[KATHLEEN M]

I too saw the video. My Dog had 2 severe pancreatic attacks. She is now on Science diet lowfat prescription food and has been doing well for years. Will this supplement be beneficial for her? She is a 11 year old Shizu-poodle mix.

[Patti S]

Thanks for your feedback.
I too have had dogs who didn’t do as well with a 5 star food. Every dog is an individual, and what’s terrific for one dog, may not be as great for another.

I’m about half way through the transition from Merrick Grain Free Turkey (canned) to Canidae All Life Stages Chicken (also canned), with no adverse reactions.
I supplement with PetKind Green Tripe & Red Meat dry food. It contains lentils, chick pea, peas & pea starch, and sweet potato, but they are way down in the ingredient list, so they aren’t the main component of the diet.
Anyone know of a decent dry food that’s completely free of those suspect ingredients?

• This reply was modified 6 years, 10 months ago by Patti S.

[Karen G]

Gosh Hi Everyone! I didn’t get an alert from the last 3 posts so I had no idea that Cara and Laurence had joined and Susan had updated.
Firstly Abby is doing great. She was up to 17lbs at Christmas, so we have had to cut back on her daily food intake….what a glorious thing for me to write! She is now down to 16.4lbs and I think we will keep her at this weight over the Winter (it’s pretty cold outside now and she can use the extra fat). We will probably limit her food intake a little more in the Spring as her ideal weight is actually 15.2lbs.

Abby remains on our home made prescription diet. She gets 75mg metronidazole daily and 1ml B12 injection weekly. Our nutritionist Vet did a presentation about her at the OVC and asked me to write up how I prepared her meals, the cost and the time. If anyone is interested I can post that here. I have learned a lot about making a home made diet, I think it helps to be a little obsessive compulsive….keeping to the recipe exactly and weighing each item after cooking and draining is very important.

Because Abby lost 70% of her small bowel she can’t absorb fats. She only gets 1tsp of canola oil daily, and whatever fat is left over after meticulously draining the lean ground beef (I obsess about draining it very thoroughly because the prescription recipe called for extra lean ground beef but it’s expensive to buy 2kg of extra lean ground beef at a time and extra lean generally doesn’t come in large packaged amounts).

Another very important addition to Abby’s diet is a vitamin/mineral supplement. Abby was prescribed Balance IT by the OVC Vet. We have to order it on line from the U.S. which is a bit of an annoyance but The OCV trusts that the product is properly monitored in production and the ingredients are of good quality. I believe the standards for medications for animals are not as stringent as they are for humans so the OVC is careful about what they choose when prescribing an OTC product. (over the counter)

Laurence, the trick for us in decreasing poops and firming them up is the homemade diet. When Abby was on the Purina H/A her poop was still pretty watery. Thickest in the morning and then like water by evening. Looking back at my notes from a year ago Abby was pooping 4-10x a day. Currently she poops 2-3x day. Her first poop of the day looks like a normal dog poop and we are now back to carrying poop bags with us when we go for walks. in the evening her poop is the loosest and I’d say it is the consistency of pudding. (On the fecal score chart she is a 3 in the morning and a 5-6 in the evening) What a change in a year!

I think there are 3 main factors in Abby’s improvement: 1) time – time to heal 2) home made prescription diet & 3) a regular daily dose of metronidazole – I hate that we have to rely on an antibiotic to keep her gut flora under control but that is our reality. Currently she is on half the daily dose she was originally prescribed but if I try to wean her down to a lower dose she starts pooping more so I guess this is where we will stay for now.

Finally I want to say a couple of words about probiotics. Abby was started on Fortiflora almost immediately after her surgery. We didn’t know if it was helping but we hoped it was. Later our nutritionist Vet suggested we try Visbiome. Visbiome is a high quality probiotic for humans with ulcerative colitis and I.B.S. You order it on line and it is delivered in a styrofoam cooler with a cold pack inside (obviously great care is taken to keep the bacterium alive). It was kept in the fridge and we gave it to Abby everyday. However, when I was researching fecal transplants in humans (yes, Abby had a fecal transplant – it didn’t really help) I came across a journal article that stated in humans:
“SBS patients, with colon in continuity, harbor a specific fecal microbiota that we called “lactobiota” because it is enriched in the Lactobacillus/Leuconostoc group and depleted in anaerobic micro-organisms (especially Clostridium and Bacteroides )”
The ingredient list of Visbiome states that over half the bacillus species in the probiotic supplement were in the Lactobacillus group! So essentially we were giving Abby more of the same bacteria that she already had an overabundance of!
Fortiflora has a lot of filler ingredients but only the Enterococcus faecium is the active one. Which is a strain of gram + streptococcus (which is naturally occurring in the gut of animals and humans)
Needless to say, we stopped the probiotics and she hasn’t had any since. I’m not saying this is the case for every person and every dog, but I believe the probiotic was not helpful for Abby. As an addendum I would just say that dogs and people, being both mammals there isn’t a heck of a lot of difference between them when it comes to the GI system.

Okay, I’ve written a lot here so I better stop. If anyone wants my recipe notes or even the link to the journal article about lactobacillus let me know
Cheers for now….Karen

[Kevin P]

Chewing toes is a sign of discomfort. I would definitely check out allergy support supplements. If not you can make your Aussie a customized bag of food designed specifically for your dog. At the link I just shared with you.

[Patti S]

When all this news on taurine broke the other day, I wrote to Merrick, the manufacturer of the current dog food I’ve been using. They just got back to me, here is their response to my question of whether or not their canned dog food (Grain-free Turkey) has appropriate levels of taurine:

“Thank you for reaching out to us with your concern. We will be happy to tell you that all of our diets contain appropriate levels of cysteine and methionine, the amino acids that dogs use to make their own taurine. As the FDA continues to explore a possible link between diet and taurine deficiency, which is one potential cause of DCM, we have started supplementing taurine in all of our dry dog food recipes. The safety and quality of our pet food is our #1 priority, and we commit to working with the industry and FDA to help understand this potential issue. If you have any other questions please let us know.”

Good to know!

[true p]

TruePawz manufactures natural pet supplement products for dogs that help to ensure the superior quality of life our pets deserve.

Looking for the best pet vitamins and supplements and products for your Dog? TruePawz is the one stop shop for particular pets.

pet vitamins and supplements

[Sanne]

I think most people go overboard with too many unnecessary supplements. If your dog is on a complete and balanced food there is no need for supplements unless you want something for a specific problem.

Extra Omega 3’s are great for skin, joint, and heart health. It is a good overall supplement but I prefer to just feed my dog real mackerel or sardines as opposed to a fish oil supplement. It is cheaper and fresh food is always a good thing.

Glucosamine, chondroitin, msm, green lipped mussel powder are all great for arthritis. CBD oil I find is even better

Coq10 can be great for heart health if your dog has any problems with that

As you can see, most supplements are good for specific issues and do not need to be given just because.

[Anonymous]

Hi, I’m looking for some advice. I’ve heard that there are some really good pet food supplements that can help improve health. Is there anything out there that you all would recommend?
Thanks!

• This topic was modified 4 years ago by Mike Sagman. Reason: Fix Duplicate Topic Title

[Christie B]

@Susan Thanks for the advise. So far so good with his mobility. He still runs around and is pretty agile for a 10 year old large breed. I worry mostly about his front right leg, which is bowlegged. It doesn’t cause him any pain to stand or walk on it and he runs fine. I give him a senior Mobility Bites and Turmeric Curcumin supplements by zesty paws as a preventative.
The Mobility bites have 450mg of glucosamine HCL, 100mg of chondroitin sulfate and 5mg of hyaluronic acid per chew and he takes 3 per day.

My dog get sick whenever lentils or chickpeas are in the first few ingredients, so it’s hard finding a food that works (that he’ll actually eat). It was the biggest reasons I switched to Blue Buffalo. Most of the grain free recipes have chickpeas or lentil as a main ingredient.

I guess I could always try to feed the two dogs in two different rooms, but every single time they leave like 1/4 of their food and then sniff around and eat each other’s.

I’m trying to rotate proteins because we start to have issues once we stay on one too long. We’re just about done with chicken and I see the Pure Meadow lists chicken as the first ingredient.

I literally walked through Petsmart on Friday and read every label. So many grain free formulas listed lentils or chickpeas within the top four ingredients and when I found one that listed something like sweet potatoes, the main protein was chicken.

I was hoping to find something like lamb or duck. I know Merrick makes High Protein formulas, but I’ve heard some not so nice things about the brand. It rates good on this site. And I thought Merrick was going to run it’s operation independently from Nestle Purina. But I could be wrong. The internet is filled with conflicting stories. But at this point, if the food is decent and it’s working for the dogs, I should give it a try, right?

I hear horror stories about Blue Buffalo and Merrick on this site. I’d love to find a food that can be found in a local store like Petco or Petsmart (I live near both).

[Sanne]

Lots of great advice in Susan’s post. Though if your dog has arthritis I would not rely on any food for glucosamine support. They are just not high enough to make any substantial difference. For example, in the Core Large Breed formula, the amount of food my bigger dog would eat of that brand would supply her around 300mg of glucosamine. Her vet recommends closer to 1000mg for her size. My dog would have to eat over a kg of that food just to meet her recommended amount daily lol. Best to use a supplement to add it if your dog needs it.

On a side note, only thing I found to help my older dog’s aches and pains is CBD oil. Good stuff.

[Susan]

Hi
I prefer to feed diet for age of my dog, a pup eats puppy formula, an adult 1-7 eats an adult formula & a senior dog eats a senior food, senior food have all the supplements for aging dogs joint, bones etc & have lower fat, higher protein, well it depends which brand you feed, I like “Canidae Pure Meadow” Senior formula, its high in Omega 3 fatty acid, has Glucosamine but its not as high as the Wellness Core Large breed Adult formula, Ive found the the Large Breed formula’s are higher in Glucosamine & Chondroitin then most senior foods.. I was going to try Wellness Core Senior but it has Lentils Patch gets diarrhea from lentils & bad wind pain, gas farts..
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products/canidae-grain-free-pure-meadow-dry-formula

I dont know if your 10 year old American Bulldog Pit mix has Arthritis, he probably does??
Have you tried “Wellness Core” Large Breed Adult Grain Free dry kibble?
it’s low Kcals-346kcals per cup, high Protein-34%min, low/med fat -13%max
Carbs-30% scroll down to “Nutrient Profiles”
then click on the “GET THE PDF” link it will give you all the max “Dry Matter Basis %”
https://www.wellnesspetfood.com/natural-dog-food/product-catalog/core-large-breed-large-breed

My boy 10yr old Staffy – 40lbs suffers with IBD, Food & Environment Allergies & he has this 3-4cm bone thing growing out of his left hip bone, vets said they have never seen anything like it, the vet said he was probably born with it…
anyway around age 9 he started running on 3 legs, letting his left back leg to hang while running, then last year in December – January he went down hill with his IBD then in March he was really sick with his stomach he had bad acid reflux, I started introducing Wellness Core Large Breed adult formula, it had the right fat%, Low Kcals, low carbs & high protein % also was high in Glucosamine was not less than 750 mg/kg
Chondroitin Sulfate was not less than 250 mg/kg…
After 3weeks of eating the Wellness Core everythng got better his stomach his acid reflux stopped 🙂 his back leg, he stop running on 3 legs, he ran on all 4 legs & started acting like a young pup again… His vet, the Pet Shop man, everyone couldnt believe what a big difference after eating the Wellness Core Large Breed Adult formula had made.

Now I rotate his dry foods, between Canidae Pure Meadow Senior, Wellness Simple Turkey & Potato formula & an Australian made brand Frontier Pets Freeze Dried for lunch,
cause Patch became so unwell in Dec -2017-Jan-2018 after eating TOTW & Nutro, I’ve kept feeding Patch his Wellness Core Large breed formula for 8-9 months never rotated with any other dry kibbles except at lunch time he gets a small wet meal, then Summer came & so did Patches environment allergies bad so I thought I’ll rotate & change his dry food to Wellness Simple Turkey & potato formula cause he did so well on the Wellness Core also the Wellness Simple is formulated for Skin problems & is high in Omega 3 fatty acids…
About 2-3 weeks after I stopped feeding his Wellness Core Large Breed formula & was feeding him just the Wellness Simple Turkey & Potato formula, his IBD = firm poos & his Skin & coat was beautiful & shinney, he stopped alot of his scratching & being itchy from allergies, I also bath him twice a week or weekly depends on how itchy he gets, baths wash off all the allergens off his skin & paws, BUT he started running on 3 legs again 🙁

The Wellness Core Large Breed is higher Glucosamine & Chondroitin Sulfate it must of really helped with his arthritis in his lower back pain….So I bought the Glucosamine Chrondroitin, Vitamin C & Maganese Powder to add to his dry meal, I couldnt workout teh dose as it wasnt like the tablets dose + it taste AWFUL yuk I couldnt drink it, it says to add to fruit juice, its yuk no way Patch will take it.. so I quickly put him back to 1/2 Wellness Core Large Breed kibble & Wellness Simple kibble, now he’s getting “Cartrophen Vet Injections” he gets 1 weekly injection for 1 month then you stop, today was his last injection, Cartrophen Vet has really helped his lower back pain the thing is he’s a nut & he jumps up to say hello to visitors & this is when he hurts his lower back more..

You need a diet HIGH in Omega 3 fatty acid not high in Omega 6 fatty acid, Omega 3 is anti-inflammatory & tooo much Omega 6 is no good for inflammatory problems, Omega 6 is an inflammatory….
The body needs a healthy balance of omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Excess consumption of omega-6s can trigger the body to produce pro-inflammatory chemicals.

When a dog diet is not balanced properly & is too low in Omega 3 & way to high in Omega 6 alot of dry/wet can foods aren’t balanced properly, this can cause skin problems with dogs…. Omega 3 should be nilly 1/2 of what the Omega 6% says..
Wellness Simple is excellent for dogs who have Skin/Stomach problems
Omega 3 Fatty Acids-1.13%, the Omega 6 Fatty Acids-2.30% max %.
Click on the PDF page
https://www.wellnesspetfood.com/natural-dog-food/product-catalog/simple-limited-ingredient-turkey-potato-recipe

Instead of adding 2 tble spoons of wet can food start adding some Tin Salmon in spring water, drain the spring water, put salmon in small air tight container put in fridge..
Omega-3 fatty acids are found in salmon, sardines, eggs, almonds, and other anti-inflammatory foods. Add 1-2 spoons of tin Salmon or Sardines to each meal..
Sardines can be a bit rich for some dogs I have to feed the Salmon + swet potat instead with Patch..

What I do when changing to a new dry formula same formula, first I check is it the same Use By Date, same Batch?? then I put 1/2 new kibble & 1/2 old kibble in an air tight container & mix thru, my boy use to be very sensitive but now since rotating between a few different brands he does really well, his immune system has become heaps stronger..

Boil Sweet Potato pieces & freeze them in those clip lock sandwich bags, Sweet Potato freezes & thaws really well, I put 1 frozen piece Sweet Potato in the micro wave 15-25sec etc then I mash teh Sweeet potato piece on a plate & let Patch lick it off..
Sweet Potato & Potato firm poo up & is excellent when dog has upset stomach/bowel, start adding 2 spoons of Sweet Potato & Salmon with dry kibble, its healthier & cheaper then wet can foods..

[Tammie W]

I have been feeding Diamond Hi Energy for about 2 years. All of a sudden my female dobie had 2 small litters, 1 was 5 and 2nd was 4. prior to diamond she had large litters 11 and 12. I also noticed her heat cycle changed, like a month early or late. I started researching and i did find that it could be a low sperm or low estrogen count due to an E deficiency which i already was supplementing that along with a good vitamin supplement. So then my other female i pulled out of the pen so she would not breed her 1st heat. A few days later she started her heat, 3 wks later i put her back out in the pen. almost a month after she looked like she was coming into heat again, So started watching daily, a week later she has a pup. I am stumped at this point as she only had one. A singleton birth. I am still trying to figure out how she got pregnant, like a devine intervention. lol. So then i tried researching again, nothing that made sense. so i researched singleton births and then the phytoestrogens came up. I am so pissed at Diamond right now as their delivery guy was really pushing for breeders to use their food. Giving discounts. Which dont get me wrong Diamond is a good food. IF YOU’RE NOT BREEDING and free choicing. These phytoestrogens are screwing with the reproductive system. I free choice so my dogs were getting slammed with this crap. I wrote Diamond about it and never got a response. I lost well over $30,000 over this escapade of theirs. WHY ARE THEY PUTTING ESTROGEN IN OUR DOGS FOOD NOW.?? Well i think i can figure that out. They are trying to put breeders out of business, as they are pushing for you to adopt. We wouldnt have to adopt or cause shelters to fill up if people would keep their promise to give their animals a forever home.
Anyway the pea’s they are putting in the dog food are natural contraceptives.
In the instance of phytoestrogens, they mimic or interfere with estrogen produced in the body by binding to estrogen receptors. This could lead to delaying puberty and infertility.
check this link out.

https://www.tumblr.com/drjeandoddspethealthresource/140578288096/phytoestrogens-dog-cat

I have returned back to the basic’s. Purina, never had any issue’s with purina products

• This reply was modified 6 years, 11 months ago by Tammie W. Reason: forgot a statement

[Kim P]

(cont)

Presently, I’m feeding my dog a combination of these foods…

For Dry – Natural Balance has a new product out that contains NO potatoes, tomato, apples, carrots, etc etc etc… it DOES have flaxseed, though, which is on the “no no” list:

** L.I.D. Limited Ingredient Diets® High Protein Beef Formula Dry Dog Food **

Beef, Pea Protein, Beef Meal, Chickpeas, Peas, Canola Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Pea Starch, Natural Flavor, Pea Fiber, Flaxseed, Salt, Potassium Chloride, DL-Methionine, Menhaden Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Choline Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Green Tea Extract, Spearmint Extract.

**************************************************************************

For his canned food (to provide extra moisture to keep his kidneys/bladder flushed and keep him well hydrated) – it DOES contain Wheat Starch & Corn Starch, though:

** Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Urinary SO Moderate Calorie Morsels in Gravy Canned Dog Food **

Water Sufficient for Processing, Pork By-Products, Chicken, Wheat Flour, Vegetable Oil, Modified Corn Starch, Powdered Cellulose, Natural Flavors, Calcium Sulfate, Sodium Carboxymethyl-Cellulose, Fish Oil, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, Taurine, Dl-Alpha Tocopherol Acetate (Source of Vitamin E), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Biotin, Niacin Supplement, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Choline Chloride, Trace Minerals (Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Marigold Extract (Tagetes Erecta L.).

***********************************************************************

Until I can find something better – this will have to do. I’ve searched EVERY dog food label known to mankind at this point, and there really isn’t anything that is 100% free of ingredients that contain silica.

[Kim P]

I’m continuing my hunt for the right food for my 11 yo border collie who recently had silica stones removed. It’s incredibly difficult. Some of the foods suggested here by members contain many of the ingredients that should be AVOIDED in the food that you choose to feed your pet. Here is a list:

From: https://franklintnvet.com/canine-silica-stones/

Feeding to Prevent Canine Silica Stones & Crystals
Eliminate foods containing whole grains. Or, if you feel you must include whole grains in your dog’s diet, check the silica content at the USDA food ingredient website.
Certain natural diets also contain silica. Diets containing substantial corn gluten feed (not corn gluten meal), or intact grains (with hulls) often contain silica. Always read your labels!
The following is a list of foods known to contain silica. Avoid all foods on the list!
Bell peppers
Soybeans
Oats
Brown rice
Barley
Burdock root
Apples
Oranges
Raisins
Grapes
Cucumber
Hemp leaves
Horsetail
Marjoram
Spinach
Radish
Romaine lettuce
Tomato
Nopal cactus
Peanuts
Almonds
Millet
Flaxseeds
And don’t let your dog eat grasses, woody plants, and dirt. Silica uroliths are common in range cattle and sheep that consume forage grasses, which have a high concentration of silica.
Avoid using antacids containing magnesium trisilicate.
Be cautious using dietary supplements, homeopathic remedies, and medicines containing silica. Always read the ingredient label!

[Amanda D]

My Mini Aussie has been kind of itchy. Not always, but she does, she tends to chew her toes. She is fed Fromm Hasen Duckenpfeffer, whatever higher quality canned food I can find at my local discount let store. I always check DFA before buying and don’t but anything lower than 4 stars, but try to stay at 4.5-5 stars. This last time it was Castor and Pollux Natural Ultramix Indulgent Mix All-Beef Sausage and Sweet Potato (5*), which she really liked. My mom however likes to give Luna table food, which I’m okay with roast meats, fruits and veggies. But a couple weeks who I found out she gave Loon an entire taco… Complete with seasoned ground beef 😒. I have told her not to give Luna that crap. Luna has been known to starve herself to hold out for table food. She’ll go an entire day ignoring her kibble to hold out for my mom to give her crap. Loon has never been a ravenous eater, Even when she was a puppy, she never gobbled or inhaled her food… I think it would be easier to deal with that than a picky dog.

I would like to try Luna on a Skin and Coat supplement before putting her on 100% Grain Free diet. I’ve been seeing articles lol up that dogs on GF diets have been linked to heart disease in older dogs. Now I know this isn’t dogma, but I would rather not set Luna up for that possible future. I would rather up her animal protein, because personally, I think it’s a lack of adequate amounts of animal protein, and not necessarily the added protein rich grains.

I also would like to add a fish oil to her food, but she won’t touch anything fishy. Of all the deal she likes; seafood, Green beans, peanut butter and bananas are things she won’t touch. Although she will sit with me and share dry roasted unsalted peanuts ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

I was thinking maybe these Vetcrafted Omega Max soft chews.
https://www.allivet.com/mobile/p-6614-vetcrafted-omega-max-soft-chews-for-dogs-and-cats.aspx

Is there anything else I should look into?

[Lori H]

Hi Helen,

You might want to look at the following website. My dog Buddy (long hair Chihuahua, Dachshund and Pomeranian) has been through a lot, much like your dog. He had so many medical issues including being diagnosed with Diabetes. He is now almost 12 and during his life he has had surgery on his spleen, surgery for the bladder stones, been diagnosed with Diabetes, my vet thought he had Cushing’s and I was also told by my vet that he was suffering from liver failure and was preparing me for the fact that Buddy was going to die. The liver failure diagnosis was over two years and today, he is healthy, happy, looks amazing and has so much energy. He is happy and the most healthy he has ever been in his life! It has been an amazing turnaround so I know how you feel. I basically had to get him healthy myself. My vet did not support my decision to do what I did, but he is healthy and that is all that matters! I am going to see a new vet on Friday of this week and I am hoping to actually get Buddy off of the Insulin.

Rick helped me and Buddy is now healthier than he has ever been. If anything, read what Rick has to say on his website. The change in Buddy’s food as well as the supplements, changed his life. Rick has had success getting dogs and cats healthy and insulin free!

http://www.doglivershunt.com

I now believe wholeheartedly that most vets know nothing about nutrition. They are told to carry a line of food in their offices by one of the large pharma/dog food companies because most of these companies go out and recruit at the vet universities across the United States when vets are in school and provide them with a kickback when the sell either Science Diet or Royal Canin in their clinics, up to 40%. My vet wanted me to have Buddy on Hills Science Diet for the rest of his life! I looked at the ingredients and thought to myself, there has to be something better out there. There was not one thing on there that was considered a whole food or ingredient that comes from the natural world!

I was at my wits end as well and thought that I was going to lose Buddy, but I was not willing to give up so I did a Google search and found an amazing person who brought Buddy back to the healthy dog he is.

If you choose to go with his program, it is not cheap, but I believe that over time, I will save money by not taking Buddy to the vet time and time again because I don’t know what is wrong and having a battery of tests run and racking up bills in the thousands, I have been there!

He was slowly weened off of his processed food Science Diet U/D and placed on a diet of fresh veggies and meat based on a very slow transition to follow with Rick’s help.

I suggest reaching out. I think Rick saved Buddy’s life. I took him to the vet in October to have blood work done and he is perfectly healthy!

Good luck on your search for information and I hope you find a solution. Buddy is almost 12, but has a new lease on life.

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I am happy to talk to you. I have helped three others with their dogs and I truly believe Rick knows what he is talking about. I put my trust in him and I now have a healthy, happy dog. Lori

[Lori H]

Hi Kate,

You might want to look at the following website. My dog Buddy (long hair Chihuahua, Dachshund and Pomeranian) has been through a lot, much like your dog. He had so many medical issues including calcium oxalate bladder stones which he had surgery for to remove. He is now almost 12 and during his life he has had surgery on his spleen, surgery for the bladder stones, been diagnosed with Diabetes, my vet thought he had Cushing’s and I was also told by my vet that he was suffering from liver failure and was preparing me for the fact that Buddy was going to die. The liver failure diagnosis was over two years and today, he is healthy, happy, looks amazing and has so much energy. He is happy and the most healthy he has ever been in his life! It has been an amazing turnaround so I know how you feel. I basically had to get him healthy myself. My vet did not support my decision to do what I did, but he is healthy and that is all that matters!

Rick helped me and Buddy is now healthier than he has ever been. If anything, read what Rick has to say on his website. The change in Buddy’s food as well as the supplements, changed his life.

http://www.doglivershunt.com/bladder-stones.html

I now believe wholeheartedly that most vets know nothing about nutrition. They are told to carry a line of food in their offices by one of the large pharma/dog food companies because most of these companies go out and recruit at the vet universities across the United States when vets are in school and provide them with a kickback when the sell either Science Diet or Royal Canin in their clinics, up to 40%. My vet wanted me to have Buddy on Hills Science Diet for the rest of his life! I looked at the ingredients and thought to myself, there has to be something better out there. There was not one thing on there that was considered a whole food or ingredient that comes from the natural world! Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my vet, I just don’t believe he knows much of anything about nutrition. He has been great to me, my dog Buddy and my three cats. He is good at what he does, diagnose and perform much needed surgeries and procedures. He did Buddy’s bladder stone surgery which had the possibility for complications.

I was at my wits end as well and thought that I was going to lose Buddy, but I was not willing to give up so I did a Google search and found an amazing person who brought Buddy back to the healthy dog he is.

If you choose to go with his program, it is not cheap, but I believe that over time, I will save money by not taking Buddy to the vet time and time again because I don’t know what is wrong and having a battery of tests run and racking up bills in the thousands, I have been there!

He was slowly weened off of his processed food Science Diet U/D and placed on a diet of fresh veggies and meat based on a very slow transition to follow with Rick’s help.

I suggest reaching out. I think Rick saved Buddy’s life. I took him to the vet in October to have blood work done and he is perfectly healthy! The bladder stones HAVE NOT returned.

Good luck on your search for information and I hope you find a solution. Buddy is almost 12, but has a new lease on life.

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I am happy to talk to you. I have helped three others with their dogs and I truly believe Rick knows what he is talking about. I put my trust in him and I now have a healthy, happy dog. Lori

[Morgan A]

Here’s a hard one… I’m already afraid the answer is going to be a homemade or raw diet, which I’m totally not prepared for!

Long story short, my 6 and 1/2 year old bully mix has been diagnosed with vacuolar hepatopathy after a couple of years of tests, meds and supplements. He is not symptomatic but his ALT is through the roof. My veterinarian has done done preliminary research and it seems there’s not really a treatment for this, and the theory is that it’s a secondary condition resulting from his horrible allergies. I did find a single article that she is going to investigate further that claims a very low fat (but not protein restrictive) diet may help, <2 g fat/100 kcal. But I also have his allergies to consider, mainly grains but above all else peas and green beans. I’d prefer to stay away from white potatoes as well but I’m thinking we’re in a lesser of two evils kind of situation now. Luckily he has no animal protein allergies. There’s only one food in town that I’ve found he can habe and that’s Natural Balance fish and sweet potato, but I wasn’t crazy about it. I switched him to Sport Dog and he done well, but it’s definitely too high in fat if we decide to pursue this diet.

So, has anyone had a similar situation? Does anyone know of a unicorn food like what he needs?! I’m also open to suggestions on supplements, including antioxidants (also mentioned in the article as helpful), though Denamarin and Liver Happy did not help.

Thanks for reading!

[anonymous]

No.
Have you checked the internet for prices? As long as your vet okays it you don’t have to buy it from him.

More Nonsense from Holistic Vets about Commercial Therapeutic Diets

Copied from a previous post:
Also, if the dog is overweight, get the extra weight off, increase walks/exercise/activity.
Work closely with your vet, when the dog has been stable 6 months to 1 year then you can talk about diet changes.
“Dogs that get urinary tract infections and bladder stones tend to have a genetic predisposition, combine that with not enough water intake, not enough opportunities to urinate and you have a problem”.
“Whatever you decide to feed, add water to the kibble or canned food, even presoak and add water. Take out to urinate at least every 4 hours (every 2 hours is ideal) stagnant conditions in the bladder are conducive to bladder stone formation”.
“Always have fresh water available for the dog 24/7”.
“Supplements are crap, don’t waste your money unless your vet recommends something specific for your dog”.
Ps: You think the prescription food is expensive. Try emergency surgery for a blocked urethra.
Been there, done that.
Regarding cranberry: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=cranberry
Also there are prescription meds for stubborn cases, talk to your vet.
Was an ultrasound done? Dogs can have more than one type of stone, such as calcium oxalate and struvite…that was the case with my dog that had reoccurring UTIs.
This is not veterinary advice; consult your veterinarian.
PS: Note recent question on struvite in comments: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2016/09/science-based-veterinary-nutrition-success-stories/comment-page-1/#comment-121266
Good luck

[anonymous]

https://bichonhealth.org/kidneysbladder/management-of-bichons-with-urinary-stones/

More Nonsense from Holistic Vets about Commercial Therapeutic Diets

Copied from a previous post:
Also, if the dog is overweight, get the extra weight off, increase walks/exercise/activity.
Work closely with your vet, when the dog has been stable 6 months to 1 year then you can talk about diet changes.
“Dogs that get urinary tract infections and bladder stones tend to have a genetic predisposition, combine that with not enough water intake, not enough opportunities to urinate and you have a problem”.
“Whatever you decide to feed, add water to the kibble or canned food, even presoak and add water. Take out to urinate at least every 4 hours (every 2 hours is ideal) stagnant conditions in the bladder are conducive to bladder stone formation”.
“Always have fresh water available for the dog 24/7”.
“Supplements are crap, don’t waste your money unless your vet recommends something specific for your dog”.
Ps: You think the prescription food is expensive. Try emergency surgery for a blocked urethra.
Been there, done that.
Regarding cranberry: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=cranberry
Also there are prescription meds for stubborn cases, talk to your vet.
Was an ultrasound done? Dogs can have more than one type of stone, such as calcium oxalate and struvite…that was the case with my dog that had reoccurring UTIs.
This is not veterinary advice; consult your veterinarian.
PS: Note recent question on struvite in comments: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2016/09/science-based-veterinary-nutrition-success-stories/comment-page-1/#comment-121266
Good luck

[Martha M]

Thank you, crazy4cats. Sophie was bitten by a rattlesnake while hunting and got a lethal dose of venom. During the course of trying to save her life they could not get her heart under control (she was throwing constant VPCs – premature ventricular contractions). Although she managed to survive the bite and subsequent infection following 2 doses of anti-venom and antibiotics, they decided to pursue the heart issue with an echocardiogram and discovered the DCM. Needless to say, we were completely stunned and devastated. She had never displayed any signs or symptoms of this condition. And she’s a 7-year old retriever who works hard in the cold weather during duck season.
To answer Michelle G, DCM normally begins to affect the left ventricular wall (as it has in her case), weakening the heart muscle, and progresses to congestive heart failure. Sophie has a second part to her DCM and that is the arrhythmia she was experiencing in the emergency hospital. It’s not uncommon for this to accompany DCM, but it does put her at risk for sudden death. So she also takes a second heart med to regulate the arrhythmia, along with taurine supplementation. We have taken her to an outstanding veterinary cardiologist who happens to be in Nashville (we’re in Memphis) and she has confirmed the diagnosis. Sophie is in the occult phase of the disease (very early) and we are working closely with the cardiologist in the slight hope that it could be reversed.
And yes, crazy4cats, we definitely do suspect the DCM is diet-related. I’ve fed my retrievers Orijen for years, thinking I was giving them the best I could. When Champion opened their U.S plant in KY a few years ago they changed the formula and started adding a number of legumes. Sophie had thrived on Orijen until that time but then started having stools that weren’t so great, enough that I would have to give her pumpkin to correct it periodically. In retrospect, how I wish I had switched her to something else then, but we had no idea.
Before anyone goes nuts over my response that I believe this to be diet-related, allow me to clarify. Yes, in Sophie’s case we DO SUSPECT that (frankly one reason is because of the number of legumes used in the formula and how her digestive system clearly reacted to it). Even though the named legumes in Orijen are far down the ingredient list with excellent meat sources at the top, there are a grand total of 6 of them, in addition to green peas. This is known as ingredient splitting – name them separately and they are lower on the list, but if taken together as an entire group of legumes it would push them much higher on the list, and it consequently boosts the protein total as well, even though they are plant proteins.
But there are so many things they don’t know yet about what’s causing this rise in DCM in breeds not known to contract it. Of course there is a lot yet to discover. Unfortunately for us, we don’t have the luxury of time. There is considerable suspicion that, in some dogs, legumes can interfere with the synthesis of taurine needed by the heart muscle. It’s very possible that Sophie is one of those dogs. We did test her taurine levels using a whole blood sample and they were within the normal range but the cardiologist told me just yesterday that may not necessarily tell the whole story about how her body is utilizing it, or not; and there could be other diet-related metabolic issues in her case, as well.
She had called to say she was sending me a research article detailing the results of the study that was done on the group of golden retrievers and it was extremely informative. All the dogs diagnosed with DCM in the study had been consuming diets with similar characteristics, including grain-free, uncommon protein based, or legume-rich formulas (several had been fed Acana, and 1 had been fed Orijen; 52 healthy dogs were also part of the study). “Significant improvement in echocardiographic parameters and normalization of whole blood taurine concentrations from baseline to follow-up visits were observed in all but one dog after implementing a diet change and supplementation with taurine +/- L-carnitine.” Our cardiologist personally knows of two dogs that a change in diet successfully reversed the disease and knows of other cases where that has occurred, as well. Which is what makes me cling to hope.
Of course there is no way to know if a different diet will help Sophie or not – I can only pray that it will. We’ll be returning for another echo in 6 months to see what, if any, changes there have been in her heart and will hope for good news. It has generally taken at least 6 months to demonstrate if a diet change is having any affect.

[Dean R]

I’m new to this great website/forum and I must admit I have only skimmed all the posts related to DCM as there are a lot of them. So rather than jump in and make a fool out of myself, I am going to give mine and my dog’s experience with this rather complex issue.
Pepper is my almost 14-year-old, female Miniature Schnauzer, who was diagnosed with DCM this summer on a trip to California on a Saturday night, of course. We took her to an ER Vet for a problem with back leg weakness. They took radiographs of her hips and found the cardiomegaly and hepatomegaly. A heart murmur was also found. She did not have one a year before. Nothing was learned about her back legs, but we suddenly had a sick dog on our hands who needs lifelong medication. No cause was given and other than meds no solution was either. Her back legs got better after we got her some booties when we realized she was slipping on the smooth floor of the rental house.
About 2 weeks later I read about the low grain diet controversy on an animal wellness website. Yes, Pepper was on a low grain diet. The article made the point that the problem wasn’t the low grain, but what it was replaced with, such as legumes(peas, beans, chickpeas) and nightshade plants (potatoes). It might have sounded like just another diet controversy, but I knew all about this from my own health issues. I had developed a heart issue and had been following Dr Steven Gundry’s Anti-Lectin diet. Lectins are plant proteins that protect the plant progeny from predators. Some of the more famous ones are gluten(grains)and ricin(castor beans). Legumes and nightshades have high levels of lectins. These lectins cause the body to attack its own tissues and organs. I had never seen anything about this in dogs, but it explained the etiology of Pepper’s problems. I got her off the low grain food and on to a 99% animal protein sourced one. It was really had to find and I have yet to find a dry dog food for her. She has stopped panting, has more energy, plays with the cat and loves her walks again. I also started to give her a taurine supplement and a vitamin supplement for dogs, which is designed to replace nutrients cooked out of dog food. I hope this sheds some light on this issue and urge you to investigate dietary lectins.

[Susan]

Hi Ruth,

the ingredients look good BUT for the price yes its a rip off, there’s cheaper supplements around that are just as good maybe better to fix a dogs gut/immune system.

I would stick with Probiotics Supplements made by companies who specialize in this field..
Nutra Thrive advertise Holistic Vet Dr. Gary Richter, he might be a really good holistic veterinarian but he would have been paid alot of money to advertise Nutra Thrive, this is probably why it’s so expensive, there’s nothing special with ingredients to cost $187.97 for 30 scoops for 1 month supply…

If you’re looking for a GOOD probiotic “Purina Forti Floria Probiotic powder,
When they did a study & tested 10 popular dog probiotic’s, out of the 10 dog probiotics only 3 probiotics came back with live microorganisms.
Purina came top 3 probiotics.
https://www.proplanveterinarydiets.com/products/fortiflora-dog-probiotics/
or
Can you get “Blackmores Paw” Dog & Cat range in the US?
Look at
“PAW DigestiCare 60™ Probiotic” it has great reviews & suppose to be very good, my vet likes Paw supplements & the owner of the vet practice only stocks healthy foods, supplements & healthy treats that he knows his customer said worked & helped their dogs health problems..

If your dog has skin problems give a dog probiotic you think is good & have a look at “Paw Dermoscent® Essential 6® spot-on for Dogs” you put on skin, back of their necks, my boy can’t take fish/salmon oil capsules, so this Dermoscent Essential would be very good for him, I’ve been told Krill Oil Capsules are better for people/dogs who have sensitive stomachs.
https://www.blackmores.com.au/products/pet-health/skin-and-coat-health/dermoscent-essential-6-spot-on-for-dogs

I’m going to also try “PAW Complete Calm” Chews so Patch has a better sleep now he’s getting older he’s been having restless sleeps some nights, someone wrote in reviews on the online pet store i use, she wrote, she gives her dog a 1 x Calm chew before bed her dog has Dementia & the Paw Calm chew settles her little dog down……

I was at the vets yesterday cause Patch has been getting “Cartrophen Vet injection for 4 weeks & I seen “Paw Senior Vitality” powder
ingredients
Contains key antioxidants, vitamins and nutrients such as DHA, Lutein, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Vitamin B6, L-Carnitine and Selenium to help support brain, eye and immune health.
I’m going to try this Paw Senior Vitality Powder next, make it in a bowl with water & Patch can drink it, it says its chicken flavour.

I like supplements that are either Chews or Powders, with Patches Probiotic powder I was adding 10ml water mixing in a small bowl & Patch was drinking his Probiotic from bowl as a treat…
It’s best to take Probiotic when stomach acids are low, so give either first thing of a morning then wait 1 hour before feeding Breakfast or I gave probiotic inbetween meals I gave around 10am inbetween breakfast & lunch meals…

I read all the reviews & Paws has some really good reviews, best to look on the online Pet Stores & read their reviews cause its not the retailer adding peoples reviews, it will be people just like you & me who have tried a product then we give a review & the Online store just posts the reviews the good & teh bad reviews..

I know you mighten have an order dog who’d over 7yrs old but look what you can get for $99, a Senior Pack, it’s not bad everything they need for skin, joints, gut & brain.
https://www.blackmores.com.au/products/pet-health/pawfect-senior-pack

Nutra Thrive reviews look shonky?? I read thru a few & normally when you read reviews there’s always 1-3 bad reviews – “my dog didn’t like it”, “my dog got diarrhea” etc but this Nutra Thrive his all 5 stars reviews??
I wouldnt pay all that money $188.97 that is very very expensive probiotic, Nutra Thrive are praying on pet owners who are vulnerable wanting to fix their dog health problems… Nutra Thrive wont fix dogs skin problems, might fix gut health (maybe) but if dog has a skin problems need to find out why what is causing the problem??

* Food sensitivities? – change diet,
* Environement allergies? – Bath twice a week to wash off allergens.
* Diet is Low in Omega 3? – add 1-2 spoons of tin salmon/sardines in spring water to each meal or add 1 x Krill Oil Capsule helps inflammation
* Strengthen immune/Gut give Probiotic.

[Kelly J]

I saw the video too a few months ago, and I tried it for my 13 year old Malamute mix who has the typical problem of old age, stiff, arthritis, low energy. I have to back this product. The taste must be outstanding for dogs because ‘Lefty’ loves it. With his age, we feed canned food and I sprinkle the supplement on the food, add some warm water and mix. I SWEAR he is more spunky. I don’t know how long the supplement takes to work but it DOES work, for my dog. The ONLY negatives are: the price, it is high but when I see new life in an old dog, I get over it. I don’t care for the little jars that are only filled half way. I would rather have a bigger jar filled with 3 months worth or NO jar at all, I don’t recycle the jars so I feel bad every time I toss them into the trash. Maybe have a return program for the plastic jars, postage free. Other than that, I swear by the stuff and my advise is to just give it a try. Can’t hurt.

[Ruth K]

I have seen a video advertisement for Nutra Thrive. It is a supplement to help health of dogs with allergies, inflammation and other vitamin deficiency symptoms. I am interested in finding out if it is legitimate or scam. Please let me know what you have discovered about this product. Thank you.
The website is: https://ultimatepetnutrition.com/product/nutra-thrive/

[Ruth K]

I have seen a video advertisement for Nutra Thrive. It is a supplement to help health of dogs with allergies, inflammation and other vitamin deficiency symptoms. I am interested in finding out if it is legitimate or scam. Please let me know what you have discovered about this product. Thank you.

The website is: https://ultimatepetnutrition.com/product/nutra-thrive/

[Patricia A]

Ann Bixbi is very limited ingredients . This is Bixbi Beef ingredients
Beef, Beef Liver, Beef Kidney, Beef Bone, Pumpkin, Coconut Oil, Salmon Oil, Selenium Yeast, Vitamin E Supplement, Manganese Proteinate, Riboflavin Supplement, Calcium Iodate, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Mixed Tocopherols (a preservative), Rosemary Extract.
I feed their Rawbble freeze dried as toppers. Very pure food.
Dog Food Advisor rates their freeze dried a 5*. Hoping he does a review for 2019 of their kibble also.
Also: Diets in cases reported to the FDA frequently list potatoes or multiple legumes such as peas, lentils, other “pulses” (seeds of legumes), and their protein, starch and fiber derivatives early in the ingredient list, indicating that they are main ingredients. Early reports from the veterinary cardiology community indicate that the dogs consistently ate these foods as their primary source of nutrition for time periods ranging from months to years. https://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/NewsEvents/CVMUpdates/ucm613305.htm

✅ “With any kibble, the issue is not the grain or lack of it. It is the fact that, in order to keep protein levels high, manufacturers are adding legumes, from which taurine cannot be converted.” https://truthaboutpetfood.com/fda-investigates-potential-connection-to-diet-and-heart-disease-in-dogs/

• This reply was modified 6 years, 11 months ago by Patricia A.

[Ann H]

I am amazed by the knowledge possessed by and shared on this forum! With all of that amassed info, however, I am still stymied. My 4.5 yr old chessie/lab mix just pronounced with food allergies over the last few months. He was eating Blue Buffalo until they changed the formula. His vet tests revealed he can tolerate wheat, chicken, beef, potatoes, and corn with no problem, but cannot tollerate rice, salmon, duck, turkey, lamb, or oats. That limits his protein sources and is a very hard combo to find- nearly all have some oats, fish or turkey. After recent info about grains being important to a dogs diet, I was searching for any brand that combined chix with wheat, but without any of the other offensive ingredients. I haven’t found one yet! I appreciated the food wizard provided by a poster, and it helped me narrow the list down to 3 possibilities. But all 3 have something in it that he can’t have, so I will have to see what he is least reactive to thru trial and error. Absent cooking his meals, can you offer any advice? If I do end up cooking for him, will I need to add supplements to insure he gets all the vitamins, minerals, oils, etc. he needs?

• This topic was modified 6 years, 11 months ago by Ann H. Reason: Spelling corrected

[Joseph G]

Hello. Your messages a few months old, but I figured I’d still reply to it. My dog has severe allergies as well and is very difficult. My dog is on Apoquel because her allergies are that bad
And the benefits far outweigh any risk for her. She honestly hasn’t had any problems with the medication says she’s been on it, which has been a few years now. It doesn’t completely help with her allergies, but it definitely helps considerably. Even if I miss one dose, you can tell that she starts itching more. There is also a new medication called Cytopoint That is an injection that your vet gives your dog approximately every 4-6 weeks. After the initial evaluation of your dog, usually one of the techs can give your dog the injection and you don’t need to see your vet every time you go and pay an examination fee. You just pay for the injection. The injections aren’t super cheap, but it’s comparable or maybe less expensive than Apoquel. I haven’t tried it yet on my dog as she is doing okay on the Apoquel. Some people will say these injections are bad because they modulate the immune system, but they are safer than steroids and when your dog has severe allergies with horrible symptoms, sometimes you don’t have a choice. Trust me, I tried all the other stuff. Probiotics and other supplements might help, but you also have to be leery or ingredients in them your dog can be allergic to. The eggs in the food you were making can definitely cause allergies in dogs. Basically any protein is capable of producing an allergic response. In addition to Apoquel, I feed my dog Rayne Nutrition kangaroo manintenance dry food and canned food as a topper. It is a prescription food that you’ll need to have your vet approve when you order it online, but it is worth it. It is a whole-food dog food and has very high-quality ingredients in it. It is not like other prescription dog foods. This stuff is top-notch. The dog food and the Apoquel have helped my dog as much as possibly can be. I’m sure my dog is allergic to grass and other outdoor stuff, as well as some foods. Allergies to dog foods usually manifest as digestive issues. My personal feeling is that the Rayne dog food and Apoquel or Cytopoint would really help your dog. I would speak to your vet about it. Good luck!

[Vanessa M]

Hi All-

I’m interested to hear any advice anyone might have regarding a good brand of kibble and/or supplements to help my 5-year old Goldendoodle with his long-standing gastro issues.
A history (I’ll try to keep it brief!)
– He has never LOVED eating; will often leave at least one meal/day. Have had to add chicken or coconut oil to entice him to eat
– Used to have a history every few months of getting diarrhea/vomiting bile for a few days. We would do chicken & rice, probiotics, and have altered kibble to figure out what’s causing it.
– We had him on Castor & Pollux Ultramix- seemed to work well but then the history of diarrhea/vomiting bile would come back. Thought maybe it was the fat content of the food?
– Switched to Orijen Fit & Trim as it had lower fat content. Dog did great on it but we were warned against being on it too long because it’s meant for overweight dogs and might not have the complete nutrition that our dog needs
– Switched to Orijen Regional Red in July- dog LOVES eating it. He started pooping MASSIVE poops IN the house (very unusual for him). Pudding-like consistency, disgusting. I consulted with the pet food people who recommended lowering his daily amount (he’s quite lazy) and letting water inflate the kibble before eating. He became ravenous, like he wasn’t getting enough to eat and the pooping continued.
– We just switched to Acana Duck & Pear (single protein) at the advice of a pet store clerk due to the lower protein amount in the food (since he’s lazy, he doesn’t need the high protein that Regional Red has?) He has since become constipated and super uncomfortable overnight, asking to be let out frequently from 2am onward.

We have tried probiotics, goats milk, etc. He hated the goats milk and certain probiotics seemed to make things worse. He checks out at the vet fine, but I’m certainly not opposed to another medical check-up. We have a bag of Science Diet Gastro that the vet gave us when we have issues and he does well on it, but I doubt that’s a long-term food. Otherwise, the vet doesn’t have much to say in terms of kibble, food, etc.

I’m just wondering if there is a food out there that might better serve him?? We are really at a loss and feel so bad for him!

Sorry for the long post, and thanks in advance for any advice (large or small!) that you might be able to provide.

[joanne l]

Hi Bobby, I don’t necessarily agree that companies should add taurine, but on their behalf they don’t want to take a chance I suppose. However, I do agree that adding taurine is not quite the answer as I mentioned Purina pro plan don’t add it and the dogs are doing fine. I feed Pro plan myself, and I just wanted to explain that if these dogs are eating pro plan and do not have DCM that raises a question that how can it be a totally taurine problem with these other dogs? I am on Purina’s side with this only b/c I know a lot of Goldens that eat pro plan and were tested for DCM and their test result were clear. So Purina is doing something right without the taurine added. Doesn’t that make people think that it is not just a taurine problem!! It is a shame that these companies are going crazy adding taurine like mad. And CrazyCats I agree the other companies don’t have much of the knowledge they need to make a good balanced dog food, years of experience is key to some of these issues. Also, too much fiber in grain free foods can’t help dogs absorb nutrition like they need to. Like Anon mentioned. I guess the bottom line is grain free foods have not been around long enough and maybe it is a poor diet for dogs in the long run. I myself with chose grain in diets for now.
All I can say is dogs make their own taurine period!! If the grain free diets are prohibiting taurine absorption then, I would not feed it even if companies are adding taurine that is just putting a band aid on the problem and giving dogs a over load of supplements, I don’t really like that idea. Diet change IMO is key right now! Oh and one more thing, that is like us eating something that steals our nutrition and then taking a bunch of supplements. That is crazy, I would just not eat those foods.

[Heather B]

Hello!
My 10yo pyrenees/retriever mix, has progressive arthritis in his hips. We give him supplements daily via GNC chewables and salmon oil (2450mg omega 3, 850mg EPA, 465mg DHA, 750mg Glucosamine, 600mg Chondroitin, and 500mg MSM). Our vet recommended Science Diet j/d in additional to the supplements, but Biscuit refuses to eat it, and after some research, I’m not convinced the quality is all that great outside of having more omega 3 and DHA than other foods. Can anyone recommend a high quality, senior-specific dry food that’s not grain free? I’ve read good things about Wellness but would love to know if there are other options we should consider. Thanks!

[Patricia A]

Anon I subscribe to Susan Thixtons list because she supplies alll the information I am looking for in choosing a food that meets my standard of nutrition for my dog. I’m grateful that someone is doing the hard work of finding Pet food companies that are transparent and supply information of proof of the many conditions required to make her trusted dog food brand list.
She does not endorse or condemn any food. Below is her standard requirements necessary to make her recommended trusted dog food company list:

Human Grade: it means: all ingredients including supplements are human edible, the food is manufactured in a licensed human food facility, and ingredients and final product transported and warehoused to human food safety standards. Unfortunately, most pet foods are “feed grade”. Feed grade means ingredients and supplements are not required to be human edible, and they are not required to be manufactured per human food safety standards. Worse yet, pet foods are not required to disclose feed grade quality on the label. Not all pet foods on the List meet the full requirement of a Human grade pet food, most are ONLY missing the requirement of human food manufacturing.
Manufactured
Under this category, the List explains if the food is manufactured in a human food or pet food facility. When a pet food is manufactured in a licensed human food facility, it is held by regulation to particular safety standards. When a pet food is manufactured in a pet food facility, regulation does not require the same safety standards as human foods. Most of the pet foods on the List have plant established safety standards the same as human food.

Ingredient Quality
Human Grade ingredient quality is priority for me in a pet food. Most pet foods utilize “feed grade” ingredients which means they are allowed by FDA to use extremely inferior quality of ingredients. As example, any food (human or animal) would be considered adulterated/illegal if it contains meat from a diseased or non-slaughtered animal. But the FDA allows exception to this law for feed grade pet foods. Directly stated on the FDA website: “Pet food consisting of material from diseased animals or animals which have died otherwise than by slaughter, which is in violation of 402(a)(5) will not ordinarily be actionable, if it is not otherwise in violation of the law. It will be considered fit for animal consumption.” Pet foods on the List utilize ONLY human edible food ingredients (with one small exception from Open Farm kibble) and provide verification documents to us to assure this quality.

Country of Origin
Country of origin of ingredients is significant information to disclose to the pet owner. Often large manufacturers will not disclose the COO of each ingredient or they give consumers vague responses such as ‘all our ingredients are tested in the US’. The pet foods on the List provided full disclosure to country of origin.

Ingredient Quality
Human Grade ingredient quality is priority for me in a pet food. Most pet foods utilize “feed grade” ingredients which means they are allowed by FDA to use extremely inferior quality of ingredients. As example, any food (human or animal) would be considered adulterated/illegal if it contains meat from a diseased or non-slaughtered animal. But the FDA allows exception to this law for feed grade pet foods. Directly stated on the FDA website: “Pet food consisting of material from diseased animals or animals which have died otherwise than by slaughter, which is in violation of 402(a)(5) will not ordinarily be actionable, if it is not otherwise in violation of the law. It will be considered fit for animal consumption.” Pet foods on the List utilize ONLY human edible food ingredients (with one small exception from Open Farm kibble) and provide verification documents to us to assure this quality.

BPA
BPA is a chemical found in the protective lining of some canned foods and/or found in some pet food packaging. BPA is an “endocrine disruptor chemical”; Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that may interfere with the body’s endocrine system and produce adverse developmental, reproductive, neurological, and immune effects.
HPP, Bacteriophages

HPP stands for High Pressure Processing is a method used to control common bacteria of raw meat. Bacteriophages are a virus used in raw meat products to control the common bacteria of raw meat. Both processes are deemed safe by FDA, they are mentioned In the List for informational purposes.

Testing
Proper monitoring of pet food ingredients, nutrients, and potential risks are part of how a pet food keeps your pet safe.

Verification
The pet food companies in the List provided documentation to verify their claims of human grade ingredients, human food manufacturing, and/or humanely raised. Each company did not hesitate to provide a wealth of verification documents. The seal below indicates that each pet food ingredients were verified to be human grade quality.

At the end of the day it’s what you feel good about feeding your furbabies, if they enjoy eating it and how their energy and health is with the brand your feeding.

• This reply was modified 7 years ago by Patricia A.

[Susan]

Hi Sanne,
I would give “Farmina Ancestral Grain” a try it’s made in Italy, it looks like a very good quality dog food, then I’d try “Victor Select” I think the Victor Select Chicken looked really good when I was looking.
I also feed “Canidae Pure Meadow” Senior formula it has all the supplements for aging dogs joints/bones, skin & coat, it’s high Omega 3 fatty acids & Glucosamine..
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products/canidae-grain-free-pure-meadow-dry-formula

Rotate between a few different brands thats what I do, so if something is wrong with 1 brand then my dog isnt eating it for too long to have any bad side effects..
Your English is good

[Fanette R]

Hello,

My dog has been diagnosed from IBD for over a year now, and from Pancreatitis for almost 2 years. His diet has been manageable before his IBD but since his IBD I have been trying different kind of food, and even though he is doing so much better than he was a year ago, I know that his current diet isn’t perfect still.

I’ve tried homemade food, my vet and holistic vet are all about raw and homecooked food, but with Furby’s situation and after trying a several time, that this isn’t working for him at the moment. He cannot have too much carbs, because of his pancreatitis current situation, or too much starched veggies, and he needs low fat meats or fish. So basically, he would need a green veggie / low fat meat diet, which would result in so much quantity for him to eat each day so he can have enough calories out of it. We’ve tried, and tried again, giving him 7-8 meals a day to see if this would help, but it doesn’t. His stomach cannot take that amount of food for now.
So, even my vets that are pro raw and homecooked diet, told me that we should look into dog food at the moment, and maybe try to go back to homecooked or even raw later on.
So first of all, please don’t message me to say that yes, he needs a homecooked or raw diet, because trust me I’ve tried everything, for months.

I’m in France so I don’t have the same products as people who are based in the US, so I made a lot of researches to find food that seems pretty good quality, and that are low fat, grain-free and with only a tiny bit, or not at all, starches.
Now, I’m wondering if I can write the composition and info right so you guys tell me your thoughts about it ?

Brand : Terra Cannis
Dry food :
Canireo is the first dry food in the specialist retail trade made from 100% certified food-grade ingredients, based on pure fresh meat, with 64% muscle meat and grain-free. This unique quality distinguishes it from all other dry pet foods.

We absolutely do not use meat-, bone-, fish- or feather flour. The flours typically used for dry food are usually made of “category 3 material” (waste material that is not approved for human consumption) and are in no way comparable with food-grade ingredients in terms of quality. Another aspect that makes Canireo stand out is that it is made exclusively with fresh meat – 64% fresh muscle meat and 1% fresh liver. Furthermore, it is not cold pressed or extruded, but naturally baked until crisp. All the aspects that we have this far considered critical for dry food are thus optimised.

The result is a natural, crispy baked dry food of uncompromising quality. The 100% food-grade ingredients, the exclusive use of fresh meat, the high muscle meat content of 64%, and the valuable coconut flour make Canireo unique. Not using grains, and instead using plenty of healthy vegetables, fruit, and herbs, as well as all-natural nutritional supplements, make Canireo a natural dry food that is truly appropriate for the species.
Link to the product : https://www.terracanis.co.uk/canireo-trockenfutter-wild.html

Product : Canireo dry food, game
Composition
Fresh venison muscle meat (64%), potato flakes* (15%), coconut flour (5%), apple* (2%), brewer’s yeast*, parsnip* (1.67%), carrots* (1.52%), courgette* (1.44%), celery* (1.2%), fresh venison liver (1%), powdered eggshell (1%), pumpkin* (0.8%), linseed, apricots* (0.5%), fenugreek (0.4%), parsley root* (0.4%), rapeseed flour, mineral earth, spinach (0.16%), seaweed*, dandelion* (0.1%), rose hip* (0.1%), chamomile* (0.1%), rosemary*, thyme*
*dried

Analytic Constituents
Protein: 29.4%, fat content: 12.5%, crude fibre: 2.8%, crude ash: 5.1%, moisture: 3.7%
MJ/kg: 15.5

2nd Product : Canireo dry food, chicken
Composition
Fresh chicken muscle meat (64%), potato flakes* (15%), coconut flour (5%), apricots* (2%), carrots* (1.5%), courgette* (1.4%), celery* (1.2%), fresh poultry liver (1%), brewer’s yeast (1%), linseeds (1%), apple* (0.9%), pumpkin* (0.8%), parsnip* (0.8%), powdered eggshell (0.7%), beetroot* (0.5%), mineral earth (0.5%), parsley root* (0.4%), fenugreek (0.4 %), rapeseed flour (0.4%), dandelion* (0.3%), rose hip* (0.3%), chamomile* (0.2%), chokeberries* (0.2%), spinach (0.2%), seaweed* (0.1%), rosemary* (0.1%), thyme* (0.1%)
*dried

Analytic Constituents
Protein: 29.2%, fat content: 12%, crude fibre: 2.4%, crude ash: 4.9%, moisture: 4.7%
MJ/kg: 15.4
Link to the product : https://www.terracanis.co.uk/canireo-trockenfutter-huhn.html
————————————————————

2nd Brand : Herzens Hund
Product : Organic Sheep meat & Organic Zucchini (wet food)
This complete feed for dogs “Bio Sheep meat & Bio Zucchinic” consists only of natural organic ingredients. It is consistently produced without binding substance, without synthetic vitamins, flavour intensifiers and without any kind of additives. In such a way, fruits and vegetables used in are not contaminated with pesticides and the meat comes from a species-appropriate attitude.

Apricot consist of beta-carotin, which turns into Vitamin A in organism. Vitamin A is an important nutritive substance for eyes. Apricots are rich in fiber, which stimulate bowels work and improve toxins removing.
INGREDIENTS
Organic sheep (72%)Organic zucchini (17%)Organic buckwheat (4%)Organic salad (3%)Organic apple (2%)Organic linseed oil (1%)Organic apricot (1%)
ADDITIVES
Phosphorus (1271 mg/kg)Calcium (169 mg/kg)
ANALYTICAL CONSTITUENTS
Moisture : 84.3%, Crude protein : 7.4%, Crude fiber : 1.3%, Crude ash : 0.8%
Crude fat 0.7%

2nd Product : Horse meat & Organic Pumpkin
INGREDIENTS
Horse (70%)Organic amaranth (16%)Organic pumpkin (13%)Organic evening primrose oil (1%)
ADDITIVES
Phosphorus (1443 mg/kg)Calcium (786 mg/kg)
ANALYTICAL CONSTITUENTS
Moisture : 73.3%, Crude protein7.5%, Crude fat : 2.4%, Crude fiber : 1.1%
Crude ash 1%

—————————————-

Herrmann’s Dog Food :
Product : Venison with Apple & Amaranth
Composition: 50 % deer (60 % muscle meat, 25 % heart, 10 % lung, 5 % liver), courgette*, 8 % apple*, 6 % amaranth*, linseed oil*, eggshell powder* – *organic – 50 % from organic ingredients
Analytical Constituents : moisture: 76.36 %, crude protein: 12.1 %, crude fat: 4.0 %, crude fiber: 1.0 %, crude ash: 1.2 %

2nd Product : Venison with Sweet Potato
Composition:
50% vension (60% muscle meat, 25% heart, 10% lung and 5% liver), 25% sweet potato*
fruits* (berry-mix), linseed oil* *-organic – 50% from organic
Analytical Constituents : crude protein 8,40% crude fat 2,80% crude fiber 1,60% crude ash 1,30% moisture 78,90%

3rd Product : Venison with pumpkin, quinoa and cranberry
Composition:
50% deer (60% muscle meat, 25% heart, 10% lung and 5% liver), 12% pumpkin*, 8% quinoa*, fruits* (berry-mix), eggshell powder*, *-organic, 50% organic
Analytical Constituents :
Moisture : 77.77%, Crude protein : 12.46%, Crude fat : 2.8%, Crude fiber : 1.03%
Crude ash : 0.87%, Calcium : 0.03%, Phosphorus : 0.03%

———————————————–

My holistic vet looked at all of them and the one that seems the best to her was the one from Herrmann’s : Venaison, Apple & Amaranth.
But after being back home from my appointment I got quite confused and I wanted to talk to you guys about it. She said that the other ones weren’t good enough especially because the amount of protein wasn’t high enough. She told me that to her it should be at least 10% of protein on the wet matter basis for wet food. But if I calculate correctly dry matter basis, a product like the one from Herzens Hund (Sheep & Zucchino), has 7.4% of crude protein on a wet matter basis but has around 47% of protein on dry matter basis (if I do the calculation right), which should be a good amount right ?
So I’m quite confused about that;

She doesn’t know those brands so it’s tricky for her. I wanted to try the brand that she does know, which is an amazing local company that does amazing products, but their fat content for their wet food are around 6,4% on wet matter basis, and I made the calculation from the moisture and it’s about 27% of fat on dry matter basis which seems way too much for my dog. But my vet said that in those formulas there were no starch, no grain, so nothing that usually irritate my dog’s pancreas. So in this case the fat content could be higher and find for Furby. Which kind of make sense, maybe the reason why it has to be so low fat usually for dogs with pancreatitis is because most of those products are full of starch. But I still wanted to talk to you guys about it before making any changes.

Have a great day and so sorry about that huge message!
Fanette

[Carol C]

I’m going to start making my own dog food also w/ cooked chicken and veggies but I need to know what supplements to put in it. I have 2- 10 lbs Chi mixes that need to lose a few pounds. What else is appealing to them that I can add? I will make it in big batches and then put into smaller bags for a few days worth of feeding. Thanks for any help. BTW, I’m on social security so I need to keep it as reasonably priced as I can.

[Linda K]

My dog was tested in Septemer and found to have extremely low taurine. Subsequent echocardiogram revealed no cardiac enlargement. The cardiologist advised me to stop grain-free Zignature Zssentials (Drat! It worked perfectly), supplement with taurine, and re-check taurine in April. I am feeding him Real Meat Company Air-Dried Turkey Recipe Dog Food, religiously supplementing with taurine, and waiting anxiously for April and our follow-up taurine check. I wish you the best.

[Susan]

Hi Bernice.

“Bilious Vomiting Syndrome in Dogs, aka “Hunger Pukes”

How did your Dr. Hans Gelens diagnose Freddy with bilious vomiting syndrome?
Did Freedy have Biopsies thru a Endoscope?

You wrote
“lip-smacking, drooling, yawning, licking are classic signs of nausea in dogs”

Lip Smacking, licking paws, blankets, floors, grinding teeth, yarning-(stress), swollowing gulping are classic signs of “acid reflux”, my vet said she see’s at least 1-2 dogs a week who are suffering with acid reflux, it’s more common then we think with dogs,
this is why Freddy has been put on Omeprazole (Prilosec) an acid blocker, it’s a PPI (Proton Pump Inhibitor)… Why didn’t the vet put him on a lower class of acid reducer drugs histamine-2 (H2) blockers either Zantac (Rantidine) or Pepcid (Famotidine) instead of a PPI??

A diet change would be good idea once Freddy is doing well again & is stable.
He was eating Royal Canin Gastro Low-Fat which seemed to keep his symptoms to a once or twice a year event. “Until this year”. Diet may have contributed to his Bilious Vomiting Syndrome??
Look at eating fresh whole foods, a lean balanced diet, not over processed dry kibble/wet can dog food. Look at feeding diet that’s low in carbs, low fiber especially with Pancreatitis NO sugar in diet, stay away from foods that bring on acid reflux..

You can NOT just stop taken a PPI once you have been taken it more then 14-20 days, a PPI must be slowly reduced & a lower class of drugs called histamine-2 (H2) blockers either Zantac (Rantidine) or Pepcid (Famotidine) are given for 2-3 weeks after the PPI has been stopped but first reduced & give PPI every 2nd day then when you’ve stopped then you give either Zantac or Pepcid 30mins before a meal…
Zantac & Pepcid work differently they dont work like a PPI works (Omeprazole or Pantoprazole)… A PPI is better but you have to work out do you want Freddy on a PPI now for the rest of his life??. if you have tried Zantac & Pepcid & they didn’t work then yes give PPI & diet change, vet diets are very high in Omega oils which is a good thing BUT some dogs who have Pancreactitis, IBD can’t handle high fish Oil, Coconut Oil etc & can get acid reflux my boy is one of those dogs, when eats a vet diet he get his bad acid reflux & yeasty itchy skin due to food sensitivities, I didnt know Fish/Salmon Oils & Coconut Oils could cause acid reflux until I seen Dr Judy Morgan talking about her 18yr old Cavalier charles, he has Pancreatitis & every month he kept having a Pancreas flare so she stoped adding all his supplements & slowly added them back weekly 1 at a time & it was the fish oil causing his monthly pancreas flare….
Follow Dr Judy Morgan DVM on her f/b page also look at her “Videos” she has a really good “Pancreatitis Diet” you make in a Crock pot & add The Honest Kitchen Base
https://www.facebook.com/JudyMorganDVM/

My Patch has been on Omeprazole 2 yrs then he went down hill again this time last year he’s 10yrs old, he had another Endoscope & Biospy done in January 2018 to see why he’s got really his bad acid reflux again & he was already taken a PPI so he shouldnt be getting really bad acid reflux but he was, I did diet change but he didnt get better, so we did Endoscope + Biopsies the vet said as he was looking thru camera his wind pipe was inflammed & red, so was his Esophagus, he has lower esophageal sphincter (LES) his flap doesnt close properly & his acid wash back up his esophagus into throat mouth then went down into his wind pipe, por thing this would be very painful… He also suffers with Helicobacter living in his stomach walls, staying on a PPI like Omeprazole or Pantopazole is suppose to help stop the Helicobacter living & thriving in the stomach wall, I wonder if this is what Freedy has?? if after 6months -12months & Freedy goes down hill again try a diet change a lean cooked diet & ask vet can he please do an Endoscope + Biopsies, the Biopsies are a must as they will give vet some answers & the only way to know if the Helicobacter has taken over his stomach, all dogs have Helicobacter but when their immune system is compromised the Helicobacter takes too much bad bacteria, making you feel very unwell, stomach pain, nausea, bad acid reflux & feeling hungry all the time & weight loss..
I asked Patches vet can I PLEASE change his PPI from 20mg Omeprazole to 20mg Pantoprazole, I also take Pantoprazole it seems to work better for people who have GERDS & suffer with bad reflux…
PPI are best given of a morning not night unless he’s taking a PPI twice a day, I wouldnt recommend taking a PPI twice a day for a dog, best to start off on a lower dose, 1 x 20mg tablet take of a morning as soon as he gets up I give Patch his 20mg Pantoprazole tablet & I have a 20ml syringe water so I know the tablet has gone down his throat, you can NOT chew PPI tablets, they are specially coated tablets so they digest past the stomach so dont let Freddy chew his Omeprazole if you can this is why best not to give with food as they chew food, just open his mouth & put tablet on back of his tongue & put down throat, then put the syringe side of his mouth back teeth & slowley squirt water so he swollows tablet & make sure he doesnt spit tablet back out, my Patch was sptting back out after I walked away & I was finding his tablet, cheecky bugger…

My boy has IBD he eats 5 smaller meals a day he eats –
First meal after he has taken his PPI around 6.30-7am then another small meal around 9am, Lunch- 12pm a cooked meal or freezed dried raw dehydrated meal about 1/3 a cup, 5pm-Dinner meal is bigger under 1 cup & 7.30pm small 1/4 a cup & last meal for the night wee & then he goes to bed & I wake him for 2 wee breaks & he gets a Quick-Eze 1/2 a Rapid Chew after his last wee around 10.30-11pm & I always offer him water when Patch wakes up on my bed, he is very weird about drinking water when he has his acid reflux, so Im always offering him fresh water to wash down any acid…
I’ve been freezing Bone Broth in ice cube trays & take out 1-2 ice cubes to thaw & Patch drinks it & loves the Bone Broth, I think The Honest kitchen has a Bone Broth you can buy, there’d be a few places taht have teh Bone Broth.

I hope Freedy recovery continues, but if he has a set back then look into diet change, there’s healthier alternatives for these sick dogs & cats, after seeing sooo many dogs get better on a healthier diet, I really think once dog is stable & has been doing really well start looking into changing dogs diet, fresh lean meats, fresh veggies & fruits, Kefir given or a probiotic best to give on empty stomach or inbetween meals when Hydrochloric acids in stomach are low, make sure diet is balanced properly, there’s a few good foods that are dehydrated & aren’t over processed & over cooked till all ingredients are all brown or black.

[anonymous]

Hope this helps!

Nutrition in Large Breed Puppies

(excerpt below, click on link for full article and comments)
The best way to meet the optimal dietary requirements for large breed puppies is with a commercial diet specifically designed for this purpose. Though many people recommend feeding an adult food, with the idea that it is lower in calories than regular puppy food, adult diets vary widely in calorie content, so this is not automatically true. Additionally, adult diets are not usually appropriately restricted in calcium content. It is also important not to add vitamin and mineral supplements containing calcium to properly balanced puppy diets as this is very likely to increase calcium intake beyond safe levels

[Libby G]

Patricia, I have two field labs, both very high energy that compete in dog sports. So I watch their diet carefully. I supplement their Stella frozen raw patties with Primal’s venison, rabbit, or Turkey/sardine nuggets to get the number of ounces I feed each per meal twice a day. So ingredients are crucial to their maintaining the proper weight in addition to getting the right supplements for a healthy diet. I was disappointed to see that Stella went from all venison to a blend. I prefer it overall to Primal as it has the higher meat content.

[Spy Car]

Aimme, you have great Goggle skills. Do the searches. All verifiable studies. Please don’t cast aspersions that are unsubstantiated.

There was a study sponsored by Iams (IMS) where dogs who were fed a high-carb diet (and were thus de-conditioned) were put on treadmills with masks and devices that would test their VO2 Max scores. As expected, these couch-potatoes scored very (very) poorly.

Then the same dogs were put on a diet that was relatively high-protein and high-fat. Nothing about their rearing or keeping changed otherwise. After a time they were retested. The increases in VO2 Max score were dramatic. These formerly de-conditioned out-of-shape couch potatoes had VO2 Max scores that were very close to those of elite canine athletes.

This was due to diet alone.

This is wholly in keeping with my own long experience training and raising canine athletes.

Field trial dogs are almost always fed a diet that is at least 30/20 (protein/fat). Not 23/15. And smart field trailers supplement kibble diets with additional animal proteins and fats.

Field-trialers tend to be very quiet about the supplementation because the sport is completely dominated by Purina which sponsors field-trialers with free food, and plays for prize money and the cost of running competitions. Bad mouthing Purina in any way is not a way to win friends in that sport.

30/20 is not “optimal,” to be sure, but it is above the minimums that most seriously de-tune dogs. You are making my point for me.

• This reply was modified 7 years ago by Spy Car.

[Spy Car]

Who feeds only kibble?

I’d say millions upon millions of dog owners do just that.

If one wants to build something to last, one should start with a solid foundation. Building on a “base” of high-Carbohydrates (and low Protein/Fat) is like building on sand. It is unwise to build on a bad foundation.

Your proposal that “kibble” is only a starting point to be supplemented with DIY items flies in the face of your posts about how big dog food companies hire nutritionists and engage in food trials to maximize their product offerings. LOL.

A 23/15 formula is dismal. Junk-food formulas should not be the base of a dog’s meals.

Bill

[Bobby dog]

I agree lots of misinformation and opinions on FB and the Internet. For clarification it is not just GF diets that appear to be an issue.

“I have recently learned that Fromm does not meet WSAVA guidelines and falls more under the Boutique category.” Not c4c’s opinion, Fromm falls under Freeman’s definition of “BEG” diets.

It’s Not Just Grain-Free: An Update on Diet-Associated Dilated Cardiomyopathy

Fromm produces 56 dog recipes and 24 cat recipes. For me that’s too many recipes to produce without employing at least one (hopefully more) full-time ACVN credentialed Vet or PhD animal nutritionist. There’s no research behind these diets and now they are adding taurine to their recipes without any research to back up this modification among other red flags. Over supplementation anyone?!?!

As far as Fromm not meeting WSAVA recommendations, not opinion either, they don’t meet them simple as that.
WSAVA recommendations:
https://www.wsava.org/WSAVA/media/Arpita-and-Emma-editorial/Selecting-the-Best-Food-for-your-Pet.pdf

Rather than relying on FB or the Internet I like to contact pet food companies myself to ask questions. Give it a try, Fromm or any other company will either meet your standards or they won’t… Looked into Newman’s years ago, they wouldn’t name where they produced and manufactured their foods. Maybe that policy has changed since I last contacted them.

Used to feed Fromm, don’t anymore because they don’t meet my pet food criteria.

[anonymous]

Here it is:
https://www.gofromm.com/fromm-family-classic-adult-dog-food

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
Crude Protein
23% Min.
Crude Fat
15% Min.
Crude Fiber
4% Max.
Moisture
10% Max.
CALORIC CONTENT
3675
kcal/kg
1667
kcal/lb
382
kcal/cup
NUTRITIONAL ADEQUACY STATEMENT
Fromm Family Classic Adult Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for growth and maintenance.
INGREDIENTS: Chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, pearled barley, oatmeal, white rice, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), menhaden fish meal, dried whole egg, beet pulp, cheese, flaxseed, brewers dried yeast, potassium chloride, salt, calcium sulfate, dl-methionine, l-tryptophan, taurine, chicory root extract, yucca schidigera extract, sodium selenite, sorbic acid (preservative), Vitamins [vitamin A acetate, Vitamin D3 supplement, Vitamin E supplement, Vitamin B12 supplement, choline bitartrate, niacin supplement, d-calcium pantothenate, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, riboflavin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, biotin], Minerals [zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, magnesium sulfate, copper sulfate, cobalt carbonate, calcium iodate, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, magnesium proteinate, cobalt proteinate], dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium longum fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried Pediococcus acidilactici fermentation product.

https://www.frommfamily.com/ingredients/menhaden-fish-meal/
Menhaden fish meal is the clean, dried, ground tissue of the small, marine fish. This meal provides an excellent source of amino acids and fatty acids that can help to improve skin and hair coat, digestion, the immune system, bone health, and metabolic function

[anonymous]

Do you have pet health insurance? If so, and your vet prescribes aqua therapy (otherwise known as swimming in a heated pool) it may be covered.
See if there is a veterinary clinic near you that offers these services.
Just 20 minutes twice a week might make a big difference https://www.vetinfo.com/aquatic-therapy-for-dogs.html

Also, most supplements are not necessary and a waste of money….
Discuss with your vet

[Rebecca S]

Besides the walking, which we are slowing building time/distance, are there other options to address the chondrodysplasia, like physical therapy or vitamin supplements? I want to give them the best chance for good health that I can.

Thanks.

[Susan]

Hi Lisa,
you want the meat protein to be a meal, not just the single meat “Lamb”, you want to feed more “meat proteins” less plant proteins….
When ingredient list are written they’re raw not cooked, so after you cook the salmon it shrinks 70% is water & is no longer 1st ingredient no more, its about 4th ingredient & the next ingredient is first ingredient so you probably have a carb as first ingredient instead of a meat, you want a dry kibble that has at least 2-3 meat proteins as 1st, 2nd & 3rd ingredient then the carb eg, Pork, then Pork Meal, Bison Meal then the carb, sweet potato, rice, peas, etc..or Lamb, Lamb Meal, brown rice, oats, peas

Patch has IBD & finally he is doing really well & its cause he is finally eating more meat & less carbs…I rotate his foods & he’s eating Wellness Core Large Breed Adult formula, Large Breed formula’s are made for a large Breed bowel, this is when he started to do really well cause he was eating more meat less carbs. 70% meat proteins & 30% carbs…
When you have a sensitive dog you want more meat in their diet, dogs have a short digestive tract its made to digest raw meat, meat is easier to digest then a heap of carbs… Your dog can react to carbs aswell meat proteins..
When you just feed 1 meat protein year after year & do not rotate & change meat proteins this is when the dog can start to react to the single meat protein he’s been eating year after year..this is why its best to change & rotate your dogs food so this doesnt happen…
Find 2-3 brands with a different meat proteins your dog can eat & does well on & change dry food proteins with the Seasons, I use to feed Whitefish/Salmon in the hotter months – Spring & Summer then Lamb & Pork in the cooler months – Winter.

Here’s “Wellness Complete Health Adult Whitefish & Sweet Potato dry,
it has “Whitefish” first ingredient & its not a meal what you’re looking for.
When you see a fish you want the fish name, not a fish meal, you do not know what type of fish it is with fish meal?? it should say Sardines, Salmon meal, or Salmon, Sardine meal, Whitefish, Menhaden fish meal,

Here’s the ingredients, there’s NO chicken..
Whitefish, Ground Barley, Peas, Menhaden Fish Meal, Oatmeal, Sweet Potatoes, Canola Oil, Tomato Pomace, Ground Flaxseed, Natural Fish Flavor, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Taurine, Zinc Proteinate, Mixed Tocopherols Added to Preserve Freshness, Zinc Sulfate, Calcium.
https://www.chewy.com/wellness-complete-health-adult/dp/34375

Wellness is a good dog food & have been around over 100yrs… this formula will agree with your dog….if you like another brand of dry food put it on your list so you have about 2-3 different dry food you can introduce over 10 days & then rotate them every 3-4 months..

Here’s DFA explaining Meat & Meal Meals, in the review section on a dry chicken & menhaden fish meal dog food..

The first ingredient in this dog food is chicken. Although it is a quality item, raw chicken contains up to 73% water. After cooking, most of that moisture is lost, reducing the meat content to just a fraction of its original weight.
After processing, this item would probably account for a smaller part of the total content of the finished product.
The second ingredient is menhaden fish “meal”. Because it is considered a meat concentrate, fish meal contains almost 300% more protein than fresh fish itself.

Give the “Natural Balance Lamb Meal & Rice Large Breed” a go & see how he goes, then have a few other dry foods on your list so you can try later on so you know if you can’t get the food he’s eating or something happens you know he can also eat another dry food that has a different meat protein & is OK & has no diarrhea….

[Lisa A]

Hi Susan,

Yes he was on a vet prescribed diet that is how we figured out he was allergic to chicken. We Once we eliminated the chicken his stool improved immediately but the prescription food was no longer sourced due to getting quality venison. That’s when we started LID/grain free over the counter and he didn’t do well on Venison/Sweet potato from Natural Balance thats when we moved to Zignature Lamb and he’s done really well.

Sorry I did mean Zignature Pork.. they don’t make beef. This is what’s inside the zignature pork – Pork, Pork Meal, Peas, Pea Flour, Chickpeas, Pork Fat, Natural Flavors, Flaxseed, Choline Chloride, Salt, Taurine, Vitamins (Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate), Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols.

The Canidae Pure Wild has sweet potatoes, peas, chickpeas as the first set of ingredients where as the Zignature doesn’t have any potatoes but does have peas/chickpeas.

The only one so far our vet likes from the over the counter is the Natural Balance LID Lamb but I am concerned with the ingredients below, not the highest quality starting with lamb meal but it doesn’t have any legumes or peas or potatoes.

Lamb Meal, Brown Rice, Brewers Rice, Rice Bran, Canola Oil (Preserved With Mixed Tocopherols And Lactic Acid), Lamb, Dried Tomato Pomace, Brewers Dried Yeast, Natural Flavor, Salt, Potassium Chloride, Taurine, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Inositol, Niacin, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Beta-Carotene, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin), Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Choline Chloride, Citric Acid (used as a preservative), Rosemary Extract.

The Farmina Vet Life formula’s food when I look up what they recommend for GI one has chicken in it and the other has two types of protein. Our vet prefers single source protein.

I am totally confused and at a loss on what to do dispite the vet telling us to go with Natural Balance LID Lamb and Rice.

[joanne l]

I am taking a guess here, that it is not peas in general. I think since the peas and chickpeas are so HIGH in protein it is calculated in the protein % and it boosts the protein more than the meat. That is just a guess, but it could be the combination of the diet and also eating it on a daily basis. I think if the dog just ate it occasionally I don’t think it is a problem. Something is interfering with taurine like Bill mentioned. Years ago dog food never had a taurine supplement in their food because it is known that dogs make their own taurine and cats don’t so cat food always had a taurine supplement. I know that Purina does not use taurine and I ask them why and that is what they said as well. So I can’t understand todays day and age with this taurine problem. I don’t think dogs had this problem years ago from what I understand.
By the way Bill what do you feed your dog?

• This reply was modified 7 years, 1 month ago by joanne l.

[Spy Car]

Nah, SkeptVet is a polemicist who engages in argumentation by misleading his reader through the use of half-truths, trying to use a lack-of-evidence as it is itself “evidence,” and he belittles anyone who has an opposing viewpoint as unscientific thinkers and food-faddists in contravention of the truth.

The article on Coconut Oil is classic “SkeptVet.”

He begins from sentence one saying “Healthcare and nutrition fads are an unfortunate fact of life,” as his way of denigrating everyone interested in providing better nutrition for their domestic animals that the stuff that comes in bags from the commercial producers (who products are always backed by SkeptVet). Not a good start for someone who has pretenses of “objectivity.”

And it only gets worse from there in the first paragraph as he standers everyone who seeks better animal nutrition as being prone to media manipulation and adherence to “quick-well-quick schemes and medical bogeymen.” This is an offensive attitude that borders on slander. By inference, he suggests that commercially processed dog foods have “yielded true revolutionary improvements in health,” without substantiation and against the evidence of obesity, dental disease, and food-induced lethargy in kibble fed dogs that is impossible to escape.

He then tries to link human “fads” to an irrational extension to pets. More insulting polemics, devoid of facts or evidence thus far. Just inflammatory language and insults.

Then he states a proposition that I agree with in the main (but one that he later goes on to contradict himself), which is :

“Often, even when there is some real scientific evidence for the benefits or risks of some healthcare practice in people, there is little or no evidence to support claims about these practices applied to our pets. Extrapolation from people to pets is inevitable, but it is also very risky.”

Dogs are not people. They have different nutritional needs.

Then Skept Vet goes directly to attacking the use of coconut oil in humans as a fad. Why? He just told his readers that extrapolation from people to pets is very risky, so why is he doing it? Clearly as yet another way to throw shade at others. It is wrong, condescending, and unscientific. Zero evidence presented thus far.

He then goes onto talk about coconut oil, putting the non-hydrogenated oil in scare-quotes as “virgin” oil. WTF?

He then goes on to recognize that (in humans) that not all forms of saturated fats are unhealthful (as misinformed nutritionists and the medical-science community believed until recently). And that medium-chain triglycerides (as found in coconut oil) may be protective against cardiovascular disease in humans (after warning of the risks of extrapolation earlier). Has he made a point yet, other than making insults? No.

He warns that “only about 15-20% of the fats in coconut oil are true MCT,” without suggesting what levels are ideal from a nutritional science perspective (and remembering that he is discussing human needs at this point, not dogs).

He then goes on to attempt to pejoratively link exuberant health claims for humans with dramatic claims for benefits it pets. More polemics and virtually no science at this juncture (and we are pretty deep in). Just the ongoing tactic of painting those considering coconut oil as a supplement as being in league with food-faddists and medical bogeymen.

Pretty weak.

When he asks: Does it work?, he starts off–yet again–with humans (despite his warning not to extrapolate at the top of the article). What gives?

He seems pained beyond reason to admit that “studies looking at MCTs in the diet show some potential benefits [in humans].” Since that doesn’t fit his agenda, he then quotes a research summary that starts: “Coconut oil is not a cure-all. Well, no kidding! Skept Vet’s tactic here, which is his standard MO, is to attempt to link dietary items that may be beneficial with extremism. That’s not science, but dishonest debate tactics.

Buried in the quoted summary is that “It is possible to include coconut oil in a healthful [human] diet.”

To remind ourselves, SkeptVet has to date spoken mostly about human nutrition, despite his anti-extrapolation warnings, and he begrudgingly has to admit possible benefits.

He then admits there are very few dog food studies and he is not faithful in how he represents the ones that have been done. For example, he makes a claim that dogs fed “coconut oil lost less weight and had more body fat than dogs on diets with other sources of fat.” What he leaves out of the summary is that the dogs in the study found the food with more coconut in the mix (relative to vegetable oils) much more palatable than the dogs with foods high in vegetable oil, and these dogs were allowed to eat their fill. Not honest science here. No mention by Skept Vet that the study lacked portion control. Big suprise that dogs given unlimited access to food ate more of the delicious food. Good grief.

He mentions, and casts skepticism and insults, on research that shows coconut oil shampoo might be beneficial in treating mange. A topic that is not germane to a discussion of animal nutrition on any level, but seemingly another opportunity for Skept Vet to insult a “research group with a strong bias in favor of such “natural” treatments. This guy clearly has an ax to grind.

Not much science at this point. But a great deal of shade.

Then he gets to his classic line: “There is no clinical research of any kind showing a significant benefit from dietary or topical coconut oil in the prevention or treatment of any significant health problem.” By saying this he means to give readers the impression that there has been voluminous research which has demonstrated a lack of benefit. But that isn’t the case.

All that can be said truthfully is that there have been very few studies of coconut oils and there risks and benefits in dogs. Instead of making the lack of evidence ((one way or another) Skept Vet tires to make the reader believe a lack-of-evidence is itself evidence. This isn’t true and it is the way dishonest people with agenda present information to readers. Skept Vet uses these same tactics constantly.

He asks “is it safe?” Then talks about human studies (what about that extrapolation warning doc?) that show “no significant short-term risks [for humans].” Long-term safety and effect on obesity, CVD undetermined.

Then he turns to anecdotal reports of gastrointestinal symptoms in dogs fed too much coconut oil. One needs to remember that Skept Vet howls when those he brands food-faddists bring up anecdotal reports, but it doesn’t stop him.

The fact that adding additional fats to dogs rations (which is generally a very great positive when fat levels are low) needs to be done slowly, as there are many physiological changes that occur as dogs transition into fat-metabolism (the process they were shaped by evolution to thrive on, and one that is undermined by cereal-based kibble diets). Sudden changes are not good, even if one is improving the rations.

Again, Skept Vet delivers another of his classic lines: “There is no controlled research evidence investigating the safety of coconut oil in dogs and cats.”

Thus far Skept Vet has established nothing.

He concludes that “coconut oil might have health benefits in humans, but there is no conclusive research to support this” (which is semi-irrelevant given dogs are not humans). He then suggests that any benefits to dogs are anecdotal (due to a lack of studies) when the only evidence he gave of potential harms was purely anecdotal (which he fails to recognize).

So after a long and insult-filled article, what do we get? Not much.

Almost zero science to support either harm or benefits to dogs. The only anecdotal risks are easily avoided by transitioning to fat supplement slowly and keeping amounts in moderation.

Typical Skept Vet.

Bill