[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Julie –

My older female Gertie was started on THK when she came home at 8 weeks and at THK until she was 8 months old (this is when I transitioned her to raw). I fed her a rotation of Love, Thrive, Zeal and Embark – always had a box of each on hand and switched formulas daily. I added roughly 20% Tripett (canned green tripe) to each meal to increase the fat and protein levels and offset the somewhat high level of calcium in the Embark. I did notice an increase in stool volume and frequency (I have seen this with all dehydrated-type foods I’ve used). I’m not 100% certain why this occurs, there have been several conversations about this on the review section though. I suspect it has something to do with the fact that most companies use raw vegetables (and they dehydrate them at low enough temperatures that they remain raw), the fact that many companies use “chunks” of vegetables and the high fiber content of most dehydrated foods. If you try the food and have problems some things you could try would be to run the food through a food processor prior to feeding to break down the vegetables (one posted has reported that this helps – I’ve never tried it), supplement with digestive enzymes that include cellulase or mix the THK with a high meat canned food (such as Tripett).

[julez4you]

@Sharfie and others…
Glad to hear your pup is doing much better on raw. I’m a firm believer as well- but with my senior dog 100% raw fed and my lack of desire to make my own, I just can’t afford the expense for a growing Great Dane pup. But I do hope to make the transition some day as I believe it’s what saved my former Dane life when I switched him to raw at 8.

In the meantime- wanted to share some info that might be helpful to there as they transition to new foods and/or have periods of loose stools not as a consequence of something more concerning. My Dane pup was having them as I transitioned him from Purina to a quality holistic food. My friend told me about Honest Kitchens Perfect Form herbal supplement and this stuff is amazing. It’s all natural, and I just add a little in with 2 of his meals each day (along with a probiotic) and now everything is looking good.

My next step is too hopefully transition him from kibble over the THK Love dehydrated raw.

[mah4angel]

Yes! I do believe that we are always reunited with those we love; animal and human. Whether it be in Heaven or in another lifetime, whatever you happen to believe in ^_^

There’s a whole forum topic dedicated to raw dog food menus here: /forums/topic/menus/. I’m totally no raw dog food genie haha and you can see all of my ramblings and questions on there and my current future recipe is the last comment on the thread hehe. I don’t have everything I need to actually feed him his raw diet yet so that’s why I’m not feeding him 100% raw as of yet but I will be soon!

Here is a thread for help with starting a dog on raw dog food: /forums/topic/help-with-starting-my-dog-on-a-raw-diet/ BUT it will take a few months to transition her all the way up the ladder to raw food, so I wouldn’t be super worried about it quite yet 😀 I think the most important thing is to just get her off of Science Diet food. And if you have any of the Science Diet left, PLEASE donate it to a local shelter! I know that Science Diet is not at all optimal for our wonderful furry friends but shelters need all that they can get 🙂

I also wanted to add something that I forgot to my original comment, which is to start feeding raw meaty bones and organ meat (livers, hearts, etc.) when she is fully transitioned to DNA (or another freeze or air-dried raw). RMB’s as we call them are GREAT for dental health! And it’ll be a great introduction to real, raw meat. Pork necks, chicken necks, ox tails, chicken backs, chicken feet, pork feet, etc. are all RMB’s (as opposed to recreational bones like thigh bones, etc.) that are recommended. And the organ meats will supply extra nutrients. Just make sure to freeze them for two weeks just to be on the safe side 🙂

RMB’s and organs (and any table scraps, etc.) should make up no more than 20% of her daily diet (because it will throw off the balance supplied in the pre-made food), so you’ll want to give her maybe one pork neck one day and maybe one chicken heart the next day, and so on and so forth. BUT like I said, this is all a long way off so I wouldn’t focus too much on this portion of the feeding.

In reality, the longest transition time will more than likely be right now, switching from Science Diet to whatever 4-star GRAIN-FREE food (totally forgot to mention that the four-star food should be grain-free) you choose, whether it be Nature’s Domain or something else. This is because her tummy isn’t used to the lack of grains. It’s almost like a detox process. So, that transition will most likely take the longest to complete; probably a month or so.

This is why adding fiber (with things like pureed pumpkin, hemp, chia, and flax seed, etc.) and probiotics/digestive enzymes (with things like yogurt, etc.) is important because it helps to nourish the balance of good and bad bacteria in the gut as well as balancing out any other digestive problems.

I’m trying to pack in a lot of information into one comment so that you won’t have to do too too much fishing for information. It’s stressful, I know! The most important thing is to just pull the trigger and do it. I second-guessed myself and I waited until I felt I had found the perfect food, but no food is 100% perfect. There is no supplementing a wolf’s primitive diet with just one food, try as we might hehe ^_^

[mah4angel]

Just thought I’d share, already posted this on my Multivitamin topic, but it’s more appropriate for this forum.
So here’s my recipe (I make eight batches for Louie right now and I will be continuing to do that, and adding a couple things every day so I’ll be able to mix it up and give him some variety)

Morning (recipe makes 8 meals, aside from the parts to be added on a daily basis):

4 patties / ~1.1 lbs / ~2 cups From the Heart whole grind (~0.1375 lbs / ~1/4 cup per serving)
2 cups XKALIBER blend (greentripe.com) (1/4 cup per serving)
1/2 650 mg capsule of Swanson’s glandular supplement (~40 mg per serving)
1 200 IU capsule of vitamin e (25 IU per serving)
1 1000 mg capsule of cod liver oil (125 mg per serving)
Rotating every day (adding to above recipe on a daily basis):
-1/2 tsp salmon oil
-1/2 tsp coconut oil
-1/2 tbsp flax seed
Rotating every day (adding on a daily basis):
-Dr. Harvey’s Multivitamin and Mineral Supplement
-Only Natural Pet Super Daily Greens

Evening:

RMB’s (rotating)

I’ve ordered the green tripe and am going shopping for the RMB’s tomorrow! Everything else is on its way here 🙂

[mah4angel]

Okay, changed some stuff again! Haha. I figured out the glandular supplement, and I decreased the amount of meat because I found an ounce to pound converter and he eats about half what I put down in the first place.

So here’s my recipe (I make eight batches for Louie right now and I will be continuing to do that, and adding a couple things every day so I’ll be able to mix it up and give him some variety)

Morning (recipe makes 8 meals, aside from the parts to be added on a daily basis):

4 patties / ~1.1 lbs / ~2 cups From the Heart whole grind (~0.1375 lbs / ~1/4 cup per serving)
2 cups XKALIBER blend (greentripe.com) (1/4 cup per serving)
1/2 650 mg capsule of Swanson’s glandular supplement (~40 mg per serving)
1 200 IU capsule of vitamin e (25 IU per serving)
1 1000 mg capsule of cod liver oil (125 mg per serving)
Rotating every day (adding to above recipe on a daily basis):
-1/2 tsp salmon oil
-1/2 tsp coconut oil
-1/2 tbsp flax seed
Rotating every day (adding on a daily basis):
-Dr. Harvey’s Multivitamin and Mineral Supplement
-Only Natural Pet Super Daily Greens

Evening:

RMB’s (rotating)

I’ve ordered the green tripe and am going shopping for the RMB’s tomorrow! Everything else is on its way here 🙂

[pugmomsandy]

Don’t be too mad at yourself. Who really knows anything about dog food or dog nutrition! You definitely don’t learn it in school and the vet definitely doesn’t teach you anything. They only only give you what they sell. Not all, some vets.

Any ingredient can be an allergen to your dog. It could be the corn or the animal protein or other ingredient. For grains, there is always a possibility of contamination with insects and molds and some grains have gluten which if your dog is sensitive or has developed a sensitivity to gluten, then you’ll need to take it out of his diet. If a dog eats the same food for so long, he can develop a sensitivity even though he might not have had a problem before.

Check out http://www.dogtorJ.com regarding gluten intolerance

Also in the other side of dogfoodadvisor in the Library, search for “grain” and some articles come up about some grain related diseases.

For kibble, it’s hard to say if any probiotics survive the kibble making process so I would suggest adding your own probiotic supplement which Dr Langers (as InkedMarie mentioned above) is on sale right now buy 1, get 1 at swansonvitamins.com!

Info on probiotics:

http://probiotics.mercola.com/probiotics-for-pets.html

Actually I have Mercola and Dr Langers probiotcs and Mercola digestive enzymes. I highly suggest both products (even if you only use them for a couple months) to get his digestive system/immune system on the right track. I give these to all my dogs and my 14 yr old fosters has great digestion/poop! And I just got him in late January at age 14.

Some of my other pug friends (which pugs can be an allergy prone breed) have had success with giving a colostrum supplement and a quercetin supplement for allergies.

You can also see other Dr Karen Becker videos on youtube or at the mercola.com site.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi londoncalling1996 –

That’s too bad your store didn’t carry any of the foods. 🙁 If you’re not opposed to online ordering there are many sites that sell a wider variety of foods than you could find in a store and they also typically have lower prices – most also offer free shipping with no weight limit when you spend a certain amount of money (usually orders over $49). I’d recommend checking out wag.com, chewy.com, petflow.com and naturalk9supplies.com. Also the new lists should give you many additional options to choose from.

I definitely feel that, if it’s financially feasible, non-dry foods should be fed as a sole diet or at least in addition to kibble. Dry food is actually the worst thing to feed a dog – however to to budget and time constraints it, understandably, comprises the bulk of most dog’s diets. I urge you to check out this article Dr. Marty Goldstein (one of my all time favorite veterinarians) posted on his blog, it ranks the different types of food from best to worst: drmarty.com/what-should-i-feed-my-pet-for-best-health/

If you add wet food you should count account for this in her daily food intake – just monitor her weight and if she’s gaining too much start feeding a little less. One of my all time favorite wet food toppers (especially for large breed puppies) is Tripett. I like Tripett for several reasons: 1) high protein/moderate fat/low carbohydrate (ideal); 2) it has a balanced calcium to phosphorus ratio but very low amounts of each, so it can effectively be used to lower the calcium to phosphorus ratio in any food fed to a large breed puppy without the risk of throwing off the balance and 3) dogs go absolutely nuts for it (people hate it – if you feed it you’ll see why – but they love it). The only thing I want to note with Tripett is that it’s not a complete and balanced food (it’s just canned green tripe) so if you do feed it make sure it doesn’t exceed 20% of the meal or you could throw off the nutritional balance. Some other more balanced canned foods that I like that could account for over 20% of the meal are: ZiwiPeak, Addiction, Nature’s Logic, Nature’s Variety Instinct and Merrick. Dr. Mike has a great compilation of high quality canned foods over on the review site as well. If you’re looking for a quality yet budget friendly canned food (canned food can be quite pricey, especially when feeding a large breed puppy) I’d recommend checking out 4Health (available at Tractor Supply, $0.99 per can), Pure Balance (available at Walmart, $1 per can), Kirkland Cuts in Gravy (available at Costco, $0.79 per can), Whole Earth Farms (available at many online retailers about $1.50 per can) – these foods are all 4 – 5 star quality. Some other toppers you could use are dehdyrated foods (i.e. The Honest Kitchen, Grandma Lucy’s, etc.) – these foods are about the same consistency as a stew type canned food when rehydrated, a balanced frozen or freeze-dried commercial raw food (freeze-dried rehydrates to canned food consistency) or fresh toppers such as sardines, eggs, plain yogurt or left over lean meat or steam veggies from your dinner.

Digestive aids aren’t necessary, but many feel they’re beneficial. Many of the regulars here supplement with probiotics and enzymes. I don’t supplement with either because my dogs eat a raw diet (naturally occurring enzymes) and consume raw green tripe (rich in enzymes and probiotics) and kefir (rich in probiotics) on a regular basis. If feeding cooked food only (like kibble and canned) I do feel that enzymes and probiotics can provide benefit.

[mah4angel]

Well, I think I’m going to try for this (updated a little bit after some research on my own):

Morning:
1/2 cup whole grind (rotating between protein sources)
1/2 cup XKALIBER green tripe grind (greentripe.com)
Alternating between Dr. Harvey’s and Only Natural Pet Super Daily Greens super food supplements (every other day)
Swanson’s glandular supplement (still not sure of the dosage nor how often to administer since it’s a human supplement)
1/8 capsule of 200 IU vitamin e (25 IU)
Rotating between salmon oil (1/2 tsp), coconut oil (1/2 tsp), and flax seed (1/2 tbsp)
1/8 1000 mg capsule of cod liver oil (125 mg)

Evening:
RMB’s (rotating)

I’ve already purchased everything except the green tripe, which I’ve already sent them an email about, and the RMB’s, which I’m still searching for locally.

I’m so excited!

[Hound Dog Mom]

Just because she’s allergic to chicken that shouldn’t mean that she’s allergic to all poultry. Many dogs are allergic to chicken and aren’t affected by duck, turkey, quail, etc. Some dogs that are allergic to chicken-based kibble can even eat raw chicken or chicken organs without issue. Unless your dog has shown a reaction to other poultry I wouldn’t rule them out as sources of protein. Ideally you want to be feeding an even mix of poultry and red meat. You can supplement with a small amount of fish oil daily or feed a fatty fish (such as sardines or wild salmon) for one or two meals a week. If you do find that you’re needing to avoid all poultry and only feed red meat you should add 1 tsp. hemp seed oil or walnut oil per pound of meat – these oils provide linoleic acid (a short chain omega 6 fatty acid) and alpha linolenic acid (a short chain omega 3 fatty acid) which red meats are deficient in.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 5 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.

[kcarter137]

I have been lurking around on a few of the “Raw Food” Forums and decided to do homemade-cooked food. I would do raw but my boyfriend has vetoed it (hopefully I can slowly incorporated some raw items without him knowing). I have Dr. Beckers book, I have read it a few times and understand that I am going to need to supplement her food due to lack of bones but still have some questions. We are going currently reintroducing foods after being on a elimination diet of pork and sweet potatoes for the last few months due to her allergies. So far we have discovered she is allergic to rice and chicken. She can have fish. I still have a few more weeks of reintroducing items. I know the rice irrelevant. The dermatologist she’s seeing said that if she is allergic to chicken then she cannot have any “feathered” protein.
Does anyone have any experience with this?
Will I need to supplement her feed with anything to make up for the lack of “feathered protein”?

[mah4angel]

Okay! And the cod liver oil would not supplement the omega-3’s, correct (I believe you said before that in order to get enough omega-3’s through cod liver oil, you’d be getting excessive amounts of vitamin a and d)? I actually am going to try to go the non-supplement route especially considering I have a ton of flax seed that I bought at Costco that is a possible source of manganese if I supplement with it correctly, and because I just think it’s an all-around better option for my Louie.

SO I’m wondering if this will work for the morning:
1/2 cup whole grind (rotating between protein sources)
1/2 cup XKALIBER green tripe grind (greentripe.com)
Alternating between Dr. Harvey’s and Daily Greens super food supplements
Swanson’s glandular supplement (not sure of the dosage since it’s a human supplement)
1/8 capsule of 200 IU vitamin e (25 IU)
Salmon oil (should I give this daily or maybe alternate between this and ground flax seed/others nuts and seeds?)
Daily cod liver oil (not sure how much to give my 10 pound dog – I know you give your babies one 1.000 mg capsule)

I was also looking at urinary tract boosters because Louie apparently has crystals in his urine and a much higher risk for UTI’s and kidney/bladder stones.

I feel so close to getting this down AH 🙂

[Hound Dog Mom]

Looks good! 🙂 With the multi all your bases should be covered. You could add small amounts of fruits/veggies, dairy or eggs a few times a week if you wanted (although it wouldn’t be necessary with the multi and green food supplement). The coconut oil definitely won’t throw anything off – my dogs get coconut oil daily. If you didn’t want to go the multi route – supplementing with e, giving a capsule of cod liver oil daily or tinned sardines once or twice a week and giving some ground nuts/seeds a few times a week would probably create a fairly balanced recipe, given you’ll be rotating protein sources frequently. It definitely is possible to balance a recipe using whole foods, I just suggest s multi in the even someone doesn’t want to go through the hassle. If you do want to go the multi route (and you probably could get away with just adding the multi every other day) some reasonably priced multivitamins that would work – Twinlab Daily One or Duel Tabs, NOW Foods Liquid Multi Gels, Swanson also has a daily multi.

[mah4angel]

Hello all!

So I decided to create a separate topic here on the supplements forum specifically to ask for suggestions for a cheap human multi with no calcium that would be safe/acceptable for dogs. I’m working on getting my Louie on a 100% raw diet but HDM pointed out that the recipe I have will be deficient in certain vitamins (d and e) and minerals (manganese) so I’d like to supplement with a multi. Here’s what I plan on feeding:

Morning:
1/2 cup whole grind (rotating between protain sources)
1/2 cup XKALIBER green tripe grind (greentripe.com)
Alternating between Dr. Harvey’s and Daily Greens super food supplements
Swanson’s glandular supplement
Omega-3 source (salmon oil, whole sardines, etc.)
No-calcium multi
Possibly organic virgin coconut oil if it doesn’t throw everything off

Evenings:
RMB’s

I don’t know that this is adequate but, it’s what I’ve got so far 😀

[mah4angel]

What exactly is coconut oil used for in regards to doggie supplementation? I know coconut oil is great for soooooo many things for us two-legged folk (when ingested it helps curb appetite, works to heal the skin, hair and nails from the inside out, etc.) so I’m sure there are many benefits to using coconut oil in our dog’s food as well 🙂

[Mom2Cavs]

dowsky, Dinovite comes with an omega oil supplement…either chicken fat or fish oil can be chosen when you order. I like Nature’s Variety Instinct, Earthborn or Acana/Orijen.

[Michelle]

I think this is what I’m going to feed for now…I may try making homemade raw for them again in the future…just need to figure out all the nutrients (I have the NRC numbers) and sometimes it just makes my head hurt. So, Hound Dog Mom…do I need to supplement at all do you think?
Sun: 2.5 cups Acana Pacifica 11 oz Pork
Mon: 2.5 cups Acana Pacifica 12 oz Pollock
Tues: 35 oz Turkey thigh, 1 apple, 3 oz green beans, the ‘balanced recipe’ also includes some lentils, sweet potatoes, rice or barley and green peas
Wed: Premade Raw
Thurs: 35 oz Turkey thigh and the veggie mix again
Fri: Big Dog Natural dehydrated – the tripe mixture
Sat: 2.5 cups Acana Pacifica 11 oz Beef
Also per week 9 eggs, 3 cans sardines, 3 oz canned salmon, 1.5 oz liver, 2.6 oz heart, 4.6 oz kidney and 400 iu of vit e.

[Hound Dog Mom]

I would look for a C supplement that includes bioflavanoids – quercitin is known to be particularly helpful for allergies.

[cearaandtroy]

Thank you both! I have been trying the past couple days. The day before I started I gave him about 1/4 of a pound of lean ground beef just to get him excited and he gobbled it up so I was hopeful. I bought chicken leg quarters for him to start with and natures balance limited ingredient venison and sweet potato food just to supplement with while I was getting the hang of feeding raw. My problem now is, he won’t eat. He hasn’t eaten in a day and a half, I tried a chicken leg quarter and he licked it and half heartedly gnawed on it for a couple minutes, then left it alone. I tried keeping him interested but figured he just wasn’t hungry, because he seemed to like the taste by the way he was licking it. But he also hasn’t touched any of his kibble, though I think he likes it, because if I offer a piece as a treat he is very excited! I guess he is fasting himself because I left the kibble out all this time and it’s untouched. But it worries me. He’s a year old, is this normal? Should I try the raw chicken again? I was thinking of keeping ALL food away from him until he was actually hungry, then offering the leg quarter to him, but that’s hard to do when you live with your mother in law, and her dogs eat beneful, or when your toddler sneaks bites of pizza to your pup.

Basically, I need help with ideas on how to get him interested in the chicken leg! I really want to do this raw diet, but right now I’m feeling a little let down. I know it’s made to taste good to them, but I wish he would at least eat the natural balance over beneful or science diet!

[Pugsonraw]

One of the regular posters on DFA had posted something about using pumpkin seed oil for their dogs as a supplement.

I’m trying to remember who uses it…..

I’ve been looking into using it….and found a company that makes both camelina and pumpkin seed oil.

I want to try them out…..if anyone has used these please let me know what brand/company you use.

Thanks….Dawn aka PugsonRaw

[mah4angel]

What multivitamin would you recommend, HDM? I found this one: http://www.swansonvitamins.com/natures-answer-multiple-vitamins-8-fl-oz-liquid and I like that it’s liquid and that it has no calcium. And I also found this glandular supplement: https://www.swansonvitamins.com/natural-sources-raw-multiple-60-caps
Is there anything store bought that you personally recommend for supplementation? Especially a multi?

[BlackAndTan]

Hi everyone,

I sent a question through the website about a week ago and got the same error message.
Today I got a very involved reply. Quite appreciated.
Here it is if anyone’s interested (on the topic of protein cycling)

Cheers

——— message below —-
I am glad your boy is doing well on Canine Caviar!
Protein rotation is beneficial, there really is not a wrong way to do
it. It does not have to be done daily, it can be monthly or quarterly.
I personally feed a different kibble protein source each time a new bag
is needed and rotate thru the cans the same way.
When mixing cans with the kibble, keep in mind our cans are pure protein
and should be used as a supplement only. A dogs system can typically
utilize up to 35% of their intake as protein. Anymore than that can
lead to health issues like pancreatitis. If you are feeding more than a
few spoons of Canine Caviar canned food at a time, you will need to
reduce the amount of kibble you are feeding by the same amount, 1/2 cup
can would mean 1/2 cup less kibble. If you want him to reduce his
weight a bit, you can also supplement with our Synergy mix. It is a
dehydrated vegetable mix that will add more volume to his meal without
the added protein and calories.
Please feel free to contact me with any additional questions.
Thank you,
Julie

Julie Campbell
Canine Caviar Pet Foods, Inc
4131 Tigris Way
Riverside, Ca 92503
Phone 714-223-1800
Fax 714-223-1801
email [email protected]
http://www.caninecaviar.com

[pugmomsandy]

I use something like that called Flea Free Supplement. It’s vinegar, garlic, and some herbs. And I just bought some Bug Off tablets. Of course, not using both at the same time.

[Hershy]

Hello, again, HDM,
Still searching for the best food to meet quality for a price I can afford. Have ruled out the Kirkland-wasn’t happy with many reviews I read. Wellness Core Puppy is on your list of favorite foods in the “grain free” list.
Do you know yet if Wellness Large Breed Puppy will be on your Grain inclusive list? Calcium (min) is nice and low. I’m leaning toward this one for now. Also wondered what the asterisk comment means relating to food quality. “Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO…” – do they mean these ingredients are of no benefit for the puppy, and a waste to add, or maybe amount of it not enough of to do the job? I realize they are not the bare bones nutrients a dog needs, but why do they put this on the bag? Seems the comment would be more useful on the bag that does NOT have these ingredients? ; ). I think I’m giving this way too much thought..

Ingredients:
Deboned Chicken, Deboned Whitefish, Chicken Meal, Oatmeal, Ground Peas, Ground Barley, Ground Brown Rice, Salmon Meal (a natural source of DHA-Docosahexaenoic Acid), Tomato Pomace, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a natural source of Vitamin E), Tomatoes, Natural Chicken Flavor, Ground Flaxseed, Salmon Oil (a natural source of DHA – Docosahexaenoic Acid), Carrots, Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, Apples, Blueberries, Salt, Minerals [Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite], Vitamins [Beta-Carotene, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid (Vitamin C), Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement], Choline Chloride, Taurine, Chicory Root Extract, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Mixed Tocopherols (a natural preservative), Dried Lactobacillus plantarum, Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacillus casei, Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation products
Guaranteed Analysis:

Crude Protein (min.) 26.0%, Crude Fat (min.) 12.0%, Crude Fiber (max.) 4.5%, Moisture (max.) 11.0%, Calcium (min.) 1.0%, Phosphorus (min.) .90%, Vitamin E (min.) 150IU, Omega 6* (min.) 2.5%, Omega 3* (min.) .50%, DHA .137#37;, Beta-Carotene* (min.) 5 mg/kg, Lycopene* (min.) .25 mg/kg, Taurine* (min.) .09%, Total Micro-Organisms* (min.) 20,000,000 CFU/lb. *Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles.

Thanks!

• This reply was modified 12 years, 5 months ago by Hershy.
• This reply was modified 12 years, 5 months ago by Hershy.

[dowsky]

you may want to supplement with fish oil.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi glavoie –

You can give up to 1/2 tsp. per 10 lbs. of coconut oil – I’ll give my girls (around 70 lbs.) up to a tablespoon a day. I’d recommend starting with 1/4 tsp. per 10 lbs. and working up.

Probiotics generally come in powder filled capsules or powder. If you get capsules just open the capsule and mix it into the food. If you’re using a supplement designed for pets there will be dosing instructions on the container. If using a human supplement go by the general guideline of 1/4 the recommended human dose for dogs up to 25 lbs.; 1/2 the recommended human dosage for dogs 25 – 50 lbs.; 3/4 the recommended human dosage for dogs 75 – 100 lbs.; recommended human dosage for dogs over 100 lbs. You don’t have to stress too much about getting the dosage exact as probiotics won’t be harmful if you accidentally give too much. I don’t give my dogs supplemental probiotics – they get 1/4 C. organic whole milk kefir daily and raw green tripe three days per week, both are naturally rich in probiotics.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 5 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.

[somebodysme]

Isn’t that sarcoptic mange? It didn’t spread to you? I kind to thought that if she had that, then I’d have it too? I suppose it could be. The patches that pop up are red and inflamed looking, go away in a couple days…she is then left with a gray skin patch but there isn’t irritation on the skin anymore. Is that the sort of rash it would cause? Also, her back doesn’t itch. That’s one reason I thought maybe it was demodex because supposedly demodex doesn’t itch but sarcoptic mange does itch.

I’m really beginning to think that it was something that she had eaten that caused that to come up and get inflamed. It is all fading away now and she is on nothing but her food (NV LID Turkey) and a probiotic. All treats are just her kibble and no other supposedly LID treats anymore. No other supplements. There was a treat I’d bought that sounded like she shouldn’t have any problems with it..sweet potatoes and turkey and very little else but I do believe that was what she was allergic to. I think she’s allergic to sweet potatoes and white potatoes. I won’t know until I can add one new thing at a time though.

Thanks for that suggestion though, if it doesn’t go away I’ll ask the vet about that for sure!

• This reply was modified 12 years, 5 months ago by somebodysme.

[Hershy]

Thank you, HDM!
All was very helpful – I really appreciate your feedback on the dog foods, and also, the calculations for figuring the grams per 1000Kcal. I couldn’t get my head around it, but now I’m back, thanks to your detailed lesson. : ). I’ll keep reading. So many very interesting and helpful posts. I’m sure I’ll be back with other questions, too, particularly regarding the raw food diet. I was feeding my 4 big dogs a raw diet before Charlotte was bred. Also giving them a daily vitamin supplement tablet (which was most likely not the best form of those vitamins and minerals…and maybe I didn’t even need it) I have a lot to learn about it, but I’m thinking that what they were getting was WAY better than the processed foods available. I stopped at the time of pregnancy due to lack of confidence for what gestating pups should get, as well as the lack of time to prepare it. My dogs ate as well as we did at that time. I had fun shopping for bargains – only buying proteins I could find for less than $1/lb. I was surprised at how often those were available so I could stock up : ). But that is another topic and another forum… so finding the best kibble I can is very important to me for my guy and gals.

Thanks, again-

[kateagray]

Hi!

I’ve been posting in different threads with questions on different dog foods/supplements and then just realized…HELLO…there are forums on this website as well, thanks to Inkedmarie who suggested I check out a sub forum with different dog foods that were grain free with no potatoes. Thanks! I’ve decided to send my question out forum wise instead of post wise so I can keep better track of the advice that I am receiving.

Here is my dilemma:

In 2006 I took Nikki, my 13 year old Miniature Schnzauzer in for allergy testing – she is allergic to pretty much everything environmental is what I found out. She was on a duck and potato formula then. She had a couple of bouts of pancreatitis due to some pain medication she was prescribed for something else and then because someone in my family was naughty an fed her some sausage. My vet put her on a prescription diet of Purina HA. I believe that my vet is being super cautious as schnauzers are prone to bladder stones, pancreatitis/hyperlipidemia, and hypothyroidism. Nikki seems to do ok on this dog food, which I get but every time I ask her for an alternative she says absolutely not this is the only dog food she can tolerate. I don’t like that answer. There has to be alternatives.

I called them back recently and got a different vet in her practice – my regular vet is out for a time due to sick family member, and he couldn’t figure out why Nikki was on this dog food. He thinks it’s because of the food allergies. I ask him what food allergies and he can’t answer me. I thought she was on this food due to a sensitive stomach. So, I’m confused. I was also told to give her rice cakes as treats and tofu to give her any medications so that is all she has been getting. She can’t eat anything other than that is what she tells me and she pushes low protein which I’ve been reading may not be the answer. She’s been on this prescription diet for a few years and everything I’m reading now says that it might not be good to have a dog on that diet for so long. She’s been on and off antibiotics, anti bacterial pills, temaril p for years to help with her allergies and yeast infections. Nothing really seems to help and I’m worried I’ve just completely ruined her system with years of this. Purina HA has a low protein (18%) and fat content (8%) with hydrolyzed protein of soy. I honestly feel I can do better by her with a different dog food.

About a year ago Nikki was diagnosed with Melanoma. A tumor on the pad of her paw that was removed (but not a clean removal). She has been taking the Melanoma Vaccine every 6 months. The cancer does not look to have come back so far. (knock on wood) She also has gallstones that don’t seem to bother her but do show up in x-rays. She has a heart murmur and Also, on her last urinalysis I was told there was protein in her urine. We did a protein/creatinene ratio and it came back ok, so I’m told I don’t need to worry about that right now.

I’ve been researching dog food and supplements now for about 2 weeks and am now more confused than before. I purchased a probiotic from Nusentia (waiting to get it in the mail) that supposedly should help with her yeast issues and possibly allergies.

Do I stay with her current food and just give supplements or do I completely switch foods over (slowly)?

She’s 13 years old with a lot of health issues – I don’t want to rock the boat, but I also want to do my due diligence in finding her something to make her healthy and happy for the remainder of her life.

Thanks in advance for any info you can provide. I may have left some things out and if so, I’d be happy to clarify.

Kate

[Codybean]

Hi, As a fellow dog lover, I wanted to let you know about Hubrihound. 🙂 Hubrihound is an all natural supplement for canine arthritis & hip dysplasia. It has really helped my dog, as he has a lot more pep in his step! 🙂 Hubrihound uses NZ Green Lipped Mussel as our main active ingredient. This ingredient helps to relieve inflammation and repair damaged joints. Green lipped mussel also helps to thicken the synovial fluid that helps keep joints (within people and animals) lubricated. In addition to green lipped mussel, Hubrihound has a unique synergistic blend of glucosamine, Vitamin E, and hand harvested sun dried Kelp found in the waters of NZ, that also contributes to the efficiency of Hubrihound. You can learn more about it at http://www.hubrihound.com. Feel free to email me at [email protected], with any questions at all. Thanks so much! 🙂

[Codybean]

Hi, As a fellow dog lover, I wanted to let you know about Hubrihound. 🙂 Hubrihound is an all natural supplement for canine arthritis & hip dysplasia. It really helped my dog. 🙂 Hubrihound uses NZ Green Lipped Mussel as our main active ingredient. This ingredient helps to relieve inflammation and repair damaged joints. Green lipped mussel also helps to thicken the synovial fluid that helps keep joints (within people and animals) lubricated. In addition to green lipped mussel, Hubrihound has a unique synergistic blend of glucosamine, Vitamin E, and hand harvested sun dried Kelp found in the waters of NZ, that also contributes to the efficiency of Hubrihound. You can learn more about it at http://www.hubrihound.com. Feel free to email me at [email protected], with any questions at all. Thanks so much! 🙂

[Codybean]

Hi, As a fellow dog lover, I wanted to let you know about Hubrihound. 🙂 Hubrihound is an all natural supplement for canine arthritis & hip dysplasia. It really helped my dog & he loves it, as its beef flavored. 🙂 Hubrihound uses NZ Green Lipped Mussel as our main active ingredient. This ingredient helps to relieve inflammation and repair damaged joints. Green lipped mussel also helps to thicken the synovial fluid that helps keep joints (within people and animals) lubricated. In addition to green lipped mussel, Hubrihound has a unique synergistic blend of glucosamine, Vitamin E, and hand harvested sun dried Kelp found in the waters of NZ, that also contributes to the efficiency of Hubrihound. You can learn more about it at http://www.hubrihound.com. Feel free to email me at [email protected], with any questions at all. Thanks so much! 🙂

[Codybean]

Hi Husky Mom 9710. As a fellow dog lover, I wanted to let you know about Hubrihound. Hubrihound really helped my dog. :). Hubrihound is an all natural supplement for canine arthritis & hip dysplasia. Hubrihound uses NZ Green Lipped Mussel as our main active ingredient. This ingredient helps to relieve inflammation and repair damaged joints. Green lipped mussel also helps to thicken the synovial fluid that helps keep joints (within people and animals) lubricated. In addition to green lipped mussel, Hubrihound has a unique synergistic blend of glucosamine, Vitamin E, and hand harvested sun dried Kelp found in the waters of NZ, that also contributes to the efficiency of Hubrihound. You can learn more about it at http://www.hubrihound.com. Feel free to email me at [email protected], with any questions at all. Thanks so much! 🙂

[EHubbman]

Wow! Thank you! I had always grown up hearing that the large breed pups shouldn’t get it supplemented by food till they were well and grown. I really appreciate the information. In that same vein, do you think dried trachea is a good treat for my little guy? I was holding off on it because I didn’t want to get him too much glucosamine.

[somebodysme]

I’d like to know if this sounds familiar to anyone…I’m pulling my hair out trying to figure out dog allergies. Back history story. My dog had all the classic allergy symptoms of watering eyes, gunky ears, scratching her ribs, gnawing the knees, inflamed elbows and of course infected paws, and this odd rash on her back at the approximate spot of the Frontline application . We had our vet visit and was given an antibiotic shot and cortisone shot and then pills to follow up with and the infected feet healed up and the scratching went away etc…but the odd rash on her back pretty much stayed the same. In the mean time, we were told to change her diet so I researched and ended up with Nature’s Variety LID Turkey and all seemed well…the rash started going away and all of her allergy symptoms are now gone except for that back rash. All of a sudden, the rash has begun to come back. Let me describe it…It is in anywhere from dime to quarter sized bald spots with red skin..the red skin will then go away and the skin will turn gray with no apparent irritation…the hair doesn’t seem to want to grow back in those gray rash spots. When she was at the vet, the vet had just lumped the rash in with allergies. He even did a scraping for demodex which none was found. At first I thought it was from an application of Frontline as that is when it all started…but it has been over two months since she’s had frontline(MANY baths later) and the rash is still there and now is popping back up, yesterday she had two new rash spot pop up! She has been on NV food for about three weeks and rash just started back a few days ago. She is on nothing but NV and a probiotic. I have taken her off of everything trying to make sure it’s not a supplement or vitamin. What I can’t figure out is all the other allergy symptoms have vanished but this back rash is now coming back with a vengeance! Does this sound familiar to anyone? Maybe ringworm or some other non-food allergy related rash? HELP!!!! Would it make sense that all the other symptoms went away but this other symptom of food allergies came back? To me it doesn’t!

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hey EHubbman –

Glucosamine and chondroitin are fine for puppies. A dog’s natural diet (raw) would be very rich in glucosamine and chondroitin as cartilage and bones contain high levels. Dogs foods, even those with added glucosamine and chondroitin, don’t contain enough to say so – so I wouldn’t worry about it’s presence in a kibbled dog food.

I have not been able to find any evidence suggesting that supplementing a large breed puppy’s diet with glucosamine can be harmful, however I don’t believe it to be necessary either. My two get lots of RMB’s so I know their diet is rich in glucosamine and chondroitin – I probably won’t add any supplements until they’re seniors. I do, however, typically recommend that large and giant breed dogs eating processed foods receive supplemental glucosamine and chondroitin (or whole foods providing these nutrients) starting between 1 and 2 years of age (when they’re young it can be a low dose, just for maintenance).

This is an excerpt from an article about large and giant breed puppy nutrition written by integrative veterinarian Dr. Susan Wynn:

“There are no studies so far that indicate whether it is effective or harmful to supplement with glucosamine to large breed puppies because of their risk of DOD. In general, I wait until I recognize a risk factor in a dog.”

[EHubbman]

Newfs – I’m not so good with picking foods, I know my guy is on Nature’s Variety Instinct rabbit/LID Turkey and is doing great. I’ve heard good things about the Fromm Gold.

I do know, though, that you need to avoid puppy foods that have glucosamine in them. You don’t want to supplement puppies with glucosamine, as it can hinder natural joint growth.

[Newfs]

Hi,
once again would like to ask for help in choosing food for my 3.5 month Newfoundland from food available in Poland: Fromm Gold http://frommfamily.com/products/gold/dog/dry/large-breed-puppy-gold or Husse http://www.husse.co.uk/dog-food-products/dry-food-for-dogs/?product=110 or Enova http://www.enovapetfood.com/photoVideoGallery.aspx?cid=4680&mid=18452 or
Enova ADULT Breeders BAG GRAIN-FREE SIMPLE!
Complete food without cereal with fresh chicken meat. It can be administered to dogs from 2 months to 7 years old.
food without grains
addition of fresh chicken meat (min. 20%)
contains glucosamine and chondroitin supplement
Ingredients: dried chicken meat (min. 23.3%), fresh chicken meat (min. 20%), potato flour, dried green peas, chicken fat, dried beet pulp, flaxseed, dried egg protein hydrolyzate, dried yeast, fish oil, dried carrots, dried tomato puree, dried seaweed, sodium chloride, glucosamine, chondroitin.
Analytical constituents: crude protein – 31.5%, oils and fats – 19.5%, crude fiber – 3,5%, crude ash – 6,5%, calcium – 1.25%, phosphorus – 0.95% , moisture – 10.0%.
Extras: antioxidants. Dietary supplements in 1 kg of feed: Vitamin A – 15,000 IU Vitamin D3 – 1200 IU Vitamin E – 150 mg Copper (as copper sulphate pentahydrate) – 10 mg.
Analysis
protein: 31.5%
fat: 19.5%
Crude fiber 3.5%
ash 6.5%
humidity 10.0%
omega – 6 2.7%
Chondroitin 250 mg / kg
calcium 1.25%
phosphorus 1.0% – 0.95%
copper 10 mg / kg
selenium 0.2 mg / kg
iodine 2 mg / kg
Vitamin A 15,000 IU / kg
Vitamin D3 1200 IU / kg
Vitamin E 150 IU / kg
Niacin 135 mg / kg
I know that these food contain corn, but such are available in Poland as normal, not a cosmic price :/
Greetings

[marmarx89]

I’ve been wanting to start my Louie on a raw diet for awhile, he has been on kibble and his stools have always been soft and I just didn’t feel like he was getting the best nutrition possible. I’ve been reading so much on feeding raw and all the benefits and I’m so excited to start it with him. I originally was going to feed commercial frozen raw, I bought a bag of the Primal Venison nuggets, but with his size (58.5lbs) he would go through 3 bags a week of that stuff ($90/week). So I started researching the Raw Prey Model and that seemed more feasible. Ive just started shopping around for everything, but I had a couple of questions I was hoping to run by you guys. I think I may have spent a little too much time creeping on here already, I feel like I already know everyone and their dogs haha. Anyway, I was wondering first how long you freeze your meats when you buy them in the store. I read that for the pork it has to be for at least 2 weeks but what about other meats? Also, in terms of adding the vitamins and supplements is that a necessity or just depends on what you like to feed? Im thinking of including some vegetables to his diet, do they have to be cooked first and pureed? or are raw vegetables allowed. Finally, the addition of vitamins/minerals that some people include in their diets are those something that I should definitely be including because of this type of diet or its just more a personal preference type of thing. Thanks in advance for any answers.

[Shihtzumom20]

Hi Hound Dog Mom,
I see what you mean about the Greens supplement now, I will just use a regular human multi vitamin. So here is my “meal plan” so lets see how close to right I get it, Lol!
am- Ziwipeak Daily Dog air dried cuisine-Lamb

pm- (I would make up a batch of a pound then divide it into his appropriate meal size)
– 1Ib boneless lean ground meat (chicken, beef, or pork) could I also use chunks for his size?
– 1/4 Ib vegetables, cooked and pureed… perhaps I could use organic baby food? To see if he will even eat any “slop” veggies?
– daily 1/4 tab multi-vit without calcium
-800mg calcium
– krill oil or another fish oil or sardines whatever I feel like that day lol.
– Swansons Glandular supplement, 3x a week or daily?
-Swansons Fruit concentrate, daily? or 3x a week?
How is that looking? Then I may need to add in the fiber, he does already get 1 tablespoon or so plain natural yogurt with his evening meal as his BM’s were fairly mushy on the Grandma Lucy’s Artisan. Speaking of that I guess I will use my leftovers as a kong stuffer or a quick meal… maybe give it a couple times a week in the am instead of his ziwi till its gone. He likes it well enough and I feel ok about it, but I would like it more if it didnt show up in his poop so much looking the same way it went in! Oh and maybe add some garlic into his meal… Does anyone know where I can get the Bugs Off Garlic in Canada? I looked on the website but it wouldnt ship to Canada at least when I last checked.
I completely agree, you are so patient with is newbies Hound Dog Mom, all your advice and time is greatly appreciated!

[bomashisha]

I have been feeding my lab Muenster Dry Dog Food for several years with no problem. He recently developed allergies and even though we are not sure they are caused by his diet, we decided to change to Nature’s Variety Instinct Chicken Kibble. Everything was going along fine for a few days but now his elimination habits have drastically changed. He used to go to the bathroom twice a day, once after breakfast and once after dinner when I take him for his walk. For the last week, he is just about stopped going to the bathroom after breakfast. He continues to go to the bathroom during his walk for the most part, but occasionally, he doesn’t eliminate until later on in the night. Also, he has way more flatulence than previously and it has a very noticeable odor. I am not sure if just feeding the kibble is what is causing the problem since it appears there is very little fiber in it. What do you all recommend as a supplement to the kibble? Thank you.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Cod liver oil is lower in omega 3’s than most other oils and in order to supply enough cod liver oil to give adequate amounts of omega 3’s you probably end up with excessive levels of vitamin a and d. I give each of my dogs a 1,000 mg. capsule of Carlson brand cod liver oil daily (provides 250 IU vitamin D, 2,000 IU vitamin A and 240 mg. omega 3’s). Dogs should receive about 2.3 mg. manganese for every pound of food they eat on a dry matter basis (so for a raw food which is high in moisture this would equate to about 0.6 mg. per pound fed). Ground flax has 0.2 mg. per tbs. Some other foods rich in manganese pecans, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds and oysters. I would say that, yes, a human multivitamin should have adequate levels of vitamin e. I would make sure your dog is getting around 50 IU per 25 lbs. (the minimum dietary requirement is lower than thus but vitamin e requirements increase with omega 3 supplementation and it it has antioxidant benefits so for this reason I think it’s important to give a little more).

[mah4angel]

Okay!

Would cod liver oil supply enough omega-3’s to replace something like a salmon oil so that I can kill two birds with one stone? I know that the whole sardines would be high in omega-3’s but I’m not sure that cod liver oil would be acceptable. Would flax seed be high enough is manganese (I have a lot of flax seed here lol)? How much manganese should I supplement? Would the human multivitamin supply enough vitamin E (obviously there are a million human multi’s and you can’t know for sure, but, just in general)?

I’m up to here with my menu. This is all assuming all of my questions are answered with a “yes”:

1/2 cup raw whole grind (alternating between protein sources)
1/2 cup XKALIBER grind (greentripe.com)
1/4 capsule of a no-calcium human multi
1/2 tbsp flax seed (this is what I’m currently giving, I don’t know that this is adequate, too little or too much)
Alternate between Dr. Harvey’s and Daily Greens
Alternating between cod liver oil and whole sardines
Swanson’s glandular supplement (assuming my grind happens to not include glands)

[Hound Dog Mom]

hi mah4angel –

I have read mixed things about the safety of stevia for dogs and I personally would not risk feeding a stevia-containing product to any of my crew.

The Dr. Harvey’s supplement doesn’t contain vitamins and minerals so it wouldn’t take the place of a multivitamin. It’s a whole food supplement that will contain some trace nutrients and immune boosters.

Looking at what you plan on feeding I would recommend adding a multi – what’s standing out to me right off it that it would be deficient in vitamin d, vitamin e and probably manganese or you would want to add whole foods that would supply these nutrients. Dairy, raw sardines and cod liver oil are high in vitamin d. Nuts and seeds are high in manganese. Wheat germ oil, certain nuts and seeds and some cage free eggs are rich in vitamin e but I personally prefer supplementing with this vitamin to ensure adequate amounts.

[pugmomsandy]

HDM uses Swanson’s glandulars and so far I’ve used Pet GO. It is made up of body glands that aren’t normally available at the store. If you feed a whole prey then you would get these glands. I just give intermittenly, like all the other supplements.

http://mypetsfriend.com/pet-go.html

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/natural-sources-raw-multiple-60-caps

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Shihtzumom –

Unfortunately that supplement wouldn’t be safe for a dog. It contains green tea extract which contains caffeine, caffeine is toxic to dogs – this was actually the main reason I asked for the ingredients list, most “green” supplements for humans contain green tea extract. It also contains grape extract – grapes are toxic to dogs (grape seed extract is okay though).

If you’re feeding an unbalanced diet and want some extra nutritional assurance I’d go with a basic one a day type human multi that has no calcium or that is low in calcium (<5% dv) so you don’t throw of the calcium to phosphorus ratio of the meal. For a small dog I’d give just 1/4 of a human tablet. No, the green supplement I have posted wouldn’t be a substitute for a multi, it will however provide trace nutrients and immune boosting effects and would be great to give in addition to a multi. You could use the glandular supplement as well – you can give this as daily if you want or just a few times a week (my dogs get a capsule of a glandular three days per week).

[mah4angel]

Yeah, when I was lying in bed after doing my research on the vitamins I was thinking of alternating between the two supplements for variety. I just wasn’t sure if that would a good balance over time so yay 🙂
I actually only feed once a day because it’s easier on me (because, again, I’m lazy haha) so I would probably alternate every day or every other day.
What glandular supplement is recommended? I’ve seen a few mentioned, but I’m not 100% sure where lol. How would I include a glandular supplement (every day, every other day) and would that be something else to alternate between multiple formulas? Also, what does a glandular supplement consist of? And, what does it do, exactly (I’m thinking it supports the body’s glands but that’s a tiny bit vague lol)?

[pugmomsandy]

Actually I alternate the green supplement. I’ll use Dr Harvey’s in one batch, then ONP Super Daily Greens the next batch. Just like rotating foods. Remember, “balance over time”. I just noticed the Young Again supplement when the review came out for the food so I might try that in the future. I like the fact that Dr Harvey’s has herbs/botanicals and bee pollen (which I have bee pollen anyways) but it doesn’t appear to have all the crucifers like ONP Super Daily Greens (which I don’t want to feed crucifers everday). So a balance for me is to alternate those. I could even make a batch of food and use one supp on half and one supp on the other half so that they are alternating with each feed. It’s totally customizable.

And if you’re making a homamade veggie/fruit mix, don’t use foods from the broccoli family everytime. (broccoli, kale, cabbage, etc)

On your menu above, you could also offer a glandular supplement.

[mah4angel]

Also, the Young Again supplement specifically states not to supplement with anything else.

Also, should I be adding anything to the future menu? Is it missing anything essential? I’m sure it’s missing some vitamins and minerals.
1/2 cup raw whole grind (alternating between chicken, beef, pork, etc.)
1/2 cup XKALIBER green tripe grind (greentripe.com)
Some sort of fruit/vegetable supplement (for antioxidants and vitamins)
Some sort of omega-3 supplement (fish oil, whole fish, etc.)
RMB’s

[mah4angel]

Do you think Dr. Harvey’s would be the best of both worlds as far as supplementation? It has both vitamins and super foods, whereas as the Young Again has more vitamins and the Daily Greens has more super foods.
Because I’ll be adding green tripe into his diet (within the next week, hopefully), it seems that he won’t really need the added probiotics, enzymes, or fiber that the Young Again product offers.
The Daily Greens is essentially what I was looking for but now I’m wondering if that’ll all be enough or if I would also need to add a multivitamin or something. AH idk 🙁

[pugmomsandy]

Here is a raw food supplement. Comes with calcium or without.

http://youngagainpetfood.com/10browse.asp?category=raws&ProductCode=92220

And I use this green product sometimes:

Natural Dog Supplements & Vitamins

and also Dr. Harvey’s http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/products/Dr-Harveys-MultiVitamin-Mineral-Herbal-Supplement/269030.aspx

Stevia being plant derived would be ok in moderation of course, just like using honey.