing, but when I added the Allerdem EFA-Z Plus, her itching decreased by 90% or more. Does anyone have any experience with this product? Is it okay? It is added to her kibble and is a fatty acid/zinc/vitamin supplement. Could I get the same result from changing her diet? Any thoughts are appreciated. Leah

[pugmomsandy]

I started out using “Real Foods for Healthy Dogs and Cats”. It has boneless recipes along with a veggie mash recipe and a vitamin recipe to balance everything out. There are also guidelines for omega-3 and other supplements. It’s actually easy once you do it for the first time. You initially have to buy some vitamins and grind these up and either use bone meal or dried egg shells if you like.

[crazy4cats]

Hi James P.-
Welcome to Dog Food Advisor! I was curious if you supplement the kibble with any toppers? Any fresh or canned food added? Also wondering if when you tried to switch food if did it very slowly? What I have learned coming to this site for the past year or so is that no kibble is really that great. I don’t switch kibble that often but I like to supplement every meal with something more healthy and species appropriate. Every morning, I add some canned. For the afternoon meal, I add fresh ingredients such as eggs, sardines, or raw nuggets.
I feed mostly grain free Victor kibble. I can get it in a 50lb bag for my two lab mix dogs. I have fed Royal Canin before on the advise of a vet. It’s unbelievably expensive for as much Brewers Rice and by-products that it contains.
I’d encourage to at least start supplementing if you are not already.
Good luck to you. I hope you get some helpful advise from this site. I know I have.

[crazy4cats]

Barbara, it sounds like you take great care of your cats. But, I caution anyone reading this thread to be VERY careful about feeding your cats a significant amount of fish. Especially human tuna fish. It can cause a number of health issues, such as malnutrition by Vit E deficiency, mercury poisoning, steatis, hyperthyroidism and it has a high allergy potential. It is deficient in taurine which can lead to retinal degeneration and cause your cats to go blind. My senior cat has hyperthyroidism most likely from feeding her canned seafood variety cat food for years that is high in PBDES. It’s best to stick to poultry and rabbit flavors. Seafood now and then is Ok, but not daily and especially not human fish that is not supplemented with extra taurine. Unfortunately, most cats love it and it is very addictive. I know we all grew up thinking that you should feed your cats canned tuna and milk. I know that’s what I did! But, it really isn’t a good idea.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Omega 3’s are great for inflammation. I definitely don’t think it would be too much to use a joint supplement, fish oil, probiotics and enzymes. All of those supplements are generally well tolerated and have minimal side effects.

[Alina S]

Thanks, HDM. 🙂 I’ll ask about that on our next trip to the vet.

Also, I’ve been doing a lot of research and it seems that Omega 3’s are really good for dogs with arthritis. Would it be too much to have him on the joint supplement and salmon oil or krill oil or whatever? And, in addition to that, would it be too much to add a pro biotic and digestive enzyme to his food?

I’ve heard great benefits for all of those things, but I don’t want to pile all that in his food and overload his system.

[Barbara O]

Don, I have no idea why this stuff is so potent or why it works…but it does. My husband and I have been taking it for several years…I slack off in the summer but as fall approaches, I make sure it’s in our drink each morning…I have a problem with plain brewer’s yeast but not this stuff…I actually give it away to people who work for me who have problems with low immunity…I have an asst manager who got sick all the time…I started him on this, a good multi and Vit C and now he’s never sick…shows how much our food lacks…Dr Williams, a physician who lives in Texas, got me started on it…I take his newsletter and he talks about giving it to every animal on his place (he raises cattle and lives in the country) as well as all the humans…I’m very leery about what I take but I can tell you that since being on this, and a good vitamin/supplement regimen, my husband and i don’t get sick…giving up wheat, and all grains in my diet has made a wonderful difference in the way I feel…so there’s something to it…I took graduate courses in Food Chemistry, Food toxicology, Food Microbiology…and several others, and learned so much about the crud they put in our foods…no polyunsaturates in our house…they actually cause free radicals in the body, which in turn cause strokes…I’m as old as dirt and am on no medications…still running 3 businesses and taking care of 4 pieces of property…so I feel like I’m doing something right…Hey…take a chance…give it to your pets and the humans in your household…share it with friends…As I said, there’s yeast and there’s yeast…do go into the site recommended and learn more about it…sorry I didn’t have that info to pass along…again…this is a site for learning…we can learn something new every day here.

[Mike M]

BTW, I’m having a bit of a conundrum with the calcium/phosphorous ratio. I’ve read the detailed analysis by the dog food experts of what that ratio should be but for me, I can’t tell how much calcium and phosphorous are in the meats (almost all phosphorous in the ground turkey, some calcium and phosphorus in the canned salmon, some calcium and phosphorous in the supplements.). So, I am guesstimating and adding “just a little” seaweed calcium supplement to the ground turkey.

Any comments, based on the diet listed above are welcome!

[Mike M]

Wally stopped liking the taste of the Urban Wolf mix, even though he was doing well on it so, I’ve substituted:

Nutri-Pet Research Nupro Dog Supplement and
Solid Gold SeaMeal Mineral and Vitamin supplement for Dogs and Cats
(these 2 supplements seem to be providing him with the necessary fiber – his poop looks “good.”)

Have also added ground turkey to the main protein items. Have also added TriCOX soft chews.

So, we now have:

Main proteins:

– Canned Crown Prince Natural Pink Salmon, no salt added
– Ground Turkey

Secondary proteins (in smaller amounts):

– hard boiled egg
– water packed sardine
– dollops of organic, plain yogurt here and there

Supplements:

– NuPro Dog Supplement, recommended servings for 15 pound dog
– Solid Gold SeaMeal Mineral and Vitamin supplement for Dogs and Cats
– Animal Essentials Seaweed calcium
– Salmon fish oil
– TriCOX soft chews
– Nutri-Vet probiotics

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by Mike M.

[crazy4cats]

Well said, Losul. What is funny is the more I learn about dog food, the more I lean towards more simple dry kibble without many ingredients. That way I have more control over toppers and supplements that are added. When I first started, I was looking for kibble that had everything for the cheapest price. It’s too bad that a lot of limited ingredient foods have 1/2 the stuff, but twice the price! Lol! I too, have been feeding garlic for the last couple of months without incident so far. It’s funny you brought up vampires. I always say I feed my dogs garlic to keep away parasites, mosquitoes and vampires. No one has found any humor in it so far. Just funny looks!

[Alina S]

Hey, all! I’m sorry to keep making so many posts, I hope I’m not clogging up the boards! 🙁

Anywho, I just talked to the vet today. My dog has been limping on his leg after a bad trip to the groomers. First, we thought it was soft tissue damage, then we thought it was a bone cyst and that he would require surgery. Luckily, no surgery, yay!

The vet and two other radiologists all agree that his foot was probably broken a long time ago, never treated, and then healed improperly. And because of that, he’s been using his leg weird, and then developed arthritis in his knee. (This is his hind right leg.) They say the trip to the groomers probably aggravated this problem.

I have Rimadyl to give him whenever he’s in pain.

I just bought a joint supplement for him today. I bought Pet Naturals Hip + Joint.

These are the only recommendations the vet made. Does anyone else have any suggestions to help him? Food wise, supplement wise, even cold/hot wrap wise? Anything?

He’s only a year old, and it sucks that he already developed arthritis! I would like to prevent it from getting worse as he gets older.

Thanks!

[pugmomsandy]

Ask your vet about giving an omega 3 supplement from algae. It’s non-fish and non-meat. Dogaware dot com has a section on homemade food.

[Barbara O]

Nature’s Variety is wonderful food. Their dry is great…You might feed it and then add a little of the raw…My friend’s dog is medium size and she feeds one of the large packages of raw duck a month. She crumbles up just one of the patties and mixes it in with the kibble, adding water to make it a little soupy…If the dog has no egg problems, crack a raw egg and mix it into the feed…after all, it’s the perfect protein….How many cups a day does your dog eat? The only reason I like to feed the kibble is because my dog is so big that I want to make certain he gets the vitamins….and oils she needs…If you start building the immune system, many of the allergies will subside…Also..there’s yeast and there’s yeast…

I can see the problem with lamb, chicken, and bison, as they are what is called “hot” foods..and chicken is a food I even have to curtail for myself as it can cause inflammation in the body. I am surprised with beef…Duck is not a hot food…it is more neutral…maybe you could purchase a 5 lb bag of Nature’s Variety Instinct…their dry kibble…grain free…and feed it to him…buy a very small package of the frozen and add only one small patty, this is for a little boost in protein and for flavor….I sometimes give Roger several of the genet’s Primal, thawed and mixed into his kibble….It’s not expensive this way…oh…he still gets an egg each feeding…I think Primal and Nature’s V are about the same in cost…Nature’s Variety has had sample frozen packages…you might try them as they’re cheap….Toby’s 3 lb pkg of Primal is $16.00…and it lasts about a month. He gets 2 of the little rectangles a day, along with his precious shaved, preservative free turkey meat…people lunch meat…He will eat the beef but he loves the turkey…I like the Primal because it has veggies in it along with the supplements they need…And…if you found two foods he really likes, you could mix them together….What does he eat, 2 cups per meal?

[GSDMom]

Hi all, just saw on the HK website that they are introducing a mix that is fruit, grain and potato free…just add meat. Any opinions on this? I’d like to try it for my GSD instead of feeding dry food.

Also… would LOVE opinions on this after you’re done shaking your heads (haha!) Growing up we had a GSD boy that refused “dog” food since he was a puppy. So, my Mom cooked for him…for 12 years! We didn’t know anything about proper nutrition back then and certainly didn’t know about supplements. So, our King ate a bowl of cooked steak, or chicken or chicken/gizzards until he was 12. He had colitis and all he took was some kind of capsuled medication, 1 a day. That’s all. How would that go over today? 🙂

• This topic was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by GSDMom.

[Barbara O]

I got several posts on the subject of Primal..I feed the Primal frozen…It is raw meat and veggies…with supplements added. It is manufactured in a facility that passes inspection for human food manufacture…The product is wonderful. I have a small spotted genet that eats it daily. I have mixed it in cat kibble and dog kibble…My friend has a dog that is very picky and it is a big dog…she mixes the duck with the kibble and the dog eats it like candy… I travel with it frozen. If you order it frozen…order as much as you can afford…that way the shipping will be cheaper. Check your local feed stores…those that carry dog and cat food…Also…check with any of your pet shops. I’ve found it in odd places when we travel. When they ship it, it is packed in dry ice…I order organic, grass fed beef for my husband and me and it is shipped from the midwest to hot Arizona in July…always comes completely frozen…ready for my freezer. By adding the Primal to the diet, you are assured of getting everything your animal needs…and you can add your own fruits and veggies to the food…I am assured the kibble, even if it is plant based, meets my Dane’s and genet’s needs…and they both are shiny and healthy. Have been raising and caring for animals longer than many of you have been alive…have a heavy background in animal nutrition in my undergraduate degree plus a few vet courses under my belt as well as human food chemistry courses…have tried to stay up with the research…Don’t believe everything your vet tells you…any vet that tells me how good Science Diet is, I run away from….Am fortunate I have a vet that has taken care of all my exotics and will call over the US getting answers to questions we might both have…have raised raccoon, ring tails, Fennec foxes…had some of the oldest in captivity…due to diligence in diet….both were spoiled pets….a animal fed a well balanced diet with added good oils and digestive enzymes, etc., is one who’s immune system is going to keep them healthy….Remember…corn, wheat and soy are not good for dogs…and raw bones to gnaw on are a blessing…cleans teeth and gives them B vitamins they need….They don’t have people stomachs…they have a straight tube so don’t give them too much variety at a time….They are a carnivore….not a cow…they have teeth for tearing…not for grinding…And….when the diet is high in protein and low in carbohydrate, the back yard is much easier to clean…

[GSDMom]

So glad I found this post. I’d like to start my GSD boy on a joint supplement. The Swanson brand sounds very good. So for an 85 lb. dog what dose would be right? Thanks!

[Holly C]

I guess I phrased that odd. By “fish flavoured” I meant one that tastes more like fish, like Salmon, Krill, Cod oil, etc. I also take the fish oil I give my dog, and I have to say, it doesn’t taste very pleasant, and he doesn’t like it much either. I used to give Salmon Oil but with some budgeting I just buy 1000mg capsules of fish oil. I’ll have to try sardines sometime- my dog would love that!

I also give 600 iu of vitamin e, and a joint supplement. My dog has joint and hip issues, and he has a completely torn ACL. He’s due for surgery soon >:

[Mike Sagman]

Hi Holly,

We’ve been asked to review Blue Ridge Beef products by others, too. However, when we visited the company’s website, we found retrieving complete label information unusually challenging.

For example, important product information was published as images that could not be readily copied and pasted into our spreadsheets. And entering data using manual methods is time consuming and prone to human error.

In addition, we also were unable to easily locate any AAFCO nutritional adequacy statements. So, we have no way of knowing if the recipes are “complete and balanced” or recommended “for supplemental feeding only”.

So, unfortunately, we cannot review Blue Ridge Beef products at this time. Thanks for your suggestion.

[Dori]

I use Perfect Form from THK. I just mix it in with their food anytime I notice that Hannah has loose stools and it pretty much works immediately. Having cancer I think her digestion isn’t what it used to be with all the canine cancer supplements I’ve been giving her. I’d like to back off and see if that’s what’s causing the loose stools but afraid to stop the cancer supplements. Damned if you do, damned if you don’t. Anyway, I got off thread there for a second. Perfect Form works really really well. I just mix the appropriate dose in with their food. My girls are eaters so I guess the smell just doesn’t bother them. I’m not crazy about the smell, but, hey…if you’ve ever fed tripe, this is nothing compared to that.

[Heather D]

Hi, sorry me again. I have been onto the shop’s website and come across this food and wonder if this would be better than the Eukanuba. I have done the translation,

BREEDERS high end food for Large Breed Puppies.

Our breeders think is the only one with 100% ingredients fit for human consumption. It is a complete food for dogs 0-12 months old.

Most products are manufactured feed waste, what remains once have separated parts fit for human consumption. These ingredients have a lower quality.

Some feed ingredients, incorporate suitable for people, but Breeders is the only manufactured in Spain than it does on 100% of its composition. 100% premium ingredients . No features or use GM products.

“Breeders” is a brand sold exclusively at TiendAnimal, which offers a high-end feed at a very affordable price (up to half that of conventional brands). See for yourself our quality and you will be convinced.

Puppy food super premium quality at a super low price. This is because the direct sales allows us to avoid marketing costs, marketing and advertising that make up a large percentage of the feed costs of early brand names.

BREEDERS Cubs is a complete dry feed, in the form of extruded, balanced and very tasty dry kibble, made ​​from selected raw materials of high quality. Breeders is a food like no other approaches to what the animal would eat in your state natural.

It satisfies the needs of large breed puppies thanks to the extra size of your kibble as well as pregnant females or nursing. They think that a dog is puppy until it meets its first year of life , although in large breeds this time can be extended up to 6 months, even up to 2 years in giant breeds.

Key Benefits

Selected natural ingredients, origin certificate
High digestibility and energy efficient
Adequate protein and fat
Optimum calcium-phosphorus
High in DHA
Health skin and hair, thanks to the perfect balance of Omega 6 and Omega 3.
Promotes optimal growth, thanks to Natural chondroprotective

High digestibility. During the growth phase, the puppy’s digestive system is less developed than the adult dog. It is therefore important that the feed is especially easy to digest.

High in protein and fat. cub experiences a very rapid growth, stabilizing circa life. At that time multiplied 40 to 50 times their birth weight. To achieve this feat, you need a very rich in protein and easy energy to metabolize food.

DHA
DHA: docosahexaenoic acid
Optimal calcium-phosphorus ratio. Indispensable to form a healthy skeleton able to sustain the growing weight of the puppy.

High content of DHA. docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is important in the formation of the nervous system, particularly the brain. The brain content of DHA is related to learning ability and intelligence level of newborns and infants. It has been suggested the need to supplement with DHA the mother during the gestational period, and even before this, to ensure the supply to the normal development of the fetal brain. Evidence related to the greater learning ability of offspring from mothers previously supplemented with DHA.

High in Omega 3. Adequate ratio of Omega 3 and 6 helps maintain a healthy coat, reduces skin irritation and enhances the development of immune function.

Breeders not stored in silos , but goes directly by packaging as production. Thus contamination by mites (causing many food allergies) and quality loss are avoided.

BREEDERS is an exclusive brand of Tiendanimal.

I Breeders Cubs 2

Features

Ingredients : Dehydrated chicken meat (35%), rice, chicken fat, corn, concentradp vegetable protein, hydrolyzed and dehydrated meat chicken, apple pulp, salmon oil, dried yeast, yucca extract, potassium chloride, chloride sodium.

Additives

Vitamin A 16,000 IU / KG
Vitamin D3 1600 IU / KG
Vitamin E (alpha tocopherol) 200mg/kg
Cu (copper sulfate pentahydrate) 23 mg / kg
Trace elements:

Fe (iron sulfate heptahydrate): 200 mg / Kg, I (potassium iodide): 1.5 mg / kg, Co (cobalt sulfate pentahydrate): 1 mg / kg, Mn (manganese sulfate monohydrate) 70 mg / kg, Zn (oxide Zinc): 225 mg / kg, Se (sodium selenite): 0.4 mg / kg

Preserved with EC additives (potassium sorbate). With natural antioxidants (citric acid, rosemary extract and natural tocopherols (source of vitamin E).

Guaranteed Analysis

Crude protein 30%
Crude fat 14%
Crude fiber 2.5%
Crude ash 9%
Calcium 1.2%
Phosphorus 0.8%
Moisture 10%
Glucosamine 600 mg / kg
Approx kibble: 1.5 cm x 1.5 cm x 0.8 cm.

Use

Serve dry food guided by the table of recommended daily allowance. It is better to split the corresponding ration in two servings a day. These amounts are only for guidance, so they must then meet the energy needs of the animal, guided by the maintenance of optimal body weight. Always leave fresh clean water available to the animal.

Recommended daily

45 kg (adult weight) 60 kg (adult weight) 70 kg (adult weight) 90 kg (adult weight) 100 kg (adult weight)
2 months (old puppy) 320 gr 410 gr 450 gr 510 gr 540 gr
3 months (old puppy) 420 gr 520 gr 590 gr 670 gr 720 gr
4 months (old puppy) 460 gr 570 gr 660 gr 740 gr 790 gr
5 months (old puppy) 550 gr 660 gr 780 gr 880 gr 960 gr
6 months (old puppy) 620 gr 750 gr 880 gr 995 gr 1080 gr
7 months (old puppy) 620 gr 750 gr 890 gr 1020 gr 1100 gr
8 months (old puppy) 610 gr 750 gr 890 gr 1020 gr 1100 gr
9 months (old puppy) 590 gr 740 gr 870 gr 1010 gr 1080 gr
10-11 months (old puppy) 580 gr 720 gr 860 gr 995 gr 1070 gr
12-13 months (old puppy) 580 gr 710 gr 840 gr 980 gr 1060 gr
14-17 months (old puppy) 580 gr 700 gr 820 gr 960 gr 1040 gr
18-23 Months (old puppy) 560 gr 690 gr 820 gr 950 gr 1030 gr
24 months (old puppy) 560 gr 690 gr 820 gr 940 gr 1030 gr

[Sharon Buchanan]

Desiree,

The values for BUN are different in raw fed dogs. While your dog’s BUN does seem high, his Creatinine is low normal. Most conventional vets aren’t aware of the different values – I had to share the correct values with two of the vets at the clinic I go to. Here is a great article that explains three values that will be different:
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/normal-blood-values-and-raw-fed-dogs/ At their site, they also have a series of free raw feeding videos that should help you keep him on track and you can search their articles for natural ways to address his BUN value.

Since he doesn’t have teeth, you can help supplement his calcium with whole raw eggs. Just crush the shell with the back of a spoon so that the shell is essentially little flat pieces, not totally pulverized. I would also try chicken backs and ribs. I would begin with cutting away the spine and just give him the soft smaller bones. Once his gums have toughened up a bit he might be able to gnaw the spine and neck in order to get his 10% bone.

A proper raw diet consists of 80% protein (heart is considered a protein, not an organ), 10% bone, 5% liver and 5% other organs – pancreas, spleen, testicles, kidneys… Except that you might be trying to feed a raw diet based on AAFCO guidelines for commercial food, I don’t know why you’re adding greens and veggies at this point. Are there other issues besides the elevated BUN? Have you been feeding greens and veggies for the entire six months? I would definitely add a digestive enzyme supplement to his diet, probiotics won’t hurt as well. Mercola makes supplements that I and many others have had good success with.

Dogs Naturally Magazine will be hosting their second weekend-long internet conference in the Fall. They have a Facebook page that, if you “Like”, will keep you up-to-date and let you know when you can sign up. I attended the first one at the end of January and will be signing up for this one as well. Additionally, you’ll then have access to a private group of like-minded owners, nutritionists and homeopaths who all respond to concerns just like yours with personal experience as well as professional opinion.

[DogFoodie]

Thank you so much, Jan! Bella will be three on August 9th.

I really appreciate your insight.

It’s interesting that you mention Laverne’s reverse sneezing, because we’ve had a couple of episodes of that within the last few weeks as well. Bella only has done that one other time before. Bella doesn’t cough either and it sounds like her allergy symptoms are a lot like Laverne’s. I’m wondering if I’m confusing congestion with heavy breathing, her snoring has definitely been worse lately.

Interestingly to me, I stopped giving them the Springtime Fresh Factors and Spirulina wafers several weeks ago. Sam was getting so picky and I was just trying to feed him something he would eat – somehow he could always manage to leave the spirulina in the bottom of his bowl. I didn’t really think the Springtime stuff was doing anything and maybe now, I realize that it must’ve been helping Bella. I’ll start that back up right away. She’s much noisier than usual and her eyes are weepy also.

They checked her heart very thoroughly before putting her under general anesthesia, but I agree and understand that a murmur can also seem to come “out of nowhere.” Fortunately, my vet is aware of my concern about cardiac issues and I would definitely start with her if I became worried. Luckily, I have lots of vet specialists in my area so if I were to need to see a cardiologist, I know I would have access to some.

So far, I’ve just tried to feed good food with good ingredients and I’ve always looked for added taurine for Bella. Fortunately, with two young healthy dogs, I haven’t needed to add many supplements to “treat” a health condition so the normal nutritional extras have just been the regular things; ie: coconut oil; ACV, etc. A long time ago, I talked to my TCVM vet about cardiac supplements for Bella (he carries Thorne and Standard Process), but he said he wouldn’t use the big gun cardiac stuff unless it was necessary. I did ask about CoQ10 and I seemed to recall he liked that. I looked at the Mercola Ubiquinol and wanted to start that back then, but I had problems with the pump bottle that the krill oil came in that was just like it, so I shied away from ordering it. I have to hold off on ordering it until I get a big Discover bill from this month paid off first. : )~ Plus, I want to see if the Fresh Factors will help without changing anything else first.

Sorry, Laverne’s having problems! I don’t usually have issues with allergies in the summer myself, but this year I have. I’ve cleared my throat constantly for over a month now. Last week I felt so worn out, I ended up scheduling a day off this past Friday. I wonder if maybe Laverne’s allergies are taking the fight out of her immune system right now and it’s resulting in some of the other things she has going on? I wouldn’t think the Firm Up was “hurting” would you? I wonder if the apple pectin could be too high in sugars or something.

Bella has always done very well on Wellness foods. The difference that I can literally see in her eyes (there’s less tearing and the whites of her eyes become clearer) is amazing. I think I will go ahead and get some more of that for her. (There’s always an excuse to buy more food, isn’t there. ; ) I wrote to Wellness and told them last time she ate their food about her eyes, but they didn’t want to take too much credit for it. This time, I’m going to take a before and after picture for them!

Thanks for the update on your crew! They’re very lucky pups to be in your hands. : )

[Erin T]

I currently feed my four dogs (20 lbs – 60 lbs) Earthborn Holistic’s Primitive Natural formula, which I’ve been very happy with and receives Dog Food Advisor’s five star rating. I’m having some concern about tartar build up, and have always been interested in feeding raw. I’m concerned about the correct balance of nutrients, so I’m thinking I would like to start with 50/50 kibble/raw.

My question is, speaking purely of meat, what is an average price per pound, and what cuts/protein sources are you feeding? Cost is a big issue for me! I get my kibble at cost, so I spend about $80/month on it. Based on the needs of my crew, raw meat would have to be $.50/pound to match the price of kibble (of course, I could spend a bit more). I’m going to go down to the butcher shop in a day or two and inquire about different prices and cuts, but right now just trying to figure out if it’s feasible to do this.

I’m a raw NOVICE, by the way, so any advice is appreciated!

[Mom2Cavs]

Hi, Betsy. It very well may be seasonal….Laverne has started with some itching and anal glands again, even though her stool is normal!? She was just at the vets this past Thurs. because I noticed a bump on one of her front legs. The vet expressed her glands and said they were bad, ugh. Vet said it’s probably staph and could even be caused by shampoo being left on and not drying properly or fully (this was said because of where the infection is located). She gave me some muricin salve to rub on the bump. But I may call and get an oral antibiotic for her, as well. Don’t usually like them but want to be sure this doesn’t turn into something even more difficult. Laverne is mine that has allergies, of course, and who snores a lot. She also does reverse sneezing at times. She has a murmur, about 3-4/6, (came on about 2 years ago) but doesn’t cough . Her nose runs sometimes (again allergies). She is eating Wellness Small Breed Simple for kibble and Wellness Stews or Weruva or Simply Nourish for canned topper. I have been giving the Firm Up, but was wondering if she has become intolerant of it? It could be lots of things. I do also give them coq10 3 times a week (30 mg). Right now I decided to not change anything in her diet except removing the Firm Up for awhile, and switching probiotics up. Hazel was checked as well and the vet could barely hear her murmur and rated it a 1/2…..she’s had a murmur since birth with no meds. She has no symptoms of anything and doesn’t snore at all. Rupert, who is on enalapril twice a day and has heart disease (MVD) and a grade 5/6 murmur is doing great. He snores occasionally but not that bad and does not cough at all. He has no other symptoms. I would say this is probably seasonal, but if I were you, I would have your vet or Cardiologist (if you have one) check things out thoroughly. I don’t want to scare you, but I think these things can come on suddenly. According to Rupert’s breeder his came on suddenly, but not really sure…maybe just wasn’t caught before now. I also decided to not really try to reduce the sodium (just making sure it’s not on the too high range). Like I said before, the only heart supplement I have been using regularly is coq10. You could also try adding other things, like fish oil, hawthorne, l-carnitine, coq10 and of course taurine, if you’re not doing so already. There are some all inclusive supplements like Bio-Cardio by Thorne, Vetri-Science Cardio Strength. Also Standard Process Cardio is one my vet likes (but they always prescribe Standard Process). I’ve used the all inclusive ones in the past, but recently have been trying to keep things as simple as I can. I’ve probably not answered your question but hope I’ve helped some.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by Mom2Cavs.

[Bobby dog]

Hi Alana:
I use the recipe for bone broth (or some variation) from the link that Cyndi provided on a regular basis for my dog, check it out!

As Betsy wrote many on DFA use garlic, I am one of them. In the past I have used Springtime’s Bug Off garlic for pets with no health issues. I now feed my dog fresh garlic 3x/week. As usual I run out of it before I get to the grocery store so I have garlic pills on hand to use when I don’t have fresh garlic. Since using fresh garlic or pills, Sentinel, which contains an ingredient to inhibit flea eggs from maturing, and a daily dose of apple cider vinegar this season my dog has been flea free. I have not had to use a spot on treatment this season; first time since I have had Bobby that I haven’t had to. Here’s some links to information and studies about garlic and dogs:
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/garlic-for-dogs-poison-or-medicine/
http://www.springtimeinc.com/product/bug-off-garlic-dogs/All-Natural-Dog-Supplements

[DogFoodie]

Hi Alina,

The amount you’re talking about feeding to your pup should be no problem. There are plenty of people here who offer their dogs fresh garlic regularly or supplement with garlic capsules to keep fleas away. The amount that would cause toxicity is alarger quantity than the small amount you’re talking about. Cooking destroys the allicin in garlic and I would therefore assume the same for the onions.

[Heather D]

Hello members. Thank heavens I have found this site though have done nothing this morning with regard housework as just been reading.
We have a Spanish Mastiff crossed with a German Shepherd, rescued from a filthy pen some 4 weeks ago when he was just 6 weeks old. Riddled with parasites internal and external. Has been to the vet’s three times now but doing very well.
previously we had a couple of English Pointers so I was aware of the growth/calcium issue and they were reared to be 14 years. Dusty the bitch, spayed, died with skin cancer. We live in Spain and she was mostly white and was a momkey for lying in the sun with her legs splayed and stomach bared to the sun, she contracted skin cancer and sadly had to be put to sleep aged 14.
Bracken her pal, though not from the same litter, died just 6 weeks after Dusty with a heart attack.
They were reared for their first 18 months on Hills prescription for large breeds and did really well with it.
Now to our new little, well quite big puppy.
He couldn’t tolerate Hills so the vet advised Eukanuba food for large breed puppies and I give him two small additional feeds of cooked turkey each day to add to his protein as the dry food is 26% and wanted to increase it. He is tolerating it well, but I want him to have the best I can afford, and buy. We are pensioners and though not destitute we have to budget.
Spain is not known for it’s care of dogs, and sadly, living in the heart of Andalucia away from the Costas most dogs are raised on dry bread, yes dry bread and anything else they can find. These are the conditions our puppy Max was born into. Locked in a large fenced and gated pen, the owner coming only once per week to bring a sack of dry bread rolls and fill their water bowls. So we have adopted the family and go each night to feed and water through the fence.
The parents and the 2 other pups are doing well, and the owner as a thankyou gave us Max.
There are just 2 pet stores within a couple of hours drive that do sell some varied brands.
We want the very best for Max and from your lists I just don’t know if I am going to find any of the foods you mention.
My question is, sorry after this ramble, if I cannot find any you mention will Max be ok continuing on his Eukanuba for large breed puppies along with his cooked turkey, and are there any other things I can give him to supplement if he has to stay on this diet?

[emma s]

Hi,

I am looking to switch my 3 year old border terrier to a raw diet
However I am concerned that I will not be able to ensure that he gets all the nutrients and minerals needed. He has been tested for food allergies and has had positive reactions for:

Chicken
Beef
Salmon
Venison
Soy
Cows Milk

With the lack of variety – will I be able to ensure that he has a healthy diet? Should I supplement his diet with other minerals that he will not get from certain meat proteins for example?

Thanks very much for your time

[Nita P]

I recently decided to order Dynovite for my 6 year old German Shorthaired Pointer Bella. She has had issues with paw licking, yeasty ears, terrible bad breath and excessive shedding. Sometimes she would chew on her paws until she howled. She’s eaten Iams chicken based food (green bag) her whole life. This summer Bella’s ears got really bad and the medicines the vet prescribed (cortisone and something else) gave her complete incontinence (constant leaking). She also suffered from severe lethargy and acted “drugged” and it was scary. We discontinued the meds after 3 days. Bella’s fur was very brittle and handfuls of hair came off her if she brushed against you or if you stroked her back. Since I’m on my own journey healing my digestive problems with a diet of healthy food (candida issues), I had decided to give Dynovite a try. I made her food with white rice (I read on Dynovite’s website that brown rice is hard for dogs to digest), ground elk meat, sweet potato, olive oil, ground flaxseed, and added the Dynovite with some chicken broth. I added Dynovite Licky Chops and Omega Oil supplement in the mix. In TWO WEEKS we’ve reversed 6 years of heavy shedding, paw licking, and overall systemic candida problems. Her coat not only feels better, it’s hardly shedding at all now in summer in Texas. That’s nothing short of amazing in summer 100+ degree heat every day!!! I liked the homemade food ideas I got from the Dynovite website, but I’m changing her base food to a holistic blend with no grains since making the food is a lot of work (and I’m almost out of elk meat). I’m trying NOT to feel guilty for the food choices I’ve made for Bella now, but I am pretty convinced that nutrition was the problem since it cleared up the shedding so quickly. And the ears are better, no paw licking and she just smells better overall. If I didn’t hear those radio commercials every day, I probably wouldn’t have made the diet changes suggested by Dynovite and that made all the difference for us. We’re now about to start week 4 of Dynovite and she seems to be feeling better now too. I’m sticking with the Dynovite as a great supplement to Bella’s diet and I recommend it to anyone who wants their pet to be as healthy as possible.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by Nita P.

[Shawna]

Hi Cyndi,

I still haven’t had a chance to read through all the posts (and I’m not sure I’ll get a chance to at least for a few more days) so I’m giving some thoughts not knowing what all has been discussed. Hopefully I can come back soon to read through it all.

If you think it possibly could be a food intolerance than I would eliminate the treats (due to the wheat and barley etc) first as well as any extras that aren’t necessary to the diet —- even the supplements that aren’t necessary to creating a balance.

I also agree with Losul’s comments about excess thyroid hormone in the diet from trachea etc as a possible cause. If you agree, try eliminating this food for a few weeks.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Rhonda –

I would recommend supplementing with a quality glucosamine supplement. Generally the amount of glucosamine in foods isn’t high enough to be of therapeutic benefit, it’s just more of a marketing tactic. Your dog would get a lot more benefit from a supplement.

[Cyndi]

Hi Betsy, I expected the same thing from the vet. I had a feeling she was going to say a nutritional deficiency. I really like the vets there, but I so wish I could find a vet close that doesn’t object to raw feeding and actually helps me out with it. Yeah, I knew I’d keep worrying too, lol! That’s just how I am. I just can’t figure out how to shut my mind off when it starts over-thinking things. Thank you!

Losul, you’re awesome. Thanks for clearing all that up and emailing Steve Brown again. I really appreciate it. I don’t know the percentages of organs in that organ mix I get, but I highly doubt there is all that much liver in it and Bailey only gets a small portion of it with a meal. I mix the beef, organs and tripe together, then I portion it up into 6oz. portions, so she’s not getting anywhere near 10% of liver with a meal. So, that makes me feel better. I don’t give that to her every morning, just probably 4 maybe 5 mornings a week. I will though, possibly switch to just ground beef or ground turkey or something when I’m using the SSLL and when I use the mix with the tripe and organs, maybe just use the Dr. Harvey’s Whole Food Multi VItamin and Mineral supplement that I’ve used in the past. The ingredients in that are: Bee Pollen, Spirulina, Lecithin, Nutritional Yeast, Garlic, Flax Seed Meal, Alfalfa Leaf, Kelp, Bilberry Leaf, Chamomile Flowers, Oat Straw, Ginkgo Leaf, Dandelion, Burdock, Thyme, Papaya Leaf, Rosemary Leaf, Peppermint Leaf, Fennel Seed, Suma, Red Clover Blossoms, Milk Thistle, Rose Hips, Yellow Dock, Licorice Root, Ginger, Foti.

Thank you again losul!

& C4C, Thank YOU!! I have no idea what I’d do without this site. Well, on second thought, without this site, my Bailey would still be eating Purina One or Pedigree probably. I am so thankful for ALL you guys and your knowledge and help and expertise and your friendship! I have real friends that I can talk to in person about stuff, but then I have my awesome DFA family and friends that I am so very thankful for when it comes to stuff like this!!

I know I’ve said it before, but thank you to EVERYONE for keeping me sane and thinking clearly (for the most part, lol!)

[crazy4cats]

It is not grain free. Here are the ingredients for the kitten food: Chicken, chicken liver, salmon, turkey, duck, chicken broth, whole grain brown rice, white rice, oatmeal, potatoes, barley, egg, guar gum, flaxseed meal, dried kelp, carrots, peas, apples, dried skim milk, cranberries, rosemary extract, parsley, taurine, dried chicory root, carrageenan, vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, niacin supplement, D-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin B12 supplement, biotin, folic acid, copper sulfate, calcium iodate and sodium selenite.

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein 11.0% Minimum
Crude Fat 5.5% Minimum
Crude Fiber 1.0% Maximum
Moisture 78.0% Maximum
Calorie Content:
1,347 kcal/kg (210 kcal/can)
Calculated Metabolizable Energy.
The adult flavor is similar, but a little lower in protein and fat.

I don’t mind the rice that far down in the ingredients. There is a lot worse things that could be included, in my opinion. I’m just not sure if it has that bad ingredient that Bobby dog doesn’t like. I can never remember what it is called? All four of my cats will eat this food with no problems. And the price is right!

[losul]

Good Morning all!

Steve Brown replied to me this morning. He didn’t reply directly to my second message, and to be honest, i don’t remember exactly the content and what I asked on the second. Probably he went into depth enough on the first to satisfy the second.
—————

Comments: Hi Steve. There has been some questions about using your
dinner mix with muscle meat and with or without various organ
meats,(liver, kidneys, lungs, spleen, pancreas, etc.) but especially
liver. I was under the impression that it was designed to be balanced
without addition of any organs, using just all muscle meat, no liver,
etc. But then a poster on DFA wrote that you had replied to his
question as the following; ——————– Is it okay to feed
muscle meat AND organs when using your dinner mix? Yes, its okay to
add muscle meat and some organ meat, but please dont add a lot of
liver. Keep the liver to less than 10% of the total meat.Adding up to
20% hearts is fine. Steve Brown ———————- Now it’s
unclear to me. SHOULD liver and other organs be added (on top of
muscle meat) to your SSLL mix in order to make a meal balanced? I
have been keeping your dinner mix on hand for those times when I
didn’t want to fully home prep, or if I just had plain meat handy, no
organs, and I always made sure NOT to use the mix with liver. So
now my question to you is, does the mix make a complete balanced
dinner without using organs meats? If so, then does using organ meats
with it pose any danger of oversupplementation of any
vitamins/minerals? Thank you in advance Luv your C.A.D. book.

—-

“Thanks for the really good questions and the clarifications.

YES. When blended according to directions, using just lean meats and, if just feeding beef, some proper oils, the dinner mix will meet AAFCO and NRC standards.

But adding small amounts of organs can help provide more depth to the nutrition. A little bit of liver can help, but no more than 10% of the meat, while heart, which, as you said, some consider to be a muscle meat, can be a much higher percentage. For poultry, the percentage heart can be a little higher, but for beef, I’d prefer less liver (5% range) and heart (10-15% range).

I am a little wary about adding other organs, such as the spleen, pancreas, and so forth. These organs can be very mineral rich, and I’ve not analyzed the dinner mix using these organs. My intuition tells me that if one can get these organs, the dinner mix will not be needed, except for perhaps calcium, phosphorus, iodine and manganese. As I think this through, if one can get these organs, a much simpler nutrient blend would be better.

I hope this helps.

Steve Brown

—————————————–

[crazy4cats]

Hi Zach-
I am not familiar with Primal turkey and sardine. But, I’m all in favor of boosting kibble with a topper. Have you checked out Steve Brown’s website, See Spot Live Longer? He has written a few books on home made food and dog nutrition. He also has a download that is only $2.95 that spells out how to supplement kibble with fresh and raw foods. Such as eggs, sardines, veges, fruits and organs. I top my pups kibble with either canned, dehydrated, frozen raw nuggets, eggs or sardines every meal. Have fun with it!

[texasniteowl]

Well…time for an update…not a great one…

Since my last post, we continued with the Orijen Adult. By last Sunday, I had Wilson on all kibble, no chicken and rice. And we seemed to be doing well. Pretty good poo, etc. Now, let me clarify, no supplements of any kind at this point. No probiotics. Just kibble…Orijen Adult.

Let me also make sure I clarify that I had been feeding him on a 3x a day schedule, so 3 smaller meals.

Anyway, we seemed to be doing pretty good. Some variation in poo softness but overall good.

However, the last 2 nights (Saturday & Sunday) we have gone downhill a bit. Late at night, just before his last meal (aka midnight snack) he has gone outside to eat grass…which he had not been doing in about a month or so now. And his poo is destabilizing. The first stuff out will look OK and then becomes much softer. Not watery as far as I’ve seen, but very very soft. And he moves around quite a bit and ends up poo-ing in 3 to 4 spots.

Now, with his midnight snack tonight, I’ll add some pumpkin in. Is it time to try something like The Perfect Form? Next, I need to get some probiotics I guess. Any suggestions for ones that are available locally in stores? Or something that ships quick? Like I said above, my feed store sells Probios but I wondered about the sugar content. I do have some Kefir in the fridge…should I try to start him on that?

I guess the other question is, instead of adding supplements, do I give up on the Orijen and move him to something else?

And I suppose I could take a poo sample back to my vet and ask them to look at the bacteria again?

[ella]

I’ve had Ella on a raw diet, using Primal raw patties. The cost is pretty high, about $6/pound, so I supplement with raw meats (chicken pieces with bones, beef, pork, etc.) as well as cooked veggies, like squash, green beans etc.

It occurs to me that I should be able to skip the expensive raw patties and go entirely with human grade meat. Chicken legs are 77cents per pound, I can get scraps of high quality pork chops, both boneless and with bone in, for $1.47 per pound, beef livers are $2 per pound, beef ribs $2.47. So I can give her excellent meat, rather than the ground up, frozen patties.

I live on meat and veggies. IS there any reason a mutt can’t? We’re spending more on the dog to eat than we are on ourselves.

[Gail W]

I don’t have recommendations for tasty food, but can offer a short synopsis of our experience. We supported our Yorkie for the last 6 of his 16 years. We were able to keep him otherwise healthy, happy and maintained a solid quality of life with this disease. It was found early and we managed it aggressively with meds, food, and supplements. Started with KD kibble to KD moist as he aged and condition progressed over the years. He ultimately hated all the KD moist foods and we worked with a vet nutritionist at NCSU to develop recipes made at home – she created formulas that had interchangeable ingredients in case he became bored/picky (as opposed to anorexic from uremia). The addition of Azodyl seemed to help early on. He was switched from enalapril to benazepril, as it is supposedly easier on the kidneys, in addition to other meds. In talking to a holistic vet, they usually give an herbal supplement with enalopril to help protect the kidneys (I can’t remember which one). As you mentioned, phosphorus was the biggest thing we watched for – egg whites only & other lower phosphorus proteins. Each dog is different, but you know your pup best. Watch for changes and address quickly. Best of luck with Kelci!

[losul]

Hi Cyndi.

Read your post and sorry to hear about Bailey’s problems. This might be far-fetched, but I’m going to put it out there anyway.

After reading what you are feeding and reading others initial thoughts about thyroidism brought something to my mind. Hypothyroidism, is more often the case and Hyperthyroidism (high thyroid) is pretty rare in dogs. I’m not knowledgeable about thyroid problems, but after some research, I found indications that hyperthyroidism can cause hair loss just as can hypothyroidism.

Awhile back, Aimee (thnx Aimee) brought up a study in which certain dogs that were fed raw diets developed hyperthyroidism-high thyroxine levels (dietary hyperthyroidism). It turns out that these dogs were either eating tracheas and gullets or eating other meats that had the thyroid glands inadvertently ground up with them. Anyway that study much impacted me, and it would never have occurred to me if Aimee had not brought it up. At the time I was feeding MPC’s beef tripe supermix sometimes (it kind of sounds like you are using it, and as a staple?). Anyway, MPC’s ground beef tripe supermix has 10% trachea and gullet in it. I was concerned enough that I inquired to Paul about it a couple of times, wanting to make sure they were careful not to include the thyroid gland in the supermix. I wasn’t reassured that it didn’t have thyroid gland in it, so I quit feeding it. I still buy some things from MPC, but nothing with trachea or gullet, and not chicken products for other reasons. Just got a new order Friday, it even included goat gonads ( ouchee).

At first this study might sound like another raw feeding bash, but I see no real apparent conflicts of interest in it., it has happened with humans also, “Thyrotoxicosis factitia, as this is called in human medicine, has been reported in people eating hamburgers containing ground beef thyroid or eating excessive amount of sausages containing thyroid hormones (Malvinder and Sturge 2003, Conrey and other 2008, Hendriks and Looij 2010).”

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1748-5827.2011.01189.x/full

As I said, it might be far fetched, as it seems like other symptoms might be present if it were hyperthyroidism, maybe even weight loss and hyperactivity. But if you were to get her checked, and it would turn out to be HIGH thyroxine levels….. Also know that if it were dietary hyperthyroidism, it is easily reversable.

Cyndi, there is another possible problem I can see. Are you using the pre-mixes such as SSLL with a complete grind- meat, bones, organs and tripe? Those pre-mixes are really designed to use with muscle meats only- no bones or organs. Alot of folks would say that the MPC beef tripe supermix (if that’s what you are using) is (or should be if in right proportions) completely balanced by itself. I would say it should be very close to balanced, and shouldn’t ever have the full supplementation that you are adding with the pre-mixes, IMO. The pre-mixes add all the vitamins/minerals needed in absence of bone and organs. For just one thing an overabundance of calcium/phosphorus, if you are using bone in grinds with the pre-mixes. You aren’t using cod liver oil also, I hope? I think excessive calcium, especially along with excessive vitamin D, can be a cause of hypercalcemia. Parathyroid and thyroid glands attempt to regulate blood calcium/phosphorus.

Whatever it may be, I hope Bailey gets better very soon!

[DogFoodie]

Your topical pest control sounds good. Any other potential environmental allergies? Yard applications (natural, like neem oil or otherwise)? Household products; ie: carpet or floor cleaners, detergents, air fresheners? Did you get her a new bed…

You know, I was going to use the Mercola Natural Defense that you’re using, but couldn’t. I sent it back, unopened. I never smelled it. I wonder if it could be that the essential oils in that are too stimulating. ??

Her diet sounds great. Did you add any of the pre-mixes or supplements, like the garlic, shortly before the itching began?

The only health issue that comes to mind is thyroid. Is that a possibility?

[pugmomsandy]

He doesn’t need to switch to adult food. Personally I feed puppy food to all ages. Adding a multi-strain probiotic and digestive enzymes will help him to digest better even though the food has them in it already. Sometimes they lose their potency with the kibble making process. And kibble is just hard and dry and can take several hours to break down and the dog digestive system is fast so dense kibble sometimes doesn’t get broken down enough. And the undigested protein makes powerful gas! My pup used to have terrible gas too. After being on probiotics for a while he should get more efficient with digestion. I’d give the supplement with each meal for several weeks and see how he does. My group only gets supplements once or twice a week and only if they eat kibble.

[Jennifer H]

Thanks, BCnut.

Yup – I realize I’ll have to sacrifice somewhere, but at one point had my really chubby girl on Premium Edge Weight Loss formula I (44% protein; 12% fat; 347 kcals/cup) and she was doing pretty well – even on free feed.

Just not sure I want to feed ANYTHING associated w/ Diamond and not sure the other dogs would do well on it as a free feed food…though I guess if I supplemented their food with something higher fat, we might be ok, as I tend to feed several different foods at a time.

Thoughts on that?

[Hound Dog Mom]

There’s not much data supporting the efficacy of glucosamine or chondroitin, however some people swear by it and it’s harmless enough so it wouldn’t hurt to try. Human supplements are fine, just adjust the dosage accordingly. Some other supplements to try would bee MSM, curcumin, omega 3’s, boswellia or an system enzyme supplement (like Medizym). You could also talk to your vet about adequan injections.

[Corinne M]

Hi Liz,
I just read your post – I’m so sorry, I know it is anxiety producing to find a lump on your dog!! Here’s what I know, hopefully it will make you feel better until you can get to the vet…I’ve had Golden Retrievers in the past who developed fatty tumors (lipomas) as they got older. That was back in the days before I was feeding homemade & raw. The vet would always say that its nothing to worry about, it was common for the breed and as long as it didn’t bother the dog leave it alone. Back then, that’s what I did – and I can honestly say that those dogs lived long happy lives & for the most part I don’t think the lipomas ever really bothered them and certainly didn’t interfere with their quality of life. Then about 4 years ago, I had 2 Golden Retriever puppies – and 1 of them developed a lump that was BIG. And he was young. My initial thought was, “well, he’s a Golden & they are prone to these things”. But it just felt really wrong to me in such a young dog – and sure enough, when the vet did a needle biopsy on him, the result was different, this time it was not fatty, but was blood filled – called a sarcoma. Turns out this dog had a really weak immune system, and the lump was right at the injection site where he had his latest vaccines. The good news is, we caught it early and it alerted me to a bigger issue – his immune system. That’s when I changed diet, vaccines, etc. When you go to the vet, you’ll know more – it may be just another fatty bump, but the location seems to indicate that maybe its related to the vaccine or the chip implant. His body may be responding to the foreign “stuff” that was injected, and the bump may resolve as his body recovers and assimilates it. But if it’s a reaction, that’s something to pay attention to – most dogs don’t get a reaction, so you may want to look into why yours did this time. Maybe it’s a fluke, or maybe there are ingredients in the vaccine that your dog doesn’t tolerate well. That was the case for my dog. But there’re some things that I’ve discovered along the way – first, not all dogs can tolerate the “one size fits all” vaccine protocol. And there are alternatives, such as titer testing, following a “minimal” protocol, and using only thimerosal-free vaccines when you do have to vaccine. I’ve had many friends tell me their vets “don’t do” titer testing or thimerosal-free… but there are labs that you can use, where you get the lab order from them, have your vet do the blood draw & have your vet send the blood to them for titer testing. It’s no different from what your vet already does – they are just shipping to your lab of choice instead of to their usual lab. Same thing with the vaccine – you order it and have it sent to your vet in advance. The other thing is, the reaction my dog had gave me a “heads-up” to have his immune system checked. There’s a great organization called Hemopet (www.hemopet.org) that did a comprehensive immune system analysis on my dog & the director, Dr. Jean Dodds did a personal review for no additional cost – she sent me a report that explained the results in great detail and provided me with a list of supplements to correct his immune deficiency. She talked with me by phone & email over the next couple months while I got my dog stabilized at no additional cost. It completely changed my dogs health and was money well spent!. As an aside, the immune testing order form doesn’t come up on their website so you’ll have to call or email and ask them how to order it. Again, your vet draws the blood and sends it to their lab or to Cornell University…I forget which, but the order form has the shipping instructions on it.
Bottom line – the fact that you caught it so early means you can deal with it and get to them bottom of it. Taking charge over it will go a long way toward alleviating the stress and anxiety you are feeling right now. I promise!
Best to you & your pup!

[Corinne M]

Something happened today that really moved me & I thought I would reach out to the dog community and see what happens. Tell me your thoughts – also, share any resources you know about, please.
So here’s the story: I make my own dog food but sometimes I rotate to a commercial (complete) or commercial supplements and I don’t like my ingredients to go to waste – so today, I realized I had enough egg shells on hand to make about two months’ worth of calcium supplement, which I don’t need right now – so I decided to look on Craigslist to see if anyone in my dog community might need it.
On Craigslist, I accidentally came upon a post that said “I NEED DOG FOOD” – it was a few days old, but I sent a reply asking if they had gotten what they need. Turns out, this lady is sort of having a hard time financially, is renting a room from a church & most of her needs are met except dog food. She has 2 weeks before any funds come in. I told her I could bring her a couple weeks of dog food, and I said she could just “pay it forward” for someone else’s pet someday. Well it turns out that she was involved in running a “death row dog rescue” for 20 years – the 2 dogs she has are, as she calls them, “former inmates”. It got me thinking – I know that there are so many people in this country just barely getting by, and I’ve heard from shelter workers that its not uncommon for pets to be surrendered by loving families who just can’t keep up with food costs. After a little research I discovered that “ Meals-on-Wheels” have begun to include pet food delivery, particularly to low income senior citizens because they found that many of their clients were sharing their meals with their pets out of desperation.
So it occurred to me to reach out to the food pantries in my community & the local “Meals on Wheels” to donate pet foods for them to distribute as needed. Maybe someone who reads this will do the same. ..I hope so.
Best, Corinne

[USA]

Hi Liz and Mr Lou!

You have very good instincts and Mr Lou is lucky to have you! And of course you are lucky to have Mr Lou!

The frozen green tripe is an excellent source of digestive enzymes and should eliminate the need for adding digestive enzymes to Mr Lou’s diet. Because he received an antibiotic shot which kills the good as well as the bad bacteria I would add probiotics to help replenish his gut. I use this one from Vitacost and it looks like they deliver to Canada.

http://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-probiotic-15-35-35-billion-cfu-60-vegetarian-capsules-9

Start slowly. Half a capsule every other day added to his largest meal. If everything is Okay after 6 days you can go to 1 capsule a day sprinkled on his food. After a month you can reduce it to 1 capsule every other day if you’d like.

k9choicefoods looks like a good food. I couldn’t find the numbers for Protein and Fat but I like the way they raise their animals and their quality seems outstanding.

I would stay away from kibble for multiple reasons. It is a super processed food that is as far away from raw as you can get. The quality will NEVER come close to the raw food you are feeding Mr Lou and feeding a whole food in it’s natural form without any alterations or processing is the absolute best in my opinion.

The Honest Kitchen uses quality ingredients but their foods are too heavy in carbs for my liking. And with any food that has it’s moisture removed who knows exactly how long it takes to re-hydrate it 100% or if it is even possible to re-hydrate it 100%. I just wouldn’t take the chance if I were you. But if you do use a dry food use very little and re-hydrate at least for 24 hours.

The water you understand so just keep up the GOOD WORK and keep drinking while eating or after exercise to a bare minimum. There is mixed evidence on raised feeders but I tend to agree that if you use raised bowls it will allow more gulping or air so I don’t recommend them.

Sardines contain the fish oil you are looking for in a whole food form which is always better than a supplement. Mr Lou is a big boy so after starting really slow a 3 oz tin (packed in water) once or twice a week should be good. If Mr Lou doesn’t like sardines then 2 fish oil capsules daily should be fine.

For supplementing plain raw meat I would use Steve Brown’s dinner mix and not a dehydrated food like Preference by The Honest Kitchen (carbs and re-hydration again)

Here’s to a healthy and happy life for both Mr Lou and you (it rhymes)!!!!!!!

[FrenchieBourdeaux]

Hi,
I am new to the forum and I know this question my have been answered and if so I am sorry. I just recently got a Doug De Bordeaux mastiff and I also have French Bulldogs so I am struggling to figure out what the best food would be to feed I feed my Frenchies a Nature’s Logic which they love and do great on mixture of there raw and dry. Ludo the new boy the mastiff came from the breeders eating TOTW which I don’t like to much or trust. Well he loves the Logic and wont eat the large breed puppy food the horizon complete he wants to eat what the girls eat (Frenchies) and the girls want to it his food which they cant. So I was wondering which food I could feed them all with were they would all be happy is Nature;s Logic calcium levels to high for him and if so which one on the list would be good for both to eat the Frenchies have a lot of allergy issues so I get nerves switching but it is not working feeding two different foods. Is the Now Calcium levels to high? And if so which one on the list do you feel would be the best for both breeds. He is 10 Weeks my Frenchies are 1, 5, and 8 years old. And is there any supplements that I should have him on? Sorry for the book..lol.