[Lisa P]

My 12-year-old toy poodle has had to have surgery twice for bladder stones: once in June 2015 and again in January 2016. I am now resolved that I cannot feed him treats anymore, and will have to feed him special food. My vet recommended Purina ProPlan NF prescription food and wants me to keep him on it. That’s fine, I don’t mind the expense, but I just want to make sure that’s safe for him to eat all the time. I’ve heard that you’re NOT supposed to feed them the prescription diet for extended periods of time. Help?!?

[Sadie’s Mom]

Thank you for all the help everyone!

I used the dog food calculator on here to calculate how much Sadie should be eating and have been feeding her accordingly ever since. She gets no treats right nowexcept for her glucosamine supplement. We do our best to get her daily walk in but with the cooler weather it isn’t always possible because her back flares up. She just isn’t losing weight like she should be. I think I will go ahead and do all the testing to make sure there isn’t an underlying problem causing the weight gain.

[Pitlove]

Hi Sadie’s Mom-

In regards to your question to me, there are a couple things you could try until Tuesday. If its her back maybe elevate her food dish so she doesn’t have to bend over to eat causing pain to her back. If its the tooth, soft food like canned wet food would be a really good option for encouraging her to eat and maybe giving the tooth a break. Just because the vet doesn’t think its a big deal, doesn’t mean its not! I was in a car accicent in ’12 and the EMT’s thought I had a sprain in my wrist, turned out to be broken! The tooth really could be more of an issue than the vet thinks just from talking over the phone. First thing I would definitely try (because of her back) is finding a way to lift her food dish.

Edit: And yes El Doctor is certainly right when he mentioned keeping her lean. Especially with Sadie being a Dachshund and all the back/hip problems they are known for, keeping her at a healthy weight is critical. Make sure you are feeding her for the weight she should be and not current weight. Not too many treats either!

• This reply was modified 9 years, 10 months ago by Pitlove.

[JeffreyT]

Hi minnie-mama, congratulations! Havanese is a great breed, very much like maltese, which I have.

Here’s some good information on the importance of a rotational diet. I changed my pups’ diet a few days after they came home and used probiotics, enzymes and pumpkin to avoid stomach issues, and still use first two for good digestion and to keep their immune systems strong.
/frequently-asked-questions/diet-rotation-for-dogs/

Dr. Karen Becker’s newsletter gives excellent nutritional advice, and I use the Mercola enzymes, probiotics, krill oil and multi vitamin she recommends. Mercola also makes a natural flea and tick repellent that is the best smelling one I’ve used, and it works.
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/07/21/13-pet-foods-ranked-from-great-to-disastrous.aspx

I highly recommend the book Scared Poopless to help avoid cancer and other diseases later on. The author’s website is loaded with helpful advice on avoiding vaccine overdose (especially important for small dogs), and how to do heart worm meds safely.
http://www.dogs4dogs.com/

Mine get a variety of the five star freeze dried and dehydrated foods (all you have to do is add water) with some home prepared meals using Dr. Harvey’s premix and organic meat already made from Whole Foods. Their main meal consists of these foods, and at night they get a light meal of dry and a topper like lean meat, egg yolk, yogurt, cottage cheese, goat cheese, a sprinkle of parmesan, a sardine from the can or ground salad or vegetables (never feed onion). As long as you keep toppers and treats under 20% of their daily intake, the diet will stay balanced.

I always get grain-free and gmo-free foods. Their favorite dry foods are air dried like Ziwi Peak, Real Meat Food Co, Only Natural Max Air Dried and Wellness Core Air Dried. Some of the better kibble foods that my picky ones have eaten are Petcurean Go Now, Farmina, Amicus and Wellness Trufood Baked. You can call the companies to get samples, and make sure to get the small breed puppy formula. I always buy the smallest bags, and do not keep food over one month because it starts to go rancid.

The treats they go crazy for are Stella and Chewys, Orijen, Lakse Kronch Wild Salmon, Primal and Dogs for the Earth. Dogs for the Earth also makes an organic food that they love.

Make sure to avoid synthetic shampoos and other toxic products. Earthbath puppy is a good one that is non-toxic. For face, when mine were puppies, I used Castle Bath which is a non-toxic face cleaner and powder to keep faces clean and avoid tear stains….cotton baby washcloths work best with this. Baby shampoo from the healthy food store is also good for faces. Avoid drug store brands because they’re loaded with toxic chemicals.
http://www.castlebaths.com/tear-stain-remover.html

Before I got my maltese I joined an online maltese forum where I learned a lot about food, training and grooming… you may want to consider one for Havanese.

Good luck!

[crazy4cats]

Hi-
I totally understand. I have four cats. One of them is almost 17 and needs TLC. I try to sneak her extra food and treats to help keep her weight up. Even when I hide in the bathroom with the fan running to get her extras, there are three other cats at the door when I open it begging. Lol! They absolutely do NOT need any extra calories.

If you have a nearby Costco, that might be your best bet. The N/D canned turkey stew is the best value. However, you have to buy a case of 24. The cans end up being only about 80 cents each. You would easily be able to return it if it didn’t work out. Canned food is less processed and moisture rich and would be IMO beneficial for all your pups.

[Sadie’s Mom]

Hello!

I have a 9 year old long haired miniature dachshund named Sadie. Lately she has been eating her food quite enthusiastically for the first couple of days but after that has to be coaxed into eating. She will eventually eat her food, but she doesn’t seem to want to. She is overweight but has always been a good eater. No vomiting, no diarrhea, drinking and acting normal. She might have a tooth problem but that is going to be looked at next week. So far she has ended up refusing (or having to be coaxed into eating) Pedigree, Purina, Texas Pets, Wellness, Wellness CORE, Blue Buffalo, and now Taste of the Wild. I always do the slow introduction of a new food, and none of the food had any signs of being bad or rotten. What could be causing this? She doesn’t get human food, doesn’t get many treats, and gets a daily walk for exercise. I’m at a loss as to what to do. My other dogs eat the leftover food so it isn’t wasted but my wallet is taking a hit from the constant battle to find a food she will eat for more than 3-5 days.

[Greg F]

RRLOVER
I just lost my lengthy reply so I’m going to be more concise. Right now we are trying to get her to eat anything to get her to survive; eating cooked chicken, sweet potatoe and duck treats and ice chips (not drinking either). We were on HK Zeal which is dehydrated grainless fish with 35% protein and 8.5 % fat. When I transitioned in Gramma Lucy’s dehydrate fish and Primal raw venison with more fat and calories she turned worse. I’m not sure it is food related. The new vet thinks her 5 years survival with IBD is much better than most??
Tonight she will only eat very small bits every 2 hours.
If she makes it through this (now also has an extended liver and numbers off the charts high) I will reintroduce the Zeal with more smaller meals. I’m assuming the dehydrated novel protein is beneficial and not detrimental. I just wonder if the fish is novel enough.
Thank you for your suggestions.
Greg

[Amateria]

I’m feeding the lesser hair pieces to the puppy as treats because she loves it, but I guess since it was only $10 because of a $10 off code that maybe I should just trash it, their website is generally very interesting and they mention a lot of good things and the ingredients list looks really good but it seems their food making practises aernt up to par with what they should be, I wish I could ask some of the people buying the food if they also have hairs in it, but I can’t which is too bad.

No I’ve never tried to call them because of my general shyness over the phone but maybe I should just do the best I can and call anyways to find out from them if this is how their food is meant to look, based on a Mercola article I’m reading right now it seems hair is a bad idea to feed specially at such amounts, even if its only as a treat, because dogs tend to ingest enough hairs each day that extra could be dangerous.

[Naturella]

Also maybe try to make kibble (food) interesting by putting it in a Kong, a Tower, or any other kind of a puzzle toy that she has to figure out how to get to the food to eat it. Makes it more interesting and she will think her food are all treats! 🙂

[Shawna]

Yes absolutely Gina, dogs with acute KD can recover but not in every case. While in the acute phase, I misread and thought she was eventually diagnosed with chronic KD, it can be beneficial to feed lower protein. Of course follow your vet’s advice or your gut instincts if you feel it is prudent. Science Diet has two new canned products that are, from what I can tell, far superior to many other products. They are their stews. They can be fed on their own or mixed in with the green tripe if she won’t eat them alone. I definitely would continue the Standard Process Renal Support and other supplements you’ve started.

My friend’s Maltese, Buster, developed acute kidney disease from chicken jerky treats. He survived but did develop CKD. That said, he has lived quite healthfully with the disease for many years now and is still doing well. If you are on Facebook I can link you up to her if interested.

[Carol B]

Thanks to all of you for your responses. Here is what I am thinking:

I just finished reading an excellent book, called “The Dorito Effect”. Very briefly. It’s about the huge number of flavorings and palatants added to processed foods. There is a description of several studies done with farm animals, and a brief discussion of pet foods.

It started me thinking about why my very healthy dog has turned into a poop-eating fiend.
I am feeding a food with no preservatives, additives, or flavorings. Then I had an epiphany. It all started around the time I bought a bag of pepperoni for training treats. I know, I know – I am spending good money on premium dog food and treating them with crap.

Anyway……. I have eliminated everything but their regular food (Solid Gold Barking at the Moon), and I will let you all know if that makes a difference!

If this pans out, I will have a lot of very happy clients!

[Nora L]

It is difficult to ascertain the actual fat percentages of commercial foods (including treats) because producers are not required to divulge this information, and they do not do so voluntarily. Even when they do provide a percentage, it is deceptive because it is by weight, not by calorie. This is the trick that allows milk producers to put “2%” and “low fat” on their labels. They include the water in their calculations. 2% fat milk is actually 35% fat by calorie. So using the same trick, if a pet food producer says their product is 9% fat, it is more likely at least half fat by calorie. That’s not low If my dog had already had pancreatitis, I’d be making sure that I was feeding low fat and the only way to do that is to feed meats that are low fat and/or that you can cut the fat off of. When you buy commercial pet food of any kind, you give up control over the fat content of what you feed. It is also easier on all the digestive organs to feed raw.

[Julie L]

MY dog also has had Pancreatitis, in fact twice. Once they have it they will always be subject to get it again unless you get them on a low fat food. I found Anna Maet Lean and called the company to get the max fat. which is 9%. I’m very happy with this food. Ellie (dog) has to be monitored all the time. I had her boarded since I had to go out of town and gave them the strict instructions on her food. When I got back she had her 2nd bout with Pancreatitis. My dog cannot have any store treats, NONE I make all of her treats. Guess what I’m trying to say is find a very low fat food and don’t ruin it by giving your dog any store treats. Dehydrate chicken breast or boil/pressure cook chicken breast for food topper. Turkey is also a great treat.

[losul]

Interesting theory on the palatibilty enhancers, Dr Carol.

I don’t think this is the one that Aimee referenced, but here is a survey/study that could give insight.

http://www.associationofanimalbehaviorprofessionals.com/boze412010.pdf

At least 50% of my dogs diet is homemade raw, with limited (35%) kibble, but I have had no experience with coprophagia so couldn’t help there.

I found in the the following article in Can Vet, that seems to be relative to what you have asked.

“The dog should be fed a consistent, good quality
diet, high in fat and protein and low in carbohydrate,
with no treats or scraps. Diets high in carbohydrate
tend to enhance the drive to eat stool. The dry food
component of the diet should be reduced and replaced
with a high protein food. Although dry food is generally
a good diet, it has been shown clinically that the
above diet change will often lessen the drive to eat
stool. The addition of vegetable oil (increased slowly
over 7 days, to 15 mL/4.5 kg of body weight/day) is
also helpful. Sufficient food should be given twice
daily, on a regular schedule. Adding the fat and feeding
twice a day helps suppress the appetite for a longer
period, reducing this particular stimulus for stool
eating. Often, a diet change, maintained for 4-8 weeks,
may be all that is required to stop the behavior, in conjunction
with the decreasing strength of the drive as
the animal ages.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1680886/pdf/canvetj00575-0079.pdf

[Suzanne W]

Hi Aimee! Thankyou. Actually, this happened after business hours, so I gave the peroxide to induce vomiting and read up on what they would do. I have not been happy with my vet with 13 visits in 2015 and planned on finding another this year after we get caught up on finances. I am hoping you are correct as the gelcaps are obviously deodorized and tasteless(at least to me) and the label states it as well though soph obviously disagreed. If she should show any signs of hemolytic anemia(I am with her except to take my dog out as I am mostly bedridden) I of course, will take her to emergency care, but don’t want to take her in for blood testing as I read several, actually many sites where supportive care is the treatment. I was a hot mess yesterday after this happened, but feel calmer today objectively thinking that I did make her vomit a couple times. I also read where many people give garlc to dogs(though I wouldn’t) and even some nutritionists recommend this, so I feel a bit better about that. I know that I must watch her for several weeks as well. After this is all said and done I will post an update. I plan to give her additional foods which will increase her production of red blood cells and hopefully ride this out. my vet is open now, so I will call, though I doubt I will take her in unless absolutely necessary since I’ve found out they give antibiotics every time they stub their toe till they are sick from the antibiotics. As trump would say, “bad!” Ok just called vet they were pleased with the peroxide3percent one tsp two different times as she’s ten pounds, and told me signs and symptoms to watch for i.e. Lethargy, weakness, panting, decreased appetite, pale gums, redness, bruising, petechiae, any signs of generalized not feeling well, and to bring her in if she has problems. They said they could draw blood work to see, but thought watching was sufficient at this point, so yay. Liver, sardines, mandarins for Sophie today as treats with her peanut butter cookie treats. Thanks, Aimee and anonymous, I will post if any changes if nothing else to help the next little precious patient!

[Suzanne W]

I took my German shepherd Ida, outside, was gone about five minutes. I was shocked to find my Maltese, Sophie, on the couch with my vitamin supplements and prescription pills! How in the world did she get them off the coffee table and then take them to the couch. She “moved “definitely five and possibly six pills. Ok, there are definitely two possibly three missing. I believe she ate two garlic gelcaps(2000mg garlic bulb), and possibly a caprylic acid gel cap. I was in shock… And anger! It took me about twenty to twenty five minutes to finally give her hydrogen peroxide. I don’t know if it went down so I tried again. After about a total of half hour maximum forty five minutes, she vomited twice, liquid(she had not eaten yesterday before this) bile colored without any gel substance so I saw nothing. I put a garlc gel cap in my mouth and moved it around n my mouth and it was competent dissolved in less than four minutes and did not taste bad. I decided that she may or may not have vomited it up as the substance is clear, odorless to humans that is, and almost tasteless. Hemolytic anemia is a horrible thing and I will watch soph for the next week or two. I was unable to obtain activated charcoal in time and then we couldn’t get it down her. I am disabled, and my husband has been out of work for six months, but found at least part time work the day before so wasn’t home. Before you judge us for not taking her in, we spent three grand in the summer on the dogs vet bills and we’ve spent hundreds more a couple months ago on skin problems with Ida. I’ve read what to watch for, but does anybody know anything I can do to support her or minimize reprecussions of this? I thought more protein, folic acid and supplements, so I gave her a half sardine this am. She’s already on blue buffalo grain free dog food, homemade topper made with different good quality meat and vegetables and fruits appropriate for dogs, and dermis supplement in her food. She gets tiny amounts of homemade treats we make with peanut butter, oatmeal, banana, flourless cookies we and the dogs like! Any advise? Ok I believe treat the patient not the diagnosis. She is acting fine thus far as it has only been 16 hours. Thanks for any help!

[Shawna]

I’ve read research discussing illnesses associated with palatants (specifically MSG and free glutamic acid) but I’ve never heard of them associated with copraphagia. Additionally, several of the supplements given for copraphagia have MSG or a form of free glutamic acid in them. Although they don’t work for all dogs, they do seem to work for some. I’m not sure what other palatants are used in pet foods?

Although I never had copraphagia, 🙂 I did have pica for about 15 or so years. I didn’t have digestive issues of any kind but turns out I had villous atrophy from a caseine sensitivity (I react to both cow and goat dairy products, raw or pasteurized, organic makes no difference either). My blood work was normal however my iron was on the very low side of normal. I also developed slight hypothyroid symptoms but test showed no issues. Anyhoo, I was finally diagnosed at age 39 by a wonderful M.D. who is also a Certified Clinical Nutritionist. She put me on an elimination diet. The only ingredients that jump out at me in Barking at the Moon would be the lectin proteins in the pea protein and the potato. I’ve not seen either of those lectin foods associated with villous atrophy but so much about lectins is still not yet known…?? Treats might be a potential source?

I currently feed commercial raw but used to feed home prepared (my time is limited now). Three of my dogs used to make a game out of eating bunny poo. That completely stopped when I started giving digestive enzymes. I never felt they were necessary in raw fed dogs but those three showed me differently. An adult foster dog came in eating poo. She was also a little over 20 pounds overweight. We got the weight off but no matter what we’ve tried she is a poop eater. She’s been an ideal weight (12 pounds) for several years now (we adopted her) but she still to this day has a snack given the opportunity. She won’t eat all poo though, so I’m assuming my senior dogs are not thoroughly digesting the proteins despite the added enzymes.

I don’t know if any of this is relevant to your pup but thought I’d put it out there.

[C4D]

Hi Alex Woodward, I mean Ed W.

So you’ve made your way on to the forum side. It seems really inappropriate to tear down people on this site, particularly the regulars. I’ve seen many of their posts and I see them regularly suggest, to people that are asking for suggestions, food that is compatible with their price point. I do the same. They generally preface it with the fact that these foods have worked for them and that it might or might not work for their dog(s).

You said: “The vast majority of problems are dreamed up by pet owners in order to try the next latest and greatest product, or just overfeeding or excessive treats. Yes, this is in fact true.” Could you please provide links to back this comment up?

There are many people who have genuine issues with their dogs, myself included in the past, that would like a bit of advice, particularly when whatever they are doing is not working. I wouldn’t consider it an obsession when someone’s dog has ear or skin infections, vomitting, diarrhea, etc. and are going back to the vet several times for the same problem and they start on a merry go round of antibiotics, steroids, etc. In many cases, a change in diet worked wonders and completely cleared the dog(s) issues.

I have many personal friends that work and have worked in the dog world, including myself. They have trained, showed in AKC agility, conformation and field trials. They have finished dogs, dogs with Regional and National Championships. They feed a variety of food, including some who feed raw. None, that I know, are feeding proplan.

If you want to talk about expensive dog food, Royal Canin, which you suggest, is probably the most expensive dog food on the market, making Orijen, which is an expensive dog food, seem cheap by comparison.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 10 months ago by C4D.

[Bobby dog]

The link didn’t show up, trying again:
http://www dot dogfoodadvisor dot com/forums/topic/dental-chews/

Edit: Didn’t show up again for some reason, I’m sure you’ll be able to find it. 😉

If it doesn’t post this time go to the forum home page, select dog treats, then about half way down that page select the topic “dental chews” started by Hav mom. You can also use the search option on the forum home page for other threads on dental chews.

[Leslie C]

I know a little bit about seizures as I have had two dogs, a Bernese Mountain Dog and a Golden Retriever that did not live together and both had seizures. The Golden we bought as a puppy after the first Berner female died. I did a lot of research on the breeds and the issue of seizures. Bernese Mountain Dogs are prone to seizures as they age, Goldens are not. And no one knows what that means, prone to, or why. We believe that initially, the Berner had a brain tumor or cancer that travelled to her brain. I was using a regular vet who just put her on anti seizure meds that really didn’t help. No seizures, no personality, she only lived a month after we put her on the meds. As a puppy she never had seizure, therefor, we knew that she was not epileptic. Epilepsy is diagnosed before or around two years of age. The Golden was having seizures that were probably unrelated to his diagnosis, osteo-carcenoma (bone cancer) which he got at nine. He actually lived another year after he was diagnosed- usually the diagnoses is six months. Since he lived way beyond his prescribed “end”, probably because I was cooking human grade food, and because of the attention he got from his family, at his last visit to the vet they believed that perhaps tumors form elsewhere in his body may have metastasized to his brain. He got real bad real fast only in his last ten days. So I think the food was a big part of lengthening his life, making him happy and giving him the best quality nutrition, and sometimes there is just nothing else you can do. Heavy meds do not make a happy dog. He died Spring of 2015. My current Bernese Mountain Dog (unrelated, but from the same breeder as the other dog) has had four unpredictable seizures in the last year and a half. I thought at first that it might have been from the dry food because of the Golden’s seizures. I got rid of the enormous cookies (Pro-Pet) we got from Agway with our grain and hay deliveries. The dogs liked coming to the barn and chowing down on big bones. Its very odd though, his blood work was good, especially for a 9 year old Berner. My vet is a holistic vet, who gives our dogs (we have a Wheaten too) supplements to help them maintain an effective system. (Like vitamins). They are also regular vets that give shots and operate, and they absolutely believe that foods can be toxic to pets. Especially poor brands of pet food. (Look at what the first ingredient is on the label). HOWEVER, more toxic are the many unnecessary shots that they give. Really. The puppy shots and rabies (every several years depending on the dogs age) are necessary, but there are many other shots that you can ask your vet to omit. In addition, you are worried about cleaning products? If you’re okay, your dog should be okay, but you never know. I think that lawn products, stuff on the sidewalk, stuff that your dog can lick off his paws and get sick from are real problems. I am trying to find out if any of the dry foods I feed them have caused seizures or something else. The now get Merrick and Blue, and Blue Dog Bakery biscuits. Has anyone said anything about Milk Bone? (I think the UPS delivery guys give them Milk Bone when the drop boxes off). But really, I find it easy to cook for them, making chicken or fish for the family, I just make extra. We also have chickens so they get a lot of eggs, those small carrots, peas, cooked yams, apples, and even plain yogurt. If you know where it came from and if your eating it yourself its safe. Allergies are another story. I hope this helped a little bit… And please, if anyone discovered more about this bizarre and mysterious seizure conundrum, or about the dog foods and treats I listed above, please post!!

[aquariangt]

I work with performance dogs, and im not sure any of my clients feed any of those three brands. In fact, someone i work with-her dog got selected to be on proplan treats. She got a bunch of them, her dog is advertised as a “Purina ProPlan Dog” but she feeds raw. /shrug

[Ed W]

The new malady seems to be pet owner obsession with pet foods. Being a victim of marketing, the quest for the “perfect” list of ingredients and paying through the nose to get them. As part of this, regular forum members that have crowned themselves as “experts” that will stop at nothing to provide even medical advice.

The vast majority of problems are dreamed up by pet owners in order to try the next latest and greatest product, or just overfeeding or excessive treats. Yes, this is in fact true.

My advice is just buy an easily available food like Pro Plan and find something better to do with your time. Stop being a sucker for upstart companies with no expertise in making pet food.

• This topic was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by Ed W.

[Dan H]

By far our favorite healthy dog treats are from wet noses. The dogs love ’em. They’re organic, no GMO and all local (northwest US) ingredients. We are as paranoid about our dog treats as we are about the meal itself. Highly recommended. Check them out and decide for yourself!

[crazy4cats]

Hi Becky A-
It seems like you are feeding about the right amount unless there are treats being added as well. Those can add up fast especially with a smaller dog. Has he had a blood test to check his thyroid levels? Some dogs are prone to hypothyroidism.

If it is a case where you are feeding treats in addition to his one cup of food per day, you might want to switch to a food with less calories. The Acana has over 400 calories per cup. I feed lower calorie food with low to moderate fat to keep my dogs weight under control because they didn’t want me feeding them less! Lol!

[anonymously]

Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea is grain free, no chicken, no potato. I find feeding measured amounts twice a day and increasing walks/exercise to at least 1 hour a day will result in weight loss. All bets are off if you free feed. Keep treats to a minimum.

[Angela B]

Dogs are like children, they can become spoiled. Mine are absolutely rotten but I have tried desperately to feed them right. My husband feeds my furbabies treats for any reason. I like to treat them about once a day or if they have done something really good. My point is, once a dog has become spoiled it is really hard to break some of the habits. We too adopted an Australian Cattle Dog. She is 5 years old. When she got here the only thing we could get her to eat was treats. Hers was not a matter of being spoiled. She was a breeder dog her whole life. She is now part of a family but it took about a week for her to start eating her food. We do free feed in our house. We have never had any problem with it. All of our dogs will come in and get a couple of bites and move on. None of our dogs are pigs. I put down 4cups of food a day. There are generally left overs to start the next day. If your dog never does eat straight dog food don’t despair, it won’t hurt her.

[Angela B]

Her teeth are perfect as far as all of her baby teeth have been replaced by Adult teeth and they are in proper location. They also have no tartar build up that I can see, pretty white teeth. She does have foul breath and has since she lost the puppy breath.she is happy and healthy. The only complaint I have is she seems to have trouble chewing hard food and treats. I have to buy small bites food and with treats we have to break them up really small or she will just leave it. She is a true mini at 7 lbs. My male is a tweenie at 12 lbs. He has no trouble eating anything.

[Olivia]

My puppy is now almost 6 months. He is a corgi, and his name is Thumper. I’m a bit new to all of this, and I want to be sure my little guy has a healthy diet and is properly nourished. I am just seeking general advice, especially from fellow corgi owners. What’s the best dog food, treats, supplements? How do I ensure he’s getting all the vitamins, protein, etc in his diet? Should I consider getting him a probiotic? Any and all tips and advice are greatly appreciated!

[Susan]

Hi Misha, I also live Australia, so you must shop at “Pet Barn” they are the only ones that carry the Wellpet brand Wellness, Holistic Select & Eagle Pack..

Have you looked at K-9 Natural freeze dried you just add water, Pet Barn sells K-9 Natural its in a packet… http://www.k9natural.com/product-information/dog-food-range-au.html scroll down to Freeze Dried then click on Lamb, Beef, Venison, Tripe, what ever one you want to see ingredients, K-9 Natural is fresh & your dog will love it, all natural & works out cheaper then wet tin foods also if you have a cat there’s Feline Natural excellent for cats…

Another one is Ziwi Peak, Pet Barn does not carry Ziwi Peak no more, it’s expensive but you can still buy online contact Ziwi Peak & ask for some of their air dried samples, Venison & Fish, Venison, Lamb or Beef & use their samples as treats…. http://www.ziwipeak.com/moist-dog-food-ziwipeak-daily-dog-moist-cuisine/

There’s Black Hawk wet tin food….Pet Barn carry the kibble but not their wet tin food yet, Pet Stock carries the whole Black Hawk range Wet & Dry…
http://www.blackhawkpetcare.com.au/grain-free-dog

At the Supermarket Woolworths & Coles have “V.I.P Natures Goodness” all natural grain free wet tin foods & dry…have a look at all their flavours,…. Chicken, Duck with garden veggies….. Kangaroo, Sweet potatoes & green beans……Beef stew, carrots & potatoes

If you feed kibble “Meals For Mutts” is for dogs with skin & food Sensitivities, its gluten, dairy & sugar free, Meals For Mutts has a few natural treats, their kangaroo Disc, Lamb Tripe & Carnavore, a few people have asked Meals For Mutts are they bringing out a natural gluten, dairy, sugar free wet tin food & they have said yes…

Visit this site “Pet Food Reviews” & you’ll get an idea of all the pet food names we have in Australia, then you can google them & look at their ingredients…. http://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/dry-dog-food/

I hope this helps, after I looked & looked for a good natural wet tin food & some of the prices… $4.30 for a tin of Wellness Core, Patch would need 3 tins a day & it didn’t smell that great, just looked like swollen kibble in a can with gravy….. I cook now & freeze meals, its cheaper & I know it’s FRESH…. the only wet tin foods that were really worth the money & smelt fresh was the K-9 Natural freeze dry, the V.I.P Natural Goodness grain free wet tin that was OK smelt & looked just like the Black Hawk grain free wet tin food…. I have never bought the Ziwi Peak wet tin, $6 a tin… I have gotten all their samples of their freeze dried & Patch just inhaled them, he didn’t even chew them 🙂

[zcRiley]

KEY NOTES: Not enough liquids consumed during the day is “probably” the most common cause for those benign struvite crystals being observed in your dog’s urine. A basic pH urine encourages struvite crystal formation, urine with a pH greater than 7. It might also be possible for pets forced to eat a bizarre vegan-type diet that supplied only plant proteins to produce basic urine that was more likely to precipitate struvite crystals. Example: diets that rely primarily on soy protein and beans rather than MEAT to meet the pet’s protein requirements – never a good idea.

ZiwiPeak is better than puppy food; I’m sure Cookie loves that you keep it around as treats or sprinkled on top of her meals! Buy it in small bags so it doesn’t dry out or go stale/mold on you. The word “puppy” in front of the word “food” is a whole marketing issue I won’t go into.

Royal Canin, Iams and Hills all have by-products and/or bad grains. If this was all that was left on Earth as dog food, I’d switch to human food. Of course, my opinion only. Chewy’s will refund your money on everything, just press the “Chat Live” button.

I forgot if I suggested ZIGNATURE ZSSENTIALS to you, also for your perusal on Chewy.com. It’s affordable ($9.99/4 lb bag) and:
-Grain-free and multi-protein formula
-Gluten-free diet
-No potato, chicken or eggs
-No guar gum or carrageenan
-Complete and balanced diet for all life stages.
My pups have been on it for over a year after becoming diarrhetic to Orijens Adult. They are now 75 lbs of lean, mean, loving machines LOL. And yes, they get urine tests done twice a year.

Also to add more moisture to Cookie’s diet (put on top or to the side of dry, the case of 12 will last a looong time, refrigerate an opened can):
Canine Caviar 95% Venison Grain-Free Canned Dog Food OR
ZiwiPeak Daily-Dog Cuisine Lamb Or Beef Canned Dog Food

Affordability, long term health issues, ingredients plus either “striving on” or merely “surviving on” certain foods are all controversial topics that these forums help further our insight.

[Suzanne J]

I found a new vet for a second opinion about my puppy, Cookie, & her sturvite crystals. I really like this vet & his conservative approach. We are going to try to cure my 4 month old Cocker Spaniel with diet first. The only thing I did not love was that he said I should give her Royal Canin, Iams, or Hills science diet for puppies (none are prescription food). I did take my Ziwi Peak to the office to show him, and he had never heard of it, but he had nothing bad to say about it, either, except that it’s not puppy food. That kind of bummed me out because she loves that food so much.
They also did an ultrasound & said her bladder & everything looks totally normal. I’m very happy about that report. She still has crystals without an infection, but they are not large enough to show up on an ultrasound. I thought that was great, too.
He also suggested that I give my puppy broth, and lots and lots of water. I’ll go along with that, too.
I’ve researched these three foods here, and the only one that gets 3 stars is Hill’s so I ordered a couple of small bags from Chewy & another small bag of Ziwi Peak to use as treats. I guess I want to know if you have any opinions different from mine about the three puppy foods?

[Susan R]

I would love to have treats evaluated. We use our kibble often, but sometimes we need another good alternative.

[natalie w]

DO you ever review treats? Starmark treats are very sketchy. Some products say made in US and some say made in China and some say made in both countries. Garlic powder is also listed as an ingredient. I’m told some people give garlic to their dogs but I don’t think it’s safe as the ASPCA and Pet Poison control list it as a poison. I worry for people who feed these treats to their dogs.

[El]

Hi Kelly P

I would recommend these 2 books as part of your research into feeding a properly balanced raw diet to your pup.

“Ok I have not yet gotten my puppy I have about 4 weeks still. She will grow up to be around 100lbs, so I’ll probably feed her about 2lbs a day.”

Here are the feeding guidelines from Primal, I think they are pretty accurate. Puppies need more than 2% of their body weight daily.

Feeding Percentages
1.5% Weight Loss
2.0% Non-Active
2.5% Maintain Weight **
3.0% Slight Weight Gain
3.5% Significant Weight Gain
4.0% Kittens/Puppies (8 weeks-1 year)
4.5-8.0% Kittens/Puppies (4-8 weeks)
4.0-8.0% Pregnant/Lactating

“We will be training too with treats so I need to be sure they level each other out. I have done a lot of research as I’ve been preparing for the past 1-2 years. What I found so far is the following.
Feeding anti-oxidants or some sort of cooked veggies is a good idea.”

I would puree the veggies. Cauliflower, broccoli, spinach in moderation, green beans, peas in moderation…

“Feeding organic eggs, shell and all, is good at least once a week. Egg shells provide a lot of calcium.”

I would suggest free-range organic eggs. I know that people feed finely ground egg shells as a calcium source, but I don’t know about feeding whole egg shells. I would do a little more research specifically on the calcium requirements of large breed puppies if I were you. She will be getting calcium from bones, egg shells, spinach and ?

Feeding a whole fish once a week is good because of the oil it provides, be sure not to feed tuna because of the high mercury levels. Cooked Tripe is great and so is a some coconut oil. I figure I can saute the veggies in coconut oil.

In general, I would feed small fish, they usually have softer bones and less toxic buildup. I would not cook the tripe. One of the benefits of feeding “Raw Green Tripe” are the enzymes, and any processing or cooking will destroy those enzymes.

“As far as percentages I have read a few different things but my research has come up with the below.
Version 1
75% Muscle/skin (i.e chicken breast)
10% Edible Bone
5% Liver
5% Non liver organs
5% Anti-oxidants/Veggies
Version 2
50% Meaty Bones
35% Muscle/Skin (i.e chicken breast)
5% Liver
5% Non liver organs
5% Anti-oxidants/Veggies”

I feed my dogs a homemade lightly cooked diet. Version one looks pretty good. Since I lightly cook my guys food I would replace the 10% edible bone with 5% more pureed veggies and 5% supplements to balance out the diet.

“My main questions are about bones.”

This is good because I see bones as the riskiest part of your diet plan and I would carefully consider both sides of the argument so that you can make the most informed choice possible. Also, regarding Wolves and bones, research has shown that larger pieces of bones are excreted from wolves wrapped in the fur of the animal they ate, maybe as a way of protecting their insides from the bone fragments.

Good Luck with the new addition to your family 😉

[Juanita B]

When I got my puppy two years ago I got him a large kong that you put food in. It has a hole in it and they use their nose and feet to get it out. I would put treats and even is kibble in it. He had a ball. I have it to this day and he still has fun. He gets his picky times when he isn’t hungry or he wants more so I put the kibble in the Kong and he eats thinking it is a treat. I wish I could put a video on this site.

[Kelly P]

Ok I have not yet gotten my puppy I have about 4 weeks still. She will grow up to be around 100lbs, so I’ll probably feed her about 2lbs a day. We will be training too with treats so I need to be sure they level each other out. I have done a lot of research as I’ve been preparing for the past 1-2 years. What I found so far is the following.

Feeding anti-oxidants or some sort of cooked veggies is a good idea. Feeding organic eggs, shell and all, is good at least once a week. Egg shells provide a lot of calcium. Feeding a whole fish once a week is good because of the oil it provides, be sure not to feed tuna because of the high mercury levels. Cooked Tripe is great and so is a some coconut oil. I figure I can saute the veggies in coconut oil.

As far as percentages I have read a few different things but my research has come up with the below.

Version 1
75% Muscle/skin (i.e chicken breast)
10% Edible Bone
5% Liver
5% Non liver organs
5% Anti-oxidants/Veggies

Version 2
50% Meaty Bones
35% Muscle/Skin (i.e chicken breast)
5% Liver
5% Non liver organs
5% Anti-oxidants/Veggies

My main questions are about bones. I know you can’t just let the dog eat bones they have to get used to them so they actually chew them, else I’ll have to grind them up. But I’d prefer not to. Wolves don’t grind their bones up prior to eating.

I also am not entirely sure of what are good meaty bones, I know almost all bones in small animals are fine. Neck/tail bones of larger animals for the most part are fine. To stay away from basically legs as they’re denser. And an Edible bone should be something that is easily consumable.

What would be the best way to get my puppy acclimated to bones properly? Hand feeding is one I’ve found, but will I be able to trust my dog as she gets older and bigger? I don’t plan to leave her food out or anything but let’s say I put the food down and something comes that needs my attention for a bit. I’d like to think she’d be fine. I’m paranoid and want to do this right.

Also could I possibly be missing something at all?

Resources used
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijP_CVZUa5g&list=LLcG0oHG3mpprbGFFglrzVyg&index=2
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/raw-feeding-primer/
http://rawfeddogs.org/rawguide.html
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/04/01/raw-food-diet-part-1.aspx
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/04/01/raw-food-diet-part-2.aspx
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/04/01/raw-food-diet-part-3.aspx
http://www.dogster.com/forums/Raw_Food_Diet/thread/697247/1
And various other user forums and sites.

• This topic was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by Kelly P.

[El]

Hi EmilyAnn

Congratulations on slimming down your little cutie pie 😉

It’s safe to give your pup pumpkin every day. If you’re looking for a variety of healthy snacks, you could try broccoli, apples, carrots, bananas, homemade jerky, kefir, eggs, ???

The key is moderation, so even things like carrots, apples, bananas, and any other non low glycemic fruits or veggies can be enjoyed for variety, antioxidants, and just because he likes them. Eggs are the “perfect protein” and my dogs like them, plain kefir is a good probiotic, but it is dairy, homemade jerky is high protein and very yummy.

Variety is good, try a lot of things, make sure the total of ALL his treats are not more than 10 to 15% of his diet, so you don’t unbalance what I hope is his balanced commercial raw. When you try new things give very little so if it doesn’t agree with him it’s only minor.

One of mine ONLY eats homemade chicken jerky, no turkey, no fish, no beef, no bullies, no veggies, nothing but chicken jerky, for treats anyway. You think he’s spoiled? 😉

Congratulations again on his successful weight loss! I know he must have acted like you were starving him.

[David H]

Thanks for the dog summer treats. it’s a great treat for summer. Thanks for sharing @Honeybeesmom1.

[Suzanne J]

Ziwipeak Dog Food. My dogs love it so much I can also use it as treats.

[Danni A]

I recently read something about high protein diets being inappropriate for Irish Wolfhound pups. Both my pups, now 8 months old, are on high protein diets. I stumbled on this site whilst researching, as I was concerned that we had unintentionally harmed our dogs by feeding a high protein diet. However, after doing some extra research and considering the size and condition of our dogs, I think the higher protein diet has been ideal for them. They have grown quickly compared to smaller breeds, yes, but they are a giant breed. When comparing their size to growth charts for the breed, they are much smaller and so would appear to be growing slower than what is considered the norm by breeders. At the moment, we feed our male pup a bit more than our bitch because he is taller and leaner than her. We feed 500-600 grams kibble in the mornings (Ivory Coat grain free for pups, alternated with Black Hawk for pups – does contain some grain) and we feed 500-600 grams Raw Puppy 76 or sometimes BARF in the evenings. They receive meaty bones like lamb shanks once a week as a treat, and other natural treats during training. The dogs are happy, energetic (when not sleeping), have good coat condition with no itches, rashes or hair loss, no stomach upsets and regular healthy stools. So I’m inclined to think that a higher protein diet has been very good for them. I hope someone finds this post useful or has any feedback to provide.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by Danni A. Reason: spelling error and clarity

[Brenda V]

We have 2 shitzus. One can eat just about anything without a problem and the other has Crohn’s. We were feeding them Acana singles without a problem but then out of nowhere the dog with Crohn’s had a bad flare-up. I don’t fault the Acana, I think she had some treats that contained chicken (I learned later it is hard for dogs to digest chicken). She was hospitalized and the vet wanted to put her on Prescription Diet IBS Formula. I asked her if I could try something else and she said a limited ingredient food would probably be okay. So I rotate between the Zignature lamb and kangaroo (because I was told these are the easiest proteins for a dog to digest) and it’s been over 6 months and she is doing great! On the other hand, my other dog that can eat anything is getting bored with Zignature so I am rotating it with the Acana. Hope that helps.

[JeffreyT]

Congratulations!

We have maltese and rotate between the freeze dried and dehydrated 5 star foods. Good rule of thumb is to add 1-2 tablespoons of water to each patty or brick. These foods are easy to break into smaller pieces, nutrient dense, species appropriate and healthier than canned.
The following are in our rotation.
Primal
Stella and Chewy (and their treats)
Dogs for the Earth (one of their favorites)
Orijen (and treats)
Stewarts Bison
Dr. Harveys
Honest Kitchen (we purchase their sample packets and use in their rotation)
Nutrisca
Northwest Naturals
Chewy.com has a lot of these foods

We also feed Tru Dog, Vital Essentials and Only Natural Niblets but I would avoid feeding to a tiny puppy.

I don’t like regular kibble because it’s so overly processed… plus mine don’t like it. The only dry type food they get is air dried from Real Meat Food Co, Only Natural Max Air Dried or Ziwi Peak. Meats are grass fed, free range, gmo/anti bitotic/hormone free. I keep this under 25% of their diet due to lack of moisture. They love air dried.
http://shop.realmeatpet.com/Introduction-Dog-Cat-Food-Trial-3-Pack-FD3PACK.htm

We also do some home cooking and use Dr. Harveys finely ground premix.

I highly recommend reading Scared Poopless which is specifically for small dogs…excellent info on how to avoid cancer and other diseases.

Also, Dr. Karen Becker’s newsletter is very informative. She offers great nutrition info and I use many of the supplements she suggests. I would definitely think about adding probiotics and enzymes to meals for optimum digestion and immune support, and to avoid stomach upset as you transition and rotate new foods.
http://healthypets.mercola.com/

Good luck.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by JeffreyT.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by JeffreyT.

[Jenn H]

Wendy that was an incredibly kind response.
Admittedly I sometimes get discouraged and angry when I think about the lifestyles and feeding of the dogs we had growing up and how hearty and healthy they were compared to the dogs I’ve had as an adult.
The dogs I had growing up ate food from the market and lived outside pretty much 24/7/365 and all but 2 lived on the east coast. (Not my choice. They would’ve lived inside and come everywhere with me. They were never just pets/working dogs in my mind.)
Now we know more about nutrition and treat our dogs as family and appreciate the truly wonderful beings they are.
I spend hours every week looking for the exact right food, treats, supplements, activities, etc to extend their life with quality, health and happiness. Sometimes it seems all for not.
Eventually I come to my senses and know that it’s all worth it and to stop fretting and enjoy them now.

[Kimberly R]

Do not discount the possible link to Peas as a source to a dog’s allergies. Peas, pea flour, pea protein, pea fiber is now in almost all dry dog foods to get the protein numbers up. My dog started to develop allergies, or what appeared to be allergies, 6 months ago, while on a very good grain-free dog food. It started with an itchy tail head, then itchy back, then some hives on the face to full blown facial, neck and spine swelling, with difficulty swallowing. After 6 weeks of allergy testing and food “trials”, every food, including treats, that contained a form of “pea” created the same allergy symptoms within a half hour.

A recent finding by truthaboutpetfood.com shows that pea flour/pea fiber/pea protein is an ingredient from China. It is very likely that the allergy is actually a response to a toxin or poison. This scenario is all too familiar. The problem is that now that this cheap protein is available, it is difficult to find a dry dog food without it.

[Jenn H]

I have used some of their products. No issues at all.
When they came out with a dehydrated food I contacted them to get maximum amounts of calcium & phosphorus as I have a large breed puppy.
They were very quick, thorough and helpful in helping me decided which to feed him and my other dogs.
They love the treats and foods.
And I love how forthcoming and nice the company was. Didn’t seem like they were just rattling off a script, but knew what they were talking about.
Those things matter a lot to me.

[Jenn H]

I heard from Solid Gold yesterday. They were so prompt and forthcoming in their answers. That’s huge to me.
Before I share where everything is made, I think it’s important to let you know that they test samples from every batch prior to distribution. The tests are done by an independent third party.
I just asked how long they have had this practice in place.
When Diamond has had recalls I discovered Solid Gold has also voluntarily recalled their foods despite testing negative for salmonella. Again I think that’s huge. They are willing to err on the side of caution even though it’s monetarily costly.
I cannot believe how much research I have to do these days go avoid feeding my dogs something that may harm them.
Onto the answers…
Solid Gold Manufacturers:
dry dog food distributed from Diamond in Missouri
-Wolf King
-Wolf Cub
-Hund-N-Flocken
-Wee Bits
-Buck Wild
-Lil Boss
-Star Chased
-Sunday Sunrise
**all other dry dog foods and their dry cat foods are distributed from Crosswind in Kansas**
all canned foods are distributed by Simmons in NJ
treats from Mountain Country in OK
-Cinna-bones
-Cinna-bits
treats from Mountain County in Utah
-all jerky treats
****I think it’s important to mention that most of the recalls were from the South Carolina plant.****
I am awaiting a reply as to when they began implementing their independent testing and where the supplements are manufactured/distributed.

I am as convinced as I can be that Solid Gold is proactive in preventing illness from their foods. I’d feel loads better if they stopped using Diamond all together.

[Deanna S]

Has anyone ever checked the analysis and credentials of Healthy Dogma products available online and home store in Lake Orion, MI?

[kim w]

Hi.. I have a Jack Russell mix.. very active, plays, eats, poops all fine.. but when he has gas it just ruins his day. He jumps and tries to hide under your legs.. It is not smelly gas and he never has loose stools.. Every 2 or 3 weeks or so, he gets (what I am guessing) is an upset stomach and will literally eat anything he can find. He will take things like mail, dusters, socks.. anything and just inhale it. He will not eat Royal Canin Sensitive and he prefers foods like Science Diet Lite and even Dog chow lite. Treats seem to make him very upset so we have cut those out. He will get table scraps which will be hard to break and he also LOVES cheese and gets a slice or 2 a day. He is not overweight. Is there a good food that we should try switching to that can help his predicament? We have a Pet Supply Plus and a Petsmart that are both within 30 miles.. I just worry about making his gas work.

[Francis F]

To everyone that has experienced a bad reaction to their dog(s) eating the Canine CarryOuts treats:
In reading the situation with your dog(s), I wonder, how many of the CarryOut treats did they eat?
Because some of our dogs have not had any issues so far, even after years of eating them, the question arises that maybe your dog is eating too many of these instead of only a treat.
I remember about 5 years ago, I left my toy poodle at a very expensive pet resort in Tampa, FL, with specific instructions on how many little pieces of these treats should be given and when. The afternoon care person didn’t read and because he wasn’t eating his regular ProPlan food, she went ahead and gave him the entire daily portion! Well, when I picked him up at 5:00 pm, he was vomiting and had diarrhea. I went inside and that’s when I found out what had happened. So, that’s why I say that perhaps it is the amount of these that they are eating and could be the same with other treats if given an excessive amount per day.
You can read my previous post on 12/13/15 for my experience and thoughts. I’ve checked the 5 oz. packages very carefully and it clearly states MADE IN THE USA, right at the bottom, right front of package. Nowhere does it state China.
Why take a risk if you had a bad experience and if someone finds out for sure via a letter from their vets that these were the cause of the problems, please make a special post all in caps so that we all know about it. Hope you stopped immediately and that all ends in a healthy diagnosis. Thank you for sharing the good & the bad. We certainly don’t want our pooches to suffer. Francis3

[Janet Q]

Hello, I am new to the group here. Thank you everyone for all this info. I am taking notes now as my rescue dog SASHA from Mississippi has this problem. We got her 7 months ago. She is an English Shepherd/Great Pyrenese mix supposedly. She is 7 yrs old. She looked perfectly healthy when we adopted her other than a lick granuloma on a paw. She did have a lot of fears we were told. She is very afraid of people and cars and noises. She walks in the woods fine. She seems to scratch quite a bit so we started her on Benadryl , then cetrizine, now Chlorpheneramine.

Her first Licky/Gulpy Episode was in September. She just had her 8th one tonight. I give her Acepromazine immediately now and it seems to help her. The last 2 episodes only lasted an hour or 2 and she wasn’t totally frantic. The other episodes lasted 3-4 hours and she would vomit halfway through.

She went 3 months without an episode and started up again on Dec 17.

When she starts the episodes she just suddenly starts licking anything like the floor, comforters, carpets. Then starts gulping and gagging. I have slept in bed with her with her leash in my hand so I would know if she jumped off the bed to lick the floor or started licking the comforter again.

She really seems to be even more afraid of noises when she is going through these episodes. Any creak in the house, or noise from a cat jumping off furniture down the hall etc. She will just have a horrified look on her face.

I have read about gastritis and that it can be caused from ingesting fur. She licks quite a bit like OCD and she did have that lick granuloma when we got her. She tore up 3 sets of King sheets when I first got her also and recently shredded a pillowcase while I was home doing dishes.

So I am thinking of finding a specialist near me to have the scope procedure done to check out her esophagus for damage.

I also have her on sucralfate, benadryl, chlropheniramine, composure treats, Lean Treats by Purina, Dasaquin.

She was on a probiotic for a few months and I didn’t refill it.

Her food is Taste of The Wild Salmon, mixed with a little JM by purina and a few spoons of canned Purina Adult Chicken and Rice.

I try to walk her each day on a 20 foot leash so she can run a bit.

Thankyou again for all these posts as I a have never had this problem with a dog before.
I will let you know what I find that works.