[jeanne e]

Usually ingredients are listed but NOT the toxic chemicals used in the processing of the treat or food.
I did not base my research on 1 article. I found the toxic ingredients on many professional & non-professional websites.
Hopefully people really check out what they are feeding their pets.
40 years of having dogs I assumed all were tested and safe. Most treats are not. I found my research also pertained to some pigs ears, some bully sticks and other treats. Speaking for myself, I wish I had researched and not just assumed everything is safe. Also check out the country from which the item comes from. Sometimes the item is ONLY packaged in the USA, but actually made in another country.
Hope this info can be of help to all.

[Closed Acct]

This treat-dispensing ball is made of Non-Toxic soft security plastic product, which is easy on developing teeth and gums. Side slots and a hollow center allow you to put their favorite snacks or other small treats.
Dog Food Treat Dispensing Training Ball

[jeanne e]

RAWHIDE STICKS, BONES, CHEWS & other processed chew treats.

My dog is very sick. BW showed liver level of 950. Normal is about 130 ish. Doing research on the above chew sticks that he loves I came across these toxic ingredients. High liver enzymes can be caused by anything ingested that is toxic. The above, on many different websites showed the following results.
When tested: Lead, Arsenic, Mercury, Chromium salts, Formaldehyde and other toxic chemicals have been detected in rawhides. So it’s safe to say that any sort of glues can be used as well!
3-5 days to digest, so whatever given amount, the rawhide with the toxic chemicals sit in their organs and do damage.
The piece of rawhide may be flexible enough and get broke down by the intestinal tract enough to pass (it can take 3-5 days)

[Jenny Rellick]

When shopping for senior food, I noticed that, among the highest quality brands, the only difference in ingredients in their senior food is that it contains glucosamine and chondroitin to help with arthritis. Other healthy aspects of senior foods are that they contain 1. probiotics (to aid digestion and boost the immune system) and 2. omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids (for heart health, joint lubrication, and skin health.) However, high-quality brands typically include probiotics and omegas 3 and 6 in all of their foods. You can give your dog glucosamine and chondroitin in treats such as Zuke’s Hip Action, which can be broken into small pieces, instead of searching for a grain-inclusive senior food with those ingredients. The CANIDAE All Life Stages Formula Dry Dog Food line may be what you’re looking for. It has 4.5 stars. The label specifically says it’s appropriate for all dog sizes. They only make a specific small-breed size for their grain-free food because the standard kibble size for their grain-free food is larger. Also, even the grain-free senior food that I buy has much smaller than average kibble, which is a good sign the All Life Stages really is okay. If you buy it locally and it’s not appropriate for your dog, you should be able to return it or call Canidae for a refund because it says ALL sizes on the label. By the way, don’t buy this brand on Amazon because multiple recent reviews say it’s counterfeit.

[Alam W]

Appreciate you chiming in from the recipient’s point of view. you can try Bravecto for dogs an effective flea and tick treatment for dogs that treats Lyme Disease to know more visit: budgetpetcare.com

[Reine S]

My six-year old beagle is on the Purina Hydrolzed (Chicken) diet. In the past I’ve been giving him popcorn as a treat and nonfat Greek yogurt in his Kong, as sucking the yogurt out calms him. I realize now that I shouldn’t have been doing this so aside from the dog food he only the Purina Hydrolzed Gentle Snackers.

This is day one of not giving him those treats and he’s not happy with me (to be expected). I used his dog food in his Orbitz roller this morning and the Gentle Snackers as a treat after he pees. That said, are there other things I can give him besides the Gentle Snackers that will add some variety to the. day?

Thank you.

[Patricia A]

Jude with the 19 year old I could relate not eating. My 17 year old Chihuahua who was put to rest had Mitral Valve disease . Was active and fine the year before and enjoyed her food. This being only Uhh Fromm kibble. My journey of her not eating that anymore led me to several different canned food. No luck with that either for her. I started to cook everything for her. One day she would eat boiled chicken and the next not. Shredded steak then would walk away. I was virtually at her all day just getting some nutrition in her. Oatmeal, eggs, salmon etc. Also would have to hide her heart pill in food. She would taste pill and spit out. Got to the point I thought I found the trick with a ltttle ice cream with pill smashed up in it. That didn’t last either. So many reasons I’m sure your 19 year old is not eating as she did.
My journey with Hannah opened my mind to nutrition for my other two dogs. That led me to freeze dried. Wasn’t ready to give up kibble so switched to Stella chewy’s which I trust to be very good for a kibble. But researched the best freeze dried along with a small portion of kibble and also home cooked.
With your 3 year old what was she eating before you fed fresh frozen? Maybe just not appealing to her. Does she even try to taste it and then turn away. If she doesn’t even do that then leave out a bit and refrigerate and try again later. If healthy she’ll eat eventually.
I feed my 11 year old Chihuahua ( she lover all food) and my 5 year old freeze dried. Doesn’t break the bank since they are small. Also home cooked that we eat when appropriate. They always get pieces of boiled egg in morning for breakfast. I also stretch the freeze dried with Stella chewys raw coated chicken kibble grain free. Most picky dogs LOVE their food. So I rated with Primal freeze dried. Only 5* ratings for the lower fat. Also Stella chewys freeze dried patties 5* proteins/flavor also. They also love Bixbi Rawwble and Open farm freeze dried. I give this as treats.
So all of these were introduced VERY, VERY, VERY slowly. They both gobble up their freeze dried soaked in a little warm water to hydrate and a little Stella’s kibble.
My trick with my pickle 5 year old was to put down and take away. She knew I meant business and ate her much better quality food then just kibble. Now she drools before I put bowl down.As I said kibble is a VERY small portion of their diet but they just love the Stella’s so I still give a little mixed in. I like variety. All healthy blood work also. Hope this helps.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by Patricia A.

[Chipy]

Hi Diane,

Sorry to hear you are going through this with your beloved Havanese boy and I hope to provide you with some information that might be helpful.

Dr. Dobias has written an article about liver disease in which he discusses elevated enzymes and his protocol. He has seen excellent results from the bi-annual liver cleanse protocol, both proactively and for dogs dealing with existing liver issues and enzyme elevation.

Treating & Preventing Liver Disease Naturally:
https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11014997-treating-and-preventing-liver-disease-naturally

LiverTune is an herbal supplement recommended for high liver enzymes and liver conditions:
LiverTune®

It’s great that you feed him raw food, but please be careful with liver treats. Dehydrated treats can be harmless in small amounts but toxic when it is frequently given – like dehydrated liver treats.

The reasons why liver treats, especially the dehydrated ones, put our dogs in danger of hypervitaminosis A are that they are greatly reduced in volume during dehydration, and they contain ten times or more vitamin A than the raw liver or cooked liver.

Liver treat toxicity in dogs:
https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/liver-treat-toxicity-in-dogs

12 things you must know about dog treats:
https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11014081-12-things-you-must-know-about-dog-treats

I hope this helps. Wishing you and your pup all the best in happiness and good health 🙂
Chipy

[Susan]

Hi Ryan,
I feed Patch – “Canidae Pure Senior” its has 10.80%max- fat, high protein-30% & low/med carbs around 30%carbs, also the lower the fat% & lower the protein% kibbles are higher the carbs, same with HIGH fiber diets can also cause Acid reflux, too much Omega oils, NSAID, steriod medications, joint, Arthritis, skin supplements, can also cause acid reflux…

Look at Canidae Pure Weight Management kibble its 9%-fat, has same or very similar ingredients to the Canidae Pure Senior kibble & the fiber is 5% alot of Weight Management kibbles are low fat but high in fiber.
https://www.canidae.com/dogs/canidae-pure-grain-free-weight-management-dry-dog-food-chicken/

I try & stick with around 10-13%max- Fat, 30%-Protein & 30%-Carbs, fiber-5% & under & the kibble has to have Potato or Sweet Potato or both.
People don’t realise the dog also needs low/med carbs & try & avoid fermentable grains as they ferment in the gut causing acid reflux – wheat, barley, oats and rye, most vet diets contain these grains Patches acid reflux seems to get worse when eating grain Gastrointestinal vet diets .
What I’ve found over the years, dogs who suffer with Acid reflux seem to do better on a Grain Free Potato diets, when the dog is having a acid reflux attack- I boil Sweet potato in small pieces & I freeze – take out 1 piece sweet potato, put on plate in Microwave to thaw then I mash the sweet potato give to dog, the potato settles dog or human esophagus, throat & stomach…
For Lunch I buy Tin- Yellow Fin Tuna, Tuna is the lowest in fat & low in omega oils, Sardines & Salmon are too strong for Patch, he mouth licks, I add boiled mashed White & Sweet Potato also add the white of a boiled egg sometimes, the yellow egg yoke is high in fat.
For his Arthritis he’s 12yrs old now, I’ve been doing Physiotherapy twice a day as he cant take NSAID drugs, his vet said Physio will extend his life as alot of dogs get Put To Sleep cause they become so stiff & cant walk in the end, he takes Panadol Children Chewable 3+years 120mg when in pain, 10mg per kg..
I do the Sausage Roll Massage as your massaging & rolling dog skin you’ll feel dogs skin flinching stop & hold the twitching roll/skin for 5-10sec it will be a bit uncomfortable at first so offer the dog treats or his kibble after 1 week its not as painful & Patch rolls have stop twitching.

Have you joined F/B group called “Acid Reflux in Dogs” I cant believe how many poor dogs are suffering with Acid Reflux.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1635198406751056

[Patricia A]

Sound like a good starter plan Subby. With any luck it was only the treats that were disagreeing with her. So stools firm up and none of those treats. Then slowly introducing the kibble back maybe even starting with just two on top of her chicken/rice. Then four etc. No reason even to stop the chicken at times even if the kibble is agreeing with her. I often feed pieces of hard boiled egg to mine also. Don’t think that would disagree with most dogs and the white of the egg is another source of good protein. Just first make sure introducing the egg when no diarrhea for awhile so it’s easy to tell the foods that doesn’t work with her.
Maybe, with time you can introduce another treat. I use freeze dried in open Farm or Bixbi. Their just little nuggets in different protein. Also had luck with feeding these even to my one that tends toward sensitive stomach. Just one though to see how she does. Even a string bean could be a nutritious treat as an answer to a question below. .
(Yes, your dog can eat green beans. Plain, unseasoned green beans can be a healthy addition to supplement your dog’s diet. Just remember: all dogs react differently to each and every food. Moderation is key here to avoid gas or diarrhea.) I myself give canned. My one doesn’t digest the raw . The other like raw carrots though.
UHHH I!! know how she feels. Just figured out that I can continue eating Japanese food. It wasn’t the rolls but the the salad dressing they used that was doing me in. lol Keep me updated and fingers crossed no more tummy trouble.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by Patricia A.

[Subby S]

Hi Patricia!

Thanks so much for getting back to me. A lot of good details here. I am not entirely sure if the kibble is the issue as we haven’t fed her kibble in about a week now. We have been feeding her chicken and rice entirely. I have a feeling that she is eating too fast / not digesting enough and probably licking things she shouldn’t. It definitely is a vicious cycle currently.. you said it just right.

We checked the kibble with her vet and it’s not really a problem. We did get a bit confident after some time and gave her treats when her stool was doing great. Only to arrive back at square one now.

It sounds like the solution is >> Chicken and white rice until stool firms up. Then introduce her kibble 1-2 pieces at a time until she is fully adjusted and used to the kibble. Any other thoughts / recommendations / comments?

[Subby S]

Wanted to emphasize here that she seems to have an ultra sensitive stomach and gets diarrhea from the smallest things.. We have stopped giving her treats for some time now as a result but if she does anything out of the ordinary of the bland diet, she gets diarrhea instantly.

[Maria P]

We just adopted an 8 month old shepherd/lab mix that tested positive for distemper. She’s on antibiotics and we do understand that depending on how it progresses, she may not make it. But we are hopeful due to her age, the fact that she did have some immunity since she had one vaccine already, the fact that she’s had it for 4 weeks with no neurological issues, etc. okay- now on to the food part. She’s also extremely picky. She will only pick here and there. I’ve bought everything under the sun (raw, dehydrated, kibble, canned) and she probably eats 1 tablespoon of anything at a time. So I’ve resorted to giving her small things here are there- 2 apple slices, a little cooked egg, some string cheese, a little chicken, a handful of good quality kibble (Stella & chewy’s), lamb lung treats (her favorite). Do you think this is okay while she’s ill? She’s very underweight due to her illness and the fact that she won’t eat. Any suggestions? I feel like I’ve tried it all. (Broth, goat milk, cottage cheese, yogurt, etc)

[jeanne e]

I use the HILLS PRESCRIPTION. RD . My dog went from 60# to a
Normal weight of 42#. Also in losing weight Vet told me not 2 gi e big dog treats. Break it up. Dogs don’t know the difference in
Size. As for digestion, in switching foods blend at 1st with current food. My dog had no digestive issues. HTHs 🐾

[Diane S]

Hi, I hope someone can help out our 1 1/2 year old Havanese. From 6 months of age from routine blood work we noticed elevated ALT levels. Over the past year it has predominantly been between 600-800. All other tests are normal. Ultrasound was normal. He acts like a very healthy and energetic dog and has a great appetite. He currently eats Stella and chewys raw beef (beef suggested by vet) and only eats liver treats as snacks. We have tried milk thistle and aventi but it only seemed to work for couple weeks then ALT went up again. We tried antibiotics but no results so we don’t think it’s an infection but rather some type of inflammation. Can anyone help to give ideas or suggestions what else we can do to lower our dog’s ALT. He is a very happy boy, right now, and we want to keep it like that for a very long time!!

[Lucey B]

One of my dogs had Cushings disease she was probably about 12/13 when she was diagnosed with it and lived to over 16 years and when I did lose her it wasn’t anything to do with the cushings. Cushings cant be cured but it can be managed so that they don’t get any symptoms with the medication usually vetoryl. The body both dogs and us needs cortisol without it of too little we cannot function, having too much is bad too and that can make you feel ill.
With cushings you produce too much cortisol which leads to symptoms like excessive drinking, excessive urination, they often seem to always be hungry, pant a lot, decreased exercise intolerance, they tend to pant a lot, weight gain, have a big stomach often called a pot bellied appearance, the coat and skin usually suffers too and they can get a thinning coat and hair loss., the skin can thin too and come out it little lumps called calcinosis cutis.

My dog had most of the above symptoms and once on the medication they all disappeared, the cushings had aged her so much, and once she had the medication not only did the symptoms disappear she looked and acted so much younger and happier again.

My dog had the ACTH test too, and also something called a low dose dexamethasone test after, these are the main tests to diagnose cushings. Whilst it is true that if you give them too much medication it can reduce the cortisol levels too much which can cause issues, she should be very closely monitored.
After starting the medication if the ACTH test confirms she has cushings, they will do another ACTH test to check her levels usually at 10 days after starting medication, then they do another 4 weeks later, and then another 12 weeks later. After that you usually have an ACTH test done every 3 months to monitor the levels of cortisol. You give her medication in the morning as usual on the day of the tests, and then usually have to tell the vets what time you gave it or they may even tell you what time to give it to her in the morning on the day of the test. The ACTH test as well as for diagnosis is usually the test used to monitor. There is however now also now research being done on a pre pill single cortisol test together with the monitoring of the dogs condition and response to the vetoryl. The test recommended at the moment as far as I’m aware though is the ACTH for monitoring.

I found that I could tell when my dogs levels had been supressed too much with the vetoryl, she never did get to the vomiting and diarrhoea stage, with her I used to notice that she would leave some food or wasn’t so interested in eating, so loss of her usual healthy appetite, she would also stumble a bit here and there and not be so sure footed. I found that if I stopped the vetoryl for a few days then she was fine again, and then I gave it too her as usual once these symptoms disappeared again. It didn’t happen very often just very occasionally with https://www.caninefinds.com/food-and-treats/ . Obviously the vets will instruct you what to look for as regards to symptoms if the levels should start to become too low, you will as said also have regular monitoring blood tests too.

My dog was cushings and on the medication for the last almost 4 years of her life, and it did make a huge difference too her, I never really had any problems and she was much better for taking the vetroyl.

If you have any more questions or I can be of any more help just ask.

[Chris W]

That’s amazing! Do they get any (other) non-meal treats?

I feed our Cavalier King Charles Spaniels a raw diet. They’re doing well but keeping their teeth clean is a challenge.

[Adam W]

Hi all,

We’ve recently adopted our second rescue dog as they’re settling in well together. We’ve had our first for a year. The new boy will eat kibble, but only a little, although otherwise loves treats and drinks well. Yesterday morning I poured a little chicken stock into the kibble and let it soak for ten minutes, and tried him on it. The whole meal was finished in a couple of minutes, bowl licked clean! same result in the evening and today too. I think the softer kibble with a more appealing taste and smell did the trick. Fingers crossed it continues…

Adam

[Rob D]

The general comments seem to refer to treats which are not totally organic and are(were) likely to contain additives that would have had at least some effect upon the dog’s health. Without any malice i wonder if some of these treats might also have originated in China which is notorious for providing foods for both animals and humans which can contribute to serious health issues.
As my wife and I are awaiting the arrival of a new Yorkie puppy to our home we are of course doing our best to establish some practical info on a variety off things for the new dog and one of those things on the list is effective and healthy treats to be used as well in training. Our basic research suggests that things such as bacon bits, frozen blueberries and raspberries would be effective and for us, eliminating commercial products would be a positive start.
Any reviews of healthy treats for pups and adult dogs would be greatly appreciated.

[YorkiLover4]

Watching our dog have a seizure is one of the most traumatic things I have ever experienced. It’s very hard for anyone who has never seen a seizure to understand. Those few seconds–seem like a lifetime and you just never know if they are going to come out of it. Our pup was doing ok for awhile but then started having the seizures more frequently. We found a holistic veterinarian nearby. Surprising, but he told us that food allergies and stress can be a big trigger. Riley always had allergies and ear infections so we worked with our vet to change his diet. He is on Primal raw venison and we use a variety of freeze-dried treats such as Stella and Chewy’s and Vital Essentials. We also give Riley CBD oil, fish oil and digestive enzymes along with Keppra. He has not had a seizure in over a year. I found the information on this website helpful https://www.askariel.com/holistic-canine-epilepsy-treatment-s/1833.htm and use their Happy Paws Hemp oil and Amazing Omegas. Hope this helps someone with their dog. Seizures are so tough but we did find help for our Riley.

[Lace K]

Hi, let me start by saying how much I really appreciate and utilize this website. My dogs are my children and the information that I get from you guys is priceless.
That being said, I really wish you guys would start doing some kind of reviews and rating system on dog treats… Those are something I’m really not sure about and I want to make sure I get the best for them.
Please consider starting reviewing and rating dog treats please!
Thank you,
Lace

[lisa F]

is pro plan weight management turkey and gravy wet dog food is it low sodium…any ideas for wet dog food and low sodium treats..my dog has heart diease

[Patti S]

It can be really difficult to find the sodium content of pet foods without scouring the brand’s website or emailing them directly. Once you have a list of potential foods, you should run those foods (and the sodium content they contain) past your vet for his or her approval.

Generally speaking, most veterinarians use the following categories when discussing low-sodium diets (it usually easier to use the amount of sodium provided for each 100k calories as your unit of measure when comparing foods). Ask your vet which level of sodium restriction your dog requires::

• Dogs who require mild sodium restriction should be offered foods with between 0.35% and 0.5% sodium content (80 to 100mg/100kCal)
• Dogs who require moderate sodium restriction should only receive foods with between 0.1% and 0.35% sodium content (50 to 80mg/100kCal)
• Dogs who require severe sodium restriction should be offered food with less than 0.1% sodium content (<50mg/100kCal)

The following websites have a lot of info on many brands of dog food, and the sodium levels they contain:

https://vetmed.tufts.edu/wp-content/uploads/reduced_sodium_diet_for_dogs.pdf

https://www.vermontveterinarycardiology.com/Medvet%20–%20Cincinnati%20%20Heart%20Friendly%20Low%20Sodium%20Dog%20Diets.pdf

https://heartsmart.vet.tufts.edu/wp-content/uploads/low-sodium-treats-and-med-administration-8-10-2020.pdf

One way that you can restrict the sodium levels in your pal’s diet is by making his food at home. Whether you use homemade ingredients exclusively or add items to a commercial brand to balance out the nutrients, talk with your veterinarian about your plans.
Here is a couple of websites with low sodium dog food recipes:

Low-sodium Dog Food Recipes You’ll Want to Try Right Now

Recipe: Homemade Dog Food for Congestive Heart Failure

https://caninehearthealth.com/diet.html

Lastly, ask your vet about using an Omega-3 fatty acid supplement. The omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA may help to stabilize heart muscle cells. Your veterinarian can help you to choose an omega-3 fatty acids supplement with good bioavailability, meaning that it is easily absorbed by the body, and tell you the correct dose to use.

Best of luck to you and your dog!

[Patricia A]

John I have Chihuahuas. Freeze Dried is kind of expensive to feed even with them being small. So I supplement with the kibble and give less of the freeze dried to make up their calorie/nutritional needs. Also as I posted they get home cooked as a topper to a little kibble. This being boiled white meat chicken, boiled salmon, string beans(low salt), carrots, watermelon, sweet potatoes, lean steak, boiled 1/8 of hard boiled egg in morning. This is easily done since it’s just what we’re having for dinner that day.
So there are many freeze dried brands. I stick to Primal and Stella Chewy’s. Bixbi Rawbbles freeze dried are given for treats and Open Farm freeze dried. I hear Dogs for the Earth is a very good brand also and Vital Essentials(believe this one follows a prey model with no added vitamins. Just what’s in the food for nutrition. )
I got them VERY, VERY, VERY slowly used to Primal in different proteins/flavors. I use the lower fat ones which I believe is the ones DFA rated as 5*’s. So Rabbit, Turkey/Salmon, Duck.
Stella Chewy’s I feed their Venison Blend,.
I just mix it up everyday. Never had a problem with their digestion and all blood work great. They LOVE the food.
I use Open Farm grain free and switch between with Stella Chewy’s raw coated chicken kibble. Just a little again to stretch the freeze dried .
If you have a larger breed dog it would be more cost saving to get the same in the raw. Most go through HPP process to get rid of salmonella/bacteria. True raw advocates don’t like this step but it’s fine with me. https://primalpetfoods.com/pages/canine-balanced-bases https://www.stellaandchewys.com/dog-food/

• This reply was modified 5 years, 3 months ago by Patricia A.

[Patricia A]

leamlass I’m not sure how big a dog you have since freezer dried is somewhat expensive. I have Chihuahuas’ so it doesn’t break the bank. However, I stretch the freeze dried by giving small amounts of kibble to make up for the caloric requirements. Other times I will give small amount of kibble with home cooked. That being boiled white meat chicken, boiled egg in morning some lean steak, lean very low chop meat (90% fat free), boiled salmon, string beans, carrots, watermelon etc. These all agree with my dogs in small quantities and really are real food that they should be eating.
So I got my two SLOWLY used to different brands and different proteins. Again VERY SLOWLY one at a time for a few weeks . They lick their bowls.
These are the brands that they do well with and are in supply at my local Pet Supply store. I stick with the ones the DFA advisor gives the 5* . They are a little lower in fat. They are all freeze dried. However the frozen would be more cost saving..
PRIMAL Turkey/Sardine, Rabbit, Duck
Stella Chewy’s Chicken(I give home cooked so don’t use too much), Rabbit, Venison Blend
I also give freeze dried treats in Bixbi and Open Farm treats freeze dried.
I alternate with Stella Chewy’s raw coated kibble and Open Farm grain free kibble.
Always looking for freeze dried to add to my rotation but mine do very well with good checkups and no tummy upset with these brands. Hope this helps.

[Chipy]

Glorida, you can feed your pup dehydrated treats but it’s best to use meat as the main ingredient to keep the sugar and carb content low.

This article explains what veggies are good for dogs;
https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11014993-what-veggies-are-good-for-dogs

When it comes to fruits, you need to be more careful due to fructose, the natural sugar that is present in fruits. The rule of thumb is to feed fruit at least one hour before feeding meat or other proteins and a minimum of three hours after a protein meal because fruit digestion on its own is fast. When you feed fruit with protein it sits in the stomach much longer, which may lead to undesirable fermentation and production of a small amount of alcohol.

Why fruit and protein should not be fed together:
https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11015005-why-fruit-and-protein-should-not-be-fed-together

Lastly, here is a healthy homemade treat recipe that my pup absolutely loves;
https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/all-natural-homemade-dog-treat-recipe

I hope this helps. Wishing you and your pup all the best!

[Sandy R]

Hello, RollTide10!

I was looking for something else but came upon your post here from March. Did anyone ever respond to you and/or did you resolve your situation? If so, great! If not, I have a little experience with DLE with my German Shepherd Dog, so am sharing below:

First, you should know that the only area of breakout (so far) has been my dog’s nose. We have been very lucky. She had two episodes where her poor little nose broke out in scaly, whitish-grey “eruptions.” I think it looked a lot worse than it felt as she did not fuss a lot, but it looked terrible. Since there are different types of Lupus (one of which is absolutely god-awful), I went ahead and had a biopsy done so we could have an absolute diagnosis. I paid a couple hundred bucks in 2016 to have my vet do what is called a “punch biopsy” of my dog’s nose and they sent it to a lab at Penn State for verification. They took a tiny, cylindrical needle “punch” of the nose tissue so they could get a good cross-section of the layers of skin/cells. I was not allowed to be in the room when it was done, but it only took moments and she seemed fine when it was over. No bad side effects and she was not “mad” at her vet or me afterwards — always a possibility with GSD’s!! 🙂

After that, we tried a couple different prescribed ointments but they did not seem to help. I have actually had the best luck using an organic dog nose balm that I get thru Amazon. It is called “Snout Soother” by the Natural Dog Company. Comes in either a tin or a “Snout Stick” like lip balm. About $18/ 2 oz. but it lasts a long time. When her nose has any sort of skin disruption, I apply it to her nose using a clean finger 2x a day and follow it immediately with some treats to keep her from licking it off right away. Only takes seconds for it to be absorbed enough to help. While she often still has a tiny spot on her nose that looks a little raw (where her nose makes contact with bedding or floor while she’s sleeping), we have had NO more Lupus type eruptions since initiating use of this product about four years ago. I have been very pleased and thankful! While the balm is expensive for the amount you get, it is nothing compared to what we might have been paying for prescribed meds that were not working. The balm cannot hurt the situation, so it is worth a try. Also, it is oil-based and melts easily, so you might want to consider keeping it in the fridge between uses.

You probably already know this by now, but don’t forget that dogs with DLE have to be careful not to get too much direct sunlight as it can cause or aggravate eruptions. My vet recommended a doggie skinscreen, but I tried several and could not find one that was truly unscented and my baby rubbed her nose trying to get the stuff off! (And the point of that would be …? Silly manufacturers!) So, if you can’t find a usable DOG sunscreen, you might want to try keeping your dog in the shade as much as possible. (BTW …. Obviously, being oil-based, you would NOT want to apply the “Snout Soother” prior to going outside either. It is NOT a sunscreen.)

I hope, at this date, you have already found a solution for your precious pup. If not, I hope this helps!

[aimee]

If you have been feeding one cup a day and she is 20 lbs and needs to lose weight then you’d have to feed less food. In general, a calculated value can be off by 50% meaning some dogs would only need 1/2 cup. of fresh pet to lose weight. But at these levels the dog may feel hungry and because the food isn’t formulated for weight loss she may not get all the nutrient needs met.

If she isn’t getting treats, table tid bits, or dental chews, to cut 80% of calories you’d be feeding 3.75 ounces of Fresh Pet a day. this may not meet her nutrient needs. To me It looks like you’d need to change foods for a safe weight loss program for her.

[aimee]

If you have been feeding one cup a day and she is 20 lbs and needs to lose weight then you’d have to feed less food. In general, a calculated value can be off by 50% meaning some dogs would only need 1/2 cup. of fresh pet to lose weight. But at these levels the dog may feel hungry and because the food isn’t formulated for weight loss she may not get all the nutrient needs met.

If she isn’t getting treats, table tid bits, or dental chews, to cut 80% of calories you’d be feeding 3.75 ounces of Fresh Pet a day. this may not meet her nutrient needs. To me It looks like you’d need to change foods for a safe weight loss program for her.

[Sheila V]

Feeding her the Multi-Protein formula-.246 kcal/cup
protein 14.5%
fat 10%
fiber 1.5%
On the Dog Food Calculator I entered her activity level as “overweight” Also, put in what she should weigh and the kcal/cup
That’s how I got the 1.14 cups a day.
Been giving her 1/2 cup twice daily. I try to watch the treats, too. I do give her cooked carrots, green beans, but not too much.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 4 months ago by Sheila V.

[Patricia A]

I’m also trying to get my slightly chubby Chihuahua to lose a bit. She gets two meal a day. Breakfast being just 1/8 of a hard boiled egg. Very hard to figure out how much to feed Boss since the food is pretty significant calorie difference. How about alternating each day? This way you can give less of the Perfectus per cup on those days since higher in calories.
I notice with my little chihuahua that giving her breakfast, which is for her 1/8 of a hard boiled egg, cuts her hunger for giving all the calories for dinner. So if you can give dinner a little earlier and wait an hour and give her some exercise with a walk the calories can burn off? String beans in-between instead of caloric treats also helps for the weight lose.
Hope this helps.

[Panya V]

Hi from almost three years in the future! 😀

In case anyone sees this and needs to know: We ended up switching him to something that was discontinued shortly thereafter, and now he eats Earthborn Holistic Weight Control Grain-Free kibble. It meets the necessary dietary criteria for us and it’s available at local stores so we can just run out to pick some up if needed [the discontinued kind he had before had to be ordered online and we got sick of that pretty quickly]. Now that he’s almost 10 years old he’s starting to have joint issues so our vet recommended we drop him down to 15 pounds to take some pressure off his joints, and that was super easy to do by just adjusting the amount of kibble per day. I now weigh him and our cat regularly to make sure they’re staying where they need to be, adjusting if not.

Speaking of the cat… I’m actually the one who’s allergic to fish and now the cat’s food is being discontinued too — finding fish-free cat food is so much harder than finding fish-free dog food! I don’t know who decided that all cat products had to have fish or fish oil in them, but my swollen lips and itchy, rashy skin don’t appreciate it! 😛 [Both of these pets love to ‘give me kisses’ all over constantly (they’re very jealous of each other) thus the need for fish-free food and treats!]

[WondrousPups]

Hi Sienna,
I’m sorry for all the on-going stress and struggles with your pooch! Sounds like you are being given lots of good and supportive tips from Patricia and Susan 🙂 I’m not sure if you are a kind of a person who is comfortable with “food as a medicine” approach, and if not, this might sounds wacky, but it’s been working out for me personally and for my dogs, I just chime in as a food for thoughts since the conventional pharmaceuticals don’t sounds like helping out at all.

At the first glance at the symptoms and history you’ve described, two herbs came to my mind immediately. First, Stinging Nettle. Nettle is an immuno-modulater (you mentioned high TLI). It treats hypothyroid (low T4 result), UTI, weak hair, and it supports kidney/adrenal restorative. It should be easy to grow in Florida, but you can buy it online, too.

Second herb that came to my mind is Ashwagandha. This herb is mainly an adoptogen. It also good for hypothyroid. It also works for insomnia, anxiety, chronic degenerative disease that involves wasting wasting away. Some describe it as Indian version of ginseng (which I give to my dogs everyday), but ginseng tend to be very stimulating. So it’s probably not good for an anxious pup.

Tow other herbs that support fat digestion and liver function are common sage and turmeric.

They don’t work like a silver bullet, and takes a bit of time (except turmeric – the result tend to be immediate) for healing to happen and observed, but there is not down side except some patience and persistence.

If you are open for trying and interested, let me know. I can direct you to resources and/or more details.

Sending LOTS of support and healing thoughts !

[Sage K]

Hey guys!! I thought I’d give you an update on all that has happened and what we figure it is.
So, I had posted in my Instagram and asked if anyone had similar issues. Someone told me their dog did, and turns out they were allergic to beef! Our Salmon and Sweet potato food was sold out so we instead bought Angus beef and oatmeal ( our female is allergic to chicken and turkey meal- gets hot spots from it ) so we figured that must be it! So we went to the pet store and had to spend an arm and a leg on salmon and sweet potato grain free food until theirs comes back in stock. I am wondering maybe beef food was the reason! And I’m assuming it causes maybe acid reflux or something?
Another assumption I do have though, is that when he gets bored, he eats the grass, spider webs, dead flowers etc outside, which makes him throw up, causing the acid reflux and then the gagging from the burning begins.
He was gagging off and on all week after his episodes though ( hiccup gags) so maybe it was a mix of both the beef food and the acid reflux from eating the grass? Anyway, worth a shot for any of you feeding beef food that aren’t sure what the issue is. I’m still giving him his favourite beef treats though.. he has had them for a year now so seems ok.
So, all in all. This is basically how it went.
That night he would stop gagging and had us up all night, we gave him a couple tums and would NOT let him eat the grass. The grass made it 10x worse. He finally fell asleep and I fed him chicken and rice the next day. People food. Seemed to be okay still had the gagging. I think I gave him a couple Tums a day until he stopped. Also we switched the food to the salmon. And then we noticed he tried to eat the grass again… so we brought him inside ASAP and cut the grass (bagged it so it was gone) He was doing it because he was bored I can only assume. And no gagging hiccups since! Whenever I see him go to eat a spider web I make him come inside. I caught him this morning licking the webs off the deck, we live in a new area so we have new spider webs every single days as it used to be farmers fields. We are going to pressure wash the deck this weekend now.
Anyway, I had to literally pick him up, 65+ and an odd length, and carry him inside, that’s how obsessive he will get if he wants to eat something. I thought, here we go, he is going to go through it all again just when I thought we were cured. But nope he came in, went right to his kennel and is now good and asleep with no gagging. However if I hadn’t brought him in I think he would’ve ate enough to restart the process.
**** also I forgot to say, those going through the ” episode ” of the gagging, non stop eating etc. Try the tums, and calm your dog down, get dog CBD oil, try the frozen berries or ice cube. Anything to distract them until the tums relieves the acid reflux burn and then just wait it out. We used to think him eating grass would help him but it definitely just makes it worse. Good luck everyone!!

[Joyce B]

There is something in the diet causing this. A dog that is up all night gulping and licking is being fed wrong. Please try a single protein and carb. If the reflux calms down then stick with that for life, forget variety. If it doesn’t calm down, change it to another protein and carb. Don’t deviate, even with treats, until you get to the culprit. Those berries might not be helping either, I have one dog that got acid reflux from a cranberry supplement (among other things). Be patient and good luck!

[WondrousPups]

Hi Peggy,
I’m sorry your pup is struggling 🙁 If I were in your shoes, I would try fresh fruits because they usually don’t have any fat, plenty soft fruits options and low in kcal. I would also make sure that the total calories coming from these treats to be less than 10% of total caloric needs/day. I like blueberries for tiny pups. I have a 7 lb. chi x papillon, and she can eat about 50 blueberries, which is about 40 kcal.

[Steph D]

I trust dog food and treats recommended by vets, but not necessarily sold by them. I found Chews Happiness and love how natural their treats are. Their dog food is meant to help dog’s skin and coat, digestive and wellbeing functions. Check em’ out, it’s called the Barkaron-real cute and healthy. I tend to like smaller private companies versus corporate vets as the more corporate you get, the more you move away from true health. Caring about what your dog ingests starts with the ingredients. https://chewshappiness.com/barkaron-information/

[Cara G]

Most treats you listed would be bad for Mattie’s Pancreatitis.

[Patricia A]

Also prednisone should NOT be given to dogs with stones since it causes stones to form. The following treats are acceptable for oxalate stone forming dogs:
plain cooked chicken
plain cooked turkey
eggs
rice
peas
pasta
white potatoes
cabbage
cauliflower
bananas
melon

[Patricia A]

There are different types of stones with different reasons for formations. However, hydration is a big key in all stones to prevent recurrence. Helpful article below for Calcium oxalate stones.
Nutritional management of Calcium Oxalate stones

While it can be difficult to completely prevent your dog developing calcium oxalate stones (particularly if they have a genetic predisposition to it), there are some things that you can do to decrease your dog’s chances of developing bladder stones, and to prevent them coming back in dogs who have previously had them.

Keeping your dog well hydrated is vital. This dilutes their urine, which in turn dilutes the levels of chemicals that promote stone formation, and so decreases the chance of your dog developing bladder stones.

You can help your dog drink more water by placing a few bowls of fresh water in different locations around the house. Always make sure the water is fresh and that you change it regularly.

In the ideal world we are aiming to maintain urine specific gravity <1.020. I always encourage my clients to buy a refractometer, which makes it very easy to measure your dog’s urine specific gravity.

The food your dog eats also impacts on the development of calcium oxalate stones.

To decrease the chances of your dog developing bladder stones, you should avoid feeding foods that contain high levels of oxalate such as spinach, sweet potatoes, organ meat and brown rice. Instead, include foods with lower oxalate levels like apples (peeled), wild rice and meats and fish in their diet. It’s also a good idea to boil vegetables and discharge the water before giving them to your dog – this helps to reduce the oxalate levels in them.

Restricting calcium is another strategy for reducing oxalate levels in the urine – a reduction in calcium should be accompanies by a similar reduction in oxalate levels. However calcium restriction should be done very carefully, as too much restriction can be damaging and may lead to health problems including osteoporosis.

Other dietary measures that can be taken to help prevent formation of calcium oxalate stones are reducing dietary sodium (salt) and avoiding excess vitamin D. This is because excess sodium and vitamin D promotes excessive urinary calcium excretion. Therefore moderately reduce dietary sodium, stay away from high sodium treats and do not supplement with vitamin D.

Vitamin C supplements are not recommended because when vitamin C is metabolised and broken down, it produces oxalate – therefore avoiding vitamin C supplements avoids an increase in oxalate levels.

Vitamin B supplements are water soluble and are excreted in the urine. Therefore in all cases of urinary tract stones it is prudent to give a vitamin B complex supplement.

There is still some debate surrounding magnesium and bladder stones. Some studies have shown that magnesium in the urine impairs formation of calcium oxalate stones. But other studies have shown that when given to healthy dogs, magnesium supplements resulted in an increase in urinary calcium levels. So because there is no definite consensus, restricting or supplementing magnesium is not recommended and so both should be avoided.

It’s important to note that not all of the oxalate in your dog’s body stems from their diet. Some is produced naturally by your dog’s body, mainly the liver. Nonetheless, avoiding incorporating foods with high levels of oxalate in your dog’s diet is an important preventative step against calcium oxalate stones.

Including fiber in the diet may reduce absorption of some minerals and so should be considered as part of any dietary changes being made. However, take care not to increase levels too much which can result in overfeeding.

Calcium oxalate stones cause the bladder to become inflamed by rubbing up against the bladder wall. To help reduce this inflammation, you can give your dog fish body oil supplements. However, avoid liver oil as this contains vitamin D which should be avoided (see above).

There are a few veterinary prescription diets designed to (theoretically) reduce the likelihood of calcium oxalate stone.

You can also prepare you dogs food at home using the same high quality ingredients that you eat. There are several health benefits of making your dogs food at home. By feeding your dog a home-prepared diet rather than a dry kibble diet, you can increase the amount of water they are drinking. And as mentioned above, increased water consumption makes urine more dilute and can help prevent stones forming.

A home-prepared diet is also the only way you can truly control what is going into your dog.

If you’d like to try cooking for your dog, the best way to ensure that the diet is meeting all of your dogs nutritional needs is to get your recipe from a qualified nutritionist. Dietary manipulation to address a health problem should be done by someone who will work with your dog.

[Amy J]

I make dehydrated sweet potatoes and green beans all the time for my dogs! Here’s my free recipe for Dehydrated Sweet Potatoes!
https://madelynnsmorsels.com/dehydrated-sweet-potato-treats-for-dogs/

[Alice H]

Hello everyone. I am a dog groomer and I came across this thread. I have had many issues with own pets and clients pets and having itching issues. While I was grooming dogs I would pay close attention to what their vets would say about an issue I had refer them to. Most of the time it was due to rashes, ear infections, itchiness (mostly feet, belly, butt), copper collor around eyes, mouth and feet and a few other issues. I had one mini poodle that had the most swollen, red, and inflamed ears and feet I’d ever seen. She was so itchy her vet had put her on a medication to just simply stop the itch (I wonderd if it stopped itch, what else was it stopping and affecting?) because they didn’t know what to do. I like more natural ways to try and combat things. Years ago, as a female myself I heard that women can get too much yeast “down there” and become very itchy from an overload of yeast (yeast infection) and it seemed similar to my dogs problems. I did some research and found out that sugar is the main source of yeasts food. Now, straight yeast product in particular is even more crippling to the system than just straight sugar is. Now if you go and read the back of MOST kibbles, you will find that they all add almost over 2 different types of yeast product to their kibble to “keep it together” and it’s usually towards the end of the ingredient list, some even have it as one of the first 5 ingredients. I have changed many of my clients dogs to NATURAL BALANCE (DUCK AND POTATO) with absolutely WONDERFUL results. Itching and rashes/redness can subside within a few days if the yeast and sugars have been eliminated from the diet (I have personally experienced this myself as well). I personally have my two dogs on this brand of food as well and I recommend it. Just make sure there is absolutely no yeast in the food OR TREATS you are feeding your dog. Now, back to the mini poodle I mentioned earlier, she had the worse case I had seen so far. She was on a very limited diet and pretty much only ate canned and kibble food. Sometimes it would seem better and sometimes would come back with a vengeance and her ears were almost swollen shut the poor girl. Vet didn’t know what to do either. I finally asked the owner, is there ANYTHING even a small amount that you feed her of anything else, ever? And she goes, well… My husband feeds her a piece of toast each morning but it’s plain, there’s nothing on it. And I said, that it! It’s the bread. Take that away from her diet and see me again in a couple weeks. She came back and she was amazed and how different her dog was.. Her skin was perfect. Her ears, perfect. No more copper color, no more chewing her paws.. No more pain. I was so happy! And ever since then I have been telling people about the dangers of yeast overload and the dangers it can cause. Yeast overload can minick an allergic reaction so the owner things it could be something more serious like maybe the poultry, fish or grains, when infact it was the yeast the whole time. Eliminate anything that can “turn” to sugar in the body. Dog biscuits or any crunchy dog treats are almost straight yeast/starch and full of things that can turn to sugar in the body, so watch out for sugary treats as well. Coconut oil is a great, natural relief from yeast rashes and yeast related problems. It is good for the coat as well, you can feed a tablespoon to your dog a day to keep their system regulated from yeast, but it does work better topically for yeast specifically. Coconut oil is also antibacterial and antimicrobial so you can use it just about anywhere (on you as well) your dog is having issues as a bit if relief from the itchiness, it kills the yeast. A lot of ear infections also stem from the yeast diet (I advise against coconut oil in the ears, talk with your vet first and see if it’s an option for your specific dog). If your dog has ear infections often, or has itchy, copper colored feet, or red inflamed itchy rashes it could very well be suffering from yeast overload. Remove anything that can turn to sugar in the body, that would include treats and people food as well, like breads, noodles, crackers, tortillas, chips and even potato turns to sugar and will feed the yeast that naturally reside in the body. Starches do turn to sugar during digenstion. If you have a dog with no itch issues, but has tear stains, it could also be suffering from overload of yeast and cause that discoloration of the fur. The yeast in the saliva is what stains the fur.
Also, if your dog is scooting and doesn’t have worms or diarrhea it usually means their anal sacs are having an issue or they are full and/or impacted and need attention. Vinegar is also a natural way to neutralize areas that are common with bacteria like private parts. And on a side note, a tiny spray of your favorite liquid fabric softener on your dog just before the rinse of a bath can make your pup smell so good for a several days at least. Try not to put it directly on their skin. Rinse very well.
I hope I have helped you all in some way. Have a wonderful day.
Peace, Love and Happiness.

[Susan]

Yes I use the Vitalitae Calm biscuits, (Australia)
I give 1/2 a Vitaitae biscuit around 11am & CBD Oil 3 drops some nights for my boy lower back pain, also adding Hemp seeds to diet is really good as well, but you still need to have a very strict routine, dogs love routine they feel safe as they know what’s going to happen next…no new things to bring on anxieties also work out what brings on dog triggers…
Here’s the Calming treats ingredients, read the ingredients to get an idea what ingredients are needed to reduce stress, anxieties, joint pain etc….
Hemp Seed Oil, Hemp Seed Protein, Ginger, Chamomile, Flaxseed Meal, calcium Carbonate, Vitamins & Minerals (incl. Vitamin B Complex), L-Tryptophan

Ask vet about “Cartrophen Vet Injections” for arthritis pain, Cartrophen Vet finds the dogs pain, it’s all natural so no side affects, the injection is given under the dogs thick skin back of dogs neck area. First Patch had 4 weekly injections for 1 month that lasted 1 yr, now Patch is having monthly Cartrophen Vet Injections now its Winter…Pain can also cause dog to shake, stress, be uncomfortable.

What is Cartrophen Vet?

[Laura H]

Hi! I have a 5 year old cockapoo who came to us at about 8 months. He was gifted to an elderly couple, the wife is a nurse and no one knew the husband was beginning to exhibit dementia. She took her usual holiday and discovered her husband didn’t remember getting the dog. So while she was at work, he was freaked out by the strange dog and was throwing things, screaming, and using his cane to keep the puppy away. She immediately looked into a new home and voila, new dog. He didn’t even have a name and had severe anxiety, understandably I think. He belongs to my sister, I have a 13 year old shih tzu who was also a rescue, and we got him comfortable and to a much better place with his anxiety. We were quarantined last month and now he panics the moment she leaves the room. Mine went to the groomer today and I spent the whole 45 minutes his mommy was gone with a trembling Pippin in my lap, he wouldn’t stop crying and actually sounded like he was in pain. He calmed enough to sit and let me pet him, but he never stopped crying for mommy the whole time. CBD treats have helped my older dog with her joint pain and I’ve heard it helps anxiety. Has anyone used CBD/hemp for anxiety? Tips or brand suggestions?

[Frenky C]

My go-to is Wellness Natural Grain Free Dog Treats for several reasons: hypoallergenic protein source, rich in EPA, ALA. BESIDES, it’s comes in several variations, including mix with potatoes, apples, blueberries and carrots. My pup can’t go a day without these and it came especially handy while training her to go. 🙂

[Hermani H]

I also recommend the Annamaet’s treats, I have no problems with them so far.

[Susan L]

My 14 year old Norwich terrier was on Hills brain food bc I saw he was getting some cognitive issues. Then 5 months later he stopped eating, bloated and diagnosed first w cancer then hospitalized for pancreatitis and all blood and ultrasound tests showed this. Sadly his organs started to shut down and he developed vasculitis and SIRs. He had to put him down which shocked me and broke my heart to this day.

I wonder if the Hills diet was too high fat for him and I should have given him something else? My vet didn’t really say. I also gave him Dosequin advanced hip and joint and fish oil. Yes, he also had too many treats.

Thanks everyone!!

[Patricia A]

Open Farm freeze Dried and Rawbbles freeze dried. No reason to give junk food for treats. Instead give beneficial nutrition.

[Frenky C]

I have read mixed reviews on Lilee. But I think I should also give it a try. I have always used Purebites for treats but I guess I should also try other brands to mix it up for both my cats and dogs.

[Gene R]

For treats I give Lilee Science Diet Oral Care. The price is right, the reputation of the company is above reproach, the kibbles are large enough to encourage healthy chewing, and she likes it. What else do you need? Fake bacon?