[pitlove]

Hi Jeremy and Mike-

Congratulations on the new mastiff pups! They are wonderful dogs.

To you both: I would definitely caution against using THK as a sole diet for your growing puppies. The company itself is infamous for diets that are lacking in nutrients per AAFCO and the NRC. Using it supplementally is safe, but not long term by itself.

However, it does already sound like you both have decided to use a large breed puppy kibble base which is a much better idea. Tripett is a good choice for a canned topper since the calcium and phosphorus are very low and already balanced properly.

Most veterinary nutritionists recommend using a food from a larger company that invests in feeding trials. Obviously those companies being Hill’s and Purina. I do however understand that many do not feel comfortable using those brands. Dr.Tim’s Kinesis has also been feed trialed and is safe for large breed puppies.

Others that I recommend that meet the criteria for large breed puppies based on lab analysis are: Fromm Gold Large Breed Puppy, NutriSource Large Breed Puppy, Nulo Puppy(formulated by a veterinary nutritionist they have staffed), Precise Holistic Complete Large & Giant Breed Puppy, Solid Gold Wolf Cub.

[anonymously]

In my experience, a veterinary specialist does not do any more testing than is necessary, due to their expertise they are able to zero in on the problem and be selective about what’s important to rule out first.
And, they will explain each test, reasons for it and go over the results with you.
Remember, only a veterinarian that has examined your dog can diagnose and prescribe treatment.
Be leery of homeopathic remedies, such as supplements and over the counter medications.
You could cause more harm.

PS: Mail-in saliva and hair tests tend to be inaccurate and food sensitivities can fluctuate (if you read the fine print they recommend repeating the test from time to time)

[anonymously]

What are you feeding him? My dog that has a sensitive stomach does well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea as a base, no supplements except a fish oil capsule every day.
You could try presoaking the food thereby making it easier to digest.

Has he had a senior workup recently (labs etc)? There could be something else going on…..
I lost a corgi at that age due to an aggressive form of cancer that showed up suddenly without warning.

Some Science-based Veterinary Medicine here: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=probiotics
If you are interested.

[Authority R]

If you have quickly want to loose your weight without help of any exercise so you read about a best weight loss supplement that is very useful for you.

[Scared D]

Coconut oil at a certain level is a great laxative. It is not digested by pancreatic enzymes so much of the fat simply passes through the GI. That is why your dog had soft stools.

Don’t supplement any fat because you will just imbalance the Omegas. Too much Omega 3 can cause skin crud and can also deplete Vitamin E, even to a dangerous level. Despite what you read, Omega 6 is the best fat for coat quality anyway not Omega 3’s.

Just feed Dr. Tim’s or Abady and you don’t have to worry.

[Shawna]

Jeff L – I tend to agree with you that the poop eating is due to the undigested food. Adding enzymes may help with that but may not as well.

Flax oil has ALA omega 3 fatty acids but not the more beneficial DHA / EPA fatty acids found in foods like sardines and salmon. I do know of a few pups that have issues with flax, causing stool issues. That said, I know one that has issues with coconut oil. I agree with your thoughts on eliminating both and then adding back in (one at a time) to see if there is a change. If flax oil is problematic and you want to give supplemental sources of omega 3, try tinned sardines packed in water.

Despite what some say, pre-soaking the kibble in a small amount of liquid can be beneficial in that it can help to generate hydrochloric acid (which helps break the food down). Water is needed for proper production of hydrochoric acid. Hydrochloric acid, in turn, activates the protein digesting enzyme called pepsin in the stomach which breaks down the protein eaten. Young well hydrated puppies usually do not have issues with this though so I lean more towards something medically wrong — maybe as simple as a sensitivity to the flax or coconut oil?

• This reply was modified 9 years, 10 months ago by Shawna.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 10 months ago by Shawna.

[Scared D]

Food has no impact on bloat risk, none, nothing, not ever…soaking food will do nothing. It is just an amateurs myth.

OP, Stop giving your dog coconut oil, it has no benefit and can easily cause loose stools because it isn’t digested in the lower GI.

Don’t supplement a growing puppy with anything, nothing….

[Elinor M]

Only need to give Coconut oil (about 1/2-1 tsp per feeding) and maybe the addition of fiber (oat bran, about 1 tsp per feeding). No need to brush teeth if giving raw chicken wings (cut in half depending on size of dog). I raw feed and mix with kibble (3/4 cup kibble and remainder raw ground meat or ground turkey and also oftentimes add some sardines [omegas], mashed unadulterated sweet potatoes [about 1 lg soup spoon] and plain low fat yogurt [Fage brand is the best there is] and sometimes blueberries [about 1/2 cup per feeding once/wk] and sometimes 1/2 banana cut into chunks, other times steamed green beans, or steamed frozen peas, they like carrots too but must be cooked to soft stage, sometimes steamed cauliflower or chopped spinach and try to remember to top whatever I fix with Cilantro [detox]. My dogs are 6 mo old, eat 3 meals per day (until they’re 1 yr old). Sometimes I only give them couple chicken wings for mid-day meal and they seem to do real well. I also add to their meals twice/day Transfer Factor Canine Formula for all the nutrients I’m not able to provide by raw/kibble feeding. It’s expensive but lasts a really really long time between my 2 dogs which are: A Red Haired Golden Retriever and a German Shorthaired Pointer who are both very very active and healthy and have soft coats and clear eyes and very very white teeth (from the bones which contain calcium). Sometimes I also put a raw egg into their food which they love (using only some of the egg shell for the calcium which I sort of hand pulverize). Golden Retriever has been spayed and recovered completely in 2 days. German Shorthair Pointer will be spayed tomorrow 6/6/16 so am believing she’ll recover as quickly. In closing, if anyone’s dog gets diarrhea, give the dog 1 T Organic Canned Pumpkin or the supplement called Slippery Elm (1 cap for med size dog and 1/2 cap for smaller size [1 cap = 1/2 tsp….dump it out of capsule onto a largish piece of cheese and roll the whole thing up and feed that to the dog), Also might mention I fix all my own dog treats which is easy to do and they simply love them.

[Susan]

Here’s Dr Judy Morgan site she has easy to cook meals on You Tube, this link has recipes under “Media” some meals are made in a crockpot, 1 meal is a meatloaf, some meals she uses The Honest Kitchen Base Mixes this balances the meal or you can buy her supplements to balance the meals Judy also has a Face Book page & answers any questions you have … http://www.drjudymorgan.com/articles/food-therapy/

[anonymously]

I would not hold off surgery if the vet is recommending it. If you have any doubts, consult a specialist as soon as possible.
I would feed the prescription food and stay away from supplements unless the vet approves. http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/

Be careful about taking a “homeopathic” approach to this condition. Natural does not mean benign and some supplements are not only ineffective but can cause harm.

[anonymously]

Please check the search engine here for “struvite” “bladder stones” or click on my avatar and read my posts on this subject , this topic comes up about once a week.
However, I am not a veterinarian, so please check with your vet before making any changes to your dog’s treatment.
I wouldn’t mess with supplements, keep the diet simple.
There are prescription meds that your vet could subscribe after surgery if her condition is stubborn. I would ask about that.

Example: /forums/search/struvite/

There is NO magic supplement. The trick is to add water to each meal 3-4 small meals per day soaked in water, don’t measure, just fill the small bowl, the dog will lap it up to get to the food.
The dog must be taken out to void (pee) ideally every 2 hours during the day. At bedtime and first thing in the morning. Stagnant conditions in the bladder are conducive to stone formation.
There is nothing wrong with Royal Canin Urinary SO. If you get the dry, soak it in water overnight then add water too. Once the dog is stable, few months to a year, you can talk to your vet about adding something tasty to the prescription food, like cooked chopped up chicken breast or some other lean meat.

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=cranberry

Excerpts from previous posts:

As your vet will confirm, dogs that have a tendency to make bladder stones have to be on a special diet the rest of their lives, this is a serious condition and it just doesn’t go away.

I would comply with the prescription food for now.
And don’t forget, water, water, and more water added to the diet. Ask the vet ….but I believe this helps big time. And frequent bathroom breaks, opportunities to urinate.

“My dog had both (struvite and calcium oxalate), no symptoms till the age of 11, started with UTIs. He has had no recurrences in 4 years since his emergency surgery.
In fact, I just took him in for a geriatric workup and his lab work was good”.

“I was afraid the vet would want to do x-rays and test his urine…..but he said as long as he is not having symptoms we are not going there (he’s too old to tolerate another surgery)”
“I do monitor his urination habits and check for normal flow, stream, amount. If I note any discomfort I will take him to the vet”.

“There is a genetic component and some breeds are more prone to bladder stones.

“Anyway, if you do nothing else, add water and take her out to urinate frequently.
I went along with the prescription diet for almost a year, since then he has been on Nutrisca salmon and chickpea kibble soaked with water +, I use the wet food too”
PS: Soak the kibble, even the prescription food in water overnight in the fridg, add more water prior to serving. Keep the bladder flushed. Maybe add a little canned prescription food as a topper.

PS: If he is overweight or inactive, start taking her for daily walks, that helps too.

[Susan]

Just remember when you cook & add a kibble your probably adding 1/2 the amount of the kibble that you’d normally feed cause your adding cooked ingredients, so now your adding 1/2 the amount of vitamin/minerals etc…
I feed kibble for breakfast then I fed the cooked meal for dinner & I add a supplement to balance the cooked meal… I live Australia & use Natural Animal Solutions “Digestavite Plus” I only need to add 1/4 of a teaspoon….
You don’t have to balance every cooked or raw meal but as long as in the week your dog has gotten enough vitamins, minerals, vitamin D, omega 3,6 & 9 fatty acids, calcium etc that he or she needs….I seen a post the other day & the poor pup had rickets……..

[adam]

Just got back from the vet with surgery scheduled to remove what appears to be 20+ decent sized Struvite Stones from my Great Pyrenees/Anatolian Sheapard mix coming up in about a week. She had been blocked up, peeing blood, with recurring UTIs off and on since being spayed at age 7months (may or may not be a connection, I switched vets just in case).

I am dumbfounded as she has had nothing but 5 star foods since I got her as a 10 week old puppy who is now nearly 3 years old. She has mainly been on Earthborn Holistic Costal Catch and Primitive, with some rotation through Pure Balance Wild and Free Bison, and Native Performance Level IV. I also add a lot of meats, several times a week- mainly fish, sometimes beef or chicken, also whole eggs. She also gets Missing Link or some other skin/coat/probiotic supplement everyday.

Any suggestions specifically on what food or what tips generally speaking to keep Great Pyrenees urinary tract healthy is appreciated. When all of these problems started I went through cranberry pills, vitamin C, apple cider vinegar, probiotics with prebiotics, and many rounds of antibiotics, so none of those could keep her free and clear for more than a couple of weeks.

Or if there is anything I should specifically ask the vet to check for or investigate further before surgery, anything would be helpful. The vet did have me (at least temporarily) switch to “Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Canine Urinary SO” which isn’t directly rated on this site, but at best looks like a 2, maybe 2.5 star food, pretty terrible.

It is frustrating to spend so much time and money on quality foods and then have the vet say the food caused, at least in part, her stones.

Could 5 star food cause her crystals/stones? Should I use the Vets suggestion of this sub-par Royal Canin food? Is there any alternative to surgery that has worked for others that have this many stones with some blockage (the vet was willing to hold off on surgery, it is up to me)? Or, how does someone find a vet that won’t immediately blame the food? I don’t need vet bashing, they are not all out to get more money at the expense of animals, I just need real science/wisdom guided solutions.

[Haley H]

Imho, I would never feed any “meat by product meal”.

But to each their own. 🙂

Luckily I have a couple months before my puppy comes home. I would miss being able to go to any quality supply store and picking up a bag of dog food, and buying online as it is, can be a bit sketch. My family and friends have alllllll had phenomenal success and healthy longevity feeding Taste of the Wild (which I’ve been told is “trash”, despite dfa’s 5 star rating on some flavors). I know there is pea proteins and etc, but having giant breed dogs live to almost 14, for me, the proof is in the pudding. I *may* just resort to using this while supplementing with raw, freeze-dried, and home cooked…IDK! 🙂

Back to the drawing boards though, the wind has kind of been taken out of the SS Farmina sails.. not a bad thing certainly… I don’t mind comprehensive research. I enjoy it! 😉

• This reply was modified 9 years, 10 months ago by Haley H.

[Zachary B]

Patvl246–

Hi. I am Zach, Peter’s (TQDF owner) son. I was browsing the web and noticed your post on Dogfoodadvisor.com. Thank you for bringing us up as a topic!

Our company is a family-owned and operated raw pet food manufacturer and distributor (we only distribute our products). All of our products are hormone, antibiotic, and additive free. We are strict to keeping our meats to their natural state; that is why we do NOT add any supplements, hormones, antibiotics, or additives to our meats. All of our snacks are air dried to keep the moisture and blood (aka flavor) in our snacks.

Our production facility is cleaned daily, after every use, and whipped down before the change of product during production periods to maintain food safety. Our production room is temperature controlled at 40 (forty) degrees Fahrenheit to prevent bacteria growth during the production periods. All inventory is maintained in our freezer at a 0 (zero) degrees Fahrenheit.

For our vendors–we use several local vendors for our meats. Our biggest are Metropolitan Poultry and Seafood (http://metropoultry.com/), C&C Meats (http://www.ccmeatsales.com/), Maple Leaf Farms (http://www.mapleleaffarms.com), and Koch Turkey Farms (http://www.kochsturkey.com/), SVO Chicken (http://www.svorganic.com/). Our Vegetables and fruits are sourced from Keany Produce Co.(http://www.keanyproduce.com/) and Bowie Produce Co. Inc (http://www.bowieproduce.com/).

If you are ever in the area feel free to stop by. If you’d like to personally talk to me you can email me at zachary@topqualitydogfood.com.

One last thing, we are currently working on an actual website that will answer all yours–and many others–questions about who we are and where we source our meats, vegetables, and fruits.

I hope you find this helpful!

[crazy4cats]

Oh, you are welcome. I am sooo happy for you! My dogs tummies were sensitive for a long while after their ordeal. I continued to give them probiotics and some tummy soothing supplements for a while. They are all good now, thank goodness! Have fun with your puppy!

[Amateria]

Wow Susan you go all out when you respond haha.

Rusty is about 8-9 at this point, I don’t think we have his papers and so were not 100% sure if it’s 8 or 9 but he’s definitely getting old, I have ordered and received samples of Totw, they were pretty reluctant to send them to me because of postage charges, but I don’t live anywhere near a shop that stocks their samples, so they let me have 2 samples in the end, high praire I think and coastal(should be bison one and fish one).

He has done well on black hawk fish and potato, I wanted to add some oils to his food because of what I’ve read about them, they help me with my joints and nerve so I figured it would help with his joints and coat and it did.

But it also seems that after the dry and the blend he started to have more problems, so maybe it wasn’t the best idea in the end, I’ll make sure to tell mum to feed him the kibble once a week as a treat instead.

His teeth are generally awful looking, he does need a professional anaesthesia cleaning that’s for sure, he’s impossible when it comes to brushing, I’ve tried and failed like a pro every time, he’s super strong and he scratches me up real good so I stopped trying.

I will definitely be taking him to the vet for a more thorough check up, because he means the world to my mum, as in if she looses sight of him for 5 minutes she starts to panic and I would hate to see him die from something that could of been prevented(if it’s anything bad to begin with, could just be pancreatitis pains).

He’s also a white cream chihuahua 😛 and the puppy is white with tan spots she’s so gorgeous everyone always complements the way she looks when we’re out its super cute.

And for you Susan the kibble is just a treat, we actually feed homemade cooked, he’s always been on a chicken and rice with veggies diet, he does the best on this diet and hardly ever has flare ups, when he does it’s usually my fault because I try to add some variety to his food and some extra vitamins and minerals and than he gets sick and I don’t mean to, it just happens.

I think because of how well he did with black hawk if I feel like adding anything for his joints in the future I might add that and he did really well on the k9 natural venison freeze dried and super well on ziwipeak venison, I might just buy those from time to time as I know he did well on them, he’s gone through 5 ziwipeak bags with only two flare ups, so yeah I might just stick with that and stop trying new things that clearly aren’t working in his favor.

I’ll keep an eye on Anja while she’s on the supplement and kibble, she usually eats like 3 of them, she’s not a very big eater, but I hope she continues to do well on the blend, as I’d like to cure her leg drama before it becomes permanent.

Thanks for the help though, I wanted to be 100% sure about a few things and you guys cleared that up for me so thanks a lot 😀

[anonymously]

Panting, restlessness are often symptoms of pain and/or anxiety in a canine. Best to take him to the vet.
Is he due for a senior workup? Age 7 is a good time to get some lab work and a physical.
If you haven’t been brushing his teeth daily he may very well need a professional cleaning and extractions.
PS: Be careful with those supplements “natural” does not mean benign and some supplements can cause harm.
Some science-based veterinary medicine information here:
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/herbs-and-supplements/

[Susan]

Hi, from another Australian, I was taking Blooms Green Lipped Mussel capsules & I got bad indigestion, acid reflux, I also took the capsules with a meal…. then I google side effects Green Lipped Mussel & it said Nausea & indigestion…So I have stopped taking the Green Lipped Mussel capsules, I was going to give Patch 1 green Lipped Mussel Capsule with a meal & see how he goes…..

Ivory Coat’s Ocean Fish & Salmon is new, I got some samples the kibbles felt very greezy & has fish oil, Patch gets acid reflux when he eats any kibbles with Fish or salmon oil… Ivory Coat kibbles are hard to digest I found & the kibbles are too big, so the dog needs to really chew the kibbles… Probably the Sasha’s Blend & the Ivory coat kibble has either made Rusty feel sick or given him indigestion (Acid Reflux) irritated his stomach. .
I’m waiting for Pet Circle online pet shop to get in more “Holistic Select” Chicken Meal Senior, it’s a 5 star kibble, ingredient’s are healthy & the kibbles are smaller & easy to digest & its high in Glucosamine….Patch is 7yrs old, he’ll be 8 in November, his joints seem OK at the moment but I want to prevent any joint problems, I have Arthritis & its very painful & I can’t take NSAID pain relief irritates my stomach…
http://holisticselect.com.au/senior-dry-dog-food-chicken-meal-and-rice

I also feed Patch K-9 natural Green Lipped Mussel Snacks, Patch loves them, he gets 2 treats a day, they’re high in omega 3 fatty acids excellent for brain, joints & skin
http://www.k9natural.com/dog-food#catpage=2

This way I’m not giving Patch any supplements but I’m feeding him foods that are high in omega 3 fatty acids. I have found Patch doesn’t do well on any Fish or Salmon oils when in foods or as supplements…
also next time you try another supplement give with a meal, so you line Rusty stomach with food, sounds like he has a sensitive stomach, you don’t mention what breed your dogs are?
I’d still give Anja the Sasha’s blend cause it’s expensive & feed Rusty a senior kibble like Holistic Select Senior that’s high in Glucosamine… ask vet or look online what’s doesn’t cause stomach upsets supplements for dogs joints….
if you want to feed a Grainfree kibble have a look at Artemis Osopure there’s Salmon or Bison or Duck I sent Artemis a stamped address envelope & got samples of all the Osopure formulas, they’re small kibble, easy to digest & Patch loves them…
http://www.artemispetfood.com.au/products/osopure-dog-products/

How you test a kibble is get a cup of very warm water & put a couple of kibbles in cup, look at the time & see how long the kibble takes to go soft….Ivory coat kibbles sank (No good) & took over 2 hours to soften, a good easy to digest kibble only takes about 20mins to 50mins & it’s soft….
I also rotate Patches kibbles I feed a grain free Taste Of The Wild Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb at the moment but will be buying the Artemis Osopure Bison, second ingredient is salmon meal & Patch will be getting his fish & the Holistic Select Chicken meal Senior has Anchovy & Sardine Meal & Pork meal, I feed 1 kibble for breakfast & the other for dinner or sometimes ask Patch which one does he want & he licks the open container & says this one…

[Amateria]

Since I can’t edit (too bad), I was thinking of maybe getting some blood work done, my mum said he’s panting a lot and I also checked his teeth again and the ones at the back are black, I feel maybe he should get checked out thoroughly to ensure he’s as healthy as he can be in all aspects.

I will certainly be stopping the supplement for him, the puppy will stay on it as her front leg is really quiet bad.

[Kalle S]

I doubt that supplement would do anything at all. But why not stop for a while and see what happens

[Amateria]

Hey everyone, so my mum has been having some trouble with Rusty at night, now I did some google searching but I don’t really have enough time to do anymore and also I generally didn’t find anything on the first two pages anyways.

I started both Rusty and Anja on Sasha’s blend joint supplement about a month ago, this supplement contains green lipped mussel, shark cartilage and abalone powder. I am wondering could this cause him to become restless, he just gets up randomly several times and goes for a walk, now if he didn’t sleep with my mum this wouldn’t be much of a problem, but he wakes her up every time he goes.

Is it possible the powder may be not for him? This all started after the introduction of said powder, even if it wasn’t all that long ago, Anja on the other hand seems to be doing just fine on it.

He also gets about 6 pieces of the Ivory Coat kibble with these ingredients: Ocean Fish, Salmon Meal, Peas, Potatoes, Tomato Pomace, Pea Fibre, Ground Flaxseed, Fish Oil, Canola Oil, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Kale, Broccoli, Spinach, Parsley, Apples, Blueberries, Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, D3, E), Beta-Carotene, Niacin, d-Calcium, Biotin, Folic Acid, Magnesium, Iron, Zinc, Manganese, Copper, Natural Prebiotic, Calcium Propionate, Rosemary Extract & Green Tea Extract.

Could anything in there or maybe the abalone powder in the supplement be giving him these random night walks? Or could it just be a coincidence for something more sinister?

[Alta K]

I have been feeding 4 dogs: doberman, pit/mastiff, white GSD, and a pit mix Tefco Performance Dog Diet for several months. I was previously feeding my own raw diet and my dogs love the Tefco Performance Diet.

Full disclosure, I became the Tefco distributor for NE Florida (NE Florida Raw Dog Food, LLC) after seeing how my dogs thrived on the Performance even though I was feeding a balanced raw diet.

I have seen this food turn around chronic health issues in a matter of days. I have had customers whose dogs came straight off kibble to Performance and experienced no digestive issues and loved the food right off the bat.

Many of my customers were previously feeding far more expensive raw food products and have reported to me that the Tefco is superior. I have everything from breeders and high level competition dogs to rescues and family pets eating this diet and nothing but rave reviews about how much their dogs love the food and how much they love the quality and results. I have many customers in the area and not one single complaint.

Performance Dog Diet is 100% pure beef with a raw feeding ratio of 80-10-10. It is preservative free and complete nutrition supplemented with vitamins and trace minerals.
It contains green tripe for pro and pre-biotics and trachea as a natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin . It is only sold through independent distributors so customers can have a personal relationship with a distributor who is knowledgeable about raw feeding. The beef is on the hoof until a shipment is ordered. It is processed then flash frozen at 40 below to kill bacteria then shipped and kept frozen by distributor.

If you have any questions about the food you can contact Jerry, the owner through the number on the website: http://www.paleodietdogfood.com/contact/. He will also gladly put you in touch with the Animal Nutritionist (Ph.D) who developed the Performance Dog Diet formula if you have a question he can’t answer. I can be contacted through my Tefco Raw of NE FL Facebook Page with any questions.

Ingredients:
Beef, Tripe, Trachea, Finely Ground Bone, Salt, Egg & Trace Minerals. You can view the list of vitamins and trace minerals here: http://www.paleodietdogfood.com/performance-dog-diet/

Alta Kremp, NE Florida Raw Dog Food, LLC

[Tamara C]

No I found out he had a ton of things going on. He had just been diagnosed with pancreatitus, but they conveniently missed the fact that he also had the stomach flu, on top of a horrible infection from periodontal disease… When they took xray’s they showed that he had several bad discs & his whole spine was inflamed. That was the reason he collapsed & seemed to have a seizure. We had been playing outside (With ALL of that wrong & me having NO idea) He’s such an energetic little guy, he just played until he literally collapsed. He’s always been like that, that’s why I’ve almost lost him sooo many times. No one ever believes me that something’s wrong with him or that he’s dying, because he will play play play until he falls over dead. I can tell by looking in his eyes how weak, sick or far gone he is. Once they told me nothing was wrong with him (he was running All over the vets office, playing bouncing off the walls) Vet checked his gums, said he wasn’t Anemic, just to take him home & watch him over night? I DEMANDED they do a blood test (Which REALLY angered the ER Doctor. He slammed his hand down & said FINE I’ll do it, but it’s a Waste of Your Money!) Well he came back Screaming & told me I had to get him to another Hospital Immediately, 3 Hours Across State Lines For a Blood Transfusion because he was Sooo Anemic. (They don’t just have Animal Blood at every hospital) The DR even admitted that if I had taken him home, I would have woken up next to him dead.

For the Pancreatitus: Someone on here told me to Practice (Tough Love) Give him NOTHING but Hill’s ID Food with Nusentia Enzyme Miracle (Probiotics) sprinkled on it. Put it down for 15 min at Breakfast, lunch , Dinner. (Each Meal Time & if he didn’t eat it, put it up until the next meal time, because he wouldn’t eat. Well That worked, they were right. He eventually gave in & started eating that prescription food (Like it or not) he wouldn’t let himself starve. For the first time in 3 months, he started coming out of it, eating regularly, & getting stronger. He’s not sick anymore AT ALL, he eats on a normal schedule & is almost as strong & playful as he use to be. The only draw back is he really hates the smell of the ID food still. I joined the Pancreatitus Support group on Facebook that (Susan Above suggested) & a few days ago ordered that Zeal food from the Honest Kitchen that she suggested, but haven’t received it yet. ALL the people in this support group? SWEAR by this Honest Kitchen food, some of them have been using it with the probiotic supplements for years, with no problems. These people obviously know what they’re talking about, because I had seen 5 different Doctors at 3 Different Hospitals & spent over $6,000 & my baby was dying… If not for the advice from the ladies here on this post & the advice & help from the people in the group they sent me to? My Baby would be dead right now….

[crazy4cats]

Hi Laura L-

Here is a website that was created by veterinary nutritionists:
https://secure.balanceit.com/
It has two sides, one for pet owners and one for vets working with pet owners. You can formulate your own recipes and they sell supplements to make them complete and balanced. Check it out if you are interested in making your pups’s food.

Good luck!

• This reply was modified 9 years, 10 months ago by crazy4cats.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 10 months ago by crazy4cats.

[Cannoli]

for those who feed raw and money is not a problem i highly recommend this company.

i have fed both the wagyu beef and organic grass fed patties to my pup and he loves it.

been around since 1920s and have great reviews.

since it’s meat for human consumption they are highly inspected so it will put you to ease regarding contamination.

of course you will need to add organic supplements to meet the requirements but damn is their meat tasty

[alexis w]

my dog refused to eat the food after i put dinovite on it and when i gave her the lickochops she gagged and choked on it, i didnt even think to check the expiration dates on it! i just sent it back for a refund. now i am using Nupro supplement, seems to be much higher quality

[Haley H]

Scared D, I’m not quite sure what you mean with TOTW being trash…it seems to have 5 star ratings on the adult food and the puppy is 4 star, which isn’t terrible…I’d love to hear your thoughts on why it may be trash though. My parents, who’ve raised and owned great pyrenees for 25+ years have been using it since it came out with great results…a dog of ours had a vet tell us he would only live 5 or 6 years, and he lived to be almost 14…practically unheard of in the giant breeds…we attribute this to TOTW and of course, love. (And fresh, raw supplements ). So I’d love to hear your opinion on that.

In terms of annamaet being a rip off, is there a better place to find a good deal besides chewy’s $85 price tag? I’m located in northern California.

I couldn’t find any info on dfa about abady either, and it seems their website is down.

I’m all ears for your thoughts. 🙂

I posted another topic that no one has replied back to yet, it was my first post and I may have put it in the wrong forum. Here’s a link to it.

/forums/topic/the-thyroid-gland-in-gullets-and-trachea/

Thanks for your thoughts too! 🙂

[Susan]

Hi, its cheaper & more healthy making your own fresh home cooked meals then buying wet tin foods, especially when you have a German Shepherd, he’ll prefer nice cooked meals….. I make up batches weekly sometimes enough for a fortnight & freeze…..heaps of recipes online…. go on You Tube & look for “Dr Judy Morgan recipes” I think its her husband he’s always cooking up something & very easy if you get a crock pot or a big pot….. I make the meat loaf & make into 1/2 cup size rissoles & bake in oven…. Dr Morgan also has the supplements to balance the meals when your ready to feed….. http://www.drjudymorgan.com/articles/food-therapy/
Dr Judy Morgan uses the Honest Kitchen base mixes as well you just add your meat….it will work out cheaper then tin foods at $4 a tin… I eat what Patch is eating when I cook up the batches of meals.. http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/dog-food

[Bev A]

Thanks Shawna, The vet said she wasn’t really concerned about the creatinin but if I can stay on top of it, that is what I will do. Her BUN was 77 when we first started with the supplements. I didn’t tell her I had started them as she was not really wanting to do that. But I knew she would die otherwise. I had been putting her in diapers and no longer have to do that so feel we are getting somewhere. Her teeth are bad, but at 14 and kidney troubles too she really is not wanting to give her anything to put her out to get rid of the teeth. She had started sneezing so much, maybe from infection right at nasal passage. We gave
antibiotics and that worked. Thanks so much for your advice. You are awesome!

[Coonhound Mama]

Hi Jen T:

Good for you for taking the big step to homemade! I don’t think you will be disappointed 🙂 I would however recommend varying your recipe as much as your budget will allow with different proteins, meats, vegetables and fruits. I’m not seeing any bone meal in your recipes, either, which is crucial in providing calcium when feeding boneless meats. Off the top of my head I would definitely recommend adding bone meal, vitamin E, fish oil (or whole sardines) and a green superfood supplement such as spirulina or wheatgrass. You may want to add in a canine multivitamin just to cover any bases. A great resource for cooked homemade diets is Dr. Karen Becker’s Real Food for Healthy Dogs and Cats. It breaks everything down for you into manageable, complete and balanced recipes.

[Bev A]

Hi Shawna, I am still dealing with kidney problems with Little Bit but her BUN is sloly coming down. It is now down to 52. Still way to high but the supplements you suggested are slowly working and she acts like she feels much better. Other than people food about the only thing she will eat is Evanger’s canned Buffalo. Her creatinine is slowly creeping up and is at 1.6. They say normal is 0.3-1.4, so I am wondering if there is a supplement I can add to the nitrogen trapping for this as well. She was 14 at the end of November. Thanks so much!

[anonymously]

I would listen to your vet or consult an Internal Medicine Specialist. I think your money would be better spent that way rather rather than going homeopathic.

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/herbs-and-supplements/

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/homeopathy/

Prognosis
“Even with treatment, it is possible that only the cystic form of Giardia has been removed from the feces, while the infective trophozoite form in the dog’s small intestine remains. In other words, fecal tests for Giardia can be negative, but the parasites still can live inside the dog’s gastrointestinal tract, making those dogs a source of potential infection for other animals, and possibly for people. Giardia is rarely deadly in otherwise healthy dogs. Dogs infected with this parasite typically have flu-like symptoms that eventually resolve”.
Above paragraph is an excerpt from:
http://www.petwave.com/Dogs/Health/Giardia/Treatment.aspx

[alexis w]

i have, with the supplement they do, they are very close without it but there are a few vitamins that are lacking. i haven’t been doing this for very long and am still tweaking everything and as i get better at it the recipes will be more complete on their own and the supplement will be less and less necessary. they meet the standards for the amino acids and about 75% of the vitamins and the rest are covered with the supplement. I use this site to get a break down of the nutrients that are in it and then i compare them to the AAFCO standards and then add in what nutrients are added with the supplement. I was using the Dinovite supplement and they have a recipe that they recommend to use with it that is just ground beef, rice and eggs which seemed really unbalanced to me so I started coming up with my own and switched to Nupro which has been around a lot longer and has way better reviews from people that have been doing homemade food for years as well as from vets I have talked to. Here is the site I use to get the nutrient breakdown: http://nutritiondata.self.com/mynd/myrecipes/welcome?returnto=/mynd/myrecipes/edit-recipe/3791809&autosave=form.info.autosave

[Kerven F]

My dog ate my cats omega 3 supplements(full bottle) should i be concerned?

[alexis w]

thanks for the seaweed comment, i will have to look into that, the supplement i use has Norwegian Kelp in it, is that the same? just curious because it also has a calcium supplement in it.

[alexis w]

to the person who said my foods are not balanced, that is why i recommend a supplement with each recipe, and i know dogs need calcium, i use ground egg shells like stated previously. the raw meaty bones would be an add on.

[Bobby dog]

Hi InkedMarie:
I use Balance IT Carnivore Blend for my home cooked meals. Other than the fresh foods required for the recipe the only other thing I add is Carnivore Blend to make it a balanced meal. I have read some home cooked recipes that call for calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, bone meal, or crushed egg shells, but not whole bones as the calcium supplement. Maybe someone else has more info.

[Marie P]

Hi Christina B – I would be glad to help you with some special balanced recipes for your baby .. Often home cooking can help along with a Good Local VET. Looks like you have done a good job bringing you baby to the Vet for exam and testing. Please contact me and we can talk about some herbs, supplements and home-cooking..

e-mail me for more info ; Marie Peppers mpmaltese@gmail.com

Check out my blog — I am updating info often

This article is on SAFE Fruits for dogs
http://bulldogvitamins.blogspot.com/2015/07/what-fruits-and-veggies-can-my-dog-eat.html

[Marie P]

HI Karen , it my be the food change and her body is getting accustomed to the new protein .. You can try brushing her teeth with your finger and a little dog tooth paste.. I like this brand — pretty easy to do http://www.keepdoggiesafe.com/pro-dental-finger-brush.html

Also, many of my little dog clients take this daily powder supplement mixed into their food.. Most of my toy dog clients only get 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon per day mixed into their food.. It’s liver flavor and helps to keep the body healthy and the teeth in good shape. Holistic and not sold in stores , SEE here http://www.nuvet.com/81098 ( Most of my pals call in to get the 15% off deal with coupon code 81098 ) YOU want the green bottle of powder called NuVET Plus. Tell them that Pet Nurse Marie sent you 1-800-474-7044

Also, you can allow your dog to use some of the homemade treats mentioned on the post above by Alexis ..

HOPE this helps..
If you need me stop by my site http://www.dogfoodconsultant.com

Marie Peppers LPNMA ( Ask the Pet Nurse )

[alexis w]

I am going to start supplementing with pre frozen(to kill the germs) raw meaty bones. you never want to give dogs cooked bones. if you prefer you can used crushed eggshell to give the calcium needed

[alexis w]

Here is a link to my blog with recipes that I made for my fur baby Callie. They are all grain free and meat based with a good mix of veggies and a link to a recommended supplement. I also have an article I wrote about dehydrated dog treats. Please check it out and comment so I know what I am lacking and what I’m doing right, even with all of my research I know there is always room for improvement! http://www.calliefoodrecipes.wordpress.com
thanks so much in advance and congrats to everyone who is so brave and awesome to make their fur babies homemade food!

[alexis w]

check out Nupro All Natural Dog Food Supplement, its what I give my 8 week old Australian Shepherd/Boston Terrier/Chihuahua/Pomeranian mix. I feed her homemade food and the supplement has everything needed to make sure her diet is well rounded and she gets all of her nutrients, also it is very well priced and has been around for quite some time, since 1989. Here is the link to it as well as a link to my blog with some dog food recipe ideas for you to check out: http://www.nuprosupplements.com/nupro-dog-supplement.html
http://www.calliefoodrecipes.wordpress.com

[alexis w]

in the mean time to make sure he is getting the right nutrients you could give him a supplement, I use Nupro All Natural Dog Supplement for my dog. I feed her a homemade diet and it adds in all the extra nutrients she needs just in case her food is deficient anywhere. Also I have never heard a dog being allergic to eggs, a lot of times what seems like an allergy is actually a nutrient deficiency(not a vet but from everything I have found in my 100s of hours of research thats what I have found). http://www.nuprosupplements.com/nupro-dog-supplement.html

also here is a link to my blog with some easy to make grain free homemade dog food, you can leave out the egg if you feel it is necessary: http://www.calliefoodrecipes.wordpress.com

[alexis w]

from my research i have found that a lot of times what seems like a food allergy is actually a nutrient deficiency, have you thought about giving a good supplement with the homemade food? i see you were suggested to give a multivitamin. I have found Nupro All Natural Dog Food Supplement to be very high quality and it supplies calcium as well so you don’t have to worry as much about the amount of calcium you are adding to the diet. I actually feed a low carb, higher protein grain free diet to my pup and since I have started it she has stopped itching and licking. here is a link to my blog with some recipes and a link to the Nupro website at the bottom of each recipe: http://www.calliefoodrecipes.wordpress.com

[alexis w]

http://www.nuprosupplements.com/nupro-dog-supplement.html
is a great supplement for kibble, wet or homemade diets. It isn’t vegan but it is a great supplement and my dog loves it.

[alexis w]

here is a link to my blog, it has a few good homemade dog food recipes and a link to a supplement to make sure that the dog is getting all the necessary nutrients.
http://www.calliefoodrecipes.wordpress.com

if you have any other questions you can email me at lexiwalker09@gmail.com

[Christopher E]

Nature’s Balance makes a vegan kibble that we have been feeding our 70lb Australian Shepherd mix for a while… After switching from V-dog. She did good on V-dog and always had normal stool but I was looking for a more readily available alternative and Nature’s Balance Vegan Kibble is sold at all Pet Supermarkets (marketed as “vegetarian” though it is actually 100% vegan and states that it is such if you inspect the bag closely).

Our dog is doing great since we switched her to vegan kibble. We are also supplementing with Nupro, which is not 100% vegan because it has dissected liver (for taste), but everything else in it is vegan I think… Norwegian Kelp, Flax Seed, Nutritional Yeast Cultures, etc. For me, I was promoted to switch our dog to vegan after researching Dr Campbells work in the China study and Dr Estelsteins plant based diet approach to healthy living. There is no reason to think that it would not apply to canines and certainly would account for the extremely high rates of cancer in dogs, given there extremely high intake of animal protein found in most all dog foods. The fact of the matter is that, in the world that we live in today, we are all exposed to carcinogens at increasingly higher levels and the same goes for our pets. It has been long proven that animal protein is Miracle Grow for cancer and that an all plant based diet can prevent and even reverse the multiplication of cancer cells/tumers. The only reason that this is not as largely accepted as truth as it should be is all of the industries who lobby against such studies, and, uncoincidentally, fund numerous other “scientific” studies that purport to show the opposite for the sole purpose of creating misinformation. When canines lived in the wild, I.e., before the first wolves were domesticated, they rarely came across carcinogens… So high intake of animal based protein likely didn’t have the same I’ll effects as it does today.

Personally, I am an on again, off again vegan… Because I LOVE meat and cheese but also understand that the negative health consequences are many. Anyone who denies this is a fool. Anyone who claims dogs cannot be healthy on a plant based diet just because their ancestors almost exclusively ate meat has no idea what they are talking about. In the past canines did not have the opportunity to be given a complete diet consisting of plant based foods which are far healthier for them, that is no longer the case.

Whether you like it or not this is going to be a mute topic in 50-100 years anyways because if the world population continues to grow at its current rate a diet consisting of mainly meat will no longer be sustainable for humans or pets. Do your research before you start talking. Dogs are not obligate carnivores.

*Refer to my original post at the beginning of the thread for more info.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by Christopher E.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by Christopher E.

[M M]

For all those who feed vegan diet to dogs — what do you feed? Olga gave details on her homemade foods, but are there other commercial options out there to use as a supplement? We have been using V-dog but our dog’s stool has lately been a little loose with this after tolerating it well for years. I’m not sure if they changed their formula or if it’s just our dog. I need to learn home cooking for her, but I’d like to have an option for if we get too busy.

For all the detractors out there, she is highly allergic to meat kibble and fresh cooked meat, but I do agree philosophically with the veg commenters here. It seems commercial kibble is unhealthy for both dogs, the animals who end up in it, and the planet. I don’t think a dog or any animal can thrive on what amounts to baked crackers. She is strong and energetic on her vegan diet, but I’m really just looking for an answer from those with input on how to feed her a veg diet even when we can’t cook.

Thanks!

[Pitlove]

Hi Ef H-

There was a long discussion on the Bright Mind review that you may want to check out. I think you will find it interesting. Overall I think what was determined by some of the regular members on here was that the levels of MCT’s in Bright Mind can not be duplicated through supplementation, though many claim simply adding coconut oil to the dogs diet will achieve the same results as Bright Mind.

Personally, I’ve never understood choosing a dog food based on customer reviews. I am a firm believer in letting your dog tell you how he is doing on the food. Why not add some fresh foods or canned food to the diet to retain the benefits of the food, but get them interested in it again?