[anonymous]

Natural Balance for Fat Dogs, check it out, only 250 calories a cup and the ingredients don’t look bad at all. I give a 1/2 raw carrot as a treat (not baby carrots/choking hazard)
https://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dog-formulas/dry/fat-dogs/original

I would feed this to a senior. I might add a little lean ground cooked turkey or a bite of scrambled with water egg to it. Plus a splash of water to the kibble (a lot of dogs don’t drink enough water)
I never give yogurt or any dairy products to dogs. The only supplement I add is one fish oil capsule a day.

Increase walks, activity. Any way you can take him swimming? One minute of swimming is equal to 4 minutes of running! And easy on the joints.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 11 months ago by anonymous.

[Althea J]

I have a six month old Keeshond and I supplement whatever kibble she likes or I have at the moment with Freshpet puppy food, scrambled egg ( I use olive oil to cook it) a bit of chicken, lamb, beef ( whatever I have handy) low sodium chicken stock (make sure it has no onion) she also likes a bit of ricotta or goat cheese added to kibble (I tried plain yogurt she did not care for it) a sprinkle of hard cheese, a bit of canned salmon or a cooked sweet potato cut into pieces. So far so good. She is teething right now so she loves ice cubes or a piece of frozen broccoli or carrot. I try to vary what I add to her kibble! I read that olive oil is good for their coats and I use this anyway to cook our food. She likes an occasional piece of apple as a treat as well. I do use bully sticks for chewing pleasure for her. Some days she eats more some days less. I try not to worry too much. Hope that helps🐶

[Acroyali]

One of my elderly dogs developed a murmur that got worse in 6 months time. We did use CoQ10 and a few other supplements (fish oil at my vets recommendation) his murmur actually improved after another 6 months. His vet was incredibly pleased and said that (in their experiences) murmurs in older dogs don’t usually get better, they usually progress. Who knows if it was a fluke or if the CoQ10 was responsible, but for his situation, I believe it certainly didn’t hurt.
He went on much longer than expected before going into full blown heart failure, and by this time he WAS on several prescription medications that helped to extend his life. (While I do think intelligent supplementation can be extremely helpful, heart disease is something I don’t attempt to work with on my own.)
Your dog, your decision when it comes to supplementation.

[anonymous]

No, your vet is right. A lot of supplements are scams and some can even cause harm.
My last small breed had a heart murmur since the age of 5, no symptoms , lived till age 16 and died of unrelated causes.
I have had other small breeds that developed murmurs as they got older, no treatment required.
Of course if he begins to have symptoms I would talk to your vet, there are probably prescription meds that would help. And you could even take him to a veterinary cardiologist for further testing and evaluation.
The reverse sneeze thing may be unrelated. Does he hack up white foamy stuff? My old guy did that occasionally, not often.
Ps: The only supplement I give these days is one fish oil capsule with the morning meal.

[caleb v]

Another question while I got the attention. If I give my dog a turkey neck to chew on will that replace a meal? or would that just be a supplemental food?

[anonymous]

Home Remedies That Will Not Get Rid of Fleas and Ticks — and May Hurt Your Pet
By Laura Cross | July 18, 2016
Do a quick Internet search on natural ways to prevent fleas and ticks and you’ll come up with thousands of links. You could spend all day researching these home remedies. The problem: As much as we love using natural solutions when they work, many simply aren’t effective at controlling parasites. In some cases these ‘remedies’ can cause more harm than good for your pet.
So before you add chopped up garlic to your animal’s food or bathe her in essential oils, check out our quick list of home remedies to avoid.
Parasite Prevention and Removal Remedies That Don’t Work
Bad Idea: Putting Garlic in Pet Food
Even though a lot of people think this a safe and effective way to prevent fleas, there’s no scientific evidence that garlic — whether it’s fresh from the bulb, powdered or in a supplement — can keep the parasites at bay. Even worse, garlic can be toxic to pets. Garlic contains substances that damage red blood cells in dogs in cats, potentially leading to life-threatening anemia if ingested in large quantities.
Bad Idea: Dipping Pet in Motor Oil, Bleach, Vinegar or Turpentine
Bathing your dog or cat in motor oil, bleach or turpentine is dangerous way to attempt to get rid of fleas or ticks. Depending on the substance, it could cause serious health problems, chemical burns, even death. Vinegar, while it may seem like the safer bet, also has its problems. According to the ASPCA Poison Control Center, ingesting undiluted vinegar can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, mouth irritation and pain.
Bad Idea: Burning a Tick off with Lit Match
Holding a lit match next to fur to remove a tiny parasite should set off alarm bells in your head. If anything, this tick-removal technique could set your poor pet on fire. You should also avoid freezing off a tick with an aerosol-based freezing gel, as you’re more likely to hurt your pet than help him.
Bad Idea: Using Undiluted Essential Oils Directly on Your Pet
Some essential oils, like citronella, may help repel parasites, but that doesn’t mean you should use them on your dog or cat. Essential oils can be toxic to pets at certain concentrations, and these substances can be inhaled, absorbed through the skin or licked by your pet. Some natural flea and tick pet shampoos may contain essential oils, but because the oils are diluted with other ingredients, they are more likely to be safe if used according to label directions.
Bad Idea: Using Nail Polish and Petroleum Jelly to Kill Ticks
It’s an old wives’ tale that nail polish is an effective way to remove ticks. Many people think painting over a tick with varnish or smothering it in petroleum jelly will drown and kill the tick. But it could cause the tick to salivate or regurgitate into the bite wound, increasing the risk of infection. So keep nail polish on fingernails — not on your dog or cat.
The Best Ways to Prevent Parasites
Want to know what will work for you dog or cat? Talk with your veterinarian who can recommend safe parasite-control products that are effective for the parasites in your area. Then make sure you use them as directed.
http://www.vetstreet.com/our-pet-experts/home-remedies-that-will-not-get-rid-of-fleas-and-ticks-and-may-hurt-your-pet

[anonymous]

Not just opinion, a scientific fact. Natural flea/tick remedies do not work.

Ps: Wondercide stinks! I’ve used it in the past and found it to be ineffective, same with the brewers yeast and garlic supplements.

Believe what you want.

[Anna B]

Hi all,

I recently emailed Grandma Lucy’s to get some more information about the vitamin and minerals in the Pureformance premix. The ingredients listed in this forumula are: USDA Chickpeas, Flax, Carrots, Celery, Apples, Bananas, Blueberries, Cranberries, Pumpkin, Papaya, Spinach, Garlic, Vitamin A, Vitamin D3, Vitamin E, Niacin, Iron, Calcium, Phosphorus, Zinc, Riboflavin, Thiamin, Potassium, Manganese, Chloride, Copper, Magnesium,Pyridoxine, Cyanocobalamin.”

This was the first response I received: “Hello, Thank you for reaching out. Our vitamin and mineral supplements are supplied from a human-grade facility where we receive the chemical name and the type of source such as animal and vegetable. They are added to the food as vitamin packs.”

I asked for more specific information and their response was “I cannot disclose proprietary information. Is there something specific you need to know about a vitamin or mineral included?”

Do you think this is a pretty standard reply or kind of sketchy? I was hoping for more information about the source of each vitamin/mineral since the ones listed are incredibly vague ex. copper sulfate vs. copper proteinate. What do you think?

[Susan]

Hi how is your poor dog doing?? what did vet do is he on Metronidazole??
All organ meats are very rich & can cause diarrhea when feed too much, my boy gets diarrhea from those liver treats, Beef liver treats chicken liver treats… when I first rescued him 4-5yrs ago, I took him to the Hunter rescue second hand shop they raise money & sell worm, flea products, collars, name tag’s, toys, jackets etc everything for dogs/cats they raise money for people that don’t have the money to desex their cat & dogs, I wanted a new ID tag & a few toys for Patch & showed all the ladies my new rescue boy, the elderly ladies kept giving Patch liver treats & these were real big thick chunky black liver/beef treats, they could have been beef liver, I don’t know, anyway that night we were up all night with bad diarrhea, pain, feeling sick, I took Patch to vet next morning cause I have never had a dog get this sick, he was put on Metronidazole an antibiotic for the bowel & stomach & Royal Canine, Hydrolyzed dry vet diet just to let his bowel rest & heal, that’s when Patches new vet told me organ meats are very rich & can cause diarrhea, so since then I have never given him any liver, beef, or chicken liver treats again…
Years later I went thru a Naturopath to put Patch on a raw diet cause of his IBD & Skin allergies & he wasn’t given any organ meat or bone in his diet cause he has IBD, he was put on a probiotic & digestive enzymes & a supplement powder to balance the raw diet but the raw diet didn’t agree with Patch cause of his IBD, it cleared up his itchy skin & red paws cause we were just feeding Kangaroo with blended broccoli, apple, celery, we were starting an elimination raw diet but Patch kept feeling very sick & regurgitating the raw back up….Maybe stick with the cooked diet, I know raw is so much easier to do there’s no cooking just start with 1 lean white protein & a few blended veggies (2-3) like broccoli, apple, celery etc & only add 1-2 spoons of the blende veggies with 1 cup raw..

[HoundMusic]

That’s a very interesting and informative site. A bit ashamed to say that for all I am interested more in a company’s quality control than an ingredient list, that there could be heavy metal contamination in pet food never even occurred to me :/

Even more interesting is that several of the “high-end”, boutique type dog foods that I swore were the cause of major problems for my pack are also the lowest rated due to contaminants. Canidae, Wellness CORE, and the God-forsaken Timberwolf, which is possibly the worst commercial dog food in the known universe. It also, I think, puts the final nail in the proverbial coffin of a mystery that’s been bothering me for years. That is, why did my dogs get sick on one formula of a given brand, while thriving on another? (Science Diet, I am looking directly at you) And what could have been the reason why foods like Timberwolf would cause an immediate, drastic and euthanasia worthy behavioral issue, while blood test results were completely normal?

Heavy metal toxicity seems to fit that bill.

One thing I am curious about, though, is how they calculated nutritional value. I see that Kibbles & Bits, which is lower protein than Dog Chow, got rated higher for its nutrient content than the latter, whereas Orijen, which has dangerously high levels of minerals – I think the calcium:phosphorous alone is 3x the daily requirement – has a nutritional value comparable to that of Dog Chow. Odd.

Anyway, I sincerely thank you for posting this. The pack gets mostly home-cooked these days, but some recent health issues are forcing me to start supplementing with kibble, so it’s a very good resource to have when looking into feeds. On another note, I’m seriously considering getting a cat, so took a gander at the kitty list. Couldn’t believe Deli-Cat is still around! That brings back some fond memories of my grandmother’s cat, who lived to be about 22 yrs old on nothing but that food, and even then most likely died of extreme neglect rather than old age 🙁

[Samantha S]

Hi, new to this group so hope this is the appropriate place to post this forum!! My two dogs (40 Ib hound & 38 Ib shepherd mix) are currently eating grain free chicken and potato Redford naturals. I’m happy with the dry food and occasionally supplement with Evangers cooked chicken wet food to add some moisture. So I occasionally will add in some steamed broccoli, chickpeas, sweet potato, or any other foods I know are safe for them to eat just to add some fresh food! I know that their dry food is meeting nutritional requirements but I would like to start trying to split the meal, so rather than doing a full bowl of just dry kibble, doing half dry and half fresh foods. However, I know I shouldn’t start doing this with random foods as it needs to be appropriate and balanced. Any suggestions on how to use fresh foods I have on hand while still providing a balanced meal? I also sometimes throw in chia seeds and flax meal into my own meals as a nutritional supplement and wasn’t sure if anyone had any experience with those/ if those products could also be beneficial to my dogs? Thanks!

• This topic was modified 8 years, 11 months ago by Samantha S.

[aimee]

Hi Marie,

This recipe even with nu vet supplement looks to be very deficient.

For example for the entire recipe using the usda nutrient database for nutrient information and Wild caught Atlantic Salmon and medium grain brown rice I calculated out it contains 363 mg calcium. The nu vet supplement reports 100 mg Ca

NRC recommended requirements for a 50 lb dog are 1300 mg Ca/day Even if the 50 lb dog ate the entire recipe in one day plus the supplement the total Ca intake would be 463 mg Ca, falling far short of the required 1300mg.

Looking at another nutrient Vit A. The recipe contains 1100 IU and the supplement 1000 IU. NRA recommended amount ~1716 IU/day for 50 lb dog. If the dog ate the entire recipe along with the supplement the need would be met. But from feeding guidelines it appear that eating 1/3 of the recipe /day is more likely which doesn’t meet the requirement. To meet requirement the dog has to eat about 3/4 of the total recipe/day.

I don’t consider Nu vet to be an appropriate supplement for home cooking. When I tried to get a full nutrient profile for the supplement I was told it was proprietary and only the nutrients they post are available. This makes it impossible to use as a supplement for a home prepared diet.

Note: I had to make some assumptions when making the recipe so different values can be calculated. I used cups measured fresh not cooked and I didn’t add in the garlic.

[Angelica C]

Tylee’s is manufactured in TX. I’m feeding it as a supplemental food for my Husky and Beagle Lab Mix. They absolutely devour it. Plus there’s a BOGO on your first purchase right now if you enter coupon code TYLEES at checkout.

[Marie P]

Homemade dog food with salmon and this supplement; Here is the recipe we use for a balanced meal using salmon. Let me know if you have questions, http://bulldogvitamins.blogspot.com/2017/04/salmon-dinner-for-dogs-woof-food.html

[LEELINA M]

Dear Ashleigh,
I’m so sorry if you’ve been discouraged by negative postings. I’m also new to RAW and finding more hurdles than helpers. The problem is everyone thinks they know everything rather than just sharing what they’ve learned. I hope you are still looking into and exploring the world of raw. Here is what I’m learning and would like to share…. Obviously every dog(like every person) is different but what works for most should work for all, barring complications. I’m feeding raw with a spin. When Minnie first came home I started her on an organic GROUND WHOLE CHICKEN WITH ORGAN MEAT AND BONE. I’m lucky enough to live in an area of Southern California where that is available to me, made by NATURAL MONARCH. Knowing that she also needs other protein sources i went seeking online and now I follow Dr. Becker. She’s a traditional vet gone holistic and i like that. She has a youtube video with Rodney Habib that outlines a raw food recipe which i follow but i change up the protein. I like that this recipe doesn’t call for too many supplements. In addition i feed Raw Meaty Bones every other day. My puppy is super finicky so we’re only doing Lamb Chops, Pork Spare Ribs and Beef ribs with the occasional Chicken Wing. She refuses to eat chicken sometimes as well as chicken feet and turkey necks. She’s kind of a butthead 🙂 but we’ll keep trying. In all my research I have learned that EVERY MEAL DOES NOT NEED TO BE BALANCED! Just work on balancing over the week. Also, Human grade is best. Dog food or food intended to for pets does not have that same regulation. i don’t care what anyone else says. Let those guys eat dog grade food instead of human graded. Even sale meat is ok for animals, as you know animals have different enzymes in their mouths as well as guts to combat the bacteria and parasites that we as humans cannot without cooking it first. If in doubt just cook the protein in question and feed everything else raw. Minnie doesn’t like the taste of ground beef(youtube recipe) but i already made a giant batch so i cook it then add a tablespoon of pumpkin to kill the scent and smell and she loves it. I also add lots of parsley, kale and mint to ward off any leaky gut issues. Dogs that get sick and /or die from bacteria already have had compromised immune systems so please don’t be turned away by nay sayers. Here is a sample diet of what Minnie eats but keep in mind that she is a growing toy breed puppy and eats 3 times a day but only eats 6.5% of her body weight per day (18 weeks as of today between 6 & 7 ounces per day)
sidenote, I’ve started mixing in the rodney habib video recipe into her already ground chicken mix plus as said before pumpkin to the beef mix after lightly cooking it. The beef, i only heat the beef.

Monday… Lightly cooked Beef mix with pumpkin then a pork spare rib the Natural Monarch Raw Chicken with mix

tuesday… Ground Turkey with rodney habib mix then ground chicken mix

wed… ground beef mix then ground turkey mix then a beef rib

thurs… chicken mix then a lamb chop then chicken mix again

fri… beef mix then turkey mix

sat… beef steak with bone then chicken mix then turkey mix

sun… chicken mix then lamb chop then beef mix

Upon writing it out, i see that i obviously feed lots of ground meat but that’s because Minnie is a spoiled puppy. I feed her enough Raw Meaty Bone to have the benefit of the nice breath and clean teeth and gums plus the calcium from those and her chicken has ground bone as well and the egg shells provide sufficient calcium. I plan to introduce more WHOLE proteins after 6 months. It is safe to fast dogs for a day after that point. But right now she’s just too small and too dang picky.

Pulsing spinach, kale, parsley and other super green veggies into your mixes is also sufficient however, i also juice so i mix in the pulp into Minnie’s food.

I hope any of this was helpful.
Love, Leelina

[anonymous]

It’s not just the shampoo, or just the food, or just the supplements, or just the over the counter medications, or just the prescribed medication, or just the allergen specific immunotherapy.
Allergies are very complicated, that’s why it is best to spend the money on a consult with a veterinary dermatologist, if it’s been going on for more than 1 year/4 seasons you are just spinning your wheels trying all these different things. Meanwhile, the dog is uncomfortable, possible suffering.
Peace out.
PS: My dog is bathed twice a week in conjunction with allergen specific immunotherapy.
They still have occasional flare ups. Treatment tends to be lifelong.

[Acroyali]

Side effects and serious reactions happen with medications, too, and aren’t exactly uncommon. One of my dogs almost died from an otherwise useful drug that has helped many dogs in the past, including dogs I previously owned. No decent vet OR doctor would assume herbal or “natural” (a complete buzz-word) automatically equals safe, and intelligent supplementation for a serious problem requires the advice of a professional, as many do more harm than good when ingested on a whim.

It’s not one sided, and I guess I don’t understand why a veterinarian that can help save or improve the life of a dog with a nutritional supplement would make you so upset, but again…to each their own, as you state. I’m just glad my dog in question is alive, and I’m glad I found a veterinarian who was able to save my dog and give him a good quality of life.

[anonymous]

“Anon, I’m honestly curious…if a vet recommends a specific supplement for a specific animal (NOT internet diagnosis) and the pet is helped, what is the problem? Why would that make you sick?”

Because dietary supplements are not medication, there is no testing or regulation, no scientific research and they are expensive. Veterinary medicine is a business, homeopathy included.
But, to each his own.

PS: ER visits are way up due to people having side effects and serious reactions due to supplements. https://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/10/14/dietary-supplements-lead-to-20000-e-r-visits-yearly-study-finds/?_r=0
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/supplements-and-safety/

[Acroyali]

Anon, I’m honestly curious…if a vet recommends a specific supplement for a specific animal (NOT internet diagnosis) and the pet is helped, what is the problem? Why would that make you sick?

[anonymous]

Thanks for posting, Amy W
I’m afraid they don’t believe us. All we can do is try. Maybe someone will listen and a pet will be helped.
Makes me sick every time I see supplements recommended for such a serious condition.
PS: I posted a comment with more info and it was promptly removed, that’s how it is around here, lol

[Acroyali]

I’ve used NAET and homeopathy with excellent results. NAET is totally non-invasive, which is awesome. Please don’t ask me *how* it works, but it works. My dogs’ allergies were diet related, and all but one allergy cleared (and one became much less intense) with two sessions.

Homeopathy has amazed me time and time again, but the big secret is finding an experienced homeopath who knows the science, and finding one who doesn’t write off other assets in assisting your dogs health…some homeopaths will refuse to work with anyone who uses nutritional supplements, etc. which is something I would absolutely avoid. A good holistic vet examines the big picture and doesn’t stick rigidly to one answer only. Holistic = whole!

The most common mistake I see with homeopathy is people choosing incorrect remedies, by themselves, within 5 minutes of reading about the symptoms present and not taking into account the smaller, more subtle symptoms that would point to a different remedy. Then they claim it didn’t work, even though they took no time at all to study it themselves or seek out someone competent to help them through, who will also be knowledgeable about selecting the correct potency. It would be no different than if you or I had a headache and decided to take Zantac. When we take the wrong medication for the wrong symptoms, the problem we’re experiencing isn’t going to go away, and it would be unfair to complain and tell everyone that Zantac doesn’t work because we took it for the wrong problem. If you try a remedy and it does not work, you should consult your vet to decide on what remedy to try next.

I would also research vaccines and develop a close relationship with a trusted vet who will only vaccinate your dog if and when he needs it. I would ALSO research problems associated with any flea and/or tick prevention you may be using or have used in the past (what works good for one dog may be hurting the next), as well as things like what household cleaners you use, right down to the quality of water you put in your dogs water bowl every day. If you haven’t done so yet, I would consult with your vet about the possibility of a good blood count as well as discussing whether or not a thyroid test would be a good idea for your particular dog. Discuss immune support with your vet; not all immune support is necessarily stimulating but balancing instead.

I hope this helps you and you’re able to find someone who can help you and your dog. Allergies are a pain, but they CAN be helped.

[anonymous]

Homeopathic vets don’t believe in science based medicine. You can’t have it both ways.
I would find a board certified veterinary dermatologist. Just call the nearest Veterinary School of Medicine and they will refer you.
My dog is a small breed poodle mix that started with the pruritus and ear infections at about 2 years old. Did the steroids, antibiotics. Went back and forth to the regular vet for about a year (tried 3 of them) listened to the homeopathic vets (useless). Most supplements are a scam.
So, I made an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist, she had the testing and I had the results and a treatment plan the same day.
I saw results right away. The initial testing is expensive but the maintenance isn’t that bad (I gave up cable). We see the dermatologist once a year.
She has been stable now for several years. It is very natural, the solution is now available sublingual, so you don’t have to give shots.
She no longer has food sensitivity issues, but does best on a Nutrisca salmon and chickpea kibble as a base, a bit of cooked chicken or something and a splash of water twice a day.
A raw carrot here and there.
I have owned several dogs over the years, some had mild/seasonal allergies, but this is the only one that needed the expertise of a specialist. I avoid vaccinations with this dog, talk to your vet about a rabies waiver.
They still have occasional flare ups, but nothing severe. Prn Benadryl once in a while (it doesn’t do that much anyway).
Btw: raw made her vomit and caused a bowel obstruction requiring a trip to the emergency vet.

[Jazzlover]

New to Raw

I’m seeking education from dog owners w/ thriving raw fed dogs.

We have an almost 4yr old male, black lab w/ environmental allergies (all yr around in nor Ca) – Jazz. I recently went raw, one meal (do to cost) – trying Barf World, Lamb to start. And I’m not finding it gross 🙂 Is there a prepared, balanced raw that delivers that is higher quality and ideally lower priced? Eventually I hope to be able to identify a balanced recipe & the ingredients to do it myself.

I’m also looking for wild, sustainably sourced sardines that I can buy in bulk. In hopes to avoid buying canned.

Lastly, supplements (vtms & minerals) that are necessary and have proven healthy benefits for raw feeding. Such as a great sustainably sourced krill oil (not cod), etc.

Thanks for you support!

• This reply was modified 8 years, 12 months ago by Jazzlover. Reason: grammer

[Marie P]

It’s pretty good but you forgot Bone meal and supplements. A good bone meal to be added daily – add each day – cook the food and then add the supplements in. ( Try to Never cook the supplements into the food)

Bone meal – WE like the now brand, See here – All dogs need Bone meals to Balance out home cooking http://amzn.to/2ob92hb

Also, We use this supplement daily – place in the food right before feeding.. YOU need this one 1 x per day, Green bottle in Wafer or powder, http://www.nuvet.com/81098

The Bone meal is given only 1 x per day.
The multi vit supplement is given 1 x per day.

Happy cooking

[emmygirl01]

Thank you for your help! It just so happens that I have a sample can of Raw 4 Paws in my cupboard! I appreciate the information and will try it in the future.
Since I last posted: Our guy has been diagnosed with IBD. He was on months of steroids, rounds of antibiotics and I did try to cook for him. My vet and I worked with the balance it company. Absolutely wonderful people and product! However, for my pup, it just didn’t work.
He had to have copious amounts of protein and cooking and bagging it and adding the supplements was just too much. I was not able to work him up to the proper amount of supplements from balance it. So, I ended up giving him Hills d/d venison and potato.
His health has returned and his bowels are stable. I would prefer to find another good source of food, but for right now this is working. It is an exhausting situation to try to find the right food for him. I am also considering canine caviar. There seem to be a lot of good options through that company too. At his next visit, if blood work is good and he remains healthy until then, I am going to ask my vet to work with me to use Raw 4 Paws and Canine Caviar. Thank so much for sharing your information!

[Millicent m]

I know this post is a few years old but I wanted to add my experience. As we all search for answers, maybe a pattern will emerge! I have an 12 year old wheaten who has had seizures for the past 18 months. We have been giving her phenobarb with moderate success. She never goes longer than a month without seizures but generally only has one every 3-4 weeks. Mostly, but as the budget allows, she now eats a commercial frozen raw brand with occasional dry as a substitute/supplement or for convenience when we travel. A month ago, I replaced her raw food with a new dry food. After two days on the new food, she had a three days full of seizures every 10-12 hours. Disclaimer-this was two days past her 4 week mark of being seizure free so ONE seizure at this time wasn’t unexpected. I quit that food immediately. But neither the vet nor I really believed it could affect her seizures so much. Fast forward three weeks of continuing on the raw frozen again and no more seizures. I hadn’t thawed out enough for this past Saturday’s complete meal so I supplemented with a SMALL portion of the dry food (yes, the previously mentioned new dry food). Six hours later, she had two seizures within 15 min of each other, then a third two hours later. At this point, I took her to the ER, fearing the speed at which this was escalating. Within four hours, she’d had two more, one of which was violent enough to scare the vet tech. After 5 seizure free hours, they gave her some food -one of the Hills prescription canned-. She had a seizure within an hour. After a few more hours, they fed her. She had a seizure within an hour. After a few more hours, they fed her……She had a seizure within an hour. And yes, this trend wasn’t noticed until the third round, even though I noted it after the First feeding. But that’s another story. So……..I am firmly convinced that yes, food can be a GIANT seizure trigger. Like another reply said, probably not a whole cause (but really, who knows?), but most definitely something that can put them over that seizure threshold. I’m trying to determine why said foods are doing that. The two foods don’t share any main ingredients. The dry food is supposedly a high quality food. However, I’m discovering that pea proteins are fast taking over the “high quality”, grain free world of dog food. And even though meat is the main ingredient, we can’t discount how much of the protein content is coming from sources other than the meat. Dogtor J has a theory on food and seizures I’m interested in. Hindsight being 20/20, I’d also like to add that a couple of months prior to her very first seizure, we’d been trying new dog foods because a)she was suddenly hungrier than she had been….after years of eating the same amount and being satisfied and b) her skin issues were no longer being held at bay. Perhaps our dog food’s formula had changed? It was a chicken/chickpea formula I settled on to aid with her skin flareups. Or maybe that formula didn’t change, but instead her body just couldn’t process it anymore. Or maybe the hunger obsession is indicative of a brain lesion/tumor, although that doesn’t explain the seizures that immediately followed certain meals. My gut tells me her seizures are related to her gut…..not necessarily as easy as eating better food (we haven’t found a magic answer there yet) but even due to some disorder or malfunction that’s keeping her body from processing correctly……but I believe her ongoing interest(read obsession) in food (she’s been known to eat her own poop during some of her hunger phases) is related to the seizure puzzle. For what it’s worth, we’ve returned home and had a few meals of her raw food with no additional seizures.

[anonymous]

Tell your friend to check out this website, science based veterinary medicine.
skeptvet dot com
read the blogs on herbs-and-supplements

Imo, her money would be better spent by taking her pet/pets to the vet once a year for an exam and lab work (as recommended by the vet)
Supplements are not always benign, some have side effects. I would never use those things mentioned.

[anonymous]

Tell your friend to check out this website, science based veterinary medicine.
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/herbs-and-supplements/
Imo, her money would be better spent by taking her pet/pets to the vet once a year for an exam and lab work (as recommended by the vet)
Supplements are not always benign, some have side effects. I would never use those things mentioned.

[anonymous]

Tell your friend to check out this website, science based veterinary medicine.
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/herbs-and-supplements/
Imo, her money would be better spent by taking her pet/pets to the vet once a year for an exam and lab work (as recommended by the vet)
Supplements are not always benign, some have side effects. I would never use those things mentioned.

[anonymous]

Tell your friend to check out this website, science based veterinary medicine.
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/herbs-and-supplements/

Imo, her money would be better spent by taking her pet/pets to the vet once a year for an exam and lab work (as recommended by the vet)

Supplements are not always benign, some have side effects. I would never use those things mentioned.

[Carey C]

Consumer Labs checked out the Probiotic Miracle by Nusentia and said it was fine. I have been using it for 3 months now and my dog’s condition has improved quite a bit. Wish I had known about this stuff quite awhile back. I just today ordered their enzyme supplement also. I was a long time checking it all out before I finally paid for a report from Consumer Labs to verify my conclusions about their product.

I looked at the Mercola products and quite a few others but most of the research I came across said that dogs typically have around 6 to 8 strains of beneficial flora and more than that was superfluous and could actually be dangerous. There was one strain in particular that theirs contained and some of the others on the market also, Enterococcus faecium, that could easily convert into a strain that is dangerous and could be lethal and you will no longer find it in any human probiotics at all; it is all over the web about it now. At least I haven’t been able to find it in any of the human kind and I’ve run across others that have said the same.

The best thing you can do is spend some time researching the products and their ingredients to make a good decision. I’m not talking about 30 minutes or so either. I have spent hours, many hours doing just that before I settle on anything I’m going to put into me or my dog when it is something I can’t cook up myself at home without a full scale laboratory and supplies and scientific know how to come up with what I want. I’m not one to just gone on someone’s say so. I tend to read the ingredient list on everything I buy and if there is something listed I’m not sure of I pass it by until I can learn more about it.

Most manufacturers will word or say just about anything to make a sale and it always makes me think of the proverbial used car salesman.

[zcRiley]

Food change will not help color dilution alopecia. Cover all your bases by ordering a dermatohistopathology test and a full thyroid panel test. Make sure secondary infections aren’t arising. Nordic Naturals Omega-3 Dog Supplement is a big winner in helping hair disorders. Bathe in Nova Pearls Shampoo once every 2 weeks.

[anonymous]

Just to let you know I responded to your post and it was removed?

Anyway, less is better, regarding supplements imo. The only supplement I use at this time is one fish oil capsule per day added to the morning meal.

I use a quality kibble as a base, maybe 1/2 of the diet, I add cooked protein sources as a topper. Seems to be working.
When you take him in for his annual exam, I would go along with the lab work as recommended…if anything is wrong, it will show up there.
Just my opinion, but I would prefer to spend my money on lab work rather than dietary supplements.

PS: Go to skeptvet dot com, if you are interested in scientific veterinary medicine.

[anonymous]

I use a quality kibble as a base, about 1/2 of the diet, I add real food as you are doing, but, mostly lean cooked meat, boiled chicken, chicken broth (homemade, nothing added) or water added to meals.
Rice, potatoes and such tend to be high calorie carbs, and I wouldn’t feed eggshells to any living thing, ugh.
Two meals per day, measured amounts, a carrot or two for snacks.
The only supplements I use is a fish oil capsule once a day added to the morning meal.
I have been feeding this way for a while now with good results.
When you take him in for his annual veterinary appointment, go along with the lab work if recommended, it’s the best diagnostic tool the vets have, if something is off, it will show up in the lab values….most of the time.
PS: Hope this helps http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/herbs-and-supplements/

[David K]

I feed my 3 year old, 40 pound Plott Hound a homemade mixture of boiled chicken, white rice, boiled sweet potatoes and scrambled eggs, with the shells.I give him 1/2 a cup of this mixture along with 1/2 a cup of Pure Balance brand dry food twice a day. He really likes it. My question is : Is he getting ALL his nutritional needs with this diet ? He’s been on this feeding program for about two years now and I was wondering if needed to add a supplement or any other additives or substitutions to make it more healthy ? Maybe switch up the meat and or the veggies for variety ? What do you think ? Am I on the right track or do I need to change things ? Thanks, Dave

[anonymous]

I just toss the fish oil capsule in with the meal (one a day) I don’t pop them. The dogs just eat them like a snack. It’s just a supplement, I don’t expect it to do that much.
More isn’t always better, some supplements have side effects.

[Krista B]

Do you guys think an added 5% from veggies are ok? It’s not throwing off the balance in my opinion because I would still be feeding the same amount of food as if I wasn’t feeding them. The total I’m feeding now is 10% from supplemental oils and treats and 5% from veggies. Does this sound balanced to you guys? I’ve decided not to add the sardines and just stick with the fish oil. I’ve read that Karen Becker says it’s ok for 15% to be from extras, but no more than that. In the article in said up to 15% but preferably less than 10%. I’ll post it below.

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/3634992

[Bobby dog]

Check out the info from the UC Davis link in my post. They have a good example of the 10% rule. You’ll have to do some math to figure out your unbalanced food/supplement calories.

The only unbalanced items in my dog’s diet are the fresh foods and treats. I don’t add any supplements. So far all yearly exams are good for my dog and his meals are balanced so I do not feel the need to add any vitamins/supplements to his diet.

[Krista B]

I re read what you wrote and it makes more sense now. So I guess supplemental oils etc. count toward the 10% rule. ;( darn she’s already at her limit then. I might remove the veggies I have been adding because that adds an extra 5%. I did talk to several vets and they said 15% was ok but I wouldn’t imagine more would be balanced. My vet also said he loves it if you can add veggies to the diet. I still feel the 10% might be a bit more balanced than 15% though. What would you do, leave the veggies or remove them?

[Krista B]

Ok thanks, so when you say 10% do you mean total? For example her supplemental oils and supplements make up 7% of he diet, treats make up 3% of the diet. I’ve been adding some veggies which make up 5% of the diet. If I added one sardine to her AM meal three times per week it would be another 5% of her diet. All of this would total to 20% extras. (Not by volume, by calories.) is this ok or should I keep it to 10% only?

[Krista B]

Ok, thanks so much! So 25% sounds ok to you then? I’ve read the same but I just wasn’t sure. I actually have his book! He also recommends beef heart and eggs but I like that the sardines have the calcium in them plus EPA and DHA. In his book he says 15% of the diet (one abc day) can be unbalanced but I’m not sure if he’s accounting for treats and supplemental oils given.. I do think 30% would be too high, maybe that why he just says one day.

[Krista B]

Hi,

What toppers do you guys use to too dry kibble? Right now I’m using some canned dog food as a topper. I like that it’s complete and balanced and I don’t need to worry about unbalancing the diet. Are there any other toppers I could use that wouldn’t unbalance the diet too much? I was thinking of using some sardines a few times a week. Here’s the thing 15% of her diet is currently already compromised of treats, veggies, and supplements. If added the sardines it would bring the percentage up to 25% coming from extras other than kibble/canned. Is this ok to do.. or is this unlamced? I read 15% should be the maximum Amount you should have as extras…I like the idea of sardines thought because it already has calcium in it plus EPA and DHA.

Thanks!

[Marie P]

I have had great luck with the NuVET Plus daily supplement and also Avoderm Dog food. WE are using the lamb Avoderm food for our seniors and allergy prone pooches..

Avoderm is easy to digest and high quality, See here http://amzn.to/2nmXqY6

NuVET Skin-Coat and Allergy supplement for dogs, see here http://www.nuvet.com/81098 ( Give 1 per day long term as it will strengthen the immune system and help fight off allergens ) If you use order code 81098 they give a 60-day money back guarantee and 15 % off the auto ship program. we get ours every 90 days on auto ship.

[lavieenrawCO]

Hi Cindy,

Kaitlyn here from La Vie en Raw. We are a brand new company here in Colorado and we’re excited that you’re interested in our products! A little about the food. It is all 100% raised the way nature intended. Our farmer has been doing this for over 30 years. He runs a small family farm in upstate New York and is a former K9 police handler, breeder, and trainer. Every single animal is raised and slaughtered specifically for our raw dog food. He does not source out the “good cuts to humans” and leave the scraps for the dogs. He eats, sleeps and breathes this product. All of the products are small-batch and flash frozen after processing to lock in nutrients. They remain that way until you feed your pup.

Everything is organically raised, grass-fed, and free range. The animals are never diseased or rendered, and there are never any hormones, antibiotics, or steroids in any of our products. The only thing added outside of the meat is a mixture of supplements (which is also completely optional). The supplements are things like naturally pressed krill oil, chia seeds, four different probiotics, and more, which make the food complete and balanced. This too, our farmer has been perfecting with a holistic veterinarian for over the last three decades.

This is truly our passion and a labor of love for us. After having fur babies with various digestive issues, we searched extensively for the right raw food. Our desire is to provide dog owners in Colorado with the best food for their pup at fair and affordable prices, and one of our most important tenets as a business is complete transparency about where our food comes from.

I’d be happy to answer any questions you may have via email at lavieenrawco@gmail.com, on Facebook messenger, or at 720-375-1544. We’d also be happy to provide you with a free sample of one of our products so your pup can test it out!

[M N]

Louise, I appreciate your input. I think you may have the food I mentioned confused with something else…

Salmon Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Dried Potato, Dried Peas, Sweet Potato, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Potato Protein, Flaxseed Meal, Brewers Dried Yeast, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Dried Egg Product, Canola Oil, Natural Flavors, Salt, Lecithin, Choline Chloride, Dried Chicory Root, L-Carnitine, Dried Carrots, Dried Cranberries, Dried Blueberries, Yucca Schidigera extract, Ascorbic Acid, Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Vitamins (Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Yeast Culture, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma Longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract.

Metabolized Energy – AS FED- 1835 kcal/lb
Crude Protein Minimum 32.0%
Crude Fat Minimum 18.0%
Crude Fiber Maximum 5.5%
Total Ash 8.2%
Moisture Maximum 12.0%
Calcium Minimum 1.2%
Phosphorous Minimum 1.0%
Average Calcium 1.29%
Average Phosphorus 1.03%
Vitamin A Minimum 10,000 Iu/Kg
Vitamin E Minimum 80 Iu/Kg
Chondroitin Minimum 90 Mg/Kg*
Glucosamine Minimum 120 Mg/Kg*
DHA Minimum 0.05%*
EPA Minimum 0.01%*
Vitamin C Minimum 25 Mg/Kg*
Omega-6 Fatty Acid Minimum 3.5%*
Omega-3 Fatty Acid Minimum 1.5%*

Black Gold does have some grain inclusive formulas that do not interest me. They list digestibility for those in the low to mid 80s, which is what I would expect from a grain inclusive food.

[Susan]

Hi, Canidae has brought out a few new grain free formula’s one is Pure Meadow Senior, my neighbor just order a bag of the Canidae Pure Meadow & it smells & looks really good, she gave me 2 kibbles so I could do my kibble test to see if the kibble digest easy & yes after soaking the 2 kibbles in very warm water the kibbles were soft all the way thru in
15-minutes, so very easy to digest, my boy has IBD & can’t eat chicken 🙁 so I’m looking at the new Canidae Pure Wild Boar….
Ingredient’s Canidae Pure Meadow Senior are, Chicken, Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, peas, potatoes, a 50-75lb dog only needs 2 & 1/2 cups per day…
There’s also “Holistic Select” Chicken Meal & Rice Senior Health, same the kibble digest real easy was soft within 15mins….
Holistic Select Senior Ingredients are, Chicken Meal, Ground Brown Rice, Ground White Rice, Oatmeal, Chicken Fat, Anchovy & Sardine Meal….
You could rotate between the 2 kibbles, Holistic Select Senior has grains & Canidae Senior is grain Free the fat is 10%min in both kibbles & protein is around 26 to 28% min…
Just make sure when changing from your old kibble you look for new kibble around the same amount of fat, protein & fiber %, you can go up a few percent but don’t go from feeding a kibble that was 20% protein to a kibble with 30 + % protein, same with the fat % don’t go from 10-12% fat up to 17-20% fat….You can get some digest problems but your dog might be fine & is OK..
Canidae- http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
Holistic Select- http://holisticselect.com.au/recipes.aspx?pet=dog
I feed my senior boy he’s 8yrs old “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb & he gets a cooked meal for dinner or lunch about 5 times a week + Yakult probiotic drink, Almonds & apple, a few peeled pieces apple as a treat, tin salmon in spring water with sweet potato, K-9 Natural Green Lipped Mussels treats, just make sure you give foods that are high in omega 3 fatty acids, & supplements for joints like Green lipped Mussel + Turmeric, Sasha’s Blend, Rose Hip Vital, there’s a few on the market, make sure you give with food they can cause stomach reflux….
Dr Peter Dobias has just brought out a new Omega 3 oil supplement, that has no mercury made from Calamari, it took him 2-3 years to make, it’s all on his F/B page Called “Dr Peter Dobias, Natural Healing For Dogs” he has a 15-16yr old dog that runs around like he’s a puppy same as my 8yr old he runs & acts like a young puppy…. Diet is the key to a healthy dog…

[Kate P]

My 9 year old mutt has Adenocarcinoma. She was diagnosed 30 weeks ago and was only given 10 weeks at best to live. She is thin and always hungry but has a belly the size of a walnut after a bypass. She eats wet food and uses Raw Goat’s Milk by Answers for supplements. She is just hungry all the time. Does anyone have any recommendations for food that can keep her full, are full of nutrients to help her gain weight, and won’t be heavy on her stomach? Any help or recommendations are appreciated.

[anonymous]

Other than consulting a veterinary dermatologist that has examined and done the testing to diagnose your dog. Noone can, nor should they try to give you specific advice as to how to treat your dog.

Also, you may be making matters worse by using OTC medications, supplements, ear drop solutions and such. Not prescribed by an examining veterinarian.

There is effective treatment for environmental allergies but, it tends to be lifelong. Environmental allergies don’t just go away, there is no cure
If you have not had significant results from treatment prescribed by your regular vet and the symptoms have been going on for 1 year/4seasons, I would make an appointment with a specialist.

[Sheila S]

Hi, I’m new to the group. I have 3 amazing Australian Shepherds and I feed all homemade food. They get Vitamin E supplement, as well as a real good glucosamine chondroitin with msm, multi vitamin and cbd oil. I am however concerned about their intake of Omega 3 not being enough. I want to start supplementing them with calamari oil as well. Does anyone here use squid/calamari oil for their fur babies? And if so how much do u give them per day? Any suggestions on a good quality brand? I’ve done research and do not want to use reg fish oil or krill oil. TY for your help

[anonymous]

PS: If this is about your 8 week old puppy, it is normal for a pup that has been taken away from it’s mother and siblings too soon to be anxious and cry, a lot. I would not add supplements at this delicate stage of life, see what the vet that examines him recommends.