[Anonymous]

I give the fish oil routinely, glucosamine, if I see any stiffness, maybe routinely if the dog is over 7, but it may be best to check with your vet, some of these supplements can have side effects and can interact with prescribed medication. I never tried coconut oil. If you think it helps and you can afford it, keep it up.

[jakes mom]

No specific problems with any of them except one cat is hyperthyroid. Dog is getting the joint supplement just because he’s getting older, thought it might be a good idea, kind of a can’t hurt, might help thing. I guess that’s one of my questions, really. If there’s no issue you’re trying to improve, do you give some supplements routinely anyway, like some people take a multivitamin every day. Using coconut oil because the hyperthyroid kitty has dry skin. Everybody else gets it just because they like it. Another case of can’t hurt them, might help!

[Anonymous]

It depends on the specific problems of the individual dog. Remember supplements and food are not medication, so at best, it’s hit or miss. They don’t have to be regulated by the FDA

I like to add fish oil and glucosamine to my old guy’s water soaked kibble because he shows signs of arthritis and has dry skin, potassium citrate, because he has a history of bladder stones.

To get specific advice and dose recommendations, I would consult a homeopathic vet.
Otherwise, it’s just a guessing game, or see a veterinarian that specializes in geriatric issues, there may be prescription medication that can keep your seniors comfortable.

PS: I have never given milk thistle to my pets, I took it myself once years ago, I forget why…but I think it made me sick…

[jakes mom]

Could someone just speak generally about supplements, what they give their dog (or cats, I have both) and why? There’s so much info out there! If you’re not giving a medicine, supplement, etc for a specific problem ( and see an improvement) how do you know it’s helping and worth giving? Just believe the literature and hope it’s helping? Heartworm season is upon us, and I’ve been hearing about milk thistle after hw meds. I hear about supergreen capsules, coconut oil, fish oil, on and on. With no FDA oversight, how do I even know if it’s got what the company says it has and I’m not wasting money? I’d like to hear from people who regularly give their pets supplements, what kind and how much (per # of animal), and what companies you trust. Right now dog gets joint supplement and also RMBs and dog and cats all enjoy some coconut oil. They’re all seniors. What would you be giving them if you were me? Thanks in advance!

[Anonymous]

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.
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 guys.

[Cathy M]

LM-I have read things about fish oil supplements. I think I will try that first as it is the easiest. If that doesn’t help, on to the allergy dr! I believe she is drinking plenty. How do I know how much she needs?

Crazy4cats-She is still getting the Wilderness puppy while I am figuring out what to feed her next. I had not ever been told about rotation diet, so I am interested to read more.

[Anonymous]

Have you tried a fish oil supplement once a day? Might help with the dry skin. Is she drinking enough water? Maybe add a little to her kibble.
As far as the dog urine goes, that’s how it is, urine burns the grass.
It usually grows back, kind of. You can’t have a perfect yard if your dog voids on it 🙂
And I don’t trust those supplements that are supposed to save your lawn, chemical junk, imo

Check Wysong for food, my dog with food sensitivities does best on Nutrisca salmon and chickpea with a little lean meat or cooked chicken added.

[crazy4cats]

Here are some Halo Coupons for Food, Supplements and Treats:

http://www.halopets.com/coupons/7d-vigor.php

Coupons expire on 5/31/15.

[Dog_Obsessed]

Thanks everyone for the replies!
I find it interesting that in the article that C4D provided, it says that regular expression of the anal glands can make problems worse because they will then will fill up faster. Has anyone else heard of this?

@Susan Thanks for the info! I unfortunately can’t access the group because I don’t have a Facebook account, but thanks for the information about the pumpkin.

@LM Thanks! What kind of other treatments could a dermatologist provide?

@C4D Great article, thanks! I will look into some of the supplements they mentioned.

As for the elimination diet, here are the foods I’m considering:

•NVI LID Rabbit formula
•Natural Balance LID Sweet Potato and Venison*
•PureVita Bison formula

*Yes, I know this is not a high-quality food. I am considering it because it is the only food I can find that uses Venison as the sole animal protein.

Any opinions on these, or suggestions for other foods? Thanks!

[C4D]

I don’t know if you’ve seen this link, it’s Peter Dobias. He suggests some specific supplements for anal gland issues. It might be a help. I have a foster that has those problems, but only intermittently. The interesting thing is when we had to put her on a round of antibiotics for her allergies, the anal gland issue flaired up and went from no apparent problem to abcess within a few days. Fish seems to be her allergy. We have her on NV Limited Ingredient diets and so far turkey and rabbit have been successful. Here’s the link:

http://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11014181-holistic-approach-to-anal-gland-problems-in-dogs

[Kandi S]

I did a search about prenatal vitamins and if men can take one as a daily multivitamin or not. I was surprised to read what types of vitamins a male vs a female human should and shouldn’t take, the differences in their amounts as well as their bad side affects according to gender and the importance of where our vitamins, minerals, etc… are derived from according to our gender. Then it struck me what about a male dog vs a female dog or any pet and should they be given a different intake of vitamins according to their gender? In male humans for example; some levels of vitamins and minerals as well as where they are derived from can cause everything from a higher risk of getting prostrate cancer to heart disease. The same for females that can suffer from weak bones to fetal birth defects if they don’t get enough Calcium or Foliate Acid. I was just wondering if anyone has considered this when reading their pet food labels and if they purchase different foods according to the sexes of their dog’s and other pets? Below is just an example of one of the articles I read about that states when choosing Omega 3’s in a human male diet to make sure it’s derived from fish oil and not flax seed oil because it has been shown to increase the risk of prostate cancer in men. So, if you own a male dog vs a female dog you might want to consider these facts even though this articles facts are according to human diets. Thanks!

Increased Risk of Prostate Cancer:
While most prenatal vitamins include only vitamins and essential minerals, some include omega supplements as well. Omega 3 is derived from flax oil and has been shown to increase the risk of prostate cancer in men. Omega 3 derived from fish oil, on the other hand, has been shown to inhibit prostate cancer, so it is important to determine what type of Omega 3 (if any) is in prenatal vitamins before taking them.
Read more : http://www.ehow.com/about_5042316_prenatal-vitamins-effects-men.html

[Reed R]

I need some suggestions on a good nutritional quality dry food to use as a 10% supplement to the 90% of a Veterinary prescribed dry food(Royal Canin Calm) I am feeding her which supplements her meds. She is about a 5-6 year old Spitz/Border Collie mix that was a feral dog living on the streets. We have had her for 5 years. Ultra smart but also can get pretty wild. She eats all types of raw fruits and vegetables that are suitable for dogs and during gardening season right form our organic garden (sometimes when she not supposed to she just helps herself). I have been looking at Fromm’s & Taste of the Wild. When we first got her we were feeding her Canidae until her attitude issues made the shift to her current food. Our Vet/Behaviorist is letting us try supplementing to start 10% of her current food with another brand. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Ellen D]

I’m hoping there is a simple answer to this question. I have a very picky 15 week old labradoodle puppy. Right now, the only foods he will eat are Darwin’s raw beef recipe and my homemade food (following the Ottowa Valley Dog Whisperer recipe).

I’d like to get into 100% homemade, but I don’t have a meat grinder currently and would like to be sure of everything before I invest in one. I also don’t always have the time to sit and watch him eat his bones, so I’d like to have ground options for times when he doesn’t have my 100% undivided attention.

So, if I order chubs of pre-ground meats (such as Blue Ridge Beef, etc.) that has the correct ratio of meat to bone to organs, and mix that with my own fruit/vegetable and supplement blend (assuming I offer the correct supplements at correct dosages and add no additional calcium), then the inclusion of the ground bone should provide for the appropriate levels of calcium and phosphorus in the correct ratios, yes?

Last question – does any one have experience with Allprovide premade raw food? It looks to me like the puppy mix ha the appropriate ca:phosphorus ratio and has quality ingredients. It has 2.33g of calcium and 2.09g of phosphorus per 1,000kcal.

[Anonymous]

I never heard that, about the potassium supplements. The recommended amount, 1 or two tabs a day didn’t lower the ph in his urine enough, so the vet gave me the green light to increase the dose. I have never noted any side effects.
My dog was on the prescription food too, but he didn’t like it, he likes Wysong senior (soaked in water overnight) with a little cooked chicken or lean meat.

homemade diet: http://www.homeovet.net/dynamic/php/downloads/dog-c8470f2c75dbe4b683205c3919ee2310/dog_diet_complete.pdf

[karen k]

I will talk with our vet about these tabs, thanks so much for the link. If he does not know how to get them, I can order and get a friend to bring them, lots of expats here going back and forth. I believe I read not to use the special diet food and the supplements at the same time, that way I could try some home made food and the supplements, and track the frequency of the episodes as I have been doing.

[Anonymous]

The symptoms you describe sound like what my small breed dog had. I took him to the emergency veterinary clinic (open 24/7) and one x-ray showed he needed emergency surgery to remove stones (both types).
It was a life threatening condition (blocked urethra). Often the veterinary clinics have payment plans, or accept credit cards.

The supplements and special diets are for prevention, they won’t help an existing condition or cure a blockage or infection.

They are available online, example http://www.entirelypets.com/k-plus-potassium-citrate-plus-cranberry-300-tabs.html?cmp=nextag&mr:referralID=2b34b4bd-6c95-11e2-b779-001b2166c62d Once your dog has received the appropriate treatment and is stable, ask your vet if these are options.

[karen k]

I returned home today and my dog is having major pain and wanting to pee constantly, he has not had an episode for a couple of months. Living in Mexico, I do not have access to a lot of different kinds of special prescription dog foods, which is why I was searching for home made http://dogcathomeprepareddiet.com/diet_and_urinary_tract_stone_and.htmld
There are recipes for dealing with the crystals. However, my vet could not confirm that there were stones or crystals. I did read on this forum about science diet to get rid of the crystals, I will see if I can locate it. If not, I fear we might have to go the exploratory surgery route, which I really hate to do. If the episodes are a few months apart, I guess we all can live through it, but more often, I am not so sure.

I also am sure cranberry supplements are not available here, maybe when I return to visit the US I can try and pick some up, or maybe there is a health food store that might have something like that.

[Tal R]

Seems you are correct Michael.

No potatoes, website outdated.

The full response:
——————–

Hello T.R.,

Thank you for taking the time to write to us.

We made some changes to our Regional’s diets in winter of last year. We’re always searching for ways to advance our BAFRINO mandate, improving our foods for pet lovers world-wide. Biologically Appropriate ACANA features high meat content in fresh WholePrey ratios which provide micro-nutrients naturally. This has enabled us to reduce the added vitamins and mineral supplements in the ACANA Regionals.

ACANA contains far fewer carbohydrates than conventional food, delivering a low-glycemic response to promote stable blood sugar, healthy body weight and peak conditioning. Now even lower in glycemic load, ACANA Regionals is potato-free.

We are in the process of updating our website, you should see changes shortly. If you have any other questions please let me know.

All the best,
Angela
Customer Care
Champion Petfoods LP

[C4D]

Hi Andrea,
Everyone has given you great tips. Just a couple of foods that get good ratings and are reasonably priced are Earthborn and Whole Earth Farms. I also agree that adding some fresh or canned food is really one of the best things you can do for your dog. Dogs aren’t being picky when they want fresh food. You would never eat or feed your family completely dehydrated food (kibble). I always add canned when feeding kibble and there are some very good canned foods at very reasonable prices.
I’ve been through ACL/CCL surgery and rehab with 2 dogs. The most important thing you can do after surgery is some rehab and you will have to supplement for the rest of her life. We did not do it as rigorously with our first dog and he ended up with joint stiffness. We have done it with our current dog and she is doing very well 5 years later. We did rehab & supplements and she is very active in spite of arthritis in both knees. The arthritis is unavoidable regardless of surgery, so the more proactive you are, the better and more successful the recovery. Good Luck with her!

[Ellen D]

I have a SUPER picky puppy, and he will eat anything if I pour a couple tablespoons of this stuff on it: Honest Kitchen Pro Bloom

I did search around for a brand of food he would eat without it since he goes to doggy day care a couple days a week, and they won’t add anything to his food. But he really likes the Pro Bloom, it’s good for him, and it’s helping me use up the leftover kibble from the bags he didn’t really like.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Ellen D.

[Marta W]

SO what would you say would be the supplements i would need to add?
i have sardines/anchovy oil which i can add, what else is necessary?

[Erin G]

Hi All – I know a lot of you are subject matter experts when it comes to dog food as I have relied on your comments and advice over the past 5 years being a mommy to my senior rat terrier. Dogs change lives and my sweet girl has been the best blessing ever and has led me down an endless path of trying to provide her with the best life possible…including supplements, herbs and especially nutrition. This started first as a need…she is a picky eater and also has Cushings…but has now developed into a real interest of mine. As I have yet to find the perfect food that my girl will actually eat (she will only eat home cooking right now) I keep fighting the urge to throw myself full in and start a formal education on canine nutrition with the goal of developing a new dog food. I should add here that I know there are suitable foods out there for her (she loves most pre-mixes except they all contain items to which she is allergic – potatoes, chickpeas, sweet potatoes) but all that she can tolerate are inedible to her or leave her pooping 5 times a day!

I thought this would be a great place to start to hear some feedback from y’all on what would be a dream dog food if you could invent one. Or maybe you can tell me about a brand I haven’t discovered that is sweet and white potato free, preferably dehydrated or freeze-dried so I can control her protein (she has a sensitive stomach) and doesn’t leave a dog pooping 5 times a day (which was the issue with Honest Kitchen and also she didn’t like it…I thought it smelled great!)

[C4D]

Aj K, I used Derramax years ago because I had a lab mix and knew the issues with labs and Rimadyl. Even though I used small occaisonal doses and was careful, it did a number on his liver and ultimately his kidneys. The adequan is a very good choice and I realize the dog is senior, but Tramadol (more of a morphine like based pain killer but no damage to liver or kidneys) might be a better choice. We switched to that when the kidney failure set it. Fish oil supplements would be helpful and Dori offered some supplement suggestions that could be useful. Good luck with your baby!

[Dori]

I would use Traumeel (you can order from Amazon). As for supplements I would encourage you to give Standard Process supplements: Canine Whole Body Support, Canine Flex Support, and their Canine Musculoskeletal Support. I’ve incorporated these supplements as well as some others for some of Hannah’s other geriatric conditions. The three that I recommended have made a world of difference. She’s now back to standing up on her back legs begging for treats just like Katie and Lola. Hannah hasn’t done that in at least a couple of years. Good luck.

Sorry RescueDanMom. I just looked back and realized this was old thread. Though I hope my post helps others, I’m sorry. I should have looked to see what this forum was about who started the thread. 🙁

• This reply was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Dori.

[InkedMarie]

if I remember correctly, they say, or used to say, that you had to add supplements, salmon oil is one. If I were you, I’d call the company & ask.

I buy my own grinds & I add salmon oil 3 times a week and eggs three times a week. The only other supplements are for fleas/ticks, joints…

[Marta W]

SO i was looking into maybe getting my dog bravo raw food blend variety,
its “Chicken, chicken bone, chicken heart, chicken gizzard, chicken liver, green beans, squash, broccoli”, for chicken type.

So my question is why do they say its only intermittent or supplemental??
Dont some of you just feed meat, organ meat and bones without adding any supplements?
Do i really have to add other stuff to it?

[Tal R]

Hi,

Basically, I would like to know the main differences between senior and regular dog foods and should an elderly dog that already gets joint support food supplements and doesn’t have a weight problem be given special or regular dog food?

In specific, my dog is a large (25 kg.) female elderly (14.5 y/o) mixed breed (probably mostly German Shepard).

She is in relatively good health, especially since i started giving her food supplements / drugs over the last 2 years to improve her joint problems (everything was done consulting the veterinarian of course). Her hind legs still show weakness but the condition has improved to a point that she even sometimes jumps now days.

Over time the list of supplements/drugs evolved to the following:

1/2 pill of Previcox (Firocoxib) every 2 days (56.75 mg per day on avg.).
1 pill of 20 mg. Omeprazole a day.
1 tablet of Glycoflex 3 (1000 mg Glucosamine, 1000 mg MSM) a day.
2 tablets of Power Supplements SAMe (400mg) a day.

I would appreciate any advice or tips.

If any additional information is required, let me know…

Thanks!
T.R.

[C4D]

Interesting article L M. Having 2 dogs with ACL/Meniscus tears in both knees, I’ve done a ton of research on this for many years. I do agree with most of the article, but find they’ve missed what seems to be a big problem that is only now becoming mainstream knowledge. Early spay/neuter is a HUGE reason for this. Here’s a UCDavis link:
http://news.ucdavis.edu/search/news_detail.lasso?id=10498

There are many more, but this just gives you some insight. My first early neuter boy was very young, healthy and athletic, but was an adopted dog and was pediatric neutered @ 8 weeks. My chocolate was rescued @ about 8 months and was already spayed. We found out when the vets (not my normal one) opened her up to spay. He did have surgery (fishing line) and it was successful, but he slowly became forever stiff as we were not as familiar with supplements and therapy back then. Our chocolate went through rehab therapy prior to surgery per my vets recommendation and did so well, she did not require surgery. We have kept her on fish oil and glucosamine supplements for over 5 years and kept her on the slim side. While she has diagnosed arthritis in both knees, she is still very active (walks up to 2 miles almost daily) and we continually do strength exercises on her. She is 10 and with the exception of a sloppy sit (which she’s always had since we found her) you would not be able to tell.
So, I really feel that the most important part of recovery is therapy along with continual supplementation of fish oil and glucosamin/chondroitin. I use human supplements.

[Dori]

I would suggest Standard Process Whole Body Supplement. If you diffuse essential oils in your home I would suggest Transition and also Calm-Away. For the oils I would suggest you go to AnimalEO.info and check them out. You can also order Standard Process products through that site. This is Melissa Shelton DVM’s site. I use a H2EO diffuser. You can read about the different essential oils on her site and if you go to her site oilyvet.com you can check out the different Standard Process supplements and see if any of them are worth while for your dog. I think the two I mentioned would be worthwhile for your dog but there may be others.

I’m also a commercial raw rotational feeder to my three dogs. I don’t feed anything processed.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Dori.

[mswaynay]

Hey guys, I have been watching/stalking this forum for awhile and it has helped me a lot transitioning my dogs to a full raw diet. One of my dogs completely ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament and is in TPLO surgery right now, he should be coming home tomorrow, fingers crossed!

My dogs are fed half commercial raw grinds/nuggets, mainly Northwest Naturals and Columbia River Naturals, switching between meats such as lamb, beef, quail. The other half of their diet RMB that I find good deals on at the grocery store or local farmers (mainly chicken and turkey). We live in a small house so sadly don’t have room for a massive freezer yet! As far as supplements, they are already being given fish oil, green lipped mussel and K9 Level 5000. They also get sardines and local duck eggs several times a week. Thankfully he will not be put on antibiotics so thats one less thing to worry about. I did buy a exercise pen for him to be in for the next several weeks and was thinking for some of his meals I could use a Kong stuffed with grinds, frozen it would provide a pretty stimulating meal.

So any advice on what supplements, types of raw food may help his recovery, tips to keep him entertained, etc would be much appreciated! I’m sitting at home with all my other animals bored our of our minds waiting to hear from the vet!!

[crazy4cats]

Hi Trout-lilly-
I experienced the same ordeal with my pups, except they had way more than 2 rounds of antibiotics. Youch!!! They still have some issues with soft stools and they are almost four years old. They are doing much better. Here was and still is my favorite go to site for help with their bellies. http://www.dogaware.com/health/digestive.html

If she was doing well on the SD I/D, I would probably get another bag (or two) of it, get her back to normal and try the transition verrryy sssllowwly this time. LOL! Keep up with the probiotics. You could even try something other than yogurt that has more strains of probiotics. There are some suggestions on the link I shared with you above. Along with a probiotic you could try a small amount of canned plain pumpkin or what I liked even better was canned Fruitables digestive supplement during the transition.
On that link there are several supplements that are recommended for IBS, Colitis, Leaky gut and so on. I have used just about every one of them! I still rotate and they ARE helpful. The ones I’ve tried (and still use) are: Perfect Form, Gastriplex, Vetri-Pro BD, Phytomucil, and Seacure.

You might want to try to transition to a limited ingredient food at first. Good luck!

I wish you luck as I know it is stressful. But, I get compliments on how good my dogs look all the time when we are walking them. There is hope!!!!

[Dori]

L M. Marie, Myself, Labs, and quite a few others have been counseling, advising, and pleading her to get Ginger’s dental done since the first week she got her. That is well over a year ago. I’d also like to remind you and others on this thread that she has repeatedly asked for advice. We have repeatedly given her the advice she asked for. No, no one has to take anyone’s advice even if you’ve asked for said advice. Then stop asking for the same advice on the same issue over and over and over again if you know you’re not going to do anything anyway. Have you read all 15 pages of this forum thread? If not and when you have a moment, you might want to read it from the beginning. I think that you and others may think that we are being too hard on Akari and need to take it easy on her. It is inhumane to allow anyone, anything to suffer as long as the poor dog has suffered due to the condition of Ginger’s teeth.

We all have had old dogs at some time or another and we all dread the exams. I for one have had my Maltese, Hannah, all her life. She was 15 years old last September. She has two types of cancer (bladder and lung), she’s been hypothyroid almost half her life. She has two degenerated discs mid spine. All these issues I’ve been treating medically, holistically, with SP supplements, homeopathically, with the aid of not only her own vet but with counsel from holistic/homeopathic vets and specialists for her conditions. Also I have often asked for advice here on DFA. It’s a wonderful place filled with loving, caring, compassionate people and when we see and hear these stories we have to speak up and point out what we know is wrong and is abusive behavior. Hannah is not suffering in the least. She’s eating, drinking, peeing, and pooping. Playing with her two “sisters” all the time. Barks at everyone passing the property. She long ago decided that she was our watch dog and door bell all rolled into one. Each and every time I have to take her to any of her vets, my heart is in my throat. I all but break into a sweat. But that does not stop me from getting her to her doctors appointment. And when the day comes that my husband and I feel that she is suffering we will do what is best for Hannah, not for ourselves. We will let her go because to do otherwise would be selfish to the maximum on our part. We have had to make that decision in the past and you never ever get over it. It stays with you forever. All my dogs have been like my children. My own “human” child died 8 years ago last August. Let me tell you that the pain and longing is not much different than losing a furry member of your family. You miss them, you think you hear them, you think they’re just sleeping in their bed, or laying on the sofa with the t.v. on. You think you hear their dog tags jingling. I still have each and every dog collar and all dog tags and all ashes from each and every dog I’ve ever had including a yellow naped Amazon parrot I had about 30 years ago. In the end the decision should be about what is best for them, not for ourselves. Of course we don’t want them to be sick and/or die, but what needs to be done for “furry family members” that we brought into our homes to care for and protect means from beginning to end it is about them! Not us! Again, if I sound harsh on the subject of the decisions that Akari has chosen in her care of Ginger it is because it pains me that Ginger is still (a year or so later) in the condition that she is in and has been allowed to be this way since she was brought into her home.

I’m proud of all of us who have spoken up. So many people in this life will turn a blind eye because they don’t want to get involved. That’s not me and neither is it the posters that have seen something wrong happening and we do get involved. When I see abusive behavior in any form in my day to day life I am one of those that do speak up. I’m not so afraid that I’m going to pretend that I don’t see or hear what’s going on. It’s one of the problems that society has right now. People don’t want to get involved, they don’t want to upset the apple cart. I don’t care if the apple cart topples over so long as I have been instrumental in getting someone to open their eyes and see what they’ve done.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Dori.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Dori.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Dori.

[Kristin C]

Hi Mark – I make my own raw dog food and the cost depends on the type of meat and if I can get it on sale, plus if I had any supplements. Withought a supplement I will say it can cost from .80-$1 for chicken, up to $1.50 for beef PER SERVING. I have a 25 and 30 lb dog. I use chicken breast, thighs, hearts, liver, gizzards, plus raw egg and fruit, vegs, pumpkin. For beef it’s whatever is on sale plus heart, liver, kidney, lung, thymus, fruit, vegs, pumpkin. I feed a lot of other stuff too but the chicken and beef are the best examples I have. I make it in batches every 7-10 days.

If you are looking for ideas to market your product maybe offering a sample size would help. The cost is a bit prohibitive to feed full time for most but I’m sure as a supplement to what people are currently feeding it might be worth exploring. Good luck!

[Karen J]

My dog Trixie is on a grain free diet and a few supplements and doing pretty well. But I seem to be running out of good treats for training. I was boiling chicken breasts and cutting them up and she threw it all up tonight from 9 hours ago.

The Good Lovin Brand she was liking and then got bored. I just gave her a Stella & Chewy nugget, she had gotten bored with them but I think she ate, I have to go look. Maybe I have to rotate. This is such an informative group I thought you might have some ideas.

She love the Tri-Pom organic chicken jerky from Maine but it’s not such a great training tool. They’re kind of time consuming for her to chew. Plus it’s expensive.

The dehydrated treats seem to give her diarrhea.

Any suggestions? She’s smart and stubborn so I have to work on stay and come and loose leash walking and all 13lbs get reactive on the leash…so I take a pouch with me and the clicker to try to work on these issues on our walks. But without treats it doesn’t work so well.

Thank you, Karen

[Mark W]

Hello all,

I posted earlier as well. I am looking for feedback from people who make their own food at home… how much does it cost you? What kind of ingredients do you use? Do you make it in batches or cook every day?

I just want to get feedback so I can provide my superiors with data to support our marketing efforts.

If you would like to know what My Perfect Pet Food uses for ingredients in their food, please visit https://store.myperfectpetfood.com/ and click on the product – on each page, you will see what protein, fiber source, and supplements that are used for each product.

Please reply and let me know your thoughts!

Mark

• This topic was modified 10 years, 12 months ago by Mark W.

[hogrider]

Hi all, new to this forum.
Our rescue pitbull mix just had surgery to remove a stone blocking his urethra.
They removed multiple other stones and sandy grit from his bladder.
After the samples were sent away for analysis it came back as amonium urate crystals.
They recommended Hills U.D., after some research I have seen alot of negatives with this prescription diet food, not to mention the excessively high price.
For now we have switched him to Natures Recipe Vegetarian diet, still very high in protein but not the animal protiens they are telling me cause his type of stone.
The family vet is being very helpful to find a cost effective diet plan and possible supplements.
They are saying he can still have some meat in his diet but most foods, prescription or not are almost always chicken based. He is allergic to chicken.
Anyone else deal with this and have experience they can share?

[Oceans11]

Can someone recommend a good nutrition supplement for my 20 month 13lb Coton De Tulear. He is s picky eater. I have tried expensive can food, Instinct Raw, you name it, I have tried it. He will eat rotisserie chicken – which is pretty much his diet also by with occasional nibbles on Origen puppy kibble. I am sure the rotisserie chicken is not nutritional for him so I am looking to somehow add a supplement to it. I would appreciate your thoughts and any recommendation for a good supplement.

[Z B]

9 yr old female spayed
pit-boxer mix,43 lbs, at ideal weight and in good shape
Diet: Kibble (most recently Dr Tims Kinesis grain free & Natures Variety LID Duck) topped with 5 star canned
Heartguard every 6 weeks
Frontline or other topical flea treatment every 2 months
Flea bath once every 1-3 months

She has never taken steroids, painkillers, or antibiotics except for 2 courses of amoxicillin in the past year for a skin infection. To my knowledge she has not eaten any poisons, poisonous plants, etc. She’s an inside dog and walked on a leash. I don’t have a fenced yard so she’s never outside unattended.

Last week her water intake increased dramatically and she peed large volumes on the floor several nights in a row. Other than that she appears to feel fine, eating well, enjoys her walks, is not showing urgency to pee nor peeing frequently. Urinalysis showed signs of infection so she’s now taking antibiotic Zeniquin.

Yesterday I received the results of her bloodwork and her liver enzymes are OFF THE CHARTS.

The doctor recommends I give her SAM-e and Milk Thistle to support liver health. Is there anything else I can do, diet-wise, supplements, etc. I see Science Diet and Royal Canin have liver support diets but I hope not to feed those foods if I don’t have to. I’m willing to do homemade if I need to (commercial raw is not in my budget) but would prefer to stick with a high quality kibble and canned if possible.

Should I be concerned about the foods I’m currently feeding? Contamination????

[Anonymous]

And, the allergies may be seasonal. The specialist I saw said he didn’t recommend skin testing unless the symptoms had been going on for 4 seasons without any significant periods of relief. Despite diet changes, etc.
Bathing once or twice a week with Malaseb helps my dog, daily fish oil supplements are good for dry itchy skin too.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Dawn R- I am very sorry to hear about your struggles with Bella. My dogs had a similar start. First of all, I’m pretty sure you have done this, but I just have to ask. Has she been retested for Giardia? It is a difficult parasite to get rid of at times and I’m wondering if it is active again. Have you wormed her lately? If not, I’d try either Panacur or Drontal Plus in case she had some dormant giardia lurking.

My pups had a bad case and struggled with diarrhea off and on for a few years. I think the parasites and the over use of antibiotics caused them to have a leaky gut or some form of colitis. Check out this site for some great info: http://www.dogaware.com/health/digestive.html

My dogs are having issues right now because I think I got too confident in their tummies being better and they are not. I am feeding them the Merrick Classic Chicken formula and it is not going too well. However, when I fed them the Merrick grain free duck and turkey they did fine. My suspicion is maybe there are just too many ingredients in the classic formula. My dogs do fine with peas, sweet potatoes, and rice as a binder. I’m now suspicious of rye and barley as no no’s.

So far, my best kibbles for them have been Victor grain free and California Natural Pork and Peas. I try to add some fresh, frozen or canned to their kibble every meal. Your best is to try to keep their kibble as simple as possible. Shoot for just one protein and one carb with low fat and slightly higher fiber. I think the California Natural Pork formula might be a food one for you. I ordered it from Pet Flow when it was 30% off to give it a try!

The supplements that I have used with success are:
Seacure, Phytomucil, Vetri Pro BD, Gastriplex, Perfect Form and Pro Flora probiotic
chews. I still rotate them.

Oh, and also, plain canned pumpkin doesn’t work wonders for us either. But the Fruitables Pumpkin digestive canned supplement does. It has a few other goodies in it that seem helpful. Of course, it costs at least twice as much as the plain pumpkin.

Please write back if you have anymore questions!

[Dori]

Hi Akari. I just read your posts on the comments side and wanted to tell you that Denamarin IS a combination of Sam-e and Milk Thistle which is why the vet has Ginger on that particular medication. Hannah has been on it once a day since beginning of last Spring. She takes the chewable version. She thinks they’re a treat. She gets 225 mg daily as per her specialist. I also give her 1/4 teaspoon of canine immunity by Standard Process. All of this is for her liver which is now on the lower range of normal. I also give her daily a vitamin E capsule once a day. The vitamin e I poke a hole in the capsule with a pin and squirt it on her food. She’ll be on this routine for the rest of her life. The Denamarin I give her one and a half hours before her p.m. Meal. Easier for me and her than having to get up so early to give before breakfast. Of course she gets a ton of other supplements and essential oil and aromatherapy but those are for her cancers. She’s doing remarkably well on the cancer issues. She also only eats raw.

Anyway, I haven’t been on DFA in a while and probably won’t be again but I did see your discussion with crazy4dogs where she was telling you to add milk thistle and I wanted you to know that you already are. It’s one of the components in Denamarin. If I can help any more regarding Ginger either email me or go to my FB page. One more thing. Amazon has better prices on Denamarin than the vets do. That’s where I buy mine. It’s the same exact product. My vet is the one that told me to buy it on Amazon. Night!

[Stacy H]

I definitely agree with seeing a vet ASAP.

My dog Sisko has unfortunately has had grand mal seizures ever since I adopted him in November 2012. He would have them every several weeks.

Tried removing toxins, good diet, natural supplements, no more heartworm medicine… unfortunately he still ended up being put on phenobarbital.

I wish I had thought of it sooner, but we’ve actually had tremendous benefit with a hemp supplement. (The one I use is called Canna Companion.) On phenobarbital alone he was having seizures every 16-19 weeks. After adding the hemp supplement, we’re now over 30 weeks and counting seizure-free. His mood also has been improved greatly, more energy, playing with toys again. Just my own little story and something to think about.

Also, I have personally found this website to be quite valuable to me in dealing with seizures, even if it hasn’t been updated in quite a long time:
http://www.canine-epilepsy-guardian-angels.com/site_map.htm

• This reply was modified 11 years ago by Stacy H.

[LeAnn]

We have 3 pitbull rescue dogs–two of our own and one foster. We recently noticed an increase in their food allergies (and yes, they are allergies with hives, swelling, skin lesions, induced secondary infections, congestion, and more) from commercial dog foods. One dog is so severe he has had to be put on steroids and an elimination diet.

I found sources for what ingredients are safe for foods, and obviously this website has info on beneficial ingredients by extrapolation from the reviews.

But where can we get the nutritional values that are accessible to dogs from these ingredients? Are caloric, vitamin, mineral, fiber, and other nutritional content in foods equally accessible to dogs as they are humans?

What exactly are the nutritional requirements for dogs?

Where can we find that info?

Once we find out the allergies from the elimination process, we would like to either partially use limited ingredient commercial foods or supplements to make sure the dogs get what they needed. But without knowing the impact of the home prepped food we give them, we won’t know what they need.

Suggestions or reference resources?

Thanks!
Le’

[Justin F]

We recently took our 5 year old boxer/collie mix to the vet for a screening and they noticed his urine had a ph of 5.5 and that there was some crystals. The x-ray showed no sign of any stones and so we are just trying to prevent and manage his ph and gravity.

The vet wants us to use Prescription Diet U/D food which seems horrible its pretty much just brewers rice and other by-products.

Instead I’m hoping to find a food that doesn’t have Vitamin C and D supplements and also supplement with potassium citrate. Maybe add some wet food to for more moisture.

Has anybody else tried doing this before or any thoughts?

Google “Minnesota urolith center calcium oxalate” and they have some good info.

[Kathy J]

Thanks for the advice about THK. I continue having trouble with the digestibility aspect of THK or any other dehydrated foods (or raw for that matter). I would not cook it because it would probably dilute the supplements that are added in.
So, right now I will stick with Fromm – or Acana and maybe Nature’s Variety or Wellness and some canned and my added in home cooked things while I study cooking for him.
I need to figure out what supplements to add, etc. As I am “older”, I definitely did not want to do the cooking thing but after that horrible video “Pet Food – A Dog’s Breakfast” my solution may be to cook most of the meals and fill in with “quality kibble and canned”.

[Anonymous]

I told you, the ph levels will fluctuate. They may never be perfect.
I agree with what you said in previous posts, water, water, and more water. And, don’t forget the potassium citrate supplements I mentioned, I think they help, big time.
I don’t bother with testing, I have other things that need my attention more, right now.

It’s sometimes a genetic thing, the diet will only do so much.
Just my opinion….if your vet tells you something different, ignore me, lol

[Jennifer H]

Sooo…this is the menu I’ve drawn up for next month for Toby’s raw diet. Would anyone care to check it over and see if I’m good for calcium/phos, vits/mins? I try to stick to the meat being in the PMR range, but I add veggies and supplements as well to balance everything out.
Toby weighs 13lbs, although I think he should weigh a bit less. The morning mixes consist of ground whole prey (Hare Today), with added cooked/pureed veggies (varies according to season availability, but usually consists of a base of pumpkin, spinach, parsley, sweet potato, berries and I add an 8oz can of Oyster for manganese) and added egg. I mix up as much meat as I would need for all 4 weeks, then add half that amount in veggies, and then 2 eggs w/ shells from my backyard flock.
He also gets .5oz of veggies in the evening. (I make a big batch and then portion into ice cube trays.)

His organs consist of 2lb beef liver, 1lb chicken liver, 2lb beef kidney, and 1lb beef pancreas that were ground and mixed together and then portioned into ice cube trays for ease of use.

AM
Monday – 2.5 oz Tripe Mix
Tuesday – 2.5oz Llama Mix
Wednesday – 2.5oz Rabbit Mix
Thursday – 2.5oz Tripe Mix
Friday – 2.5oz Llama Mix
Saturday – 2.5oz Rabbit Mix
Sunday – 2.5oz Mutton Mix
PM
(Meals total roughly 3oz)
Monday – Skinless Chicken Neck, Chicken Gizzard, .5oz Organ
Tuesday – Chicken Foot, Beef Heart
Wednesday – Goat, Sardine, Beef Gullet
Thursday – Duck Neck, Turkey Gizzard, .5oz Organ
Friday – Chicken Back Piece, 1oz Organ
Saturday – Cornish Hen Wing, Goat, .5oz Organ
Sunday – Goat, Sardine, Beef Gullet

His supplements are as follows –

MORNING – 1/2 TSP Missing Link Skin and Coat – Daily
15 IU Vit E – Daily
Carlson Low A Cod Liver Oil – Daily
2tsp Kefir – Daily
Fish Oil – Mon, Wed, Fri
Coconut Oil – Tues, Thurs

EVENING – 1/2 TSP ONP Daily Greens – Daily
15 IU Vitamin E – Daily
2tsp Kefir – Daily

I’m also looking at adding k9 Natural Health Skin and Coat to his evening meal as well….but only at half dose or less (their doses seem extremely high).

Does this look okay? I’m learning all the time, and hoping to create a nice varied but balanced diet for Toby. He loves his raw, and he’s done so well on it.

• This reply was modified 11 years ago by Jennifer H.
• This reply was modified 11 years ago by Jennifer H.

[AJ A]

Thanks for all your opinions and experiences, I am glad I received replies.
I won’t ever go back to kibble EVER.
And I don’t run to the Vet all the time. I am organic myself since 15 yrs and haven’t seen a doctor since. Not even once!
I use common sense and needed to see if my case was only happening to my pup. As I can see it is definitely the water in the meat. Thats why they dont need to drink as much water as they do with kibble. Today I controlled a little the water intake and he pees less often, but still bigger spots than before and specially after feeding the chicken. He is doing just fine and has top energy, his coat started shining and it is growing faster than it was 1 month ago.
Before I switched to raw I did a deep education to be prepared, asking raw feeding breeders all over from Australia to Germany, checked everything online and started to understand that raw diet should not contain veggies neither grains like the BARF diet.. Wolves dont get a complete balanced diet everyday, neither do we and certainly they wont be searching for carrots, spinach and grains in their habitat. They receive the fermented enzymes from the digested food of their prey’s tripe, thats the good stuff, thats what they will eat first, thats where lots of balanced nutrients are.
When starting a raw diet with puppies (especially small breed) you best start with chicken, because low fat and easier digested than ground beef. Because I tried both, beef (grass fed 95%lean) and chicken. He regurgitated the whole ground beef everytime he ate it. He never did with the chicken. The wing helps cleaning his teeth and he gets supplements from the core of the bone and calcium.1 egg a week for breakfast. I give bone meal since he does not yet get enough bones in his food yet. Once he is used to the chicken and wings/necks I will start to join some liver and heart and green tripe little by little to not upset his digestion. Than we will do the same with duck, lamb and rabbit including organ and muscle meat as well. Of course a meaty bone everyday or 3 times a week.
Once established his likes than we can start feeding 1 day chicken, next duck and so on. I forgot the fish. Some fresh fish once a week is important as well.
I think probiotics , enzymes and clay are a must have in the kitchen. So is ionic silver and therapeutic grade essential oils like geranium, peppermint, frankincense and lemon. When they get lose stool some clay with enzymes/probiotics and diarrhea is cleared.
I use ionic silver to disinfect drinking water, once in a while internal against parasites and to clear my Shih Tzu’s eyes (14yrs). He suffers dry eyes and since he is on raw diet as well since 2 weeks his dry eye symptoms are already totally gone!! Yeahhhh! Now I hope to see changes in his coat like color and softness. His constant fear should disappear as well and his appetite should get better and better. I really hope to gain some more years of his company. I love him so much and hope we can gain back as much health as he has lost due to those bad kibble diet. He lost some of his hair on his back and I truly hope the high protein intake will fix most of his problems.
I stopped using vaccines on my Shih Tzu since 10yrs, neither I believe in spaying/neuter dogs. My pup received vaccines from her Vet, he won’t ever receive any other vaccines in his life. I dont believe it does any good, not for pets and neither for humans. Build up a healthy immune system and eat organic food and you will be fine!!! Same for dogs. THEY ARE DOGS NOT HUMANS!!! THEY DESERVE TO EAT HOW NATURE DESIGNED THEM TO.

[Anonymous]

I use k9Advantix II (topical monthly) on my dogs, but only during the summer. Heartworm pills every 6 weeks (not 4) during warm months, yearly testing, careful checking and avoidance of all tall grass, brush and woods.
I also use Brewers yeast/garlic supplements as they are supposed to deter bugs, plus natural spray repellents.
I would not use an oral agent, wish I didn’t have to use anything, but the ticks are bad in my area. They all are pesticides/poisons.

I have heard terrible things about this product http://vitalanimal.com/trifexis-hoax/

[aquariangt]

I read the first one, and the 2nd one I couldn’t find any information on Diamond. The first one was posted a year after the most recent Diamond mega recall.

While I applaud them for attempting to get things turned around, I still am leary and won’t be feeding their foods anytime soon. In a few years, if they’ve cleaned up their act…maybe, but still unlikely. There are plenty of foods out there that I like more than the majority of Diamond products anyway. I like that they have some affordable lines of decent quality, but for me, it’s not really worth the risk-and like I said, they still have to be clean for a few more years before I could even in good conscience recommend them.

As far as the probiotics and glucosamine you are looking for-there are other foods out there that add that, or you can add them yourself (I use supplements all the time with the dogs)