[Susan]

Hi Lindsay,
make sure you read the fat % on a wet tin foods, the fat in raw & wet tin foods hasn’t been converted to dry matter fat(kibble) here’s a calculator conversion link to help you work out the fat% protein & fiber %, higher fat can cause pancreatitis, weight gain etc. roughly 5%min-fat in a wet tin food is around 20%min-25%max fat % when converted to dry matter, so stick with wet tin foods 5% & under for fat…. http://www.k-9kraving.com/resources/calculator.php

I like smaller size kibbles, have a look at “Canidae” pure formula’s, they are grain free have limited ingredients & have single meat proteins, look at the Pure Wild, Pure Land formula’s, they both only have 7 ingredients & smell really good, no bad fishy smell… Canidae kibbles are easy to digest & soften within 20mins when soaked in warm water…
I would soak about 1/2 cup kibble in warm water for 15-20mins before your going to feed him, but make sure the kibble is soft all the way thru, so 20mins soaking should be long enough if it’s a Canidae kibble, Canidae kibbles are high in Kcals per cup, a 50lb-75lb dog that is exercise only need’s 2-3 cups a day, not much exercise 1-1 1/2 cups a day, the Canidae Pure Wild Boar is 454Kcals per cup, the Pure Land is 474Kcals per cup….

My dog doesn’t really like fish either but loves Bison, lamb, kangaroo & pork, he can’t eat Chicken or fish, change meat protein to 1 novel protein, Lamb, Bison, Pork, Kangaroo see how he goes.. Pure Land is on page 2, Pure Wild is on page 3 scroll down read ingredients & see kibble size, you need a small size kibble so when the kibble swells it isn’t real big don’t over soak & leave kibble soaking in the water for too long, no over night soaking the kibble it will swell & become too big & fill with water 20mins just softens the kibble & make sure it’s not hard in the middle, just squeeze a few kibbles to make sure they’re all soft all the way thru, so he doesn’t catch on to what you’re doing these dogs are very smart, lol
I just remember what I did with my boy when his IBD was real bad, I soaked the kibbles till soft then I fully drained out all of the water they were soaking in, I cuffed my hand in the bowl & pushed hand against kibble in bowl & squeezed out the water in the soft kibbles, then I put the soft kibbles thru a blender & this broke the soft kibbles all up, then you can mix thru the wet tin food, does he like treats?? when you first get the bag of kibble put about 1 cup kibble in a air tight container & give a few kibbles to him as treats so he gets to likes them…

Sometimes when food has cause pain or some type of health problem, the dog becomes fussy cause the food has caused some discomfort, gas, wind pain, diarrhea, acid reflux, vomiting etc so now he see’s kibble as bad……or he’s a very smart dog & knows how kibble is made, LOL
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

[Susan]

Hi Jude,
once a dog has had Pancreatitis then he’ll need to be feed a lower fat diet, so he doesn’t have another Pancreatitis flare, stay under 15%-fat for raw wet diet, have you tried raw kangaroo?? Cats & dogs love Kangaroo it has a strong beefy taste & it’s very lean in fat & very healthy, you can get this brand in America, its called “Gourmet Game, Marco Meats, Kangaroo mince, here’s the link, scroll down to the bottom & it’s in the middle, Gourmet Game Marco meats is the only company in Australia that makes the human grade kangaroo & export all over the world… http://gourmetgame.com.au/products/kangaroo/

You’re better off making his raw diet, instead of buying a pet food pre-made raw unless it’s a small business that makes human grade raw for dogs, but they normally add grounded bones, my dogs Naturopath said no to the grounded bone for Patch he has IBD & Pancreatitis & she also said NO to the Pre-made raw dog food she said you don’t know what your getting & the fat % is way too high for his health problems….. are you adding anything else to his beef? you can add 1 crushed egg shell a day for calcium, give him a Krill Oil capsule for his Omega 3 fatty acids & in a few weeks try adding some broccoli, carrot, celery & apple, peel & de-seed fruit & vegetables cut up then put thru a blender stop just before it’s a pulp, you add 1-2 spoons of the veggie/fruit mix to 1 cup of beef meat or I froze 1-2 spoons of the veggie mix separate in ice cube tray & cover with cling wrap & thawed when I needed the fruit/veggie mix, I also froze the meat in sections separate, this way you’ll see if he eats his beef with some added pulped veggies/fruit mix.. or just added the grounded egg shell & give 1 krill oil capsule 3 times a week & see how he goes, don’t start adding too much to his diet at once, if something causes diarrhea or vomiting you won’t know what caused what….

Join this face book group “Canine Pancreatitis Support Group” Lisa who runs the group feeds her Pancreatitis dog a raw balanced diet, she may be able to help you add certain foods to balance his diet a bit better, you can buy “Balance It” they have Nutritionist vet as well & free recipes for some health problems but if the dog has too many health problems it doesn’t give any free recipes you have to contact Balance It vet nutritionist. https://secure.balanceit.com/

Even if you buy the pre-made raw dog food it has too many different ingredients & your dog will smell all the different smells & probably wont eat the pre made raw food, I don’t like the smell it didn’t smell like real raw, my cat wouldn’t touch the pre-made raw, I bought the Rabbit first then took it back & tried the Kangaroo she still would not touch it, now I just buy her the Aldis cat fresh raw mince, it’s Kangaroo mince & chicken liver & she loves it & it smells like proper raw meat should smell, I do live Australia & by-product kangaroo is in a few of our cheaper brand pet foods & she also eats her air dried raw “Ziwi Peak” air dried raw & dry kibble + I give the Green Lipped Mussel treats, try the K-9 Natural Green Lipped Mussels, mussels have what he needs for his joints, eyes, brain, skin & coat, Green Lipped Mussel is lean in fat & give about 2 freeze dried mussels as a daily treat, this way he’s trying different foods as a treat..so its special when given as a treat.

[A]

Sweet potatoes, potatoes, peas, etc convert to sugar and sugar feeds yeast. Brown rice is a complex carb and converts slower.
Grains aren’t always the problem, everyone at my work feeds a grain food and we all have a variety of dogs from little pups to mastiffs,pits, labs, and retrievers. We have more customers on a grain food that have left the grain free world due to the extreme high fat and carb protein sources.

This is out of one of Dr Beckers articles :

Yeast needs sugar as a source of energy. Carbohydrates break down into sugar. Both MDs and veterinarians advise patients with yeast to get the sugars out of their diets.

Dietary sugar isn’t just the white kind added to many pet treats and some pet foods. There are ‘secret,’ hidden forms of sugar that can also feed yeast overgrowth, for instance, honey. Although honey can be beneficial for pets in some cases, it does provide a food source for yeast. So if your dog is yeasty, you’ll need to carefully read his pet food and treat labels and avoid any product containing honey, high fructose corn syrup, and even white potatoes and sweet potatoes.

[A]

Many times itching is a carb overload and she’s not burning all the food.
Many complain about gassy pits but mine are not gassy, maybe once every few months if they get more “dog cookies” vs freeze dried meat treats.

Grain free is typically lower in fat and have no pea or potatoe protein in them.

Chicken is the most easy for them to digest, I would try a low fat and no pea or potatoe protein with brown rice as it’s a complex carb and burns slower.

[Susan]

Hi Ginger,
Sorry its a long post but it’s hard to explain everything in 1-2 paragraphs hopefully some of this information will help your girls itchy skin…
Your girl sounds like my boy who will be 9 yrs old in November, he suffers with IBD, Pancreatitis, environment skin allergies & food sensitivities causing itchy smelly skin,paws, ears, gas & diarrhea, we thought he had diabetes a few months ago cause he was drinking & drinking water but blood test were all fine thank-god, I couldn’t handle another health problem, I feel so sorry for sick animals. 🙁
I wouldn’t try the Cytopoint injections with your dog yet, has your vet explained how Cytopoint works? My vet looked into the Cytopoint injections, she explained once you’ve given the injection it stays in the dogs system up to 6-8 weeks, so if it makes them ill there’s nothing that can be done to reverse any side effects cause Patch reacts to certain medications & it’s a newer drug we don’t have any real research results yet, after a couple of years vets will know more how dogs react that have certain health problems like our dogs have, when the dog is younger & heathier yes I think CADI is the best thing for itchy dogs better the Apoquel, now Apoquel has been out over a few years vets see all the side effects so in a few years when vets have used Cytopoint, they’ll know & can report any bad side effects if there are any?…

My vet said Apopuel doesn’t help when a dog has itchy skin from secondary Malassezia (Yeast) Dermatitis, Apoquel cannot resolve inflammation or treat yeast, she said Apoquel
has helped a few of her dog patients that have IBD but I was to scared to try Apoquel with Patch cause one of the side effects with Apoquel is nausea & vomiting, my vet did have a few dogs that become very sick while taking the Apoquel, so I changed his diet, bathed him weekly to wash off any allergens on his paws & body to relieve his itchy skin paws & I use creams. As they get older the allergies get worse..

They are finding Cytopoint works better then Apoquel for environment allergies & itchy skin, CADI blocks the receptors completely, where Apoquel blocks the reaction from the allergens receptors, there’s a good face book group to join “Dog issues, allergies and other information support group” with really good information about CADI & Apoquel.. a lady called Petra that runs the group can explain things better…

I would be changing her diet first, when my Patch was eating the Hills I/d wet & dry formula’s & other foods that had the ingredients he was sensitive too he got his red paws, smelly yeasty itchy skin & that’s only cause he’s a sensitive to the chicken, oats, barley tapioca, corn gluten meal in the I/d vet diet & other foods he was eating, once I remove these allergens he is OK thru the cooler Winter months then when Summer comes he gets his environment allergies so I bath more, I use hydrocortisone 1% cream to relieve the itch & feed treats that are high in omega 3 fatty acid like K-9 Natural freeze dried Green Lipped Mussels, ask your vet can your try the Royal Canine HP wet tin food the fat is 2.5% you’ll have to email or ring Royal Canine & ask them what is the max fat % when converted to dry mater?? it’s probably around 7-8% fat when converted to dry matter (Kibble fat), Hills have already converted all their wet tin foods on their internet site, I wish other pet food companies did the same cause people don’t no this & read 5%-fat on a wet tin foods or raw foods & think the fat % is low when 5% fat is around 20% fat when converted to dry matter, the Australian R/C HP is 3.5% in the wet tin food, when converted it was 13% fat, it has the omega 3 oils & everything needed for skin problems, or I’d say look at the R/C selected proteins formula’s PR-Rabbit & Potato or PD-Duck & Potato or PV-Venison & Potato but the R/C in the wet tin wet tin foods the fat is too high for Pancreatitis 4-5% when converted to dry matter is around 15-20% fat but the dry R/C select proteins kibbles are lower in fat at 10%max but your feed wet tin..

Have you joined the “Canine Pancreatitis Support ” Face Book group,
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1435920120029740/
join & look in their “Files” there’s 2 links “Low Fat Food” click on the first link & scroll down, all the low fat wet tin foods come up, on your right there’s the converted fat %, it’s been converted to dry matter fat % also read the ingredients in the Hills Wet tin food she is eating at the moment, try & avoid those some of those ingredients if you can, she is probably sensitive to a few ingredients in the I/d wet tin formula’s, that’s why I recommended the Royal Canine vet diet HP wet tin it’s a Hypoallergenic formula, your dog shouldn’t react & itch to any of the ingredients but Patch got acid reflux from the fish oil & his poos were soft but he always does softer poos when he eats wet tin foods, that’s why I feed 5 small meals a day 2 meals are cooked meal or a wet tin food & the other 3 meals are a kibble & his poos stay firm…
“Canidae” makes a really good small easy to digest grain free kibble, that’s low in fat 10.80%max called Canidae,Pure Meadow Senior grain free page 3 & Canidae Life Stages Platinum less active has grains page 4, https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products….
It can take anywhere from 1 day up to 6 weeks for a dog to react to an ingredient & start scratching get yeasty smell paws. ears, skin gas & sloppy poos….Patch only reacts 15-20mins after he eats chicken he starts itching & scratching, gets red paws but with some ingredients in a kibble he takes about 5-14 days to start reacting with smelly yeasty skin paws & ears, carrots cause itchy smell ears.
Look for proteins like Rabbit, Venison, Pork, Duck & kangaroo in wet grain free tin foods, kangaroo is a lean novel protein & your dog probably hasn’t eaten much of the Kangaroo before. Can your girl eat a kibble even if you only feed 1 of her meals kibble then the rest of her meals wet tin food.

[Peter K]

I joined here just to discuss Galliprant.

My rescue cattle dog mix (adopted 7 years ago,) has a bad hip and is SO reactive at the Vet that they can’t easily (ahem) get the bloodwork needed to keep prescribing Rimadyl, which HAS worked very well for her. She’s not an “easy” dog, but a sweet dog at home and controllable otherwise except at the Vet office. A sympathetic Tech suggested Galliprant as it supposedly does not have side effects and does not require lab tests. But my dog has had GI effects (constipation) and a definite mood shift, becoming aggressive about food/treats, which is one behavior she’s never done before.

I can’t find much info about Galliprant side-effects, so I’m wondering about others’ experience with it and their dogs. Any feedback appreciated.

[Susan]

Hi
I don’t understand the problem why cause Chewy has been sold & PetSmart has bought Chewy out why is this a bad thing?? if Chewy’s customer service stays the same & is still good & they have foods that move quickly & are stored properly who cares??

I like pet stores that move their pet foods quickly, I live Australia & feed American kibbles only cause the American brands seems to works the best with my boys IBD, I’d prefer to feed Australian made pet foods with fresh Australian & New Zealand ingredients but the Australian kibbles do not add the probiotics & they add fish & salmon oils, for some reason Patch doesn’t do well with his IBD, so Patch eats American made…
I as soon as Patches delivery comes which is going to be this morning, Patch opens the box gets out his treats or toy I have bought for him & I read the use by date on the bag of kibble, a good use by date should be around 18 months, this means it has just come off the ship & hasn’t had any time to sit in a hot warehouse somewhere it’s fresher then a kibble sitting in a pet warehouse that only has a 6 month use by date, go with a pet food company that moves their foods the quickest, if you know of a local pet shop in your area that has your dog food look at the use by dates & how quick the food is moving & support a small local business first as all small business are being taken over by big companies.. Is Pet Smart a big company??..

[Susan]

Hi Amanda,
sounds like your on the right track from reading your latest post, with sardines some people add them to their dogs diet 3 times a week, I prefer to give as a treat daily or I like freeze dried Green lipped mussels for my dog & cat not as smelly & messy, with apples it doesn’t matter which brand apple pieces you give as long as you don’t give the seeds, I get Delicious apples they’re more sweet & have less acid, with egg I cook the same way in the microwave, its quick & easy just don’t over cook then the egg is like rubber, raw carrots don’t digest & come back out whole in the dogs poo, your better off just using the kibble you’re feeding for meals as training treats…or small apple pieces….

[Amanda D]

I am so sorry I haven’t replied to everyone’s posts. We have had a bit of a crisis with our Bailey that didn’t turn out the way we hoped. If anyone is interested in the long story that it is I’ll post my Facebook post.

As far as food, I think I have settled rotating Fromm and Nutro Ultra Puppy kibbles. I’ll mix in defrosted frozen Peas and Carrots, in every meal, add an egg to breakfast and maybe mix in a little wet Nutro Ultra Puppy.

My question now, how should I prepare the egg? I was planning on scrambling one in my microwave in my Nordic Ware microwave egg cooker. Or is it better raw? I don’t think I’LL do tof many treats as we’ll be working on training with boiled Chicken throughout the day. Maybe some chopped Raw baby carrots.

Should I wean puppy onto people foods? I also want to use fruits for occasional treats like strawberries, blueberries, bananas and apples (unsure of what variety of apple is best … a sugary red delicious/Washington or a tarter baking type apple like granny smiths kinds.

I’mean intrested in fish oil or Canned sardines as well. But is that a daily or weekly supplement?

[Brian G]

As an obedience instructor, I tell people to have three levels of food rewards.
Level 1: kibble, cheerios, carrots… lower calorie, lower level rewards for reinforcing good behaviors.
Level 2: higher value dog treats for when you are training new behaviors or are in high distraction environments. Merrick lamb lungs, natural balance logs, anything they like that’s healthy.
Level 3: For those “ah ha!” Moments when the dog deserves a super reward that he will remember. These treats are also used exclusively for advanced training. Say I’ve got a dog that’s super reactive and I’m training in public. I would use chicken ONLY when I’m working on reactivity. Most level 3 treats are people food. Yum! Just avoid the salt.
Best of luck

[zcRiley]

No, dental chews are once a day things, not for training. You can absolutely train successfully with positive verbal reinforcements, no treats needed. Just keep each session no more than 15 minutes long. A treat at the end is fine.

[Lynn M]

Any suggestions for training treats? I’ve been told to use Minties-but can they be used each time?

[Bobby dog]

Hi Courtney M:
Did you mean Hampshire Pet Products? They make treats, I couldn’t find anything on Hamilton Pets other than the company that makes leashes and horse products, just curious.

Nice to know they still use Performance for their cannery. I feed their canned dog and cat foods every now and then.

I had received the same info you had when I was considering feeding Canidae a few years ago. Their CS relayed the Ethos plant was primarily a R&D facility staffed with a handful of employees and most of their kibble was produced by Diamond. According to one of Canidae’s founders Scott Whipple, “It’s a research and development center, so that we’re actually running products, feeding them to our own pets, before we launch them,”.

The Ethos plant was formerly the Blue Bonnet Feed facility not Diamond. According to Diamond CS they have never had a facility in Texas. They currently have facilities in Missouri, South Carolina, Arkansas, and two in California.

Here are a couple of articles about the Ethos plant:
http://www.brownwoodtx.com/article/20120426/News/304269994

http://www.petfoodindustry.com/articles/5191-this-independent-family-owned-company-has-spent-20-years-carving-a-niche-in-the-specialty-retail-market

[zcRiley]

Your Milk Bones Wellness treats have flour and fat fillers plus salt and coloring. Causing more harm than good. Very crude ingredients that reflect its low price point):

Chicken, Wheat Flour, Soybean Flour, Glycerin, Tapioca Flour, Animal Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Water, Salt, Citric Acid (Used as a Preservative), Inulin, Fat Product (Source of Docosahexaenoic Acid), Caramel Color, Calcium Propionate, Beta-Carotene, Zinc Proteinate, Betaine, Zinc Propionate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (Source of Vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Natural Mixed Tocopherols (Used as a Preservative), Taurine, Sodium Copper Chlorophyllin, Kale Powder, Rosemary Extract.

However, you’re on the right track to helping your pups’ joint health! I do so with my boys who have bad knees, they fly around like Superman. May I highly recommend for you to get the best…

Dasuquin with MSM for small dogs. Worth every penny. 😊

[InkedMarie]

I’m not familiar with them but I choose high quality food and treats for my dogs. Anything by Milk Bone doesnt enter my house. Unless what you’re feeding is inferior, dogs dont need vitamins. If they have joint issues, there are many high quality joint supplements to choose from.

[joanne m]

Both of these are Daily Vitamin Treats – do they do what they say and are they good for my dogs? My 2 dogs weigh about 10 lbs each and I give them 1/2 of each daily.

[Hav mom]

Our rescued hav of now 6 years old is a wonderful, healthy dog. However, all he has had to eat for four years is the “superior” food The Honest Kitchen. no chicken, but varying the other flavors. He was 16# when we rescued him and the vet figured 2 years old. He is now
20# and 6 years old.He likes THK food, although lately he has been leaving a small portion
of it. The vet originally told us to feed him 2X per day, so that is what we do, following the
instructions of the daily amount for his weight. Not much, total of 1/2cup dehydrated food
per day..1/4 in am 1/4 in pm with added water for rehydration. He gets his treats,but sparingly. His poop is normal. My thoughts are to change his food..thinking of the Zignature Zssentials canned or maybe kibble ( no chicken it makes him itch) and also under consideration is the Answer Pet Food. I just wonder if changing the food to a different brand may be more filling for him. Someone told me giving a dog the same food for years is not good. Is that true? My vet never said any thing about it. I would like to see if he doesn’t seem like he is hungry after a different food. He is always looking for something to eat, or is that just being a dog? Is there anyone on the forum that can give me an idea if I am on the wrong track ? appreciate any input before I made a decision to change his food. Thanks

[Susan]

Hi Heather,
it’s best to email the pet food companies & the Vet diet companies when you need any information about their formula’s they will ring or email you back with crude fiber % soluble fiber % insoluble fiber % & dietary fiber % in their formula’s, a good pet food company like TOTW their a Vet Nutritionists will ring or email you back but I didn’t read anywhere that your dog needs more soluble fiber in his diet, it will depend on your dog like your vet has told you, it’s trial & error, if it was my dog, I’d be trying the wet tin vet diet first, all vet diets are money back guaranteed & you just bring back any un opened tins or the rest of the kibble back if poo’s don’t firm up within 2-5 days & the vet changes over to another vet diet till you find one that works, you don’t have to pay to see the vet again the vet nurse normally goes in & speaks with the vet then the vet either comes out to speak with you or the vet nurse recommends another vet diet for you to try… try the Hills Canine I/d Chicken & Vegetable Stew wet tin food first & use the Hills I/d Digestive Care kibble as treats only give 1/4 a cup kibble thru the day & see how his poos go next 2 days if they are OK then increase the I/D kibble.. that’s how I started with new kibbles with my boy years ago when I rescued him.
My boy did the best on the Hills D/D Venison & Potatoes vet diet, it has 1 single intact meat protein with limited ingredients, improves digestion & stool quality, it’s soy protein free, gluten & grain free, the protein % is low-18% the Hills I/d Digestive Care replaces nutrients your dog has lost & has B vitamins & electrolytes your dog needs at the moment…. my boy gets bad overgrowth bacteria in the gut & small bowel, vomiting, nausea & pain… I tried the Hills I/d Digestive care kibble, he seem to be doing really well the first 5-6 days, it did what it says on the front of the kibble bag “it will firm stools within 3 days” BUT after 6 days my boy started to react to the poor ingredients & started doing yellow sloppy poo’s, all the fermentable grains made his bad bacteria breed & take over his stomach & bowel again, I took the Hills I/d bag of kibble back & got a refund, I bought a bag of the “Taste Of the Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb what was recommended to me on a EPI group & IBD dogs face book groups & my boy has been doing firm perfect poos now for over 1 yr, a lot of dogs with EPI, S.I.B.O, IBD, Diarrhea do really well on the TOTW formula, there’s also a wet tin in the Sierra Mountain, I don’t know if it’s the probiotics or the purified water they use but something in the TOTW formula helps dogs that have Intestinal stress, I know a lot of people don’t like Diamond & knock Diamond but every new batch of TOTW gets tested after being packed in the kibble bags & tins before it leaves the plant, my boy has never gotten diarrhea or sick while he’s been on the TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb formula…
Please make sure the course of antibiotics your dog is taking is for 14-21 days give the antibiotics every 12 hours with a meal do not stop the course till it’s finished….

Zignature is best for dog with food intolerances/sensitivities to certain ingredients, I’ve never seen Zignature on any of the IBD or EPI groups I belong too being feed for intestinal problems, Zignature is very pea heavy, chick pea heavy these ingredients can cause bad wind & gas in the bowel… go back to your vets office & ask the vet nurse to try at wet tin & dry Vet Diet before you try the Zignature, then once your dog has been on a vet diet for 6-9 months & the bowel has healed then maybe start slowly introducing a single low protein, limited ingredient formula & make sure you give a probiotic after he has finishes the antibiotics or give probiotic 3 hours before or after giving the antibiotics or give Kefir… you need to take baby steps with dogs who have intestinal problems.

[Susan]

Heather
if you need fiber % it’s best to email the pet food companies & the Vet diet companies & they will email you the crude fiber %, the soluble fiber % the insoluble fiber %, the dietary fiber% & in their foods, but I have never read anywhere that your dog needs more soluble fiber in his diet, it will depend on your dog like your vet has told you, it’s trial & error, if it was my dog, I’d be trying the wet tin vet diet first, all vet diets are money back guaranteed & you just bring back any un opened tins or the rest of the kibble back if poo’s don’t firm up within 2-5 days & the vet changes over to another vet diet till you find one that works, you don’t have to pay to see the vet again the vet nurse normally goes in & speaks with the vet then the vet either comes out to speak with you or the vet nurse recommends another vet diet for you to try… try the Hills Canine I/d Chicken & Vegetable Stew wet tin food first & use the Hills I/d Digestive Care kibble as treats only give 1/4 a cup kibble thru the day & see how his poos go next 2 days if they are OK then increase the I/D kibble.. that’s how I started with new kibbles with my boy years ago when I rescued him.
My boy did the best on the Hills D/D Venison & Potatoes vet diet, it has 1 single intact meat protein with limited ingredients, improves digestion & stool quality, it’s soy protein free, gluten & grain free, the protein % is low-18% the Hills I/d Digestive Care replaces nutrients your dog has lost & has B vitamins & electrolytes your dog needs at the moment…. my boy gets bad overgrowth bacteria in the gut & small bowel, vomiting, nausea & pain… I tried the Hills I/d Digestive care kibble, he seem to be doing really well the first 5-6 days, it did what it says on the front of the kibble bag “it will firm stools within 3 days” BUT after 6 days my boy started to react to the poor ingredients & started doing yellow sloppy poo’s, all the fermentable grains made his bad bacteria breed & take over his stomach & bowel again, I took the Hills I/d bag of kibble back & got a refund, I bought a bag of the “Taste Of the Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb what was recommended to me on a EPI group & IBD dogs face book groups & my boy has been doing firm perfect poos now for over 1 yr, a lot of dogs with EPI, S.I.B.O, IBD, Diarrhea do really well on the TOTW formula, there’s also a wet tin in the Sierra Mountain, I don’t know if it’s the probiotics or the purified water they use but something in the TOTW formula helps dogs that have Intestinal stress, I know a lot of people don’t like Diamond & knock Diamond but every new batch of TOTW gets tested after being packed in the kibble bags & tins before it leaves the plant, my boy has never gotten diarrhea or sick while he’s been on the TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb formula…
Please make sure the course of antibiotics your dog is taking is for 14-21 days give the antibiotics every 12 hours with a meal do not stop the course till it’s finished….

Zignature is best for dog with food intolerances/sensitivities to certain ingredients, I’ve never seen Zignature on any of the IBD or EPI groups I belong too being feed for intestinal problems, Zignature is very pea heavy, chick pea heavy these ingredients can cause bad wind & gas in the bowel… go back to your vets office & ask the vet nurse to try at wet tin & dry Vet Diet before you try the Zignature, then once your dog has been on a vet diet for 6-9 months & the bowel has healed then maybe start slowly introducing a single low protein, limited ingredient formula & make sure you give a probiotic after he has finishes the antibiotics or give probiotic 3 hours before or after giving the antibiotics or give Kefir… you need to take baby steps with dogs who have intestinal problems.

[Susan]

Hi LISA P,
this post is long, it’s too hard explaining everything in just 1-2 paragraph post, start feeding a diet that has just 1 protein & limited ingredients, less ingredients are best while you work out what foods are causing the bad gas & bloating, sounds like your boy might have IBS or IBD being 7 yrs old it’s probably IBD, you need to see a vet that specializes in IBD, the only true way to diagnosed IBD is biopsies either thru Endoscope or cut him open, I will not let Patches knife happy vet cut my Patch open, 2014 vet did Endoscope thru the throat
& biopsies, if the pyloric sphincter flap from the stomach to the small bowel is open they can go thru into the small bowel & get a biopsies as well, you need the biopsies cause Patches stomach looked excellent then the biopsies results came back he has Helicobacter-Pylori & IBD but I don’t know what type of IBD the results said he need further investigation, even if I knew what type of IBD I asked my vet, would you do anything different in medications? she said no we’ll just have a name of the type of IBD he has…
Patch was getting the rumbling & grumbling bowel noises early hours of a morning when I first rescued him, we found out he has food intolerances to certain foods, this is what your boy probably has too food sensitivities, most vet diets for Intestinal stress have the foods Patch can’t eat, I have found kibbles & cooked meals that have sweet potato, egg, potato & a little bit of peas work the best for Intestinal stress, stay away from fermentable carbohydrates, ingredients that ferment in the stomach & bowel like rice, barley, oats, beet pulp, soybeans, legumes, no ingredients that are hard to digest like Chick Peas, lentils they can cause wind/gas…
The Ziwi Peak he ate was it the wet or air dry Ziwi Peak cause Ziwi Peak have changed their formula’s & have added chickpeas to the wet tin formula’s.

The vet would have prescribed your boy Metronidazole, was he better while taking the Metronidazole?? sometimes dogs are kept on a low dose of Metronidazole it stops the bad bacteria from taking over stomach bowel & has anti inflammatory properties that helps with any inflammation of the stomach & bowel, Patches vet writes out a repeat script of the Metronidazole I can take to a chemist & take out & when I noticed Patch doing smelly farts, whinging & wanting me to rub stomach & Pancreas area & or starts doing sloppy poos for 2 days straight & start him on the Metronidazole for 10-14 days straight away before he has a IBD flare & gets real bad….

Have you looked at cooking his meals or I feed kibble for some of his meals & cooked meals for the other meals, Patch eats 5 smaller meals a day this has helped heaps when his stomach & Pancreas isn’t working properly its easier to digest smaller meals then to digest 2 bigger meals….Patch was the same pain in the Pancreas stomach area blood test say Pancreas was OK even ultra scan said the pancreas looks good, so his vet said it’s his IBD & I put him back on the Metronidazole again & it seems to help him & I feed his TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb kibble & don’t give anything else cause I know the TOTW kibble is very easy to digest…

Have a look at “Canidae” Pure Meadow Senior the fat is low at 10.8% max, I’ve emailed Canidae to find out the max fat %, the protein is 28%, it has limited ingredients, but cause it has chicken Patch gets his red paws then starts getting itchy cause he’s sensitive to chicken but he did really well when on the Canidae just wish they didn’t use the chicken & I feed “Taste Of the Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb kibble it just has 1 protein Lamb & has limited ingredients, sweet potatoes, egg, potato & peas & I was feeding the Hills I/d Chicken & Vegetable Stew but then I realized the new formula has beet pulp & Patch didn’t really want to eat it no more, he had his red, I was taken out the rice & carrots, he can’t eat boiled rice it irritates his bowel causing sloppy poo’s….
I have found when Patch gets a rumbling grumbling bowel I give him 1 teaspoon – 5ml of liquid Mylanta that I keep in the fridge, when the Mylanta is cold it soothes the throat & stomach & it stops the gas rumbling thru the bowel also dry toast only use white bread the toast helps relieve the grumbling bowel & Patch finally goes to sleep, but since I’ve worked out what foods he’s sensitive too he hasn’t had his rumbling bowel…
Your best to do a cooked elimination diet, add 1 new ingredient every 6 weeks & see does he react to that ingredient & get bad wind pain & bloat up, it can take 1 day to 6 weeks to react to an ingredient in a kibble or wet tin cooked food or feed a vet diet like the Hills D/D Venison & Potatoes as long as you know your boy is OK with venison & potato, the D/D has just potato & venison, it has no beet pulp, no peas, no soy protein, it’s grain free, gluten free & high in omega 3 fatty acids what’s needed for the stomach & bowel to heal, Patch does OK when he eats the D/D Venison formula, I rotate between the TOTW Lamb breakfast & the D/D Venison for lunch then TOTW for his 2 dinners, When a dog eats the same diet for years & years then sometimes they start to react to 1 or 2 ingredients this is why I always tell people to rotate between different brand kibbles with different proteins & add cooked fresh ingredients to your dogs diet…Vet diets are good to get the dog stable then you start to work out a new diet for your dog……
Is he doing real well on the Vet diet he’s eating at the moment which formula is it?? Patch hasn’t done well on any of the Hills I/d vet diets, he did Ok on the I/d Digestive Care kibble & the I’d Chicken & vegetable stew wet tin but after 1 week eating the I/d kibble his poos when sloppy & he started getting gas & bad farts then he started to itch, the Hills D/D Venison + potato is the first vet diet he’s doing OK on & it helps with his skin allergies no red paws & also helps with his IBD, it’s also lower in protein-19% the fat is 16% its does cause some acid reflux sometimes so I feed the TOTW for all the other meals for that day & only a small meal of the D/D venison for lunch he really likes it….

Here’s “Balance It” site, https://secure.balanceit.com/ there are recipes on this site & then you add the Balance it powder to balance the meals also have you tried giving a probiotic? Purina Forti Floria is suppose to be a good dog probiotic & when it was tested it had live bacteria & made it on the best 10 dogs probiotic list, I give Patch some of my Yakult probiotic drink, also only change or add 1 thing at a time in a week in his diet so if he gets pain, gas bloating diarrhea you know what caused the problem if you start a few things at once & he reacts you wont know what caused what….

Your boy is only 7 yrs old, he’ll bounce back, start to read the signs & rub his stomach & bowel area & help push out any of the wind he might have my boy is very vocal & tells me straight away when something is wrong, his vet said she has never seen a dog that can understand everything we are saying & talks back…. Hopefully in 1 yr you’ll have his diet all worked out & know what he can & can’t eat & he’ll be doing real well once you work out his diet also be careful with treats, Canidae make healthy biscuit treats limited ingredients, the Canidae Pure Meadow Senior kibble is on page 3 ….just remember when introducing any new formula’s do it very slowly over 12-15 days so he doesn’t get any gas wind pain…
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

[Cath N]

Having two doxies that are greater than 16y.o., we’ve been thru the gamut trying kibble, canned food and of course, treats. In addition to reading the outsourcing of pet food and unreliable processing, we have made homemade meals for our babes. Refer to the below link and obtain further knowledge of all the hidden ingredients thru processing. Our one dog is hyper-sensitive, only breast of chicken (raised w/vegetables/99% fat free )and steamed sweet potato. It’s a lot of work with prepping but gives peace of mind. I swear by it. Good luck with your babies.

Homepage

[Susan]

Hi Amanda,

When you get your puppy the food you have finally picked & thought was going to be the best food for your new pup, may not agree with your pup, he may start doing sloppy poo’s on this food….you’ll need to know what he was eating when you get him so you can slowly introduce the new food with his old food…
The best way to avoid any food sensitivities/intolerances is by rotating foods & introducing new foods to your pup diet, by allowing short exposure to a wider variety of proteins types, meat, grains, veggies, this way the immune system is primed to a larger range of potential allergens, which strengthens the immune system & may reduce the risk of allergies, food sensitivities developing, this is very important for young animals, hopefully your pup will have an iron stomach & be able to eat everything by the time he’s an adult, in the beginning still feed his regular puppy food then once he has settled in & is doing really well start to add 1-2 tablespoon of fresh healthy human food, whatever you’ve cooked for dinner as long as it’s a healthy meal with veggies & some meat, when your giving him a treat give him something that’s healthy, instead of a process treats, a few small bite size pieces of peeled apple, blueberries etc that’s when I started introducing different foods to my boy who has IBD & food sensitivities, I gave the food as a treat in the beginning…..

What breed will your pup be? will he be pure breed or a mongrel?? this will play a big part in his health & what health issues he’ll inherit….
Follow “Rodney Habib” on his face book page, click on link below, then watch “Why it’s so important to offer your pet FRESH human food”
https://www.planetpaws.ca/tag/healthy-food/
On your right once you have clicked on the link above are helpful video’s Rodney has made over the last 2 years, since he found out his 14yr old dog Sammie now 16yr old had cancer & now is cancer free… start following 1-2 people who you like in the pet world & this will stop a lot of the confusion… Also join a few healthy nutrition pet groups like “Canine Nutrition & Natural Health” “Planet Paws” & “K-9 Kitchen” the people in these groups will be able to help you if you need any help about puppy nutrition…

[Susan]

Hi Christie,
I understand your frustration, this is why I always stick with the same vet that I like the best, this way the vet gets to know your dog & forms a bond, stick with the vet that listened to you & goes out of their way to help with diets & orders in other vet diet brands if needed…..
Normally the dog is put on antibiotics 14 days & put on a vet diet either the Royal Canine S/O Urinary or the Hills C/d Multicare dry & wet for just 6 weeks, feed no other foods or treats in this time, the crystals normally dissolve & go away by the 6 week period & then the vet does another Ultra scan to confirm that the crystals have all dissolved, that’s what happened with my boy… The Hills C/D Multicare wet & dry formula has the best ingredients when you look at all the vet diets…..after the crystals have dissolved there’s the Hills W/d wet tin Vet Diet, it’s low in fat & low protein, excellent for keeping off the weight & promotes healthy Urinary tract health.. but it does have grains, just keep it in mind….Hills have been improving most of their vet diets & regular pet foods, probably cause sales dropped so they hoped on the better ingredient wagon….

I would join the “Canine Kidney Disease Support” Facebook group & ask people what did they feed their dogs after the crystals were dissolved, to prevent them re occurring, you can make appointment with a nutritionist, she can make a special diet for your mums dog that she can cook….
There’s Dave’s Restricted Low Protein & Low Phosphorus grain free wet tin diet food, I don’t know if this formula will dissolved the crystals or it’s for dogs that need a lower protein phosphorus diet to prevent crystals coming back & ok to feed after the crystals have all dissolved, you’ll have to email Dave’s Pet Food & ask, that’s what I do, I email whoever makes the pet food & ask 100 questions… you can also email Hills & Royal Canine & a Vet Nutritionist will ring you back & give advise, you could ask what foods can be added to the vet diet to encourage your mums dog eat the vet diet….
Just make sure when your mums dog is weeing, wee is coming out, you don’t want a blockage… http://davespetfood.com/product/%ef%bb%bfrestricted-diet-protein-phosphorus-chicken-dinner-dogs-13-oz-can/

[Susan]

Hi Christie,
I understand your frustration, this is why I always stick with the same vet that I like the best, this way the vet gets to know your dog & forms a bond, stick with the vet that listened to you & goes out of their way to help with diets & orders in other vet diet brands if needed…..
Normally the dog is put on antibiotics 14 days & put on a vet diet either the Royal Canine S/O Urinary or the Hills C/d Multicare dry & wet for just 6 weeks, feed no other foods or treats in this time, the crystals normally dissolve & go away by the 6 week period & then the vet does another Ultra scan to confirm that the crystals have all dissolved, that’s what happened with my boy… The Hills C/D Multicare wet & dry formula has the best ingredients when you look at all the vet diets…..after the crystals have dissolved there’s the Hills W/d wet tin Vet Diet, it’s low in fat & low protein, excellent for keeping off the weight & promotes healthy Urinary tract health.. but it does have grains, just keep it in mind….Hills have been improving most of their vet diets & regular pet foods, probably cause sales dropped so they hoped on the better ingredient wagon….

I would join the “Canine Kidney Disease Support” Facebook group & ask people what did they feed their dogs after the crystals were dissolved, to prevent them re occurring, you can make appointment with a nutritionist, she can make a special diet for your mums dog….
There’s Dave’s Restricted Low Protein & Low Phosphorus grain free wet tin diet food, I don’t know if this formula will dissolved the crystals or it’s for dogs that need a lower protein phosphorus diet to prevent crystals coming back & ok to feed after the crystals have all dissolved, you’ll have to email Dave’s Pet Food & ask, that’s what I do, I email whoever makes the pet food & ask 100 questions… you can also email Hills & Royal Canine & a Vet Nutritionist will ring you back & give advise, you could ask what foods can be added to the vet diet to encourage your mums dog eat the vet diet….
Just make sure when your mums dog is weeing, wee is coming out, you don’t want a blockage… http://davespetfood.com/product/%ef%bb%bfrestricted-diet-protein-phosphorus-chicken-dinner-dogs-13-oz-can/

[Rebeca J]

Hi hi thanks for all the suggestions! Susan, our vet didn’t do any tests on his stool because it was too expensive and he made it sound really unnecessary. I am currently in the process of switching vets, finally, and have an appointment for tomorrow!! I cannot for the life of me remember what meds he was on, it was over a month ago and at the time I didn’t think it would become such an issue. All I remember is he was on FortiFlora and some white pills that lasted about a week (one in morning, one in the afternoon). Either way, he has not been on anything for about a month (not even treats!) in order to rule out anything else causing the upset stomach.

[a c]

I have a 8 weeks old miniature schnauzer puppy. He weight almost 4 lbs. I got him when he was 6 weeks old. I was told by the breeder that he is eating puppy chow kibbles soaked in the water. I quickly switched him to Orijen puppy food with no problem. I still presoaked the kibbles in the water. He loves the food. I am just afraid the fat content on Orijen is on the higher end. He also get apples and low fat cottage cheese for treats.

I like to get maybe one or two more quality puppy food to rotate. Can anyone make some suggestions?

[a c]

My 10 years old miniature schnauzer passed away 3 months ago to Lymphoma. He was getting chemotherapy but passed away less than 2 months. He didn’t have much appetite when he was on chemo even with appetite stimulants. I have tried to feed him some organic raw meat and that’s pretty much all he ate other than some of his favorite treats and Caesar wet dog food. Unfortunately, the vet oncologist was really against the idea of feeding him raw meat, so we stop it.

You probably need to talk to your vet oncologist and see they are for the idea of raw diet.

[Susan]

Hi,
I bet your dog is feeling heaps healthier & probably is looking healthier from eating a raw diet…..Yes feed 2 meals a day even 3 meals a day if she seems real hungry, just take a bit from the morning meal & dinner & feed as another small meal, space the feed times out, say 7am 1pm 6pm, so her body gets into a routine & feed the same time everyday, the brain learns, hey she’s going to eat same time & the body does not store any fat when we eat the same time daily, this is why people gain weight so easily, they don’t eat the same time everyday & their body stores fat… also eating more smaller meals thru the day is better then eating 2 larger meals….

When I put my boy on a raw diet he was also very hungry & wanted more, after eating a dry kibble diet all his life that is full of fillers & carbs makes them feel fuller for longer, a raw diet digests easier & quicker & doesn’t sit in the stomach like a kibble does…….
It’s sounds like your girl loves her new diet & she wants more…lol her body will get use to eating a raw diet, you could add some blended pulped veggies to her meals to make her feel fuller ….
I made my own raw balanced diet & blended, peeled carrot, broccoli, celery & apple, I added 2 spoons of the blended veggie mix to 1 cup of grounded kangaroo mince, (my boy has food sensitivities) you can freeze the blended veggie mix in an ice cube tray cover with cling wrap & freeze, just take out of freezer 15mins before feeding time, it thaws very quickly also sweet potatoes you peel then thinly slice the sweet potatoes & bake in the oven…. google natural healthy dog treats, you might find another recipe to make natural healthy treats a lot of people buy a dehydrator & dehydrates their own meat, veggies & make fresh jerky treats for their dogs…. you can do in the oven but oven needs to on very low heat & takes a while….

When a dog is doing smelly farts this can be a food sensitivities/food intolerances, when a dog is sensitive to an ingredient it causes toxic gasses in the bowel, a dog should fart but it shouldn’t smell bad & clear a room. You’ll need to stop all the different proteins & start again, just feed 1 protein for 4-6weeks & see if she’s still doing smelly farts, it can take from 1 day up to 6 weeks to react to certain ingredients, my boy reacts pretty much straight away, he gets red paws, itchy ears, itchy smelly yeasty skin & farts real bad, when he eats something he’s sensitive too… once I worked out what he can’t eat (chicken, barley, wheat, corn & carrots, carrots made his ear smell & itch 20mins after eating a meal with carrots) & removed these ingredients he was good, no smelly farts no more, just watch your girl after she eats what she ate when the farts start, start feeding 1 novel protein if you can get kangaroo that’s a lean novel protein & just feed the Kangaroo & 2-4 blended fruit & veggies & add meaty raw kangaroo bone 3 times a week….
Are you feeding pre-made raw? look for a pre-made raw diet with limited ingredients that have novel proteins, like kangaroo, rabbit, venison, goat proteins she hasn’t really eaten before, also start reading the ingredient list & see is there a common ingredient when she doing bad smelly farts, her gut would of had time to a just to the raw diet she’s been eating a raw diet 3 months now, she’s probably eating ingredient she’s sensitive too….

[pugmomsandy]

I just finished up a bag of RAWZ Meal Free and Core Wild Game for my senior pugs and their output has been solid. 2/3 cup a day with some other foods I give as treats.

[Susan]

Hi MN,
it’s best to rotate & feed a few different brands with different proteins, this way your dogs will be getting a wider variety of protein types, the immune system is primed to a larger range of potential allergens which strengthen the immune system & may reduce the risk of allergies or symptoms developing. This is very important for young animals, added benefit with a rotational diet allows a better chance of providing a more complete & balanced diet…. Start introducing 1 of the new formula’s you’ve posted then over time introduce another new formula, I feed one a lamb formula for breakfast then I feed another formula, Venison for dinner, both different brands….
I’d be a bit careful feeding any fish formula’s, fish seems to have more toxins & contaminates then other meats. Turkey & Chicken are the cleanest meats apparently…..
I was feeding a few fish formula’s thru the Summer months, then feeding a Lamb formula & Turkey formula thru the winter months cause my boy has skin allergies & IBD but after seeing the tests done by “Clean Label Project” I saw 2 fish formula’s I was rotating & feeding my boy last Summer, they made the top 10 list of kibbles with the highest amount of toxins, my boy did become un well while eating the Holistic Select Salmon & the Earthborn Holistic White Fish….. http://www.cleanlabelproject.org/product-ratings/pet-food/
People whinged how Clean Label Project didn’t release any test results but CLP have released the test results to the pet food companies, I don’t need to see any percentages of how much arsenic, lead, mercury or cadmium was in the fish kibbles Patch ate, just seeing the brands I was feeding on the bad list was enough to know hey I’m not going to feed any more fish kibbles unless the fish comes from New Zealand clean waters……
also when you have any left over food from dinner add with their kibble, they have proven by just adding 2 spoons of fresh ingredients to a bowl of their kibble reduces their chances of getting cancer…..
Canidae make a brand called “Under The Sun” it’s a cheaper brand then Canidae, Canidae & Under the Sun made the good list in the CLP testing…. CLP tested the most popular pet foods & treats..
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

[kim w]

I’ve searched high and low but can’t find a review or any info on a new dog food brand I’ve found at Dollar General. I havent seen it anywhere else and the website looks to be under construction. They offer dry food, wet food, and treats. I’ve listed the ingredients below and would like to see how it fairs. Anybody have an opinion or could a review be done on this? Thank you.

Mossy Oak Nature’s Menu Super Premium Dog Food
Real Beef & Brown Rice Recipe
Ingredients: Beef, chicken meal, ground rice, soybean meal, whole grain corn, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), brown rice, corn gluten meal, dried beet pulp, natural chicken flavor, calcium carbonate, salt, potassium chloride, dehydrated alfalfa, zinc sulfate, iron oxide (color), titanium dioxode, dried peas, dried carrots, choline chloride, vitamine E supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin c), minerals (ferrous sulfate, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide), vitamins (vitamin a supplement, vitamin d-3 supplement, vitamin e supplement, niacin, d-calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin b12 supplement, folic acid).

[anonymous]

The 4 Best Fruits and Vegetables for Dogs
If altering your pet’s diet, there are a number of benefits to fruits and vegetables for dogs. Dogs are omnivores rather than carnivores, meaning they can enjoy a mixed combination of fruits, vegetables and meat and all of the benefits that they have to offer.
Here are the top 4 fruits and vegetables to take into consideration:
1. Bananas
Bananas are a fun addition to your dog’s meals, as well as for a special treat, especially because of the variety of ways in which it can be prepared. Banana biscuits, muffins, frozen, baked, or even simply mashed up, will likely be devoured by your eager pet. Bananas are high in soluble carbohydrates, so they’re an excellent source of energy. The antioxidants they contain are helpful to a dog’s fur and skin. Bananas are also rich in Vitamin C, are low in sodium, and rich with potassium. All these things are a great addition to your pet’s diet.
2. Carrots
Carrots have the benefit of being not only one of the tastier vegetables to dogs, but also one of the healthiest. Carrots are high in every vitamin from A, B, C, D, E and K. Not to mention that they’re packed with potassium, calcium and iron, while being low in calories at the same time. Carrots can be given raw, or baked or cooked.
3. Green Beans
Green beans are another tastier vegetable on the list that can replace those high-calorie treats from the store. In addition to being used in raw or home-cooked diets, it’s becoming more common to replace 1/3 to 1/2 of kibble with green beans to promote weight loss in obese dogs. Unless you have a very large dog, they won’t go through an entire can a day, so simply store the excess in the fridge for tomorrow’s meals.
4. Strawberries
Strawberries are known for containing an enzyme that helps to whiten teeth, which can be helpful for you pet on top of the vitamins they pack. However, while your dog will happily scarf down an entire bowl of these, keep in mind they’re high in sugar and should be given in moderation. Think of them as a dessert-treat.
As with any diet for your pet, balance and moderation is the key; don’t replace more than 20% of their meal with fruits and vegetables. Also keep in mind that while a wide variety of fruits and vegetables are healthy for your pet, always check with your veterinarian before making any big dietary changes. Some fruits/vegetables can be harmful or even fatal, such as onions, garlic, avocados, grapes, raisins or any citrus fruits (as the acid will upset their stomach). Always start your dog out on small amounts of fruits and vegetables if they’re unaccustomed to eating them so their digestive system has a chance to adapt.
(Excerpt from) https://www.vetinfo.com/the-4-best-fruits-vegetables-for-dogs.html

[anonymous]

Did you know that large frozen carrots make excellent, edible dog chew treats? As do semi-frozen sweet potatoes or many other large, frozen vegetables. The trick is to make them large enough to prevent choking (don’t use baby carrots), and be sure to wash them before freezing. These healthy, edible goodies are a safe choice compared to poultry bones which can splinter and cause serious damage if ingested.
(excerpt from) https://www.mspca.org/angell_services/frozen-carrots-as-a-doggie-chew-treat/
Click on link for full article

[Susan]

Hi Melissa have you tried raw chicken wings, chicken carcass, turkey legs etc, Chicken bone is the softest bone to digest & excellent for teeth cleaning, also it will depend how big your dog is with what type of bone you give…
Don’t give raw carrot, dogs don’t make the digestive enzymes to digest raw whole plant matter that’s why raw fruit & vegetables must be grounded into a pulp when added to a raw diet, the carrot will come back out whole in their poo also the dog will chew the carrot once twice & swallow carrot whole…
Has she broken her teeth with the Antlers?? they are very popular…. My boy loves to chew & is also an aggressive chewer but he has IBD so he just chews his balls & those toys for teeth cleaning, I don’t give any of these new air dried treats….
Have you seen these chews made by “Ziwi Peak” Deer Shank Bone, Deer Hoofer dog bone’s … https://www.ziwipets.com/catalog/ziwi-peak-dog-nutrition/oral-health-care-chews

[Connor D]

I really have to recommend Love Your Pet Bakery. Their website is http://www.loveyourpetbakery.com and they have a lot of different kinds of frozen raw foods. What I really like is that a) their stuff is all-natural so there are no preservatives or anything b) they also sell bones so your dog can get their needed calciums and c) they also sell treats that my guys really love!

[InkedMarie]

Hi Pat,
Regarding her being picky, practice Tough Love: put the food down, leave for 15 minutes. Pick up what she doesn;t eat & she gets nothing else until the next meal. No treats.
Foods: I’d generally suggest switching brands & types but IMO, you can’t do that until she isn’t picky any longer.

[anonymous]

“Look, I am a complete novice, but it seems the common sense approach is one you have already taken-go back to the iams. If that resolves the problem, then you know it was the other food that was the cause. If not, then proceed accordingly.”

@ Randy D
Apparently, the food changes are not working.
The dermatologist (that treats my dog) told me that most of the time pruritus (itching) is caused by environmental allergies.
The OP’s last post indicates that the dog is still very uncomfortable.
“It’s been 4 days back on his previous food and he’s definitely still itching.”
If it was my dog, depending on the severity of the symptoms, I might take the dog to the vet for a shot of prednisone to stop the suffering.

This is not veterinary advise; consult your veterinarian.

[pitlove]

Hi Clare-

Most of what you are seeing is due to a few things. One is being a puppy, 2 is being an Aussie puppy which is a working breed designed to herd and 3 is lack of exercise.

None of these things require treats to work out, so you can eliminate them. Biting can be trained out of the dog by saying “Ow!!” when she bites you or is mouthy. No treats needed for that. Eating carpet can be fixed by replacing carpet (right when you see her going after it) with approperiate chew toys like Kongs and also by increasing exercise. A tired dog is a good dog. Barking may also be taken care of with more exercise. Also if you are not already, I would be kennel training her so that when you leave the house she can safely be in a kennel and there is no risk of her going after the carpet when you’re not around.

At 12 weeks they are just now beginning to understand what you expect from them. It may take a little longer to getting her potty habits under control, but once she is not getting so many treats that will help a lot. As far as growth goes, she can only grow so much for her breed, but she can become overweight which is the main problem. Google the Purina Body Condition Score and use that as a guide to keep track of her weight and make sure she is not getting heavy.

Treats should be given for really really important training like stay, recall, sit, down, leave it, not jumping. Things that you really want to reinforce, because they are important for good behavior and safety (recalling to you for example can save her life if shes running toward the road).

[Clare M]

Hi,
Our mini-Aussie (12 weeks old) goes absolutely crazy so we have to train her a lot to stop unwanted behavior (barking, eating carpet, biting us). She does have a meal time (which we use to train her). We are having to give her so many treats (use her food for a lot of it) for training. I feel like she is being fed way too much. I’m afraid of growing too much, but i’m not sure if that is really a medical issue for dogs her size or just large breeds? The vets office couldn’t answer if there is a good growth rate (about .1-.2 lbs growth every day). Also, because she is eating all of the time, we do not have a predictable potty schedule.

Questions: Should their potty schedule be very predictable at this age?
How to manage caloric intake when treating/feeding all the time to stop unwanted behavior?

Thanks for your recommendations, no talking down to people please.

[anonymous]

Below is an article copied minus pictures.

If you are able to access the link, there are 183 comments, so you may find something helpful.

A New Treatment for Dogs Scared by Thunder and Fireworks
By Jan Hoffman June 28, 2016 2:30 am
It is entirely possible that no one dreads the dog days of summer more than dogs themselves.
Sodden heat gathers itself into sudden barrages of pounding thunder, crackling lightning and pane-rattling rain. Drives dogs crazy, all that noise.
And then, on the Fourth of July: fireworks.
By some estimates, at least 40 percent of dogs experience noise anxiety, which is most pronounced in the summer. Animal shelters report that their busiest day for taking in runaway dogs is July 5.
Veterinarians tell of dogs who took refuge in hiding places so tight that they got stuck, who gnawed on door handles, who crashed through windows or raced into traffic — all desperate efforts to escape inexplicable collisions of noise and flashing light. Ernie, a wired-hair pointer, was so terrified by thunderstorms that he would vault fences at his Maryland farm and run in a straight line for miles.
“It’s very serious,” said Dr. Melissa Bain, an associate professor of clinical animal behavior at the University of California, Davis, School of Veterinary Medicine. “It’s a true panic disorder with a complete flight response.”
Over the years, a mishmash of remedies for noise anxiety have sprung up: homeopathic blends; a calming pheromone; CDs of thunderstorms mixed with Beethoven; swaddling jackets ; even Prozac and Valium. But this month, the first drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration for canine noise aversion (a term encompassing mild discomfort to phobia) came on the market. The drug, Sileo, inhibits norepinephrine, a brain chemical associated with anxiety and fear response.
In the coming days, the annual onslaught of calls will pour into vets: “‘The fireworks are happening and my dog will freak out, so I need something to stop that, and I need it right now!’” Dr. Bain said.
Some vets prescribe strong sedatives, but even if the immediate crisis is averted, the underlying phobia remains untreated.
Being startled by a loud noise is normal, for dogs as well as humans. But these dogs cannot settle back down. Even if most reactions are not as extreme as the dog who tears out its nails while frantically scratching a door, many dogs will cower, pace and defecate indoors.
Cats can have noise aversion, though reports are less common. Animal behavior experts say cats often seem more self-reliant and understated than dogs, so when they hide under beds during storms, owners may not read that response as unusual.
Veterinary behaviorists say that as years pass, dogs with noise aversion may associate one sensation with another: storm-phobic tremors can be set off merely by dark clouds.
And thunderstorms are complicated beasts. “There are significant pressure changes, frantic winds, massive electrical discharges, concussive sounds: Dogs can hear above and below our auditory range,” said Dr. Peter H. Eeg, a veterinarian in Poolesville, Md., who has been reporting Sileo results in patients to Zoetis, the company that distributes the drug.
Wrigley, a 10-year-old golden retriever in Naperville, Ill., started trembling three hours before a recent storm, said Allene Anderson, a foster caretaker of abandoned dogs.
“She was desperate to climb down my throat,” Ms. Anderson said. “I got down on the floor with her, and she clawed me. She couldn’t get close enough.” After the storm passed, Wrigley quaked for hours.
“If owners don’t understand what’s going through the dog’s mind,” Ms. Anderson said, “they shout and throw them in the basement. That just makes it worse.”
Countless other noises set off dogs: jackhammers, lawn mowers, coffee grinders. One vet said that even garments designed to cocoon dogs in a secured wrap can irritate some by the sound of Velcro flaps being ripped apart. A toddler’s shrieks freaked out Winnie, an Indiana bulldog; her owner, Dr. Sara L. Bennett, a veterinary behaviorist, taught Winnie to relax with yoga breaths.
During a thunderstorm two years ago, Rebecca Roach was awakened at 3 a.m. by Stella, her 6-year-old miniature Australian shepherd, clambering on her chest, panting, whining and shaking.
“My instinct was to comfort her,” said Ms. Roach, who lives in Boyds, Md. “so I held her until the storm passed.”
But behavior specialists disagree about whether owners should comfort animals. Dr. Daniel S. Mills, a veterinarian at the University of Lincoln in England who is an expert on canine noise aversion, suggests that owners “acknowledge the dog but not fuss over it. Then show that the environment is safe and not compatible with threat, by playing around and seeing if the dog wants to join you. But don’t force it. Let it make a choice.”
Other experts say that soothing a spooked animal, bred to seek safety with its human, is just fine. “You can’t reinforce anxiety by comforting a dog,” Dr. Bain said. “You won’t make the fear worse. Do what you need to do to help your dog.”
Other tips include muffling noise with quiet music and, if possible, staying with the dog in a windowless, interior room. Because a dog’s flight response is on overload, it is seeking a haven.
For years, veterinarians treated noise phobia with acepromazine, a tranquilizer. It sedates the dog but is not an anti-anxiety medication. During a thunderstorm, the dog can still see and hear everything. But like someone having a nightmare in which he or she cannot run from danger, the frightened dog can’t move to escape. So veterinary behaviorists say that acepromazine can exacerbate noise aversion.
Some dogs function better with Prozac, but as with humans, the daily medicine takes four to six weeks to become effective.
Stella was impervious to prescriptions. During thunderstorm season, she and Ms. Roach lost hours of sleep. Ms. Roach tried positive reinforcement: When Stella’s symptoms would begin, she would be given treats from the night stand.
“Then Stella started climbing on my chest at 3 a.m., whimpering, whining and looking at the night stand,” Ms. Roach said. “And no thunderstorm! That was the end of that.”
The new canine noise aversion drug, Sileo, is actually a micro-amount of a medication approved as a sedative for minor veterinary procedures —- a flavorless gel, measured in a syringe, that is squeezed between the dog’s cheek and gum and absorbed within 30 minutes.
Orion, the Finnish company that developed it, tested it on several hundred noise-averse dogs during two years of New Year’s fireworks. Three-quarters of the owners rated the dogs’ response as good to excellent; their pets remained unperturbed. The drug lasts several hours, after which another dose can be administered.
A syringe costs about $30 and holds several weight-dependent doses. Sileo’s main side effect, in 4.5 percent of dogs, is vomiting.
“I’m not naïve enough to think this is the miracle cure,” said Dr. Emily Levine, a veterinary behaviorist in Fairfield, N.J. But she considered it a worthy option.
The optimal solution, vets say, is catching the response early, and desensitizing the dog with calibrated recordings of the offending noise, and positive conditioning.
But training takes time, patience and consistency.
“And humans,” Dr. Eeg said, “are one of the most inconsistent species on the planet.”

[anonymous]

In my opinion, his behavior is not related to his diet. Many dogs suffer from anxiety, thunderstorm phobia and separation anxiety. Often there is a genetic component that determines which dogs would be more vulnerable. There are effective medications (prescribed by your vet) to treat this.
I would make an appointment with your vet to have him examined and to discuss medication options. Some dogs only need the meds for a few months or prn (as needed) in conjunction with other treatments, for example “The Thundershirt”.
Don’t be fooled by over the counter meds and supplements (waste of money).
Your dog is becoming aggressive during these episodes, youcould try putting a blanket over him, like a tent, a safe dark place. Refrain from getting “in his face” when he is upset.
Regarding food, I have heard good things about Pro Plan Focus Salmon for sensitive stomachs.

Excerpt below from https://www.vetary.com/dog/condition/thunderstorm-phobia
Diagnosis of Thunderstorm Phobia in Dogs
As this is a situational issue, your veterinarian will rely heavily on history and your observations of your dogs’ behavior during storms for a diagnosis (unless your appointment just happens to coincide with a thunderstorm). They can do some in-office tests to check the dogs’ fear response to noises and other unusual stimuli. Your veterinarian will also likely do a quick physical exam to ensure the dog has not harmed itself or experienced any physiological complications from the intense fear reaction.
Treatment of Thunderstorm Phobia in Dogs
Dogs should begin treatment as soon as this problem is recognized, as it will only get worse as they age. Your veterinarian can recommend a course of behavior modification and desensitization to lessen your dog’s anxiety during thunderstorms. Playing the sound of storms at a quiet level while giving the dog treats has been known to work in some cases. As the dog remains relaxed and has a pleasant association, the volume can be increased, and treats continued until they are no longer fearful of loud noises.
Your veterinarian may determine that your dog could benefit from anti-anxiety medications or a sedative to be used when a thunderstorm is eminent. Some owners have also had success with dog “wraps” that can comfort the dog by giving them a sense of being swaddled in a protective way. These products are available through many retail outlets and can even have the bonus of offering your dog protection from a static buildup in their fur.

This is not veterinary advice; consult your veterinarian.

[Susan]

Hi Simon,
I really think your looking into the diet thing way too much, looks like the fireworks stressed him out big time, my boy is the same, I hate New Years Eve with all the fireworks……Sounds like your poor little dog couldn’t get a break today….. I’ve seen my boy have a few bad luck days, where he just doesn’t get a break….. When your boy is stressing out having an anxiety attack, calm him down, pick him up & pat him around his head & ears, playing softly with their ears gives them a calming feeling & relaxes them, treat him like he’s your baby, you wouldn’t put a little baby in a windowless basement if he was crying & stressing out, you may have a very nervous dog, most small dogs are nervous. I have a very nervous cat, I have to calm her down & tell her it’s OK, stop stressing out it’s OK & hold her & pat her head, then I reward her with some treats, just a few kibble biscuits she normally eats & she forgets what’s stressing her out as soon as she see’s me getting her food container.. also grab his favorite ball & play with him so he forgets about the fireworks or what ever noise has stressed him out. There’s a supplement called ”
… Sometimes when a dog feels better when eating a new food they will be more hyper & play more that’s a good thing, I love it when Patch plays & act like a nut, it means he feels good & isn’t sick with his IBD….
I feed “Canidea” Pure Wild + TOTW… Which Canidae formula are you feeding & did you take 7-10days to slowly introduce the new Canidae formula?… when poos start going sloppy when introducing a new kibble stop adding the new kibble & add more of the old kibble for a couple of days then start adding the new kibble again, if your boy has a sensitive stomach give “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb a try, it’s a single protein kibble with just Lamb Meal & has limited ingredients, single protein & limited ingredients are best to feed a dog with a sensitive stomach…My boy does real well on the TOTW Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb formula, it’s my go to food when he’s having a IBD flare & I get him all well again….
If his poo’s don’t firm up on the Canidae, the read what are the ingredients are, what fat %, Fiber % & protein % is & keep a diary…..

[Claudia D]

Get the Facts! Raw Pet Food Diets can be Dangerous to You and Your Pet

In a two-year study spanning from October 2010 through July 2012, the FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) screened over 1,000 samples of pet food for bacteria that can cause foodborne illnesses.1 (The illnesses are called “foodborne” because the bacteria are carried, or “borne,” in or on contaminated food.) The study showed that, compared to other types of pet food tested, raw pet food was more likely to be contaminated with disease-causing bacteria.
The Pet Food Study

Raw pet food was not included in the first year of the study. In the second year, CVM expanded the study to include 196 samples of commercially available raw dog and cat food. The center bought a variety of raw pet food online from different manufacturers and had the products shipped directly to six participating laboratories.2 The raw pet food products were usually frozen in tube-like packages and made from ground meat or sausage.
The participating laboratories analyzed the raw pet food for harmful bacteria, including Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes. In past projects, CVM had monitored dog and cat food for the presence of Salmonella. But before this study, the center “had not investigated the occurrence of Listeria in pet food,” said Renate Reimschuessel, a veterinarian at CVM’s Office of Research and one of the study’s principal investigators. Dr. Reimschuessel further noted that “quite a large percentage of the raw foods for pets we tested were positive for the pathogen Listeria monocytogenes.” (Pathogens are disease-causing germs, like some bacteria. Not all bacteria are harmful pathogens, though. Some bacteria are helpful to people and animals, such as those that live in the intestines and contribute to a healthy gut.)

Of the 196 raw pet food samples analyzed, 15 were positive for Salmonella and 32 were positive for L. monocytogenes (see Table 1).

Table 1: Number and type of pet food samples that tested positive for Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes (Years 1 & 2)
Type of Pet Food Sample No. samples tested No. positive for Salmonella No. positive for L. monocytogenes
Raw pet food 196 15 32
Dry exotic pet food* 190 0 0
Jerky-type treats† 190 0 0
Semi-moist dog food‡ 120 0 0
Semi-moist cat food‡ 120 0 0
Dry dog food§ 120 0 0
Dry cat food§ 120 1 0
* Non-cat and non-dog food, such as dry pellets for hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, amphibians, and birds.
† Included chicken jerky product, pig ears, and bully stick-type products.
‡ Typically packaged in pouches for retail sale, such as (1) pouched dog and cat food; and
(2) food treats shaped like bacon, fish, pork chops, and burgers.
§ Included pellet- or kibble-type food typically packaged in bags for retail sale.
Note: CVM did not collect or test canned and wet pet food samples in this study.

Based on the study’s results, CVM is concerned about the public health risk of raw pet food diets. As Dr. Reimschuessel explained, the study “identified a potential health risk for the pets eating the raw food, and for the owners handling the product.” Owners who feed their pet a raw diet may have a higher risk of getting infected with Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes.
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Because raw pet food is more likely than other types of pet food to contain Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes, the single best thing you can do to prevent infection is to not feed your pet a raw diet

Pet Food Recalls

Both cooked and raw pet food products are recalled for various reasons, including the presence of Salmonella and Listeria monocytogenes. For a list of recalled pet food and the reason for the recall, please see CVM’s Recalls & Withdrawals Web page.
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Resources for You

Get the Facts about Salmonella!
Get the Facts about Listeria!
Avoid the Dangers of Raw Pet Food
Pet Food
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1 Nemser S, Reimschuessel, R. Food Emergency Response Network (FERN) disclaimer icon Microbiology Cooperative Agreement Program (MCAP), FDA Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) Special Project: Pet food testing for selected microbial organisms. Final Report 2010-2012. The study was conducted by FDA CVM’s Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN), in collaboration with FERN MCAP laboratories. The journal citation is Nemser S, Doran T, et al. Investigation of Listeria, Salmonella, and Toxigenic Escherichia coli in Various Pet Foods. Foodborne Pathog Dis 2014;11:706-709.
2 Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; Michigan Department of Agriculture; Minnesota Department of Agriculture; North Carolina Department of Agriculture; Ohio Department of Agriculture; and Washington Department of Agriculture.

[Susan]

Hi Tiffany, yeasty ears can be from an ingredient your dog is sensitive too & you haven’t eliminated it from her diet yet even thought you have changed kibbles there may be any ingredient she is very sensitive too, here’s a link “Facts & Myths Yeast Dermatitis” written by 2 Dermatologist Karen Helton Rhodes, have you seen a Dermatologist yet??
http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/blog/2015/9/8/facts-myths-about-yeast-dermatitis-in-dogs scroll down & read the section about “CARF” Cutaneous Adverse Reaction Food

I would start a raw elimination diet this way she isn’t eating a dry kibble & isn’t eating the same ingredients that’s in most dry kibbles, my boy can NOT eat carrots he starts shaking his head, scratching his ears, ripping at his ears 20mins after eating a meal that had carrots also chicken is another ingredient my boy reacts too badly…..

I rescued a 5mth old kitten that had a real bad mite infestation the RSPCA treated her ears killed the mites but then when I adopted her she was still shacking & scratching her ears, I took her back to RSPCA vet & they did ear scrap & she had bad infection from the mites, so they gave me drops to put in her ears twice a day & I had to come back in 1 week, another ear scrap & she still had ear infection so I had to continue with the antibiotic ear drops twice a day for another week, she was eating Hills Kitten dry food at the time, the Hills Kitten kibble was given to me when I adopted her, after 6 vet visits & antibiotic ear drops & ear cleaners the infection cleared up but she still had itchy skin & would scratch whole body, so I stopped the Hills dry kibble & tried a grain free Wellness Kitten kibble she was still scratching then I started her on a pre made raw cat diet & Ziwi Peak air dried raw Mackerel & Lamb 2 weeks later NO MORE scratching & ripping at her ears & skin…. Stop feeding dry kibble, either feed a raw diet with 1 single novel protein source or try a Freeze dry raw with just 1 novel protein a protein she hasn’t eaten before Rabbit, Kangaroo, Lamb, Pork, Ziwi Peak has their air dried raw or wet tin food raw
If this doesn’t help after 2months no treats no other foods except her raw or freeze dried diet, then book to see a Dermatologist & tell the Dermatologist what you have tried….
It might be environment allergies but I doubt it, ears are normally food related…..
Good-Luck it would be very uncomfortable for her…

[crazy4cats]

Yeah, it bothered me a lot when they told me which teeth they were. It makes me think of the abominable snowman on Rudolph! Lol! He’s eating and doing just fine without! I bought some of the Hill’s oral care kibble to give the cats as treats after they eat their meals. They are huge and require a lot of chewing. Hopefully, they help some. Pretty tough to find time to catch and brush four cats teeth!

Glad Boone is back to normal.

[John T]

Kathy, Please stay away from Blue Buffalo. Do your homework and you will see they are just BAD!! They even admitted to lying! http://iheartdogs.com/breaking-news-blue-buffalo-admits-to-lying-about-ingredients-here-is-why-you-should-care/

Eight years ago, thousands of dogs and cats died after being poisoned by tainted food. The world’s biggest pet food companies pulled more than 100 different products from store shelves. There’s still no official death toll from the Great Pet Food Recall, because the government doesn’t track animal deaths. But experts estimate at least 8,000 pets died.

For Blue , the carnage was an opportunity. In just five years, the company, which boasted of its “natural, healthy” products, had become one of the pet food industry’s most powerful players. Its rise was no small feat in a heavily concentrated industry — Mars Petcare and Nestle Purina together control about half of global sales, according to data from the trade publication Petfood Industry.

Blue Buffalo deployed a robust advertising budget to portray its products as more nutritious than those of its shoddy “big name” competitors — a term it has used frequently in commercials. As the recalls dominated headlines, Blue Buffalo ran a new ad campaign online and in newspapers, informing concerned consumers its products were a safe alternative to those that had been taken off the shelves.

For a while, the ads appeared to bolster the company’s image. But in late April — more than a month after its competitors had faced the music — Blue Buffalo acknowledged similar problems with one production run of its kitten food. A week later, the company expanded its recall to include all of its canned dog food, an entire line of canned cat food and treats it had marketed as “health bars.”

Blue Buffalo’s story is about more than one company’s advertising excess. It represents almost everything wrong with the pet food business, and just how little the industry and the government agencies that oversee it have changed since the most catastrophic pet food safety event in modern history. It’s a story with clear implications for human food safety, and serves as a warning for other sectors of the American economy where outgunned regulators are struggling to keep pace with global supply chains that grow more complex by the day.

[Christine S]

My 12 year old golden was hospitalized for pancreatitis in January. Blood tests and ultrasound also showed an infected gall bladder; it was twice its normal size. She was treated with Enroflaxacin, Metronidazole and Ursodiol with 20 mg Famotidine 2 x a day and put on a strict GI diet. I’ve been giving her Purina EN Gastroenteric and Hills ID GI Chicken and Vegetable Stew, 4 meals per day. The vet said we should just keep her on that to ensure pancreatitis doesn’t return. Ultrasound and blood tests since then show she has recovered and indicate that she’s got no other issues, except we can’t see the stomach. The thing is, I noticed that between a half-hour to 2 hours after eating, she starts panting and yawns. She also bow stretches several times throughout the day. I can tell she’s uncomfortable but she doesn’t vocalize and she always looks forward to eating. She’s also gotten pretty sluggish on our walks. Until the pancreatitis she would always trot and I could barely keep up with her, and I walk fast. Now she’ll trot some then slow down to a crawl and walk with her mouth open, I can hear her huffing so I think she’s uncomfortable. We’ve tried several times to treat with omeprazole including liquid Carafate, but she got diarrhea so we stopped it. This last time we got her on 8 days of the omeprazole before the diarrhea hit. The vet now thinks the diarrhea is a food intolerance to something in her diet. So it would have to be one or both the GI foods, or the boiled chicken we were giving as treats. I’ve since eliminated the chicken, so she’s not getting any treats. I should also add that she’s getting canned food, not kibble because she would pant heavily after the kibble, even when moistened. Anyway, the vet recommended Royal Canin Hydrolized Protein (RCHP). I transitioned her on that over a period of 5 days based on vet’s recommendation. On her 3rd solid day of only RCHP, we opened a can at lunch and noticed it had a fishy smell. Piper started to eat it then suddenly stopped and wouldn’t finish it. Nothing except the severe pancreatitis attack stops her from eating. She always looks forward to eating. I offered some EN and she gladly ate that, so there was something wrong with the RCHP. I opened another can and I thought it smelled ok but my fiancé said it didn’t and wouldn’t let me give her anymore. So I had to get her back on the EN. The thing is it seemed as though it was helping. It seemed like she wasn’t panting as much, and she wasn’t scratching her ears as much or at all which is something I hadn’t really paid much attention to with all the other symptoms. She hasn’t had ear infections and other than biting at her hind ankles occasionally, she doesn’t show signs of allergies. (She doesn’t have fleas.) I read through a ton of responses to other posts and thought I would try Natural Balance LID Duck and Potato, because it wasn’t $5 a can and it had low fat, or so I thought. I didn’t realize that the fat content wasn’t converted like it was for the GI foods, which I learned after reading many of Susan’s posts. I only gave her about 1/4 cup and she really looked uncomfortable after that, I’m guessing due to the fat content. She also had really bad gas. So she’s back on strictly EN until I figure out what to do next. Honestly I’m afraid to try anything else but I really don’t like the ingredients in the vet prescription diets and she’s been on them since January. I don’t see us cooking her food and I have some reservations about going back to raw given the possibility of inviting bad bacteria into the mix. My other concern is should I give her antacids or not? A dog that doesn’t make enough stomach acid can have the same symptoms as one with too much stomach acid. The vet said it would be rare for her not to have enough stomach acid and thinks we should try the omeprazole again. I’d like to know she needs it before giving it to her because it seemed like it would make her more lethargic. Is there a test without having to scope her? I thought about trying a novel protein but would have to go with goat or kangaroo as she’s eaten just about everything else, in every form, due to our other dog being an extremely picky eater (a Hovawart.) I would love to hear your suggestions, or any ideas you have based on her symptoms. Treating GI issues really is difficult, especially when you’re the only one in the house that thinks her panting and yawning are signs of discomfort!!

[InkedMarie]

Deborah: *you* own this dog, not the vet. That means that *you* choose the food. Lots of dogs are “all about food” but they can only eat what the humans give them.

Some foods to look at are Annamaet Lean & Wellness Core Reduced fat. You may need to order Annamaet online; Wellness is easier to find.

Watch the treats. You can use some of his food ration for treats, fresh green beans and a few carrots (very few). Lots of exercise too.

[anonymous]

Depends on the area you live in and what the veterinarian who treats your dog prefers.
Btw: It is best to buy heartworm/flea/tick preventives from your vet’s office rather than online, for a bunch of reasons.

[Soph M]

Hey guys! As some of you know, I feed only homecooked food and treats to my dog. Everything that I give her is all natural. I am hesitant to use chemical Heartworm prevention this year because I hate putting pesticides into her. In the past I have used HeartGard with no problems, but I’m really scared to give it to her after learning about what is in it. Do any of you have any recommendations? Have you guys found any natural preventatives that seem to work?