[Melissaandcrew]

Thanks Marie..I am hoping these work as well as the horse products I used in the past.

[InkedMarie]

Sorry, all I’ve used is the Bug Off Garlic.

[theBCnut]

Wow! Yogi is already almost 1 y.o.?

Angel will be 12 on 2/24 and has just recently started jumping less, so I’ll be thinking about if she needs something more soon. Gideon will be 3 on 2/13 and Micah will be 2 on 3/3. I have a couple 13 year old cats that are starting to show their age too, but I don’t think I can get anything extra into these two.

[Melissaandcrew]

Thanks Patty : ) I can’t believe another year has come and gone-Yogi will be 1 yr old on the 4th and another will be turning 15 on the 3rd. Since I have so much of the longevity, everyone over 10 will be getting some, lol.

[theBCnut]

I’ve used loads of Springtime on my horses and dogs, just not those, so I’m only bumping this up to the top.

[Melissaandcrew]

I have used springtime products in the past for my(then) older horses with wonderful results. One of my 15 plus year olds is starting to show arthritis/mobility issues so I placed an order with them that I just received today. Just curious-has any one tried the Longevity or the Advanced Joint and Hip chewables? Since they have a sale going on, I bought two bottles of the human joint product(for me and hubby) got 1 free, and bought two bottles of the Longevity powder, and received one free. Then, they threw in another bottle of the Longevity for free as well as the Advanced Joint and hip. Just started Murphy on it today, but wondering if any one had any specific experiences with these particular products?

[pugmomsandy]

What supplements in particular?

[mellowmutt]

I got Amiga at 8 weeks old, back on June 1st. Her breeder recommended Nutro LBP Lamb & Rice, so that’s what I fed her at first. I wasn’t happy with her gas or her stools, so I did some research and decided to mix Orijen LBP and NV Prairie LBP with the Nutro. Did some more research and discovered that I was feeding her way too much calcium. So I added two other foods to the mix in mid-July, NV Instinct Rabbit and CC Open Sky, had to set up a spreadsheet to keep CA, CA:K, calories & protein in order. I did the calculations based on the max-CA values, not averages or the tested values of a specific batch, to be on the safe side.

Ran out of this mix a month ago, at 8 months apparently she can regulate her CA herself, so I quit worrying about it. Now I have her on a mix of Orijen Regional Red, NV Instinct Rabbit, and NV Prairie Venison & Barley. It seems reasonable to me to feed her a red-meat diet in winter, and switch to a fish-and-fowl diet come summer (ancestral-wolf feeding pattern). In a few months the mix will be Orijen Six Fish, NV Instinct Rabbit LID, and NV Prairie Duck & Oatmeal. Both supplemented with the occasional topper of Orijen Tundra freeze-dried. LID Rabbit doesn’t have turkey, which is in the Duck & Oatmeal formula, so Turkey’s on the menu all year, too. Protein content of these blends is 33%.

The Prairie kibble’s mixed in to lower my cost from $3/lb to $2.75/lb, which adds up with a large breed. Rabbit is in the mix year-round, because I read some research (I’ll post the links if I find them again) about how wild/feral canines/felines primarily eat bunnies. The missing “meat group” in the prepared foods is rodent, so I’ll also occasionally feed raw beaver meat as a topper. I’d like to add a third brand into the mix instead of the Prairie, unfortunately I haven’t found anything that doesn’t have either the “wrong” grains or is loaded with potato (a no-no for malamutes as white potato is known to trigger bloat in this breed), or is too expensive to serve the purpose.

I set up another spreadsheet for amino acids and did yet more research; I believe she’s getting the full spectrum in sufficient quantities from all the different protein sources (also gets Orijen Tundra freeze-dried treats, used these to teach her to swim ‘cuz they float without getting soggy) such that she doesn’t need the glucosamine/chondroitin/taurine supplements typically found in large-breed-specific formulas — her body ought to be able to produce as much of these as she needs provided the proper building blocks (amino acids & cartilage). Her stools, on the “winter blend” anyway, are firm and dry, and not too voluminous or frequent and she seems to be thriving; my Vet is pleased with her physical condition and says her growth rate is right on target.

Many thanks to this site and all who contribute for helping me navigate the dog-food waters, it’s enough to make one’s head explode, but it’s also nice to have so many quality options in dry kibble. It’s been several years since I’ve had a dog (Amiga’s my 4th), Iams and even Purina just aren’t what they once were so I didn’t even consider those despite two of my dogs living to 15 (Keeshond on Eukanuba and Golden Retriever on Hi-Pro). My last malamute got Iams Lamb & Rice, but was shot (with cause) by a sheep rancher at 3 1/2 back in ’94 so I have no long-term report, there.

What got me to not trust dogfood manufacturers and do this research, leading me here, was how horrific the first month was feeding Amiga just the Nutro. Glossy, semi-soft, mucousy stools (if not diarrhea) and lotsa smelly farts — just like my friends’ dogs being fed Nutro. Enzymes, pre- and pro- biotics didn’t help, de-worming only cleared up the worms. No surprise given the ridiculously-high Zinc content in Nutro formulas, apparently since Mars bought them out — these are symptoms of Zinc toxicity, not poor digestive-tract health; no band-aid for that. Wish I’d figured that out sooner, and the calcium-level thing.

If I had the puppy-food phase to do over again, I wouldn’t touch Nutro with a 10-foot pole. These problems lessened when blended with the other kibbles, and disappeared entirely (OK, occasional fart still, probably the grains) this month after discontinuing the Nutro. I would do the four-kibble mix again, going with just the Rabbit and Duck would be lower calcium, but would also lack the glucosamine/chondroitin/taurine supplements the two LBP kibbles contain, as well as the cartilage and broad spectrum of amino acids which make these supplements unnecessary.

I did rush her to the vet after-hours back in September for bloat, but I didn’t alter her diet because of it. Sometimes she eats stuff that isn’t “on the menu” so to speak, mostly I blame my kitties because they love hunting and killing — just not eating their kills, which they leave for the alley cats. And for Amiga, sometimes she finds these before I do and accounts for occasional fur/feathers in her stools (Amiga’s also killed a mourning dove, robin, grackle, and a magpie). At least they’ve learned not to bring them in the house! I’m following all the best-practice guidelines for avoiding bloat, so hopefully this was a one-time thing, scary for both of us…

[theBCnut]

I’ve noticed the same thing with glucosamine in my horse that needs joint supplements.

[wiscnorthwind]

The three foods I use are Breeder’s Choice Pinnacle, Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Diets and Timberwolf. Natural Balance has no probiotics. Pinnacle and Timberwolf (previously Timberwolf Organics) use lactobacillus strains.

I am also immune compromised, and give my dogs human grade probiotics…Kyo-dophilus is a good one because is contains both Lactobacillus (predominant in small bowel) and Bifidobacter (predominant in large bowel) strains. I’ve used other brands as well…including Primal Defense for both myself and my dogs. Totalbiotics is brand designed for dogs that does not contain E. Faecium.

Here’s a good resource with people very knowledgeable about K9 GI issues….

http://www.epi4dogs.com/sidsibo.htm … scroll down for a list of probiotics and articles regarding Small Intestinal Bacteria Overgrowth a/k/a Small Intestinal Dysbiosis (imbalance). And a separate page on probiotics… http://www.epi4dogs.com/probioticstrains.htm … be sure to look at the label though because some of those listed do contain E. Faecium.

I’m currently dealing with some pretty severe GI issues in my female GSD after 15 months of high doses of antifungal drugs for a Blastomycosis infection. We saved her life, but her gut is a mess. She has a great deal of inflammation and is extremely intolerant of any food variations (does not even tolerate Purina HA hydrolyzed food), as well as very touchy about any amount of probiotics. I’m using DGL, Slippery Elm, Arabinogalactan with a small pinch of Kyodophilus, NAG, a small amount of 8x Pancreatin and Tylosin as we work towards healing her GI tract. She eats Natural Balance kibble double soaked (soak to absorb water, and then add a bit more water mix in the enzymes and slippery elm, stir an allow to soak some more…sometimes overnight) along with a bit of canned mixed in.

Two ready made supplements that might be helpful are Only Natural Pet GI Support or VetriScience’s Acetylator.

A good resource on supplements is Dr. Messonnier’s book, “The Natural Health Bible for Dogs and Cats”.

While I can tell you that I have had repeated success treating my own dogs’ GI issues. I am not a vet, so I highly recommend that you discuss the use of these supplements with your vet.

Best of luck to you.

[ECSGuy]

We switched our two ECS boys over to raw back in May/June of 2013. Since most all of the Kibble the we had tried was recalled for one thing or another, and we noted changes in the frozen variety of BilJac we had fed for years.

We are now feeding raw and rotating Duck with bone, Venison with bone, Beef, Beef with bone. I also supplement with SoJo dehydrated Vegitables 1 or 2 tablespoons/meal, fish oil for Omega 3-6 and coconut oil for their skin and coat (mornings coconut oil and evenings fish oil).

If you are going to continue to feed a raw or homemade diet, I’d suggest a book by Lew Olsen PhD titled Raw and Natural Nutrition for Dogs; available on Amazon. Lot’s of good information on why to feed dogs raw, why they are able to eat raw and how to supplement (you can over do the supplements if your not careful).

In my opinion, in today’s market, the worst thing to feed your dog or cat is a commercial dog food, kibble, etc. While I’m sure they try, the bottom line is keeping production cost down. I’ve been told that many buy meat meals in bulk, and really don’t know where or how the meats were sourced and or processed. Dealers are buying the meat meals and redistributing them to manufactures.

Hope something here helps, Good luck!

[cbgmom]

Unfortunately, I have yet to hear of any vet who has been able to diagnose this let alone treat it. I have heard of lots of people spending lots of $$ on testing only to show everything as normal. I’m sure there must be some vets out there who may be familiar with this — but I haven’t heard of one yet.

I’m not even sure it is the trachea but it certainly seems to be something in that area and I know many dogs and specific breeds have sensitive tracheas. It isn’t collapsed trachea but I would sort of treat it as such.

To start, maybe try to strengthen his body with supplements: an anti-inflammatory as well as a cartilage and connective tissue support (with glucosamine and chondroitin). That might be a start?

I don’t know if there would be any long term consequences. You just took his collar off so he needs some time to heal. Hopefully, he hasn’t had any permanent injury but certainly time will tell. I do believe you are on the right track now!

No apologies! I hope he is OK. It is very upsetting to watch… they do seem frantic and scared while they go through it. 🙁

[ECSGuy]

I’ve fed Blue Ridge Beef products to my two English Cockers since June of 2013. I switched to a raw diet because of all the recalls and junk they put in commercial foods. I’ve seen no problem with the products, and my boys are thriving on it. I am also using SoJo dehydrated Veggies, fish oil and coconut oil as supplements.
If I were to recommend one thing, it would be to buy Lew Olsen’s book on Raw and Natural diets for dogs. I’ve was using a vitamin and mineral supplement early on that had far to many minerals that the dogs really did not need.
As far as the charcoal in the food is concerned, my dealer has checked on this. It is a law that any raw meat products sold as pet food must contain some charcoal to differentiate it from human food. Otherwise, due to the lower cost, unscrupulous people would buy it to serve in restaurants.
I’ve seen major changes in my dogs health, including my older male who, even on high quality commercial food, would vomit at least once a week and had diarrhea off and on constantly. That is “all” resolved on a raw diet. My younger fellow runs agility and while he is a high energy dog, he lost his “rather odd” skunky smell that he had on commercial foods and his eyes no longer run constantly.
Also, emailing Steve in North Carolina at Blue Ridge has always gotten me prompt and courteous responses. So not sure what Dog girl is taking about.

[PetClubEmployee]

In my opinion anything with by products you shouldn’t feed. Tht is all the bad stuff. The beaks feathers tails what ever isn’t the clean skin of the animal.
I understand how tryin to save money is a huge issue for everyone when it comes to dog food but if you feed the right food it can help later on in life as well as now by preventing the needs of adding extra supplements as well as your dog would be able to get the items she needs, preventing her from eating her own poop. I would recommend going to a feed store as there prices seems to be way lower than pet stores. Find a dog food as party said. Where the first 1-3 ingredients are a clean meat source whether it the full protein or in a meal state.
Following by a full starch. I prefer sweet potatoes but it’s really not all that important. Grain free foods in my opinion are very beneficial for dogs
That’s just my two cents
Hope all is well

[A.Sandy]

Hi,
Just make sure to monitor the amount of cod liver fed or don’t feed for long periods of time to prevent liver toxicity. And also keep an eye for any changes your pup might have with all these supplements because if you are feeding a complete balanced meal you don’t need to give so many because it actually counter acts(causes deficiencies).

-Ana
pet nutrition expert/advisor
pupcatnutrtion.com
@pupcatfacts

[FreeholdHound]

This was posted a a Greyhound forum in regards to BDN (not my post)

My inquiry:
“Thank you. I found the product analysis, but need the nutrient profile, ie how much protein, calcium, phosphorous, magnesium, sodium, potassium, zinc, niacin, folic acid, iodine, pantothenic acid, iodine, riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin A, D & E, etc, etc, etc………………..you get the idea. It’s usually broken down into three different groups: “As Received”, “Dry Matter Basis” “As Served (Hydrated)”.
This analysis is crucial for dogs with kidney or liver disease as an example. I have a dog with kidney disease and it is vital to know the calcium/phosphorous ratio.”

Their reply:
“According to our latest analysis, the ca/ph ratio of the beef is 1.1:1. The Tripe Supreme has a ca/ph ratio of 1.78:1.
The ratio of the chicken is 1.56:1. All the calcium in our products is from natural origin. You can’t compare this with the studies out there based on products where calcium is added as a supplement.
We have our analysis split up in “As received” and “Dry matter”. I really don’t understand the “As Served” part. This all depends how much water is added by the customer. Some dogs like it a bit dryer, some a bit more moist.

We are looking for the highest bio-availability possible. Most artificial supplements that you see used in all kind of different dog foods simply don’t do the job. They are not readily available. This is also the reason we ferment the vegetables. The fermented vegetables make the calcium, vitamins, and the ingredients in general, highly bio-available.
We hear excellent testimonials from our customers on a daily basis. Older dogs that start playing again, dogs that get better muscle tone, long time ear infections that disappear, etc… the list is endless. Dogs that went from one vet to another for years, and get better after being on Big Dog Natural. This keeps us going and tells us that we’re doing the correct thing.

I know what your saying but I raised and owned Mastiffs for over 30 years. We have an old school approach of dog food. Use high quality ingredients and you’re good. I never raised my kids by over analyzing their foods but they were fed well and healthy. I really don’t believe there is a need for deep analysis when the ingredients are top quality. You only need supplements and additives when crap is used. We use the analysis as a guideline to formulate the product, not as a marketing tool. We just want a healthy dog food for healthier dogs.

Hope this help

Carl Van Bael
The Big Dog Natural Team”

[pfegan77]

I just learned that my 3 year old Sheltie is highly allergic to Brewer’s yeast. I’ve been checking all the labels on the Halo food, various nutritional supplements and treats. There are a lot of different yeast products. Do I need to be wary of any type of yeast, not just Brewer’s Yeast? Does Brewer’s Yeast go by any other name(s) which would be listed on the ingredients?

Thanks so much for your help!

[crazy4cats]

In regards to your question about Northwest Naturals, it is a raw frozen food that comes in different forms. I use the beef nuggets as well as their fruit and veggie nuggets as toppers right now. They sell them at our local feed store along with Primal and Nature’s Variety frozen raw foods. Northwest is the cheapest of the three. I feel that these add fiber as well as antioxidants to their kibble. As I said before I’m not sure which part of my new equation is helping the most as I have switched several times. Again, I’m using Victor G/F kibble along with a little digestive enzymes, Gastriplex, and probiotic chews. I hope to gradually decrease the supplements, but right now I’m so ecstatic about their poops, (I know, weird, huh?) that I’m not going to change too much for a while.
Have you checked out dogaware dot com yet? They have so much information on that site about digestive disorders. I also think that they may have some homemade diet recipes for you as well.
Good luck!

[dwil801]

I have been lurking around this site for a while and I think I am ready to feed my 15 lb Yorkie raw full time. First of all THANKS for all of the valuable infomation that I have gained from this site. I am still a little confused but I am going to give this a shot.
I will be supplementing his diet with Iceland Pure Sardine/Anchovy Oil, Vitamin E, Nature’s Logic Whole Food Supplement, Cod Liver Oil. I will also add eggs, sardines and yogurt occasionally.
I just rec’d an order from http://www.topqualitydogfood.com (local = no shipping $). I ordered:
1. BEEF Healthy Variety Mix: No Bone
HVM: 7% Veggie/Fruit mix, 10% Beef Heart, Liver and Kidney, Organic whole eggs
2. DUCK HVM: Bone content 30%
HVM: 7% organ meat and 7% veggie/fruit mix
3. Chicken HVM Bone content 26%
HVM: 7% Veggie/Fruit Mix, 10% Chicken Livers and Heart
4. Lamb HVM: Bone content 35%
HVM: 7% organ meat and 7% veggie/fruit mix
5. Icelandic Lamb: No organs Bone content roughly 20%
6. 80/20 ground Beef with 20% green tripe and 10% Beef heart and Liver, No Bone
5. Green Tripe
Some of these grinds seem to have high bone content and low in organs. Any idea how to balance the C&P ratios? Should I add any additional supplements?

[losul]

Kms.
I’m really sorry I can’t answer many of your questions and I’m not qualified to give medical advice. I don’t know specifically what your vet prescribed the SMZ TMP for, if it was even for anything specific. It may not be effective against clostridium? I would ask questions of your vet, before carrying on.

c. difficile and c. perfingens are often culprits in humans. I think c. perfingens more often in dogs.

SMZ TMP (usage in humans) http://www.webmd.com/drugs/drug-64007-SMZ-TMP+DS+Oral.aspx?drugid=64007&drugname=SMZ-TMP+DS+Oral

“This medication may rarely cause a severe intestinal condition (Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea) due to a resistant bacteria. This condition may occur while receiving treatment or even weeks to months after treatment has stopped. Do not use anti-diarrhea products or narcotic pain medications if you have the following symptoms because these products may make them worse. Tell your doctor immediately if you develop: persistent diarrhea, abdominal or stomach pain/cramping, or blood/mucus in your stool.”

“Use of this medication for prolonged or repeated periods may result in oral thrush or a new yeast infection (oral or vaginal fungal infection). Contact your doctor if you notice white patches in your mouth, a change in vaginal discharge or other new symptoms.”

About the kaolin (pro-pectin)

Kaolin Interactions

Kaolin pectin may decrease the absorption of drugs that chelate with aluminum salts (eg, digoxin, clindamycin, lincomycin). Until more information is available, avoid taking kaolin with drugs that chelate with aluminum. It may also decrease the absorption of trimethoprim and quinidine.

http://www.drugs.com/npp/kaolin.html

It looks like as long as you separate the doses enough, it may be O.K.

Trimethoprim (Proloprim) interacts with KAOLIN
Kaolin might decrease the absorption and decrease the effectiveness of trimethoprim (Proloprim), an antibiotic. To avoid a potential interaction, separate trimethoprim (Proloprim) and kaolin doses by at least two hours.

http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-44-KAOLIN.aspx?activeIngredientId=44&activeIngredientName=KAOLIN

The questions about the probiotics and enzymes- I don’t know, but me, I would be leery of using the enzymes at least for the time being.

By lightly cooked meat, I meant cooked only enough to kill pathogens that may be present. The rice cooked per package directions should be fine.

[A.Sandy]

Hi anniearies,
I have a great dane, and I give him joint rescue or joint jerky tr, forget harsh pills! your pup will think this is a treat! they love this stuff and it is extremely effective! and on top of that the crème of le crème, NZYMES!! it prevents cancer and rebuilds muscle tissue and so much more try it I loved it for my dane and recommended to all my customers!

-Ana
pet nutrition expert/advisor
pupcatnutrition.com
@pupcatfacts

[Angeldogs]

I use Superflex, which is a velvet antler supplement. The glucosamine and condrointin are naturally occurring. I also have been taking it myself since 2005. It’s GREAT for senior dogs, skin issues, musculoskeletal issues/injuries, and really helps with the pain from arthritis and hip dysplasia. http://www.natraflex.com

[enny]

I subscribe to an independent supplement testing service called ConsumerLab.com. They mostly test supplements for human consumption but they sometimes test pet vitamins. Recently they tested a dog multivitamin called PetNaturals Daily Best for Dogs. This vitamin failed their test because of too much lead in a daily dose, less vitamin C than claimed and and a smaller than claimed weight per vitamin. I use a different named vitamin called Canine Plus Senior for Dogs but it’s manufactured by the same company. They manufacture under various names. The company is called Vetri Science Laboratories a division of Food Science Corp. I noticed recently that the pill I give my dog has shrunk in size too even though it’s supposed to be the same. When talking to the company rep I’ve always felt they were being evasive to my questions. I’m going to try to get a refund on my vitamins because of the poor test results. Thought you should be aware of the lead problem.

[crazy4cats]

Well, I’m using NW Naturals frozen beef nuggets right now. I believe they have chicken also. My problem is that I keep switching so many things, such as food, supplements and toppers that I’m not sure which is making the most difference. But, with the combo I mentioned above, their poops are always good except after exercise. They are then a little soft, but not runny. I think if you are not opposed to raw, the Nature’s Variety frozen raw medallions would be great, but expensive. They have the clay in them that I believe helps with colitis. Have you checked out the dogaware.com website? They have a lot of information and tips on digestive disorders. Good luck.

[crazy4cats]

Right now I am feeding my dogs that have IBS Victor grain free which contains montmorillonite clay. I use a small amount of frozen raw beef nugget topper. To that I add the supplement Gastriplex by Thorne that includes slippery elm and L-Glutamine in its ingredients. So far, it’s the best they have done as far as their poops go. I have also used The Honest Kitchen’s Perfect Form and Vetri Science’s Vetri-Probiotic BD supplements with success. I never thought my world would revolve around my pup’s poop, but sadly it does. lol!

[Shawna]

Hi assirak2313,

Kibble is the worst thing you can feed a dog with kidney disease. Please do consider canned or home prepared.. And do some research before deciding on a diet (or ask around).. The protein and phosphorus amount in the food needs to be adjusted to the stage of the disease. In the early stages it is usually not necessary, and sometimes problematic, to reduce protein. And the quality of the protein, how well the body uses it, is vital to ongoing health.

The site that RescueDaneMom linked to is an EXCELLENT source of info on diet, supplements etc. When I found out my one year old pup had congenital (from birth) kidney disease, dog aware was one of the most informative sites I found. My kd pup is now seven and a half years old and still going strong. Her vets gave her one year after diagnosis to live..

• This reply was modified 12 years ago by Shawna.

[anniearies]

That’s probably the case.
Thank you for the links. It helps a lot !
Now we’ll let her try dr.harvey’s first.Then see if she could take the vegetarian ones.
Thank you so much for helping. ^^

[steve johnson]

My friend’s yorkie had PLE. She went to so many specialists and her poor dog was on so many drugs. Finally, she went on yorkietalk and a lot of the people in that group worked with the nutritionist on http://www.AskAriel.com with good results. She gave it a try along with a few of the supplements for digestion and IBD and her yorkie seems to be feeling a lot better.

[RescueDaneMom]

My vet suspects that my 7.5 year old Great Dane, Max, has arthritis so he put him on Rimadyl (200mg/day). He’s been on it for about 2 months now and I have noticed that it’s helping. He doesn’t take as long to get up from laying down anymore. However, I know that Rimadyl can have very nasty side effects if used long term. I want to take him off Rimadyl and put him on something else. First question is: can you stop Rimadyl cold turkey or do you need to wean off it like you would Prednisone? Second question is: what supplements would help him like Rimadyl does?

Max is already taking the following:
4500 mg Glucosamine HCl
3000 mg MSM
1200 mg Chondroitin sulfate
300 mg ASU
My understanding is that Rimadyl lessens inflammation. I was told by a friend that I should slowly wean him off the Rimadyl and start giving him Dog Gone Pain (aka DGP). I did buy a supplement from Swanson’s that has boswellia and tumeric in it (300mg of each). I also bought Actiflex 4000 on recommendion (from pugmomsandy I believe), which has boswellia in it. I’m still waiting for the delivery.

Max is my first dog so this is my first experience with a senior with arthritis. Any suggestions or tales of experience are welcome. Thank you in advance. 🙂

-Caroline

[RescueDaneMom]

A lot of glucosamine is sourced from shellfish. Do you think she could have a shellfish allergy? They make vegetarian glucosamine and joint supplements. http://www.swansonvitamins.com/q?kw=vegetarian+glucosamine+-+shellfish+free

I don’t think any supplements will conflict with kibble. You should be fine adding whatever supplement you decide to try right into her kibble. Sometimes herbs can have a strong smell (and taste I’m guessing) so you may have to add a little canned food or something else yummy to mask the smell/flavor.

[anniearies]

i hv found this products at a pet shop nearby. http://www.azmira.com/products/supplements/grape-seed-extract/
i know grapeseed is benificial for human,but does it work for dogs?
what i curious about is that dogs can’t have grapes, is grapeseed products mean to be helpful for them. And also same wonder if dogs can take supplement contain garlic?

[anniearies]

Hi, everyone, thanks for helping.
She been taking glucosamine+chondroitin tablets for over a year, it works for her. But then, she could take it no more. At first we thought she does not like the taste, as it’s bitter. We tried all other brand, instead of giving tablet, we brought glucosamine in powder or liquid form, and we found there is something she could not tolerate in glucosamine products. her tounge wouldn’t stop licking like getting choked,utill it went white, it happened whenever we gave glucosamine to her , either instantneously or later of the day. If we not giving her that, it does not happen at all.
To maintain her joint health, we still give that to her for quite awhile , untill our dog refused to have it anymore.
She is having dry kibble for meals, and i wonder if it’s right for us to add the herbal medicine to help her with it. I mean most herbal medicine seemed made intend to be added to whole food.Would it be in conflict with commercial dog food?

i would also like to try all the products you guys recommend.

thank you for helping without you guys, all i know i could give her is glucosamine and herbal medicine, now we got wilder choice. i believe there must be something suitable to maintain her joint health from what you guys recommend.

thank u guys !

[theBCnut]

Generally speaking, we don’t recommend senior foods. Many of them are based on bad science. Seniors can have difficulty in utilizing the protein in their food and actually may require as much as 50% more protein than a younger dog, yet most senior foods decrease protein. They also don’t have a therapeutic dose of joint supplements in them, but they advertise as if they do, which keeps owners from giving their dog what it needs in that department. Senior foods are a marketing gimmick, not a need.

[OhBichonPlease]

My doggie LOVES “salmon pops” that I make with a can of Wellness 95% salmon mixed with a can of organic pumpkin. It’s a pretty easy consistency for spooning into ice cube trays and they pop out smoothly for rebagging after a minute on the counter. I give her one or two a most days for the benefits to both skin & coat and digestion. She dances all the way from the kitchen to her special mat that she has to eat them on because a] they smell pretty bad on the fingers [so don’t want it on my carpet] and b] because they could be messy [if they lasted long enough to thaw]. I honestly don’t know how she doesn’t get a brain freeze from holding and chewing a whole cube down to nothing in less than a minute. They get an amazing response from my generally picky eater. It would probably be pretty easy to hide supplements or liquid meds in them as well. I think they may even help her teeth a bit since she chomps and gnaws with her back teeth more than she licks at them.
I have also thrown a few to the neighborhood cats who are starting to look a bit skinny this autumn. They definitely lick at it, but it is usually gone within a few minutes.

[RescueDaneMom]

I have used Dasuquin with MSM for large dogs by Nutramax for years. It works really great for my dogs but it’s expensive. The last time I bought it on Amazon it was around $80 for a bottle of 150 chewable tablets. I was giving my Dane 3/day so it lasted me about a month and half. I have recently switched to buying all of the components in Dasuquin separately from swansonvitamins.com: glucosamine, MSM, chondroitin, and ASU. It costs me around $25/month. I also just ordered Actiflex 4000 from Amazon. It is a joint supplement made for horses. It was recommended by a member on this forum. It will be much more cost effective for me. I’m hoping it will work for him. I’ve tried Liquid Health’s K9 Level 5000 on two separate occasions and it didn’t work for my dogs. I’ve also heard that Springtime Inc makes good joint supplements. I want to try theirs next. Nupro and The Wholistic Pet make powders that you add to the food that have joint supplements in them. I believe that Glucosamine HCl works better than Glucosamine sulfate for my Dane.

Here are some article on joint health and treatments:
http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/knowledgeBase/knowledgebasedetail.aspx?articleid=169&SubjectId=13261&SubjectName=Arthritis+%2f+Joint+Support
http://www.onlynaturalpet.com/knowledgeBase/knowledgebasedetail.aspx?articleid=46&SubjectId=13261&SubjectName=Arthritis+%2f+Joint+Support

That probably gives you a lot to think about. Every dog is different and some things work better than others. Good luck! I hope you find what works for your pup. 🙂

[NectarMom]

I use Springtime Inc advanced joint care for my dogs and one of mine has luxating patella and she limped at times and since giving her Springtime once a day it is amazing the difference. She can run like when she was young. Great product.

[pugmomsandy]

I buy plain cetyl-myristoleate (Now or Jarrow brand) from swansonvitamins.com.

[theBCnut]

I would try raw chicken or turkey necks. They are mostly cartilage, so they have all those cartilage building nutrients in a natural form.

[RescueDaneMom]

What do you mean by not tolerating the glucosamine? Is it not working? Does it make her ill? I have a Great Dane so I really have to support his joints. I have never used glucosamine by itself. I’ve always used it in a combination formula with MSM, chondroitin, and ASU. I’ve just recently started adding in herbs as he has arthritis now that he’s an old man.

Some herbal formulas for dogs that I know of are Dr. Harvey’s Ortho-Flex Joint Ease, Herbsmith’s Soothes Joints, and The Honest Kitchen’s Lithe Tea.
For more info on using herbs for joint care see this article: http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/herbs-for-canine-joint-care/

Other things that help joints are cetyl myristoleate, hyaluronic acid, perna mussel (green-lipped mussel) powder, and eggshell membrane.

What I have learned in my search to find what works for my dog is that every dog is different. I have tried products because people tell me how great they are and how they worked for so and so; however, they didn’t work for my dog. It is all trial and error. You have to try everything. Try something and give it a couple weeks to see if there is any notable difference. If it doesn’t work, scratch it off the list and move on to the next thing. I wish you luck in finding what helps your pup. I hope I was at least a little helpful. 🙂

[anniearies]

vet recommend us giving glucosamine to our senior dog on daily basis.
But her body could not tolerate glucosamine in any brand any form after taking it for over a year.
In order to maintain joint health , and her achilless tendon, what supplement can i give her now?
herbal form joint supplement good for dogs?

[RescueDaneMom]

kms-

Here is an article on GI issues: http://www.holvet.net/slippery_soup.html
It has info on slippery elm bark and how you use it.

The Honest Kitchen makes a supplement to help with digestion and intestinal health that has slippery elm in it called Perfect Form.
http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/supplements/perfect-form

I hope this helps. 🙂

-Caroline

[Jeancar]

My vet is suggesting a food trial for my 5 yr old cocker spaniel. He has unidentified allergies(chews his feet, and “goobery” eyes). We’ve tried several allergy meds, and he is presently eating “GO” salmon. He recently had crystals in his urine, so he’s taking a supplement for stone prevention. He will have to stop taking supplements during the food trial. He also has a sensitive stomach, he takes Pepcid to control acid production. Are there any foods that deal with more than one problem?

She has suggested Hill DD potato venison. She feels the protein level is low enough to avoid bladder stones. This sounds reasonable to me, just interested if anyone else has the same issues, and possible feedback.

[RescueDaneMom]

What kind of dog is he? I have a Great Dane that I rescued at 2 years old. I put him on a joint supplement as soon as I got him. I had to up his dose as he got older when I noticed his joints starting to pop when he got up. The vet just diagnosed him with arthritis (he’s 7.5 now). I tried switching joint supplements once and his joint popping got really bad- the new supplement wasn’t working well. When I switched back to the old supplement the popping stopped. So that was a long way around telling you that it could be a joint problem. He might benefit from a joint supplement (something with glucosamine and chondroitin). I also have a pit bull in the house that does that stretching you are referring to. He does it ALL the time. I thought it was just a personality quirk. He’s 5 yrs old and 70 pounds and his joints never pop.

If you are really worried, you could take him to the vet and have them do an xray to see if there are joint issues going on.

[pugmomsandy]

You can find a similar food to Life’s Abundance for less $$ like Nutrisource grain inclusive line small/med breed puppy formula (yes, for your 8 yr old). If you’re willing to feed something better than kibble though, look into some dehydrated/freeze-dried foods like The Honest Kitchen or Grandma Lucy’s or Dr Harvey’s Oracle. These are less processed than kibble. If you can home cook for your dog, then those brands I just mentioned have a Pre-mix where you just add your own meat and some oil. I give my dogs probiotics, sardine/krill oil, super greens powder supplement, colostrum, Springtime’s Bug-Off/Longevity and some joint supplements. Mine also get fresh food like raw meat, scrambled eggs and raw sardines and leftovers of meat/some veggies.

[Mahaghaith]

Hi, I am at the stage where am obsessing about the health and longevity of my dog.
He’s a short haired Russian Toy Terrier. Almost 8 years old. Not neutered. He has always been healthy with very few issues. The occasional constipation/diarrhea followed by anal gland infections when he’s fed fatty fresh chicken. However recently I’ve noticed his skin/ coat changing. He has more bald spots and white hairs and has finer hair especially around his ears, neck and feet. He doesn’t itch nor seem bothered by them. His energy levels are great and his weight has always been stable(5.5 lbs). He’s been eating Royal Canine for chihuahuas and the occasional greenies and Macs&buddy treats. Not taking any supplements.

Now I’m wondering if I’m doing enough for his health. Was thinking of switching his food to Life’s abundance. Any advice/recommendations?

This is my first forum convo. All advice would be much appreciated especially since it’s from others who love their pets as their children like I do.

Thanks a bunch.

[Linda]

A 5 yr. old German Shepherd (breeding bitch) has been rescued. 6 litters in her lifetime. Lived in a 4×4 pen with 3 other adults. Tip of ear frozen off. Couple of cracked teeth but no gum disease. Suffering from pancreatic insufficiency. No strength yet in the rear to jump into the car but now can get her front feet up – we lift the rest of the way. Can jump up to a fence at daycare now but can only sustain the position for 25-30 seconds. Fast trotted at dog park for first time yesterday. Timid but no aggression towards either canine or human. Extremely curious. She is getting regular walking exercise and is at daycare 2x per week for socialization (huge strides in becoming ‘one’ with the pack).

Reason for my topic post: Looking for advice on supplements eg glucosamine/chondroitin – would anyone recommend this and if so, brand/dose? What about massage? Anything else?

[crazy4cats]

Unfortunately, I know exactly what you are talking about. My dogs have been treated 3 or 4 times for giardia. Our vet recommended not only pre and probiotics and digestive enzymes. He also suggested supplements to heal their intestines such as DGL, marshmallow root and plantain. I didn’t have a clue what they were. Lol! After research, I found that dogaware dot com has a great section on digestive orders with supplements that contained some of these. I’ve used Gastriplex by Thorne, Vetri-Probiotic BD, and Phytomucil by Animal Essentials with success. Also, make sure to get the dog retested because it often takes more than one treatment to get completely rid of it. Good luck. And, oh yes, of course, check with your vet first.

[Mom2Cavs]

Bee pollen granules can be found at springtimeinc.com. They have awesome supplements and have great sales, too.

[theBCnut]

What size is Haley again? The Apple Cider Vinegar needs to have the Mother, it’s a cloudy bit of goo in the bottom of the bottle. That means they haven’t filtered out, cooked, and killed all the good stuff. I use 1/2 teaspoon of the ACV for every cup of food.

The kefir should be plain so you aren’t adding sugar to your dogs diet. They get about a teaspoon for every 10 lbs of body weight.

Look in the supplements aisle for a seaweed supplement. As far as how much, for your little guy, 1/4 to 1/2 a tablet daily.

[kms]

Duke the Boxer, RescueDaneMom and PattyVaughn –

Thanks for responding so quick. I started to try to learn about the various probiotics and enzymes on the supplements thread and just got totally overwhelmed at all the choices (think my brain is full). So I ordered Mercola Probiotics and Digestive Enzymes, since that is what I’ve seen recommended the most here. But I’m going to try the Biostareq Terra Biota K9 and Dr. Langer’s also – sounds like supplements can be just as trial and error as the kibble.

PattyVaughn –

When I cut “back to a couple times a week” – do you mean cut back the probiotics AND the digestives enzymes or cut back probiotics only?

I saw on Mercola’s website where they recommend that you feed the Digestive Enzymes a couple hours after each meal, not at each meal. Is that what I should do or just give it with the meal?

As far as the pumpkin, I will up the dose. He’s 32 lbs now, so that’s 3 tsp pumpkin – is that 3 tsp per meal or per day?

As far as the 20%…. He eats 3 c kibble per day, so adding a 20% topper would mean a little under ¾ cup, right? And that means I should decrease his kibble by 20% to account for the topper, right? (I feel like I’m asking stupid questions, but I need to make sure).

Should the meat be raw or cooked? I use chopped cooked chicken for training treats, but he has never eaten anything raw – I’m worried it will upset his stomach.

Thanks so much to everyone – I finally feel like I’m getting somewhere!!!