[[email protected]]

hi all,
re Jasmine (13yr old dog with colitis and poss. IBD/ food intolerance.)

There are so many good suggestions here. I have been making Jasmine a diet of browned ground turkey and oatmeal for a week now hoping to address her colitis and loose stools. I haven’t added the psyillium as yet as it seems to loosen her even more. This diet was vet originated through Balance it. I have added pumpkin today to her mix to help firm her stools, I hope! She is still on metronidazole.

I have tried so many things and have settled on this home made diet until maybe a holistic vet can help me move her more into dogfood and apppropriate supplements.

She did the best on a hypo allergenic diet from RC – pot & venison but they changed the formula & the potatoes were also causing reflux. Noe sure where to head but at the moment enjoys the turkey, oatmeal & pumpkin. I add a senior vitamin each day.

Any thoughts on mixing in a kibble that is hypo or grain, chix potato free to help as she proceeds?

Best,

Karen

[Mom2Cavs]

I sometimes give fish oil, but tend to feed a fish based food instead because Laverne gets loose stools if I add too many oils. COQ10 is a supplement that is good for the heart and also gums. I give both made for human and dogs. The dose is usually 1 mg per pound. Right now I have on hand 10 mg capsules and 30 mg capsules that are fine to give. The 10 mg are vetri science for dogs and the 30 mg I ordered from Swanson’s. I have also given heart supplements for dogs that contain other good things to give like hawthorn, taurine, l-carnitine. Some brands I have used are vetri science cardio strength, thorne bio-cardio, nature’s farmacy heartwise. I am going to order some chews from Ark Naturals that are from their gray muzzle line for the heart soon to try.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Justine-
I have had similar issues with my dogs, however, they did have parasites. I’ve tried several supplements as well. Currently, I feed Victor grain free joint and health kibble. I use various toppers such as canned, raw, dehydrated and fresh mixed in. I almost always use a digestive enzyme and an occasional probiotic. They are doing much better now. I strongly suggest checking out dogaware.com website as they have so much information on digestive issues. If you are looking to change dry food, give Victor a try. Many on this site have done well with it. Also, plain pure pumpkin might be a great addition to your dog’s food. It is very healthy and adds fiber that is both helpful for constipation and loose stools. The supplements that I have used with success that I discovered from dogaware are: Gastriplex, Vetri Pro BD, Perfect Form and Phytomucil. I hope you find a winning combination because I know how frustrating your situation is. Cleaning up runny poop is not a good thing! Good luck.

[Mom2Cavs]

Hi, Cavvie lovers! I have 3 of this beautiful breed. I have Laverne, a Ruby retired show champion who weighs around 17 lbs. and tends to have mild intolerances and trouble in the past with anal glands. She is 9 yrs. and has a murmur according to my holistic vet. No meds, though. She’s lived with us for 3 years now. Hazel is my 7 year old Black and Tan who weighs around 19 lbs., all muscle. She was born with a murmur but has never had meds. She’s been with us for 5 years. She and Laverne are registered therapy dogs. My newest is Rupert, a 7 year old Blenheim retired show champion who weighs around 19 lbs. I’ve had Rupert for 3 months now. He has a grade 5 murmur and MVD, asymptomatic, however he is on enalapril twice a day. Now that his health is pretty good for him (he came to me not so healthy) I plan on making him a therapy dog, as well.

I had to try many foods due to Laverne’s intolerances, which started with loose stool, rumbly tummy, not wanting to eat at times and of course the dreaded anal gland issues. We are finally (hope I don’t jinx us, lol) doing great with Wellness totally. I’ve always used Wellness cans and biscuits/treats but their kibble size was just too big for them, especially Laverne who I needed it to work for the most. So I used others, like Acana Singles, Merrick, Instinct LIDs, Zignature, Annamaet, Dr. Tim’s, Victors and probably others I’ve forgotten about. Some worked and I’ll still feed if needed…Annamaet, Dr. Tim’s and Victor, but a lot of others didn’t. I even tried premade raw, which was fine but too hard for my household to deal with. Foods like THK didn’t go over well. However, recently Wellness came out with new Small Breed formulas…YAY! So I tried them. I now rotate through Small Breed Senior, Small Breed Whitefish and Small Breed Simple Salmon along with their canned Stews for topping kibble and Yogurt biscuits for bedtime snack. I use their Pure Bites for training. Things are great, atm!! I do add a probiotic/enzyme supplement and a fiber supplement called Firm Up with each meal. It’s simply dried pumpkin and apple pectin. They also get coq10 for their heart. This has been working for us for 2 months now and I will continue this regimen. Sometimes I will use other canned toppers, like Simply Nourish, Fromm or Weruva for variety. All 3 have such soft wonderful coats and great skin. I did shave them down a little for the first time this summer and can honestly say that I love the haircuts! I kept their ears and tails long. I will keep them cut this way. I hope some of this info. gives hope for you guys with other Cavvies, my heart breed! 🙂 <3

• This reply was modified 11 years, 6 months ago by Mom2Cavs.

[Leah12345]

As usual…genius input. A friend tried the anxiety supplements and they didn’t help. I was really disappointed bc I planned to try them for my reactive girl. Keep us posted regarding how effective the harness lead is. Everything said in this thread is applicable to my Lhasa mix. She is an okay heeler unless she sees a “threat” and then all bets are off. I am going to research the harness lead today.

[DogFoodie]

Hi Jan,

C4C just told me you had mentioned this supplement. I’m getting some! Mine love canned pumpkin, but this looks much easier.

[crazy4cats]

Mom2cavs mentioned a supplement called Firm Up in a post a few days ago that was dried pumpkin and apple pectin. That also sounds interesting. I think Dr. Becker just recommended grinding or chopping the greens. I don’t think you cook them. Not sure your Sam would like those either!

[crazy4cats]

Hi Betsy-
I don’t blame your Sam. I think it smells terrible! I just mix it in with their topper on their kibble. I haven’t used for a while, but just got some a couple of days ago. I had been using Syner-G and wanted to switch it up. I hope they will still eat it. Lol! They are big dogs, 80 and 85 lbs. Therefore get a lot of food. I actually feed the lighter one more than the other! They are labs and not very picky. Plus they finish fast so they can “help” their brother with theirs! Maybe just try starting with a tiny amount and gradually increase? I also like the Fruitables digestive supplement which might be more appetizing to your dog.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Dolly –

No, a glucosamine supplement will not harm your dog. You should give about 250 mg. per 15-20 lbs. Give 2X the recommended dose for the first week – this is known as a “loading period.” Yes, it’s also safe to give to your dog that does not have arthritis.

[Dolly]

Hi,

I wanted to start giving my 15 yr old glucosamin chrondroitin supplements as she has arthritus. I bought a bottle with the following ingredients listed: Sodium, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Chondroiton Sulfate- under other ingrediants: cellulose, gelatin, magnesium stearate and it says contains shrimp.

She has no known allergies, I wanted to know 1- is this safe? She also has mild heart problems which she is taking medicine for so I wanted to make sure this wouldnt cause any heart related strain.

Second- what is the dosage? she weighs about 55lbs.

Last- I also have a 9 year old cocker spaniel (about 30 lbs)- he shows no stiffness or pain, he’s very active and entergetic, but should I start him on a lower dosage now to help avoid it in the future?

thanks!

[theBCnut]

Tripet is labeled for supplemental feeding only, because it is not complete and balanced. However, I haven’t found a food yet that my dogs won’t scarf down with a spoonful or two of Tripet mixed in.

[crazy4cats]

My dogs’ don’t seem to do very well with peas either. The two dry kibbles that I like so far are Victor grain free and Nature’s Logic. However, neither are considered limited ingredient. Also, have you tried adding any type of digestive enzyme to their food? The Honest Kitchen makes a supplement called Perfect Form that seems to help my dogs. I wish you luck!

[Mom2Cavs]

Lew Olsen, is (I believe) a nutritionist. I’m sure these products are fine, but like other people (Dr. Becker, Ask Ariel, etc.) they are selling their own products. I like to look at dogaware.com for recommendations. I know that Lew’s supplements are on the list there.

[Cyndi]

I still worry if I’m giving Bailey the right vitamins/minerals/supplements, etc. Check out See Spot Live Longer dinner mix. I use that often. All you do is add it to boneless meat. I also use, on occasion, Dr. Harvey’s Multi-Vitamin & Mineral Herbal Dog Supplement. Other than that, I add Coconut oil, some tinned sardines a couple times a week, a fresh, cage free egg every couple days and some Apple Cider Vinegar, that’s pretty much it. It really did seem overwhelming to me at first, so I know how you feel, but once you get going and get the hang of it, it’s really easy. I’m still learning and I read everything I can about raw feeding and all the threads and stuff. The different kinds of raw foods you can feed your dog, once he’s used to it, are endless…

Zach M ~ You’re very welcome! 🙂

[Case]

Anybody tried these?

http://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/basic-supplements-for-daily-use-in-your-dogs-diet-2014/

[theBCnut]

The drops should show improvements in a very short time. Eye issues in kittens may be a symptom of feline herpes, so have the vet evaluate that possibility when he gets back. cats with feline herpes do very well. They need good nutrition(as if some cats don’t) and a lysine supplement to help keep the virus under control and you have to watch for eye problems thoughout life with them, but they may never have a problem.

[crazy4cats]

Hey Moms2Cavs-
I just added that to my supplement list. I often use canned pumpkin and sugar free applesauce with my dogs’ meals or kong treats. The combination usually is very helpful with the stools. This supplement would definitely keep better. Thanks!

Hey Susan B-
Let us know how the new food and supplements go. Good luck!

[Mom2Cavs]

I agree with theBCnut. I also found a supplement I love, called Firm Up. It’s just dried pumpkin and apple pectin. You can get it with cranberry, too. Love it!! So much easier to use than canned pumpkin, which mine didn’t care for in their food. They eat this up, though. I won’t ever be without it. It has been a life saver for anal glands, too. 🙂

[Dori]

I wouldn’t. I have a dog with many food intolerances and allergies as well as environmental issues. She had very yeasty ears. What fixed that issue was going to an all grain free diet also free of corn, soy, white potatoes and any type of poultry. I avoid anything that has any type of yeast in it. Any food or supplements that I have tried with her that contain yeast of any sort starts the yeasty ears all over again. My other two dogs though not having any allergies or intolerances whatsoever also used to have gunky ears. Their ears have all cleared up also once I made all the switches. All clear now. Good Luck.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Dane –

First off, if he’s drinking large amounts of water, urinating frequently and he won’t gain weight you need to get him to the vet to have some diagnostic tests performed. These are potential symptoms of kidney disease or diabetes. A dog that’s fed a raw diet shouldn’t drink much water at all – my two (large) dogs don’t even drink one bowl of water per day between the two of them. I’m not trying to scare you but if something is going on the sooner you catch it the better the prognosis will be.

Second, are you adding anything to the Blue Ridge Beef grinds? Unless they’ve recently come out with a new complete and balanced product that I’m not aware of, I thought they just make meat/organ/bone grinds? Meat/organ/bone “grinds” (as they’re referred to) are not a balanced diet. They’re meant to serve as as the base of a meal and they make things simpler by already having the muscle meat, organ and bone in the correct proportions. Supplements still must be added to make the diet complete. While it’s possible to balance a homemade diet using whole foods only, for simplicity’s sake and to get him on a balanced diet as soon as possible, I’d recommend adding a multivitamin (look for one with <10% DV calcium – one I frequently recommend is Twinlab Daily One Caps). I’d also add 1/2 C. of cooked and pureed vegetables (baby food veggies are fine if you don’t want to cook and puree them yourself) and feed a tin of sardines or salmon once or twice a week OR add a capsule or two of fish oil daily. These additions will provide him with the vitamins and minerals he needs, a little fiber and omega 3 fatty acids.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 6 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.
• This reply was modified 11 years, 6 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.

[losul]

Trying this all over again, leaving out the last link this time…..

Hi Sueb66. The test for EPI would be a specific test for it, not included in ordinary blood work. I think in the U.S., Texas A.M. still does most of the current testing. If there is a B-12 deficiency and it is EPI related, no, an ordinary human B-12 supplement for it would
NOT work well at all. There is more info on the EPI sites, I provided to Jerry. Notice what the vet says about EPI in discussing IBD in the first link below, except she refers to it as PEI instead.

I can truly understand your frustration, and wanting to get a more reasonable solution than a surgical biopsy, and/or treatment with steroids which seems extreme, scary and a last/near last resort, I would be too. To be fair though, I can imagine your conventional vet(s) probably get frustrated also, and would much rather get a clearer diagnosis and treatment plan.

I don’t really know exactly how long all this has been going on, exactly what diagnostic testing has been already done, what has been ruled out and what has not, what medicines/treatments/alternatives/supplements have been tried, how much and whether you have adhered to your vets’ reccomendations etc. I also don’t really know what kind of diagnostics, drugs, supplements, foods etc. are available there in Australia. I can’t really say what i would do, as I’m not in your shoes, and so much is unknown. All one can do is research as best as possible, see that hopefully all the bases have been covered, learn risks, gain more knowledge, come up with some possible answers/solutions/alternatives, and make good decisions.

IBD is a pretty generalized but often complex condition, that can have several root causes and much interconnectibility with other issues. It basically means a chronic inflammation of the digestive tract. Left uncontrolled it can lead to more serious issues. I would guess the vets have explained that to you? A more holistic or integrative vet may come to some of the same conclusions as your current vets, but would likely differ on exact course(s) of action/approach. Perhaps you should still seek one out or try the one you mentioned?

Hopefully pointing you to some additional articles may help some;

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?A=598&S=0&EVetID=0

http://www.vin.com/proceedings/Proceedings.plx?CID=WSAVA2006&Category=&PID=16071&O=Generic

http://dogaware.com/health/digestive.html#ibd

[SandyandMila]

Yeah, just need to stock up locally and from Hares Today and get some supplements. I want her to try all kinds of different stuff. I’m pretty excited about it!

[aquariangt]

There are some people whose dogs have done poorly on Fromm, though mine do well, so a lot of it is a test. That goes for most foods-one of mine doesn’t do well on Orijen-some people swear by it. 2 of my 3 don’t do well on Solid Gold, but it’s rated well, etc…

The other thing with Fromm is it is fairly low in protein %. The grain free gets a lot of its protein from peas, so some people don’t love that either. I supplement with canned and dehydrated food for extra meat protein, so I am not super concerned by it. I only use the 4star Grain free regularly, I have used Gold in the past as well. Never used the original

[Kathi K]

If I am feeding a mixture of raw brands – Raw Advantage, Primal, Stella & Chewys, Columbia River Natural, do you still suggest your *Whole Food Supplement Mix? I have a 10 year old male Choco Lab that weighs about 90 pounds.

[crazy4cats]

The BCnut-
Did you really want to tell me that? Lol! Thanks for the help with supplements.
Cindy-
I feed mostly kibble with various toppers. I give mine digestive enzymes every meal. Probiotics and a green supplement twice a week and right now garlic granules everyday for increases flea protection. You can just start adding these things slowly. You are off to a great start. You are feeding high quality products. You are way ahead of the average dog owner!

[zcRiley]

UPDATE: The pups have been strictly on Natural Balance Synergy Dry for only 2 days (while still taking their antibiotic for campi bacteria). And wouldn’t you know, their stools became perfect the next day. For the 1st time in a very long time. I’m kinda in shock as I stare at what I eliminated all at the same time: the 2 types of Orijen, the omega supplements, the calming chew, the Cosequin DS, the antioxidants, probiotics & enzymes, all the treats. I guess I have to start adding things back into their diet one at a time…..

Nancy C: Dr. Tim’s Pursuit sounds great, crossing my fingers for you!

Case: Thanks for the Orijen super sleuthing. All the fish they use being year round available, that’s interesting…. anyway, just tossed my bag of Orijen 6 Fish out the window. It started smelling funny.

[cindy q]

theBCnut what supplements do you use?

[Susan]

Hi Iosul, May I ask a few quiestions, Patch had an ultra scan last Thursday cause he was vomiting up only his kibble for 2 days & had his pain under right side rib cage again…his Ultra Scan came back all good, this new vet said IBD like Patches first vet has said but Im having troubles believing that he has IBD as Patch suffers more stomach reflux & burping, I feel that Patch has GERDs this new vet wants Patch on Prednisolone 30mg daily for 2weeks then we reduce, I told him about Patches stomach & Patches bad acid & bringing up his chicken & pumkin when he burps so I put it on toast now & this keeps it down, he just said give him Zantac as well then he said that the Prednisolone will fix his red paws, I told him that his paws go red only when it rains & he walks on wet grass as we’ve had rain again for over 1 week, now Patches paws have cleared up again cause there’s been no rain plus I try not to walk him on wet grass…Ive read that Prednisolone isnt good for dogs with Pancreatitis or Stomach problems as it can cause stomach ulcers, I still havnt given Patch his Prednisolone, Ive been giving him his Zantac again & Patch seem much better..see I stopped his Zantac about 2 months ago as he was doing much better & all his reflux went away he stopped waking up in the middle of the nite with Patch swollowing & swollowing acid, it all stopped only some mornings he’d be a bit burpy, The only way to see if he has IBD is to cut him open like his other vet wanted to do & I wouldnt let him as Patch doesnt have no diarrhea no more since Ive worked out that he needs a low fat diet, Im even wondering does he have pancreatits as the ultra scan came back all good but the Pancreas mite be getting better & not be swollen as Patches pain did start 2 weeks ago when I started moving, he started following me like I was leaving him behind, I feel that he started to stress himself out & has givin himself acid thru stress.. I have GERD & he seems to have alot of my symtoms.. first vet tried Losec 20mg but Patch had a reaction on the 2nd day his gums went white & he was acting real weird & falling over, I had to carry him home from the beach that morning maybe 20mg was too high for a 18 kilo dog he was 18kilo back then now he’s around 16-17 kilos …what would you do if Patch was ur dog, you mentioned supplements Ive read abit about L-Gutamine but I live Australia do I go to the health foods store & use a human one also what do u mean when u say incubating. I give Patch a probiotic every moring Ive been doing that since last August..Ive been too scared to try any oils at this time, I dont want to aggravate his stomach in anyway..

[theBCnut]

I rotate everything, kibble, canned, raw, supplements, everything. One of my dogs used to be picky, but once I started rotational feeding, he has never missed a meal, or even eaten slowly.

[JeffreyT]

Probiotics, digestive enxymes and healthier foods (home cooked and raw dehydrated), plus some other supplements have helped my dog’s bloody, loose stool and immune system. The probiotics that I have used are Mercola, Wysong (which also has colostrum in it to help build immune system), and VSL#3 (a medical grade probiotic delivered with ice). I’ve heard good things about Nusentia’s Probiotic Miracle helping IBD.

You may want to call Animals Essentials (they are very knowledgeable and their products are the purest around) and ask what may help. I’ve used their phytomucil for both loose stools and constipation. I’ve also found Wysong supplements to be helpful during times of sickness.

Here is Dr.Karen Becker’s take on IBD
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/11/02/inflammatory-bowel-disease-in-pets.aspx
Here is Dogaware’s info which may be helpful too
http://dogaware.com/health/digestive.html#ibd
Keep searching and you will find an answer.

Sometimes medicine is needed but my preference is using natural so it actually heals and gets to the root of the problem.
Good luck.

[losul]

Jerry was just reading on the global span site – So i Guess even though coco oil is very easily digested and takes very little enzymatic action to do so, it might still be advisable to incubate first;

“Incubating supplements.
Some supplements should be incubated, because they require digestion
Example: Kelp, fish oils, coconut oils
Some supplements should not be incubated, or they will be destroyed
Example: Probiotics (such as acidophilus)
For some supplements, it doesn’t seem to matter
Example: L-Glutamine
Whether or not a supplement should be incubated can be confusing. A general rule of thumb is that if it’s a food-like substance which likely contains carbohydrates, fats, or proteins, it should be incubated. Some supplements may contain fillers or extra ingredients that require incubation, so read labels closely. Good advice on this topic is available from the K9-EPIGLOBAL Yahoo Group.”

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

[theBCnut]

Don’t feel bad. We all start where we are and move on from there. I don’t think there is a single person here that didn’t feed something to their dog at some point that they wish they hadn’t.

For your dog with seizures, I would suggest Nature’s Logic, at least to start with. Many of us have come to the realization that we don’t believe that there is any such thing as a perfect dog food, so we rotate through several different ones. For a dog with seizures, you want your food to be as natural as possible.

For your BC, I would just feed it whatever you feed the first one and add a joint supplement. None of the foods that claim to be joint foods actually have a therapeutic dose in them, so don’t bother with those. Swanson’s has supplements at good prices.

[Pauline B]

I have been making my own dog food for several years. I thought they were doing well. No health issues, excellent skin/coat, nice stools, etc.

The other day while my long coat German Shepherd was laying on the floor upside down, i noticed on his elbows two HUGE bald spots. I mean i can’t believe how big they are, it covers the entire elbow!! I just gave baths today and noticed another one on one hip, this one is only about the size of a quarter.

i’m wondering if it is a zinc deficiency. (looked online and saw that might be the problem). Now i am finding this stuff about not using rice. i’m wondering if i am using too much rice.

Here is their diet: i buy organ beef mix from a dog food distributor. it is just that; beef and organ meat mix.

I make a pot of 2 cups rice, 1 cup oatmeal, 1 cup ground vegetables (any scraps that i have accummulated or off the shelf fresh vegetables) 1/3 cup vegetable oil and i cook that in a pot. i add that mix to 5 pounds of the raw meat. i divide it up and feed it in the morning (each dog – german shepherd) gets two cups of the mix with a NuVet supplement; and a tsp of garlic.

In the evening they each get a raw chicken leg (from the regular grocery store).

Like i said, i’ve been doing this mix for approximately 7 years without a problem. Any thoughts, concerns? i’m so confused that i feel like going back to kibble!!

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Zach –

You can certainly make your own supplements. I make my own for two reasons – it’s much cheaper than buying pre-mixed supplements and I can pick exactly which ingredients are in the supplement and in which proportions. I was running into a problem where every supplement I came across either had ingredients I didn’t want or didn’t have an ingredient I did want so I decided it would just make more sense to make my own. I purchase most of my ingredients in large quantities from Swanson Vitamins, Starwest Botanicals, Vitacost and Nature’s Farmacy. You shouldn’t have a problem finding most of the ingredients that are in Dinovite. My guess is that it’s likely the probiotics, enzymes and omega 3’s that help the most with the itching, so with whatever supplement you mix up I’d be sure to include those ingredients (at a minimum).

Here’s an article by Dr. Becker with some suggestions for itchy, smelly dogs.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 6 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.

[Zach M]

I was just wondering, what makes products like Dinovite work? Is there a way that I could make my own version at my house? Also, what foods trigger the things that dinovite cures? What foods reduce smell and stop itching?

[Jerry S]

Our “Black Golden” Somba is a 10 year old Black Lab x Golden who has been suffering from EPI (Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency) for 8 years. She has been on PancrePlus enzyme supplements, but just seems to continually be a “bag of bones” . She eats 5 cups of Purina ONE Smartblend daily with the supplement mixed in with water, and then let it stew for about 20 minutes. She has lots of energy, and has about 3 humongous poops every day. We have been told that she needs a low fat, highly digestible food in order to put some meat on her bones instead of just passing it thru for me to pick up. Am looking for a better food and/or supplement to improve her condition. Any suggestions?
DJ Sads

[DogFoodie]

Here’s link to their website: http://www.springtimeinc.com/product/bug-off-garlic-dogs/All-Natural-Dog-Supplements There’s a lot of really useful information on their website.

There are quite a few regular posters here who’ve used BOG with great success for years. You might find this thread useful: /forums/topic/springtime-supplements/

[crazy4cats]

Hi Zolicylus-

Unfortunately, I’ve had the same issues. My pups went through four or five treatments for giardia and then coccidia. First of all, are you sure they are clear of the giardia? Sometimes it is very tough to rid of. Next, you will have to be patient because the parasites and remedies can be tough on their intestines. It has taken almost 9 months to get consistent stools. I have used several supplements in addition to probiotics and enzymes. On dogaware.com, there are several ideas to help with these issues. I often used remedies that were suggested for leaky gut or IBS. When first starting a supplement, such as a probiotic, make sure to start slow. Only give half or a quarter of the recommended amount and build up to make sure it doesn’t cause upset. I think slippery elm and L-Glutamine are beneficial. I’ve used Gastriplex, Vetri-Pro BD, HK’s Perfect Form, Friutables Digestive supplement, Seacure and Phytomucil. Most of them contain a probiotic or enzyme with some diarrhea meds also. I am definitely not in the veterinarian field, so these are just suggestions from a fellow frustrated dog owner. Please check with your vet if you have any concerns. My former vet, who moved, actually recommended the Phytomucil, probiotics and enzymes. Good luck. I know it’s frustrating. And like Case, I’m curious about what you are currently feeding and using.

[Case]

What are you feeding? What brand are your supplements?

I’ve had similar issues and just started probiotucs/enzymes 3 days ago.

[T]

Hi Sue,

Pred can cause a quick turnaround for SOME dogs, but I’ve seen more than one who did not have a miracle cure from it. Without a histological diagnosis (biopsy) it’s anyone’s guess what’s going on at a cellular level. That doesn’t stop you from providing some well-considered therapy, though. Have you considered seeing a vet who uses traditional Chinese medicine techniques? I’ve had some decent luck with chronic diarrhea/vomiting/mysterious GI badness using diet, nutritional supplements and herbs +/- acupuncture. And all that stuff can be used in conjunction with pred or whatever conventional meds you are trying.

Tabitha
http://naturalalternativesvet.com

[Bobby dog]

I thought I read some comments about Merrick GF kibbles as well, but it appears my mind is playing tricks on me. All the recent comments that C4c and I were writing about was from the WEF GF thread; possible quality control issues with this kibble line. Also seems they have had quality control issues in the past.

/dog-food-reviews/whole-earth-farms-grain-free/
http://www.fda.gov/ICECI/EnforcementActions/WarningLetters/ucm217086.htm

Maybe try a grooming glove for Alec. I know what you mean; sometimes those ornery kitties won’t sit still for a brushing or they start attacking you or the brush. I use a glove for my female kitty. She is fine being petted, for some reason does not like to be brushed too much. I actually use an old pair of riding gloves that have the rubber pebble grip coating on the palms. Wal-Mart carries Pet Head Massaging Bath Mitt for $5.44. They also had some grooming gloves on sale for $1.97 last month, don’t know if they still do or if that was just at my Wal-Mart.

Maybe Alec does not like the taste of supplements mixed in his food. Sometimes cats will eat supplements, like coco oil or honey, better without mixing them in their food. Archie, who eats almost anything, will not eat his food if I mix in anything. Supplements have to be hidden in little globs throughout his food, or fed on separately. Coco oil dosage for cats is ¼ teaspoon 2x daily to ½ teaspoon 1x daily per 10 lbs.

http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.com/2012/02/coconut-oil-is-good-for-your-dogs.html

[justin k]

Hi HDM,

I reviewed your list posted at the beginning of the thread was curious as to why the Acana or Orijen brands were not listed? I’m particularly interested Orijen LBP for a Rottie pup that we’ll be picking up at the end of this month. The analysis specifies a calcium min/max of 1.2/1.5% which seems to fall within the recommended intake. I’m looking to feed a high protein, low calcium dry kibble without supplementation throughout the rapid growth stage (as recommended in Dr. Lauten’s paper).

Any thoughts/recommendations?

Forgive me if it was already answered, as this thread has grown quite large. I admit that I did not read the entire thread front to back.

Thanks!

[Bobby dog]

The threads we’re writing about are in the regular forum, Merrick and Whole Earth Farm threads, take a peak.

I hope it’s only a matter of him passing a hairball and you don’t have to visit the Vet. Glad you’ll be home with him tommorrow. 🙂

Be careful not to overfeed coco oil, it can cause digestive upsets/issues. Giving supplements may or may not be good for him if his tummy is upset.

How about the suspected bladder infection issue, did you ever get that urine sample? Licking those areas could be a sign of infection.

Did your Vet suggest adding extra fiber to help pass whatever showed up on the X-Ray?

Also, brush him daily. That will make a huge difference with hairballs.

[ladyquixote]

Hi all, first want to thank ya’ll for all the great info you supply here. Have been gathering nutrition info for about a year now and have some major budgeting concerns regarding planning cooked meals for my two dogs. Background: Eldest dog, Gracie is 12 y.o./55# (she is much bigger than standard Aussie) and has major yeast and anxiety problems. Found an alt vet last March who prescribed a variety of chinese herb powders which have significantly helped both problems but still a work in progress. Second dog, Tonto is about 3-1/2 (turned up at my front door emaciated last year and ended up part of our family). He weighs about 60 and is experiencing airborne allergies, due for vet check tomorrow for further input. Both are Aussie mixes.

Foodwise, they were on a mix of the 5-star dry no-grain dog foods since beginning of last year, then began adding the usual recommended toppers plus supplements and then transitioned to all-cooked meals over the last three months. It’s quickly begun taking a lot of my time to prepare meals, so this evening I sat down to figure out my monthly cost. Until now I would go out and buy enough food for a week so the cost bite wasn’t so noticeable.

I knew it was getting too costly but the final tally ended up being $15/day for two dogs! Way, way too much. In addition to the food, there are the supplemental herbs and now monthly visits to the alt vet to check progress which should end once both dogs level off with their itchies.

I’ve removed cottage cheese, carrots and rice which make great fillers because both dogs’ itchies worsened. So more meat takes the place.

My question to you is this, if I switch back to at least level 4-star dry dog food and toppers what would you suggest would be the right ratio between the both?

Gracie’s daily calorie target: 1037, Tonto’s daily calorie target: 1280
Here is a sample 1-day meal divided into two meals for Gracie:
— Chicken Liver pate, (chicken liver smothered then pureed): 2 TBSP 47 Cal
— Chicken Hearts, (lightly smothered then chopped fine): 1-1/2C 402 Cal
— Turkey, Ground; 93% Lean: 1-1/4C 425 Cal
— Mixed Veggies, 1 Cup Cooked then pureed: 40 Cal
— Pumpkin, Canned; 2 TBSP: 13 Cal
— Berries, 1/2 C: 36 Cal
— Alternate Every Day: Either 1-Egg or 1/2 tin Sardines in Water: 65-72 Cal
— Supplements include, Probiotics, 1/2 tsp finely ground eggshells, 1-multi, fish oil or coconut oil.

I’d be interested in your input as well as hearing what your average cost per day is for two medium sized dogs! Thanks so much.

[Mom2Cavs]

My dogs have no staining now. I have 3 Cavalier King Charles Spaniels and the girls had been pretty good for awhile, but not perfect. Rupert came to me with some large eye stains and paw staining. I have recently been feeding Wellness Small Breed kibbles (a variety of Sm. Brd. Senior, Sm. Brd. Simple Salmon and Sm. Brd. Whitefish). I got Rupert going on 3 months ago and started this kibble 2 months ago. I also top with Wellness canned and a very few others, Simply Nourish and Weruva but mostly Wellness. I also am using Wholistic Pet Digest All Plus and a supplement called Firm Up, which is dried pumpkin and apple pectin. The only treats they get are Wellness Yogurt biscuits at night before bedtime. I use their kibble the rest of the time. At the Hospital during Therapy Dog visits Laverne and Hazel get banana chips and Zuke’s minis (which I plan on replacing after the bag is empty). ALL staining is gone from everyone. It use to be when I groomed/brushed them and wiped their eyes Hazel would be great, Laverne would have one eye that still came away with a little brownish stain and Rupert would be getting a little better but not totally clear. Now, after 2 months of nothing but feeding this way, all staining is gone from all dogs. Even Rupert has none on his paws or otherwise. I’m thrilled! I’ve always loved Wellness products but the kibble size was too big for my Cavs. When they came out with these new formulas for Small Breeds I immediately bought them and I’m so happy…..now I just hope they continue to come out with more Small Breed flavors.

One note I would like to make, though, is that I think that getting the dogs’ guts back in peak shape is what helped the staining the most and I feel that the Digest All Plus and Firm Up were instrumental in doing that. Laverne had prior anal gland problems that are not happening now either, and Rupert had a ruptured anal gland right after coming to us which has healed great and I’ve seen no signs of returning (I keep praying about it, lol!).

[Dori]

Once again, I wanted to thank everyone that has kept us in their thoughts and prayers.

We took Hannah to her vet this a.m. where she was supposed to have a “traumatic catherization” of the nodule in her bladder. Before doing so, routinely before anesthetizing, they do a chest x-ray to check the lungs. They found a mass on the lobe of one of her lungs and her vet did not feel comfortable anesthetizing her. She is consulting with her other vet at Georgia Veterinary Specialists, plus the radiologist there and also an oncologist to come up with a plan. They have all said that surgery is not an option. They could possibly, not sure, do an aspiration during an ultra sound by the radiologist of the mass in her lung lobe to find out what it is. Chemo and radiation, of course, are not options for her either due to her age and her liver issues and, of course, there is the issue with her bladder. Neither my husband nor I would put her through any of that anyway. There may or may not be medications to try to slow the progression of either of these issues if they knew what they are. But, they can’t know what the bladder issue is without the catherization which they cannot do without anesthesia and, of course, they cannot do that because of the mass in the lung lobe. It appears through the x-ray that part of the mass in lung lobe is calcified so it may have been there for a long time but they don’t know. I’m hoping that’s a good sign because she doesn’t have any symptoms of lung cancer. As I said, things have gone from bad to dramatically worse. We just want her to be well and do the very best we can for her as she has done for us. In the mean time I will give her whatever supplements, and healthy foods I have always done. I’m reading a lot of books on canine cancer and doing the best I can. I will start cancer supplements one at a time for three days before introducing any others. Meantime I will continue her liver health regime. Of course, for me, I think there’s a lot of wine in my future. I will continue to pretend I’m happy and peppy in from of Hannah, Lola and Katie pretending that life, as we know it, is perfectly normal. Again, thank you all of DFA for your love, guidance and support. Love, Dori

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

[theBCnut]

There is no commercially available food that has a therapeutic dose of joint supplements in a serving size, so you would do best to find a food that otherwise your dog does great on and then add in a joint supplement.

[Fabienne L]

Freeze-dried and Dehydrated pet food are NOT the same as raw non-hpp pet food. You may consider raw hpp, freeze-dried and dehydrated pet food as processed pet food. Yes, it is better than dry pet food, but it is still processed. Supplements should be added to this food! Recommended supplements include: vitamins, minerals, probiotics, milk thistle to name a few. Non HPP raw pet food is truly species appropriate pet food. Small Batch and Halshan are true species appropriate pet food. When comparing pet food you can see the differences in the ingredients. HPP raw and freeze-dried, such as Stella and Chewys and other pet food contain many added supplements in them. The list of ingredients is long! When you look at Small Batch the ingredients are simply simple, no added supplements. Pets gets the nutrition they need from the meat, organ meat and fruit and vegetable. I always suggest that pet owners (guardians) add probiotics and milk thistle to their non hpp raw pet food.

[Bobby dog]

Hey Akari:
Maybe consider giving Bentley some coco oil too. It has antiseptic properties that may help him and also will help moisturize him from the inside out. He would only need about a teaspoon/day.

Now that Bobby is all healed up I only supplement coco oil 2x/wk. I will up it if he needs it, but so far that seems to be enough. He also gets fish oil 2x/wk and Vit E 1x/wk (the water soluable variety) too. It was the added fish oil and coco oil that helped him though because I just started the Vit E recently. If you would like some info on it, let me know, you know I love to post links! lol

[spaniel39]

Mimi, thanks
My Sophie is so sweet too; I knew the importance of socialization given the protectiveness
factor as an adult and I think I went too far.
If she sees anyone walking towards her or across the street, she will sit and “smile”
and wait to greet them. Impossible to take her/walk her anywhere lol
but I don’t mind, She is just starting to form her “cords”
I didn’t read your post carefully. Sorry, didn’t realize you had been on raw.
I found it much too expensive and kibble has come a long way (Acana, Orijen, etc)
and you can always supplement it with a tablespoon of a good canned lamb/duck/etc.
or in Sophie’s case last night, a big extra lean, Hamburger!
I forgot to mention Evangers!
They’ve done research for decades on large breeds
They have a meat lovers with Rabbit, not real expensive, my dogs loved!