[Gerri B]

I’ve had a foster dog for 4 months. She is an english setter who lived out in the elements in upstate NY. She was very thin when i got her and would eat dry purina kibble bits. I have two other dogs. My other english is a grazer so i leave food out. The foster will only now eat after the other two eat even though i give her a meal. Now she won’t eat her kibble or chicken or salmon or roast beef, nothing in morning and barely much at night.
SHe has had chronic ear infections but is under control at least until she has ear surgery for one but she seems comfortable. She will eat treats and my food, just not her own. How should i handle her, i dont want her back again thin.

[aimee]

Was in Wal Mart and found these chews https://www.google.com/search?q=Ol+Roy+chicken+rawhide+free+bright+bones&client=firefox-b-1-ab&tbm=isch&source=iu&ictx=1&fir=B0EmwZd-2q9tUM%253A%252C0Ub_5V9TZsYWNM%252C_&usg=AFrqEzf-KdEnDhy7L1RCJ51jTqMpYP-54Q&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwismpqdk4HdAhVOyYMKHc4WC58Q9QEwAnoECAYQBA&biw=1303&bih=694#imgrc=N5ICdpMrU0_0gM:

They look very much as “No Hide” by Earth Animal and have an ingredient line up similar to the old ingredient line up from E.A. Ingredients for the Ol Roy chew Chicken, pork gelatin, rice starch, sugar cane fiber, glycerin, carrageenan salt, potassium sorbate E.A. was chicken, chicken gelatin, brown rice flour, organic egg, olive oil banana and bromelain.

I did some of the same things with these chews as with E.A. No Hide. The material cracked when trying to unroll it and it is fairly easy to tear. Earth Animal product bends but never cracked and couldn’t be torn. I soaked the Ol Roy chew in water. It puffed up a bit and took on a slimy feel and fell apart when handled. Best way for me to describe it is to say it was like wet toilet paper. E.A. product puffs quite a bit after soaking, remains tough and unable to be torn. The Ol Roy product when boiled disintegrated. It left behind a milky water with build up around the pan edges. It started falling apart after about 10 seconds in the boiling water. The Earth Animal material can be boiled for hours and it shrinks and curls and remains tough after boiling. The Ol Roy product is very consistent in how it is rolled and in the thickness of the material and is made of a continuous sheet. The E.A. product varies significantly in the thickness of material the number of pieces in a roll and the shapes of those pieces.

This Ol Roy product behaves exactly as I’d expect a gelatin and flour product to behave. In comparison to rawhide the Ol Roy product appears like rawhide but simple test( soaking in tepid and boiling water) reveal it behaves nothing like rawhide The Earth Animal product looks like rawhide and when soaked in tepid water and boiling water behaves similarly to rawhide.

The Ol Roy treats are made in China, came in a 4 pack of ~4inch chews, sold for about $6.00 and met label weight.

[joanne l]

I am starting this thread b/c I am curious of how many people noticed color changes in food or treats and dogs not responding well to the food when this happens. In another thread someone mentioned something like this and I agree I don’t like color changes. Now my neighbor just mentioned this about Dr. Gary’s Best breed dog food. She said her dog ate 3 bags of food fine then the 4th bag was lighter in color and her dog got diarrhea really bad. She stopped food and he is fine. Just curious now how many of you experienced this.

[Susan]

Hi Kerri,
I would stop MILK BONES as they are high in fat.. do not give any treats, use her dry kibble for treats for training….
Which Wellness Formula are you feeding the “Complete Health Puppy” formula that has grains? or the “Wellness Core Puppy”? the Wellness Core Puppy has Lentils, try & avoid Lentils as they can irritate the Bowel… Potato & Sweet Potato normally firm up poos…

[Kerri30 C]

Hello,
I rescued a puppy at 8 weeks old and was told to feed her Wellness puppy food.
I have been doing that and she seemed to be ok. She loves cheese, peanut butter and milk bones dog treats. Pig ears were her usual nightly chewy treat.
I brought her to the vet when diarrhea started about 3 weeks ago,, the fecal test came out negative, they suggested white rice and chicken which seemed to help. No more pig ears either which were her favorite.
When I went back to the Wellness and the usual Milk bone mini dog treats it is coming back. I can’t figure out what it is. Since I do not know what breed she is (possible setter/beagle/? mix) I am at a loss as to whether there is a specific breed related allergy. She is about 32 lbs and nine months old now. Is is possible that the Wellness grain free food isn’t good for her?
Thanks for any advice!

[anonymous]

Have you tried the pro plan salmon? I would maybe try a small bag (as a base) and see if it makes a difference. https://www.chewy.com/purina-pro-plan-focus-adult/dp/128666?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=f&utm_content=Purina%20Pro%20Plan&utm_term=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIiP20r6vj3AIVhISzCh0QfwlYEAQYASABEgLgk_D_BwE
I don’t see chicken meal listed as an ingredient.
Otherwise the most accurate way to rule out food sensitivities would be a prescription/therapeutic diet via your vet. But, the vet will tell you not to add anything, no treats, etc
It’s very hard to stick to.
PS add a little water to the kibble, makes it easier to digest.

[Jen T]

Hi, our Westie has been battling TCC (bladder cancer) for almost a year now. Our holistic vet switched her diet to dehydrated raw (Stella & Chewy’s and Primal) which she was doing well on. Recently, she is not interested in any dehydrated food/treats but will eat homemade foods (http://westierescueoc.com/the_westie_diet). We’re not looking to feed her this for long but since she’s been diagnosed with TCC, she’s had issues with crystals and bladder stones as well. Up until last year, she has been the healthiest dog with no issues other than skin allergies.

Does anyone have suggestions on a wet/canned food that is low on carbs for a dog with cancer and who is prone to bladder stones? She doesn’t digest chicken or lamb very well, and has rather soft bowel movements when the protein is too high (from what we’ve seen). It’s been hard trying to get the right food for her due to her soft bowel movements, cancer, and bladder stones. Thank you so much!

[crazy4cats]

Hi joanne l-
This author shares the same thoughts!

https://thebestdogtreats.com/taurine-deficiency-in-dogs-diseases-caused-by-amino-acid-deficiency#

I’m not sure what her credentials are, but I thought it was interesting.

[ThisDogHunts]

@ Susan,
Thanks for the reassuring help and advice.
The PetCo. employees simply said that C&P were repackaging the product.
Which appeared to be true at the time because they did have slightly different packaging on the shelf as oppose to the product in the clearance section. Ingredients appeared to be the same, with an expiration date that was up in a couple months. So I factored that in to why they probably wanted it out of the store ASAP.
I sat there deliberating for about half an hour or so, over it and asked multiple employees what their thoughts were on the item.
In the end, I just couldn’t pass up on it because freeze dried is always a premium priced item, and I’m already familiar with the brand, having fed my dogs their treats, so I just felt like it was a safe, healthy and well priced option.
I’m just glad I didn’t start feeding that exclusively.
I’ll continue to lightly top it or mingle it into the regular food.
Thanks again for your help and suggestions.

[Acroyali]

Avoid professional dental cleanings, feed RMB’s, rec bones when applicable and huge chunks of raw green tripe.

Problem solved.

Save your money on these expensive “plastic” dental chews. Watch a dog eat a greenie or denta stick. They bite of huge chunks and swallow them whole. Hello, intestinal surgery as some here like to blame on raw ;D
Raw vegetables and carrots and such are no better. Dogs chew off huge hunks and swallow them whole. RMB’s are much tougher to gnaw through and are eaten much more slowly. Fed large. A small dog should get a chunk of food much larger than their head. With tripe, it’s boneless and is an excellent food for teeth cleaning meals.

I wouldn’t waste my money on these plastic treats shaped to resemble toothbrushes when most dogs chew through them in 3-4 bites and swallow. How is that doing a damn thing for their teeth?

[david j]

clicker training basics once you’ve engineered your mechanical competencies, “charge the clicker training basics.” grasp some little, tasty treats. Press the clicker button (avoid clicking close to your dog’s ears), then provide your dog a modify. Begin with fifteen treats, and do 3 separate categories of fifteen treats your initial day.

https://www.wpblogging360.com/dofollow-forum-sites-list-high-pr/

[Susan]

Hi Lindsay,

Sometimes diarrhea may not be food related, “Food Sensititivies”
the diet you were feeding probably has caused an imbalance in his intestinal tract, causing too much bad bacteria over growth….
I have a dog with IBD, Environment Allergies & Food Sensitivities, my boy does excellent eating Sweet Potatoes, Potatoes but doesn’t do well eating Lentils or Chickpeas he gets bad diarrhea from lentils & chickpeas cause bad gas & sloppy poos…

Dr Greg Aldrich PhD, Research Associate Professor at Kansas State University, Pet Food & Ingredient Technology,
found Legume Seeds carry significant quantities of FERMENTABLE OLIGSACCHARIDES, In small amounts these may be beneficicial to the animal BUT large concentrations of Legumes can become an issue & have significant impact on level of fermentable fiber in the colon, limit legume seeds, no more then 20% in a dogs diet…
I’d say this is what has happened with your boy & is still happening & diarrhea isnt clearing up, his diet has caused floral imbalance & has affected the balance between beneficial bacteria vs.harmful bacteria in his intestinal tract.
this is why your vet has put him on Purina Fortiflora, but your dog needs something stronger?

…Make sure fiber % is under 5%, his diet is not too high in fiber, a dogs digestive tract is short & they don’t need all this fiber in their diet, alot of these newer grain free dry kibbles are higher in fiber cause of all the Legumes….
…My boy will eat the same kibble & have NO problems with his IBD then all of a sudden he starts racting doing very sloppy, smelly poos or gets bad diarrhea & has bad gas (farts), its either from his environment allergies are so bad & puts his immune system into over drive his vet said causing a bad IBD flare, it always happens late March, the end of Summer (I live Australia).
My vet said she see’s us every March & showed me her computer screen & we visit her around the same date every March these last 5yrs needing medications, this is when she said to keep a diary, then over the years you’ll start to see a pattern with his Environment allergies, but sometimes when Patch has sloppy poos or has diarrhea the vet says he has too much bad bacteria… I think she knows when she asks what colour is his sloppy poos, too much bad bacteria, normally dog does yellow smelly poos its Small Intestinal Bowel Overgrowth, (S.I.B.O)…Big Dark cow paddy poos are normally a large bowel problem..
Patch gets put him on Metronidazole 200mg for 3 weeks, 1 x 200mg tablet twice a day, every 12 hours with a meal for 2 weeks, then the next week he just takes 1 x 200mg tablet with his Dinner for 7 days.
Metronidazole kills the bad bacteria in stomach & bowel, I change & rotate his diet but when he’s doing diarrhea from Environment allergies & his immune system has gone off the rails & is over reacting, I just feed him what he’s been eating cause his diarrhea isn’t caused by too much bad bacteria in gut…

You would have seen on the news lately about Legumes, I wouldn’t be feeding my dog a high Legume diet & Zignature is very high in Legumes, till FDA works out why Legumes are blocking Taurine in dogs diet…..

How did you work out he can’t eat Chicken, Sweet Potatoes & Potatoes?? I thought the same 4-5 yrs ago when I first rescued Patch, I thought Patch couldn’t eat Potatoes & for 1 yr I didnt know what to feed Patch, it was a nightmare until 1 lady that worked at Pet Shop told me to start adding 2 tablespoons of boiled potato to his meals or give 2 tablespoons of boiled potato for lunch as a treat daily & see does he get diarrhea?? & she was right he was not sensitive to potatoes or sweet potatoes, they firmed up his poo’s lol.. I look back now & I think it was the fish in the Eukanuba FP- Potato & Fish vet diet I started to introduce, something was off making Patch very unwell with bad diarrhea, I bought Eukanuba FP for his skin allergies, poor Patch had bad diarrhea for 1 week straight, we couldnt clear up his diarrhea, so he couldnt eat no food for 48hours, only given an electrolyte drinks, then take Metodinazole twice a day & then was put onto Royal Canine Low Fat Intestinal wet can food only, its pork, corn & rice, then when course of Metonidazole tablets were finished, he was put on Protexin Probiotic powder for 6months…

Have you done a proper elimination food diet? this can take up to 6 months or you can use a Hypoallergic vet diet, then when dog is doing well, you start adding 1 new ingredient with the vet diet & he cant eat any treats nothing just the Hypoallergenic vet diet & then introduce 1 new food every 6 weeks…

I’d see your vet again & tell him his diarrhea isnt clearing up, ask can you try a 21-28 day course of “Metronidazole” to kill the bad bacteria, then when the Metronidazole course is finished start giving the Purina Pro Plan Fortifora again give without any food, best to give probiotics inbetween meals or first thing of the morning when stomach acids are low, not high, when you’re digesting your food your stomach acids are higher & kill the live probiotics…I was mixing 1 teaspoon probiotic powder with 10-15ml water, swirling water & dissolving powder in bowl & then Patch would drink it, mid morning inbeween meals he thought he was getting a treat….

What meat protein does he do well on?

I’d look for a Freeze dried or Air dried food like “Ziwi Peak” – https://www.ziwipets.com/catalog/ziwi-peak-dog-nutrition

or look for a limited ingredient kibble that has just 1 single meat protein you know he does well on & make sure omega 3 & 6 is balanced properly, Omega 3% should be around 1/2 of what the Omega 6% is, this is why vet diets are good as they’re properly balanced.

I normally suggest Sweet Potatoes & Potates for diarrhea as dogs normally do firmer poos on potatoes, even vet diets have potatoes for the Skin & Stomach health, Royal Canine has their Select Protein formula’s & Hills has their D/D formula’s, but he cant eat potatoes, is this cause he’s sensitive to them & gets yeasty ears & skin or does he get diarrhea??
a dog only gets yeasty skin paws & ears when he is sensitive to an ingredient & then he reacts causing stomach or skin problems or Environment allergies can cause yeasty skin ears & paws…

Maybe ask your vet for a Intestinal Health vet diet or a Hypoallergenic vet diet to help balance gut flora for healthy gut & take the Metronidazole then after he’s doing really well after 4-6months then I’d look for a limited ingredient kibble that has healthy grains, if he cant eat sweet potatoes & potatoes…
then once you find a few different brands he does well on the start rotating between different brands, so he isnt eating the same dog food 24/7 & if something is wrong with one brand he’s eating your rotating his food every 2-3 months & not causing any health problems….Rotating foods strengthen immune system/gut aswell..

* “Wellness Simple” LID Lamb & Oats or Duck & Oats -https://www.wellnesspetfood.com/natural-dog-food/simple-dogs

* “Wellness Core”

Core Dog Products

* “Farmina” has LID or Farmina Vet Life – https://www.farmina.com/us/d-dog-food.html

* “Natural Balance” LID Lamb & Rice

[Greg A]

Hi susan,

Thanks for the input and info. I have a paper trail of foods and side effects that I noticed since he was a puppy. Initially I thought he was severely allergic to chicken from blue buffalo chicken and rice… Once i got into the dog food research I went with a duck and sweet potato from natural balance. It didnt seem to matter he was either itchy / biting at his paws or constant ear smells and dark wax discharges. I eventually set on zignature kangaroo hoping it was a meat protein issue exclusively which although somewhat helped did not completely rid of his issues (tons of peas/legumes). I found a few pea free foods and notices his reaction to the introduction of peas.

Looking back at each and every brand I have tried theres always a combination of peas, legumes, rice, or potatoes. I have went from foods similar ingredients eliminating a few to jumping the gun and doing some exotic recipes even home cooking for a month.

Even if the blood test is not accurate it did surprise me that pork was on the list because when experiment with zignature I made notes with each flavor that pork absolutely drove him crazy. From zignature I switched to natures logic which is a millet based carb with a single protein in most and is pea free. I would say he has improved with that brand however he has had some stool issues which was improved with freeze dried pumpkin treats. Currently he uses the Alaskan cod and pumpkin from earthborn hollistic venture but it is such a low calorie food and feeding two dogs with it is a bit rough! I am willing to do what i need though as the bloods were a little under $800.

[Claire H]

“25 percent veggies, 25 percent bone and 50 percent meat..” I totally agreed with the Gary statement, but my personal opinion always think about, other than meat (the nature of dog food and also might be considered as omnivores as well), veggies and fruit must be included into some treats for the dog.

But in the end, it is your dog and you knew better about their diets, but personally I also love to make a treat that might end up I also eat that, especially when it is related to the banana, I love banana and the dog sometimes will eat everything that their owner give it to them.

So instead of I eat it myself, that kind of biscuit could be a treat to a dog as well, here are some recipes that I like. https://petcomments.com/can-dogs-eat-bananas/

And thanks Lynn and Coonhound Mama, I might try that ingredient to make the homemade dog food.

[Susan]

Hi,
are you on face book? join Monica Segals f/b group called “K-9 Kitchen” you could still feed 1 meal thats cooked & feed the Royal Canin S/O Urinary wet can food for other meal till you work everything out…
https://www.facebook.com/groups/K9Kitchen/

Have you looked at Hills c/d Multicare Urinary Care Stew?
https://www.hillspet.com/dog-food/pd-cd-multicare-canine-chicken-and-vegetable-canned

Hills Urinary Treats-
https://www.hillspet.com/dog-food/pd-canine-treats

[pitlove]

Hi Doginlaw-

Most if not all of the issues your Lab is dealing with can be alleviated with weight loss. Including hip dysplasia, if that is indeed what the dog has. Acupuncture is also something that could be of help in conjunction with pain medication.

I use Victor at the moment, which has a weight control formula. However, I got my Lab to lose weight on Pro Plan weight management. We cut out all treats and increased his exercise as well, which is really important. He is 11 yrs old and can still play fetch and run as fast as my 4 yr old bully mix.

[Noelani H]

I had posted a photo of the label in a blog as a safe and healthy chew and a kind person sent me the link to your conversation.

Thank you so much for alerting all owners to this dangerous and unhealthy product. So very thankful that there are those who do due dillegence for the people who don’t have the resources to do the research.

I purchased my “chew” at a very reputable daycare and dog hotel for special needs babies. I will definitely be letting her know this conversation and she will be furious at these findings as she is passionate about abuse and also these types of food crimes and misdemeanors.

Being an advocate to our babies I will be posting this on my blog and will not be carrying this on my eMarketplace and will be returning it to the company.

I do want to recommend that maybe make an appointment with your federal legislator in your state and have legislation crafted so we can stop this travesty. Currently I am in the process of developing talking points to meet with my Congressman to stop the sale of chicken sent to China and then sent back to the states after processing. We have to stop this and stop it now. We should be doing this with pet food and treats as well.

God bless all that you do.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 5 months ago by Noelani H. Reason: Spelling

[jacquie l]

Thanks so much for all of your responses. Our dog is a mixed breed rescue dog. He had a brain injury as a puppy when he was in the shelter and lost the vision in one eye. This makes him uncoordinated and anxious. He does not like to go for walks and will refuse to walk. Treats don’t help – this is the only time food does not prompt him to comply. He will walk and run around our yard for short periods as long as the weather is right. He hates rain and wind scares him. He does not like to retrieve balls or frisbees – we have tried to teach him but obviously there is no retriever in his mix. We do have mental stimulation toys for him and he loves them because they result in his finding treats. Thanks again for your help with my protein question.

[William S]

We have small mix breed and she had episodes about 1-2 times per week and found the raw food diet now we only feed high fat raw with freeze dried raw liver as treats it has been very successful she has episodes maybe once every couple months and when she does they are very mild relative to before ( her diet is mostly beef with 1 raw frozen chicken wing per week it with 80-90% calories coming from fat )

[Cathy B]

Hi Lori, here is a recipe from Dr. Judy Morgan’s book on a heart healthy diet.
1lb beef cubed or ground
1lb beef heart cubed or ground
3oz beef liver cubed or ground
2 eggs without shell
4oz carrot grated or processed
2oz kale finely chopped or processed
1TBS fresh ginger root grated or processed
Add 2 (canned) sardines at time of feeding

This diet can ground and mixed together, baked at 325 for 30-45 min in a loaf or square baking dish, cooked on low 4-6 hours in a slow cooker, or fed raw.

Good treats for dogs with heart disease include pieces of freeze dried heart, green tripe, or liver, carrots, hard boiled eggs and baked kale chips.

Raw goat milk is high in Taurine and makes a great addition.

Add 1/2 tsp finely ground egg shell to every pound of meat

Her wed site has LOTS of info on how to treat and keep your pets healthy.

Her new book has a lot of info on heart disease and recipes

[crazy4cats]

Hi-
I like Fromm, Purina Pro Plan, Victor, Eagle Pack, Authority and Whole Earth Farms weight control kibble formulas for my two chubby golden labs. You really have to pay attention to how many calories per cup they have. Also, how many treats you feed and how much exercise they get.

I also add a little canned to their meals. It makes low fat kibble more palatable and adds moisture to their diet hopefully helping with making them feel more satiated. However, I must warn you that now if I do not add canned or something to it, one of my dogs may not eat it. Spoiled brat! Lol!

Good luck to you!

• This reply was modified 7 years, 5 months ago by crazy4cats. Reason: Added Authority

[Molly M]

@Anonymous….

The “bone treats” to which you’re referring
are not the same thing as raw meaty bones.
Bone treats are processed, packaged foods.

[Sweet Pea the Collie Mix]

I recently adopted one handful of a dog.
She is 6 years old and very underweight, she clearly has not been fed right in the past. Not only that, but she is extremely picky and has awful dry skin. She prefers wet food but Id like to get her on a kibble diet because she has tartar on her teeth. Currently she is 56 pounds and should be probably at least 65. She is getting fed mostly Victor beef meal and rice and was originally on Hills Science Diet Advanced Fitness (which she despises). I usually put a topping on her food like a bit of Natural Balance Sweet Potato and Fish. On top of that I usually soak her kibble in a bit of water to soften it, and incorporate a rotation of eggs, turkey, chicken, and cheese. Im gonna try giving her coconut oil for her dry skin as well. But no matter what I add, she NEVER finishes a good portion of her food. I need her to gain weight as she is not healthy at all right now, any suggestions?

Before this is asked, she does not get fed treats or table scraps except for a small dentastix and some shredded turkey deli meat so she can take her kennel cough pills. As for the kennel cough, she is no longer showung symptoms so Im sure that is not the cause.

[Kristen C]

I use Brothers Complete allergy formula Turkey and Egg biscuits for treats. It’s grain and potato free. They are crunchy! Mine eat this same food, so they like the biscuits as well. Hope this helps!

[aimee]

Back in May I wrote an email to Earth Animal owner Dr Bob Goldstein. The Earth Animal customer service gave me his direct e mail address when I expressed frustration that Chris Moore or Tom O ‘Hare never answered my questions. The customer service representative said Dr.Bob would answer them directly and swiftly. Well I never have heard from Dr. Bob but surprisingly about a month later Dr Ryan Yamka, Earth Animal’s chief science officer, emailed me on his behalf. He didn’t answer the questions either. He considered them answered after repeating the same old information that they had the treats examined and they were reported not to be hide. And then he started asking for private information. He asked about my relationships with other people who have contacted E.A. in regards to the products and he asked for my home address so he could send me information. Creepy!

And so the saga continues.

Meanwhile, Pony Express foods has been importing a lot of dog chews from China. The import frequency has really ramped up. According to import data they imported 28,908 lbs on 5/24, 23,870lbs on 6/8, 22,616lbs on 6/22, and 23,870lbs on 6/29. That’s a total of 99,264 lbs of dog chews in ~ 5 weeks. Pony Express reports this is all sold directly to consumers at a flea market that operates one day a week year round https://www.earthanimal.com/no-hide-statement/ and of course I have no reason not to believe them.

P.S. Superzoo just finished up and Earth Animal is launching a new flavor of No Hide.

[pitlove]

HI MJ E-

Geez, sounds very similar to what my bully mix goes through. His tends to be localized to his underside though. We’ve come to realize that most of the skin allergies we see with him are a reaction to something in his environment. Maybe the same is true for your dog?

Have you tried eliminating certain items from his inside environment? Like bedding, blankets, things like that that he lays on that could cause some type of contact allergy? A lady I knew found out her dog was allergic to the wool blanket he’d been sleeping on for years. Also washing the dogs bedding in something like All Free Clear instead of something with dyes and fragrances.

However, if hes reacting to something in his environment, but its outside thats a bit harder to manage. Bathing once a week in a medicated shampoo such as https://www.chewy.com/malaseb-medicated-shampoo-dogs-cats-8/dp/119232 or https://www.chewy.com/miconahextriz-shampoo-dogs-cats-16-oz/dp/114184 has really helped our dog. I notice a difference with him when I don’t bathe him regularly, especially in the summer time.

As far as the doctors and testing goes, it definitely does seem like you’ve made a grand effort to get him a diagnosis. Doctors aren’t perfect and sometimes tests aren’t either. However, it does sound like someone at some point lead you astray when they offered you a test for food allergies. I’m assuming (but correct me if I’m wrong) that it was a blood test. Blood tests are by and large infamous for false positives and false negatives and are generally not recognized as a true diagnostic test for food allergies.

While his symptoms don’t sound food allergy related, it doesn’t hurt to rule it out. Since we’ve just started summer in the US, I would get with a regular vet and discuss a food trial. This is the golden standard for ruling in or ruling out food allergies. There are a couple different approaches you can take to what food you choose for a food trial but the end principle is the same. They must eat that food and that food only for the 3 months they are doing the food trial. No treats, no flavored meds, no table food, no nothing. As far as what food you use goes, you can choose to do a homecooked diet of one novel protein and one novel carb for 3 months or you can use a diet from the vet like Royal Canin Ultamino. With Ultamino, the protein source for the food is amino acids that have been extracted from feathers. The proteins molecular weight in daltons is so low (under 1000) that the body’s immune response doesn’t trigger because the molecules are not a threat. Royal Canin actually borrowed this science from human medicine involving babies with allergies to milk.

If after 3 months (and you’ve done the trial correctly) there is no improvement in his symptoms, the idea is that you can effectively say food allergies are not at play. After that you may want to go back to the derm specialist and try the therapy that anon101 suggested. They will basically inject various common/regional allergens under your dogs subcutaneous layer of skin (think of a TB test in humans) and measure the reaction your dog has to each. They will then cocktail together a “vaccine” that you give your dog as a method of desensitizing him to those allergens. It will likely be a lifelong treatment and can cost (at least what I was quoted from LSU vet school) around 200$ for a 6 month supply of the vaccine for your dog. However, results for most pets are usually very good with this course of treatment. It may also be safer and more cost effective depending on the size of your dog than say a drug like Apoquel or an allergy injection like Cytopoint which isn’t guarenteed to work on all pets.

[Nik P]

I’m looking to buy some pet treats from https://www.northcoastpets.com

Just wondering if anyone has ordered treats from them before and the quality?

Thanks!

[Patricia A]

Thank you Spy for replying. Originally they were all eating Fromm grain free with a topper of health extension Vets Choice Chicken. Also toppers when I cooked of boiled chicken, salmon and steak if they were lucky that day. Its was a long winter and walks were very limited. Also when my three year old Chi put her nose up at the Fromm and topper Tia would steal before I had a chance to grab it from her. Hence the weight gain. My 16 year old is still her old food which at her age she’s been doing VERY well with. Of course she gets EXTRA chicken etc when others not looking at this point in her life. I finally gradually switched to the Stella’s kibble but really it’s a VERY small amount of her diet. Also cut down to tiny bit of the steak, salmon etc when we ate that because I think I was over doing the amount. So between the walks, treats cut out and her food being cut down I thought by now she would show a trimmer body type. So now you said Stella kibble is high in carbs. Even though it says low. I think her other food was average carbs so I thought I was doing better with that. Below is the list of foods I’ve been giving so far with the freeze dried. It’s ahttps://primalpetfoods.com/products/raw-freeze-dried-canine-duck-formula#variant=35868839058lways dehydrated with warm water. Thank you for your help. https://www.stellaandchewys.com/dog-food/freeze-dried-raw-dinners/patties/venison-blend https://primalpetfoods.com/products/raw-freeze-dried-canine-turkey-sardine-formula#variant=36371519122https://primalpetfoods.com/products/raw-freeze-dried-canine-duck-formula#variant=35868839058
Is this kibble recipe lower in carbs? https://www.stellaandchewys.com/dog-food/raw-coated-kibble/beef-recipe

• This reply was modified 7 years, 6 months ago by Patricia A.

[Patricia A]

Spy car I’m sorry to hijack these posts to help Ryan but you are the only i’ve read addressing fat benefits in dogs diet. I’ve posted several times about my concerns regarding my transition to Stella Chewy’s and Primal freeze dried with no replies. I have a should be 5lb chihuahua who is over weight. Switched about 6 months ago from Fromm grain free with canned topper. I’m not seeing any weight lose even though her walks have increased significantly. I’ve read that a 5lb dog should be getting between 80 and 120 calories a day. She gets Stella Chewy’s kibble of just 1/8 cup with less than 1 Patty or nugget a day. Morning my husband makes hard boiled egg and it is divided between my other two Chis’ of 16 year old and 3 years old . So she’s getting about 110 a day. I eliminated any treats and also totally stopped her food stealing from the other dogs. She SHOULD have lost but I still see a fat layer over her shoulder blades. You wrote about carbs causing weight gain. Stella and Primal says low carbs.I’ve read on small breed forums that their dogs actually LOST weight on the same foods I’m giving her. I love giving them the different flavors of rabbit, venison and primal’s Turkey/Sardine. It’s convenient but mostly I feel so good about feeding them something better then canned or kibble. I’m at a loose what to do. She’ll be eight and want to get her trim.
Also Ryan I feel so bad for you. You’re trying so hard and I know my sleepless nights regarding worrying about your pet. I agree with the strickly boiled chicken n rice until her stomach is better. Then GRADUALLY adding anything but Science Diet. Like you said I think also the allergies are going to have to take a back seat to her stomach at this point.

• This reply was modified 7 years, 6 months ago by Patricia A.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 6 months ago by Patricia A.

[Bayne K]

Shampoo is not a complete treatment by itself
We hate to break it to you, but even the best flea shampoo is not a complete treatment for fleas by itself.

That’s ’cause even the most effective flea shampoos won’t kill the entire population of fleas on your dog. Sure, the most potent shampoos can wipe out upwards of 90% of the infestation but don’t expect your dog to be totally clear of fleas, especially after the first wash. Getting rid of fleas requires a more holistic approach, which brings us to…

Your house matters a lot
Your dog may be the Ground Zero for the flea infestation but trust us when we say the infestation has probably spread a lot further than your dog’s fur. Fleas lay eggs on your dog but the eggs aren’t sticky so they tend to roll right off your dog’s fur and land all over your house – the carpet, the furniture, your dog’s bedding, your bed and so on.

If your dog is infested with fleas, there’s a very good chance that there are flea eggs and larvae lurking in and around your home. That means that you can rid your dog of the fleas that are currently living on him, but he’ll just pick up another batch as soon as he lies down on the carpet or his bed.

That’s why it is absolutely essential that you combine getting rid of fleas on your dog with getting rid of fleas in your home.

Shampoo smart
A good tip to make use of before you lather your dog up with flea shampoo: First, wet and apply the flea shampoo all the way around their neck. Lather that area immediately so the fleas can’t flee (pun intended) up from the body to the face.

Once you’ve secured the neck roadblock, go ahead and shampoo up the rest of your dog’s body.

Another helpful tip is to ease the entire process by bringing in some doggy treats to keep them busy while you lather and wait patiently for the fleas to die.

8 Best Effective Flea Shampoos for Small Dogs
https://goo.gl/2SBc5f

[Saundra H]

I switched my dogs over to Acana Regionals Meadowlands a few months ago. They responded very well, their coats have never looked so good. However I noticed that they started eating grass, not after each meal but often enough to know it was not normal. I cut out all other foods/treats and only gave them the Acana and the grass eating continues. I checked the Champion Foods website and recommended storage for their dog food is “the best storage is in your home in a cool, dry place with a temperature maintained between 50-70 degrees Fahrenheit.” I made a mistake and left two bags in the back of my SUV in the barn for the past 4 days with temps in the 90’s. So I messaged Champion on Facebook to see if this was a concern. Here is their reply “High temperatures can negatively impact the nutritional integrity of our foods. It is difficult to say whether your bag of ACANA Meadowland would still be okay to feed. Depending on how warm the bags got while in your car, it could cause digestive upset.” So my concern is how this food is transported and how it is stored in my local store. I know that there is no place in my house that is between 50 – 70°. My air is set on 75°. And I am quite sure that the local pet store does not set their air that low either. So are my dog’s having intestinal distress because Acana food needs to stay below 70°? I am waiting for a call back from their customer service.

[Susan]

Hi Marjorie,
when I got my rescued dog that afternoon while he was doing a wee he was weeing blood, I quickly rung the rescue lady & she said contact our vet, the vet said we’ll do Ultra Scan while he’s being desexed on Monday, after he was desexed, the vet rung me & said he has Urinary Crystals probably from being used as a breeding dog he has caught an infection, I said what happens now? the vet said, he needs to be on a vet diet for 6 weeks & eat no other foods, no treats, nothing or the crystal wont dissolve properly, when I went to picked him up she gave me a cartoon of the Royal Canine S/O Urinary cans x 12 cans & a bag of the Royal Canine S/O Urinary dry kibble & said feed the dry R/C S/O kibble for breakfast & for dinner feed him 1/2 a can of the R/C S/O wet can food, then she said, I’m given him cartoon of the wet can food so he has variety just incase he wont eat the dry S/O kibble, then she booked him to come back in 7 weeks for another Ultra Scan to see if all his crystal had dissolved, 7 weeks later we went back to see vet, he had his Ultra Scan & no more crystals, they had all disovled, the vet said now put him back on normal food & thats when my nightmare started, Patch had IBD & while he was eating the Royal Canine S/O wet & dry food it was agreeing with him & he didnt have any reactions to ingredients…

The only thing about the Hills & Royal Canine vet diets for Urinary problems is the fat, it’s a bit high, so if your girl has Pancreatitis make sure you tell the vet about the higher fat in these vet diets, the fat in the wet can food is around 17-18% the dry kibble is 17%max
Not recommended for (contraindications):
Chronic renal failure, metabolic acidosis
Heart failure
Pancreatitis or history of pancreatitis
Hyperlipidaemia
In conjunction with the use of urine-acidifying drugs
Pregnancy
Lactation
Growth

Feeding a vet diet for 2 months will work out cheaper then if your girl gets a blockage & needs an operation, it will be more expensive, I dont think she needs to be on the Urinary vet diet for 6 months ?? Patches crystals all dissolved within 6 weeks & he had a lot of crystals, they look like big rock salts…

I ended up contacting a Naturopath Jaqueline Rudan for Patches IBD
Here’s a Acidifying Diet, Urinary Crystals Diet, it gives you an idea about ingredients to feed after her crystals have dissolved with the vet diet, its a raw diet but it can be cooked as long as there’s no cooked bone…
http://www.naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/Shop/2016/03/15/acidifying-diet-urinary-crystals/

[Susan]

Hi Jessica,
has your pup had his stool tested for Giardia & been on a course of Metronidazole for 21 days?
I’ve looked up the dry dog foods you have tried & I’ve noticed they were pea heavy…
Have you tried a kibble that has NO PEAS & less fiber?

Try the “Natural Balance” LTD Potato & Duck formula, the fiber is 3%, no peas…. see how he does with no peas & LESS fiber? if this doesn’t work, take back & try Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Fish 5% fiber & no peas…
https://www.chewy.com/natural-balance-lid-limited/dp/104645

Here’s all the Natural Balance Limited ingredient formula’s, read ingredient list as they all vary..
https://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dog-formulas/special-category-limited-ingredient-diets

Start keeping a diary, write down all the formula’s you’ve tried, write how his poos were & how many poo’s he is doing a day, also write down the Protein % Fat % Fiber % & Kcals per cup in kibble…
I would stop adding boiled rice as rice can irritate the bowel, add boiled potato or boiled sweet potato if higher fiber is needed…if the pumkin didn’t really help then higher fiber may not be needed but it might depend what you added with the pumkin??
Have you tried feeding 1 cooked meat he hasnt eaten before with boiled potatoes for 1 week? NO treats…

If after trying the Natural Balance formula’s that are pea free & didnt help I would see your vet & try a vet diet, Vet Diets are specially formulated for Intestinal Stress, some vet diets are higher in soluble fiber or high in insoluble fiber & see does vet diet help.
You might have to try a few vet diets to find the right one then feed for a good 6-9months..
Then you look for a premium dog food & try again after he’s been doing well for 6-9months.
My boy ate a vet diet for 9 months so his bowel & stomach could heal, I knew he did well on his Eukanuba Intestinal Low Residue vet diet & when I tried a new dry kibble & it didn’t work, I could go back to the vet diet he did 2 firm poos a day on & work out my next step while he was doing firm poos….
Have you tried a dog probiotic?
Try Purina Pro Plan Fortifloria probiotic? while feeding pea fee kibble..
https://www.chewy.com/purina-pro-plan-veterinary-diets/dp/50029

How was he when he was eating the “Pure Vita Salmon & Peas” formula? this was high fiber 6%, very pea heavy & high in Kcals per cup, try & stay under 370Kcals per cup for kibble, the higher the Kcals the more dense the kibble, so harder to digest..

Keep me up-dated, what has happened & what you tried.

[Jenny L]

My 5.5yr old yorkie has had food and environmental allergies for a few years now. Per the vet she has been on Hill’s Prescription Z/D food with the corresponding treats. She had an allergy test almost two years ago (after trying to fix the problem with prescription food with no luck) and came back with quite a bit of food allergies. The vet suggested she continue with the Z/D food, however I recently read the ingredients. First on the list is corn starch, and my dog is allergic to corn.

The vet hasn’t seemed terribly open about my interest in either home cooking meals or going raw. However I’ve done some searching and have seen instances where cooking/raw has helped dogs with all types of ailments tremendously.

She is allergic to the following food: pork, milk, corn, barley, peas. She’s also right on the edge of the scale being allergic to: beef, salmon, chicken/turkey, lamb, fish, duck.

Any guidance, suggestions, help is VERY appreciated.

[pitlove]

Hi BaileysMom-

It seems like each time you notice his symptoms come back you attempt to resolve them by throwing a lot at him all at once. Sometimes this is counterproductive because you can’t be sure what is working and what isn’t. I made the same mistake with the dog in my avatar who has allergies and yeast.

What we did that worked for us was an elimination diet. We used Royal Canin Hydrolyzed Protein, fed that food and only that food for 3 months during winter time. We noticed that his symptoms went away. Now elimination diets are tricky because they can not have any treats, any flavored meds, any dental treats, table scrapes, nothing, but that prescription diet. If your dog gets ahold of anything other than that food you must restart the trial.

Now as far as his seasonal allergies go, we’ve been trying to manage them with medicated baths either with https://www.chewy.com/malaseb-medicated-shampoo-dogs-cats-8/dp/119232 or https://www.chewy.com/miconahextriz-shampoo-dogs-cats-16-oz/dp/114184 if Chewy.com is out of stock of Malaseb. I try to bath him once a week and soak his feet frequently (though I admit I slack on it). We also just the other day got him the Cytopoint shot as well. It works…unless he goes outside and comes back in. Then he still licks. The problem with Cytopoint is that it is not guarenteed to work for every dog. It also isn’t guarenteed to last for a specific amount of time. Also just as a note, Apoquel is not a steroid, though it can have some long term side effects. IMO it would be worth trying even for a few months to see if it helps at all. I think that is the next step for us with our allergy dog.

For us, we’ve come to find out that as long as we do not feed Bentley a grain free food, he doesn’t have any of his food allergy symptoms. The peas are what we’ve seen to be the issue for him. We fed Purina Pro Plan for over 2 years and that went very well, but we recently switched to Victor because it was a little cheaper than Pro Plan for a larger bag size. So far, so good.

A low carb food will not help at all. Carbs do not feed yeast on the skin. The only thing that will cause a secondary yeast infection from food is if the dog is sensitive to an ingredient in the food. Not to mention dogs can only react to protein, not starch, fat, vitamins, minerals, carbs.

[Jason P]

I posted on March 28, 2018 Regarding our 2.5 year old American Bulldog, Neela passed away due to liver failure…well today, I announce her brother, who is a litter mate, has been diagnosed with T-cell Lymphoma.

We fed our babies from the start, Orijen. We only stopped feeding Orjien after we lost Neela. So, is this coincidence or just some pretty bad luck. Nonetheless, it makes me think of what we feed our babies, which is why I visited and joined Dogfoodadvisor.

I’ve began reading The Dog Cancer survival guide, and it gives instructions to feed our dog cooked meals, thanks to the fact that ‘agencies that regulate pet food do not consider carcinogens created by by-products of the manufacturing processes (like extruding kibble) ingredients. And because these carcinogens are not present in the food before it is processed, they do not need be labeled on the product label…and that the high heat temperatures used in the process to uniformly shape dog foods (kibble and treats) create carcinogens which remain in the food.”

I am not blaming Orijen, but the timing of this lawsuit is pretty ironic.

[crazy4cats]

Dear BaileysMom-
Please keep your pup on the prescription food. That poor thing. How stressful for all of you! There should not be anything in that food that would cause a reaction. It’s typically used for an elimination diet. Was that mentioned to you at all? Make sure he does not get anything else. No treats of any type. I know that can’t be easy. I’m not sure how long you have to wait before adding any other food.

If your dog keeps up with all the itching, it probably is environmental allergies. Luckily, I haven’t had to deal with allergies. But, I have read and heard a lot about them on this site. Please stick to the hydrolyzed diet to finally help figure out what his intolerances are. Good luck!

[James A]

I have Beagles and one has locked paws raw and chewed fur. Five years. We tried several foods and meds like you have. Nothing helped. I think he gets worse if he eats chicken or wheat. I have been using a new food for two months now and seems to do it less. Cut back on treats as most have wheat in them. Walmart and Chewy dot Com sell I and Love and You Nude Food Red Meat Medley Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, 23-lb bag. I tried the chicken but not good. The Nude has pork and fish. He licks much less. I hope this helps.

[Scarlett B]

Today I watched the info-mercial…and some of the things I don’t like are the suggestion that those of us who will not feed this to our pups must not love them as much as those who can afford to buy it. KatJ-your post was ok the first time, but posting the same thing over is akin to trolling. I think it would actually be cheaper if you bought the raw ingredients, chopped them, then fed to your pups. We LOVE our Exeptional Eight, all rescues, but unless we both go back to work to supplement our income, there is NO way we can afford to feed this to our pack. For those of you whose sweeties’ health conditions improved, it is probably cheaper to feed this food than all the vet bills and cost of meds. Not to mention the side effects of the meds and the pain and suffering your fur babies had to endure on other foods.

I looked on Chewy for Wellness Core Tender Bites as you have suggested. If you order on autoship, you get another 5% off. It has good reviews as well. If it is your first time ordering autoship, you can get a whopping 40% off on the first one. I would order 1 bag to see if my pet likes it, then order enough for 16 weeks. You can cancel anytime.

I just ordered Stella& Chuy’s meal mixers on amazon through subscribe and save and received 15% off. The 18 oz bags are $36.99 if you place a one-time order-still expensive, but a lot less than Dr. Marty’s. This has a 4.5 star rating on Dog Food Advisor. No controversial ingredients. I really bought these as treats, not as foods. You can also purchase 8oz bag for $19.99.

This is what I found for those of you who are looking for a more cost-effective alternative, after searching for air-dried grain-free dog food: MeatMax or MaxMeat air dried and grain free. the chicken variety tested on Dogfood Advisor rated it 5 stars. No controversial ingredients. It comes in 2-lbs=23.99, 7.5 lbs=79.99 & 2×7.5lbs=151.99. On your first one-time order you will get 15%off. If you decide you want autoship, you will receive 15% off for as long as you want to keep getting this dog food. You can cancel anytime, or if you find your dog(s) are not eating as much as before, you can pause and resume later. Shipping over $60 is free. Flavors are: Beef, Chicken, Lamb&Cod (out of stock at the moment). You can get the 2×7.5 lbs as a variety pack with any two of the 3 flavors. I will try a one time shipment of the beef and chicken variety pack for 129.99. That is around $8.50/lb. Customers have given it a 4.5 star rating.

Not advertising for anyone, just trying to feed our sweeties as well as possible. We have been feeding them 4Health from TSC, a cost-effective, well rated dog-food. We usually stock up when we get the 10% coupons for being in the Neighbors Club and purchasing discounted gift cards.

[Susan]

Hi Robert,
Hills Prescription Diet makes “Metabolic Canine Treats”.
Metabolic Canine Treats are a great complement for dogs being fed Hill’s™ Prescription Diet™ Metabolic Canine pet food, Hill’s™ Prescription Diet™ Metabolic Plus Mobility,
Hill’s™ Prescription Diet™ r/d™ Canine or Hill’s™ Prescription Diet™ w/d™ Canine.
https://www.hillspet.com.au/dog-food/pd-metabolic-canine-treats

Have you tried “Royal Canine”
Canine Gastrointestinal Fiber Response dry dog food?
https://www.royalcanin.com/products/royal-canin-veterinary-diet-canine-gastrointestinal-fiber-response-dry-dog-food/3959
ask vet can you try Royal Canine fiber response dry kibble to see if Timber stops doing his early morning poo 2-3am, poor thing he must wake up & need to poo..
When Patch was eating Sunday Pets food he started doing 5-6 poos a day & was pooing at 11pm, as soon as I stopped feeding him Sunday Pets food his 11pm poo at night stopped & he stopped doing 5-6 poos a day…

When Patch suffers with his Helicobacter he feels real hungry & wants food all day, as soon as he starts taking his triple therapy meds, Metronidazole, Amoxicillin & Losec twice a day every 12 hours for 21 days, his wanting food all day & feeling really hungry all stops…
I’d start feeding 3 meals a day, 2 cups for breakfast, 1 cup for lunch-1pm & 2 cups for dinner, space out his feeding times to keep him feeling fuller longer.. 7am, 1pm & 6pm…

Hills, Royal Canine & Purina Pro Plan all have similair vet diets,
have a look at Purina Pro Plan EN Gastroenteric Fiber Balance™ Canine vet Formula
it’s similiar to Hills W/d vet diet but it has a bit less fiber 10%, maybe if the fiber % is lowered a little, it might reduce amount of poo’s & work a bit better then the Hills W/d formula?..
https://www.proplanveterinarydiets.ca/products-consumer/en-gastroenteric-fiber-balance-canine-formula/
Purina Pro Plan Vet diet has ” Lite Snackers”® Canine Treats, Hypoallergenic, high in fiber treats https://www.proplanveterinarydiets.ca/products-consumer/lite-snackers-canine-treats/
Here’s another Purina Pro Plan Vet diet that is high fiber 16%
https://www.proplanveterinarydiets.ca/products-consumer/om-overweight-management-canine-formulas/
You might need to try a few different brand vet diets till you find the right one that agree’s with Timber, all vet diets are money back guaranteed & if you have a vet who has patience & willing to order in new brand vet diets or give you a presciption so you can order online…
Also you can ring Hills, Royal Canine or Purina & ask can you speak with one of their Vet Nutritionist & they can advice which vet diet would be best to feed or do what I do, I go thru all the vet diets & read Fat % Fiber % ingredients etc & try & work out which vet diet might work best then ask my vet….

[Robert B]

Well Timber is now 2 years and 7 months old and still is on Science Diet HD. I can’t even give him treats. I use his food as treats and give him nylon chew bones. I tried forty flora from my Vet and others as well, but no joy. I also tried pumpkin and also 1/2 of a banana, but that is way too high in sugar. Occasionally if give him a mini carrot or two and he seem to due well.
His appetite is ravenous. He get’s 2 cups in the morning and 3 cups at dinner (no table food) and it’s gone in minutes. I purchased one of the maze bowels to slow him down a bit. He remains a constant weight at 50 lbs and seems health. I guess he will be on SD HD for the rest of his life.
Does anyone know if Science Diet makes HD bones for him to chew on?
So now he gets up around 2-3AM for an additional bowl movement…. ugh…. must be all of that fiber. He loves to play ball and go for walks, especially in the park. This keep both of us fit.
Thanks to all for your suggestions, they are appreciated.

[Peter H]

I would love some advice on this as well. My golden puppy has severe food allergies, so I usually just cut up her regular dog food to use as treats, but I need something higher-value for her mobility/support training sessions. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

[Tiffany T]

I am not upset that Anon is providing the information. Anon seems well educated on the subject and I’m not going to minimize the situation they went through.

However, I do disagree about bones cleaning teeth being a myth. I saw a substantial difference in both of my dog’s teeth. But I also agree that it might not work for all dogs, especially if they have a tendency to gulp. My dogs are chewers, so that’s why it probably helped them.

My final decision has already been made for the time being. We will be feeding Taste of the Wild high Sierra with added goodies (like yogurt, fruits, veggies, chicken, and raw beef, if Ari can handle small amounts). But we will also be foregoing bully sticks and other chew treats for RMB’s mainly on the weekends (turkey necks, duck necks, and other raw treats that tend to have “softer” bones which Ari has proven to be able to digest). And on their birthdays, we’ll splurge and get some lamb. I’ve also thought about adding some freeze dried food in the mix. Everything in moderation 👍

[Michael B]

Hello all. I’m a new member from the Great Southern Land ( Australia ) and I have a query about making my own treats for my dog. It’s winter time here and I’m in the process of making a few large batches of Pea and Ham Soup, using a bacon hock as the source of ham. Before I start, I have to take the skin off the hock, which leads me to my question. If I put the skin in my dehydrator and dry it out, would it be OK to give to my dog as a treat?

I know there are all sorts of reason not to give a dog salted and smoke cured meats, but I’m not sure if that applies to the skin as well.

[anonymous]

I had a corgi that lived to be a little over 9 1/2 years old. Hemangiosarcoma ended her life (it’s genetic).
Who knows, regarding beef?
I stay with a fish based kibble and add a little chopped boiled chicken, chicken broth or water, scrambled egg, tuna fish. I consider kibble to be the base.
My chicken broth recipe /forums/topic/grain-free-2/#post-109751

Boil a chicken once a month, dogs love chicken 🙂
Still give them cooked red meat once in a while, but not that often. Not sure about it, gave it up myself, decades ago.

PS: I had to walk that corgi 5 miles a day and feed measured amounts of food twice a day, no treats, to keep her weight within normal limits.
She did not tolerate heat well, panted if it was over 68 degrees.
She shedded a lot too.

[Gee]

Sorry, I wasn’t very clear–I haven’t feed him Merrick treats but after finding out the reason for the recall, wondered if all beef products are a risk, due to it being a naturally occurring hormone. He’s very fit, just under 1 year old. He does have anxiety at the vet, maybe it is stress-related….

[pitlove]

Hi Gee-

We just had a Westie come in to my clinic yesterday that one of the main concerns the owner had was excessive panting. She ended up having a splenic tumor which we had to remove. Have you had an ultrasound done or only chest x-rays? Also is your dog overweight? I’ve seen more overweight Corgis than fit Corgis unfortunetly and being overweight for that breed (any breed though) is extremely dangerous. The panting could be caused by that as well.

Also how long have you been giving the Merrick treats and did the panting occur around the time you got the last effected batch or way before then?

[Gee]

Merrick just recalled treats due to a high amount of thyroid hormones. (Naturally occurring). My corgi seems to pant a lot and that was one symptom of ingesting these thyroid hormones. He’s almost a year, vet checked, no heart issues. Vet “guessed” it could be stress.
My question is this–these thyroid hormones found in beef , wouldn’t that affect all beef products for dogs? My dog prefers beef flavors so I’m wondering if that might be a factor in his panting. Anyone have insight?

[Susan]

Hi Miriam,
the Hills Mobility wet & dry dog food or any other dog foods for Arthritis are very high in Omega 3 oils, omega 3 is an anti inflammatory very good for Arthritis, this would have given your girl the bad acid reflux this happens with my 9 yrs old boy also, look for a food that agrees with her, can you cook some of her meals?? a cooked balance diet is heaps better then feeding a dry kibble & it probably won’t cause any stomach problems, just make sure the fat isn’t too high as high fat diet can also cause acid reflux…then start adding supplements to her diet that will help with with her Arthritis but I have found most of the supplements or meds for Arthritis can cause bad acid reflux & stomach problems with myself & my dog, so I avoid them now..
I buy my boy “K-9 Natural” Freeze Dried Green Lipped Mussles & & give him 1-2 mussles a day they agree with him & green lipped mussels are really good for arthritis also have you tried Glucosamine & Chondroitin tablets? you can give your girl the Glucosamine/Chondroitin tablets that’s for humans….
Many veterinarians recommend approximately 500 mg of Glucosamine and 400 mg of Chondroitin per 25 pounds-11kgs. For oral Glucosamine for dogs, here’s the daily dosage that one veterinarian recommends: Dogs 5-20 pounds = 2-9kgs give 250-500 mg per day.

I bought a Wheat heat pack for my dog, you put the wheat pack in the Microwave for 1-2 mins & then I wrap the Wheat pack in a tea towel if its too hot & I put on my boy lower back where his Arthritis pain is, you could use a hot water bottle but they can be dangerous with dogs,…
I also walk my dog for 15min walk every morning & afternoon at first my joints are really stiff & sore but once you start walking your joints become better, start taking your dog on a little walk in morning & afternoon, not real big long walks, just small 15min walk to begin with then after 2 weeks see does she want to walk for 20mins… make sure she is not over weight as this makes Arthritis worse…also when its cold keep her joints warm & put on a jumper or dog jacket…

Ask your vet about “Zydax” injection (unlike other drugs) it treats the disease process that causes arthritis – not just the symptoms. It works on the cartilage and joint fluids inside the joints, reducing friction and pain. A course of 4 weekly injections will often provide 6 – 12 months of relief from arthritis – reducing or eliminating the need for other drugs. The injections are given under the skin (just like a vaccination). They aren’t expensive ($23 – $42 per injection*) and you pay a consultation fee only on the first visit. Zydax works in 80% of cases
A good supplement in Australia is “Glyde” powder & Chews – containing chondroitin, glucosamine and green-lipped mussel powder.

I feed my boy “Wellness Core” Large Breed dry food, it’s high in protein-35%, low fat-13% low carbs-31% & this kibble doesnt cause any acid reflux with my boy like other dry or wet foods cause…..I dont know if you can get the Wellness Core large breed in Spain or online, maybe Wellness is sold on Amazon.
Another good dry food is “Canidae” Pure Meadow Senior….

[Patricia A]

I’m also transitioning to Stella Chewy’s baked kibble for my two chihuahuas’ with a little topper of Stella’s freeze dried. They were always on Fromm with topper but my younger one just stopped eating it. I tried the Fromm grain free which they both ate but I believe because of the above average fat caused weight gain in the older one. I still have my 16 year old Hannah on Fromm regular Four Star with the topper and would NOT switch her since she’s done very well on this. I now noticed that Stella’s freeze dried toppers are MUCH higher fat then Primal freeze dried. Primal states on their website that when freeze dried is hydrated it would be approx the SAME fat as their frozen in the same protein. They do not list product rehydrated analysis so I have to believe them when they say it’s the same as frozen when hydrated. So my comparison showed as an example:
Primal Rabbit frozen(should be same for hydrated freeze dried?) Protein 17% Fat 5%
Stella’s Rabbit freeze dried Protein 15.5% Fat 10%
Primal Venison 19% Fat 5%
Stella Venison freeze dried 15% Fat 10%
The only freeze dried from Stella’s which is higher protein and lower fat is the Chicken
Am I understanding this correctly that Primal IS lower in fat?. Tia is getting frequent walks and back yard trips now that winter is over and keeping an eye on hubby not to give any treats to get her weight down, I want to keep this great topper and not go back to canned or now even switch to Primal.