[Anonymous]

This is what I use http://www.gnc.com/GNC-Pets-GNC-Ultra-Mega-Hip-Joint-Health-Savory-Beef-Flavor/product.jsp?productId=61709686&cp=41316406.10772793.12946231

Pull up the label to see and compare ingredients. I wouldn’t be comfortable using a human product for this supplement, unless a veterinarian told me it was okay.
Some of these things can have adverse effects….also sometimes the ingredients that they use for coatings on human supplements don’t always agree with dogs.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by Anonymous.

[j316]

will like to give to 10 year old labs that are slowing down
Advanced Triple Strength Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM Plus

Serving Size: 2 Coated Caplets

Vitamin C (as ascorbic acid) 30 mg 50%

Manganese (as manganese gluconate) 1 mg 50%

Glucosamine Sulfate 2KCl 1,500 mg *

Advanced Triple Strength Proprietary Blend: MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), Chondroitin Sulfate, Collagen (hydrolyzed gelatin), Boswellia serrata (resin), Citrus Bioflavonoid Extract (Citrus limon)(fruit), Hyaluronic Acid 1,700 mg *

Boron (boron citrate) 1.5 mg *

Other Ingredients: Calcium Carbonate, Cellulose (Plant Origin), Vegetable Stearic Acid, Croscarmellose, Vegetable Magnesium Stearate.

Directions: For adults, take two (2) coated caplets daily, preferably with a meal.

Other Information: Contains shellfish (crab, shrimp, lobster, crayfish) ingredients.

[mike d]

u know what, for human can take the supps to loss weight, but not sure if doggy the same? if walk enough everyday, and take some [url=http://www.best-dietary-supplements.com/l-carnitine-34]L- carnitine[/url] which can build muscle and cut the weight.

[jakes mom]

I don’t have any trouble with my dog, either. Finish one bag and start the next. If your pup has a sensitive tummy, tho, you can add some probiotics or digestive supplements to help with any GI trouble short term. There’s a whole forum on supplements here.

[Anonymous]

Hi, tal

I have 3 dogs. One senior small breed, 1 allergy girl small breed, and a young terrier.
I had to find a food that agrees with all three.
I am pleased with Nutrisca salmon and chickpea kibble (no grains or potato). But I add a little cooked chicken or lean meat and a splash of water. I order it through Chewy.com.
I get a 15 pound bag and divide it up into airtight containers or freezer bags and store it in the freezer or fridg to keep it fresh. I think the 15 pound bag should last us 4-6 weeks, we’ll see.
I also add a fish oil capsule and other supplements depending on the dog’s individual needs. Good luck.

[jolie q]

Has anyone tried Balanceit.com? Recommended and invented by vets, but that doesn’t always mean a good thing.

I’ve been home cooking a food issues girl and have been using these supplements. Wondering if anyone else has and if there are any similar alternatives?

[El]

Hi DO

There are 2 options for creating a custom diet for your dog on BalanceIt.com The first is for HEALTHY dogs and is called the Autobalancer. I found BalanceIt’s Autobalancer recipe generator to be a lifesaver for people who want to feed their dogs a nutritionally balanced homemade diet quickly and easily. While it may not be beneficial to everyone and it doesn’t have unlimited options, it certainly can be of great assistance to novices and anyone else looking for a simple way of entering the world of homemade diets!

https://secure.balanceit.com/recipegenerator_ver4/index.php?

The second choice is for dogs with a specific health issue and while you can create a recipe, you can’t view it or use it without a vet’s approval.

https://secure.balanceit.com/tools/recipegenerator/

ALL the free recipes use supplements from BalanceIt. There is a paid option where you can use human supplements that you purchase yourself.

[Miss Koa]

Thank you Red for the PDF. I hadn’t searched it. It has very interesting info. I appreciate that! I like that I can refer to it on my tablet because I have it with me all the time. 🙂

Hi, crazy4cats! Thank you for sharing your experience with me. I know, the thought of raw meat kind of gives me the heebie jeebies. 😀 Where can I find this “commercial premix” stuff? Is it expensive? Is it sold in regular stores or do I have to order it online? Right now I’m doing a raw chicken in the morning and kibble in the evening…at least until I can figure stuff out. 🙂 At least my husband isn’t complaining….yet. 🙂

Hi Kristin C! Thank you for your reply! What is “homemade raw”? Do you grind the muscle meat, organs and supplements together? Also, do you feed it at the same time with the raw meaty bones or are they separate meals? I’m glad to hear that you haven’t had any contamination issues. That’s my main concern. I am very diligent about keeping my kitchen and work area very clean. ( I’m a bit of a germaphobe…lol! ) I was concerned more like if my dog ate her chicken, then she walked around the house, would it get on my socks…then if I went to lie down, will it transfer from my socks to the bed….that kind of thing. 🙂 Maybe I’m over thinking this too much.

I agree. It is a process and I can’t say for SURE that this is the best diet…still researching…but I also feel that I like the idea of feeding my dog food that I know is not filled with unnecessary chemicals and fillers.

Thank you everyone for your opinions and input. I appreciate all the help I get! 🙂

[Sarah M]

Hello All,
I have two Dobermans that tend to be on the thin side (vet confirmed). They are active but not overly so. Does anyone have recommendations for putting weight on a dog? Any dog food brands or supplements that have worked for you? I’ve tried upping the amount of kibble and canned but there’s a point where it’s too much food and they get loose stools. I also tried raw but they lost weight on the recommended amounts and it became cost prohibitive.

Thank you for taking the time to read my question!
Sarah

[crazy4cats]

Nicole-
You have received some great advice. One word of warning, be careful with the supplements if you are going to feed the Rx food. You shouldn’t do both as you will over manipulate her system’s pH.

[Nicole O]

Red,

We adopted her from the shelter and don’t know her actual breed but many have said she looks like a small American Eskimo mix. She is 5 years old. As far as diagnosis. Vet just told me she is prone to the formation of stones due to the struvite and that’s why she needs to be on the prescription diet. Prior to everything, we had her on Hill’s Science Diet Adult Small & Toy Breed Light Dry Dog Food. The vet said it is her food that cause the stones to form. We had only had her for 3 years and don’t know her prior history, the size and amount of stones removed from her bladder indicated that they may have been forming for a while. She nevershowed any signs of discomfort until her UTI.

I will ask the vet about supplements and will start adding water to her dry food.

[Anonymous]

What breed is the dog? How old is the dog? What are her diagnoses? What type or types of stones does she have?
What is wrong with only having 1 bowel movement a day, most dogs go once or twice a day (in my experience).
But is she is a little constipated, increased water in the diet will help.

PS: If you soak the kibble in water overnight in the fridg, it doubles in size, ask the vet if you can add a spoonful of cooked lean chicken or red meat. I would still add more water.
Ask the vet about supplements, fish oil, dog multivit, etc.
Make sure she is offered a bathroom break, the opportunity to urinate at least every 4 hours (every 2 hours is ideal) Keep the bladder flushed.

[Anonymous]

Do the research before adding supplements, for example: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=probiotics

[Anonymous]

PS: Some dogs experience nausea due to taking certain antibiotics…..if possible can your vet prescribe a different antibiotic? May be worth asking.

If the GI symptoms are related to medications the dog has to take, changing the food might not help. But adding water to the food may aid in relieving nausea.

Adding supplements (more gobbledygook) is not a good idea right now, unless your vet advises differently. Keep it simple.

[Naturella]

I second Marie and pitlove’s sentiments. Good food and regular brushing are key. My terrier mix sheds a ton, but on good food and supplements like coconut oil, canned sardines, fish skins, etc., his coat has become super shiny and soft, though shedding hasn’t stopped.

On another note… @pitlove, you live in the South too? So cool! So do I and a few other regulars (there are 3 of us in GA on here that I know of). I may be joining C4C up in the North-West sometime in the 5-year future, I hope! 🙂

[Anonymous]

Been there and back. I just took my 15 year old guy in for a geriatric checkup, his labwork is better than mine. He does have some age related issues.

He has no symptoms of UTIs or stones, I watch him urinate, normal flow, amount, no difficulty. So the vet said no need for x-rays or testing this and that, UNLESS HE HAS SYMPTOMS.

He had bladder stones, struvite and oxalate, emergency surgery in 2011. I put him on that food you mentioned, it was okay….but then I always added a little cooked chicken to it.
The vets wanted to x-ray him every 3 months, I went along with it a couple of times, when they saw a couple of small stones had returned and offered no treatment? I didn’t follow up.

He prefers Wysong senior or Nutrisca salmon and chickpea, wet food is probably better. However, I use kibble and soak it overnight in water, plus add water and a bite of cooked chicken, 4 small meals per day, offer frequent bathroom breaks. Water, and frequent bathroom breaks are very important, keep the bladder flushed.

If you click on my user name you will find posts/threads related to bladder stones, or use the search engine.
I am reluctant to discuss supplements anymore, because it depends on the type of stones your dog has as to what might be helpful. Therefore it is best to ask your vet for recommendations.

PS: Next time it says you are not logged in , try the refresh button.

[Jeaneene S]

I really wanted to put this in the “Struvite Crystals” thread – but for some reason that particular page always shows me as *not* logged in, even when I log in from within that thread.

Anyway, I could use some help. I have a 10 1/2 year old male Siberian Husky who has – his entire life – been on Beneful dry dog food and never had any health problems AT ALL. At one point I tried to change to the Blue Wilderness (thinking it might be better for them), but he and my 10 1/2 year old female Husky had the worst diarrhea I’ve ever seen, so it was back to the Beneful kibble. (I’ve always heard dry kibble is best for dental health, which is why that’s all I’ve ever used)

Now, this past February my big boy had what appeared to be an awful UTI. So the next day, I got a good urine catch (looked super cloudy, but just yellow) and took it and him to the vet. Vet found no crystals but lots of blood (at the microscopic level) in his urine, and did an xray, but didn’t find anything wrong. She put him on antibiotics and it was gone.

On May 1 we moved to a new house, and got a new vet – had all the dogs’ files brought to the new vet (I brought them myself so I knew they wouldn’t get lost). Then, on Memorial Day, I noticed he looked like he was having a hard time urinating again and to my horror it looked as if he was even peeing blood. Immediately called the new vet and explained what it *appeared* to be; she said that even though they were closed, she would call in an rx for Amoxicillin for him. No more than a few days of being off the antibiotics, and we started having problems AGAIN (thankfully not peeing blood this time). So, hubby took him to the Vet this past Monday and with a different kind of xray, she found 1 stone the size of a quarter, 3 stones the size of a nickel, and about 15 smaller ones. Needless to say my big boy went in for surgery yesterday morning (I am picking him up today).

Now the vet is telling me that I have to put him on the Royal Canin SO food (which she has already said he’s been turning his nose up at the vet’s), and the only treats he can have is if I take the Royal Canin SO canned food, cut it up in to squares and bake them into “treats”. We’re talking about a dog who is used to his mommy throwing a steak on the grill to mix in with his food (well, him and the other 3 girl dogs in the house) … getting bell peppers, apples and other fruits/veggies as treats, having watered-down applesauce popsicles, etc. Now she’s saying he can never have any of this ever again AND I have to give him this food that appears to me to be very poor quality and that he doesn’t like?! I’m having a very hard time accepting this.

I asked the vet at the Petsmart (where I am having to get the food) for a second opinion – and oddly enough – he seconded that opinion. How do I tell his regular vet that I don’t approve of this dog food, and that I’d LIKE to try a more vitamin-based/holistic approach as well as make his food for him which I feel would be better quality – not to mention cheaper – and where I can add the necessary added vitamins and minerals and would still prevent any further bladder stone issues.

Should trust both his new vet and the Banfield vet at Petsmart (his previous vet – when I called her last week also said he may have to go on a special diet for the remainder of his life too, so that makes three)? I’m willing to make his food, give him the supplements, test his urine … ANYTHING! Or am I just being unreasonable? And would it be “wrong” to go against the vet and do what I *think* is right?

• This topic was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by Jeaneene S.

[mah4angel]

Hello all!

It’s been a really long time since I’ve posted here. To those of you who remember my puppy Louie, he’s doing great on his raw diet ^_^
My question pertains to the process of switching to a whole prey feeding method (i.e. handing my pup a whole bunny/quail/mouse/whatever to eat whole).
Is feeding whole prey less expensive? Is it a whole and balanced feeding method? How do I make the switch to feeding this way?
I currently feed my Louie half a pre-prepped raw diet by The Petstaurant (alternating between protein sources) in the morning and greentripe.com’s Exkalibur blend in the evening with appropriate supplements that I can’t remember the ratios of because I figured them out ages ago and now it’s more autopilot than anything.
I’m mainly wondering if the cost of feeding whole prey is more financially friendly. I don’t mind the idea of feeding this way at all- I’m not a squeamish person by any stretch.
I googled whole prey feeding in various iterations but most results were about prey model raw which is not what I was looking for.

Thanks in advance for any replies and suggestions!

[Anonymous]

Consider seeing a specialist. If the regular vet has not been helpful…..

Or go homeopathic http://www.vitalanimal.com

Nausea is a symptom of liver disease, so maybe his issues are not under control? Ask your vet.

PS: All supplements and medications have to go through the liver to get detoxified….so, sometimes less is better (imo)

[Bobby dog]

c4c:
Good info to have about potassium citrate use decreasing chances of calcium oxalate stone formation, not struvite, by increasing urine alkalinity.

Here’s some links to info on supplements and struvite & calcium oxalate uroliths:
http://www.cvm.umn.edu/depts/minnesotaurolithcenter/recommendations/home.html
http://www.vetstreet.com/dl-methionine-rx
http://www.vetstreet.com/potassium-citrate-supplement

[Anonymous]

Q: How can I prevent my dog from developing cystine bladder stones in the future?

A: Dogs that have developed cystine bladder stones in the past will often be fed a therapeutic diet for life. Diets that promote alkaline urine that is more dilute are recommended. Most dogs should be fed a canned or wet diet to encourage water consumption. Dilute urine with a low urine specific gravity (USpG less than 1.020) is an important part of the prevention of calcium oxalate bladder stones. In certain cases, medications such as n-(mercaptoropionyl)-glycine (2-MPG) (ThiolaTM) may be required. Urinary alkalinizers may be needed to maintain an alkaline urine ph of greater than 7.5.

In addition, careful routine monitoring of the urine to detect any signs of bacterial infection is also recommended. Bladder x-rays and urinalysis will typically be performed one month after treatment and then every three to six months for life. Dogs displaying any clinical signs such as frequent urinations, urinating in unusual places, painful urination or the presence of blood in the urine should be evaluated immediately. Unfortunately, cystine stones have a high rate of recurrence, despite careful attention to diet and lifestyle.

Above is an excerpt from http://www.michigananimalhospital.com/page/452281614

It sounds more complicated than it is, increase water, frequent bathroom breaks, make sure dog is urinating normal flow and amount and not having difficulty.

Otherwise, find the appropriate diet (veterinarian/nutritionist approved), continue healthy lifestyle, walks, play.

Follow veterinarian’s recommendation for testing, medication, supplements.

Give us an update, hope all goes smoothly.

[Anonymous]

Tell your friend he should ask the surgeon who operated on the dog for a referral to a specialist. This dog will need to be monitored carefully at least for the first year for reoccurrence and to get the diet, medications, supplements just right.

If your friend prefers a more natural approach, consult a homeopath http://theavh.org/

http://vitalanimal.com/

Check out Wysong dog food, maybe someone at their 800 number could advise you

I don’t think the internet is a good place to get advice when you have something this serious, we can share our experiences….but that doesn’t mean that is what you should do, as far as I know there are no veterinarians or nutritionists here (none that have identified themselves as such anyway)
Best of luck

BTW: Dogs can have more than one 1 type of stones. Low protein diets can cause other types of stones to develop, that’s why you need the expertise of a specialist.

Add water to all meals, frequent bathroom breaks. For my dog 3-4 small meals per day instead of 2 regular seems to help too.

[Anonymous]

http://www.entirelypets.com/k-plus-potassium-citrate-plus-cranberry-300-tabs.html?cmp=nextag&mr:referralID=2b34b4bd-6c95-11e2-b779-001b2166c62d

All I know is that it appears to be working for my dog, he had both struvite and calcium oxalate stones. He has not had a recurrence since his surgery (2011) he turns 15 next month. I listened to the advice of a veterinarian.

DL-Methionine is a prescription medication that I am not familiar with, my vet told me to try the potassium citrate supplements first. After testing a few times his ph lowered nicely. I still think increased water is the key.

For dogs, calcium oxalate stones are more concerning than struvite, often the struvite clears up when the infection (antibiotics) is eliminated and increased water is added to the diet.

The treatment for cats is different than for dogs, that’s why it is important to work with a veterinarian regarding treatment choices. Not a DIY

Articles are not always correct, neither is information shared on the internet, I take it all with a grain of salt.

[crazy4cats]

LM-
You have mentioned using potassium citrate supplements. Don’t they increase pH? With struvite crystals, the pH needs to be lowered. DL-Methionine is the supplement that I have seen mentioned in a few articles that reduces the pH to help avoid the formulation of struvite crystals.

[InkedMarie]

Cotons Mom: I feed prey model raw, in ground form. It is meat, bone, organs & some have tripe. I add a scoop of tripe to the ones that don’t have it. Prey model does not need anything else. I add supplements for specific purposes: ACV, Bug Off Garlic, salmon oil, eggs, joint supplement for one; no vitmins. Not needed.

I add the above to breakfast meal, nothing at dinner. Did I answer your question?

[chris]

So for supplements I wrote down to try:
Sauerkraut
Plain Yogurt
Swanson’s soil-based Organisms
Canned Green Tripe
Kafir

I’m going to try each and see how it goes. I read a lot up on it earlier and heard from a good amount that I should start very slow in it to get there stomach use to it. So figured I might give 1/4 cup each time for now.

I’ll definitely be trying those frozen treats Bobby Dog! I have a dairy farm near by that started it’s own home made ice cream straight off the farm. They recently started making there own dog ice cream and I was buying him a container of that here and there the past few weeks.

Naturella- Yeah, my local pet store has boxes of free samples soon as you walk in the front door and he tells us to take as many as we want. There mostly little sample bags of natures variety, natures balance, and canidae, no canned food or treats sadly.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Guys-
Another thing to note about Perfect Form is the fact that it contains ingredients such as slippery elm that help soothe the digestive tract. Slippery Elm is highly recommended by many to help with loose stools and diarrhea. But, someone on this site mentioned the fact that if used for very long periods of time, it could hinder with some nutrient absorption. After a little research, I found that it could be true. So I now limit my use of Perfect Form and other supplements that contain slippery elm to when my dogs’ are needing it due to who knows what they got in to sometimes!

I now rotate supplements as well.

[Anonymous]

Try the search engine toward the top of the forum home page, look up fish oil.

The most cost effective way is to just get the human fish oil capsules at the drugstore, at present I am using Sundown Naturals 1200mg, I put 1 capsule a day in their morning meal and they chew/gulp it down. They are small dogs. I take one a day too 🙂

Most dogs can tolerate one capsule a day, in my experience. I wouldn’t give more, unless your vet advises so.

If you want to be more careful, look into salmon oil or fish oil supplements specific for dogs from pet supply places and go by the directions on the jar.

The only side effects I know of are, fish breath or loose stools, I have not observed either with my dogs.

PS: My old guy will be 15 next month, he weighs 12 pounds. It is just a supplement, but I think it helps a little.
I have heard good things about krill oil, but it is more expensive.

[Naturella]

Pitlove, great minds think alike apparently! 🙂

Just one thing – I had posted a while back about feeding Perfect Form continuously and was advised not to because the dog’s stomach can eventually build resistance to the enzymes in it and when it actually needs it, it won’t work for it anymore. You can go to my profile and look at my topics started and find the one on Perfect Form and see what people said. So I just keep it to use as needed for loose stool – works like magic!

Also, I believe that even with probiotics, or any supplements, it is still good to rotate them – for example, do kefir for a while, some good plain yoghurt for a while, and a good probiotic supplement like Swanson’s Soil-Based Organisms for a while, then start over.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by Naturella.

[Pitlove]

Thank you Naturella thats exactly what i was talking about as an idea for Chris to do! You stated it perfectly. Rather than blending the foods just feed ANY food you find interested that you’d like Sparky to try for a couple weeks or however long it lasts for then switch!

Chris- The supplement I have is made by the Honest Kitchen and its called Perfect Form

http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/treats-supplements/supplements/perfect-form

i have the 5.5oz jar. I dont follow their instructions for how much to feed. i just do about one pinch on my kittens food and two or three pinches for the dog. i felt it their guildlines where far too much. maybe im wrong but idk this has been working for me. you can feed it however you want. I got the Kefir at walmart for a little over 3$. there are feeding guidelines for that on the internet too. they tell you to cut the number in half when first giving it to get their stomach used to it.

[LexiDog]

Check out Dr. Beckers video on yeasty dogs…it talks about diet, supplements and disinfecting the yeasty parts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=gl_X1I1GJ1Q

[Anonymous]

I have never used that product. I have used Wysong dry foods, and have noted no adverse effects. I use potassium citrate tabs, as I have mentioned before.
So far, so good.
A lot of these items are acidic (leading to nausea, stomach upset) to lower the urine PH.
Maybe lower the dose? Some dogs tolerate these supplements better than others.
I would put in a call to the vet, have him call you back when he has a minute. Don’t bother discussing the matter with the vet tech (just my opinion).

[DogFoodie]

Hi Chris,

I’ve used, for myself and my dogs, Thorne Research and Standard Process supplements. My vets, both of whom are integrative, recommend their products as well.

Thorne Research: https://shop.thorne.com/products/veterinary/all-veterinary-products
Standard Process: http://www.standardprocess.com/Veterinary-Formulas

[Sean]

Hi Chris, this site (https://labdoor.com/rankings/fish-oil) is pretty useful. They analyze supplements for accuracy and rank them.

[Anonymous]

Contact dermatitis is atopic dermatitis (described in the article above).
I got incorrect information from the regular vet, I know you want to minimize the symptoms and find a solution, food, medication, shampoos, supplements, dehumidifier, air purifier…..

That’s what I did too, if you read my posts, you’ll see that nothing worked until my dog saw the specialist and started allergy specific immunotherapy.
Most allergens are airborne, impossible to avoid.

Now she can roll around in the grass! Eat a variety of things, in fact she has cooked chicken several times a week.

It’s so frustrating to watch people go through this with their pets. They don’t want to spend the money to go to a specialist and yet they end up spending much more than that going back and forth to the regular vet and buying all kinds of things that don’t work.

Not to mention all the discomfort the dog goes through.

PS: The supplements and diet and frequent baths have their place, in fact I still bath my dog once a week with Malaseb or a GNC antifungal shampoo for dogs. But they are not strong enough (alone) the stop the symptoms.

Some good info here http://www.allergydogcentral.com/

Also, allergies get worse with age, not better. My dog is so much more relaxed now, it’s like a different personality. They can become snappy and neurotic with all that pruritus.

The symptoms you describe sound worse than what my dog had, and she was suffering.

[Pitlove]

I cant really diagnois what the issue would be, however i think making a change to his food is a really good start. You’re paying a premium price (50$ at Petco for the largest bag of the Large Breed Light) for corn, rice and by-products. I certainly think you could find a better food for that price or perhaps a little more that has better ingredients.

Not sure what your bugdet is so it would be hard to recommend a food for you.

/dog-food-reviews/hills-science-diet-dog-food-adult-dry/

The Large Breed Light falls under this rating.

A lot of people believe that their dog has a “sensitive stomach”. What a sensitive stomach actually is, is a lack of healthy bacteria in the gut which allow the dog to change brands and proteins frequently without digestive upset. Just like a human a dog should be able to eat any type of dog food (unless they have a known allergy to a certain protein or carb etc) and not have digestive upset at all.
The stomach becoming unable to adjust to diet change, is due to eating the same food for many years or even months.
My dog used to be the same way. If i did have to change his food and did it too fast, he would get diaherra for a few days. Since adding digestive supplements to his diet and a probiotic (i use kefir, you can use plain yogurt too) I have been able to switch what brand he eats every bag without blending his food and he has no diaherra at all. Quite a few people on this site are actually able to do that with their dogs too.

Just because you see no reason to change the dogs food, it doesnt mean your dog wouldnt enjoy variety in his diet. I highly doubt you would be happy eating chicken and rice for every meal of every day for the rest of your life. Your dog isnt happy doing that either.

Companies will tell you not to change your dogs diet. However its not because its in the best interest of your dogs health, its because they will keep you spending your money with their company. My dog eats a different brand every bag of kibble and a different canned food as well each meal. If i could afford to buy X amount of bags of kibble and change that every day I would do that too.

L M gave you some good advice about determining what the root cause of the itching and hair loss etc is, but diet is the foundation of good health, so starting there never hurts!

GL, keep us updated!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 7 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 7 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 7 months ago by Pitlove.

[Anonymous]

They don’t give a price? I saw it at http://www.entirelypets.com/ansalmonoiljoint16oz.html
but it’s been discontinued by the manufacturer, no explanation.
Plus, it doesn’t look like there is very much glucosamine in it…compared to the supplements I use.

I like GNC supplements, they also have some dog items I use.

[JeffreyT]

Check out Dr. Karen Becker’s articles on yeast. I do her povidine foot soak for itchy paws and it’s helped.
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/05/03/eating-these-foods-can-make-your-dog-itch-like-crazy.aspx

The fresh and frozen raw are probably the healthiest and most cost effective but the bulk of my pups’ diet is a variety of freeze dried raw, with water added to rehydrate. They are Stella and Chewys, Primal, Orijen, and Stewarts Bison. Their favorites are Trudog, Only Natural Niblets and Vital Essentials…I soak these overnight.

For a quick meal I give the air dried raw from Real Meat Food Co or Ziwi Peak and rotate between brands and proteins.

Be prepared for a cleansing reaction, like loose stools, which could happen as you go to better foods. You may want to consider adding digestive enzymes and probioitics to help with potential digestive issues when changing…I use in most meals, it also supports the immune system and overall health.

Also consider having Perfect Form on hand from Honest Kitchen or canned pumpkin, and give during transition for stomach issues. But first check to see if it’s ok to give to yeasty dog, not sure.

Fish oil can help itchy skin and also good for heart, joints, brain, etc. Good brands for these supplements include Mercola Krill, Animal Essentials, Dr. Peter Tobias, Wholistic Pet Organics and Natures Farmacy.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

“This is so confusing….the more research I do, the less I know what to feed my itchy baby”.

IMO, you are over thinking it. Just find a limited ingredient food that agrees with her, keep it simple. And make an appointment with a dermatologist….that is what I would do.

Food and supplements are not cures, chronic conditions need the expertise of a specialist.
Especially a senior dog (over 7 years old).

[MaggiesDad]

Give the guys at Allprovide (www.allprovide.com) a call (678-585-1606) – they had a dog with horrendous skin/yeast issues and switching to a raw diet saved her life. They’re always happy to talk about canine health issues and advise about diet and possible causes of problems. Their food has supplements in it such as coconut oil, salmon oil, turmeric etc all of which are good for coat and skin issues.

[DogFoodie]

Have you ever tried a limited ingredient food, Karen? I’m not a fan of Blue Buffalo at all and guaranteed, your girl is eating chicken if she’s eating Blue Buffalo products. But, keep in mind, food sensitivities like your girl has can be the result of exposure to problem ingredients far beyond chicken and grains. For example, one of mine can’t have fish (including fish oil), flax, chickpeas, lentil, tomato, garlic, barley or millet. Right now, he’s eating Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Duck. He’s doing well, but has recently developed what appear to be seasonal allergies – which yours could be as well. I’m using some supplements (Quercetin with Bromelain and Papain), but something as simple as a foot rinse each time he comes back in from outside helps eliminate the pollen that he tracks into the house.

How old is your pup and how long has she been having sensitivities? How long has she been eating the food she’s eating currently.

Even if the vet thinks it’s not the food, it’s worth a try and easy enough to change.

[InkedMarie]

Karen,
What are you feeding your dog? What treats & supplements does she get?

[DogFoodie]

If you don’t remove the offending ingredients, regardless of what supplements you add to your dog’s diet, the reaction isn’t going to stop. Also, keep in mind that sensitivities can also be environmental.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Kirsten-
Sorry about the troubles with your pup. I also have experienced a blockage due to struvite crystals with one of my cats. It was terrifying and expensive! They gave him only a 50% chance of surviving due to bladder damage. I have probably read 50 to 60 articles regarding this issue since. The most important thing is like the others have said, add as much moisture as possible. I read on another thread where you said your dog wouldn’t eat the Hill’s C/D canned. Right after my cats blockage, I fed him a variety of Rx canned that included, Hills Iams, Purina and Royal Canin. Your doc will need to give you a prescription for these, if you want to give them a try. Pet Smart carries a lot of Rx food as well as chewy.com. He also got a little Royal Canin S/O kibble. I have gradually transitioned off the Rx canned over a 6 month period to just regular canned food, but still feed the prescription kibble. He gets about 75% canned food now and forever! I also read that frequent small meals help to keep their pH level more balanced. So, I now feed three times per day instead of two. He also is now on an anti-anxiety meds and is wearing a calming collar to help keep his stress level down.
Sometimes these flare ups can be brought on from stress due to changes in routine, new family members, etc. . We made too many changes in our household too quickly for him to handle. It’s been about 7 months and he’s doing much better so far.
So, in my opinion, try out the other prescription canned foods until you get the crystals under control and then transition to as much regular canned, fresh or dehydrated food as possible. Regular bathroom breaks, smaller meals more frequently and keep the stress levels down. There are also supplements that help with Ph level as LM mentioned. Good luck!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 7 months ago by crazy4cats.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Cathy-
Glad things are getting back to normal as possible. A pure white, deaf and blind dachshund, huh? I didn’t know they came in white! Lol! Hasn’t your vet given you any advice on supplements to use for the liver? Check out dogaware.com, dogsnaturallymagazine, and Dr. Karen Becker’s Mercola articles. Maybe they have some helpful recommendations. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

Ask your vet if Wysong (urinary prescription) is an option. http://www.wysong.net/veterinarian//rx-diets/urinary.html
In the meantime, frequent bathroom breaks are a good idea, the more she urinates (normal amounts) the better.

Add H20 to her food , keep the bladder flushed.
Also ask your vet about potassium citrate supplements.

/forums/topic/recipe-for-royal-canine-so/
/forums/topic/amonium-urate/ /forums/topic/struvite-crystals/

This subject comes up frequently.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Cathy-
I’m sorry for your loss. I can’t imagine how difficult it has been. I do not know anything about liver disease, but thought I’d reply to your post to help get it noticed by someone who does.
I do know that Pedigree is not a great choice of kibble to feed when you do not have time to feed the raw. Have you checked out the 3 to 5 star rated kibble on the review site? I can help you with some more budget friendly if you are interested, that may not even cost much more than the Pedigree.
Are the raw meals you are feeding properly balanced? Are you giving any type of vitamin supplements with them?
I’m hoping somebody can chime in and help you with the liver disease as well. Good luck to you and your furry friends!

[MaggiesDad]

Hi, why not give the guys at http://www.allprovide.com a call – 678-585-1606 – they do a range of raw meals in convenient 1lb pouches, and even have a feeding guide/cost calculator on their website if you’re stuck working out how much to feed. With four dogs, they also offer a number of different discount options which you may find makes the food even more affordable (it includes natural supplements such as coconut oil etc so you don’t have to add anything to the foods, which makes serving very easy and convenient.) They deliver for free to most of the USA and do a Starter Box too if you just want to try a small amount to see how your dogs take to it.

[Pitlove]

Linda- Rotties! i love them. we also have a Rottweiler along with our Pitbull a chocolate lab and an English springer spaniel. Sam, our Rottweiler (technically he is my boyfriends parents dog, so I dont get to control what he eats unfortunetly but i still think of him as my dog since I give him the most attention as hes the outside dog) is 2 probably almost 3 years old now. The bf’s parents have had all the dogs on Purina ONE lamb and rice since forever. The family dog has always been Rottweilers and unfortunely all but maybe one passed away at around 8 years old. Cancer, e-coli poisoning, you name it its happened to our Rottweilers. If it were up to me and I got to choose his food I would feed him the way I feed my Pitbull who is also prone to the problems that large breed dogs have as he is 66lbs at a year old. I do what is called a rotational diet with my dog. I certainly have him on Orijen’s Adult Dog and after that bag is through i’ve got EVO lined up next for him to try. I also feed him wet food. Now that your Rottie is far past the point where you have to worry about the calcium levels not being too high or too low to prevent rapid growth thus causing many different skeletal related disorders, you can kinda give him a nice variety of foods. If you are on a budget as someone who is retired and need to stick with kibbles, definitely go for the 5 star rated ones. I know a lot of people on here have issues with Taste of the Wild. I BELIEVE its manufacture by Diamond which has a long recall history and a terrible reputation. You want to make sure that the kibble is as species appropriate as you can get if you, like myself, can’t feed a raw diet, which would be the healthiest way for any dog to eat. Species appropriate for ANY dog of any breed being high in animal protein, at least 30% or more, moderate in fats, and low in carbs. Foods that I like and have and will use in my rotation for my pitbull are Orijen (all of them), Wellness CORE, Nature’s Variety, Merrick (GF only), EVO, Grandma Mae’s GF. I’m still working on my list but that is what I have so far.

As for raw, if it is something you are interested in, PLEASE make sure you do A LOT of research before feeding raw because it is possible to make your dog very unhealthy by not feeding a COMPLETE and BALANCED raw diet.

Also to help with the transitions to the food, you can add probiotics to their diet, like canned pumpkin and kefir. I also use a supplement thats premade in a power form made by a very great company called The Honest Kitchen. They use human grade ingredients and make their food in a human grade factory. Its called Perfect Form. Probiotics help build healthy flora(bacteria) in your dogs gut to make transitioning to a new food pain free for you and your dog. Just like with humans dogs should be able to eat a different food or protein every meal if not every couple months without digestive upset. Dogs whos stomachs are already sick and lacking those bacteria that make their gut strong due to being fed the same food day in and day out are the ones who get loose stool and vomitting when you switch their food. Instantly the owner blames the food and switches them back and never switches the food again under the claim that their dog has whats commonly called a “sensitive stomach”.

The joint supplements are a great idea. Glucosamine is a great supplement for joint and hip problems. Cancer, I feel, and I think others do too can have a lot to do with a poor diet. A lot of poor grade dogs foods do contain ingredients that are carcinogenic even for humans and without variety in their diet they are being fed those toxins for years and eventually is catches up with them. The rotational diet helps prevent that and the build up of allergies as well. If your Rottie is already allergic to a protein source like chicken, you are going to want to be very careful with the food you choose as many have chicken meal or chicken fat hidden in the list of ingredients. Its all about reading ingredients but more importantly HOW to read the ingredients and the GA, which is why this website is so helpful. But like many here including Dr. Mike will tell you, its a jumping off point. Once you find a good food, you want to look further into the company that makes it, the co-packers, the recall history etc and make sure that you’re not being fooled into thinking its a good food based on the ingredients. Also knowing where the company sources from is important, what with all the problems we have been having with China lately. Avoid China. Thailand on the other hand is ok.

I really hope that I’ve helped a little and that others will contribute or correct me if I’m wrong about any of my points. I love Rotties so I’m glad to be able to give you some direction with his health!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 7 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 7 months ago by Pitlove.

[Amanda G]

I have a 6 year old Great Dane. He is allergic to what seems like everything. He was finally allergy tested after chronic ear infections and has been on shots for the last year. The shots do not help as much as I’d hoped. He is allergic to white potato, sweet potato, flax, peas, corn, and soy. This has left us with few options. Even high quality kibble has at least one of those ingredients. We found a few that didn’t and had horrible results. We thought we were making progress with Big Dog Natural until his neck and ears went crazy. Come to find out they use potato as a binding agent. Next we tried Sojos original and added meat. We could not figure out why his ears swelled up like pork chops. They were even worse than with Big Dog. There seemed to be no listed ingredients he was allergic to. The only thing I could figure was it had pecans in it and he is allergic to pecan trees? Now I am making his food. I am lightly cooking meat, veges, oats, and egg with shell. His coat is dull, he is tired, and still itchy. His ears are not 100% but better. I can’t continue this. I know he’s not getting all the nutrition he needs out of my homemade food. I want to try raw. We’ve attempted it before but he has no interest in raw meats especially organs. I’m thinking of trying the Dinovite recipe. It seems to be a simple place to start but I’m afraid it’s also lacking. It’s only egg, shell, ground meat, rice and their supplements. Can anyone help with suggestions or experience with anything I’ve mentioned? I feel like I’m failing my dog and all I want to do is feed him. All opinions and advice will be respected and greatly appreciated. Sorry about the book. I just want to give as much info as possible so that one of you could possibly help us. I’m begging! Lol I feel like I’m going crazy.

• This topic was modified 4 years ago by Mike Sagman. Reason: Fix Duplicate Topic Title