[anonymous]

No. I would not give over the counter meds or supplements, especially those that are not approved for veterinary use, unless prescribed by a veterinarian that has examined the dog.

Find a new vet and get another opinion. That’s what I would do.

[Tanya K]

Lori H,

Wow. First of all, I’m sorry Buddy went through all that and worse. I am glad for you though, that he is now thriving! The diet you have him on though sounds super expensive and I don’t know if I’d be able to swing that or all the supplements.

I may try to get a nutritionist so I can make her meals for her.

I do understand the ignorance of vets and dog food. They have been fed the same spew from the cog that is the dog food industry. I did a lot of research about dog food myself and know all the little tricks the manufacturers do to sell their crap.

I actually ended up in a debate with my vet over Purina. Apparently they make urinary prescription food as well. I was like, “My dogs are on Earthborn. They have never had a recall.”

He said, “They will.”

I said, “Maybe, but for the last eight years they haven’t.”

He paused. Thought about it and said, “They will.”

lol And it’s true they may inevitably have a recall, but purina is absolute garbage.

I mean, I don’t want her to get the stones again. Clearly. I love her. I want her around for as long as possible. She’s 10, and she had that bladder stone emergency — I had to bring her to an ER vet nearly two hours away from me. They had to wake the surgeon up. It cost $1,000 just for the emergency surgeon. The entire thing ended up costing $4,900 by the end of it. I am thankful that I was able to swing that and I really don’t want her to have to go through it again. It has nothing to do with the money, but yeah, that doesn’t help either.

I appreciate all your advice and they time you took in responding to me, Lori.

Thank you,

Tanya

[Lori H]

Hi Tanya,

You might want to look at the following website. My dog Buddy (long hair Chihuahua, Dachshund and Pomeranian) has been through a lot, much like your dog. He had so many medical issues including calcium oxalate bladder stones which he had surgery for to remove. He is now 11 and during his life he has had surgery on his spleen, surgery for the bladder stones, been diagnosed with Diabetes and I was told by my vet that he was suffering from liver failure and was preparing me for the fact that Buddy was going to die. The liver failure diagnosis was over two years and today, he is healthy, happy, looks amazing and has so much energy. He is happy and the most healthy he has ever been in his life! It has been an amazing turnaround so I know how you feel. I basically had to get him healthy myself. My vet did not support my decision to do what I did, but he is healthy and that is all that matters!

Rick helped me and Buddy is now healthier than he has ever been. If anything, read what Rick has to say on his website. It sounds like you are open to something that might not be traditional medicine through your vet. The change in Buddy’s food as well as the supplements, changed his life.

http://www.doglivershunt.com/bladder-stones.html

I now believe wholeheartedly that most vets know nothing about nutrition. They are told to carry a line of food in their offices by one of the large pharma/dog food companies because most of these companies go out and recruit at the vet universities across the United States when vets are in school and provide them with a kickback when the sell either Science Diet or Royal Canin in their clinics, up to 40%. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my vet, I just don’t believe he knows much of anything about nutrition. He has been great to me, my dog Buddy and my three cats. He is good at what he does, diagnose and perform much needed surgeries and procedures. He did Buddy’s bladder stone surgery which has complications.

I was at my wits end as well and thought that I was going to lose Buddy, but I was not willing to give up so I did a Google search and found an amazing person who brought Buddy back to the healthy dog he is.

Buddy is on a very special diet and he has made huge strides in the last 10+ months. He is a very healthy dog to what he was 6 months ago.

If you choose to go with his program, it is not cheap, but I believe that over time, I will save money by not taking Buddy to the vet time and time again because I don’t know what is wrong and having a battery of tests run and racking up bills in the thousands, I have been there!

He was slowly weened off of his processed food Science Diet U/D and placed on a diet of fresh veggies and meat based on a very slow transition to follow with Rick’s help.

Buddy’s diet is a balance of ¾ veggies to ¼ meats. Dogs with liver issues do not need as much protein as you would expect. He gets lots of yellow veggies (squash, tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, celery, carrots, Brussel sprouts, snap peas, etc.) along with hemp oil and nori blended with goat yogurt into almost a smoothie consistency. I then add meats, liver is great as it helps to detoxify the liver (funny that you feed liver to a dog with liver issuesJ) and then he gets a variety of supplements. He receives three gut supplements in the morning (Acidophilus, Bifudus and a Spectrabiotic) along with an Enzyme and something called Whole Body. In the evenings he gets the Enzyme, Whole Body and a Mushroom supplement. The process to make his food is not that time consuming and if you are at your wits end like I was, I was ready to do anything.

He also gets to have as much goat yogurt as he wants with coconut oil. He also gets sweet potato chews and coconut slices.

He is also allowed to eat fruits, not during his morning and evening meals since they digest differently than veggies, but he has not yet warmed up to them yet. I don’t know if he ever will.

He is doing great! He has so much energy and the numbers don’t lie! I got a glucose meter and I am going to start checking his levels daily. I would really like to get him off the insulin if I can. I believe the medicine is what causes the blindness, not the actual diabetes, my vet believes otherwise.

My vet has not said much of anything. I explained I was taking him off the prescription food and putting him on this program and he never responded. When I took him in the last time for blood work, I think he was surprised Buddy was doing so well, but did not ask me further about what I was doing. He is a pretty straight and narrow vet and I don’t think he looks outside the box. If Buddy’s glucose numbers continue to decline, I will take him back and back off on the number of units he is given. Now it is just maintenance and keeping a spreadsheet and monitoring how he is doing.

I suggest reaching out. I think Rick saved Buddy’s life. I took him to the vet in October to have blood work done and he is perfectly healthy! The bladder stones HAVE NOT returned.

Good luck on your search for information and I hope you find a solution. Buddy is 11, but has a new lease on life. I can’t imagine being just under two as a dog and dealing with this.

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out. I am happy to talk to you. I have helped two others with their dogs and I truly believe Rick knows what he is talking about. I put my trust in him and I now have a healthy, happy dog.

Lori ([email protected])

[Susan]

Hi Tanya,

if she is throwing up I would take the vet food back to vet office for a refund or exchange, tell receptionist what is happening & can you try a different brand WET vet diet, the receptionist will go & see vet & ask him, you shouldn’t have to pay again for another vet visit..
ask can you try the Hill i/d™ Low Fat Canine Rice, Vegetable & Chicken formula,
it Reduces risk of urinary stone formation, has OK ingredients & is LOW in fat, Shih Tzu are prone to pancreatitis, I wouldnt be feeding a 10 yr old a high fat diet maybe the vet diet she is eating is high in fat or she could be vomiting cause she has only ever been fed the one food her whole life, I always recommend to rotate between a few different brands so immune system strengthens, plus some dry dog foods are high in toxins, heavy metals & contaminates especially the fish dry foods..
Here’s the Hill I/d vet diet to try just till you work out what your doing & stop her vomiting.
https://www.hillspet.com.au/dog-food/pd-id-low-fat-canine-rice-vegetable-and-chicken-stew-canned#accordion-content-400284275-0

Which vet diet was she put on
Royal Canine S/O Urinary wet & dry or
Hills C/d Multicare wet & dry formula’s?

She should be on a wet vet diet not a dry vet diet…

I’d be contacting a Vet Nutrionist & ask about making a home made balanced wet diet, or you can contact “Balance It” they have nutritionist who prepare special diets & you add Balance it powder to balance diet.
https://secure.balanceit.com/index.php?rotator=Front

also are you adding Vitamin C Powder to diet?

Vitamin C for Prevention of Chronic Urinary Tract Infections in Dogs

Have a look at “D-Mannose” Pure Powder alot of people say its really good you also add cranberry powder aswell.
https://www.nowfoods.com/supplements/d-mannose-powder

Here’s a good link explaining how low protein isnt needed.
https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/13_4/features/Detecting-Urinary-Stones-Dogs_16215-1.html

Here’s a good face book group to join you dont have to feed raw or cooked but will get some good advise, “Raw & Holistic Cat & Dog Support Group”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1411906099101822/

Also follow “Dr Judy Morgan”
look thru her video’s link below,
I’m pretty sure her 17 yr old dog has urinary problems & she cooks for him, her recipes are very easy. Even if you feed 1/2 cooked diet & another food…
https://www.facebook.com/pg/JudyMorganDVM/videos/?ref=page_internal

also here’s “Just For Dogs” special diets
https://www.justfoodfordogs.com/

[Tara M]

Hello all. I have an 8 year old spayed female pitbull with consistent recurrent UTI’s. X-rays are always negative. She’s on cranberry supplements as well as multiple immune support supplements. She eats Taste of the Wild Grain-Free Salmon recipe dog food (she also has allergies and salmon was recommended for thi). A friend who is very into the dog show world mentioned today that she thinks the fish-based dog food is what is causing my dog’s UTI’s and that I should change it to one of the more novel proteins such as kangaroo. Has anyone else heard of fish-based dog foods causing UTI issues? I can’t find anything about it anywhere online but she says that everyone in the breeding/dog show world will NOT feed their dogs primarily fish-based diets for this reason.

[Terry K]

I have a 9 year old Australian Shepherd and he got Silica bladder stones over 2 years ago. I made myself crazy researching dog food and nutrition! The sad part was is that there was not really a starting place. I too spoke to Minnesota every nutritionist across the United States. Minnesota told me that unfortunately because there are so few cases the research is very limited
Soooo off I went Looking for what?? Sooo longer story cut short I have been feeding
NULO it is a kibble out of Texas.
Every6 months I have X-ray/ultrasounds done and so far so good.
Really encourage a good water intake, One of my dogs favorite things to do was drink out of the hose so I bought him a big dog fountain so it’s running water all the time and he drinks it out of the spout which encourages the water intake. I give him distilled water only make sure if you’re giving them a supplements that it does not contain silicon dioxide so since my guy is nine he gets Xhosa Quinn caplets I pulled them apart and sprinkle it on his food because if you give them anything in a Tablet form it will contain silicon dioxide. His pH was off the charts before we started the Nulo Dog Food and his specific gravity was off the charts since we have started the Nulo Dog Food and have the water fountain he has been consistently stable I hope this helps you

[anonymous]

You can believe Science Based Veterinary Medicine.
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=raw+diet

Nothing is being sold at the above site. No membership fees. No supplements No books. Nothing.

[Spy Car]

Linda, great to read about the beneficial effects on your old girl. Reducing carbs and increasing fat and protein is the dietary means of increasing energy and muscle building.

I’m not a bit surprised you are seeing benefits.

I have one quibble with the raw feeding approach you are using thus far. Too much bone. Way too much bone. The target percentage should be about 10%. You are probably pushing 28-30%. No done harm in the short term, that that much calcium to phosphorus will cause a mineral imbalance. You need to add more meat to this mix. Preferably that would include some red meat (beef heart is very nutritious and often inexpensive) and some fatty (cheap) pork (like leg or butt).

I’d also add beef kidney at 5% of total diet. The organs provide the vitamins. Supplements are unnecessary, but organs are critical.

If you make these adjustments you could stop the kibble.

I hope your dog feels better and better.

Bill

[LINDA F]

Hi! Okay, here is my story and do not take this as informed or a professional opinion. I have kept 3 dogs in my home for most of my adult life and I am now 75! All dogs are seen by my vet several times a year including a full “WELLNESS” check up once a year. I currently have a 12 year old rescued pit bill that is so sweet and a joy to have around. On her last check up, her liver values were very high. So my trusted vet of 20 yrs told me it could be a mass in her belly, Cushings Disease or liver disease. I asked what can I do. His first recommendation was to do a liver ultra scan which did not show anything out of the normal except it looked that it might have “sludge”. His next step was to advise a liver biopsy which due to her age and need for anesthesia, could be fatal, plus it is costly. Or we could do a stomach exploration but the same warnings were in effect and again very costly. So I asked a simple question, what treatment would be employed should it be a stomach mass or Cushings? He said he would not really change what he was already we were already doing. I then told him that since the tests were so expensive, I did not need to know the name of the exact malady that was killing her if it would not treated differently. I then asked him would he do if it were his dog? His reply was due to her advanced age and the very large risk anesthetic posed to her, that if it were his dog, he would not chance it. Twelve years is a respectful old age for a dog and he would just try to make her comfortable and happy for her remaining time with us. Now she did not appear to be in any discomfort but of course with a dog, you cannot always tell that. It’s not like they can tell you “My tummy hurts”. However I did notice that her energy levels and appetite were dropping and she began to lose weight and muscle mass. I have a friend who is a certified dog trainer. I was whining to him about feeling useless to help my dear old companion and he suggested that I try a raw diet. I told him at 75, I am really not up to weighing meat to combine with a list of dog supplements that have to be purchased and are sometimes hard to find, then measure all those to mix with steamed vegetables to go along with the raw chicken parts. So I just made this diet up. I feed her one can of a premium wet food for breakfast around 6am. She sometimes eats all of it and sometimes just nibbles at it. Around noon, I feed her one raw drumstick, one raw thigh, and one raw chicken wing, all with bones. I buy the same chicken as I feed my family so I am hoping they are safe for her! I also buy a package of hearts and gizzards and a package of raw chicken livers. I add to the raw chicken a couple of gizzards and hearts. I read from a raw diet blog that you should not feed raw livers every day but 2-3 times a week. I can manage that! She eats every scrap left in the bowl and then licks it to make sure she got every morsel! Then at night I give her a cup or two of Zignature kibble. Again sometimes her bowl is licked clean in the morning, sometimes it is just nibbled on but over all, she mostly eats everything I put in her bowl! Wonders of wonders! She has put back the weight she had lost and is building muscle mass! No, she is no where near gaining enough weight to make her fat but her energy levels are up, her coat is shiny and she once again seems to be really enjoying her life. I figured if all these premium diets touted that they have all the proper amount of supplements a dog needs and she usually eats almost everythingl, that perhaps I don’t have to kill my own old silly self trying to keep her alive and happy! Just to make sure you do not misunderstand me, if she were my one and only dog, I would probably be able to do all the searching for supplements and weighing etc but I also have a year old Morkie and an 8 month old Rottweiler that I feed twice a day. I do not feed the other two dogs a raw diet. As a treat once or twice a week, I will feed the Morkie a chicken liver or a heart or a gizzard but since the Rotty is a large breed dog and still growing, she does not get any raw chicken parts. The other two dogs have no problems eating wet dog/kibble each day and are thriving so no reason to rock the boat for them by changing their diet! I don’t know if I am doing the right thing with my old pit bull. All I know is that for the last two months, since I began the diet above, my old pit bull seems eager to eat. She looks forward to her early morning walks once more, is alert and even goes out to play with the two young pups. Now, she does not chase them as she would have when she was younger, but she seems to enjoy trotting a few yards as they streak by her while she is wagging her tail and barking! I may be doing all the wrong things and hastening her death but my conscious is clear since she appears to be enjoying her life now and before she just looked and acted old and feeble. Again, this is just my own solution and it has NOT been approved by any professional. Please no hate mail but I would welcome any comments or suggestions that do not require a large amount of my own decreasing energy levels. Oh yeah, at first I tried adding the freeze dried raw food by Stella (?) to their Zignature kibble but none of my dogs really cared for it.
Thanks for reading this long email but I think it’s an old age thing! LOL!!!
Sincerely,
Linda

[anonymous]

Regarding the author of that “Dogs Naturally” article (link in an above post) Dr. Deva Khalsa, a popular alternative veterinarian

Garlic for Pets- What’s it Good for?

8. Garlic is an effective flea control method.
Doubtful. There are, of course, plenty of anecdotes from people saying that garlic drove the fleas away from their pets like magic. There are just as many that say garlic didn’t help at all. There is absolutely no research evidence showing garlic supplements to be an effective form of flea control. It is often given with Brewer’s yeast, which has been shown to be ineffective as a flea repellant. So for all the confidence with which this claim is made, it is simply made up.

More here http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2015/09/naet-a-cure-for-allergies-not/

[anonymous]

@ 2doodlemom
I hope you will continue to work closely with your vet and I urge you to get the abdominal ultrasound done asap. As recommended by the examining vet.
Ask your vet what she suspects. What does she need to rule out. It may be cost-effective in the long run.
Trying various supplements, over the counter meds, and changing the diet frequently could end you and your dog up at the emergency vet $$$ Meanwhile the diagnosis and the medical treatment that the dog may need is delayed.
If finances are a concern
http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html

Sincerely, best of luck

Ultrasounds for Dogs http://www.tuftsyourdog.com/issues/19_6/features/For-Your-Dog-X-ray-Ultrasound-CT-Scan-MRI-or-Nuclear-Medicine-250-1.html (excerpt below)
Best for seeing: most body tissues and their architecture, including the heart, abdominal organs, and musculoskeletal system (muscles and tendons).
How it works: Sound waves are transmitted into the patient and reflected back from tissue based on the architecture and acoustic properties of that specific tissue. (Ultrasound is not good for looking at bone or gas-filled lungs, both of which do not allow the transmission of sound waves.)
Sedation necessary? Not usually (which helps keep down cost). Exceptions include anxious or boisterous dogs or those in pain.
Cost: (roughly) $300-$400.
With an ultrasound, unlike an x-ray, you can “discriminate between different things going on in one organ,” Dr. Sutherland-Smith says. “It won’t be just all one shade of gray.” For instance, if you’re looking at the liver and there’s a tumor nodule, the sound waves will reflect that differently, and it will come across as a different color and therefore get picked up.
An ultrasound also looks at the workings of tissue in real time. It’s not just a snapshot of a single moment. For instance, you can see blood flowing through the chambers of the heart. You can see if any of the valves don’t close properly when blood goes through them and thus cause some blood to flow backward instead of forward, like it should.
You can even see differences in fluid types you’re zeroing in on, Dr. Sutherland-Smith says. For instance, if you’re looking at the bladder, abnormal urine (perhaps containing blood or crystals) will be more reflective than normal, and it will come across as a white or gray dot in a sea of black. You could also see “cellular debris if there were an infection in the bladder, like cystitis,” Dr. Sutherland-Smith explains.
Ninety percent of ultrasounds performed on dogs is for imaging of structures in the abdominal cavity or for looking at the heart, Dr. Sutherland-Smith points out. Occasionally, he says, ultrasounds will also be used to look at musculoskeletal issues — tendons and ligaments around the joints — or abnormal structures within the thoracic cavity.
The dog does not usually have to be sedated unless she is particularly excitable or nervous. On the day we visited the ultrasound unit on the radiology floor of Tufts’s Foster Hospital for Small Animals, a dog was lying on her back, gel smeared across her belly, for a look with an ultrasound probe to see if her mast cell cancer had metastasized to any body organs. The dog was as comfortable as could be, with several technicians at her side to help her feel secure.
One difference between abdominal ultrasounds for people and those for dogs is that with dogs, the medical team will generally look at all of the organ systems at one time rather than just in one location. “If the owner is spending a lot of money, we want to make sure he or she is not missing something else that will change the treatment plan,” Dr. Sutherland-Smith says. “By the time we perform an abdominal ultrasound, an older pet can often have more than one disease, and some of the illnesses may not have any outward signs for the owner or veterinarian to notice.”
Note: Sometimes, whether to order an abdominal ultrasound or an x-ray is a judgment call. “If it’s not urgent,” Dr. Sutherland-Smith says, meaning the dog is stable and not in acute pain, “most people will wait to do an ultrasound” as the procedure cannot generally be performed on the spur of the moment. But if the dog is in bad shape, an x-ray might be ordered to see if something has ruptured, torn, or broken, or if there’s a life-threatening blockage in the G.I. tract that needs immediate surgery.

[Melanie B]

Dear Tamara,

I know exactly how you are feeling. 4 years ago, our Sheltie,

Cooper, was diagnosed with Idiopathic Chylothorax. I had never heard of this before. We did opt to have the plural ports surgically inserted, because his lungs were so diminished. We pulled fluid from his chest for approx. one year. I also did a lot of reading about this disease. Because of the fluid buildup in the chest, the chest can become inflamed. So, we started him on 3000 mg of Rutin daily (1000 mg 3 x’s daily). Also, started him on Raw Unfiltered Honey, and sprinkled Ceylon Cinnamon on top (the only cinnamon dogs can have), this is for the inflammation. About 1 Tablespoon of honey with a good sprinkling of cinnamon on top of the meals.. breakfast and dinner. I found Nutro dog food to have the lowest fat count. My dog would not eat the food the Dr recommended.. it was really dry. This was and still is our regimen. Fast forward, our Cooper is now 9. We no longer have to pull fluid, his lungs are again in great condition. You would never know he had ever been sick. I know this is not the case for all dogs diagnosed. But, I wanted you to know this is not necessarily a death sentence, as I had thought. So, we followed the above regimen, along with lots and lots of prayers, and our boy is doing wonderful.

I wish you the absolute best with your baby!!!!!

Sincerely,

Melanie

Sent from my T-Mobile 4G LTE Device

——– Original message ——–

From: Dog Food Advisor <[email protected]>

Date: 9/16/18 5:51 PM (GMT-06:00)

To: [email protected]

Subject: [Dog Food Advisor] Low-fat healthy diet needed

Tamera S wrote:

Been reading through all these posts and could find any recent from Nancy M. I was wondering how things turned out for her baby. Any of these babies really. We are heartbroken, as our 3 & 1/2 year old Sheltie has just been diagnosed with Idiopathic Chylothorax. The specialist I took him to terrified me, and he will not be going back to them even if we decide on surgery. When I told them we wanted to try least invasive options like Rutin and a low fat diet first, she wouldn’t be listen. Then came back telling me they nicked Scout’s lung when draining fluid so now his chest was filling with air! They wanted to keep him overnight, I refused to let them, he is fine, no symptoms they said he would have because of their incompetence. I feel they where just a surgery factory. My regular vet closed her practice and moved out of country on the Friday before this all happened. We are $2000 in. No surgery, just drain and diagnostic. No answers. I have talked to a Holistic doctor and he recommended supplements to ssupport his urinary tract as well. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. We love our baby and want to do the best we can to give him the full and active life he deserves.
TIA
Tamera

Post Link: /forums/topic/low-fat-healthy-diet-needed/#post-121737

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[Tamera S]

Been reading through all these posts and could find any recent from Nancy M. I was wondering how things turned out for her baby. Any of these babies really. We are heartbroken, as our 3 & 1/2 year old Sheltie has just been diagnosed with Idiopathic Chylothorax. The specialist I took him to terrified me, and he will not be going back to them even if we decide on surgery. When I told them we wanted to try least invasive options like Rutin and a low fat diet first, she wouldn’t be listen. Then came back telling me they nicked Scout’s lung when draining fluid so now his chest was filling with air! They wanted to keep him overnight, I refused to let them, he is fine, no symptoms they said he would have because of their incompetence. I feel they where just a surgery factory. My regular vet closed her practice and moved out of country on the Friday before this all happened. We are $2000 in. No surgery, just drain and diagnostic. No answers. I have talked to a Holistic doctor and he recommended supplements to ssupport his urinary tract as well. Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated. We love our baby and want to do the best we can to give him the full and active life he deserves.
TIA
Tamera

[Amelia Z]

Hey Linda
You should of asked me about which taurine to use instead of going nuts. Anyway, I use Now Foods powdered taurine.
https://www.nowfoods.com/supplements/taurine-pure-powder
I only chose the powdered because I couldn’t get the dosage I wanted in a pill and it was easier to do so with the powder.
I got this list from Dr. Stern after I already starting my supplementation. So I guess I did good since he recommends Now Foods also. But he does not recommend supplements unless your dog has DCM. But I see your cardiologist is recommending it for your boy. I stopped supplementing Kodi, although his taurine was low, I think it should be better now due to diet change.
This is from Dr. Stern:
Choosing a taurine or l-carnitine supplement:
Selecting supplements should be performed based upon those that match their stated contents and are readily available for absorption. Luckily a previous publication tested multiple taurine and lcarnitine supplements. Based upon this publication our laboratory recommends the following supplements as those meeting our quality criteria. (Bragg et al. 2009 J Am Vet Med Assoc; 234(2))
Tested taurine supplements that test within 5% of stated contents and if applicable disintegrated within 30 minutes
• Mega taurine caps by Twinlab (1000 capsule)
• Taurine by Swanson Health Products (500mg capsule)
• Taurine by NOW foods (500mg capsule)
• Taurine 500 by GNC (500mg tablet)
Tested L-carnitine supplements that test within 5% of stated contents and if applicable disintegrated within 30 minutes
• L-carnitine 500 by Jarrow Formulas (500mg capsule)
• L-carnitine caps by Country Life (500mg capsule)
• Maxi L-carnitine by Solgar Vitamin and Herb (500mg tablet)
• L-carnitine by Puritan’s Pride (500mg tablet)
The Stern lab does not recommend the empirical supplementation of taurine or l-carnitine to dogs without evidence of DCM and/or significant deficiency. If DCM is diagnosed we typically recommend dogs over 50lbs receive 1000mg of taurine every 12hrs and dogs under 50lbs receive 500mg of taurine every 12hours. We recommend L-carnitine at a dose of ~50mg/kg orally with food every 8hrs. Your veterinary cardiologist or family veterinarian should be consulted for prescribing the best dose for your dog.

[anonymous]

Quote “I am trying slippery Elm right now mixed into his food, but so far not helping. And have tried several pumpkin foods and sweet patato. And giving his pepto bismal.”

I hope you will speak to your vet about dispensing supplements and over the counter meds before continuing. Especially meds not intended for veterinary use unless prescribed by a veterinarian that has examined the dog (off label use).

Not all supplements and over the counter meds are benign, some have side effects, some interfere with the absorption of prescription meds. They can also throw off blood work and other diagnostic tests..

“Slippery elm may interfere with the absorption of other drugs, so give the supplement at another time. Slippery Elm can be used for sustained periods, but not long-term. Never give your dogs any herb or other supplement — or change the dogs’ diet in any way — without consulting your vet first”. (excerpt https://dogcare.dailypuppy.com/side-effects-slippery-elm-root-dogs-7609.html)

Possible Side Effects of Pepto Bismol (https://www.vetinfo.com/dog-pepto-bismol.html) excerpt:
Side effects are rare but they can occur. Potential changes include:
A darkening in color of the tongue
A darkening of the stools, which may become grey, black or a green color
An interference with readings of abdominal X-Rays
Inaccuracies in urine test results
Like every medication, it is possible to overdose on Pepto-Bismol. If you think this has happened, it is important to contact a vet immediately. Keep observing your dog closely and watching for changes in his temperature. Other potential effects include changes in the dog’s blood, seizures and liver and kidney damage.
Pepto Bismol is useful for soothing stomach upsets that can make your dog sick. However, it is a good idea to get a vet’s advice before giving the medication to your dog. That way, you can try and rule out any other, more serious, causes of stomach problems first.

Ps: Be careful about using too many medications and supplements including homeopathic remedies. It can become difficult to distinguish side effects from true symptoms.
Polypharmacy is the simultaneous use of multiple drugs to treat a single ailment or condition.

[Linda K]

Hi Amelia,
Thank you for sharing the links to all you shared! I’ll look at them tomorrow. I have spent most of today trying to find a taurine supplement that meets the specifications of the cardiologist. It can contain no artificial sugars, no additional supplements and no minerals. Well, OK, except the truth is, such an animal does not exist. I have gone to every pharmacy within 50 miles and searched the shelves. Many didn’t have taurine of any kind. But if they had it, there were certain ingredients in every one, including magnesium stearate and Vitamin B6. Well, magnesium is a mineral, B6 is a supplement. However, magnesium, by popular consensus among polled pharmacists, in stearate form is “a filler and not to be construed as a mineral.” B-6 is indeed a supplement. I called the cardiologist, and she called me back finally. And guess what she said. “Oh, gosh, the Vitamin Shoppe brand you’ve been using is fine. You aren’t going to find anything purer than that one is.” Soooo, I held my tongue and resisted the urge to yell at her and tell her that she could have indicated that in her notes. I had to take the bottles in with us yesterday so they could check the dosages and ingredients! It’s been a fun fun day!

Thank you for the compliment about my boy. If we ever get each other’s email addresses, I’ll send you a picture. I’d like to see Auggie and Kodi too.

I have no idea where my vet got those numbers for normal taurine blood values. But I can’t figure out a lot about that guy.

I’d like to hear why you’re annoyed with the cardiologist. You said it’s a long story. I love to read your emails, so do tell. Unless it’s too annoying and too long or you don’t want to re-visit it.

I’m tired. I’ll look for more from you tomorrow and post after I check out your links. Doc Pierce still seems to love the new food, keep it down, and poop it perfectly. My great sunt used to talk about her poop color, consistency and texture, and I thought that was so odd. I talk about my dog’s! How odd is THAT?😏

[Susan]

Hi,
you have a very smart dog, he knows what foods cause pain, nausea etc & now will not eat, my boxer was the same with dry kibbles & raw Kangaroo, if it smelt weird & caused any stomach/bowel problems she wouldnt eat it ever again, where Patch he keeps eating & eating foods that cause gas/farts, nausea, sloppy poos etc, I have to be a mind reader & work out what is causing his pain his acid reflux etc but when I first rescued him he didnt want any thing to do with dry kibble, when I offered it to him he’d just walk off, he liked cooked food, loaf rolls, raw meaty bones & wet can foods….

Slipery Elm has to be made into a slurry/paste, pull up into a syringe about 5ml =1 teaspoon & you give 20mins before a meal not with the meal…

Vitamin B12 (Cobalamin) Deficiency, has your dog B-12 been tested?
When Vitamin B12 is injected, the vitamin is readily absorbed by the blood and can get to work immediately. If your dog doesn’t have any problems with cobalamin malabsorption or there is no vitamin B12 deficiency, you can give oral supplements available in 100-, 250-, 500-, 1000-, and 5000-microgram tablets.
Ask your vet about him not having any apetite & can you do the weekly B-12 injection for 1 minth & see if there’s an improvement in his appetite a lot of ogs who have IBD EPI who have low appetites are givenB-12 weekly injections to make them want to eat….

Have you tried wet can foods or those good premium loaf rolls?? I know vet diets are expensive but next time you see vet get 1 can of Hills I/d Digestive Care Chicken & Vegetable stew. I have the I/d cans in the cupboard & the Royal Canine Intestinal Low Fat wet cans in the cupboard. https://www.hillspet.com/dog-food/pd-id-canine-chicken-and-vegetable-stew-canned
I rotate foods, I dont feed the same food for all of Patches 5 meals a day..
Are you feeding more then 2 meals a day? I know he isnt much of a eater but smaller meals of a few different foods thru the day he might want to eat them? a dry dog biscuit offered a few times a day, break biscuit in 1/2, we have a cat & as soon as Patch hear’s Indy getting something to eat he comes running to see if he can have some aswell & normaly he cant thats why the cat is getting the food cause Patch cant eat it.. she/cat is my garbage disposel bin..

I feed the Wellness Core Large Breed Adult dry for breakfast, Patch finally gained weight eating the Wellness Core & the cat keeps stealing Patches Wellness kibbles so they must taste good as she doesnt pinch any of Patches other dry kibbles, for lunch Patch use to get a small can of the Hills I/D chicken Rice & Vegetables wet food or 1/3 of the can of the Royal Canine Intestinal wet food but he kept getting his acid reflux on & off after eating the wet can vet diets & they’re low in fat so Id say its all the Omega oils, they are very high in Omega Oils so now Patch gets 2 big Dog Biscuits, My Boxer use to just look at food & gain weight she where Patch has problems keeping on his weight, I remember Angies vet asking me, what is she eating she’s over weight, she needed to lose 4kgs, she use to eat 1/2 of what Patch eats, she was bigger & he is smaller, I told vet she eats cooked meal, what we eat, & sometimes she eats some dry kibble but not much & she gets a dry dog biscuit maybe twice a day, the vet said do you know 1 of those dry dog biscuits is = to 1 Hamburger for a dog, I said what a Hamburger he said YES start halving her biscuit, so she is just getting 1 dog biscuit a day or completely stop these dru dog biscuits as they are high in fat, so now Im giving Patch 2 big dog biscuits for lunch everyday he loves them, I either feed the Purina Lucky Dog Biscuit Bones, Canidae dry Biscuits or you can get Hills Ideal balance Treats they’re smaller or Hills Vet Diet Hypoallergenic Biscuit treats.. https://www.hillspet.com/dog-food/ib-soft-baked-naturals-with-chicken-and-carrots-dog-treats..
If you dont want to feed a wet can vet diet then look at Hills “Ideal Balance” Chicken & Zucchini slow cooked wet can food.. https://www.hillspet.com/dog-food/ib-slow-cooked-chicken-and-zucchini-stew-adult-dog-food-canned#accordion-content-054167331-2
or look at Costcos Kirklands Signature Turkey & Pea Stew wet can food its very popular. Just make sure any wet can foods are 4% in fat not any higher, wet can foods fat protein fiber % havent been converted to dry matter yet so when you convert say 5% fat thats around 20%min to 26% max fat, so 4% min is around 12% fat min best to emal the pet food companies & ask them for max fat concerted to dry matter, they will give the exact max % you dont want to feed him foods that cause pain in stomach or wind pain in bowel then he will become more fussy….lean limited ingredient foods..
http://www.kirklandsignaturepetsupplies.com/natures-domain-brand

All Hills Science Diet wet & dry formula’s are very palatable if your dog refuses to eat then return to pet shop for a refund if you have bought a carton of wet can food, rotate, 1 day feed the Hills Ideal Balance for Dinner then the next day for Dinner he eats a different wet can food or try FreshPet Roll, Stew, Cooked Roasted meals?
https://freshpet.com/dog/freshpet-select

Still feed his Farmina dry food, Farmina is a good food, are you feeding him the LAMB DIGESTION N&D Quinoa Functional Canine formula & the N&D Quinoa Skin & Coat Venison formula
https://www.farmina.com/us/eshop/dog-food/n&d-quinoa-functional-canine/429-digestion-lamb.html
its isnt rich or too dense like the other Farmina formula’s, my Patch gets his stomach pain as soon as a dry food is over 370Kcals per cup he whinges & wants me to rub his stomach/pancreas area…

What vet diet did he eat? maybe put him back on the vet diet & feed the matching wet can food rotate in his diet so he gains some weight & feed 4-5 smaller meals a day & give a few dry dog biscuits thru the day aswell as treats or as a dry dog bisciut as a snack before bed, eating then going to sleep gains weight…

I always ask Patch “Which One (kibble) do you want to eat” & I show him 2 different dry kibble brands in their air tight containers with their lids off, he sniffs the containers then he licks the side of the container that he wants to eat or I get out 1 kibble from 1 container & another kibble from the other container, I have 1 kibble in one hand & the another kibble in my other hand & I let him sniff them & ask him “which One”& he takes teh kibble he wants to eat, thru the day he eats about 3 different brands of foods… If I just feed him the same dry kibble day in day out he starts to react & gets his IBD stomach pain & starts whinging & lifts his right paw & wants me to rub his stomach area I thought he had Pancreatitis when I first rescued him, he has all the symptoms but now 5 yrs later Patches vets says he has Stomach pain its cause of his IBD…

If you join the “Dogs with Inflammatory Bowel Disease IBD – Raw Feeding & Holistic Support” F/B group, go to their “Files” scroll down 11th pdf & click on “Digestive Sensitivity and Dog Size.pdf”
it’s research done on small breed dogs & large Breed dogs, what happens when these dogs eats the same dry kibble, how both breeds digest the same kibble different, now I know why Patch does heaps better with his IBD when he eats a Large Breed dry kibble the Large Breed kibbles have fibers formulated for large breed Intestinal tract so the dog doesn’t get bloat, the Large Breed dry formula’s seem to agree with Patch the best…..

[Sue H]

Hoping Jax will be ok. Thanks for the good wishes for Crystal.

Prednisone is a good medicine and inexpensive, but can cause a host of issues in dogs as well. I have been on prednisone myself and can not take Advil or any ibuprofen products, as it may cause serious GI problems for me. I imagine there may be a similar issue with dogs. Ask a pharmacist, my sister was a pharmacist before she passed away and explained much of this to me.

With my Crystal, before we started her on Galliprant, her back legs were starting to waste away and her walking was really poor. On Galliprant, she runs and plays, but yes, has diarrhea, and I watch her closely for any GI issues. GI issues can come on suddenly, so if she began to vomit, off to the emergency vet she will go. Luckily, she is eating well (she will not eat the prescription food for dogs with renal issues), but will eat her regular dry and canned foods, so we are using supplements when we can, and monitoring her lab values. This all becomes a balancing act for our vet to figure out what will make her comfortable. I use plain canned pumpkin in her diet daily, as well as fortiflora. Fortunately, she loves fruit, so apples and other fruits help, too. Sadly, there is no magic medicine to help our dogs with arthritis that has no side effects.

Hoping everyone who has a dog can find the best combination of medicine and supplements to help them heal and enjoy their lives. It is not easy trying to determine what to try for them, but hoping things will work for them.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 3 months ago by Sue H.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 3 months ago by Sue H.

[Linda K]

zcRiley, after many calls to my vet’s office with many earnest question and pleadings, many answers (and non-answers) that brought me much dismay, etc. I decided to call the nearby university to see how soon my boy could get an appointment with one of their cardiologists. To my amazement, there had been a cancellation, and I got an appointment the next day. That was today. My boy got a “complete cardiac evaluation.” It took almost all day, but the result is that he has no cardiac enlargement. She increased the taurine supplementation and wants to re-evaluate in six months. Of course she wants him to start on NOT grain-free food. I started that a week ago, and I’m very slowly weaning him onto it. How are your pit bulls doing on the Vetr-Science? Are the supplements chewable? The taurine supplement I give my boy is in capsule form, so I have to open the capsules and sprinkle it on food. He loves yogurt, so that’s what I mix the taurine with. I just read that you should only give your dog lactose free yogurt. I mentioned that to the cardiologist. She said I could give him small amounts (I use a tablespoon) of “regular” yogurt as long as it has no xylitol in it. I hope your pit bulls are doing very well. Incidentally, the cardiologist mentioned that my boy “was a little naughty” during the echo. I was thinking he pottied on the table, or, worse yet, launched himself off the table (he’s a 1 year and 1 day old puppy after all), or tried to make friends with the dog on the next cart. Nope, he “was squirmy.” I resisted the urge to ask how many times a dog getting an echocardiogram lies motionless….

[Michelle T]

Melissa T,
I have no clue what that is. Kali is taking phenobarbital (9 years), Keppra (3 weeks) and Galliprant (3 months). Plus she’s taking supplements to help with her arthritis.

[anonymous]

I hope this helps at least one pet owner from having to visit the emergency vet (please find a vet that you trust):
“Instead of wasting time and money on supplements, over the counter meds and creams that should never be used unless a veterinarian that has examined the dog recommends, by the way, many of these supplements, ointments, over the counter medications (not intended for veterinary use unless prescribed as off label by a veterinarian that has examined the dog) and homeopathic remedies are not only ineffective but they also are not benign and can have side effects and interaction with prescription meds”.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 3 months ago by anonymous.

[Amelia Z]

Thanks for the good wishes on Kodi. Yes we are pretty happy. OMG, let me get this straight. Were you talking to your vet or someone in the office? Horrible!!! Did you ask for the office manager or to speak with you vet about this? I hope you can get an appt at the university. I don’t think you would need a referral. I went to both of the cardiologists without a referral. I’m not sure what area you live it. But check out this link. In the lower right side of the page, enter the specialist and your area. Maybe you can find someone else. http://www.acvim.org/
I wonder if there is anyway we can email me directly instead of putting everything on this forum. But I wouldn’t want to put my email address here and I am sure you wouldn’t either. Maybe if we emailed to moderator to find out.
I am so upset over these people. Unbelievable! You are worse than me with the food. I think I weaned them over a period of 2 weeks. I tried the chicken first (of course, I thought I bought beef, but I didn’t). Anyway, at the beginning I was rushing it since I was so anxious to get them off the old food. One was vomiting and the other diarrhea. So that wasn’t good. Then I realize OMG, I bought the chicken. Anyway, after they were on the beef and doing good. I tried the chicken again and soft poops again. So forget the chicken. I have the turkey and soft as well. But I will try that again but slower this time. Yeah, the food is expensive but there’s no junk in it. My younger one has lost some weight on it, which is wierd because it is over 600 calories a cup and their old food was 400. But I guess since this food is low carbs. I do add organic blueberries, broccoli, cauliflower, kale, carrots (alternate each meal) supplements, taurine, L-carnitine, etc. It’s a half hour job just to feed them. But as you know, they are worth it. Anyway, please let me know how you make out.

[Spy Car]

What I find funny is people who (falsely) accuse others of an irrational disdain for “by-products,” but who won’t feed fresh, wholesome, and inexpensive raw chicken feet as an excellent dietary source of glucosamine, and who instead turn to expensive supplements that make his or her dog sick.

Bill

[anonymous]

The first thing I would do would be to take him to the vet for a checkup and discuss medication that’s prescribed for separation anxiety.
Especially because you have a large breed that could become aggressive and bite someone (fear aggressive).

Some of these medications take a week or two to start to be effective, at that time he may become calmer, less fearful therefore becoming more receptive to training and being around other dogs and people.

However, he may always be a bit shy, some of what you are observing may be his personality. Just like people, some dogs can be introverted.

From a previous post (use search engine to look up “anxiety”)
“Medications were invented for a reason, when used appropriately under the guidance of a veterinarian and in conjunction with desensitization and gentle training techniques. they can be very helpful in decreasing anxiety levels therefore making the dog receptive to learning and getting over fears”.

“They are also very reasonable, especially when compared to dog trainers and such.
Example, Clomicalm was prescribed for a dog I had years ago, she only needed to be on it a few months”
“Excellent results. The dog never appeared sedated, she was alert, no change in personality noted, except for being less fearful. Some medications take up to a week or two to show effect, discuss with your vet. There are other medications to choose from now. Your vet will help you evaluate if this is an option for your pet”.

‘Clomicalm is a tricyclic antidepressant (clomipramine) that’s used to treat separation anxiety in dogs as part of behavior modification plans. Clomicalm makes it easier for dogs to learn new, positive behaviors. By easing anxiety caused by separation, Clomicalm controls destructive behavior, vocalization, and other negative behaviors’.
(above copied from vet depot dot com)

PS: Don’t be fooled by supplements, flower drops, etc. They don’t work.

[anonymous]

Panting and pacing look like anxiety but can also be signs of pain and discomfort.
Regarding the dental, were dental x-rays done? Before? After?
Because root remnants can be left behind causing pain/inflammation/pain.

Something is wrong….. The effects of anesthesia do not last more than a day or two.

So, I would make a return trip to the vet that did the dental surgery and discuss. Request a follow-up visit and exam (some vets won’t charge).
If he still thinks it’s anxiety, ask about treatment options. Maybe prescription medication (short-term) would help? No need for the dog to suffer.

PS: If you are feeding raw or adding any supplements, please inform the vet. This will help him to diagnose.

[anonymous]

I would take her for a vet checkup, she’s a senior, medical concerns should be ruled out first.
A veterinarian that has examined your dog, knows her history will diagnose and prescribe treatment as indicated and will discuss with you whether medication or supplements are advised or not.

Also, I would not free feed, offer meals twice a day at the same times, pick up and store in the fridg if not consumed within 15 minutes. Always have fresh water available, I add a little water to kibble as some dogs, especially seniors don’t drink enough.

Would she prefer to eat off of a flat mat? I had a dog that would not eat out of a food dish after she accidently flipped it and bumped her nose. It only happened once…..

[anonymous]

I am glad your vet is referring you to an internal medicine specialist. I hope he quickly diagnoses your dog’s condition and starts an effective treatment.

In my opinion it is best to go by the treatment plan that your vet has provided.
Including the prescription food. Don’t add anything other than the home cooked your vet approved.
Not all supplements/probiotics/enzymes are benign, some have interactions and may interfere with the absorption of prescription meds. That includes over the counter meds.

So, I would not give anything unless your vet approves. Seriously, you can make things worse.

[Ruth C]

Hello,
I have an 8 year old boxer, and for the past year she’s had several episodes in which she doesn’t feel well for a couple of days, throwing up or having diarrhea, but switching her to home cooked meals of chicken, rice and veggies usually did the trick. A week ago she started feeling restless, not eating and throwing up suddenly, and that same day the had diarrhea with blood and also threw up with a little blood. We took her to her hospital and after ultrasounds and X-rays they ruled out any tumors and concluded it was an acute gastritis due to the sticks and stuff she may have eaten on our walks in the forest. She was given cerenia and omeprazol as well as soft diet and the next day her stools were normal again. Yesterday she felt restless again and tried to throw up but nothing came up. After another consult with her vets they think all the gastrointestinal issues she’s experienced this year may be due to IBD as all her symptoms match and we are scheduling and appointment with the internal medicine department. She’s on cerenia again and doing good. Have you got any advice as to what diet/supplements/probiotics/enzymes have worked on your pups? Thanks in advance! They also gave us Royal Canin gastrointestinal food to mix with the home cooked meal I said above.

[Nate D]

I have 2 Dachsunds. Both have had pancreas issues in the past. One has cushings and may have cancer. I have been feeding both of them Hills I/D Low Fat Natural dry food, but want them off of the kibble.
I have tried The Honest Kitchen Fish, but dont care for the garlic in it. It also seems to be to high in protein for them causing gas and upset stomach even with small amounts. I was hoping to use it because people rant and rave about it for their dogs who have had pancreatitis and/or cancer.

I have been looking for something else. Either dehydrated, frozen, patties, fresh, etc.. and am having a hard time finding anything low in fat.
Anyone know of any?

I know I can do homemade, but have no idea what complete supplements I need. I would however prefer already made.

[joanne l]

That is good levels of phosphorous and calcium. I would not add the supplements you are adding to your first post I read. Unless you told your vet about it. Well I guess you can ask him why the RX diet was not on recommended by him. I know some people don’t like science diet or royal canine. However, though in this situation these diets may be better. Just b/c other foods have better ingredients doesn’t mean it is better for your dog right now.

[Lori H]

You might want to look at the following website. I have a dog that has had so many medical issues including calcium oxalate bladder stones which he had surgery for to remove. He was so unhealthy at the time. He also was in liver failure almost two years ago and my vet was preparing me for his death.

Rick helped me and Buddy is now healthier than he has ever been. If anything, read what Rick has to say on his website. It sounds like you are open to something that might not be traditional medicine through your vet. The change in Buddy’s food as well as the supplements, changed his life.

http://www.doglivershunt.com/bladder-stones.html

Good luck on your search for information and I hope you find a solution. Buddy is 11, but has a new lease on life. I can’t imagine being just under two as a dog and dealing with this.

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Lori

[anonymous]

@ Ryan
No worries. It’s just that as someone who has worked in healthcare for decades (humans not animals). It frightens me to see some of the bad advice that is given out on forums.
I have admitted too many folks from the emergency room that came in with shopping bags full of supplements and over the counter meds that were causing them to be ill.
Best of luck

PS: Maybe you could return that supplement and use the money toward testing as recommended by the examining vet?

[Ryan K]

Anon…I have appreciated your help. Please don’t think I am ignoring or not being receptive. Everything I give my dog I definitely run by my vet first. I am incredibly aware of certain medications being problematic when taken with other natural supplements. I am very much a “call the vet to ask first” type of person. I just like getting as much info and tips from people as possible to see what worked for them. I don’t want you to think I have been irresponsible with my dog or have been ignoring anything you mentioned. My main problem is that I can’t get the expensive testing to truly get the best diagnosis for what is really happening so I want as many suggestions as possible from people experiencing the same thing with their own pets.

I have been really grateful for every post made. Susan has posted a lot of helpful info that seems likely to help my dog if I apply it. I definitely will ask my vet if he can take whatever I may want to give him. I am too paranoid to not do that. 🙂

[anonymous]

Please (again) do not give any over the counter medications, supplements, or make dietary changes that your vet has not approved. Please try to refrain from self diagnosis or listening to opinions on the internet and taking medical advice. This is a recipe for ending up at the emergency vet.

Many supplements and over the counter medications have interactions with prescription meds and side effects.
I would only listen to veterinary healthcare professionals that have examined your dog and know his history.
This is my last response to you as I feel you have not been receptive to anything I have said in my prior posts. Best of luck.
Example:
/forums/topic/dog-ravenously-licking-floors-carpets/#post-120272
/forums/topic/dog-ravenously-licking-floors-carpets/#post-120250
/forums/topic/dog-ravenously-licking-floors-carpets/#post-120124
/forums/topic/dog-ravenously-licking-floors-carpets/#post-120071

[Karen H]

Hi there, I would like to clearly state that I do provide customized dog nutrition products, premium foods, supplements and other items!

As mentioned by previous members, have you had her checked for things like leaky gut etc.?
1st ensure there are no current physical impairments.

2nd, I’d love the opportunity to help you in anyway that I can. I do have foods that might help and several products. I have had 100% success thus far getting picky eaters gobbling up their foods. I have also had success with decreasing digestive discomfort and increasing health and vitality.

I’m not sure how one reaches out to another via this forum as this is my first post. But, feel free to do so if you know how.

Also, rest assured that I am NOT in the business of pushing products. I am however interested in helping pets and their people. This may or may not include the items I have to offer, but I’m 100% investing in helping!

[susan k]

Thanks, crazy4cats! Koby is the apple of my eye — I would do anything for him! Best wishes to you too, and to all your kitties!

I think they don’t really know what’s causing the increase in canine DCM cases. The New York Times article as well as other things I’ve read tend to say the common thread is grain-free, but actually on the UC Davis spreadsheet it’s clear some of the dogs with DCM are NOT on grain-free. And some grain-frees (like Wellness CORE) add taurine. Most dog and cat foods these days have added taurine, but a lot of them have it as a very minor ingredient, way down at the end of the list. CORE does have peas and potatoes (which obviously aren’t preventing Koby from absorbing taurine, though that may not hold for all dogs) right after the meat, but taurine is the first of the added vitamins/supplements after the food ingredients.

I hope the dog food companies subscribe to this list — I think they should see how panicked everybody is about the state of pet food these days!

[anonymous]

I would not give over the counter meds, supplements (especially those not intended for veterinary use) or make diet changes (your pet is on a prescription diet) unless instructed to do so by a veterinarian that has examined the dog. For example, antacids are known to interfere with the absorption of other meds.
Please try to refrain from self-diagnosis. It’s a dangerous game and you could make things a lot worse. Work with a veterinarian. There are no veterinarians affiliated with DFA.
Didn’t your vet give you a treatment plan? I would go by that alone. Nothing else!

PS: I am becoming concerned. Please listen to your vet! Like she said, if you want an exact diagnosis have the testing done, everything else is just guesswork.
I suggested you make a video to show the vet, not for you to try to self-diagnose.
Best of luck.

[joanne l]

I think vegetarians diets are not good because they don’t contain taurine unless the company supplements it in the food. But dogs need meat for the natural occurring taurine. This is a vital nutrient. They only way a dog should be feed a veg diet is if the vet says so for medical reasons.

[anonymous]

Did you check the search engine? /forums/search/gulping/

As you can see, some ridiculous responses. Please have a talk with your vet, ask him to call you back when he has a minute. Don’t be foolish, food won’t fix this.

Your dog needs the expertise of a veterinary healthcare professional and real medication (not supplements)
I know how frustrating it is, I have the credit card bills to prove it. :-/

PS: Ask your vet if you can just treat the symptoms? Anticonvulsants? If your priority is care and comfort rather than diagnosis and treatment, tell your vet..

[Reese B]

I feel your frustration. I feel the same way! I feed some homemade meals ( not all because I don’t trust that I’m feeding a balance diet) but the supplements I use are
– Dr. Diobas green min, (I’m going to try his mulivitamin called soul food too next time)
– carna 4 sprouted seed supplement
– animal essentials seaweed calcium (I’ve also used crushed egg shells for calcium)
– feel good omega 3 supplement.

For my recipes ill cook a big batch of whatever meat is on sale, and a little liver (usually chicken because it’s the cheapest), then i add a little cooked spinach or broccoli, some squash or pumpkin, some scrambled eggs, coconut oil, sunflower seeds, cottage cheese, and a little bit of fruit, then i blend it really well and freeze it in individual portions.
I defrost it as needed and then i add the supplements to it, give it a stir and serve. My dog really seems to enjoy it.
Hope you find a recipe that works for you. Please share if you do.

[ThisDogHunts]

Hi, I’ve seen questions about collagen supplements surface recently and I’d like to know what the general consensus is on incorporating collagen into a senior dog’s supplement regimen to treat hip dysplasia.
My dog already gets healthy doses of Ark Natural’s Joint Rescue, CBD, and some other hip and joint supplements on rotation.
I know my dog gets some collagen from our homemade bone broth, but it isn’t as highly concentrated as what’s available in supplement form.
The tricky part with some of these collagen types is they are often packaged as protein supplements and I’d rather not add more protein to his diet, I just want the collagen.
Then I’m trying to isolate it to the type of collagen. Type 1, 2, 3 or some combination of them?
There seems to be a lot of hype building up for type 3, egg shell membranes.
Anybody here have any success incorporating a collagen supplement into their senior dog’s diet?

[ThisDogHunts]

Well crap. So this is why all those bags of Castor and Pollux Organic freeze dried Grain free Pristine Free-range Chicken dog food were slashed in half at PetCo. and on their clearance shelves.
I bought like 5 bags. Dang it!
I haven’t been feeding that exclusively to my dogs, but I’ve been using a small amount of it as a topper on top of their Wellness Complete + homemade quinoa mix. Sometimes I like to use a piece or two of the freeze dried kibble as a treat, because the freeze dried kibble quickly absorbs CBD oil and MCT oils and helps to deliver those kinds of supplements without any getting lost.
Should I exercise extreme caution and cut out the Castor and Pollux of their diet completely or is it still okay in moderation?

[Lori H]

Hi Linda,

My dog Buddy has been through a lot, much like your dog. He is now 11 and during his life he has had surgery on his spleen, surgery for bladder stones, been diagnosed with Diabetes and I was told by my vet that he was suffering from liver failure and was preparing me for the fact that Buddy was going to die. The liver failure diagnosis was over two years and today, he is healthy, happy, looks amazing and has so much energy. I just had him into the vet for blood work and his numbers are almost perfect (350 is perfect, he is sitting at 351)! It has been an amazing turnaround so I know how you feel. I basically had to get him healthy myself. My vet did not support my decision to do what I did, but he is healthy and that is all that matters!

I now believe wholeheartedly that most vets know nothing about nutrition. They are told to carry a line of food in their offices by one of the large pharma/dog food companies because most of these companies go out and recruit at the vet universities across the United States when vets are in school and provide them with a kickback when the sell either Science Diet or Royal Canin in their clinics, up to 40%. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE my vet, I just don’t believe he knows much of anything about nutrition. He has been great to me, my dog Buddy and my three cats. He is good at what he does, diagnose and perform much needed surgeries and procedures. He did Buddy’s bladder stone surgery which has complications.

I was at my wits end as well and thought that I was going to lose Buddy, but I was not willing to give up so I did a Google search and found an amazing person who brought Buddy back to the healthy dog he is.

Buddy is on a very special diet and he has made huge strides in the last 10+ months. He is a very healthy dog to what he was 6 months ago.

I worked with a man named Rick Scheyer. He has an amazing website http://www.doglivershunt.com He has helped many dogs with liver shunt, kidney disease, bladder stone problems and much, much more become healthy dogs again. I would suggest reaching out to him for a free consultation. It might be the answer you need.

If you choose to go with his program, it is not cheap, but I believe that over time, I will save money by not taking Buddy to the vet time and time again because I don’t know what is wrong and having a battery of tests run and racking up bills in the thousands, I have been there!

He was slowly weened off of his processed food Science Diet U/D and placed on a diet of fresh veggies and meat based on a very slow transition to follow with Rick’s help.

Buddy’s diet is a balance of ¾ veggies to ¼ meats. Dogs with liver issues do not need as much protein as you would expect. He gets lots of yellow veggies (squash, tomatoes, peppers, cucumber, celery, carrots, Brussel sprouts, snap peas, etc.) along with hemp oil and nori blended with goat yogurt into almost a smoothie consistency. I then add meats, liver is great as it helps to detoxify the liver (funny that you feed liver to a dog with liver issuesJ) and then he gets a variety of supplements. He receives three gut supplements in the morning (Acidophilus, Bifudus and a Spectrabiotic) along with an Enzyme and something called Whole Body. In the evenings he gets the Enzyme, Whole Body and a Mushroom supplement. The process to make his food is not that time consuming and if you are at your wits end like I was, I was ready to do anything.

He also gets to have as much goat yogurt as he wants with coconut oil. He also gets sweet potato chews and coconut slices.

He is also allowed to eat fruits, not during his morning and evening meals since they digest differently than veggies, but he has not yet warmed up to them yet. I don’t know if he ever will.

He is doing great! He has so much energy and the numbers don’t lie! I got a glucose meter and I am going to start checking his levels daily. I would really like to get him off the insulin if I can. I believe the medicine is what causes the blindness, not the actual diabetes, my vet believes otherwise.

My vet has not said much of anything. I explained I was taking him off the prescription food and putting him on this program and he never responded. When I took him in the last time for blood work, I think he was surprised Buddy was doing so well, but did not ask me further about what I was doing. He is a pretty straight and narrow vet and I don’t think he looks outside the box. If Buddy’s glucose numbers continue to decline, I will take him back and back off on the number of units he is given. Now it is just maintenance and keeping a spreadsheet and monitoring how he is doing.

I suggest reaching out. I think Rick saved Buddy’s life. I took him to the vet in October to have blood work done and he is perfectly healthy!

Let me know if I can be of anymore help.

Good luck on your search and reach out if you have further questions or concerns. It was hard to take the jump and trust someone other than my vet with my dogs nutritional health, but I am so glad that I did.

Lori

[HoundMusic]

“Has anyone else dealt with hookworm? My vet says that hookworm can play a number on the gastrointestinal tract and cause a lot of inflammation and it may take many months to recover.”

I had a litter almost wiped out by the little devils, and on a very rare occasion had a hound or two contract them from wild rabbit.

And they are half impossible to get rid of. Hartgard is useless for the prevention or treatment of hooks, as the medications are only effective for heartworms and roundworms. For hooks, you need fenbendazole (panacur), and regardless of negative fecals, which can be misleading if worms or eggs are not present in that particular stool sample, you MUST continue to de-worm on a regular basis for the next several months. Believe me, they will never go away otherwise.

Hookworms wreak havoc on the GI tract, so you might want to consider giving anti-inflammatory meds or supplements (turmeric in small doses is helpful sometimes), and forget the yogurt because an overwhelmed digestive system does not need more bacteria or irritating milk proteins. Also, for certain types of digestive issues, lowering dietary fat sometimes works because higher fat = more lubricated bowels :/

If you want my unorthodox recommendation for foods, I’ll say this. My litter with hookworms had not only ongoing digestive upsets, but a skin condition that caused open, bloody, purulent sores. In that instance, I had excellent results switching off “designer” food and onto Purina ONE, which cured the sores and internal damage in a matter of days. However, any dog I’ve ever owned with any sort of digestive issue, from mild maldigestion to inability to handle food due to starvation, to a life threatening case of ulcerative colitis, have all responded beautifully to Pedigree. My 2 cents.

[susan k]

Hi all, I also feed Wellness Core (my dog has been on it since I got him two years ago) and also contacted Wellness by phone. They do add taurine to their formula and told me companies that are suspect are being contacted by the FDA — Wellness has not been contacted. As a helicopter dog mom this wasn’t enough information for me so I did some digging. Wellness Core does have peas as its fifth ingredient — kind of high up the chain — and the problem seems to be that peas, lentils, etc., are blocking taurine absorption, which is what’s causing the problems with heart failure. I spent a lot of time reading labels for other foods and got scared off by all the added chemicals the larger manufacturers use. I considered home cooking, but I’ve had some experience with this and it can be hard to find the right supplements to add — my last dog loved home cooking but hated the supplement powder I was adding to her food. So I asked my vet if they could run a taurine test on my dog, my theory being that if after two years on Wellness Core his taurine level is OK the added taurine to the food is enough to head off heart problems. My vet thought that was a reasonable approach and said they usually run taurine tests (simple blood test) on cats but it can be run on dogs. I scheduled my dog for a taurine test. If you decide to try this, be sure it’s done right — my dog had blood drawn today but because they don’t do this very often the vet tech put the sample in the wrong tube and they have to draw more blood and do it again. I scheduled for Tuesday morning and should have the results back later next week. I will post the results in case people are interested in whether Wellness Core is still one of the safer foods.

[Susan H]

I’m pretty new to this so hopefully you’ll get other replies. Egg shell is not a good source of calcium since it is not balanced with Phosphorus. You can add a human grade bone meal, I’ve ordered Kal from Amazon but haven’t used it since Katie likes chicken wings, backs, thighs and feet. You can also get a grinder, probably for around $100 and grind necks. If you want to grind anything bigger like drumsticks, I’d get a stronger grinder. It is my personal opinion that natural bone either whole and chomped or ground is better than any supplements since it is perfectly balanced. Heart is counted as muscle meat not organs. So 5% Kidney and 5% Liver is correct, heart is great but just don’t count it as organs.

[crazy4cats]

I think it is really sad that so many people think that veterinarians that spend 8 to 9 years in school accumulating thousands and thousands of dollars in debt, are out to make dogs sick. Yet, they believe a charismatic evangelical type veterinarian that makes millions of dollars off of supplements that she sells claiming that our pets simply cannot live without them! She also makes a mint off of selling books and videos. In addition is also constantly putting down her fellow veterinarians that are not “holistic” attempting to make them sound foolish.

Just my 2 cents.

[susan k]

Ok, after posting the article about the danger of grain-free (I’ve been feeding Wellness Core kibble for years) I give up. I’m going to home cooked. Does anyone have a good boneless, skinless chicken and brown rice recipe? And what supplements are you using? Years ago I had a very sensitive Cairn who I cooked for and got a supplement powder through my vet from a firm in California, but she hated the supplement. Any input would be appreciated, thanks!

[john s]

Adding supplements to your pup’s diet can help improve digestion and reduce waste. Try giving your dog a good quality probiotic every day. Probiotics help balance the good bacteria in his digestive tract, which means he’ll get more nutrition from his food.

[anonymous]

Regarding the skin issues, I would make an appointment with a veterinary dermatologist.

/forums/topic/hes-got-good-and-environmental-allergies/#post-113364

Regarding the “hip problems” have x-rays (hips/spine) been done to rule out hip dysplasia and other anomalies? Don’t assume it is age related arthritis until other causes have been ruled out.
Swimming is the best for dogs with arthritis, also good for weight management.
In fact, if you have pet health insurance hydrotherapy may be covered as a prescribed treatment.
/forums/topic/hip-dysplasia/#post-117881

The supplements mentioned are okay, but they are not medication.
If you want to get to the root of the problem often a specialist is indicated and/or more testing $, otherwise the vet has no choice but to recommend bandaid remedies.