[pugmomsandy]

The Arthroplex ingredients look good.

[NectarMom]

I just got my springtime order of joint and fresh factor chews and my dogs readily eat the Mercola joint chewables but are hesitant to eat the springtime chewables. I think they are excellent supplements from the ingredient list but I just wish mine liked them as much as Mercola products. I will keep trying though.

[weezerweeks]

Mom2Cavs and Sandy Do you know anything about Arthroplex by Thorne for joints? I have a hard time giving my Bailey supplements if he’s not having problems but I know he has the luxating patela in one leg and I don’t want to wait til it gets bad but I don’t want to give him supplements if not needed. Thanks

[pugmomsandy]

Cetyl-M, chewable, easy to break apart. Not super strong like Glycoflex 3 Chewables.

http://www.responseproducts.com/advanced-cetyl-m-joint-action-formula-for-dogs-120-tablets/

[Mom2Cavs]

One of my absolute favorite joint supplements is Joint Health Chews from http://www.springtimeinc.com. I’ve used their products for many years with great success. I used their Joint Health Chews, along with their Fresh Factors, for my now deceased Shih-Poo who had both rear luxating patellas. They were grade 3! He never had to have surgery, but his exercise was limited. Check ’em out!

[weezerweeks]

I’ve been looking at all the supplements some of you have suggested and I’m stressed out. My 7lb3oz yorkie has luxating petalla in one leg. It does not give him any trouble but I’ve noticed lately he acts stiff after we walk. We walk couple of miles a day and he’s 5 now so I want to start him on something but not real strong and powerful. I would like for it to be powder or a chewable. Someone with a small dog make the decision for me. Thanks

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

[Mom2Cavs]

Molzy, it does sound to me like an acid stomach problem, but I’m not a vet….
This site has some good supplements for acid stomach and digestion problems and some good articles, too. http://www.askariel.com I have a dog that has allergies and has mild occurrences of licking, swallowing. I have used these supplements when that happens with success.

[Melissaandcrew]

I have to say that I have was surprised when I did a cost analysis. Granted the farm I am going to be buying from is very reasonable-less than a $1 per lb for the items I am looking for. I based my figures on two weeks of Acana/Nutrisource Vs two weeks of homemade raw. I did not figure in supplements as I already buy Fish oil, kefir, yogurt mackerel and sardines and eggs.. I did figure in the canned, Grandma Lucy’s and premade commercial raw that I buy now. I will save for each 15 days between $221 and $277.

Hubby was a “naysayer” in attempting this(too much work, clean up, bacteria etc) but he heard that and he asked if I woud like him to order a new freezer now, or should he wait a month or two? LOL. I have to tell you, I can’t wait to start grinding something..anything..if this doesn’t work out for the dogs, I may have to take up sausage making, lol.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi jimmianne –

There’s no such thing as a single “best” food. The less processed the better – so raw would be the best option, followed by fresh cooked, then dehydrated or freeze-dried, then canned, with dry food being the worst option. With whatever you feed, variety is key – don’t stick with the same food. Rotating foods helps to strengthen your dog’s gut by fostering a diverse population of microflora, gives your dog a variety of nutrients and give you options in the event of a recall. If you’re going to feed a dry food as the bulk of your pup’s diet I would add a quality “topper” – such as raw, dehydrated, freeze-dried, canned or healthy fresh foods (i.e. eggs, lean meat, plain yogurt or kefir, cottage cheese, tinned sardines, etc.). Canidae looks good on paper but I personally wouldn’t risk feeding – the majority of Canidae’s products are manufactured by Diamond who has very poor quality control and numerous recalls. Unless you live in the same state as Canidae’s plant or in a neighboring state you’re probably getting product manufactured by Diamond.

As far as supplements, some good supplements to consider would be probiotics, digestive enzymes, quality fish oil and whole food supplements (with “super foods” like kelp, spirulina, bee pollen, etc.).

[Hound Dog Mom]

Wow Melissa, I’m so happy to hear you’re going the homemade raw route! I don’t think you’ll be disappointed in the results. 🙂

I would suggest getting as many different varieties of organ meat as possible (remember, hearts and gizzards are considered muscle meat not organ meat). Liver should only comprise 5% of the diet and 5% should be “other” organs – the more organs you can get to make up the “other” portion the better. Ask for items like kidneys, lungs, spleen, pancreas, brain, etc. If you can get gullet and trachea these are a great source of naturally occurring chondroitin (good for the seniors’ joints) – not organ meat though. Obviously if you can get green tripe go for it (muscle meat).

The Nupro would be okay to use for a trace nutrient supply but it wouldn’t completely balance the meals. You’re going to want to be sure to add a source of vitamin e and vitamin d (I use cod liver oil for vitamin d). You’re going to want to add some ground nuts/seeds for manganese (I use a combination of sprouted pumpkin seeds/sunflower seeds/flax/chia). I think it’s a good idea to feed tinned oysters once in awhile as they’re a great source of trace minerals like zinc, copper and selenium. I’m also an advocate of small amounts (10% – 20%) of fruits and veggies (I most often use organic greens, butternut squash, broccoli, cauliflower and berries – be sure to puree) for antioxidants and kefir or yogurt for probiotics. Cage-free eggs are a great source of omega 3’s, have a great amino acid profile and will contain some of the b vitamins, vitamin d and vitamin e – I recommend feeding eggs at least once a week. I mix in various fresh herbs like parsley, garlic and cilantro. I also add coconut oil and apple cider vinegar to every batch. The most important thing to keep in mind is that variety is key!

If you are looking for a supplement to “balance” the diets, I’d recommend Steve Brown’s See Spot Live Longer Dinner Mix. It makes AAFCO compliant meals and it’s really cheap in comparison to other pre-mixes plus there’s a quantity discount when you order several bags at one. I don’t use pre-mixes too often but it’s my favorite to use when I do. He also advocates adding various fresh ingredients (up to 20%) so you have the freedom to customize a bit while being assured that the dogs are getting a balanced meal. If you want to make your own supplement – buying the ingredients separately definitely is the cheapest route. The pre-made supplements like Nupro are much more expensive. Check out Swanson’s, they sell all the ingredients you’d need and everything is super cheap and you can often get bulk packages (I use a lot of the Starwest Botanicals items in my whole food supplement).

• This reply was modified 12 years, 2 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.

[kimberley]

My husband bought Dinovite for our Jack Russell, for her itchiness. After a month of feeding her the dinovite, there was no change, she was still itchy. (She has never lost hair, chewed or licked hair off, just had a bad case of “scratch my butt”). I have since switched to plain old fish oil, I open a capsule, pour it on her food (Blue Buffalo) and so far, no issues (3months+). And as far as ingredients, you should look pretty closely to some of them, some are big animal livestock supplements, one of them is commonly used as a cat litter filler and there is at least one of them that can be toxic if used long term. Yes, I looked up the ingredients, and while most are good things for our pets, some are certainly questionable.

[pugmomsandy]

Generally, meats are acidifying and increasing the protein in the diet can help with struvites. Try using meat treats like Stella & Chewy’s Carnivore Crunch or Kisses, Vital Essentials freeze dried nibbletts, Fresh is Best dehyrated meat treats, Pure Bites, or some safe jerky. But you also want to increase fluid intake with these dried treats and overall to flush out the bladder. A wet food diet might be better. When her UTI is gone and she’s on regular food, give her urinary tract supplements. There is one called Wysong Biotic pH- and Clear Tract or Berry Balance, etc.

http://www.wysong.net/products/ph-dog-cat-supplement.php

http://www.wysong.net/pet-health-and-nutrition/urinary-problems.php

[Pugsonraw]

I took my two pugs that have seasonal allergies off their daily Benadryl dosage. They are normally quite itchy year round despite eating a raw diet daily, immune supplements, super greens, anchovy and sardine oil, coconut oil, probiotics and digestive enzymes… etc. I really check out all products and ingredients before giving them anything new.

Decided to try to Skin-eze for them, not really expecting to get any major results and it seems to be working. They have been on it for about a week and definitely less itchy than when taking Benadryl.

I was looking to see if any of the ingredients are harmful. It appears they are all natural, but wanted to get some opinions.

Here is the link…. http://www.allergicpet.com/products/skin_eze.

[scottNY]

Hi All,

Sorry for the delayed response. To answer HDM’s question, I have been giving my puppy, who isn’t much of an eater, a daily multivitamin for the same reason I take one; it is extra insurance that, hopefully, I am getting all the nutrients I need.

I use the Vetri-Science Laboratories Chicken Canine Plus Supplement, which he likes chewing, and it has the NASC seal of approval. As I mentioned, he is not much of an eater [8-month old 65 lb pit-mix eats two cups of kibble per day or less] but he looks and acts healthy and certainly isn’t boney, so it just seems to be his way. I use a 5 star kibble from the HDM list and occasionally mix in some wet food, also a 5 star from that invaluable list. Is the multi really unnecessary? If I do want to use one, is the one I am using good? I struggle giving him human supplements because they don’t taste good to him and after awhile, I feel that disguising food for him is a bad habit. I prefer to save that for things that I need him to eat.

Any additional thoughts or ideas?

[Mom2Cavs]

Desi, my Shih-Poo, who’s now at the rainbow bridge, had both rear luxating patellas and we kept surgery at bay by using joint supplements. We tried a few before settling on Joint Health Chews from http://www.springtimeinc.com. These worked the best for him in every way. Helped his joints and didn’t upset his stomach like some others we tried. He took these chews all his life. After he passed away, I discovered Springtime had a new chew that was supposed to help with pain a little better. I keep both kinds on hand. They really did help him.

[weezerweeks]

My 5 year old yorkie has leg patella. It does not bother him but I was wondering if I should start him on a joint supplement. Does any of your dogs have this and do you supplement them with anything,if so what do you use? There’s so many supplements out there and I want to use the best one. Thanks

[theBCnut]

Done!!

[InkedMarie]

Patty,
Email me your address & I’ll get it to you next week!

[theBCnut]

Hi Marie
I had always heard 5-10 minutes and never worried about it because it takes me that long to get everything ready. I would love to see that article!!

Hi Sandy
I don’t know if pickled is as good. Shawna would know. I know that you can peel your garlic in advance and store it in olive oil.

[pugmomsandy]

Is pickled garlic just as good? Just mince and serve?

[InkedMarie]

Patty, I can’t type the whole article but the newest Dog Fancy, with NaturalnDog on the other side, has an article on garlic. I can send it to you but it says it’s best to let it sit 10-20 min before serving but don’t go over 20

[NectarMom]

Thanks Marie and Patty

[theBCnut]

Garlic is safe in small doses and it should not be given every day, only 3-4 days a week. Personally, I like to get the maximum out of my garlic, so I use fresh cloves and I mince it right before adding it to their food.

[theBCnut]

I don’t think you are being too hard on Hill’s. Let her stomach settle for 2 weeks. If your dog has trouble switching foods, I would continue with the supplements for 2 weeks after the switch, then I would give the probiotics a couple times a week forever, every day when switching foods. If your dog has trouble switching foods, give about 10% new food, 90% old for a couple days. If the stools look fine, proceed, if not keep feeding 10% until they look fine. If the stools never got loose then go right to feeding 25% new, 75% old, if they got loose only go to 20% new, 80% old. Again feed that way for a couple days watching the stool. Increase by 25% if the stools are fine, increase by 10% if the stools get soft and you have to wait for the stools to firm up again. Keep doing this until you are 100% on the new food. I cured my sensitive stomach girl by starting the switch to a new food as soon as we got her settled on a food. After about 6 switches she no longer requires any transition at all.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 2 months ago by theBCnut.

[InkedMarie]

Your dog would need to injest a huge amount of garlic for a problem. I’ve been using Bug Off Garlic for years.

[NectarMom]

I thought Garlic was not good for dogs? If this Garlic bug off is safe then I might be interested in getting some because of mosquitos in the summer time. I do not have a flea or tick problem but I do worry about mosquitos. Anyone have any idea?

[theBCnut]

I like Springtime products, but this strikes me as kind of limited. If you are going to give it for a while then move on to something else, then I like it. Which really is what you should do with joint supplements anyway.

[MaggieM]

Hello,

I have a question about using vitamins and green super food supplements. I just started feeding raw and I think I have the meals balanced between the raw meaty bones and the other half muscle meat, organs and some vegetables, eggs and dairy. I am hoping that this puts the calcium/phosphorus ratio is in a balanced range. I have been adding fish oil for the omega 3s and now I am a bit confused as to what else I should be adding. I know E is needed with the fish oil but I have been debating between just adding the E or just adding a simple multi-vitamin or one of these vitamin/mixes.

Berte’s Daily Blend
EarthOrigins
Dr. Harvey’s Multi-Vitamin
SpiruGreen Superfood

The Berte’s and the EarthOrigins seem to be more of a cross between a vitamin and green blend compared to the others. I have heard so many different opinions I am no longer sure what is really needed. Does any one have any thoughts?

Please help.
Thanks,
M

[pugmomsandy]

1. Is it better to get a premade mix of raw food online or buy meats from the supermarket or meat market? Or is it better to have a mix?

As a newbie to raw, I think it would be better for you to feed a food that is complete and balanced whether that is commercial frozen raw like Nature’s Variety, Primal, Bravo, Stella & Chewy’s, Darwins, and others, or dehydrated/freeze dried raw (but more expensive) food like Orijen freeze dried, Primal, Stella & Chewy’s. Meat by itself is not a good diet. For beginners, I would buy a commercial raw or use a Premix such as Urban Wolf, See Spot Live Longer, Grandma Lucy’s, The Honest Kitchen. You add meat and some oil and that’s usually it. No additional vitamins needed. You can make these in advanced in big batches and freeze in serving sizes or a couple days worth in one bag/container. You can feed up to 20% of an unbalanced food without having to worry about additional vits/minerals. For example, topping kibble with some meat or scrambled egg (but not more than 20% of the meal). As you become more comfortable with raw you can give homemade a try but be sure to use a recipe book.

2. Is ground or whole better? Your dog might like the texture of some chunks, versus ground. But in any case, raw meat has enzymes that also helps keep teeth clean. The ripping of the flesh and tendons from the bone cleans the teeth too. I have small dogs so I use a coarse ground. My dogs don’t have a preference for meat sizes. They eat it all.

3. I keep seeing people talking about feeding bones, including chicken bones… I was always told that chicken bones are dangerous? This is going to be the one that the hardest to get my wife on board with.

Raw bones are edible. The cooked bones are dry and splinter. Also there are recreational bones versus consumable bones. Most small animals can be consumed whole (chicken, rabbit, quail, turkey). But dense, weight bearing bones from larger animals are for gnawing only (marrow bones/leg bones). For heavy chewers, they can break teeth. For instance, my small dogs eat chicken legs, turkey and duck necks and feet and pork baby back ribs. They gnaw on beef/bison rib bones and marrow bones/femur for the enjoyment and it keeps their teeth clean. I feed these outside and don’t worry about cleanup when the weather is nice. You can train your dog to eat bones in the house on a towel, blanket or tarp. This winter, I’ll be feeding my small dogs in a crate or I could feed them on the bathroom tile and mop.

4. Do you need to add supplements to these meals? If so are they included in the premade mixes or am I adding them?

If you use a complete and balanced commercial premix, no additional supplements are necessary. Although there are a lot of people who give whole food supplements like supergreen foods (chlorella, kelp, barley grass, etc), bee pollen, and herbs, a complete vitamin E.

5. What is the best site for ordering?
I’ve heard Chewy.com is good. I’ve always used Petflow and amazon.

6. Does someone have a schedule or process I can literally follow to the letter?
Sorry, I am sure this has been answered over and over again but I would really appreciate the help. I am not too concerned about the cost as Wellness and Core are not cheap, however if I can pre-make these and feed her in the morning because we are often in a rush and it’s so hard to get her to eat kibble before we leave.

At my house, they eat raw if I have it thawed out. If not, they get other foods (kibble, canned, freeze dried). Darwins comes in convenient packaging and serving sizes and most commercial products come in patties or small bite sizes or chubs (which are the least convenient for me). You just have to remember to thaw! You can put 3 days worth out to thaw in the frig. I also use dehydrated foods (The Honest Kitchen, Addiction) where I just add water and let sit. I make some ahead of time and put it in the frig. But these are not raw.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 2 months ago by pugmomsandy.
• This reply was modified 12 years, 2 months ago by pugmomsandy.

[Chuck]

I know I am breaking forum etiquette here as there is a post from April that seems to be asking basically the same thing, however at this point I am just overwhelmed with information that I just can’t skim through anymore articles or blogs. So please explain it to me like I’m five!
I have a 6 month old Brittany that I have been feeding Wellness Core and TOTW kibble since we got her at the end of April. She is a super picky eater and it has become progressively harder to get her to eat her kibble without starting to “spruce” it up with other foods. We had originally thought she would just become distracted so we started taking it away after 20 minutes or so but I think she really just doesn’t like kibble.
So I started researching other foods and I came across all of this information about Raw Feeding, however there is a ton of information and I really do not know where to start. I am hoping someone can give me some good links or straight to the point help, I addition to knowing I am also going to have to sell this to the wife.

1. Is it better to get a premade mix of raw food online or buy meats from the supermarket or meat market? Or is it better to have a mix?

2. Is ground or whole better?

3. I keep seeing people talking about feeding bones, including chicken bones… I was always told that chicken bones are dangerous? This is going to be the one that the hardest to get my wife on board with.

4. Do you need to add supplements to these meals? If so are they included in the premade mixes or am I adding them?

5. What is the best site for ordering?

6. Does someone have a schedule or process I can literally follow to the letter?

Sorry, I am sure this has been answered over and over again but I would really appreciate the help. I am not too concerned about the cost as Wellness and Core are not cheap, however if I can pre-make these and feed her in the morning because we are often in a rush and it’s so hard to get her to eat kibble before we leave.

View post on imgur.com

[Hound Dog Mom]

Why are you feeding a multivitamin? If the dog is eating a balanced commercial food a multivitamin isn’t necessary and, in fact, I wouldn’t suggest giving one. I would instead opt for a whole food supplement such as Nature’s Logic All Food Fortifier, Wysong’s Wild Things, Dr. Harvey’s Whole Food/Herb Supplements, etc. If you’re using a multivitamin to balance a homemade diet I’d opt for a human multivitamin.

[somebodysme]

How long has she been on Nutrisca? It will take a while on a new food for the crud to get out of their system. I’ve been dealing with an allergy dog too. Your story sounds a lot like mine and my dog started off in a low end type food Pro Plan and I wanted a better food so bought Blue Buffalo and then all he(( broke loose. I kept trying new food changing the proteins and she just got worse and worse with rashes and red ears and raw paws etc. We are on NB potato and rabbit for three weeks now and things are improving but not perfect yet. She also will break out suddenly out of the blue. I’m telling myself it is what they call a “healing crisis”. Supposedly that’s all normal. I will tell you that she looks better now than she has since I switched her off Pro Plan. I’m assuming you took her off the Rachel Ray stuff because you wanted healthier? Or was she having problems on that? On Pro Plan, my dog was scratching a little but had a watering eye and that was pretty much all. Then we finally realized that all the foods she was allergic to had only one common ingredient and it is PEAS. I know she is allergic to other things too though like rawhide and cow bones.

I would suggest that you give her only one food until you find that it is OK. I would also suggest to not give any of those supplements you mentioned because right now you have no idea what she’s allergic to. My dog reacted badly to spirulina! If she has yeast then keep the probiotic. Then once you know the food is OK, add ONE new supplement at a time until you know it’s OK and no reaction. Any of these things can cause problems for a sensitive dog. She could easily be allergic to salmon oil or coconut oil or that glucosamine. Honestly the only thing that I can give my dog without it causing a problem, that I have tried, is her human grade probiotic.

If your dog was NOT allergic to the Rachel Ray food then look at the ingredients and try and find a better quality food with the same basic ingredients. Like if it has chicken then you know that chicken was not the issue. What I have learned from having a dog with allergies is that you can’t just say “oh that food has 5 stars it great for my dog”. It just doesn’t work like that. These dogs have a whole new set of rules when it comes to what to feed.

[Codex]

I’m worried about people saying that fish oil supplements can cause vitamin A surplus over time.

It made Codex’s coat turned shinier and absolutely no dry skin–fingers crossed it’ll stay like that.

I’m wondering if the fish oil is not a long term solution to keeping her skin and coat silky. I suspect it might be masking food allergy symptoms(surf and turf makes her scratch)?

Any suggestions of a supplement I can use instead of fish oil?

[Duke The Boxer]

^^ to sara i had my puppy on welness core and he enjoyed the food a lot and his coat was always very nice and soft. I recently just finished the bag so i rotated to the nature’s variety rabbit meal and my boy loves it even more! He absolutely devours all the food and his stools have been very good. Im no expert but id say start giving your guy some coconut oil supplements and maybe look into a turmeric supplement. Maybe HDM can further chime in

[treizi]

Thanks for everyone’s responses so far!

So when you mention low fat, are there certain #’s he should be staying under when looking for food? I’m not sure where Lotus falls on the calorie scale, I generally have just been concerned with grain and recalls. I’ll add that he’s a good weight, no concerns have ever been stated by the vet either and he doesn’t get additional treats beyond the occasional item off the cutting board from a salad dinner or dried sweet potato pieces about once a week.

Is there a digestive enzyme that you’d recommend as well? And is there a supplement that might assist with a reoccurring slipped disc or aggravation?

Just as an update, his stools are back to normal and he’s mostly in nice shape as well. All bulging in his belly seems to have gone away, though his back does seem to randomly bother him. He’ll go up on his hind legs without complaint (on his own, I’d keep him on all 4’s if I could) but he seems aware of back pain at times as his ears will drop and he’ll tense if you rub back there. He has reinjured himself in the past (much worse than how he acts now) and we’ll crate, prevent jumping, keep him quiet for about 2 weeks (per vets instructions) and that works, but if I can help build him up in any way with supplements, I’m more than willing to do so.

[gsdmommy89]

Hi there everyone. I know this is a puppy thread, and I do have a GSD puppy ( with monstrous paws so I knew he’ll be large!), but I do have a question that maybe someone here could answer. Aside from my puppy, I also have his mom, a 3 yr old GSD. She’s been eating the Earthborn Coastal Catch, but I can’t seem to get her to put weight on. During gestation and nursing, I fed her Earthborn Puppy Vantage. She used to be around 68 lbs. I weighed her yesterday she’s down to 59 lbs. I spoke to my vet, which also monitored her during pregnancy, and she told me that maybe I need to try something with grains in it. She’s been fed a grain free diet pretty much all her life, except when I fed her the Puppy Vantage. The vet told me she’s probably just taking longer to recover from nursing, as she didn’t find anything abnormal. She also told me to try adding Missing Link, to add vitamins or something like that. My dog isn’t bony, but you can tell she is underweight. I was thinking of switching both my GSD’s to Fromm Large Breed puppy. Maybe the puppy formula has more calories and fat so she can gain her weight back? I don’t know. If anyone can give me some advice, I’d really appreciate it. Food? Supplements? Thanks a million!

[lizbethc41]

Hi,
My dog will be 10 in Nov. He had a malignant fibrosarcoma removed in ’09. Since then he’s had issues with intermittent diarrhea.
His food history:
He has always been an extremely picky eater, going ‘on strike’ often
Fed Iams until he was 3.5 (My first dog & I didn’t know any better, mea culpa)
As a blood cancer survivor myself, I switched our household to an organic one.
Switched to Castor & Pollux Organix dry that I added a small amount of organic chicken, turkey or beef w/occasional wild caught salmon or duck to entice him to eat it. He did great on this until his health issue arose.
After his surgery I started adding pumpkin & probiotics (from Only Natural Pet) to his meals, but he still would get colitis type diarrhea every now & then. So I decided to try cooked homemade.
I had a vet nutritionist diet done up for him (Dr Susan Wynn). I use only organic foods, either turkey, chicken or beef w/either oatmeal, quinoa or sweet potato & then some kind of veggie, usually carrots, cauliflower or green beans. The individual supplements worry me because of the fish oil which he’s never done well on so I use flaxseed oil plus bone meal, choline, canola oil, lite salt & Centrum.
I decided to keep a commercial organic canned food to make sure his nutritional needs were met & for the times where I may not have a homemade meal available. I started w/ByNature Organics canned turkey until I realized it has carrageenan (sp?). I switched to Party Animal grain free organic. I’ve tried the 2 chickens & the turkey.
Problem is he still doesn’t like commercial dog food, sometimes he’ll eat it, sometimes not & he still has some soft poos. So started adding Animal Essentials digestive enzyme/probiotics & Metamucil (on the vet’s advice) I had a second diet done up for him from Balance It, but I haven’t used it yet because it seems like it has a LOT of carbs compared to his other vet diet (2.5 cups of quinoa to 6 oz of turkey) & 6 5/8 tsp of Metamucil! That’s over 2 TBS! I had been gradually increasing the Metamucil again on the vet’s advice as she said there would be Metamucil in the Balance It diet, but 2 tsps bound him up for over a day, so there’s no way I’m giving him over 2 TBS (which is more than the max for a human adult). He’s not a big water drinker, another concern for the Metamucil.
I’m sorry this is such a long post, but I really am trying to find the right diet for my fur baby. I’m thinking of cooking his Dr Wynn diet w/out the individual supplements, adding ONP’s senior multi-vitamin, the Animal Essentials & mixing it in w/the Party Animal, keeping the proteins the same (turkey w/turkey, beef w/beef etc).
Any thoughts, opinions & advice would be appreciated!
Btw, he’s a German Shepherd mix, 48 lbs, body score of 5/9 I don’t use chemical pesticides on him, just Heartgard monthly.

[HilaryFarmer]

I have been feeding Orijen Regional Red ($90 per 29#) for about 2 months now and I’m very happy with it, I feel I can trust the company and my dogs are doing well on it, but I cant afford to feed enough of it to my pit mix (60# 2 yr old). He is eating 2 cups (900kcal) plus a half can of EVO (230kcal) wet food and feels a little too bony for me. I was thinking about adding RMB’s like chicken leg quarters to cheaply boost the amount of food he is getting.

My questions is would a leg quarter a day add a substantial amount of calories and is there anything I can add to boost the calories. I only have a small fridge being that I stay with my mom, but I can do things like eggs yoghurt etc along with the meat.

Although I would love to feed raw exclusively to all three of my dogs I work 8-16 hour days 5 days a week and have my younger brother walking and feeding and I dont trust his ability to feed anything other than my pre-set up bowls of kibble/supplements ;)So I would feed the raw meal in the morning before I go to work and he would get his kibble mix in the evening.

I have no problem keeping weight on my neutered dachshunds and they are actually slightly heavier than I like to keep them.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated

[Anonymous]

FYI Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus oryzae are species of fungi that are used as source organisms to derive enzymes from. Many digestive enzyme supplements come from fungal sources. Fungal enzymes are often stable over a much wider pH range than, for example, the animal-sourced enzymes. The enzymes may be on your labels as something like “Dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract” because of AAFCO labeling requirements. http://enzymesolutionsforanimalhealth.wordpress.com/2013/04/09/dried-aspergillus-what/

[treizi]

So I’m coming here in hopes for some suggestions to perhaps adding in some supplements for my pup that isn’t doing well. Koda is a 9yr old Papillon that suddenly started showing signs of a very bloated, tight, painful tummy the other day. He also had runny yellow/orange stools. We went to the vet who cleared him of any signs of blockage, but he’s also outruled any extra gas, inflammation and isn’t quite suspecting pancreatitis because he’s not vomiting though blood tests weren’t done this time. He’s been prescribed a bland diet, add in some probiotics and wait for improvement. He’s slowly improving but I’m suspecting he might be having some digestive trouble so I’m considering making some additions to his diet. Now several months ago he went in to the vet (I was living elsewhere so it wasn’t my regular one) because he was once again in pain, but this time hunching over as if he was in a bunch of discomfort and quite lethargic. Needless to say, I’m a bit sick of the very large vet bills no answers and being sent home to boil some chicken and rice and wait a week or two.

He’s also had a slipped disc in his back which required surgery and that’s been suspected to be a possible cause of this pain currently, though no bulging or issues appeared on the xray confirming this. I’ll also mention that a few months ago, Koda would somewhat randomly get extremely loud belly “gurgles”. We’re talking loud enough to hear from another room, coming out of a 8lb dog. It’s only happened 2-3 times and doesn’t accompany any signs of lethargy or pain. He was completely normal at these times.

I’ve seen a lot of recommendations for Swanson’s Dr. Langer and Probiotic Miracle, as well as a mention of Mercola, though I’m not sure which people are using? I’d also like to add in some type of joint supplement, to assist with his previous back issues. I should mention that I’m currently feeding Lotus grain free duck (switched after the vet trip from several months ago – previously on Natural Balance Sweet Potato & fish..suspected originally that this was an issue because it was a new bag, now I’m not so sure). Also, when he’s up and being his normal self, he’s a very healthy and happy little dog that isn’t showing any signs of age.

Sorry for the novel – I’m somewhat hoping that maybe someone else has gone through a similar situation as well!

[albertboh]

We only use raw-food with our bulldog now. She was having a ton of issues with the grain-filled dog foods that my mom typically bought her (gas, bloating, infections/rashes). I tried all sorts of stuff to change it up too, like adding probiotic supplements to her diet, as well as digestive enzymes. There are a few brands out there are specifically for pets and not just human-grade stuff. We also mixed yogurt in with her dog food helped to help with some yeast issues issues we had. It’s our own special “cocktail” but it seems to work for her brilliantly. It took us forever to find the right mix, but now we are thrilled and she seems much happier. :O)

[mdbd]

So we have adopted a wonderful senior (12-year old) mini poodle. (I’ve always been allergic to cats but had a dog years’ ago). She was in a kill shelter for about a week then with a large dog rescue facility for 2 months. She had been on a generic kibble (apparently) with her original home. and the rescue. Our first day yesterday was absolutely fine, but today she had her first hair-cut and I noticed just what dry, flakey skin she has and her hair is quite dry. She has many flakes coming off and, of course, with all the flakes coming off – I’m now sneezing and my eyes are watering like crazy – as are my son’s. Other than the skin and coat, she is in wonderful health.

I am absolutely NOT going to give up on this old lady so I really need some helpful suggestions for foods and supplements as they have come a long way since I last had a pet.

a) What is the best dry dog food for a senior (does this equate to grain free or something else)? Cost is way less important than quality.
b) Are there any particular ingredients that are really bad for senior poodles and/or any that are really beneficial?
c) Should she stay on kibble given she has always had it or would you suggest wet?
d) Is there any dog food or supplement that will alleviate her dry skin and prevent the flaking? If so, liquid or tablet form?
e) This may sound crazy – but is there any food or supplement that helps decrease allergens in a pet to assist an owner who is reacting badly to the pet?
f) Is there anything (food or supplement) to assist in helping the dog become less smelly?
g) Is there any topical cream or bath wash that would assist her?

We’re an allergen-free house generally because of my allergies so wood floors, no drapes, etc.

Any help/advice would REALLY be welcome! Thanks!

[pacer1978]

Patty: Then should I discontinue with the Langer’s FoS probiotic? I’ve been giving it to my dogs every 2-3 days. They weren’t having any digestive issues before..but, I started giving them supplements based off what I’m reading here. The enzymes make sense when feeding kibble and I started both over the last month.

I’m also not sure if this is coincidence with the supplements I’ve been giving over the last month, but wanted to run it by everyone on the forum that may be reading. Mia started to get a bit of diarrhea last night. I also noticed what appeared to be a little bit of blood in her stool this morning. I’m not as worried now as I was this morning after googling some causes. Some are as minor as a change in diet, which I just switched them from Solid Gold MMillenium to Earthborn Holistic. Perhaps I switched too fast because it stated that could be one of the causes. My other two seem fine, however. I know blood in stool could be a minor or serious issue, so I will keep an eye on her and see. But, now I’m concerned with reading that the Langer’s FOS may not be a good brand? Everything they get daily is below. Since this just started happening recently, the only thing that has changed in the last few days (since Sunday/Monday) is the food.

Swanson’s digestive enzymes
Coconut Oil
Dasuquin (joint/hip)
Fish oil (Pure Alaska Omega™ Salmon Oil) sold at Costco
Langer’s 15-strain FOS probiotic

[Jagger2012]

I have my 14 month old lab “Jagger” and my 15 week old German Shepherd “Keesha”. Keesha was taken in a few days ago for her last set of shots and I was discussing with my vet that Keesha is a poop eater! Bad! She will not eat her poop but my labs. I have watched her out the window following him around and when he hunches up to poop she will stand right there and eat it as it hits the ground or catch it as it falls and eats it! I am not kidding! I know the whole dog eating cat poop thing but I have never had a dog eat anothers or their own. I try to be outside when they go out to potty but it does not always happen. I do pick up the poop several times a day. My vet suggested getting something “I can’t for the life of me remember the name” to feed them both so his poop is not so appetizing.
I feed them Earthborn Holistic Meadow Feast and Coastal catch. I did order some of the Darwins to try but I can’t afford to have them on that only. I would like to give them Darwins as a lunch and then the kibble for morning and night.

So to my questions: My thought is that she is lacking something as to why she is eating his poop? I was reading on the supplements. Should I try doing some kind of supplementing? And if so what? I have no clue on a lot of this so am needing pointed in the right direction.

Please ask any questions you may have to help me out! 🙂
Tammy

[robertdee]

There are quite a few supplements for dog colitis supplements. I’ve tried quite a lot of time, but the one that has worked the best for me was Bionic Biotic from Pooch & Mutt.

[Hound Dog Mom]

I would make sure the formula you’re feeding is grain-free as grains are inflammatory. GO has three sensitivity and shine formulas – two are grain-inclusive (salmon, duck) and one is grain-free (turkey), I’m not sure which you’re feeding. If you suspect a food intolerance I’d suggest looking for a grain-free food with a single novel protein source. For her joints, I’d look into a joint maintenance supplement that contains at least two or three of the following: glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, hylaluronic acid, eggshell membrane, green lipped mussel, sea cucumber, velvet antler, shark cartilage or esterified fatty acids. I’d also recommend giving a natural anti-inflammatory such as turmeric/curcumin, omega 3’s, boswellia, yucca, bromelain or tart cherry. Human joint supplements are generally cheaper per dose and higher quality so I’d go with those over a pet specific joint supplement – I’d give an 80 lb. dog 1 1/2 times the recommended human dose for a week or two for loading then drop it to 3/4 of the human dose for maintenance as long as you’re still seeing results. It sometimes can take a bit of trial and error to find out which supplements your dog responds best to. Good luck.

[theBCnut]

My best suggestion is to buy a good joint supplement instead of trying to find a food with it in it. The joint supplements in food are never at a therapeutic dose at an amount anyone would feed a real dog. To get a therapeutic dose you usually would have to feed double or triple the recommended amount, then your dog would be terribly obese and have all the joint issues that go with that, and need an ever increasing amount.

[dsrogers]

I have a 1 year old Bernese mountain dog. She has suffered from both a leg fracture and was in a cast then suffered from torn Acl and is 6 weeks post TPLO surgery. The fracture and tear have caused her to have muscle loss and hip problems to her one side. tShe needs a diet to support joint health. Currently she is on Go renew and shine with glucosamine supplements along with some dehydrated beef and vegetables. I notice that she has a red snout, reddened eyes and one reddened paw after eating so thinking probable allergy. Vet suggested royal canine mobility or hills j/d but I don’t see them rated highly here. She weights 80 lbs and should maintain this weight to alleviate further joint problems. Suggestions?

[somebodysme]

I would absolutely just feed one thing until you are sure that’s OK and then just add one new thing at a time. That’s what you should do for an allergic dog, it’s called an Elimination Diet. It’s the only way to be sure what he’s allergic to. Do NOT discount the idea that the vegetables can be the issue. I just discovered that my dog is HIGHLY allergic to peas and I’m pretty sure green beans too! I had tried to give her some garden fresh green beans and she had a reaction the next day. They are both Legumes.

I would not give any vitamins or supplements etc during your Elimination Diet either because they can also be allergic to those!

[weezerweeks]

He’s on honest kitchen zeal and canned merrick. I have honest kitchen invigor would that work as a wholwe food supplement?