[Cannoli]

Or better yet have your vet do blood tests. I get blood tests done once a year and my doctor tells me what vitamins I am lacking in. So I then research the whole foods that have those vitamins and immediately add them to my diet.

We should do the same with our pets before we just start throwing supplements at them.

[anonymously]

A lot of small breed dogs develop a heart murmur as they age, often the condition is benign.
Unless your vet recommends medication or a specific supplement, I wouldn’t add anything.
Maybe a fish oil supplement once a day.
Remember supplements are not medication, and sometimes they can cause harm.
Google SkeptVet and check out his blog on supplements.

[Cannoli]

Human supplements are not regulated by the FDA and over 60% of human supplements ingredients are grossly mislabeled on purpose.

Imagine how much worse dog supplements are..stay far away from them…Unless the company can provide you with DNA testing to verify what indeed is in their supplements.

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

[losul]

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

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

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

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

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

best wishes too your family.

[veronika w]

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

[Bev A]

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

[Naturella]

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

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

[Silvia H]

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

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

2) Medication:
– Hydroxide aluminum;
– Amlodipin.

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

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

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

4) Supplements:
– Salmon oil: 5ml/day

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

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

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

[Pitlove]

Marie-

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

[Jo K]

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

[gina w]

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

[Jenn H]

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

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

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

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

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

[Darek N]

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

[Jenn H]

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

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

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

[Jenn H]

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

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

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

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

[crazy4cats]

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

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

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

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

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

[virginia R]

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

[anonymously]

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

[anonymously]

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

[Carrie P]

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

[crazy4cats]

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

[Greg F]

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

[Carrie P]

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

[Jenn H]

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

[anonymously]

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

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

[Shawna]

Hi Bev A,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[Susan]

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

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

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

[Bev A]

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

[Jenn H]

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

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

[Jenn H]

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

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

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

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

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

[Jenn H]

Jeffery T had some good advice.
My dog has also been experiencing symptoms of IBD and pancreatitis off & on for the past yr.
After much research and different gets & specialists I have it pretty under control (knock wood).
The most recent specialist was adamant about not giving her any raw meat or goat milk. She was put on a probiotic, pumpkin, bland diet, etc.
It’s been 2 months w/o relapse so I’m thinking of getting her off the prescription can food and trying something else. She gets very little kibble. Not even 1 cup/day.
She continues to get 30 mg Pepcid 2x/day and 2 Tbsp pumpkin for breakfast.

My problem with changing her diet is that low fat is recommended and she’s so active. Keeping weight on her can be tough.

I’m told to try a food with highest protein possible, low carbs and 10% fat on DRY MATTER BASIS (cans seems to be working better for her). Because she’s a GSD that’s kind of low as they really should have about 19% fat. So we’ll see.

The lower the meat protein, the more carbs there will be in the food. The source of the carbs can be difficult on the GI.

The kibble she gets now is Wysong And then
Her wet food is i/d. Usually turkey. Sometimes the stew (not her favorite) or chicken (that’s low fat).
I’m about to try Wysong Epigen cans.

Basically I have had success so far by cutting out raw animal products, probios, pumpkin and lower fat & carbs.

You may find adding enzymes to be helpful also. And maybe even try a novel protein. (If you choose fish be certain no one uses Ethoxyquin as a preservative.)

Remember to make sure the makers of your supplements aren’t sourcing anything from China.

Good luck to you.

[Bev A]

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

[Shawna]

Yeah, I think there definitely could be a connection between the yawning and anemia. There are different supplements that can be used depending on what the cause of the anemia is.

The cause is likely due to her kidneys BUT the antacid could be exacerbating it by impeding intrinsic factors action on B12. Standard Process has a human B12 supplement (that is suitable for dogs) that has porcine intrinsic factor right in the product. I would personally start my own on this if experiencing the same things. I would give it away from meals and the antacid being used. There is another form of B12 that I have had excellent results with but it is given intranasally and likely won’t be well tolerated. I’d try the Standard Process or a similar product.

Inappropriate bacteria in the gut can utilize iron being consumed so if that was a potential factor, being on the probiotics will address that with continued use.

Chlorophyll is considered a “blood builder”. It is chemically just like blood except magnesium replaces iron. Many holistic practitioners use it in cases of “blood loss”. Audrey became anemic and HIGH doses of Standard Process Chlorophyll Complex Perles given over a weeks period did the trick for her. The maintenance dose for humans is two perles per day. From memory I was giving Audrey six to eight per day. The first few times I gave it I had to coax her to take it but after that she was almost frantic to get them when I even grabbed the bottle. After she was back on track I started her on a maintenance dose (for financial reasons) of a high quality Chlorella supplement. I tried three different brands before I found one that really worked well for her.

I found this, in my opinion, really cool article on supplements for renal disease that may be helpful. I haven’t had a chance to read the whole thing but here’s the section on “Kidney-associated anemia”.
“Renal Disease in Small Animals: A Review of Conditions and Potential Nutrient and Botanical Interventions
Susan Marie Pollen, DVM, CVA

Kidney-associated anemia is characteristically normocytic, normochromic, and nonregenerative.18 Anemia may cause tachycardia, lassitude, and cold and exercise intolerance.17 Erythropoietin must be given. In addition, nutrients that benefit RBC production, including water-soluble vitamins B12 and folic acid, are especially important when vitamins are lost in isosthenuric urine. Also useful are eggs, raw beef liver, liquid chlorophyll, kelp,63 and supplements containing vitamin C for optimal iron absorption, vitamin E for antioxidant protection of RBCs, vitamin A, and iron and copper for hemoglobin synthesis. Supplementing branched-chain amino acids (valine, leucine, and isoleucine) and glutamine is also useful if nephrogenic anemia is accompanied by amino acid deficiency. 61” http://www.anaturalhealingcenter.com/documents/Thorne/articles/RenalDiseaseSmallAnimal.pdf

Standard Process Chlorophyll Complex is fat soluble but worked like a charm. Not sure why the recommendation for “water soluble” but most chlorella supplements contain water soluble chlorophyll.

Obviously the addition of animal proteins (eggs and liver) would need to be evaluated for the amount of protein and phosphorus they add. The Standard Process Renal Support supplement has many of these suggested nutrients without adding a significant amount of phosphorus.

I truly hope all of your hard work and dedication shows wonderful results with the next lab work!!!

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

[gina w]

Hi Shauna
We started Faith on Hill’s KD stew earlier this week, it seems that the smell is decreasing significantly. She had one bad day with spitting up, not sure if from the pre and probiotics. She has really gotten fussy with her eating. You have to sit with her and get her interested by hand feeding then she will go on and start eating on her own. Gave her Zofran in case it was nausea causing the spitting up and she started eating more and no spitting up. She blew her last IV so we are giving her fluid boluses once daily.
I noticed that Faith yawns a lot. Not sure if it is because of the anemia but it is really noticeable. Any ideas?
Just want to thank you for all your suggestions. I will let you know her what her labs are after 2 weeks of the supplements.
gina

[Joyce B]

So happy that the Shih Tzu is better! I had similar problems with my Pom. While she never vomited immediately after eating, she would have episodes of not eating (even her favorite foods), wanting only grass, and vomiting bile overnight. I tried many top foods including grain-free to no avail. One of our foods was Wellness which was great for my other dogs but not this one and the ingredient list was a mile long so very difficult to pinpoint any triggers. I tried Pepcid which seemed to help a little but not entirely. I tried many supplements which didn’t help. Neither did pumpkin, if I could get her to eat at all. At one point when she didn’t eat for a second day I took her to the vet. Blood work was normal and I was sent home with various anti-nauseas. She was better after a couple of days on meds but about a month later the symptoms returned. We didn’t go to the vet this time and she was better in a couple of days without meds. I was told by the folks at Ask Ariel to eliminate poultry but I knew chicken was OK because we would have several good weeks on foods with chicken. But turkey was in alot of the foods I tried. And when no turkey there was egg. Since eliminating these two things – turkey and egg – we have been symptom-free for almost a year!

[anonymously]

Check out The SkeptVet’s blog on Herbs and Supplements, I tried to provide the link but was unable to do so. I find the site helpful and informative when trying to make decisions about pet healthcare.

[anonymously]

Suzanne, that Frontline Special scared me too. I only take a few things (re: supplements)…..but will do some re-evaluating. Sometimes, “Less is more”.

[Suzanne W]

Strange… I bought some aloe Vera juice the other day for my gsd for skin issues which I’m trying to decide how to get her to take it because my dogs do not take a syringe against their wills. My Maltese, Sophie bites, and my gsd , well when she refuses, you can hang it up. I wil try to figure something out. So far so good on Sophie’s garlic episode, need to wait a couple more days. Dealing with skin issues seems like nonstop with my shepherd, now. she’s on so many supplements, but not the aloe Vera juice… Yet. Thanks so much Anna c! And to pitlove, I kid you not… After our mention of pits and German shepherds… My husband was walking Ida today and some guy opened his garage and his pit charged Ida, but apparently didn’t want to fight thank God, but Ida was so freaked out she was yelping so loudly and there was a huge ruckus people coming out of their houses and my husband trying to separate these two! Pit owner was right behind his dog, poor guy fell he was running so fast., Ida made it out with one small wound which will be healed in a few days with silversol silver, and the pit was unharmed, so I would say that a pit and German shepherd met on bad terms today and one scrape was it! They didn’t want to fight, Ida just got scared and it freaked them both out! Ironic since we just spoke of this kind of thing! Ok to deal with those skin issues, but I’m on the wrong forum… Figures!

[Pittiemama]

I’ve been researching and food trialing my dog. It appears that he can eat turkey (well so far anyway). I’ve had him for 2 years and it seemed that all he could eat was fish as a protein. So here we are…

I feed Brave from HK right now. I like their company and he loves the food but it’s high in phosphorous and he has kidney disease at the young age of 5 1/2. We’ve been looking at changing. So with the new food trial comes new info. I may be changing to the Keen or use the Preference by HK as a base (or another base like Dr. Harvey’s) but I may also just cook for him. Here’s the dilemma, the balance. He has food intolerances and kidney disease. His creatinine was 2.2 at last look and his USG was anywhere between 1.014-1.019.

I’ve looked around but there is tons of info. Do any of you have either good recipes, websites or blogs you frequent for info that’s reputable? I’m needing nutritional levels, supplements, ideas for base mixes, fat content….etc.etc.etc. You know.

Also if a dog is intolerant of eggs, can they eat crushed egg shell? Kind of randome question but I’ve been wondering.

Thanks!

[C4D]

Hi September D,

I’ve owned a lot of dogs over the years. I’ve never fed a senior dog food to them. Senior dog food is really just a marketing ploy. My large breed dogs live well over their expiration date. The most important thing is to watch that they don’t gain too much weight, get exercise on a daily basis, and address any health issues they might have as they age or due to injuries they have sustained. I also get yearly checkups and do blood panels on a regular basis. That let’s you know if there are any issues that might need addressing. My vet once said to walk my dogs for as long as they could walk. I’ve always done that. I’m not saying this is a miracle cure, but dogs need exercise and they need a job. That’s their job and they love it. I have a senior right now, 11 yo Lab along with other older adult dogs, but if you didn’t know her age, you wouldn’t think she was that old. She has bad knees too, but she walks briskly almost 2 miles daily and runs the yard after everything she sees. She does get supplements (fish oil, joint care) and I am very careful about her diet to keep her lean. I also feed her a combination of kibble, canned and fresh/raw food daily. So, I’ll get off my soap box now. Best of luck with your pup!

[Shawna]

Yes absolutely Gina, dogs with acute KD can recover but not in every case. While in the acute phase, I misread and thought she was eventually diagnosed with chronic KD, it can be beneficial to feed lower protein. Of course follow your vet’s advice or your gut instincts if you feel it is prudent. Science Diet has two new canned products that are, from what I can tell, far superior to many other products. They are their stews. They can be fed on their own or mixed in with the green tripe if she won’t eat them alone. I definitely would continue the Standard Process Renal Support and other supplements you’ve started.

My friend’s Maltese, Buster, developed acute kidney disease from chicken jerky treats. He survived but did develop CKD. That said, he has lived quite healthfully with the disease for many years now and is still doing well. If you are on Facebook I can link you up to her if interested.

[gina w]

Thank you for all the advice, She is smelling better today, We are just 2 days in with the pre and probiotics and the renal support. Does it matter when you give the supplements with food, prior to food, after ? I have been trying to give her 3 small meals but she is getting fussier by the day. Prior to all this happening she ate everything and anything hence probably why she got the pancreatitis. Big learning experience for us and my 4 other dogs aren’t allowed anything but their dog food now.
A few years back my brother was septic and experienced acute tubular necrosis, he was in kidney failure for about 2-3 months and his kidney function returned. Have you ever heard of a dogs kidney function returning after an acute injury? That is my hope.
Thank again Shawna for all your suggestions I will keep you posted.
gina

[anonymously]

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=kidney+damage

Read through the comments, other pet owners going through similar problems. Perhaps you will find something useful.

PS: Regarding my dog with kidney damage, the main symptom of kidney disease is nausea, so she was on a prescription diet/bland.
NO SUPPLEMENTS. and that worked, for as long as it did….
I would only do what a veterinarian that has examined the dog recommends, but that is something I have learned, over the years.

[Shawna]

Oops, should have added this — any good quality enzyme supplement will have enzymes that digest protein – proteases as well as those that digest fats and carbs. Some animals can be intolerant to some of the foods the enzymes are produced from — my friend’s Frenchie is yeast intolerant so certain enzyme supplements produced from yeasts don’t work for him. You may have to do a little trial and error to see what works best but enzyme supplements I personally like include Enzymatica Digest Gold (human product) or the Mercola branded product simply called Healthy Pets Digestive Enzymes. Both of these have a wide variety of enzymes.

[gina w]

Hi Shawna,
Thanks for getting back to me. What is a proteolytic enzyme, is that part of the supplements I already purchased? We had a set back yesterday my husband fed her only beef and nothing else so the uremic smell is back. This morning after some boluses and IV fluids through the night she is smelling much better.

I think this is going to be a long haul, but I am hoping the kidneys are gonna come back, I have seen it happen it humans.
Gina

[Lauren D]

My American Bulldog, approx 3 years old, has been dealing with horrible allergies for most of his life. He was allergy tested in April of 2015 and the food issues for him are: Egg, soybean, duck, rabbit, yeast (scored lowest possible), oat, and potato.

I switched his food over to Zignature Turkey He seemed to do well with it for the first couple of months, but I’m not convinced it is having a positive effect anymore. I did have him start allergy injections in October 2015 (focusing on some food and some environmental like human dander).

He has a pattern of doing ok for a week or so and then once I think he’s doing well he turns all red and inflamed, sometimes gets hives, his legs and stomach are raw and he sometimes scratches so hard he bleeds and scabs over, eyes are swollen and red, his hair thins out a lot, and he smells horrid. I bathe him in a medicated shampoo on a regular basis.

With his food restrictions, does anyone have recommendations on dry food brands to look in to? I can’t afford anything over $70 per 30lb bag. I have two other dogs and they switch to whatever food he is on as I don’t want any chance for cross contamination. I’ve also looked in to the addition of supplements such as coconut oil, fish oil, and digestive enzymes. Thoughts on any brands or whether or not that would be worthwhile to do very much appreciated.

• This topic was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Lauren D. Reason: wrong html code

[Suzanne W]

El Doctor, I hope I am replying to you, actually I don’t know what I am doing so you may never get this, I am posting and hoping the people who have been so helpful and caring i.e. Aimee, anonymously, and you. Anyway, the symptoms you gave me and the site is actually more extensive than the vet told me, so thank you. I thought they told me it may cause problems weeks after!? Anyway, I will breathe easier if she does, on Tuesday, which would be four and a half days. It’s only been 24 hours… Anonymously really opened my eyes up for my own body in regards to supplements. You should check out that frontline video as it is shocking! I’ll post on here tues if all goes well, I can’t think of the other. Thank you and God bless you!

[Suzanne W]

ANONYMOUSLY, you are right. A call to the poison or emergency center is exactly what I should have done. I wasn’t thinking clearly, obviously. I still must watch Sophie carefully for any adverse reactions for a couple weeks. Regarding that pbs special frontline you recommended, Lord help us all! I had heard things in the past, but had no idea it was so prevalent! I have assumed( yes, I know what they say about ass-u-me-ing, and this time it fits me for sure) that if it was manufactured here in the good ole USA, then it would be safe. Not so! That freaked me out. Who knows what the heck we are taking, cuz we certainly can’t trust our supplements anymore. I will finish watching it and make educated decisions regarding supplements in the future. Only 21percent of the supplements at Walmart, Walgreens, gnc and target I think if I remember are the real uncontaminated stuff? What in the world have we been putting in our bodies? And my precious soph…hmmmmm, that’s ridiculous. The government jumps in so many things, this is something the Foa should be regulating. THANKYOU for opening my eyes and ears! Keep spreading the word, cuz you may just save lives… God bless you!

[anonymously]

I think the induced vomiting right away may have made a difference, time will tell. I am glad you are listening to a veterinarian. Garlic in any form is toxic to dogs.
A call to a pet poison control hotline would have been warranted (in case anyone else goes through this).
PS: I wouldn’t assume anything about supplements. See the recent Frontline Special (PBS)
Here it is: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/supplements-and-safety/

[anonymously]

I have heard good things about this service, that it was well worth the fee.
“The ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (APCC) is your best resource for any animal poison-related emergency, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. If you think your pet may have ingested a potentially poisonous substance, call (888) 426-4435. A $65 consultation fee may be applied to your credit card”. https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control

I would just give clear fluids or broth for now, hopefully flush it out. Watch for vomiting and diarrhea. A vet may recommend some blood tests……

My first choice would be to take the dog to the emergency vet right away, a lot of these supplements and medications can have delayed reactions as far as causing damage and abnormal blood values. You may not see it right away. There may be something they can do to flush it out of her system faster. I would at least call the emergency vet and see what they recommend.

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