[Lisa K]

I can almost 100% tell you that your dogs seizures came from the food you are feeding them.

My dog Horus ( Shih Tzu Chihuahua mix. Completely Shih in apearence) 5 years old at the time, was perfectly healthy. I had been feeding him Prina One dog food. At the time I was unaware of what Raw dog food and thought I was feeding a good quality brand of Purina. Well one day he just feel over and his body seized, foam started coming out his mouth, his eyes bucked out. I grab him up hysterically thinking he was having a heart attack. I was about to try CPR on him, when he snap out of it and jumped up, and began running around. I got online immediately and started searching for a reason by symptoms. I came to the conclusion it was a seizure and hoped it would not happen again. A few days went by and he had another one, but this time he began having them every 30 mins to an hour in between. I rush him to the vet. They administered phenobarbital and did blood work. His readings were normal with a slightly elevated liver, which the vet said could be the problem but he was not sure. I took him home with a prescription. The doctor said he would need these meds for the rest of his life. I didn’t believe him because that’s what they said about my daughter when she was one. The doctors gave her to high a does once and I pulled her off the meds. She’s 26 now and has never had another seizure, but I gave Horus the meds as prescribed. One day the thought hit me that it could be his food. I started researching the brand I was feeding him and discovered that Purina had several law suites against them for seizure related issues. I was stunned. I continued to research to find what I should be feeding him and found out the a Raw food diet was the best options for dogs. After more research on quality and the best brands I immediately ordered his Raw food. Over the next few weeks I whenned him off the meds. For the next 2 years he never had another Seizure.

Now 3 weeks ago I forgot to order his food and had to get a bag from the market. This time I got Pedigree until his food could arrive. Big mistake. 2 days into the Pedigree he began having seizures again. I rushed him to the vet emergency because he was not recovering from it. They just kept coming. They put him on Keppra and Potassium Bromide which did absolutely nothing to stop the seizures and later his normal vet told me vets sale this stuff to make more money. It does not work, and it’s way more expensive then phenobarbital. My vet gave him one shot of phenobarbital and started Horus on a regiment of vitimains, Enzymes and Amino Acids along with a suggestion to purchase a product called Vet CBD, which I got immediately after leaving her office. These along with the Raw food should help in his recovery. She also said that he may have some brain damage because of the severity of his seizure this time. It has now been 1 week and Horus has not had another seizure. I am still working on his recovery as I do think he may have suffered some brain damage as he will not stop endlessly pacing. He has a wonderful appetite and his blood work remains good.

With all this said, I do see that your pooch is on a raw food diet, but I would also suggest you get her started on supplements also. What she recommended was: Arthur Dex joint support for all animals given by weight of dog, Ultimate Daily Classic 1/2 pill daily, and Ultimate Selenium1/2 pill daily, All by a company called Youngevity which you can get on Amazon. The Vet CBD I’m not sure you can get. It depends on the state you live in. I’m in California and Cannabis is legal here.

I hope some of the info I left helps you in some way.

[Rick W]

I stumbled across what some might consider a “hole in the wall” pet shop but inside that shop was a couple whose passion are your pets and solving riddles like what we were dealing with. When I described everything to her, she put our dog on a different food with different supplements. By the way, I forgot to mention above that he was dealing with bad eye drainage too which I didn’t know was relevant until she asked. Bottom line?? We think he is allergic to chicken and everything we were feeding him had chicken in it. We are now on a the large breed puppy food from NutriSource whose main proteins are turkey and whitefish. It’s grain-free as well. She also changed his probiotic from ProPlan version to a brand called Herbsmith. The specific probiotic is Microflora Plus. Last, we were giving him canned pumpkin and she suggested a more concentrated version (dehydrated) that we sprinkle on his food. The brand is Super Snouts and the product is called Pumpkin Latte. It’s a mixture of pumpkin and whole goat’s milk.

Soon after switching over, he was much better and he no longer has all that drainage in his eyes. Glad we found her!

All that said…we just had another bout of diarrhea over the past few days, but we also had a training session which required lots of treats so we need to evaluate what was in those treats because nothing else has changed. It’s always something…

[anonymous]

http://skeptvet.com Go to the site’s search engine and look up “herbs and supplements”

[haleycookie]

I wouldn’t give a dog any human weight loss supplements. They hardly ever work for humans. Probably wouldn’t work for dogs either. Nothing beats eating healthier (and less) and exercise. That’s the answer.

[anonymous]

No. Doing so would most likely cause harm to the pet.

#1. Most supplements are scams. And, not all supplements are benign. They are not regulated by the FDA there is no way of knowing if the dosages are correct or that the ingredients are what appears on the label

#2 You should never give your pet any supplement, over the counter medication or apply ointments that are not approved for veterinary use, unless advised to do so by a veterinarian that has examined the pet, not someone on the internet.
A lot of ingredients that are used in human products can be toxic to animals.

Has the dog had a recent checkup? Annual exam with labs?
First step is to rule out medical causes for unexplained weight gain and see what your vet suggests.

Once medically cleared, feed measured amounts for meals with water added twice a day.
Take out for more walks, exercise, even if only for short walks around the block a few times a day. Assuming your vet agrees.

Just like with people, the best way to lose weight is to eat less, make more thoughtful dietary choices.
And, move more!

[Matt H]

Does human weight loss supplements helps dog to lose weight? I am bit confused about this.

[crazy4cats]

Check out http://www..balanceit.com for recipes and supplements. It is run by board certified vet nutritionists. You can build your own recipes for free if your dog has no health issues and does not need a vet’s approval. It’s a little confusing at first, but it’s well worth the time to figure out a recipe and buy their supplements to make it truly complete and balanced. Good luck!

[Lori H]

Hi Wendy,

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. My dog was diagnosed with multiple problems (liver failure, bladder stones, Diabetes, and possible Cushing’s Disease) last May and as of today, he is a healthy, happy, 10 year old dog who is no longer in liver failure. He was placed on a real food diet along with supplements and he is completely healthy.

Cancer is a whole different issue, but I trust that Rick will point you in a direction where he can help or he will let you know who might.

Good luck on your journey with your fur child.

Lori

[Wendy E]

Need help saving my dog with an aggressive cancer cells that replicate quickly. Real food diet and supplements. Surgery removed a mass two weeks ago and got it all but mew bump is forming. Don’t want to do chemo.

[anonymous]

Just check the ingredients on both supplements recommended in the above posts.
If you have even a hint (just a smidge) of medical knowledge. That should be enough to discourage you from using.

[Cathy B]

Hi weezerweeks –
I have 2 Chihuahua’s one will be 15 Y/O in 3 wks that weighs 5 lbs. Other one prob older than that as he was a rescue 10 yrs ago that weighs 9 lbs. I saw they both esp my tiny one was having Arthritis pain. And I mean pain. It was horrible.

Vet put him on pain meds and like you, I always go as natural and healthy as I can for my pets. I researched and researched and came across AniMed Hip Help. Every site I looked at for this product had GREAT reviews. I found it at my feed store for a good size bottle for maybe $10. I emailed company w/ questions and within minutes got a reply.
I use nothing from China or any ingred that can hurt them.
It’s a power that looks and smells like a vanilla protein shake. Product will last a long time.

I can’t even tell you how much it helped them! My tiny one was holding head down, spine curved and walking with a gait. Also take a look at DR. Judy Morgan’s web site.
She’s all for natural healthy ways to care for pets and sales products.

And I agree with anon about the jumping on and off. That makes a world of difference if he’l use pet steps. I’ve read great things about Tumeric. I don’t give fish oil supplements
but feed sardines in spring water a few days a wk.

Hope he feels better soon 🙂

[Cathy B]

Hi weezerweeks –
I have 2 Chihuahua’s one will be 15 Y/O in 3 wks that weighs 5 lbs. Other one prob older than that as he was a rescue 10 yrs ago that weighs 9 lbs. I saw they both esp my tiny one was having Arthritis pain. And I mean pain. It was horrible.

Vet put him on pain meds and like you, I always go as natural and healthy as I can for my pets. I researched and researched and came across AniMed Hip Help. Every site I looked at for this product had GREAT reviews. I found it at my feed store for a good size bottle for may $10. I emailed company w/ questions and within minutes got a replay.
I use nothing from China or any ingred that can hurt them.
It’s a power that looks and smells like a vanilla protein shake. Product will last a long time.

I can’t even tell you how much it helped them! My tiny one was holding head down, spine curved and walking with a gait. Also take a look at DR. Judy Morgan’s web site.
She’s all for natural healthy ways to care for pets and sales products.

And I agree with anon about the jumping on and off. That makes a world of difference if he’l use pet steps. I’ve read great things about Tumeric. I don’t give fish oil supplements
but feed sardines in spring water a few days a wk.

Hope he feels better soon 🙂

[anonymous]

Don’t allow him to step up and down, buy doggie steps for every couch and bed that he goes to. Google “doggie steps” to see the different styles.
Don’t let the dog jump in and out of the car, pick him up. It may take a couple of weeks but you will see a difference in his gait and posture.

Any effective medication has possible side effects. The risks versus benefits have to be weighed. Usually the benefit of pain relief is well worth it.
Supplements are not medication and will have no effect on pain. Not all supplements are benign and also can have possible ill effects.
Emergency room visits are way up due to humans taking supplements and having adverse effects, some quite serious. Supplements are not FDA approved, sometimes the ingredients or dosage amounts are not accurate.
That being said, some supplements may have benefits, but one has to be very cautious.
Also, some supplements may interact and interfere with the absorption of real medication.
Best to discuss with the vet, first.

[GAby R]

Yes the dog was examined by 3 vets and the blood work was reviewed by them all. So I would not say that they try to sell me things as I am actually going to purchase the supplement on my own from organic store.

I don’t understand why you are rude. You don’t need to believe in supplements but everyone is entitled to their opinion and I don’t appreciate you being so negative when you don’t know my pet or her vet.

I just joined this website. But I didn’t realize this website is not for advise but to attack other people.

I will be removing myself from this website. Because my dog is my world and money is not an object for me. She is very well taken care of and has wellness test every year.

[anonymous]

“I think everyone is allowed to their opinion on here. Thank you both for your feedback. I really appropriate it. I am not too concern about thr milk thiesel. I know people that tried it on their dog and it has great benefits. I am not a 100 percent sure what if I will be doing that but I have gotten 3 opinions and all 3 vets said they it was safe for my dog. They do not recommend large dosage. As far as dog food. I will try different one from instinct. This is a vet high quality food and it has great reviews. Thanks everyone for your feedback”

Have the 3 vets actually examined your dog? Just as I thought. Probably homeopathic vet sites selling miracle cures.

I think you should be concerned about supplements, most of them are a waste of money. And, they can cause harm.

Best of luck.

[anonymous]

Thanks for providing your input. Even if it is incorrect. You may want to read the “commenting policy” here at this site.

Personal attacks are discouraged.

I find it comical that you are calling a board certified veterinarian’s opinion based on scientific research or lack of, false.

If any vet that I went to suggested I try milk thistle on a dog (especially a senior). I would immediately find another vet.
Not all supplements are benign.

PS: I took the stuff myself once, years ago. I vomited within 2 hours. The crap smells horrid.
The OP’s vet must be “homeopathic”.
No thank you!

• This reply was modified 7 years, 9 months ago by anonymous.

[Rick W]

I forgot I didn’t provide this group an update. I wanted to let everyone know that we solved the riddle in case others are needing the same help. I stumbled across what some might consider a “hole in the wall” pet shop but inside that shop was a couple whose passion are your pets and solving riddles like what we were dealing with. When I described everything to her, she put our dog on a different food with different supplements. By the way, I forgot to mention above that he was dealing with bad eye drainage too which I didn’t know was relevant until she asked. Bottom line?? He is allergic to chicken and everything we were feeding him had chicken in it. We are now on a the large breed puppy food from NutriSource whose main proteins are turkey and whitefish. It’s grain-free as well. She also changed his probiotic from ProPlan version to a brand called Herbsmith. The specific probiotic is Microflora Plus. Last, we were giving him canned pumpkin and she suggested a more concentrated version (dehydrated) that we sprinkle on his food. The brand is Super Snouts and the product is called Pumpkin Latte. It’s a mixture of pumpkin and whole goat’s milk.

Soon after switching over, he was much better and he no longer has all that drainage in his eyes. Glad we found her!

[Lori H]

Hi Simone,

My dog Buddy has been through a lot, much like your dog. He just turned 10 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 10 months ago and today, he is healthy, happy, looks amazing and has so much energy.

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 6+ 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.

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

[Sarah G]

My medium golden mix, Lakita, just started having issues once she turned 3 years old.
– We moved from Virginia to Md (3 hour difference) and had recently changed her diet when it started happening.
– She was originally on Rachel Ray Just Six Lamb and was changed over to Nutro Wholesome Essentials Lamb when our other dog was having sensitive stomach issues.
– Lakita does not scoot, but she will lick and chew the area constantly and she “screams” when she poops. She is a bit of a drama queen, and tends to cry very loudly when she’s unhappy or overly happy (like a stereotypical husky). The vet exclaimed that she isn’t in pain, just discomfort and is loudly letting us know this – but I do think she’s in at least some pain.
– The vet has over one year preformed tests to determine that the issue is definitely her anal glands. They have never been infected, but are constantly full. Even after expressing, Lakita will still cry when she poops.
– Fiber supplements helped a little. I changed her back to her original Rachel Ray food plus the fiber supplement and it finally went away for about 4 – 6 months.
– After the supplement ran out and I was hoping she would normalize, she began having issues again. When I started giving the supplement to her, it didn’t help.
– We’ve had her glands expressed around 4 -5 times throughout the year until she began to feel better. When it came back we did it again, but it doesn’t seem to have an actual affect.
– It would seem to be seasonal since it basically when away on its own, but she never had the issue in Virginia just 3 hours away. And she has stayed in MD here in there with family sometimes for a couple weeks without issues.

I honestly think diet is the biggest factor and I’m thinking of switching to Grain Free food – but I’m a little nervous to do so with all the recalls lately. Does anyone have suggestions? Especially ones without recall history would be most appreciated.

[Taschi]

**This is cross posted in the raw diet section as well**

Hello everyone!

I’ve recently made the plunge into raw diet feeding for my own dogs. However, one mistake that I certainly made was not double checking the sodium content prior to starting my conversion. I suppose I had just assumed that raw diets would naturally be lower in sodium, but alas, I don’t think that’s the case 🙁 Here’s a little background:

I have an 11Y, MN, 4.5# chihuahua who was diagnosed with heart disease almost 2 years ago [DMVD]. Last week I started switching him over on the Stella and Chewy’s frozen raw [turkey] and he has been doing wonderfully on it so far. He also gets a slew of supplements like Ubiquinol, Krill Oil, Glycoflex 3, Hawthorn Extract, and PerioSupport. As of right now, I have not had to start any medications, and his next ultrasound will be this June/July. His last ultrasound was in January. He also gets the occasional grain free greenie (he loves them 🙁 )

While I was not told to start a restricted sodium diet with him, I would really like to stay on the lower end of the spectrum to keep his heart from having to work too hard. With that in mind, I reached out to Stella and Chewy’s on Facebook and inquired about their lowest sodium/patty formulation and was answered with Chicken. The chicken dinner according to the CSR is 0.14% sodium, and when I calculated out the mg/100kcal, It was nearly 100mg!
Keep in mind that following the Tufts University list of recommended low sodium/appropriate protein diets for the cardiac patient, the range is somewhere between 50-80 mg/100kcal. It shocked me that the raw food is nearly double what some of these dry foods contain 🙁

Unless I am doing my math wrong (which is totally possible!), does anyone else know of low sodium commercial raw diets that are available? I don’t think I’m ready to prepare my own meals just yet as this is already a big deal to switch my dogs over as it is.

[Taschi]

Hello everyone!

I’ve recently made the plunge into raw diet feeding for my own dogs. However, one mistake that I certainly made was not double checking the sodium content prior to starting my conversion. I suppose I had just assumed that raw diets would naturally be lower in sodium, but alas, I don’t think that’s the case 🙁 Here’s a little background:

I have an 11Y, MN, 4.5# chihuahua who was diagnosed with heart disease almost 2 years ago [DMVD]. Last week I started switching him over on the Stella and Chewy’s frozen raw [turkey] and he has been doing wonderfully on it so far. He also gets a slew of supplements like Ubiquinol, Krill Oil, Glycoflex 3, Hawthorn Extract, and PerioSupport. As of right now, I have not had to start any medications, and his next ultrasound will be this June/July. His last ultrasound was in January. He also gets the occasional grain free greenie (he loves them 🙁 )

While I was not told to start a restricted sodium diet with him, I would really like to stay on the lower end of the spectrum to keep his heart from having to work too hard. With that in mind, I reached out to Stella and Chewy’s on Facebook and inquired about their lowest sodium/patty formulation and was answered with Chicken. The chicken dinner according to the CSR is 0.14% sodium, and when I calculated out the mg/100kcal, It was nearly 100mg!
Keep in mind that following the Tufts University list of recommended low sodium/appropriate protein diets for the cardiac patient, the range is somewhere between 50-80 mg/100kcal. It shocked me that the raw food is nearly double what some of these dry foods contain 🙁

Unless I am doing my math wrong (which is totally possible!), does anyone else know of low sodium commercial raw diets that are available? I don’t think I’m ready to prepare my own meals just yet as this is already a big deal to switch my dogs over as it is.

[Cathryn C]

Thanks so much Christi for the information. You truly went above and beyond with this information and the links. I am going to try these supplements with Tank and I pray they work like they did for your sisters dog. Thanks again. And may God bless you all.

[Christi G]

Get Dandelion root supplements for the bloating… I actually take it myself – maya’s not really overly bloated so she’s not getting it but she did bloat for a few days and that’s when I ordered it – more for me – not Maya. It has a lot of medicinal benefits and is cheap. For a dog your size, I would do 2 of these in the morning (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002IWCLU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1) . I’ve read great things about it and my I don’t have any bloating myself. Also, give him ginger supplements for his nausea. Maya’s doing well but my sister wanted to wean her back on to her dry food. Is your dog on a probiotic? I suggest this because it chock full of supplements and vitamins and dogs love the taste. One tub will last you about 2.5 months: http://www.gnc.com/dog-multivitamins/341085.html?mrkgcl=1098&mrkgadid=3200889428&rkg_id=h-876542dade62516db72bd07b9aef859c_t-1520201684&product_id=341085&flagtype=brand&vendor=none&channel=ppc&adpos=1o1&creative=189757865686&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CjwKCAiAz-7UBRBAEiwAVrz-9e9uY6iLC8kTrcBew5YVlkiombzLsfzn7aJnIzn5CfR4ZM51zItEJhoCYCgQAvD_BwE

Maya is getting much less food at her normal meals because I’m home to give her the mini meals. I think that has prevented the bloating as well. She’s about 58lbs – she gets about 1/3 cup of her dry food, 1/2 cup of white rice (the GNC supplement mixes well with the rice) and about 1/3 of a large boiled chicken breast for b’fast and dinner. For lunch and late dinner she gets green beans (about 1/3 cup) and more of the same amount of chicken. My sister asked to not give her the CLA or coconut oil any longer but I truly feel it was beneficial. She gained about 3 lbs and was highly energetic… but she’s doing well now just lost a little weight. 🙁 I had to step back and realize this was not my dog but my sister’s and her wishes are what I need to abide by… but the info from this post is what she is currently getting and I still think the info from my last post was good info. If you start your dog on coconut oil – which I would not do at this point – maybe if you can get his health under control then you can (maybe a 1/2 tbsp in the AM for his size – but start out at 1/4 tbsp for a few days as he will get diarrhea if you start him out on too much to soon… that didn’t happen with Maya but it did with me last year when I started taking coconut oil!). Maybe if you give him a normal breakfast and then an early smaller dinner and then a mini meal (I mean, were talking green beans and rice and chicken – much less than your dry food) around 7 or 8, it will help. I’m personally not a fan of any dry food but fromm’s and it’s very expensive but when I see things like meat by-product and meat parts on the side of a bag of food that costs almost $100 (a very large bag) it just pisses me off! As far as the CLA, I would just puncture and squeeze out the liquid onto his food – just one in the AM (this is the one I gave maya: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MT0OT71/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

PLEASE REMEMBER – I AM NOT A VET OR A DOCTOR OF ANY KIND AND AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT OR HOW YOU USE THE INFORMATION I HAVE GIVEN. I am only sharing my own experiences over the past 3 months since Maya was taken off her meds…. I think she’s better off without them. I mean, who wants to take chemo meds for the rest of their lif?

I think VETs get overly invested in “specialty” dry dog food without really even knowing the shit-crap they put in that food and in prescribing meds without doing any other research involving natural supplements.

FIRST thing though – you need to get him on a probiotic. That can help “even out” what’s going on in his gut… and that has a positive effect on other things. AND get the Dandelion Root. Order through amazon with the links I gave you and if you don’t have it, sign up for a trial prime account so you can get them within 2 days! Also, with the GNC supplement/probiotic powder, you can sign up for auto delivery and get it for $18… just go back and either cancel the auto-delivery later and/or change the delivery to like 2 months or so based on your dogs usage. Given his weight, the tub will last you at least 2.5 months. Read the directions and start out with a smaller dose for a few days and then the whole dose once his body is used to it. I would not do coconut oil until you get his bloating and throwing up under control. I truly hope this helps… and I hope vets will start taking a more holistic approach to treating dogs… and instead of insisting on dog food that they sell, think about how simple meals with good supplements can benefit the dog… and not how the vet’s dog food can supplement their bank accounts!

[Cathryn C]

How much of these supplements would I give to a 25 pound French bulldog? He was gaining weight and now has lost 1.1 lb in the last 2 weeks. He is on Hills Science diet z/d and takes 1 pill (budesonide) every day. I totally don’t know what to feed him or how much of anything to give him. He has been throwing up a little off and on for the last 2 weeks so it did not surprise me his weight was down again. Our vet could do no more for him so we saw a specialist. Cleansing with white rice and cottage cheese for a week, half z/d and white rice for another week then all dog food. I did keep giving him a little of the white rice with his food since he liked it. And no people food ever. Everything was going along well for about 2 months but now he is back peddling. I believe his situation is becoming dire at this point. I can’t give him extra meals because I do have to work to pay for all of this. 3.5 more years. He won’t last that long at this rate. He is almost 6 years old. I need some help or advice. It is almost dinner time and I dread giving him the same old thing and expecting a different result. At my wits end. Ty

[Kathleen Q]

There are many people using Ubquinol and Hawthorne supplements on their dogs with heart issues and they say their dog is doing better. Just checking here as this is an informative site. Hoping someone has some input on this.

[Lynelle V]

Christi G.,
Thank you so much for sharing the post above. Our situation sounds exactly like Maya’s. We were just told by our vet that there is little left to do with Daisy. She is the same weight as Maya. I feel so bad for her. Her poor bloated belly and the rest of her, barely there is heartbreaking. I shared your post with my vet and he said to immediately start this with her. I just needed to know how much food and supplements did you give to Maya and at which meals? I saw her breakfast menu, but not the others. Also, how much of each supplement did you use? I saw that you mentioned CLA. Where did you get that? I don’t have much time as Daisy has really gone downhill fast even though she has been on all the drugs and she has been on Royal Canin’s g/i canned food with extra chicken and rice thrown in. Please respond as I desperately need some precise information. If it worked for Maya, maybe it could work for us. Thanks. I appreciate it!

[Kathleen J]

My almost 3 year-old Shichon has chronic anal gland problems. I have him on a grain-free diet and have changed his food a few times (Blue, American Journey, Merrick, etc.). None of the diet changes worked. I’m going to try the supplements in this thread. Thanks for the info!

[anonymous]

Go here, skeptvet dot com You can ask a question. Real vets tend to participate.
Use the search engine there to look up herbs and supplements.

[anonymous]

That may or may not be true, however there are a lot of things that you can do to keep her comfortable.
I would not rule out prescription medication.

Most heart murmurs in small dogs are benign (especially seniors).
Often it is age related.
If the condition was concerning I am sure your veterinarian would have recommended medication or referred you to a specialist.
Most supplements are scams and are a waste of money.
Any symptoms?
Most of my small breeds had heart murmurs, asymptomatic, no treatment required.

[Cheryl S]

About 8 mos ago my then 8 mos old Lab, had an 18 inch bowel resection due to complications after eating a sock
Prior to this she was on frozen Raw diet- and doing very well
She was having a malabsorption problem after surgery, and was put on Prescription Hills Science I’d. Because of weight loss
She does well on it, but I know it is a lot of junk in it -I’m having trouble finding something that is better for her, and would love to get her back on raw
Any supplements or whatever?

[Alexandria K]

Hello!

I currently give my yorkiepoodle Just Food For Dogs food but I am not quite happy with their consistency and the quality of the food (the Turkey and Macaroni recipe is all macaroni!).

Anyways, I decided to start cooking for her myself. I was going to buy one of the Just Food For Dogs kits and use their supplements and recipe but swap out the macaroni with something else. Here are my thoughts:

Ground Turkey

Turkey Liver
Broccoli
Zucchini
Carrots
Cranberries
Safflower Oil
Premium EPA/DHA

**Rice or Quinoa??** Thoughts? Thanks!

[Gary W]

All homemade diets must be supplemented with calcium. The amount found in multivitamin and mineral supplements is not enough. Give 800 to 1,000 mg calcium per pound of food (excluding non-starchy vegetables). You can use any form of plain calcium, including eggshells ground to powder in a clean coffee grinder (1/2 teaspoon eggshell powder provides about 1,000 mg calcium). Animal Essentials’ Seaweed Calcium provides additional minerals, as well. And here is a good list of calcium-rich foods your dog may like.

Oils: Most homemade diets require added oils for fat, calories, and to supply particular nutrients. It’s important to use the right types of oils, as each supplies different nutrients.

Fish Oil: Provides EPA and DHA, omega-3 fatty acids that help to regulate the immune system and reduce inflammation. Give an amount that provides about 300 mg EPA and DHA combined per 20 to 30 pounds of body weight on days you don’t feed fish. Note that liquid fish oil supplements often tell you to give much more than this, which can result in too many calories from fat.

Cod Liver Oil: Provides vitamins A and D as well as EPA and DHA. If you don’t feed much fish, give cod liver oil in an amount that provides about 400 IUs vitamin D daily for a 100-pound dog (proportionately less for smaller dogs). Can be combined with other fish oil to increase the amount of EPA and DHA if desired.

[anonymous]

The Vet Dr. John De Jong Sunday, January 28, 2018

Q Despite the colder weather, my Frenchie continues to itch. He did improve when taking a medication my vet gave him called Apoquel. While his itching is less frequent now, I am hoping you could explain why he continues to scratch. The dog is not quite 2 years old, and he is other­wise healthy. Can I keep him on this medication? His skin is also a little dry, so I have thought about giving him some supplements from the local pet store. His skin looks good otherwise.

A Apoquel is a great medication at controlling itchiness, or pruritis, in dogs, but it treats the symptoms associated with allergies and not the root cause of the problem. It is a much safer drug than the historically used steroids. Studies have shown it to be effective for a long time, with a wide margin of safety.
I would suggest that you either have a veterinary dermatologist review the case or have a good discussion about it with your veterinarian. Here are a few questions worth asking: Were skin scrapings done to rule out mange mites? Has any allergy testing been done? What about considering desensitization with allergy shots? Have you tried your dog on a novel protein diet in case the dog has allergies to certain meat proteins?
Just because the weather is cold, one cannot assume that there are no fleas around, so make sure skin parasites aren’t the cause. Are you using a flea and tick preventative? Also ask yourself if your home is dry this winter.
As for supplements, I would work with your veterinarian to use a good source of Omega 3 oils rather than buying over-the-counter products. With good diagnostics, you might be able to solve the itching. If not, the medication you were given for your dog will suffice. Good luck.

http://www.bostonherald.com/lifestyle/2018/01/getting_to_the_bottom_of_frenchie_s_itchiness?utm_campaign=bostonherald_trending_stories&utm_source=bostonherald&utm_medium=trending_stories

[anonymous]

You have not provided much information on your dog. Age? Prior history?

Vomiting is not normal, especially if it is not acute.
You imply in your post that it has been going on for a while.
So I would consider it chronic.

Have you tried a dome bowl designed to slow down the eating, in case the dog is eating too fast?
Are you feeding small meals 3 or 4 times a day instead of 2 large ones?
Don’t free feed, leave food out all day. I would add a little water to dry kibble.
These are things I would try.
I would return to the clinic and ask for a diagnosis. If that involves doing some tests such as lab work or x-rays, so be it.

It could be nothing, but it could be something that will respond to treatment.

No one can diagnose your pet over the internet nor should they try. Please do not give over the counter meds and supplements unless advised to do so by a veterinarian that has examined the dog.
What worked for someone else’s dog might cause harm to yours.

[crazy4cats]

Check out balanceit.com. It is a site where you can create a balanced homemade diet for your pup for free. They also sell the supplements that ensure it gets all the proper nutrients. The site is maintained by vets that are board certified vet nutritionists. I’ve formulated a few diets for my dogs using ingredients that I usually have at home. I make them a homemade meal once or twice per month. They love it!
Check it out!

Or, purchase a commercial diet that is made by a well known company to get your dog healthy. Good luck!

[anonymous]

I wouldn’t waste my money on supplements.
Go to skeptvet dot com use the search engine there to look up Herbs and Supplements

Just add a little of chicken broth, recipe below
/forums/topic/grain-free-2/#post-109751

I never serve just dry kibble, always add something. Dogs love Mighty Dog, just add a tablespoon and a splash of water to the kibble.
I recommend https://www.chewy.com/mighty-dog-chicken-smoked-bacon-combo/dp/12818

[2doodlemom]

I have a 14 month old almost 32 lb doodle that’s a very picky eater or just refuses to eat. Have check out everything at Vet and no issues. I have tried many different dry kibbles, some raw and cooked food, but everything he eats for a day or two and quits. I would like advice if anyone else has a similar dog and what helped? He weight does fluctuates a bit when he doesn’t eat, he should be about 35-40 lbs. But vet says over all health is good. Are their any supplements that would help his appetite? I have done a lot of research but have not come up with anything solid. Thanks for any help in advance, much appreciated.

[Christi G]

I just wanted to share with you my experience with using supplements and coconut oil in my sister’s dog – Maya. 3 years ago she was diagnosed with PLE after this last round of steroids (last one taken on 12/2) my sister decided to let maya die peacefully. She took her off of all her chemo drugs (for PLE) on 12/10 and we knew the end would come soon… but I had a different plan. So, I used what I know about about supplements and did a ton of research!

For a month and a 1/2 now, I’ve been feeding her coconut oil, CLA, A ginger enzyme and half of a one of my probiotics – now I use the GNC product (see below). I also started feeding her homemade food and giving her a good breakfast and dinner and 2 small meals in between. Her diet is made up of white rice (I melt the coconut oil in the white rice and add a spoon full of cream of chicken soup to disguise the taste and I add the ginger enzyme – good for disgestion and cardiovascular health, a probiotic and cla (helps breakdown fat and build protein) to her breakfast), either sweet peas & carrots or green beans, and I mix up her proteins with boiled chicken, canned salmon (MAKE SURE YOU GET THE BONELESS!!) or tuna fish in water. I give her about a half a breast of chicken. Also, she gets GNC’s Superfood complex with joint support. Dogs love the taste and it is packed with good stuff – probiotics, joint supplement, tons of vitamins and supplements!

My sister was checked into the hospital on the 16th and I will admit I got lazy with Maya’s meals because of work and going back and forth to the hospital. After 4 days without her supplements and oil, I sat down on Sunday a week ago and it was like she dropped 2 lbs in less than a week. So, I went back to my routine with the oil and supplemnts. In just a 3 days she was looking beef again and as of yesterday she had gained almost 2 lbs since her last weigh in back in December. The vet said “well, I guess we have her on the right meds” and I was like “she’s off her meds… since mid-December.” The vet was shocked! I didn’t tell her my secret as my sister thinks cocconut oil is too fatty for her… well, it’s doing wonders. Maya has an ear infection and a check up in 10 days… I can’t wait to see her weigh-in in 10 days!!

All I can say is that she is off all drugs and the supplements and oil are working great….Don’t look for overnight results. Give it a week or 2 to really start working.

I hope this helps with your babies!

Maya – weigh in after off drugs in December 55
Maya – weigh in yesterday (no drugs for over a month) 57.9 lbs
Protein levels have increased, she is happy and energetic and her skin and coat have improved b/c the drugs aren’t drying her out. She is eating and drinking normally. she used to slurp down half the bowl when on her meds.

[amber t]

Since Oct, my dog has been going through multiple symptoms. It started with vomiting and anorexia. She was given a dexamethasone shot and cerenia and it worked for a week. Then same symptoms same treatment and it worked. Happened again so was given presidone, didn’t work and caused black tarry stools. She had a foul odor, given another shot, worked for almost a month then same thing. Given a Dex shot, not as good on working and then given dex pills. Now she has reddish brown stool (bloody). She is more tired and very burpy. The bloodwork was normal, the xray in Oct was normal and the ultrasound in Nov was normal except enlarged kidneys due to kidney infection. We have tried a few food source, right now she is on buffalo. She is not acting herself before she got sick, she still stresses easy, for example storms, strange people outside. She is almost 12 years old. I have thought of euthanasia if it is needed. The doctor says her condition is either IDB or cancer, only way to tell is an expensive biopsy which I can’t afford at the moment for all the test, medicines, and food that I have tried on her. Have any of you had dogs that developed IBD at a later age or cancer of the GI, or something that sounds similar? Any good foods or supplements or medicines? She has been seen by three different vets.

[Sandy c]

Update. The Natural Liquid Glucosamine by Boston Pet Products is working wonders. We used it for 2 weeks before seeing a big difference. He runs up and down the stairs now when before we used to have to help him with a harness or he just would look at the stairs and give up. I’d recommend it since its for all sizes of dogs. We have it on subscription at amazon but the bottle lasts a long time. My vet got it right. Good luck!

[anonymous]

No. I would not force a sick dog to eat. Or, go out of my way to entice him to eat.
I hope this doesn’t sound harsh, but it may just be his time to go.
How old did you say he was?
BTW: Supplements are not medication. I would go by what the traditional vet recommends, comfort meds only. About the mj http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=cannabis
I know what you are going through. Take care.
Peace.

[Jessica M]

Can you use human grade calcium supplements ?

[Susan]

Adriana,
dont be fooled if it’s cheap it’s not good, Purina Chow got those 5 star cause it didnt have all the toxins & contaminates some of these high end more expensive foods cut corners & fly under the radar they have a good name & people think their ingredients are good cause its ” blare blare” brand but they’re NOT, people think cause they’re paying more money the dog food has to be really good, if you seen a cheaper food on the Clean label toxin site & your dogs do well on it & its cheaper then feed it. Don’t be fooled cause its grain free its better cause its not its just more expensive…. if you can cook & make a batch of cooked meals then cook & freeze them, cooked meals are healthier for your dogs then dry processed kibble, if your dog does well on cooked chicken & rice then why not feed a lower fat chicken & rice kibble?? especially if she is vomiting the fat may be too high in the food she is eating & causing her acid reflux like my boy gets, alot of dogs as they age suffer in silence with bad acid reflux & their owners dont even know, Canidae has their All Life Stages Platinum for all ages & seniors formula, you could feed all your dogs the Platinum dry formula & rotate & feed another brand as well for their other meals thats what I do for Patch, breakfast Patch picks which kibble he wants to eat then for lunch he gets a scramble egg, then dinner he gets either the same kibble he had for breakfast or he gets another brand kibble it all depends if he has been well thru the day, a few dogs with Pancreatitis & stomach problems do really good on Canidae ALS Platinium formula, some Puppy formula’s are higher in fat & protein, maybe you girl cant handle the higher fat & higher Kcals ?? the higher the Kcals the harder the kibble is to digest cause its more dense…if your trying to keep weight on a dog (this is something my boy with IBD has had a a problem with his weight) I feed 5 smaller meals a day 7am, 9am, 12pm, 5pm & 8pm, you work out how many cups of dry food she should be eating a day & add another 1/4 to 1/2 a cup extra of the dry kibble then you divide up her meals over 4-5 meals a day….
Have a look at Hills Science Diet Youth Vitality 7+ small breed & toy breeds wet & dry formula, it has all the supplements she needs for an aging dog & its easy to digest & she should gain weight the fat is 15% & the Kcals are 363Kcals per cup feed her more then the recommended amount & make sure she is eating her food by herself & the other dogs can’t take any of her meal or look at Hills Science Diet adult 7+ small breed & toy breed formula its for small breeds with special needs, stick around 350-370Kcals per cup this will be easier for her to digest & is not as dense as a kibble thats over 380Kcals per cup, you never see a vet diet over 370 Kcals for cup when it for Intestinal digestive problems the vet diets are around 350-360kcals per cup she probably need to be put on the Hills I/d Low Fat Restore wet stew canned food & teh dry kibble look at the Hills Science Diet Sensitive Stomach its often on special its very easy to digest, how you know if its easy to digest get a glass of warm water & put about 2 kibbles in teh glass of warm water the kibble should float to the top & the kibble should go soft within 15-40mins, the Hills Sensitive Stomach goes soft & swells up within 20mins, I was minding a rescue dog a few months ago for a few days & the rescue group put him on the Hills SD Sensitive stomach Egg & Rice & he was doing really well & Patch kept wanting his Hills Kibble & the dog kept wanting Patches kibble, so I ended up buying Patch a small bag of the Sensitive Stomach Egg & Rice it was on special its always on special either online or at teh Pet shop & its money back guaranteed so you cant lose if after your girl doesnt get better orgain weight take it back & get a refund I email Hills & they end up giving me vochours + I got my refund at the pet shop this was for another hills vet diet formula, while Patch was eating the Hills Sensitive skin he gained weight & now after eating teh Nutro essential he finally weighs 18.6kg he was weight yesterday at the vets I’ve never had him at 18.6kgs in the whole 5yrs Ive had him 18kg is the highest in weight I have gotten too but he was active & went on daily walks etc also he has been sleeping alot lately & seems very unwell & is going into vet hospital Tuesday & have an Endoscope & biopsies on his throat & stomach, I’m praying he doesnt have esophageal or stomach cancer but something is defentley wrong with him, he’s not the happy go lucky Patchy everyone knows, instead he’s following me around all day whinging & crying today he has been a bit better, he just turned 9yrs old Novemeber & looks really good, his teeth are white, there’s no blue in his pupil of his eyes, not much grey fur, some dogs are grey all over but not him he runs & acts like a puppy people who first met him think he is a young teenager dog, I thought cause we have just moved he’s a bit depressed then I went into hospital & when I came out Patch was so unwell my daughter said there’s something wrong with Patch he’s not listening he just stands there with his head hung low he looks like he’s drug up…This is what happens when we have pets they break our heart & get sick & I wish they could talk & tell us where hurts & what is wrong. Patch normally shows me where’s sore or hurts but this time he’s not showing me soo its internally something inside is very sore…
Good luck with your dogs & finding a few foods that agrees with them. I’ll post the info about the lawsuit that has been filed against Wellpet who make Wellness foods, this lawsuit is cause of the finding in the CLP toxin test/study so if these toxic test/study were Baloney like anon says it would not make it court, Anon does NOT know anything when it comes to dogs foods & diet especially when they are ill with stomach/bowel problems.

[anonymous]

Copied from a response to a similar topic/,question

I lost a dog to kidney disease many years ago. This is a very serious condition. You should be working closely with a veterinarian.
My dog needed sub-q fluids almost every day the last 2 years, prescription dog food (canned) and plenty of water, nothing else. No supplements. Just prescription meds. Discuss with your vet.
He doesn’t want to eat because he is probably nauseous, in pain, hence the vomiting. I would not try to force him to eat.
The next thing that will occur after kidney failure, if it hasn’t already, is uremia. The dog smells like urine 24/7. It emanates from his pores.
Difficult decisions ahead
Your dog needs the expertise of a veterinarian, not the internet.
Good luck

[Lori H]

Hi Paul,

My dog Buddy has been through a lot, much like your dog. He just turned 10 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 6 months ago and today, he is healthy, happy, looks amazing and has so much energy.

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 6+ 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.

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

[Susan]

Hi Adriana,
Have a look at “Canidae Pure” line & Canidae Pure Petite line only has 5 ingredients for petite dogs with food sensitivities/allergies, all of the Canidae Pure line is really good for dogs with stomach/bowel & allergies & for your 9yr old have a look at “Canidae Pure Meadow” Senior, it’s excellent for aging dogs, the Protein is 28%min email Canidae for max Protein % you usually add another 1-5% more when it says min but with Canidae it’s only about 1% more, the fat is not high at 10%min-fat, that’s what I like about the Pure Meadow Senior formula, as dogs age their stomach doesn’t work as well as when they were youger dog, the fat is only 10.80%max, I’ve already emailed Canidae & asked them what is the max fat %, the Pure Meadow Senior has all the supplements needed for aging dogs, it’s high in omega fatty acids for skin, coat, brain, heart etc & Glucosamine + Chondroitin for bone & joint health. Canidae grow their own vegetables, fruit & source ingredients from local farmers, their ingredient are fresh & their foods are made in smaller batches, the kibble size is nice & small so very easy to digest….
Here’s the Canidae link https://www.canidae.com.com/dog-food/products

also google “Toxins In Dogs Foods” then look for a company that has
completed a study of 1,084 pet food products from 80 brands. Products were screened for over 130 toxins including heavy metals, BPA, pesticides and other contaminants with links to cancer and other health conditions in both humans and animals….Canidae formula’s & Canidae’s other brand “Under The Sun” did really well when tested for 130 Contaminates & Toxins….You’ll see the 5 star dry dog foods, 3 stars then the 1 star dry dog foods.
I stay away from dry dog food brands once I see 1-2 of their formulas with 1 star rating that means they probably will have more foods that are full of toxins & contaminates..
A few of Wellness formula’s did poorly, Wellpet make Wellness, Holistic Select & Eagle Pack Holistic Select had a few bad formula’s get only 1 star…. Simply Nourish LTD Sweet potato & Lamb formula, Nutrisca Lamb & Chickpea they all got 1 star as well which means they were high in toxins…

[anonymous]

Copied from a previous post:

Also, if the dog is overweight, get the extra weight off, increase walks/exercise/activity.
Work closely with your vet, when the dog has been stable 6 months to 1 year then you can talk about diet changes.
“Dogs that get urinary tract infections and bladder stones tend to have a genetic predisposition, combine that with not enough water intake, not enough opportunities to urinate and you have a problem”.
“Whatever you decide to feed, add water to the kibble or canned food, even presoak and add water. Take out to urinate at least every 4 hours (every 2 hours is ideal) stagnant conditions in the bladder are conducive to bladder stone formation”.
“Always have fresh water available for the dog 24/7”.
“Supplements are crap, don’t waste your money unless your vet recommends something specific for your dog”.
Ps: You think the prescription food is expensive. Try emergency surgery for a blocked urethra.
Been there, done that.

Regarding cranberry: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=cranberry
Also there are prescription meds for stubborn cases, talk to your vet.
Was an ultrasound done? Dogs can have more than one type of stone, such as calcium oxalate and struvite…that was the case with my dog that had reoccurring UTIs.
This is not veterinary advice; consult your veterinarian.
PS: Note recent question on struvite in comments: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2016/09/science-based-veterinary-nutrition-success-stories/comment-page-1/#comment-121266
Good luck

[Susan]

Hi Deb,
I too live Australia & was having no problems with TOTW Lamb formula it actually seem to be the best kibble for Patches IBD when I started feeding Patch about 2 yrs ago until this last bag of TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb 6kg bag I ordered my pet food thru Pet Circle (Pet Circle is excellent & quick for delivery they dont use Australia Post they use Couriers Please) I opened the TOTW Lamb bag 1 month ago & the smell seems different now also the kibbles were really small 1/2 their normal size, I thought OK the smaller kibble will be easier to digest when he doesn’t chew his kibbles & swollows them, Patch eats 4-5 meals day cause of his IBD after he ate his cooked meal or another brand kibble he wasnt eating grass or looking ill & whinging but after eating the TOTW kibble Patch kept eating grass & seem very unwell cause I had just moved I thought he’s a bit depressed & his IBD is playing up from all the stress of moving then one morning he just refused to eat the TOTW, in the whole 5 yrs I’ve owned Patch he has only refused to eat 2 times the first year I rescued him when he became real ill with Colitis & Pancreatitis, he always eats even when unwell, I contacted Pet Circle & they are really good they refunded my $70 & said to give the remaining 5 & 1/2 kg of the TOTW to rescue/pound or a friend then at the end of our conversation the lady said maybe throw the whole bag of TOTW in the bin & she wrote everything down & was sending it off to TOTW Australia.

You are better off feeding Australian made & owned brands like “Meals For Mutts” “Ivory Coat” Ivory Coat is Australian made but has just been sold to a big Chinese company that’s still making the Ivory Coat here in Australia & taking Ivory Coat to America & all over the world, probably cause its Australian made & the Kangaroo & Lamb formula will reall sell dogs love Kangaroo its a very strong rich meat, the Ivory Coat has proper Kangaroo Meal in it the American made Kangaroo formula’s write “Wild Kangaroo” we dont eat our wild Kangaroos they are full of disease & parasites & they add Lentils to up the Protein % & add less kangaroo, the Ivory Coat will be heaps better Kangaroo pet food when does come to America, but I’d say it will be expensive unless the Chinese start cutting corners & change the ingredients & start adding Chickpeas & Lentils to up the protein% & take away some of the Kangaroo Meal & Lamb Meal, we’ll have to see what happens with Ivory Coat …
MfM is a really good kibble also sold oversea to asian countries, “Canidae” is really good, Candiae is American made & they grow their own veggies & source from local farmers like some of our Australian made pets foods do, look at their “Canidae Pure” formula’s & “Canidae All Life Stages” formula are really good & sell out by the end of the month, you can get a 20 kg bag for $99.95 of the Canidae All Life Stages formula from Pet Circle it’s on Special at the moment, here’s the link
https://www.petcircle.com.au/product/canidae-all-life-stages
also look for “Canidae Pure Meadow” Senior formula for your 9yr old dog, it has all the supplements needed for aging dog, the Pure Meadow is excellent, I’ve put a few eldery dogs on it where I use to live & they went from a itchy, dull coat, sick looking, stiff old dogs to dogs that think they’re puppies again, there was very big improvements with these dogs, they were eating cheap Aldi & Supermarket cheap kibbles, My Pet Warehouse sell the “Canidae Pure Meadow” Senior it’s new it came out last year there’s Pure Wild Boar & Pure Resolve weight management formula’s came out aswell….
Look at “Nutro” new grain free formula’s & their Frontier formula’s they are made in Australia they look pretty good theyre on the Pet Circle link above, I quickly had to order a another food when Patch wouldn’t eat the TOTW & the Nutro Essential was 1/2 price $18 so I got a bag it came the next day & Patch loves it & no eating grass & there’s been no following me & whinging. Im buying a bag of “Meals For Mutts” new CN Vital Health Hypoallergenic Holistic Remedy Diet Turkey & Veggies today too try, Patch was feed TOTW & I’d rotate with other brands, TOTW was his go to food if poos went sloppy etc now I need a new go to food if Patch becomes unwell with his IBD.

Canidae & TOTW & a heap of other best selling Amerian pets foods & treats were tested for Contaminates & 130 Toxins last year, Canidae did really well & so did their other brand called “Under The Sun” But TOTW did poorly with a few of their formula’s, their Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon formula & their High Prairie formula were very high in contaminates & toxins, I’m not allow to post their link or mention the company name on this site but if you google “Toxins in pet Foods” you’ll see the site click on it & look at the American pet foods we get over here in Australia, Holistic Select, TOTW, Wellness, Earthborn Holistic they all were very high in toxins they were on the worst top ten dry dog foods back in March 2017 testings & some of these brands formula’s were in the August testings last pages with 1 star for being very high in toxins again….

Go onto the Australian “Pet Food Review” site he reveiws all our dog foods that are sold here in Australia & he post the name of the company that tests Pet Foods & Baby foods in American, I think it’s really good its about time we know what pet foods & which treats are high in Toxins & Contaminates, he also tells us when there’s a problem with certain pet foods & writes in RED warning us when a pet food is BAD like “Baxters” kibble & treats from Woolworths is killing dogs & Woolworths wont remove it from their shelves they have only removed a few formula’s but they left the Senior & Adult Baxter formula, healthy puppies & adult dogs died within 24-48 hours of being feed a new bag of the Baxter dry dog food, he also posts information on his “Dog Food Review” Facebook page…

[anonymous]

Are you working under the guidance of a vet? Is this product prescribed for the pet?

Some science based veterinary medicine information you may find helpful http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=cannabis

Did you read the disclaimer on the label: “These statements have not been evaluated by the Food & Drug Administration”. “This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any diseases”.

Also on the label: “Consult your veterinarian before starting or stopping supplements”.

[JOHN R]

Have you considered Nature’s Select Super Premium for this list. They use US ingredients, high-quality supplements and whole grains processed at the manufacturing site. They have never had a recall