[pugmomsandy]

My giant toy dogs are 24 and 30 lbs! And still eat 2/3 cup total per day plus treats.

[theBCnut]

For people feeding grinds, they are a convinient way to get some fruit and veg in the diet. They have some good ingredients in them. I like the idea, but mostly I’m too cheap.

[Rudy_Chloe]

What are your pets experiences with Fruitables Dog Treats? I recently bought Pumpkin with Apple Flavor and my puppies love them as treats. And they have an overwhelming smell to them which they love as well. I looked online for reviews, but there weren’t too many. To the plus side, they are USA made so that’s awesome and they totally smell homemade. Any thoughts? Positive or Negative?

[somebodysme]

My dog loves to eat too but only gets her allotted amount of food and out of that I use kibble for training treats. If I put down 50 cups of food, she would eat it all, get sick and be looking for more I do believe. You have to be their guardians and control that for them because some dogs just will eat and eat. My dog is definitely a garbage disposal, she will eat anything she gets hold of!

[pugmomsandy]

When my pugs eat Instinct, they still only get 2/3 cup total per day. I like using Instinct Boost Bites and Vital Essentials freeze dried nibbletts for treats and they only get a treat when they come inside from pp break.

[PugsleyOtisMom]

I have switched the pugs food to Nature’s Variety Instinct. It is the Grain Free, Duck and Turkey Kibble. They have transitioned well and seem to really like it. I also got rid of their treats and switched them to the Nature’s Variety Treats as well. In the next couple of days I hope to take them completely off of their old food and see some real changes. Thank you for all of your comments and recommendations. Pugsley, my 5 year old fawn pug is just a big boned pug. When I got him from the breeder his father had the same body type so I knew what to expect. I just want the best for my pugs and I want them to by healthy and live long lives. If you have any other recommendations for treats or some homemade treats I can make for the pugs that would be great. The Natures Variety treats are a bit pricey.
I will keep you all updated on any changes that I see with the new food.

[alsmomma]

We need to find a way to contact the company if this is happening, especially to this extent, to other dogs. Regardless of whether or not they’re processed in China, if the product is toxic to dogs in some way it needs to be addressed and removed from the shelves. I stopped giving my beagle those treats and she’s a lot better. She hasn’t thrown up one time since then. I have found a couple of other brands of treats made in the USA and she loves them and hasn’t had any issues with them.

[theBCnut]

It could be that they are high fat and the fat had gone rancid, who knows. Fat doesn’t freeze dry or dehydrate, since those things affect the water not the fat. I do wonder what kind of Guaranteed Analysis this stuff has.

[Hound Dog Mom]

I’d consider it a chew. I give them as treats occasionally, they keep the dogs busy for awhile.

[somebodysme]

Gosh there must be some bad a$$ stuff in there to make all the dogs so sick off just a tiny piece of one treat! I didn’t catch that part about it just being a sixth of a piece. That’s crazy! Again, I sure hope they recover! I tell ya, every time I open a new bag of dog food, I worry there’s something wrong with it!

[theBCnut]

I have no idea how much “one stick” is or if this is essentially a jerky or a ground up chicken product, but one stick split between six dogs, even if it is all fat and skin, still sounds like too small an amount to cause all of that. Of course, she may have four schnauzers, all prone to pancreatitis, for all I know. Chihuahuas certainly are tiny.

[somebodysme]

But what if they are loaded with fat and skin?

[theBCnut]

Plain chicken shouldn’t be “too rich” You should report to the FDA, just in case, and have your vet fill out a report too, if he agrees that it was the treats that caused this.

[somebodysme]

mkirsche, hopefully these were just too rich for them which gave them the screaming shi*s! HA! I hope they all get better!

[labgirl]

rawhides do “blow up” in the stomach and expand a lot.. my dog used to get very sick from them. ive not started using more natural treats like Bully sticks/bullwrinkles – they chew like a rawhide but are 100% digestible and cause no bloating like rawhides do. id use that instead of rawhides. more safe in my opinion

[mkirsche]

I have six dogs. I decided to try this because the bag says its human grade, made in the U.S. FOUR of my dogs are very sick, sh#tting all over the house. Extremely concerned, I checked bag for an 800 number to call and there is nothing on the bag!!! Unbelievable. Do not buy this. I have receipt and am returning it. I am going to call the FDA and report this. Two of my dogs are terminally ill and I’m not sure they’re going to survive. One is 17, diabetic and very frail and the other was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer but was doing very well till I fed him this treat!!! I am horrified this treat is a fraudulent toxic import from China. My God. My two sick dogs were doing great (I’ve spent thousands in vet bills) and this one treat may have cost them their lives!!! My god…even two young healthy chihuahuas are sick. Most alarming is that I only gave them one stick broken into six pieces. Very little.

[molliesmom]

My poor 10-yr-old female English Springer gets two to four UTI’s a year (for three years now). Vet puts her on heavy duty antibiotics and just recently suggested Craninadine which she’s been on for a few months now and yet another UTI!
She’s had crystals too, but not this time. Her urine is very diluted so I’ve been told to cut back on her water intake.
She is on thyroid meds and doing well with that (not so ravishingly hungry and weight back to normal)
AS FOR CAUSE: she’s been tested for other things – vet doesn’t see anything. She DOES lick herself often (you know, lady parts) and vet thinks she keeps transferring bacteria from her mouth to there and may be causing UTI. And her teeth and breath have gotten so bad because of that! I’ve asked about probiotics but no real enthusiasm from vet.
BEHAVIOR: Outdoors often (fence). Highly intelligent, stubborn and high-strung. Has more obsessive habits as she ages. Examples: more barking; she LOVES rabbit poop! YUK! Vet says that would not contribute to UTI problem, but I wonder, and try my best to keep her from it – we have so many rabbits in the yard! I also wonder if the licking is more behavioral.
I am with her all the time due to my disability, so she’s hardly ever left alone.
DIET: Here’s where I could use some advice. I’ve always suspected that it might be her food at least contributing to her problem and recently switched her to Blue Buffalo Senior. I’ve just found your wonderful site and realized that she DOES need more protein even though she’s older. DUH! So do I!! She’s not really a fan of it and she’s sick again, anyway. Vet gave me samples of Hills Adult t/d. Very large kibble to use as treats for tartar control. But now unsure of the quality!
Any tips would be greatly appreciated. I do live on a limited income so all fresh food may be hard to do, but some (like raw chicken wings?) may be possible.
I thank you in advance — Colleen

[CharlieBrown]

Thanks so much! Your information has been so helpful! I have spent all day researching and plan on buying his new food tomorrow. What is your opinion of Simply Nourish? and the Rachel Ray brand?
Also which treats would you recommend?

Pattyvaughn, I dont know where they were made because the package was missing the top part that would have that info.

[CharlieBrown]

Hi All,
I am a new Yorkshire Terrier owner. He just turned one on June 26th. We received him from my sis in law who for a variety of reasons couldn’t keep him any longer 🙁 With him I received a bag of Purina and a bag of Kibbles and Bits dry food. Also some cans of Mighty Dog canned food. Ive never been a dog owner but after finding this site I see that those foods are not good at all. Can you please recommend a good food for him? I am on a budget but want to feed him good food.

Also she told me she mixes half a can of the wet food with some kibble twice a day. Is this a good feeding schedule with good amounts of food? Should I always mix the wet and dry foods or keep them separate?

And finally, she also sent a small beefhide bone that he seems to love and spends alot of time gnawing on. It actually came in a pack of four and he he has 3 left. Are these any good?

Thank you in advance!! I will love your suggestions on good budget friendly foods and treats. Also any suggestions from veteran Yorkie owners on any topic about them not just food!!

[ZeeAndPalmer]

Enjoy your new little doxie! I have two rescued doxies, ages about 6 and 7 years, and every time we go to the vet they comment on how great their weights are. I am careful about the amount of food they get, but it’s the treats that add up! Mine LOVE carrots, fresh or canned UNSALTED green beans, and ooooo blueberries! I went to a dachshund race event a few weeks back and was stunned at the number of grossly overweight, unhealthy dogs I saw there, and these people purportedly knew how to care for dachshunds! Now I understand why my vet loves me so much 🙂
I have fed Wellness Super5Mix Small Breed for most of their lives; the smaller one is now on PUrina JM (joint mobility) food (I am not a Purina fan but the vet visited the company and recommends it highly – she IS less creaky in the hips since we switched) – I am considering a switch/addition to either Taste of the Wild or Innova EVO – it’s been suggested that a slightly higher protein level with different protein and carb sources would be beneficial. Still studying!

[pugmomsandy]

Hmmmm…I will say that a pug’s weight is not everything as mine are overweight but have good body condition. Pugs are a bit squatty! And they do tend to get overweight quickly. If you haven’t yet looked up a “body condition score” chart, please do. For me their body condition is more important than their weight.

Take a look at these two – one with poor body condition and the other could probably gain a pound.

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u651/pugmomsandy/pictures%20for%20posting/IMG_28831024x768_zps49daa9d5.jpg

This is my overweight pug at 23 lbs:

http://i1326.photobucket.com/albums/u651/pugmomsandy/pictures%20for%20posting/IMG_2697640x479_zpsbe52d943.jpg

but he definitely doesn’t need to lose weight. He has a 22 inch chest and 17 inch waist.

Also I wanted to mention that anal glands shouldn’t be expressed unless needed. Mine only had them done once because I didn’t know that groomers do it automatically!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yA9SeHAEyQ4

A better diet should help with all their issues. If you can feed them a 5 star grain free kibble and wet food without white potatoes (food coloring and sugar), it should help with their ears/itching/yeast problems and hopefully anal glands. The anal glands might be damaged though from frequent expression. And normally the pugs only need 1 cup max per day of a good kibble. Mine eat 2/3 cup a day and that leaves room for treats (grain free also). And they also eat raw foods which gives them solid stool.

My pugs have been a good diet for a couple years now and they don’t have any issues and haven’t taken any kind of medication in years either nor do I take them to the groomers. They only get a bath about twice a year, maybe three times.

I would highly recommend changing their diet. It would save them so much misery and save you so much money on vet visits and medications.

pugvillage.com is another site for pug lovers too.

• This reply was modified 12 years, 5 months ago by pugmomsandy.
• This reply was modified 12 years, 5 months ago by pugmomsandy.

[somebodysme]

She does have a nylabone and that’s about all she can have now, she does have an antler that’s cut in half/split, she loves that thing.

Since I posted this, I’ve come to figure out that is wasn’t the rawhide that is causing the rash but it was causing her to scratch and her hair to fall out. She has not had any rawhide since and I will never give her another. There must be some chemical they use to process the hide that she is allergic to. Her scratching is gone but the rash on her back is still there. I can’t help but think it’s the Demodex that came back even though the vet said he didn’t find any evidence of it when he did a scraping. It just all adds up to Demodex, plus it doesn’t itch on the back. I’ve seen google images of Demodex that look exactly like what is on her. All of her other itching has totally gone away with a new dog food and no treats…everything BUT that stupid RASH! ARGH!!!!!!! 🙁

[theBCnut]

I’ll second the Vital Essentials!! My dogs are crazy about them.

[NOSH]

Thanks Sandy… I love these treats you have suggested. It’s even better when I can get them through Amazon.com’s Subscribe & Save program or use their Prime membership so I can get them within 2 days. I have added the Stella & Chewy’s to my list also. I just read an article today about Stella & Chewy’s…..

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/08/02/pet-food-safety-plan.aspx?e_cid=20130724_PetsNL_artTest_HP4SetB&utm_source=petnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=artTest_HP4SetB&utm_campaign=20130724

NOSH

[mah4angel]

I UNDERSTAND ABOUT LIVING WITH YOUR MOTHER-IN-LAW OMG. Mine says that my dog is too skinny when he’s THE PERFECT WEIGHT AH. When we went to Vegas for four days two weeks ago I gave her very specific instructions about his diet and she let my nieces feed him AN ENTIRE PACKAGE OF HIS FAVORITE, MOST EXPENSIVE, IMPOSSIBLE TO FIND dog treats because he’s “too skinny” UGH. She also keeps buying him snacks and treats (like Beggin’ Strips omg) and once bought him Cesar’s food (which is such bad food oh my goodness) -_____-
I would say to give it time! I was lucky in that my baby has LOVEDDD every bit of raw food that I’ve given him. I gave him some green tripe today and oh my goodness it was like the gates of Heaven opening up for him he just gobbled it up!
Let us all know how it goes ^_^

[pugmomsandy]

Stella & chewy’s, Bravo, Fresh Is Best have meat treats and I also like using Vital Essentials freeze dried nibbletts as treats and Instinct freeze dried for treats.

An easy homemade treat is pumpkin dog treats:

http://www.all-natural-dog-treat.com/pumpkindogtreatrecipes.html (grain free)

http://www.all-natural-dog-treat.com/dogtreatrecipe.html

[NOSH]

Thanks so much…I will order some today. I do occasionally use the ZiwiPeak lamb as treats, but mostly for puppy training class. But hey, they are so expensive !

Thanks for the good advice…and suggestions !

NOSH

[theBCnut]

Can I suggest that you take any meat, thinly sliced, and dry it on a low temp in your oven and use that for treats?

[Hound Dog Mom]

Some biscuits I’ve used that don’t contain guar gum or carrageenan are: Cloudstar’s Buddy Biscuits, Sojo’s Grain-Free Biscuits, Darford Zero-G Biscuits and Max & Ruffy’s Grain-Free Treats.

[Brewski]

Sorry to hear that. That is one downside to our biscuits, but haven’t had many issues as of yet selling to dog owners. We are thinking of creating a biscuits with all the other great ingredients without the brewer grain. The upside is that spent grain is broken down and is easily digestible. Thank you for your feedback.

[NOSH]

Can anyone recommend dog treats without guar gum or carrageenan ? I’ve been using the Nature’s Variety treats the past month, but realized they have guar gum in them and I want to change to a treat without these two ingredients.

Thanks.

NOSH

[InkedMarie]

Unfortunately, I have a dog who can’t have grains so these are out.

[Brewski]

Our web address is http://www.brewskibiscuits.com

[Brewski]

We are a new Vermont all natural dog treat company. We infuse brewer grain from our local breweries into our biscuits. We only use quality gluten free flours, flax, raw Vermont unfiltered honey, fresh fruit, organic peanuts, fresh mint, coconut oil and many other healthy ingredients. We are brand new to the market and would like your feedback. We currently sell at our local farmers markets but hope to go retail. Any suggestions would be great!

Our current flavors are:
Cool Apple Ale Biscuits
Peanut Butter Honey Ale Biscuits

• This topic was modified 12 years, 5 months ago by Brewski.

[somebodysme]

I’ve been forced to make my dog treats and I’m not comfortable giving my dog anything that I don’t know if she’s allergic to so now she’s getting turkey meat balls. Just go buy some ground turkey, roll a marble sized piece in the palm of her hand and throw them in a skillet and cook on a slow burner until they are all done. Drain them on paper and put in the freezer. Can’t get much better than that and she does ballet dances for them…HEEHEE!

[Anonymous]

Rosemary is used to prevent the fat in the treats from going south as quickly hence it’s use in MANY foods and kibbles. That said, supposedly large amounts of it act as a neurotoxin. Example link: http://www.thedogpress.com/DOGFOOD/Rosemary-Neurotoxin-10032_Liquorman.asp

Small amounts don’t seem to be a great issue but if you’re already feeding them a food with Rosemary it may be upping the dosage to the point of bothering their stomach. Rosemary is a very strong and piney herb after all. If your dog is suffering ill effects I would definitely discontinue use. I’d wager it’s likely the rosemary or the green tea extract (used in several of them) if you’re having issues.

Contrary to some of the sky is falling posts I’ve read, Full Moon Freeze Dried Treats are produced with chicken in the USA provided by Perdue (Perdue also publically confirms this if asked) and all the ingredients, as mentioned above, are sourced in the USA. I didn’t get mine from Wal-Mart but I’ve seen them there since I bought my prior bag. We’ve never had issue with ours but when we got her she was on garbage food (Purina) so I’d bet her constitution is a little stronger then some sheltered pups. 🙂

[DogEDog]

Hello Spencer’s Mom,
If you believe that your dog has a food allergy (for instance chicken), it will not make a difference if that chicken is moist, dry, freeze dried, raw or raised in rolling meadows by nuns. It’s still chicken.
The fact that you have changed the protein multiple times muddles the waters as to what he is actually allergic to, if in fact, it is the food.
You need to place him on a food elimination trial with a novel protein and a novel carbohydrate. No treats, table food or trash can diving for the next 8 to 10 weeks. If you see an improvement, then add one additional food item and wait and see if there is an allergic reaction. If he’s rolling good, then add another food element. When you see that he reacts, remove the suspected food and see if he improves. If you really want to prove it, give him that last food and watch for a reaction and that will give you your answer. And I’ll bet it’s not grain that is the issue.
After going through the food elimination trial and there is no improvement, it’s obviously not the food and you should take him to the vet because NO ONE including a veterinarian can make a diagnosis of your pet without a physical examination and a history. In fact, you should take him now if he is that miserable.
Best of luck to you and your dog.

[GSDFreuline]

Hello everyone and thanks for reading this. I am hoping someone can provide some guidance for me. I have 3 dogs – a14year old GSD, a recently rescued 6 year old GSD and an 8 year old greyhound. Currently I am feeding all three Hills for seniors because it has glucosamine for my older boy. I also mix in canned food with their dry and feed twice daily. My newly rescued girl has an extremely sensitive stomach and any variation from her diet or even treats will cause vomiting and diarrhea. Last week she vomited so I bought some cans (can’t remember the name but got at Petsmart and it was easy to digest). Well it was so easy to digest she had diarrhea for 2 days. My greyhound also has episodes of vomiting but it is down to about once every 3 months or so. My vet of course recommends Hills for GI but I am reluctant to try it because I’m just not crazy about Hills at this point. Now I have to feed all dogs the same food because if one leaves a little another finishes it up etc. It is just easier.
I live in a large metropolitan area so availability is not a problem, nor is price. I am just lost as to what to start looking for – could it possible be a grain problem? Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated
Thanks

[Spencers Mom]

Hi everyone, I have a 2 1/2 year old, male Yorkie. We had the pleasure of becoming his pet parents a little over a year ago. We are having issues with food allergies. He gnaws/licks his feet, so much at times their raw, he’s constantly scratching. No sneezing. When we first got him he was eating Purina moist & meaty/beef & cheese. We wanted to switch him to a little healthier product and to a kibble thinking a kibble version was better for his teeth. Since then, he has had issues. Funny he wasn’t having allergy issues on the Purina. We’ve tried Nutro, Blue Buffalo, Natural Balance LID, Taste of The Wild High Prairie, even a prescription dog food from the Vet, (which made him vomit several times in just 2 weeks) and many more I can’t remember at the moment. Of those brands we’ve tried Chicken, Turkey, Duck, Salmon, Venison – which we have him on at the moment even Venison jerky treats. We’ve tried grain free, limited ingredient, etc. The Salmon made him vomit, may have been too rich for him. I’ve researched and researched, some posts I’ve read said California Natural was great for dogs with food allergies, but I’ve seen they have had several recalls lately. Little scared to try that one yet. We are at our wits end!! Hate to see our baby suffering. We are wondering now is it the meat protein (since we’ve tried so many different proteins) he’s having issues with or could it be the “dry” formula in it’s self. We left him with his Aunt for a week and she feed him Fresh Pet Select, CHICKEN. She said he didn’t scratch or gnaw any that week. So are we on to something, or just barking up the wrong tree (pun intended)??? Could there be some difference between the dry and wet formula that would cause food allergies??

[guidosmom]

I have two Jack Russell Terriers. One is 14+, the other is 8. Both have always had fairly sensitive digestive systems. They had been on evo red meat, then switched to Orijen red about 6 months ago. They did fairly well on this. In addition they always got some veggies, plain yogurt, and cooked organic chicken breast mixed in. About a month ago my older dog got sick with some kind of intestinal issue and has since been refusing his food. We have tried all kinds of wet food products, canned pumpkin, etc… some he likes for a day, then refuses the next day. We have been to the vet multiple times, and everything has come back normal. He consistently likes treats though, but I try not to allow him to have many. He also will sometimes eat wet food off a spoon or my finger, just not in a bowl. He started seeing an acupuncturist who gave us some samples of darwin’s natural selections beef and veggie. She recommended poaching it lightly first for him. I also read on the darwin website they recommend doing this for picky eaters or older dogs. He LOVED it, and has since eaten consistently for two days in a row without any vomiting or diarrhea episodes. This is huge for him. I tried mixing the darwin’s in with some of his kibble. He picks all the darwin’s out, and leaves the kibble, making it a little difficult to transition. Our other dog happily eats it all. My question, is poaching the food first recommended only during the transition phase? Or is this recommended for all older/picky dogs? Wouldn’t this take away all the benefits of a raw diet? I am only lightly poaching it, so like to think there is still some benefit. Also, because he is picking out and refusing the orijen (kibble), but eating the darwin’s, will this completely shock his system? I would appreciate any advice or tips anyone has about switching their sensitive, older, picky dog to a raw food diet. I love my older guy, and seeing him refuse food breaks my heart. Thanks in advance!

[metalotaku]

so my dogs can’t have any food or treats with potatoes in it as i will go into anaphylactic shock when they lick me.

nor can they have food that has a strong fish smell or odor, as i’m super sensitive to smells and the main caregiver. i will get sick just opening the food bin.

my new pup as has an allergy to red food dye.

our last attempt at a dog food was blue bufflo wilderness, water fowl. as one of my dogs is a lab mix and it was suggested, however something in it didn’t sit well with him. he lost the ability to control his bowels. we immediately switched back to the old dog food we has been using first before trying different blue bufflo flavors. which was beniful. and his issues cleared up.

our dogs are currently on beniful which the new pup can’t have because of her allergy, and she is on iams puppy formula for sensitive tummies, as she’s fresh from the pound. which gave her a mix of dog chow and iams. they are a lab basset mix and boston terrier fox terrier mix

other considerations are i’m allergic to nuts. but haven’t seen this in a dog food yet. only been issue in treats.

if anyone has any suggestions for a dog food that meets these needs i’d really appreciate it.

[somebodysme]

Isn’t that sarcoptic mange? It didn’t spread to you? I kind to thought that if she had that, then I’d have it too? I suppose it could be. The patches that pop up are red and inflamed looking, go away in a couple days…she is then left with a gray skin patch but there isn’t irritation on the skin anymore. Is that the sort of rash it would cause? Also, her back doesn’t itch. That’s one reason I thought maybe it was demodex because supposedly demodex doesn’t itch but sarcoptic mange does itch.

I’m really beginning to think that it was something that she had eaten that caused that to come up and get inflamed. It is all fading away now and she is on nothing but her food (NV LID Turkey) and a probiotic. All treats are just her kibble and no other supposedly LID treats anymore. No other supplements. There was a treat I’d bought that sounded like she shouldn’t have any problems with it..sweet potatoes and turkey and very little else but I do believe that was what she was allergic to. I think she’s allergic to sweet potatoes and white potatoes. I won’t know until I can add one new thing at a time though.

Thanks for that suggestion though, if it doesn’t go away I’ll ask the vet about that for sure!

• This reply was modified 12 years, 5 months ago by somebodysme.

[kateagray]

Hi!

I’ve been posting in different threads with questions on different dog foods/supplements and then just realized…HELLO…there are forums on this website as well, thanks to Inkedmarie who suggested I check out a sub forum with different dog foods that were grain free with no potatoes. Thanks! I’ve decided to send my question out forum wise instead of post wise so I can keep better track of the advice that I am receiving.

Here is my dilemma:

In 2006 I took Nikki, my 13 year old Miniature Schnzauzer in for allergy testing – she is allergic to pretty much everything environmental is what I found out. She was on a duck and potato formula then. She had a couple of bouts of pancreatitis due to some pain medication she was prescribed for something else and then because someone in my family was naughty an fed her some sausage. My vet put her on a prescription diet of Purina HA. I believe that my vet is being super cautious as schnauzers are prone to bladder stones, pancreatitis/hyperlipidemia, and hypothyroidism. Nikki seems to do ok on this dog food, which I get but every time I ask her for an alternative she says absolutely not this is the only dog food she can tolerate. I don’t like that answer. There has to be alternatives.

I called them back recently and got a different vet in her practice – my regular vet is out for a time due to sick family member, and he couldn’t figure out why Nikki was on this dog food. He thinks it’s because of the food allergies. I ask him what food allergies and he can’t answer me. I thought she was on this food due to a sensitive stomach. So, I’m confused. I was also told to give her rice cakes as treats and tofu to give her any medications so that is all she has been getting. She can’t eat anything other than that is what she tells me and she pushes low protein which I’ve been reading may not be the answer. She’s been on this prescription diet for a few years and everything I’m reading now says that it might not be good to have a dog on that diet for so long. She’s been on and off antibiotics, anti bacterial pills, temaril p for years to help with her allergies and yeast infections. Nothing really seems to help and I’m worried I’ve just completely ruined her system with years of this. Purina HA has a low protein (18%) and fat content (8%) with hydrolyzed protein of soy. I honestly feel I can do better by her with a different dog food.

About a year ago Nikki was diagnosed with Melanoma. A tumor on the pad of her paw that was removed (but not a clean removal). She has been taking the Melanoma Vaccine every 6 months. The cancer does not look to have come back so far. (knock on wood) She also has gallstones that don’t seem to bother her but do show up in x-rays. She has a heart murmur and Also, on her last urinalysis I was told there was protein in her urine. We did a protein/creatinene ratio and it came back ok, so I’m told I don’t need to worry about that right now.

I’ve been researching dog food and supplements now for about 2 weeks and am now more confused than before. I purchased a probiotic from Nusentia (waiting to get it in the mail) that supposedly should help with her yeast issues and possibly allergies.

Do I stay with her current food and just give supplements or do I completely switch foods over (slowly)?

She’s 13 years old with a lot of health issues – I don’t want to rock the boat, but I also want to do my due diligence in finding her something to make her healthy and happy for the remainder of her life.

Thanks in advance for any info you can provide. I may have left some things out and if so, I’d be happy to clarify.

Kate

[theBCnut]

DE won’t help in this case. With an allergy to storage mites, it doesn’t matter whether the mites are dead or alive, just like if you’re allergic to chicken.

You are best off ordering a food direct from the company, then when you get it divide it into containers and put it in the freezer. Grain free will have substantially less mites, but if it is made somewhere where they also make grain inclusive foods, it’s no kind of guarantee. Storage mites can crawl from pallet to pallet and they can be on the equipment. Look for brands that are in heavy plastic or foil bags. Don’t overlook treats, they are a huge source of storage mites.

[Anton Quinn]

I give my dogs some sweet potato/carrot treats and they love them. I came across these at a dog event and now order them online for my golden (and peanut butter banana for my boxer).
http://www.alphabone.com/product/sweet-potato-carrot

[theBCnut]

If it has calories, it can put weight on so just adjust her meal size. My dogs work the hardest for real meat treats, so I’ve been using freeze dried dog food for treats. The one I’m using is called Vital Essentials and my dogs are crazy for it.

[KarenC]

Retractable leashes. Can I rant a second? I guess it’s not really the leash that I despise, it’s the dumb-dumb on the other end of it. Deana, my mostly dobie, is not super duper strange dog friendly. She’s good in most situations, but doesn’t care for strange dogs running up on her while on lead. In order to work with her we go to PetSmart when it’s not busy, either right at opening or a little before closing, and walk around a bit and look at new treats and what not. We stay far enough away from other dogs that she is exposed to new things and new dogs, but not close enough that a dog on a traditional leash can come up and she only gets about 6 inches of leash to play with (I keep about an 8 foot berth). Well, today, this nincompoop was talking on her phone and perusing treats and not paying ANY attention to her flufflykins and that he was now 10 feet away from her screaming his little lungs out at us and trying to jump on Deana’s face. I couldn’t turn out of the aisle fast enough, as someone had come down the aisle behind me, so I’m screaming “MA’AM! MA’AM! YOUR DOG! HE’S GOING TO GET BITTEN!” while holding Deana’s mouth shut and trying to shoo the little pup away with my foot (her dog was a 2 chomper-2 chomps and gone). Without getting off her phone she looks at me and says “He just wants to play. At least HE is friendly.” Being that it wasn’t one of my finer moments, I said “Try running up at me screaming and see if you don’t get bit!”. She got huffy and raised a stink with a nearby manager about allowing dangerous dogs in the store. Luckily the manager is a friend of mine and explained how she was at fault and we weren’t thrown out of the store. What would you guys have done? Next time I think I’ll say “Oh yeah! She loves little dogs. She thinks they taste like chicken.” and see how fast the little one gets reeled back in.

[mommaofbluetick]

If you are using Chef Michael’s Dog Food, or thinking about using it for you dog, no matter what breed please read my story:
I have a large breed BlueTick and was trying to ‘budget’, save money, I’ve had dogs all my life, never used Chef Michaels, but found a good deal when on Chef Michaels. Began feeding her the recommended serving. Yes, she did eat it. Then I took her on her to walk hours later. Pure diahreah *sp?*. Didn’t think that the food may be causing the diarheah together until DAY 3 when she almost passed away, STRAIGHT TO VET, because she had had so much diareah outside, then she couldn’t even control her bowels inside (very very unlike her!!!!).
Then it got so hard for her to even walk, THIS FOOD WAS KILLING HER, no she didn’t ‘get into anything’ or eat something she shouldn’t have. I am a telecommuter and keep a watchful eye on her. Had to take her to a 24 hour vet, because she was so bad off I had someone carry her to the car (I thought she was going to pass away). They examined her, the only change in her life was the food (I’ve changed food before, never a problem). The vet said that if I kept feeding her the same food, she wouldn’t get better she would get worse, they xrayed her, thourghly examined her, stool sample, took blood, gave her fluids. She was very close to getting BLOAT, which can kill a dog in one hour.
Vet prescribed her some light food for her tummy for a few days in small amounts, then I was to give her what I did before the Chef Michael’s junk food – INNOVA, IAMS for treats. Little by little she regained strength, luckily I had a very caring vet, who monitored her for a very long time, spent lots of time with her, then the vet tech sat with me and my dog.
Please, if you use this food, STOP, it almost killed my dog! After every test they did IT WAS THE FOOD! As she is very well taken care of, has been for years, yes I tried ‘budget’ dog food, my mistake. I repeat CHEF MICHAEL’S DOG FOOD ALMOST KILLED MY DOG.
Thank you for your time.

[Anonymous]

I joined as I have a problem with what to feed my Lab with yeast infections and itches. A small amount of fish and above ground vegetable are the only things that seem ok for her. I don’t think this is healthy long term, but maybe sometimes we have to choose between this or medications. She is down from 2 pred a day to 1/2 every other day since feeding this and looking good.

I am not a vegan or vegetarian. I love veges, but do eat meat and chicken.
She loves veges and at the market have to watch she doesn’t eat the greens. When I caught my other Lab in the refrigerator trying to get the ham and cheese, she was under the table eating a bunch of chard. I use beans as treats as she loves them so much.

[Ronald]

I use to give my eddie and heart shape treat called Guilt Free http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/guilt-free-treats-bacon-amp%3B-cheese-8-oz