[losul]

Hi Deb and Jim. So sorry to hear about your dog. I don’t know much about SBS in dogs, but I found this article, hoping it might help. Dr Tudor seems to have have personal experience with SBS patients.

http://hearthstone.businesscatalyst.com/blog/which-dogs-have-short-bowel-syndrome

he might be able to help with a customized medical diet?

http://hearthstone.businesscatalyst.com/dog-food-recipes-and-supplements-store.html

http://hearthstone.businesscatalyst.com/canine-medical-diets.html

best wishes too your family.

[veronika w]

The oldest dog we know of was eating a vegan diet. People will have to justify their own cruelty towards non-humans if even dogs thrive on vegan diet, that’s all.
You will find a variety of supplements for a vegan homecooked diet, I enjoyed vegedog.

[Bev A]

Hi Silvia, My teacup poodle has the beginnings of Kidney Failure and yes there are supplements. I give her Acacia Fiber And Primal Defense Probiotic Formula. I also give her Canine Renal Support. She is only 4 pounds so she gets 1/8 tsp only and I give it once a day. Her BUN is dropping so it is working. You can buy all three of these from Amazon. Good luck with your baby. Mine is 14 years old so I know the meaning of family! Bev

[Naturella]

Another good site is OnlyNaturalPet.com – they have really good, cheap food and all kinds of natural foods, chews, toys, supplements, all kinds of stuff!

Also, if you don’t mind the membership fee, ThriveMarket.com is a site where basically Costco and Whole Foods/Trader Joe’s/Sprouts had a baby, and it’s awesome! They carry pet stuff too, and it’s all good stuff.

[Silvia H]

My dog has CRF and got worse in the past few weeks, I’ve been searching over the internet for guidelines for a better management and asked a vet to prescribe a homemade diet for her. I would like to ask if you could give me your opinions and give me some advice please! She’s 12 years old.

1) Last blood test results (22/02):
– Creatinine 3.92 mg/dl (0,62-1,64)
– Urea 156,8 mg/dl (12-56)
– Phosphor 7,9 mg/dl (2,1-6,3)
She did intravenous fluidotherapy last week for 3 days and been doing subcutaneous fluidotherapy for the past 5 days. She’s going to continue with it for more 7 days and will repeat the blood tests.

2) Medication:
– Hydroxide aluminum;
– Amlodipin.

3) New diet prescribed by a vet yesterday (26/2):
– Meat – turkey;
– Vegetables – carrot, broccoli, courgette, sweet potato, pumpkin;
– Fruit – apple, pear;
– Herbs- parsley;
– Rice;
– A tea spoon of apple cider vinegar.

Daily intake (she has 16kg/35,2 lbs): 200g/0,44lbs/7.055oz of meat + 200g/0,44lbs/7.055oz of rice + 200g/0,44lbs/7.055oz of vegetables and fruit

Isn’t it too much the meat daily intake for a dog with 35,2lbs and with CRF?

4) Supplements:
– Salmon oil: 5ml/day

I’ve read about the possible benefits of probiotics on dogs with CRF, but couldn’t find any specific that I could buy, only Azodyl, but I’m from Portugal, Europe, it only sells on USA!

Does anyone know any specific Probiotic, or something that would help lower creatinine and BUN? And that I could buy in Europe?
And what about vitamins?

Thank you very much in advance! Kiara is part of the family and we are very worried about her =(

[Pitlove]

Marie-

We had a seminar recently about Primal for work. The rep was not very knowledgable and gave a lot of wrong information including that their recreational bones could be fed every day, that veterinary nutritionists were not specialists in canine nutrition and had little knowledge of it and that you could balance their grinds by rotating proteins if you didn’t want to add supplements or a base mix to balance it. Some of their formulas have calcium levels below AAFCO mins, but they claim all their formulas are safe for LBP’s, so I would be worried that other vitamin and mineral levels were reflected in the same way. Obviously long term that could result in deficencies. I also find it concerning when a company reports a food is LBP safe when it is not.

[Curtis B]

I have a 9 month old chocolate lab and she has had soft stool(never diarrhea) since I brought her home. In the morning it starts firm and ends soft; soft the rest of the day. Full of energy and no other signs or symptoms of medical issues. She’s been been to the vet for 2 checkups and checked for worms and that came back clean. I’ve tried several dry foods and she has been on Orijen large puppy kibble for the past 4 months. She has also been getting organic pumpkin and a probiotic with every meal for the past 4 months. At the request of a trainer, I ordered a kit from Glacier Peak Holistics and sent in her samples…they suggested an enzyme supplement which she has also been taking for 4 months. The vet gave her a prescription for Flagyl which I’ve been giving to her daily. To date, no change. I am thinking about changing her food again and wonder if anyone has found a successful formula for a puppy with similar condition?
Thanks – Curtis

[InkedMarie]

Pitlove: I remember all the advice given! I don’t know what his issues are but I do know that I have to be careful with stuff other than actual food: I once bought a joint supplement, a chewable. Had something in there that caused a yeast ear infection & paw licking.

What are your reservations on feeding Primal longterm?

[Cindy L]

Tommy T:

I wanted to address this mainly because of the date. What you are looking at is NOT an expiration date. It’s a Julian date and reflects the production date. The numbers are this:
01 is the batch that was produced that day. 2015 is the year it was produced. 350 is the day of the year that the product was produced. So what you received was produced in our first batch on Dec. 16, 2015.

What you were told about LickOchops is absolutely correct. In fact, we just did a video addressing this because the product gets very “jelly” in cold weather and is very watery in warm or hot weather, so your concern/question is common. This is why we sell this in a bottle (easy for liquid) and in a tube (easy for the “gel” in cool weather). We don’t add any emulsifiers or artificial, unneeded ingredients to keep this from happening. The ingredients are each there for a specific nutritional reason.

We do tell folks not to worry about Dinovite expiring because, being a small company, we make small batches of products and sell them very quickly. And we encourage all customers to purchase what is needed for 90 days/3 months. So, your products won’t expire, they will get used.

We also tell folks that Dinovite for Dogs has a shelf life of about a year if kept in a cool, dry place. It’s a whole food supplement, so think about it like food. You buy it fresh and eat it. Don’t leave it laying around in heat or humidity. We don’t add any artificial preservatives, colors, flavorings, etc.

All of our products are made at our single facility in Crittenden, KY from ingredients from the USA. Our facility is inspected by the FDA and our products are tested regularly by the state of KY. We’ve been doing the same thing, the same way since 2001.

I’d be happy to address your concerns personally if you would like to contact me at customersupport@dinovite.com with ATTN: Cindy in the subject line. We value our customers and truly care about your pets.

Blessings,
Cindy Lukacevic
Owner
Dinovite Inc.
http://www.dinovite.com
859-428-1000
customersupport@dinovite.com ATTN: Cindy

• This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Cindy L.

[Jo K]

My boy has arthritis in his elbow joints. Have had no luck with any oral supplements, but some relief with hyaluronic acid administered intravenously once every three weeks at the vet’s. Warning- this is not cheap.

[Greg F]

Good news. Today’s blood work showed an increase in alb from 1.2 to 1.8. While still is low it is headed in the right direction and it appears this was the cause of enlarged liver and not lymphoma.
The plan is to not change the diet of Hills d d for one month until we know it won’t reverse. We have been supplementing it with cooked Primal venison, pumpkin and sweet potatoes. Once this is reached we will probably do a home cooked meal with a recommended balanced diet with venison and lower fat content. The vet mentioned the Univ of Tennessee has a diet recipe program along with Balanceit like Susan mentioned above.
I think the only thing I learned was the prednisone no longer worked and the THK Zeal probably didn’t have much to do with the flare up. We will however keep the changes in diet to a minimum and fewer ingredients to keep it simple. We don’t need a third episode like this.

[gina w]

Hi Shawna
Just got the bloodwork back, so in the last 3 weeks her BUN dropped from >130 to 118, creatinine went up from 5.0 to 8.9 and phosphorus went up from 11 to >16, the past few days she hasn’t really been eating much other then the supplements. Spoke with the vet starting back on the aluminum hydroxate he doesn’t like the Epikitin so he is going to research another binder for the dog to get the phosphorus down. Other than not eating the last few days and periodically spitting up, she is running around and 75% of her old self. I have continued with the Hills KD adding a little tripe here and there. I was really hoping on better numbers. I also haven’t given her any SQ fluids in a week (stopped when the uremic smell went away). I am still going to try and help her as much as possible but I am coming to grips with the eventual outcome.
Thank you for all your suggestions.
gina

[Lisa P]

Jaclyn, one other thing…I ordered a cranberry supplement for Jack, too. I’m hoping that will help. Again, good luck to you and your sweet baby!

[Deborah R]

Thank you! I printed off the info from MN. That is where they sent her stones for analysis but I don’t have the results yet. Expect them to be stuvite. I will check out the other links as well. Vet seemed ok with the cranberry (Solid Gold) supplement I told them she is on. Just told me not to give her Vit. C. She has had recurring UTI’s. This was her second. MN site recommends low protein. Yes, she is currently eating the Hills CD dry. I add a cup of water to it and let it soak 20 minutes or so. I add green beans as well. And yes I would like to add some other foods too. I am still trying to decide what to do. Thanks for your responses. Yes, I have increased her water intake at least when we are home. I work 4 days a week and she doesn’t get as much till I get home. I mean she has water out all the time of course but she doesn’t drink it. I have to take her food bowl and put a few teaspoons of chicken broth and 1 cup of water, 1 tsp of pumpkin, and about 4 kibble crunchies and then she will drink it. It’s in her food bowl so she thinks it’s food. LOL. So I try to make sure she gets at least 4 cups a day. She does drink water in the summer when we’ve been out walking. But winter, she’s really bad. Before the stones we weren’t monitoring her intake though. Now we have to.

[Jenn H]

There’s a lot of theories floating around about when to switch a lg breed puppy to adult food. Because my GSDs are very active and use every bit of fat & protein I tend to keep them on lbp food longer than a yr. Usually up to 18 months. Or I’ll switch to an adult food for all life stages and/or lg breed adult. I’ve had dogs take 3 yrs to finish growing. (Usually unaltered males.)
No matter what food they are fed I keep the calcium as close to 1.5% or less until I am certain they are finished growing.

It’s fine to start them on joint supplements as early as 6 months. My 8 month old has already been on them for 2 months.
I prefer liquid since more of it is absorbed, but I’ve also had really great results from NuPro.
Cosequin is another brand that has worked great for a lot of my horses. They now make a version for dogs.

Things I look for in joint supplements is:
***glucosamine hydrochloride
*promotes healthy joints
*enhances body’s ability to produce collagen & joint fluid
*helps body to repair joint damage
***chondroitin sulfate
***MSM
*organic form of sulfur that connective tissue needs for maintenance
*HA

Whole food supplements w/ a lot of Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs):
•sea cucumber
•green-lipped mussel
•shark cartilage
•eggshell membrane
You’ll often find these listed as sources on labels of joint supplements. Especially the mussel & shark cartilage.

Take care to find out where ingredients are sourced blah blah blah like you would for dog food.

[TAMMY C]

First, I have to comment on those who disagree with cooking and pureeing vegetables, not sure on fruit but I do puree anyway, I follow my Dogs stools, they are the first clue that there is something not right going on with your Beloveds. I tried both raw veggies and slightly steamed without pureeing them and what went in came right back out in their stools, their body cannot digest them. So, it is, well….waste, in all accounts.

My dilemma is this…..I use to rescue animals and I have a pack of canines. In the last year my Dobes came down with cancer, two died from the symptoms cancer creates in their body (histamine is nasty!) and two are cancer survivors. My Dobes have ALWAYS had skin problems, sparse coats and digestive issues, until I decided to try home cooked meals. My Dogs cannot handle raw meat or eggs, it creates havoc in their digestive systems, very sensitive. One would not believe how many times I have had to switch kibble, before moving in my area where I am limited to two brands of kibble (Sam’s and Kirkland), after awhile they start throwing up or their stools look poorly. Anyway, I have 9 Dog’s, ranging from 110 pounds (Dobes), medium size (around 45 pounds) and my 3 little ones 5 to 20 pounds. I found that all I accomplished all day was cooking their meals and washing their dishes and nothing else got done, I certainly do not have a life beyond this either (someday I would like to date again, ha). Before I started trying the homemade diet I was supplementing their kibble (Kirkland grain free Salmon and Sweet Potato) the best available to me in my area (sadly). Anyway, their coats flourished and skin not so itchy. What I have found in my research is there is a wide range of opinions about kibble, while I would LOVE to feed my Dogs only home cooked meals, it is not feasible budget wise on my retired income, nor time wise. I did find some AWESOME vitamins, the first post you may be interested in these, I researched and researched, bought in mistake after mistake and finally found a truer vitamin for helping my Dogs immune systems, NuVet Labs, and WOW what a difference they also made for my clan. I have bought just about every book on Amazon on home prepared meals, except the two mentioned I will look into them (thank you). Anyway, I got off topic of my kibble quibble, the wide range of opinions feeding kibble or not, I find there is a truer medium said to this and that is…..a good kibble does “not” cause cancer, cause havoc in their bodies…..what they do however is lack a “real” complete diet which this in itself creates the cancer and havoc in their bodies (except when there are food allergies involved of course my Dobes can’t handle grains). No matter what AAFCO has to say by placing their logo on the bags of Dog food stating they approve of the kibble (which Kirkland is one of them they place their logo “approved by AAFCO guidelines” what does this really mean?????), it “is” lacking. Although, I was happy Kirkland did have their stamp of approval but in research the kibble “is” lacking and my Dogs are proof of this, their immune systems were gone and couldn’t fight off cells mutating into cancer (talk about researching…Dog cancer…..I know way to much about it now). My Dogs are all of different breeds and mixed, yet they all have issues with the kibble used alone. Some, I did take off completely and won’t give them kibble, they just throw it up anyway and they are doing great on home cooked food coming from my kitchen.

Anyway, is there such a thing as being able to home prepare your Dog food for a pack without being wealthy and doing this all alone with no help (no partner just me and my clan). I appreciate your feedback in advance. Blessings to everyone!!!! Tammy.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by TAMMY C. Reason: To make more readible with flow of words

[Darek N]

Hello there. I have a Golden Retriever and had follow Large Breed Puppy Food List. I try few different kinds of Fromm Four Star but he had loose stool so we settle on Erthborn Holistic Coastal Catch and Dr. Tims Kinesis. now that he is going to be a one year old should I change his food to something different or start adding some supplements for joints. I just want to make sure that I’m feeding him properly spatially that he is going to be a year old.
Thank you for any advise

[Jenn H]

Anytime. I know what a huge hassle it is to find food.
Zignature isn’t easily available around me. I would like to try it. Heard lots of good things. I have to get foods that are goof proof for the husband in case I need him to get it.

Whenever I am considering a food that has fish I always ask the company if they or their suppliers use ethoxyquin to preserve it. It’s not allowed to be in human grade food. It shouldn’t be allowed to be in pet food. It doesn’t have to be put in labels either.

Another question I always ask is where all supplements and vitamins come from. I try to avoid China at all costs. Vitamin C is a very common source for that.

[Jenn H]

Wendeyzee sorry I’m just now getting a second to reply about your manufacturing question.
Let me first qualify my reasoning for feeding this brand:
*It is affordable without being full of crap.
*My puppy is satisfied after meals.
*I don’t have to feed him more than 4.5 cups/day. (As opposed to almost 7 cups of other brands.)
*It has 1.5% calcium max.
*He’s not growing too fast.
*His coat is beautiful. Not dull as w/ other foods.
*He loves it.
*They nor their sources use ethoxyquin to preserve their fish.
*I have asked a ton of probing questions and they answered promptly, honestly, with much information.
*2012 they began a “Positive Release Program” where no food is distributed until an independent third party tests a sample from the batch and results are received.
*They have their own people on site overseeing the process, etc.

Manufacturing:
•dry foods (most) are made at the Diamondd facility in MO (the recalls of the previous yrs were mainly from the SD plant)
*these dry foods are Wolf King, Wolf Cub, Hund-n-Flocken, Wee Bits, Buck Wild,
Lil Boss, Star Chaser, Sunday Sunrise
*all other dry foods are made at Crosswind Foods, KS
*canned are made by Simmons Pet Food, NJ. They bought out Menu foods in 2010. (After the major 2007 recall dibacle.)
*supplements are made by a company in CA that only makes animal supplements.

They also gave me info on treats & cat food if anyone is interested. I didn’t ask for all that as they don’t apply to me, but they shared anyway. If anyone wants that info I will post.

I understand where humans are involved there can & will be human error (and laziness and greed). Solid Gold seems to be doing their best to put out safe products at affordable prices.
For now I will keep this brand in the rotation. I haven’t yet started either of my adult girls yet. Plan on it this week.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Deborah-
Sorry to hear about your dog’s condition. Is she currently eating the Rx food? If yes, I would caution you on feeding any supplements without clearing them with your vet. They could actually over acidify her pH causing calcium oxalate stones instead, which are even worse because they cannot be dissolved like the Struvite type.

Like you mentioned, water is of the utmost importance along with plenty of bathroom breaks to keep the urine diluted and the bladder clear. Also, after my ordeal with my cat, I started feeding three smaller meals per day to keep the pH level more even.

The Rx food not only helps lower the pH, it also has the proper amount of the magnesium. phosphate and calcium minerals to keep the crystals at bay. I’m assuming you are talking about feeding the kibble, not canned. If yes, have you asked the vet if you could at least supplement with a little canned or fresh foods safely to make the food more appetizing and healthy?

Does your pup have recurrent infections? I was led to believe most of the time crystals and/or stones are associated with uti’s in dogs. And once those are gone, the stones are gone.

There are some really good links on this site on this condition. I’m on my iPad now and don’t know how to post them. If you use the search bar and type Minnesota, you can find a great one from their university on bladder stones. Best wishes!

[Deborah R]

My dog had bladder surgery for stones and is now on Hills CD food and the vet said she would need to be on it the rest of her life. I think it is pretty crummy food and would like to put her on a better quality food but it’s confusing since some say low protein (like CD) is best while others say No, high protein like Wysong or Flint River Ranch is best. The vets only recommend the Rx food of course so it’s hard to figure out what to do. I don’t want her to have a recurrence and I am using a cranberry supplement and making sure she drinks more water but just not sure what food is ok for her with this issue. Does anyone have any recommendations? They were Stuvite Chrystal stones. So her PH needs to be more acidic, less alkaline. I will test her periodically, have a culture every few months and bladder x rays every 3-6 months to make sure she’s doing ok. Just a question of what food she should be on and no I can’t do home cooked. I can supplement with some home cooked but need a base of a commercial food. Thanks for any info.

[virginia R]

Hi Greg – I did buy Dr Becker’s book – it is helpful but the recipes are very complicated because of the need to mix your own supplements – which can include a dozen or more vitamins and minerals in minute to large amounts. I then researched to find recipes and a pre-mixed supplement and had a consultation with my vet and Hilary Watson of Hilary’s Blend. I followed her program closely – everything measured to the gram, cooked according to the recipes and no substitutions. Ingredients included boneless chicken breasts, wild catch salmon, lean ground beef – with rice or potatoes and fruit and vegetables along with the supplements. Cooking for 2 dogs approx. 45 lb. each was a huge effort which I was willing to continue. My dogs did not do well on this program – while it may not be related, the 11 month old has been diagnosed with pancreatitis and the 4 year old doesn’t seem to be able to digest brown rice and/or chicken. We are now on Hills ID for the 4 year old and Royal Canin gastro low fat for the baby. I’ve also tried raw (violently ill). So while I still think that home cooking should be better (especially when you use quality ingredients), my experience is that the dogs do better on commercial kibble and canned.

[anonymously]

Anyone who takes supplements or gives them to their pets should see this recent Frontline Special: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/supplements-and-safety/
.

[anonymously]

Anyone who takes supplements or gives them to their pets should see this recent Frontline Special: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/supplements-and-safety/

[Carrie P]

For your senior dog, you must try Fido Active Supplement and to improve your dogs health and to be much healthy than before. You must try it now.

[Carrie P]

Fido Active supplement. Try to surf on it and try and. This is very Effective. And well proven!

[Carrie P]

I Chose Fido Active when it comes to good supplements. I recommend to you this and its very effective for our pets. You must try it.

[Carrie P]

Fido Active Supplement is very effective. You should try it and this is well proven.

[Carrie P]

Try a supplement thats very effective and also proven. Fido Active Supplement. You must try it.

[Carrie P]

I recommend Fido Active Supplement for your dog. This is Very EFFECTIVE and very well proven. Try it now!

[Carrie P]

Fido active supplement is very well proven and very effective to our dogs. you must try it.

[Carrie P]

Try FIDOACTIVE supplement for your dogs this is well proven and verry effective.

[crazy4cats]

Good news, Greg F. Don’t forget about http://www.balanceit.com for balanced homemade recipes. They also sell the supplements. Best wishes!

[Greg F]

Well I think everyone’s prayers worked. After 2 days in the hospital and no positive signs we waited for the vets 10 am call knowing we gave it all and we prepared ourself so for putting an end to her mistery. Then the vet said she turned the corner and we should give her another 2 days in their care and would come home Tuesday. She is down to 8 1/2 lbs from a normal weight of 11. After 2 days she is eating, firm stools and perky.
We are giving her Hills D/D duck, Primal raw venison cooked, sweet potatoes, pumpkin and a little cottage on top at first to eat the food.
We may still be dealing with lymphoma in addition to IBD and PLE and won’t be doing additional testing and chemo since it won’t buy much time.
I’m considering a consultation with Dr Becker or buying her home recipe book. In the near future I think we will go with fresh venison (low fat) cooked and THK base. This way it is safe and should give her a complete novel high protein, low fat low carb diet with an option to go to an all home cooked meal. Not sure on the supplements.
Thanks for all your thoughts and help.

[Carlene]

I apologize for yet another lengthy post but it’s so interesting that many of our stories read the same…

I’ve been dealing with the gulpy air licks since my pit bull was around 1.5 years old. He is 6.5 now. He will gulp, air lick, hard swallow, stare at me like “help me!”, he grinds his teeth, he will vomit hand size piles of white foamy bile, sometimes dingy yellowish bile, eat grass, eat more grass, throw that up and then being exhausted, he will sleep for hours. If I’m at work while an episode happened, he will resort to carpet, socks, wicker baskets, whatever he could get in his mouth. In the early days, this happened maybe a couple of times every six months but I wasn’t too concerned. I mean we all occasionally get sick, right? But for the first couple of years, I did casually mention it to my vet at bi-annual appts and even joked about renaming him Stan (the South Park character who pukes all the time). Something else maybe worth mentioning is sometimes I would get home from work after being gone for 10 hours or so and he would puke his kibble. It was still in perfect little round pieces, just like it went in, except it’s wet. So ZERO digestion in 10 hours for whatever that’s worth. His episodes began to increase in both frequency and severity about 3 years ago. No rhyme or reason. No patterns. Nothing I have been able to pinpoint. The episodes are almost a daily occurrence now. I mention to friends “he had a good day today” instead of a bad day because they are so frequent. You can see it in his eyes, his head is down, he’s tired, his eyes are red, he’s drooly, he stretches his neck, and he’s very, very clingy. I honestly don’t even remember what the first treatment protocols were or what order we went in. But here are some of the things we’ve tried:

-Rubbing Trachea/Throat, Singing a song, Going for a walk. Basically distractions – works sometimes.
-Canned organic pumpkin or Plain Greek Yogurt to settle the tummy during an episode – would work sometimes
-Pepcid for acid reflux – seemed to work for a while
-Probiotics
-Elevated Food Bowl
-Pepcid with Carafate Slurries each morning and evening to coat the tummy before meals – maybe worked?
-Metronidazole/Amoxicillin combo for suspected Helicobacter Pylori – tested negative
-Complete Blood Panel
-Barium swallow with Xrays to examine the esophagus and rule out Megaesophagus – all clear
-Daily Prilosec OTC 20mg – works sometimes.
-Dry Kibble Changes – all over the map but all No Corn, Soy or Wheat – settled on Nutrisource Chicken for approx. 2 years –
-Canned food – makes it worse-
-No dry kibble for 6 months – I cooked for him. Chicken, Veggies, Rice. Worked well at first, and got worse toward the end of the 6 month period.
-Animal Communicator – don’t laugh. I was very skeptical too. But this lady I do not know told me that his tummy had been sick for a really long time and that he was tired. She also told me that his body required a warm protein rather than a cool protein. I switched him from Nutrisource Chicken (cold) to Nutrisource Lamb (warm). She also told me to try essential oils. She didn’t say what kind, she said to let him smell the unopened containers and he would be interested in the one his body needed, if he needed one at all. I met with an essential oils expert, did just what she said and let him do the picking. We went vial after vial while he would sniff and turn his head over & over again. Until he sniffed…and he didn’t turn away. He sniffed again. He sniffed all around that vial like I was holding a piece of meat. He nudged my hand. More like a shove than a nudge really. I turned the vial around to see what it was expecting something food related but it wasn’t, it was something called Digize. Digize is:“a dietary supplement that provides valuable aid for digestive concerns and helps support a healthy digestive system. Benefits and Uses: eases heartburn, calms upset stomach, alleviates diarrhea, minimizes bloating, comforts sickness associated with pregnancy, reduces discomfort while travelling, overcomes constipation, improves digestive function, eases acidity in body, and rids body of parasites.” Well I’ll be darned.
-Daily Prilosec/Carafate/Reglan regimen
-And Cerenia. This stuff works beautifully and at $15 per dose, is more expensive than pure gold.

I know I’ve forgotten a few things we tried, but we have tried a lot. In December 2015 he had had several pretty rough days in a row. I’d gotten home from work one eve and knew he wasn’t feeling well. I heard something weird, looked down at him standing in the kitchen and I see his teeth chattering, his body is stiff as a board, and he has this hard stare, like no one is in there. It was the weirdest thing that only lasted maybe 30 seconds, but it definitely happened. After it was over, it took him a good while to get his bearings back. He was so wobbly and confused. I texted my vet and she replied with “He’s just had a Focal Seizure.” I wonder if that’s somehow related to his gulpy air lick? Anyhow, because December was so bad for him I finally bit the money bullet and scheduled his Endoscopy, Biopsies, and Exploratory GI Surgery January 11th 2016. First off I want to say that I’ve done a TON of research too. I was convinced he had esophageal erosion, burns from the severe acid reflux, or big angry ulcers all over the lining of his stomach. Or stomach cancer. Yeah, that. So the results of the Endoscopy? The doc gives me a rundown. The esophagus looks perfect. The stomach looks perfect. Nothing in there at all (I did kind of expect a toy or something). The pyloris spincter looks good. The duodenum looks good, and the very beginning of the small intestine looks good. He said there doesn’t seem to be bile backing up into the stomach at all. So. Inconclusive. I couldn’t decide if that was good or bad news. I do know that I REALLY need an answer though.

Since the surgery, I’ve had him on a regimen of Prilosec/Carafate/Reglan but it seems like he was sicker after the surgery than before. Like the scope irritated something, I don’t know. Results of the biopsies came back and they confirmed IBD, which we already knew. Doc says more testing is needed with the next being for something called Myasthenia Gravis, a nerve/muscle disorder. We haven’t done this test yet, but it is our next medical step. Anyway, after doing a bunch more research and with Doc’s blessing of course, last Wednesday February 10th I changed his food again to a limited ingredient novel protein, Zignature Kangaroo. I took away ALL the treats too. Treats are now Kangaroo kibble. I also went to feeding him 3 small meals a day on as consistent of a schedule as I can. If his tummy is empty, he gets gulpy licky. If his tummy is too full, he pukes. So day 1 on the Kangaroo, Wednesday, was a good day. Thursday was a good day. Friday was a good day. Saturday I discontinued the Carafate and Reglan but continuing the Prilosec. So far the good days have continued. Today is day 8 of “a good day”. I hope this lasts and I want to be positive, but I know the odds are not in our favor. Just one more theory, one more trial, grasping at more straws. I’ll definitey be looking more into the magnesium deficiency and Bilious Vomiting Syndrome that were mentioned earlier in the thread. At some point we have got to figure this out. Seems like none of us are giving up so I’d say we have a pretty good chance.

*One word of warning about the Kangaroo. It stinks. It makes his breath stink, his poops are dense and alfalfa’ish smelling, and it digests quicker than other kibbles. And did I mention it stinks? Wish us luck and thank you for all your comments, for reading, and caring…

• This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Carlene.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Carlene.

[Carrie P]

Try Fido Active Supplement to make your dogs even better and stronger. and no joint issues. this supplement is very effective and well proven.

[Jenn H]

In order to avoid nutritional deficiencies put your dog(s) on a rotation diet of high quality foods meant for their size, activity, age, etc.
The only reasons you would have to supplement their food is if they’re fed low quality food, you home cook for them, they need it temporarily (due to low quality diet or illness), have a health issue that prevents them from absorbing/producing that particular nutrient, etc.

[Jenn H]

DOGS NEED MEAT PROTEIN.
People please stop pushing YOUR beliefs onto your dogs. Even if your dog could care about the animal in its food, it would still eat it if his/her survival was on the line.
Plant based protein is not good enough. Their bodies will be deficient in amino acids. (At the very least.) Supplementing what’s missing is not as good as them getting it from their actual food.

[Carrie P]

FidoActive Supplements is very effective and well proven. You must try it.

[Carrie P]

Try FidoActive Supplement. This Product is very effectiive for your dog good health. You must try it.

[Jenn H]

When Blue Buffalo first came out it was excellent. I was able to get 1 of my dogs off of z/d because he tolerated it just fine. The only reason I had gotten it was because another of my dogs had osteosarcoma and was getting picky about food (not sure if the treatments/meds/supplements made foods tatse different). He did very well on it also and liked it a lot.
Until about a year ago I had it in the rotation. The dogs still liked it and were fine. It wasn’t until someone mentioned to me that they were becoming a bit shady did I start digging.
Lesson learned. Before rotating back to any food I check them out again like it’s a new food.
Bottom line is I won’t use Blue Buffalo anything anymore. Any company that sells out, lies, is questionable, etc is not a food for my dogs.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Lisa P-
Sorry to hear about your pup’s bladder stones. I have a cat with urinary tract issues also. It can be scary stuff. After his blockage, I researched the prescription foods a bit and was led to believe that the only Rx food that cannot be fed long term is the Hill’s s/d food. It’s meant to be fed short term to dissolve the stones and then be followed up by the Hill’s c/d food for long term. I think is safe to feed all the other urinary Rx foods long term, but you may want to work with a vet on whether it’s safe to supplement with some fresh foods or recipes for some safe homemade meals.
I chose to feed my cat mostly the Rx canned food with added water to keep his urine as diluted as possible. Also making other changes to ease his anxiety. It seems that urinary crystals and stones are common in stressed out male cats. In dogs, it seems that they are more commonly associated with urinary tract infections. Which type of stones does your dog get?

[InkedMarie]

It would help to know what you want the supplement for.

[Codex]

Looking for a supplement for my spayed, 20.pound dog. I was looking at this:https://www.swansonvitamins.com/swanson-premium-raw-multi-glandular-women-60-caps

[anonymously]

Update: My dog is back to normal….just a bug. Boiled rice and hamburger for a day or two did the trick. No supplements or change in diet indicated.

PS: Of course all dogs are different, that is why it is important to have your dog examined by a vet first, when they have symptoms. So much can be ruled out by lab work.

[Shawna]

Hi Bev A,

I’m soooooo glad to hear that Bitty is feeling better!!!

Low albumin could be an indicator that she’s not getting enough protein and also a symptom of kidney failure. Inflammation is also a cause. High glubulin is caused by inflammation as well so that would be my guess as to the cause of both. Did your vet test for an infection? The teeth may have caused an infection. That’s what happened to Audrey. A food sensitivity can also cause this sort of inflammation. My best guess, if she doesn’t have an infection, is that one of the foods she is eating has an ingredient in it that she is reacting to. If you are feeding the kibbled KD then I would try one of the canned foods. If she is eating one of the canned foods then I would try another — they now have the original egg product but also have two stew products – one with beef and one with chicken. I would eliminate the other two foods for a few weeks at least unless she won’t eat without them. If you have a source for raw green tripe I would try mixing that in with the SD to entice her to eat.

Although the supplements are of supreme quality, it could be something in them that she is reacting to as well. Did you notice any negative reactions shortly after they were started. Audrey, as an example, was allergic to beef bone. I was giving her Standard Process Catalyn (a multi vitamin) which had beef bone in it — before I knew she was allergic. I personally would also contact Standard Process and talk with one of their vet techs or the vet on staff. Additionally, if you have access to a good holistic vet it might not hurt to have a consult with him/her.

If you think that the inflammation could be diet related and you cant figure it out with elimination, I would consider using a product made by Glacier Peak Holistics that can help identify sensitivities. Not everyone here on DFA agrees that the test is worth the $85.00 cost but myself and many friends have used it with great success.

I’m very happy that Bitty is feeling better but bummed for you both that this has cropped up… 🙁

Hugs to you and little Bitty, Bev!!!!!!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Shawna.

[Susan]

Hi My Patch was pooing red blood in his poos not everyday maybe once a fortnight when I first rescued him, vet said Colitis & he was put on Metronidazole (Flagly) he has food sensitivities to certain foods & irritating his bowel also fat, I had to watch the fat content in some foods…. he’s been good now I know what no to feed….
Start her diet again 1 protein & 1 carb then slowly re introduce ingredients again over 1 to 2 weeks adding 1 new ingredient & make sure you check her poos…..

My other dog a boxer pooed a heap of blood just after I rescued her she had worms & needed to be wormed again the RSPCA only wormed her the once & mustn’t of gotten rid of all her worms..

If she wasn’t getting the proper nutrition like your vet said her coat would be dull, no shine, itchy dry skin is one sign of low omega 3 & I’m pretty sure they don’t start pooing blood cause the diet isn’t balanced properly…other things start to happen……have a look at “Balance IT” you add to your cooked meals there also would be other supplements that balance the diet…. I live Australia I use Natural Animal Solutions DigestaVite Plus & the Omega 3,6 & 9 oil…. http://secure.balanceit.com/

[Bev A]

Hi, Bitty has been on the Canine Renal Protection for 3 months now and I also started her on the Acacia Fiber and Probiotics at the same time. Her Creatinin is now normal and the BUN has come down but still nowhere near normal but it did drop. So I continue giving the supplements. The latest blood work however has me concerned and any suggestions for meds, foods, supplements, whatever would be greatly appreciated. Her Albumin is low. 2.1 and her globulin is high at 5.7. She is 14 but her eating habits have improved greatly over the past 3 months. I switched her to Science diet KD and to Solid Gold Tripe. A third one is Merricks Grandmas Pot Pie. Bitty is a picky eater so I give her whichever one she will eat at the time. She does have bad teeth, so I am concerned for that but we have pulled the majority of them. She doesn’t do well with anesthesia so we have decided not to pursue the surgery as we don’t think she would survive. Shawna, your advice was right on. I didn’t tell the vet what I had done till the test results were back. She was iffy on it when I first mentioned it but said that it was because she had not used that before. But she could see that Bitty is more perky and aware of what is going on around her and suggested I continue doing what I am doing. . She has always been very anxious and has to have tummy meds all the time and I suppose that probably has a lot to do with the blood work. She has maintained her weight of 4 pounds and even gained 1/4 pound in the past 3 months. Thanks for any advice you can give at this time.

[Jenn H]

Thank you so much. I have GSDs. And my 7 month old has the confirmation of a show dog which has me so worried about his future.
I am so careful and militant about what & how much he’s fed. I can’t believe how much time I’ve spent contacting dog food people because they put the minimum only on most labels. I’m trying to find out how to change that and make it so the max be required.

Another thing worth mentioning with large & xlarge dogs is at 6 months they can be started on joint supplements. I prefer to give the types that don’t have extra vitamins & minerals. Just the usual ingredients for joints only like glucosamine,, chondroitin, HA, MSM, etc.

[Jenn H]

I’m so sorry to hear your Maddie is in hospital. I hope something works for her soon and forever. It’s the worst when they can’t figure out what exactly is wrong.
At first they thought my girl’s problem was acute pancreatitis. Then figured inflammed bowel from the powerful antibiotic to treat Lyme. She had every imaginable blood test and a lot of x-rays & ultrasounds, sub-q fluids (she tends to stop drinking). Went on that ride twice. And other things in between.
This last time I took her to a specialist referred to by the emergency hospital. It was him who said to stop all raw & blah blah blah. Her numbers went back to normal with all his suggestions.
I did have another dog a long time ago that had IBD/IBS. At the beginning he was on Prednisone and Imodium. Then weened off both. Tweaked his diet and he never had a really bad episode again. When symptoms did start he was given a much smaller dose of steroid, bland diet for a few days and he was fine again.
My point is that if your usual vet isn’t getting you anywhere, then have another take a look. Sometimes a fresh set of eyes sees something else. This last ultrasound he looked at every single organ very carefully and didn’t blame everything on the Lyme.

Make sure when she gets home you put a lot of water in her meals. Dehydration makes things so much worse and it helps to keep things going thru the gut.

If it means taking meds and/or supplements for life that’s a small price to pay for her being otherwise healthy.

I truly hope you get answers very soon and she gets well. It’s heart wrenching to see them suffering and uncomfortable and not being able to do anything.

Please keep us in the loop. Best of luck. She’s lucky to have a person like you.