[anonymous]

I thought I would bump up this thread. Nutriscan is being talked about in “comments”
I no longer post in comments (by choice)
So I am hoping the folks that are considering buying Nutriscan will see this.
Intradermal skin testing done by a veterinary dermatologist is the most accurate way to identify environmental allergies. There is no cure for allergies but there is effective treatment, often the expertise of a specialist is needed.
Food allergies are rare and food sensitivities tend to fluctuate.
Often a vet will recommend an elimination diet/prescription food to identify food sensitivities.
Also: /forums/topic/suggestions-welcomed/
And if you use the search button you will find more.

[Adele M]

“I am absolutely abhorred by Nuvet. For one I am so figusted by their lack of ethics. Would you look at all these paid/ employee / repeated reviews. Their blog reputation is a sham.”

Really? Well, I’m here to tell you that the testamonials are NOT “paid/employee/repeated”. I’ve written two myself. If you want to read one, you can go here: https://www.nuvet.com/testimonials.html and the subject is “See the difference?”

The day I was adopted I wasn’t a NuVet dog, but I am now! See the difference?

I still take a NuVet Plus and NuJoint tab EVERY DAY so I can look AND feel great!

~ Moose, A NuVet Dog since April 2011

[anonymous]

As with most choices in the medical realm, there are both pros and cons of using colloidal silver for dogs, but for most people the decision comes down to ready availability, price, and history of success. Colloidal silver is usually considered an “alternative therapy” drug and is often used in place of antibiotics. It has a long history of use, and proponents often describe it as something of a cure-all. People give it to their dogs to treat almost any sort of infection or ailment. In most cases colloidal silver isn’t approved by government regulatory authorities for use as medication, though, and there can be concerns about strength, potency, and soundness of preparation. The lack of regulation can lead to a lot of variety in the products that are available, and there isn’t always a lot of consistency between brands. The risk of overdosing is rare but can happen, and prolonged use can lead to a number of canine health concerns.
Broad Spectrum of Uses
One of the biggest “pros” of colloidal silver for dogs is that it can be used to treat a huge range of issues. It is widely available in many natural food and health stores, and it isn’t usually nearly as expensive as the antibiotics and other pharmaceutical drugs that are often prescribed in its place.
Above is an excerpt from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-the-pros-and-cons-of-colloidal-silver-for-dogs.htm#didyouknowout

[Marie P]

This was set up for a 11 month old Boston Terrier at 16 pounds )
YOU will need to ADJUST the feeding amount for your Dog’s Weight

VERY Easy
WE have had Good luck with this Recipe:
This recipe uses egg as a binder; bake it like a meat loaf, with bread crumbs. As presented here, with these ingredients, it is about 30 percent protein, 25 percent fat, and 38 percent carbohydrates.
If you need Wheat FREE bread crumbs – here is a link: to Gillian’s Foods
http://www.gilliansfoodsglutenfree.com/products/index.php?cPath=29&osCsid=15aad74dac45e25945dd8f62963644c1

FEED Daily: for the Boston Terrier:

2 ( 1 inch size slices of the meat loaf ) 2 x per day ( for you size dog ) ( 15-18 pound dog )

( at night you may want to do 1 1/2 slices ) – JUST see if he is hungry

SNACK-
( FEED 1/4 cup of a quality Dry ( LOW grain or NO grain Kibble per day ) – as a snack

WE like the Fromm’s Brand of Dog food – also Blue Buffalo is good:

Recipe:

CHOOSE 1 meat:

2 lbs fairly lean *****( YOU will do Ground Chicken or Ground Turkey ) ( skip the beef )/ for this month-

3 cups of bread crumbs – plain – See Wheat free link above if you need it –

1/8 of a cup 2 % low-fat milk

3 large eggs

2 teaspoons of CRUSHED eggShell — – Smash it ( it’s for Calcium)

1/2 cup cooked vegetables ( green beans/peas/ others) ( grated and mush) *** ( TRY GREEN BEANS but cut them up orSmash them )

( do not put the NuVET into the Recipe ) –

(YOU can not balance this Recipe without a Quality Supplement)

*** 1 NuVET wafer vitamin ** each day – see below: ( PER DAY PER DOG ) ( NuVET is a must to balance out home cooking )

1 teaspoon vegetable oil

1/8 teaspoon LOW SALT tamari soy sauce

order your NuVET here- I do get a small % and give BACK to Pet Rescue

go here: http://www.nuvet.com/81098 ( you are looking for the NuVET Plus Wafer ) – if you go on auto ship you save 15% on every bottle
use my Name if they ask you – Pet Nurse Marie

BAKE
* press the mixture into a casserole dish so it’s 1 to 2 inches thick and bake at 350°F for 30 to 35minutes, or until set and lightly browned.

[Susan]

Hi Wendy yes there was another lady with the exact same problem with her little dog about 1-2 yrs ago…. stay in the Forum section & click on “Diet & Health” and all people’s post come up that have been posted or put “Acid Reflux” in the “Search” bar up the top & all these people post will come up asking why is their dog “Swallowing & Gulping”…
When I first rescued my boy he was put on a high fat vet diet Hypoallergenic HP kibble for his skin problem, then one night I hear this sound coming out of the bedroom, I thought what’s he’s doing, he should be sleeping, I go & have a look & he was sitting up swallowing, swallowing & gulping & very stressed out, he even growled at me & he had never done that before that’s when I knew something wasn’t right, I didn’t know what was wrong, I went & told the vet nurses the next day & 1 vet nurse said that sounds like bad acid reflux coming up into his mouth, she asked what’s he eating, I told her Royal Canin HP Dry Kibble, she looked it up on computer & said, we have to ask your vet can he change the formula to another formula the fat is too high it;s 19% fat, the vet wouldn’t listen & change the vet diet he said it needs time to work (a load of bull) Patch ended up with Pancreatitis the following week, I didn’t know all this stuff, high carb kibble diets cause acid reflux, high fat kibble diets cause acid reflux….
What is she eating?? it’s best to feed a home cooked meals… I do both, cooked/wet tin & a premium kibble & try & stay under 40% with the carbohydrates with kibbles…
Talk to your vet, just hope he’s not a stubborn vet like some are, just won’t listen they think they’re more superior & if you mention your read this or that on the internet gee some vets don’t like it, go with your gut if something the vet says doesn’t sound right then question it or get a new vet like I did with Patch, Patch saw 4-5 vets until I got the lady vet we see now, she is into holistic & natural way of treating animals & Patch has responded really good with her & he see’s a specialist vet at the same office for his IBD….

[Dana F]

I had my adult Collie on the Orijen Red and Six Fish (Canadian version) and he thrived on that food. I was so impressed and so was my dog. I did try the U.S. version of Orijen and I hate to say it but initially my Collie refused to eat it and when he finally did he suffered from stomach cramps and diarrhea.

Fortunately, I had ordered Horizon Legacy in anticipation of problems with Orijen since I had read so many reviews where owners reported both vomiting and diarrhea. As soon as I switched him to the Horizon Legacy, with no transition, his digestive issues stopped and stools were firm. Plus he loves the food!

He’s been on Horizon Legacy for several months now and his coat is still shiny, soft, no yeast smell in the ears and his allergies have not re-emerged.

I’m very disappointed with Orijen but I am happy to have discovered a replacement that is working well for my Collie.

[Susan]

Hi
here’s Dr Judy Morgan DVM video where she use’s the Honest Kitchen Preference base mix to make “Pup Loaf” its easy & you can cut the loaf & freeze all the meals as well, Dr Judy Morgan has a few easy videos on YouTube how to make her healthy balanced meals, her chef minces & grinds some of the meats that’s added to make meals, for some of her sick dogs, she has about 8 dogs, this is what my vet has told me to do with Patch after I bought his lean pork mince packet from a different place & the fat was higher then stated on packet of lean pork mince ….Patch had a Pancreas attack in March, vet said to buy your meat like pork loins lean beef steaks etc & trim off any fat & then grind & mince the steaks into mince meat, this way I’ll know the fat % & what I’m feeding Patch…

Your on the right track, your home cooked meals will be heathier then any kibble…. Patches Nutritionist/Naturopath said to me when Patch was being put on a raw diet for his IBD if I seen & smelt the kibble & the pet pre made raw mince being made, it would make me sick/vomit, she said the smell is awful, you’ll never feed kibble to your dog again….no matter how dear the kibble is, it’s still over processed dry kibble….

I’m always getting asked what does Patch eat his coat is soooo shinny, it looks like he’s wearing silk jacket a man told me today at the park…. My secret & what most Australian do, we add either tin sardines, a few sardines to 1 of the dogs meal or tin salmon in spring water to the dogs diet….just drain the spring water…. I make tin pink Salmon Potato Cakes, Patch & the cat love them, you add 1 x whisked egg & the crushed egg shell, boiled potatoes, chopped parsley & chopped kale….

Here’s Dr Judy Morgan Pup Loaf video-

Here’s Dr Judy Morgan’s “Naturally Healthy Pets” site & “How To Make Pup Loaf” ingredient list without adding the Honest kitchen Base Mix & balancing the meal naturally yourself, it will probably be heathier & cheaper then buying the Honest Kitchen dehydrated Base mix..
http://www.drjudymorgan.com/how-to-make-homemade-puploaf/

I’ve read a few people’s post on here DFA & Face Book & they say cause THK veggies are dehydrated they don’t swell up properly or form & some dogs poo the veggies straight out, some dogs do very sloppy poos when eating THK mixes maybe that’s the THK meals where you just add the water???

[Susan]

Hi Mon C
here’s Dr Judy Morgan DVM video where she use’s the Honest Kitchen Preference base mix to make “Pup Loaf” its easy & you can cut the loaf & freeze all the meals as well, Dr Judy Morgan has a few easy videos on YouTube how to make her healthy balanced meals, her chef minces & grinds some of the meats that’s added to make meals, for some of her sick dogs, she has about 8 dogs, this is what my vet has told me to do with Patch after I bought his lean pork mince packet from a different place & the fat was higher then stated on packet of lean pork mince ….Patch had a Pancreas attack in March, vet said to buy your meat like pork loins lean beef steaks etc & trim off any fat & then grind & mince the steaks into mince meat, this way I’ll know the fat % & what I’m feeding Patch…

Your on the right track, your home cooked meals will be heathier then any kibble…. Patches Nutritionist/Naturopath said to me when Patch was being put on a raw diet for his IBD if I seen & smelt the kibble & the pet pre made raw mince being made, it would make me sick/vomit, she said the smell is awful, you’ll never feed kibble to your dog again….no matter how dear the kibble is, it’s still over processed dry kibble….

I’m always getting asked what does Patch eat his coat is soooo shinny, it looks like he’s wearing silk jacket a man told me today at the park…. My secret & what most Australian do, we add either tin sardines, a few sardines to 1 of the dogs meal or tin salmon in spring water to the dogs diet….just drain the spring water…. I make tin pink Salmon Potato Cakes, Patch & the cat love them, you add 1 x whisked egg & the crushed egg shell, boiled potatoes, chopped parsley & chopped kale….

Here’s Dr Judy Morgan Pup Loaf video-

Here’s Dr Judy Morgan’s “Naturally Healthy Pets” site & “How To Make Pup Loaf” ingredient list without adding the Honest kitchen Base Mix & balancing the meal naturally yourself, it will probably be heathier & cheaper then buying the Honest Kitchen dehydrated Base mix..
http://www.drjudymorgan.com/how-to-make-homemade-puploaf/

I’ve read a few people’s post on here DFA & Face Book & they say cause THK veggies are dehydrated they don’t swell up properly or form & some dogs poo the veggies straight out, some dogs do very sloppy poos when eating THK mixes maybe that’s the THK meals where you just add the water???

[Susan]

Hi Matt,
Sounds like your dog has Seasonal Environment Allergies & Food Intolerances. My boy has both, his vet said if they have food sensitivities they normally will have some type of environment allergies as well… as soon as I read your post about his hives on his legs, tail & abdomen I knew environment allergies probably from grass, tree or plants pollens, that’s what Patch gets as soon as Spring starts, my vet said, keep a dairy & as the years pass you’ll start to see a pattern & I did every spring Patch has itchy hives all over his body & face/head, red paws when he walks on wet morning grass, a yeasty smelly mess, but thru the cooler Winter months he’s pretty good, no itchy skin or red paws as long as he doesn’t walk on wet grass or eat any foods he’s sensitive too, Winter we get a break,…
Baths are the best thing you can do, bath as soon as he’s real bad with his hives & itchy skin, give him a bath, I do weekly baths now but I was bathing every 2nd 3rd day at one stage, I use a medicated shampoo “Malaseb” medicated shampoo it’s mild & can be used daily & kills any bacteria, yeast on the skin & keeps their skin nice, moist & soft, when you bath your washing off any allergens, pollens & dirt that’s on their skin, I also use creams on his paws, head around chin & around tail & bum area when he’s bum surfing on my rug, “Sudocrem” is excellent it stops his itchy bum within mins of applying it, Sudocrem is a healing cream for Nappy Rash, Eczema, Dermatitis, Pressure Sore etc, sold in the baby section at any Supermarket or Chemist, the Sudocrem acts as a barrier & protects their skin especially their paws & where their skin is red/pink on stomach area & back of legs, I’d love to show a before & after photo’s after a lady applied the Sudocrem to her dogs red stomach, it’s posted on the Dog issues allergies F/B group link below. I also use Hydrocortisone 1% cream at night I check Patches whole body before bed & if something is still red like in between his toes, I get a cotton tip & thinly apply some Hydrocortisone 1% cream, when he wakes up in the morning all his paws are nice & pink all clear again, you can put on socks & bandage around the paws to stop any licking as licking makes things worse, best to bath the paws in Malaseb & dry them off then apply the Sudocrem,

The only way to know what foods your boy is sensitive too & can eat, is to do a “Food Elimination Diet”… you can use a vet diet like “Royal Canine” Hypoallergenic wet tin food, then once your dog is doing well & not reacting start adding 1 new ingredient to the R/C HP wet food, every 6 weeks add 1 new ingredient, no treats or any extra things are to be feed while your doing an elimination food diet, it can take a dog 1 day up to 6 weeks to react to an ingredient & show symptoms, that’s why sometimes you’ll start a new food & think your dog is doing really well then 3-4 weeks later he’ll start reacting to an ingredient in the new kibble…
Probably half the foods you think he’s sensitive too he isn’t..
I tested & added ingredients that are in the kibbles I wanted to feed… I worked out my boy reacts to chicken, he gets red paws, itchy yeasty smelly skin & itchy bum after I added raw & cooked chicken to his diet, carrots made his ears real itchy & he’d shake his head 20mins after eating the chicken & carrots he reacted, oats & barley made Patches poos very sloppy, I always thought potatoes & peas were causing Patches yeast problems cause potatoes are a high sugar starch but later I learnt a dog will only get yeasty smelly skin, paws & ears if they’re sensitive to a certain ingredient (CARF) or have environment allergies.. Read this link “Myths & Fact about yeast Dermatitis” scroll down to “Carbohydrates & Sugar in your dogs diet. http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/blog/2015/9/8/facts-myths-about-yeast-dermatitis-in-dogs, Dr Karen Helton Rhodes DVM DACVD often pops into this Face Book group called “Dog issues, allergies and other information support group” join you’ll learn a lot..
Once you have done the Elimination diet, you’ll know what foods are causing what but its best to do a elimination diet in the cooler months Winter when pollens aren’t as bad as the Spring/Summer months..
Can you cook or feed a raw diet? you’ll have better control with your dogs diet, even if you do what I’m doing, I feed a few meals “Canidae” Pure Wild Boar kibble & the other meals are wet tin food Royal Canine HP wet tin or cooked pork rissoles with sweet potatoes. Patch eats 4-5 meals a day, he has IBD as well, if you join the Face Book group I recommended above https://www.facebook.com/groups/240043826044760/
you’ll read some people post their dogs are allergic to mites & the mites are in the dog kibble, or your dog may be allergies to dust mites in your house…. dog allergies starts to get very confusing & as they get older they get worse, but once you get into a routine with weekly or twice a week baths, apply creams, using Huggie baby wipes Coconut oil wipes or Cucumber & Aloe wipes when the dog comes back inside wipe him down days you don’t feel like bathing him & work out his food intolerances.. it gets better..
Here’s a link for Canidae Pure formula’s, the omega 3 is balanced in Canidae kibbles, some brands of kibble are too high in omega 6 & too low in omega 3 causing skin problems in dogs.. http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
Zignature is another food people say has helped their allergic dog….Make sure your dogs diet is high in Omega 3 it will help with their allergies, ad few sardines to 1 of your dogs meal a day.. buy tin sardines or salmon in spring water also green lipped mussels are good to give as a treat.

[anonymous]

When I prepare toppers to add to kibble, I defrost, chop it up (I use utility scissors, seems easier) then I stir fry in water and cook. I then mix it in the kibble with a healthy splash of water. Maybe make a 2 day supply and store in a airtight container in the fridg.
I use chicken breast, steak, egg, ground turkey. I occasionally use tuna right from the can (canned tuna is cooked already).
I don’t use pork. I don’t use HK. I just use a quality kibble.
I don’t serve large chucks, possible choking hazard, or they will wolf it down and ignore the kibble. I do give about 1/2 raw carrot as a snack here and there (no baby carrots).
But, make sure your dog isn’t a gulper. Good luck
Ps: If you are interested in science based veterinary medicine this is a good site to visit http://skeptvet.com/Blog/
Nothing is being sold there, no supplements, no books, no membership fees.

[Susan]

Hi Charisma, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to your boy…. How I knew the H-Pylori came back was after finishing the 1st triple therapy meds he was doing really well then about 1-2 weeks later he got sick again, miserable, he was hungry acting like he was starving, like your boy is doing, he had his acid reflux & burping, licking mouth & swallowing, feeling sick, he wouldn’t settle, he was worse early hours of a morning when his stomach was empty, after he ate he was OK then 2-3 hours later starving hungry again & I know kibble would of just digested he cant be hungry & the vet that did his Endoscope + biopsies said, H-Pylori is hard to get rid of, we might need to do the triple therapy a few times, with different meds the vet said dogs with IBD all seem to get the H-Pylori it takes over & he said I normally do the triple therapy again & keep the dog on a low dose of the Metronidazole + he feeds his dog, well his wife cooks, white fish + tapioca gluten free diet for their dog, he has a dog with IBD as well, but poor Patch started getting side effects after being on a low dose 200mg Metronidazole after 1 month but I think it was longer more like 2 months cause I stopped & started the triple therapy again, he was acting real paranoid, scared of his own shadow & 1 morning he knows to stop & wait at the corner cause its a busy road but he just crossed the road real scared & I knew something isn’t right & google side effects to Metronidazole & told his vet what happened & she said stop giving it to him ASAP. I said I already did stop giving him the Metronidazole, so now when he takes the Metronidazole he’s only on it for 10-14 days, very low dose 200mg, just enough time to fix whatever wrong with his bowel & stomach…
Just tell your vet the last time your dog took the Metronidazole & Amoxicillin & didn’t get the Losec as well they forgot to give it here’s a link for human studies, there’s also studies done on Beagle dogs, look to your right & there’s more links about what meds work the best cause after taken certain antibiotics your dog becomes immune & you cant kill the Helicobacter then they found if the human or dog stays on Losec or Somac a PPI the Helicobacter doesn’t come back cause it cant breed in the stomach walls cause the Losec stops making the Hydrochloric acid that it needs to live, I put Patch on Taste Of The Wild grain free Roasted Lamb & Patch seem to get better I was just using the Mylanta every time he started his burping & I knew its coming back then I ask Patches vet can I do the triple therapy meds just 1 more time & we used the Losec, Clarithromycin & the Metronidazole & after the 10 days he stays on the Losec & she said OK the vet’s are learning as well, I also tried him on Tylan powder its like the Metronidazole & one lady said that helped her dog, I joined a IBD group & there were a few poor dogs with IBD they had the H-Pylori all the dogs that were on a steroids were worse & I’m so glad I didn’t put Patch on the Prednisone when I didn’t know he had the H-Pylori Prednisone gives you stomach problems & bad acid reflux so why would I give him the Prednisone, whe he has all those symptoms, I had 1 vet that wouldn’t see Patch all cause I wont give the Prednisone & then later when I found the vet Patch has now I told her the vet wanted Patch on 60mg Pred a day for a 40lb dog she said that’s way toooo much… I’m glad you didn’t give it to poor Patch…then Patch got better all last year, vet wrote out a 6 repeats scripts for Metronidazole & Losec & said when he needs the Metro just give it to him for 10-14 days & same with the Losec, then my vet rung me cause she hadn’t seen us for over 6 months, she was wondering what happened, she was so use to seeing us every month, now I tell her about all the new brands of kibbles coming on the market, her dog has colitis & she rotates her dogs foods cause she react to the foods like Patch & she has to change it around, her husband is also a vet & he asked how’s Patch going these days what did I end up doing….
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3925860/

[THERESA A]

I know this is an older thread but I was looking on the internet for a solution and saw that this website recommends a product. Let me tell you my story. I have a ten year old yellow lab mix. He was constantly active and could run and catch deer at our place in Utah. He got into a brand new bottle of dog vitamins and ate 93 out the 100. That was in February, 2016. In April, the doctor put him on thyroid medicine. He was starting to show signs of arthritis. The vet prescribed Rimadyl twice a day. Within 3 days, he was paralyzed in his back legs and vocal cords. I immediately stopped the pills. He had Rimadyl in the past but it was occasional for pain. The vet would not accept that it was the Rimadyl. She blamed a neurological problems and Cushings Disease. She put him on the medication for Cushings which made it worse. We took him to a neurologist who did not have all the equipment to diagnose him. But she suggested Acetyl L-Carnitine, Vitamin B and CoQ10. He is slowly getting better. I do not believe it is neurological because he can stand up on the carpet easily but he slips on the tile and sometimes concrete. He has lost muscle mass. I was looking on the internet to see about supplements for building muscle. His diet consists of grain free kibble, meat, vegetables, raw eggs, jumbo carrots instead of bones, Vitamin B, CoQ10, Acetyl L-Carnitine and his thyroid meds. There was a website that stated Dog Advisor recommends a product called Gorilla Max to build muscles in Police dogs and show dogs. Does anyone have experience in this? Suggestions?

[Susan]

Hi, yes re do all 3 triple therapy meds, with the Losec (Omeprazole) you don’t have to give on empty stomach or wait 30mins before eating food like you do with other ant acid reducers.
Losec is a Pump Protein Inhibitor (PPI) sends a message to the brain not to make any acids in the stomach, where the other ant acid reducer just settle all the acid already in the stomach & end up not working properly… I take Somac another PPI & I take it then eat breakfast when I was waiting 1/2 a hour before eating like my old an acid reducer Zantac I was feeling sick & my Gastro Dr said just take same time every morning & he explained how a PPI works.
I feed Patch 7am take him for his walk then at 8.30am give the Losec 20mg with water, so it goes into his stomach cause I put down his throat it can get stuck so I use a big 20mls syringe full with water & put in the side of his mouth & he just drinks it & I rub his throat so no Losec tablet is stuck in his throat.. Losec is the only tablet he lets me give him, he doesn’t run away, so it must help him…
With his food still feed the vet diet for a few meals & a few other meals feed a cooked meal it doesn’t need to be balanced for the first month then if the cooked meal is agreeing with him then look at balancing it but cause I was feeding Patch his kibble for 3 of his meals I didn’t bother balancing his Pork rissoles & sweet potato for the other 2 meals, his skin & coat was still nice & shiny & looked healthy…. after he’s on the triple therapy meds for 6 days then maybe see if you can feed his meals every 3-4 hours instead of the every 2 hours, maybe feed more food & see if you can cut out a meal or feed a bit later, I feed 7am x 1/2 a cup kibble, 8.30am x Losec, 9am X 1/2 a cup kibble, 11am a treat a few small bite size piece of peeled apple or green lipped mussel freeze dried treats, 12pm wet tin food, 5pm x 1/2 a cup kibble & 8pm wet tin food & sometimes if he’s not sleeping he gets 2 human Jatz biscuit around 9pm & that’s it he sleeps…
But gee to have a rest & have a break would be nice, since I rescued him November 2012 he’s been a handful with health problems….. what breed is your boy & how old?

[Jo R]

Hi Soph M

I don’t know where you can find Dr. Becker’s book, but may I recommend another great book that I really like. Dr Donald Strombeck, professor emeritus from Univ of Calif, at Davis Vet School book, Home Prepared Dog and Cat diets. This book is out of print, but Dr Strombeck has put it on line for free, just search for the title to find it. You may also find hard copies on line. Great information on dog diet requirements and step by step diets for healthy dogs and cats and for ones with health problems.

It is very in depth so take your time and really read it before starting, it should really help you understand what it takes to prepare balanced meals for your furkid.

Hope this helps

[Susan]

Hi sb020,
My boy is a Staffy same as your girl got the white fur & pink skin he’s 8 & 1/2 years old now & has IBD, Pancreatitis & Skin Allergies & it has taken me 2-3 years to work out his diet for all his illnesses, I found “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb limited ingredient, single protein kibble helped with his IBD & firmed up his poo’s, he seems to do real good on the TOTW kibble, it only has 338Kcals per cup & TOTW uses Purified water & Patch doesn’t get his Pancreas pain, no acid reflux, no vomiting & no nausea, but the fat is 15%max…. then I tried other kibbles I thought he can handle the TOTW 15% fat kibble but I didn’t realise the Kcals were over 400 Kcals per cup, so that means the kibble is more dense & is harder to digest, he gets his bad Pancreas pain & whinges for me to rub the area where his Pancreas is when he eats kibbles over 380Kcals per cup… also when a kibble was higher in carbohydrates & fiber, over 4%-fiber he gets his acid reflux & Pancreas pain & seems unwell, then I read higher fiber diets aren’t good for dogs with Pancreatitis…..
Now I rotate between a few different foods, I feed 4-5 smaller meals a day, Patch can’t digest 1 cup of kibble all at once, it must start to expand & sit in his stomach & something happens & he start having his pain, so I give about 1/2 cup kibble at 7am, 9am 5pm & then his wet tin vet diets at 12pm & 8pm…. I was cooking for Patch lean pork mince rissoles with a whisked egg, some chopped up broccoli, chopped parsley, a leaf of kale & 1 grated carrot all made into a small round rissole ball & baked in the oven then I boiled some sweet potatoes all cut into 1 spoon size & I’d freeze sections so I just took out the day before & put in the fridge to thaw, I added NAS Digestavite Plus powder to balance the meal but the beginning of this year I changed where I buy my lean pork mince from & the fat must have been higher & Patch started vomiting & vomiting up un digested rissole he got his bad pain right side & was put on the Hills I/D Chicken & Vegetable stew, I think they use chicken & pork liver it doesn’t have as many ingredient & there’s no Beet Pulp like all the other Hills I/D wet formula’s has, he starts his scratching & is a bit itchy but he gets better with his Pancreatitis & like my vet says just bath him twice a week & add his cream….
I do not use any of the Vet diet dry kibbles they are all too hard to digest, I do a simple test, get a glass of very warm water & put about 2 kibbles in the cup/glass, a good easy to digest kibble will float to the top of the water & only take about 15 to 30mins to go soft all the way thru, all the vet diet kibble & other some premium kibbles sink to the bottom & can take up to 3 hours to go soft all the way thru Purina, Sensitive Digestion, Hills vet diets & Royal Canin vet diet kibbles are the worst for digesting & these formula’s are for dogs with intestinal stress ….
When I was feeding kibbles that were hard to digest I didn’t know & poor Patch got his pain, nausea & would sometimes vomit back up all the in digested kibble 4 to 8 hours later, it would say easy to digest on the kibble bag…
“Canidae” is another excellent kibble look at their “All Stages Platinum” has both grains & potatoes but very easy to digest & is around 8-9% in fat, fiber is 4%max, Kcals are 342 per cup & Canidea “Pure Meadow” grain free, 10.80% max fat.. http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
You don’t mention are the foods you feeding wet or dry or both?? was the vet diet the wet tin food & which I/D formula is yoiur girl doing good on? I feed the Hills I/D Chicken & Vegetable stew 156g tin & the Royal Canin Hypoallergenic wet tin food cause Patch has food intolerances, I cant feed certain ingredients he starts getting real yeasty & itchy skin, paws & ears, chicken makes his paws red & skin itch but it doesn’t bother his stomach & bowel & cause any Intestinal stress, so I rotate when something has chicken in it & he only gets it a few days then I stop & feed the Royal Canin HP wet tin food, you may find it easier to go thru a Nutritionist to make a special diet & use “Balance it” to balance the meals.
https://secure.balanceit.com/ there’s recipes on this link for Balance it..
Maybe stick with the Hills vet diet for a few meals & feed another brand kibble for the other meals, feed 4 smaller meals a day, like what I’ve been doing with Patch & he’s doing well again…..

If you go on this face book join this group. “Canine Diabetes Support and Information” then look for the “Files” on the left side & click on the 2nd document “CDSI Diabetic food options chart” scroll down to the wet tin foods as some of the kibbles are low in fat BUT are too high in fiber for a dog with Pancreatitis just read the fiber % on any dry kibble you feed & stay around 4% fiber & avoid any weight management/weight loss dry kibbles some are lower in fat but they add more fiber to keep the dog feeling fuller longer….
also when you read the fat on a wet tin food, the fat hasn’t been converted to dry matter (Kibble) the wet tin foods on this chart have all been converted, eg: 11.11% fat DMD there’s a lot of really good wet tin food formula’s if you live in America on this chart….

When you look & read at a wet tin if you read say 4%min fat when you convert 4%min fat that’s around 16-20%max in fat its best to email the food company & ask what is the fat % in ????? when converted to dry matter..

I hope you’ve gotten some good information from my experience with Patch & your girl gets better….

[Susan]

Hi Honey Bear,
yes your young & have realized pet food companies like Hills prefer to spend all their money on advertising & colourful packaging instead of making better quality dogs foods for our pets…you have taken the first steps to make your dogs healthier & live longer..
are you on Face Book, follow “Rodney Habib” he has over 1 million followers not like Skeptvet with only 1100 followers…
Dr Karen Becker & Susan Thixton were one of the first to reveal all these pet food companies & DFA he set up this DFA site all cause of his little dog called Penny
Dr Mikes story is under “ABOUT” up the top left..same as Rodney Habib he started exposing all these dog food companies like Hills, Royal Canin, Purina etc & all their false advertising saying that their food does this & that when they don’t, it all started 2 yrs ago when Rodney found out his 14 year old Golden Retriever (Sammy) had cancer he was like most of us, we didn’t know to turn the kibble bag around & read the ingredient list instead reading the bull on the front of the kibble bag…same as vets when I went to my vets the other day there’s a new light up big Hills stand all along the wall, with all their colourful packaging etc… Rodney’s said his brain went into over drive day & night doing so much research trying to find a way to reverse his dog Sammy cancer & cure for his cancer & Raw Diets kept coming up over & over again, natural whole foods, healthy foods us humans eat are the best to feed our pet, not a dry processed kibble, they found by just adding 2 tablespoons of fresh whole foods to your dogs bowl of kibble reduces the chances of your dog getting cancer, Rodney has heaps of video’s to watch, the best video is “Maggie the oldest dog in the World” you have to watch Maggies story, she pasted away last year age 30 years old, after watching her story you’ll understand why she lived so long….
Rodney Habib found “KetoPet this group of researcher takes dying dogs out of pounds around America that have cancer & were dumped there by their owners after these dogs were put on a KetoPet raw diet these dogs cancer was reversed, these dogs became cancer FREE & then needed to find new homes, its an excellent video showing these once sick dogs acting like young puppies same as Rodney Habibs boy Sammy he’s cancer free now all cause he was feed a healthy homemade balanced raw diet Rodney posted he takes 70mins a day to make his dogs raw meals for the day….

Firstly are your dogs on vet prescription diets, if yes what for? or did your vet just recommend to feed the normal Hills pet kibbles you buy at Pet shops or online pet stores?
Some vets are old school & have been Hills brain washed lol if they’re old school they will say no to a raw diet.. I went thru a Naturopath to put Patch on a raw diet, my vet had recommended I see a vet nutritionist for Patches health problems..
I rescued Patch age 4 yrs old he was in a bad way vets all said the same thing he was feed a poor quality diet probably Aldis or supermarket food, it took me a few years to get his gut healthy again….You need to do it slowly change 1 of the dogs meals say breakfast feed the new cooked diet or raw diet & for dinner still feed the Hills kibble or feed the same Hills kibble & start adding the new cooked or raw food to the meals & take away about 1/4 cup of kibble out of their bowl then the following week increase the new food & take out more of the Hills Kibble till you no longer feed the Hills kibble or just feed the kibble sometimes, have a look at Canidae Pure Meadow Senior grain free kibble http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products Canidae is a small family run business.
… My boy was just put straight onto a homemade balanced raw diet the next day made by the Naturopath with no bone & no organ meat to start with cause he has IBD he did really well except he would regurgitate up digested water & raw food back up into his mouth about 20-30mins after eating it, cause his esophagus had been damage thru old owner using a choke chain on him, he did the same on wet tin food & cooked foods but now 4 yrs later he doesn’t regurgitate wet food no more….
Keep us informed with what you start to do even by adding some cooked left overs from dinner & take away some of the Hills Kibble is healthy….

[Susan]

Hi
Food can cause yeasty smelly ears, skin & paws if the dog has food sensitivities/intolerances to certain ingredients, you need to work out what foods your dog is sensitive too, my boy can not eat chicken, barley, oats, corn, gluten corn & carrots, carrots are the worst, 20mins after eating the carrots he starts scratching his ears, shaking his head, when I didn’t know it was the carrot & kept feeding the carrots in his rissoles he’d started to get yeasty, smelly infected ears, & walked tilting his head, same as chicken he gets red smelly paws & real itchy skin & rubs bum on the floor/carpet others foods that have corn, corn gluten meal caused sloppy poo’s….
I did a food elimination diet, raw is the best to feed, or cooked or use one of the vet diets like Royal Canine, Hypoallergenic wet tin or the Royal Canine wet tin PR-Potato & Rabbit, PV-Potato & Venison, PK-Potato & Salmon, or there’s the dry kibble after eliminating all treats & just feeding raw, vet diet or your own cooked diet that has just 1 single novel protein + 1 carb when the dog ears & skin aren’t smelly & itchy anymore you start adding 1 new ingredient for 6 weeks to see if he reacts to the new ingredient, it can take food sensitivities/intolerances anywhere from 1 day to 6 weeks for the dog to start reacting & showing any symptoms …..
Here’s some limited ingredient single protein kibbles & wet tin formula’s-
* “Zignature” – http://zignature.com/?page_id=333&lang=en
* “Canidae Pure” – http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
* “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb or TOTW Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon both have limited ingredients. http://www.tasteofthewild.com.au/

Join this group on face book, “Dog issues, allergies and other information support group” a lot of really good info & a Dermatologist pops in every now & here’s one of her links about the “Facts & Myths about Yeast Dermatitis in dogs, scroll down to about the 7th paragraph read about food sensitivities/intolerances, http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/blog/2015/9/8/facts-myths-about-yeast-dermatitis-in-dogs

[Cameron M]

Jane is extremely helpful in citing reports as though they were facts…which in many cases leads to false assumptions. A report that Bigfoot was sighted is not a fact.

The fact is that if there were actually all these horrible deaths and side effects the drug would be pulled or the FDA would immediately order a full review…something that is not happening as far as I am aware.

The sad part is many come here to decide what flea treament to use and all they get is fear of ANY flea treatment…this one is bad…that one kills dogs left and right…oh noo…for god’s sake don’t use that one blah blah blah.

Mixed in is the under current…well fleas aren’t all that bad ( yes…some misguided person actually said that in so many words…ask really what diseases are spread by fleas ( lots and lots))

The push is for natural organic …which by the way I swear by organic in my life when I can…it doesn’t work down south period end of discussion.

So people coming here for genuine information on WHAT TO USE are scared witless and are afraid to use ANY flea control which in turn makes the poor dogs suffer,

Get facts not junk science out

[Susan]

Yes Marcia you’re right, there’s 3-4 pages of crap & arguing….
Where is “DOG FOOD ADVISOR” Please remove all the bitching comments & leave up the links “Jane” provided, so when people do come onto DFA to look up Bravecto they can read links & make their own minds up…
People PLEASE realise Bravecto does stay in the dogs system longer then the 3 month period, I posted a post just before all the arguing started & Jane backed it up with links…
In Australia vets are recommending to give Bravecto every 4 months instead of the 3 months & if you do not live in a tick infected area & are using Bravecto for fleas then stop giving Bravecto in the cooler months… They have tested dogs that take Bravecto & the dogs still had fluralaner in their system 143 days later…no further test have been released to the public to my knowledge but I bet the fluralaner stays in the dogs system heaps longer then the 143 days….how you’d know if you stop giving the Bravecto chews, see how long it takes for your dog to get fleas & see when there’s a tick on your dog are they dying or dead. One lady found dead tick 9 months later after she had stopped the Bravecto cause her 4yr old dog became ill….
If you have an elderly dog, dog with health problems or a dog that has seizures or Epilepsy please do your research first before giving any Bravecto chews to your dog, read Janes links..

If people still want to argue their point there are 2 live groups on Face Book one is for Bravecto- “Does Bravecto Kill Dogs?” the other group is for Nexgard- “Does Nexgard kill dogs?”

[Susan]

HoundMusic,

I think it’s ridiculous you feed a sick dog a high fat, low quality mince especially when the dog is vomiting & has diarrhea, say that dog has Pancreatitis??..
When was the last time you went to see a vet specialist for a dog with Intestinal problems IBS, IBD, Pancreatitis?
Your talking about feeding litter Puppies, introducing puppies to food….Read original post I’m talking about dogs with intestinal STRESS, sloppy poo’s with mucus & then diarrhea, not 4-6 week old puppies being weaned onto food, even then I still wouldn’t feed a sick puppy any cooked hamburger mince or boiled rice…. When you have a SICK dog with Intestinal Stress feeding greasy hamburger mince with boiled rice, rice has pointed corners that can irritate the bowel…..who’s not to say the dogs in this post aren’t sensitive to chicken like my boy is?? one of the poster’s dog became a bit better after being put on a vet diet while the other dog got diarrhea after eating the Hills wet tin food, like my boy did after eating one of the Hills Intestinal health vet diets, this sounds like food sensitivities to me, food sensitivities/intolerance can take anywhere from 1 day up to 6 weeks to react & show symptoms….Food sensitivities normally start when the dog is around 6-8 months old….
I’m pretty sure when Rich took his dogs to see vet, the vet didn’t suggest to go home & feed some boiled hamburger mince with boiled some rice, if he did I would be changing vets & seeing a younger vet who’s up to date with more modern methods, it sounds like Rich vet knew what he/she was doing & did all the proper tests needed to rule out parasites, parvo, infection etc & placed the dogs on a antibiotic (Flagyl/Metronidazole) & a vet diet till Rich works out what to feed them both….if the dogs were placed on a Hydrolyzed diet or a single novel protein, single carb vet diet I do not know, probably not cause one dog had liquid diarrhea after eating the vet diet…..

I’ll stick with what my Specialist vet recommended to feed, 1 lean novel protein + 1 gluten free carb (Sweet Potato or Potato) he suggested to cook white boneless fish or lean turkey breast + boiled sweet potato, if I didn’t want to cook he recommended feeding a vet diet “Royal Canine” Hydrolyzed wet tin food, Sensitivity Control, Duck & Tapioca dry, PV-Potato & Venison, PR-Potato & Rabbit or PD-Potato & Duck & then when dog is stable & doing firm poo’s start an elimination diet & add 1 cooked ingredient for 6 weeks with their vet diet food….these vet diets are 100% balanced with the right vitamins, minerals, enzymes & you’ll get to the root of the problem by doing an elimination diet like I have done in the past with my IBD boy, when you look at the ingredients in these vet diets you will not find any hamburger mince, chicken, rice….. Sweet Potato + 1 lean novel protein seems to work best for Intestinal health problems especially when you think the dog has food intolerances….
You have your opinion & I have mine…..

[Maria O]

Im sure DFA already knows about it but, yup! S&C has come forth with their own baked raw coated kibble. https://www.stellaandchewys.com/dog-food/raw-coated-kibble/

Just as a disclaimer: I’m a little new into the raw feeding world. I’ve been feeding my pups Primal for about 6 months now due to my beagle’s constant weight fluctuations when on a kibble diet. After weaning her off of the table scraps my family would give her, scheduling her feedings and walks, and going at least 90% commercial raw, she’s been better than I thought she could ever be; the chub she used to have just melted off, and she’s quite the beaut. Not to mention my 7 year old Schnauzer’s been thriving like crazy off of it – no more half eaten bowls. Well thats enough about that ~

I’ve never tried S&C, but I’ve heard its a decent starter brand for those who’d like to try raw feeding with a nice amount of protein options. As a dog food retailer I know the meal mixers are a huge hit, which has earned them a pretty good rep overall.

The S&C company believes that by providing this baked, raw coated kibble, they would be reaching more pets with the benefits of raw. Specifically for those who cant afford a 100% raw diet, whether it be because of time or money. I think they’re hoping for this kibble to be a sort of “gateway” for raw feeding and kibble standards in general.

As you can imagine, there are a couple sides to this:
– Those who think this is just a marketing tactic, a contradicting product, a step backwards, etc.
– Those who think this is a good starting balance for those who simply cant or wont go raw.

As for the kibble ingredients, it looks decent enough, and the baked route certainly stands them out some. I really cant say what I think about it just yet.
What do you think about their decision? Is it a good idea? A bad one? Personal opinions/Thoughts?

[Cameron M]

Lets get a bit silly…you know I love the Sears optical commercial where the woman calls here kitty kitty and a raccoon walks in her house.

Now a report is the next morning this woman wakes up to a raccoon in bed with her and tells the FDA my heavens …I fed my cat Purina Salmon last night and by god by this morning the food turned my cat into a raccoon.

You don’t think this type of nonsense type reports literally flood the FDA or EPA daily?? Think again…there are many nuts out there.

My point being yes…look at good reports …listen…read…and also let the agencies do their jobs and issue facts when called for.

In this case I say there are many good reports and some bad ( considering doses administered). It appears to work…likewise it is new and we do not have long term cancer studies yet.

one dose …likely ok…two …same…10 years worth…dunno yet. Seems promising though

[Cameron M]

Judy – you ask for the article which stated 44k dogs died due to spot treatment for fleas and ticks. I haven’t had a chance to complete my search to find it again but what I did find was a 2009 Scientific American article which has the below quote:

Most of the problems were minor, such as skin rashes, but about 600 dogs and cats died in the incidents reported in 2008, EPA records show.

So 600 dog and cats in 1 year…ok…my statement of 44k may be a low number huh?

Never use a spot treatment. Use oral it is far better.

I agree that in parts of the nation pet owners can get by with no treatment. I grew up in South Eastern PA and in my little corner of PA I never once saw a flea on my dogs…in fact I really didn’t ever see a flea until I moved to FL ( and so you know…we never sprayed for pests nor treated our dogs for fleas…heartworm yes…fleas no) Likewise in VT there are very few flea BUT there are lots of disease carrying ticks.

Bravecto does kill ticks quickly enough to stop transmission of disease ( per the studies). My dog seems fine on her 1st dose of Bravecto…the earth didn’t open up and swallow her but the fleas did die:)

Again..I caution all..I do not plan to give this drug to my gal year round..instead it is my go to for the bad months here in FL and ticks at our 2nd home in VT…thereafter she goes back on Sentinal and I even give that a break if she is up north when snow is on the ground.
Use your heads people…I can dig up stories of people dropping dead from drinking too much water to quickly. Don’t let the sky is falling folks scare you from reading good science and I encourage everyone to do just that. Research, research and then some more…check out the EPA sites…check out the FDA sites but do not listen to the misquoted gloomand doom posted here.

[Jane L]

Very true. One article I read recently said a few years ago cancer was not even in the top ten causes of death in dogs and now it’s the number 1 cause with up to 3 in 5 dogs getting cancer.

Some talk as if there are no other options. It’s only been on the market three years, amazing how we survived up until then isn’t it 😫

[anonymous]

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2015/08/veterinary-medicine-is-a-business-and-that-includes-alternative-medicine/ Excerpt below, click on link for full article.
Veterinary Medicine is a Business, and that Includes Alternative Medicine
Posted on August 23, 2015 by skeptvet
Bottom Line
The bottom line is that financial bias is a real issue in veterinary medicine at all levels, and it has to be investigated and managed. However, this is not the same as saying there is widespread fraud or a sinister conspiracy involving vets and companies that do business with them. There is no reason to believe that the majority of vets are doing anything other than the best they can to help their patients and clients. And there is absolutely no reason to believe vets offering alternative therapies are any less subject to financial bias or any purer in their motivation or behavior than vets practices science-based medicine.

[anonymous]

Excerpt from: https://www.petcarerx.com/article/what-diseases-do-fleas-cause/163
Fleas may be extremely small, but dangerous things sometimes come in small packages. Guard your dog against the many diseases that fleas carry and transmit.
You may think that these tiny pests only make your pet do a little scratching and itching, but fleas actually cause a number of diseases, some of which can be fatal. By not protecting your pets from fleas, you are exposing them and yourself to severe health risks. Here are some of the diseases your pet could contract:
Plague
Yes, this is the same plague that caused the death of over a third of the European population back in the Middle Ages. While it’s no longer common for humans to get the plague, your pet can still become infected. A flea that has taken a bite out of a infected wild animal, like a prairie dog, chipmunk, or vole, can easily infect a dog or cat and pass along the disease.

Plague-infected cats and dogs will have a fever, swollen lymph nodes, and may even die suddenly without much warning. If you think your pet has the plague, you need to contact your veterinarian immediately and isolate your pet from other animals as to stop the plague from spreading.
Cat Scratch Disease
While Cat Scratch Disease usually does not affect cats in a negative way, it puts their owners at risk. Fleas transmit CSD from one cat to another, and close to 40% of cats will carry this disease at some time in their lives. Humans get CSD when infected flea feces on a cat’s claws or fur is transmitted from the pet to their owner through a bite, lick, or scratch. CSD can cause fever, headaches, and fatigue in humans, as well as make those with a weakened immune system seriously ill.
Tapeworms
How does a dog biting a flea end up with your pet carrying tapeworms? Simple. If the dog eats a flea that is carrying tapeworm eggs inside their bodies, then that pet could soon become infected. Once inside your dog, the tapeworm hatches and attaches itself to your pet’s intestines, causing weight loss, vomiting, and irritation.
Flea Allergy Dermatitis
All it takes is one bite from a flea to cause Flea Allergy Dermatitis, leading to hot spots and extreme itchiness for your pet. Dog hot spots are infected patches of circular skin that could soon become a big wound if your pet continues to itch and bite at it. Even your dog’s tongue licking the wound spreads the bacteria around. If your dog has a hot spot, you should take them to see your vet as soon as possible.
Haemobartonellosis
While usually transmitted by ticks, haemobartonellosis can also be carried by fleas. The disease targets red blood cells and can range from mild to very severe symptoms. If very severe, haemobartonellosis can cause cats to suffer anemia that results in weight loss and a fast heart rate. In some cases, infected cats have been observed eating dirt, and without treatment, cats can die from this disease.

Haemobartonellosis is most likely to affect dogs who have had their spleens removed. It can cause loss of appetite and weight loss for our canine friends.

What’s the best way to keep your pet from suffering from any of these afflictions? Treating them for fleas, of course! There are many options you can choose, from spot on solutions to oral pills. Decide which one is best for your pet, and keep them healthy year round!

[Jane L]

Yes as Susan says the EMA is the European Medicines Agency. They did not do any studies the testing was all done by Merck / MSD with no independent studies. The EMA is where all serious reported adverse reactions and deaths Worldwide are meant to be forwarded within 15 days of the report.

http://www.ema.europa.eu/docs/en_GB/document_library/Newsletter/2017/02/WC500222245.pdf

on page 4 it says:-

‘The MAH was asked to provide a targeted PSUR that should include an
extensive analysis and review of all serious reaction reports with neurological
disorders, skin and appendages disorders, hypersensitivity/immune mediated
reactions and hepatopathy, also with death and death by euthanasia. This
targeted PSUR will be assessed by the CVMP and depending on the outcome
additionally measures will be taken.
In addition, during the last period of surveillance “
lethargy” has been identified and the MAH was requested to update the SPC to include this term in the SPC.’

Anybody can also apply for an ADE report and read the cases which read like these 3 x examples :-

Suspected Adverse Reaction:-
On 5 Feb 2015, a veterinarian reported that a dog had a seizure and weakness approximately 6 hours after receiving half a tablet of Bravecto 1400 mg (over 88 lbs. and up to 123 lbs.) (Extra Label Use-Treatment Program Not Respected) on 3 Feb 2015. The dog had another seizure on 4 Feb 2015. The signs resolved on 5 Feb 2015. Four other dogs were given the product and none of them had a reaction. Follow-up information is pending. Follow-up on 27 Feb 2015 via email: the owner, who is also the vet, reports that the dog had Bravecto on 2 Feb 2015 (previously reported as 3 Feb 2015). Updated patient information was reported (11 yr old female rottie cross). Besides the 2 seizures, which were previously reported, the vet also mentioned that the dog’s legs were very weakened to the point where she could not get up or lie down. Bloodwork, including a 4DX snap test, were negative and skull radiographs were clear. She was circling and head pressing and could only eat if hand fed as standing was very difficult for her. She remained weak and was euthanized on 25 Feb 2015.

***
Suspected Adverse Reaction: On 11 Dec 2015, a veterinary technician reported that a 5-month-old, 2-kilogram dog was taken to the veterinary clinic for grooming on 10 Dec 2015. Before bathing, the dog received a 112.5 mg Bravecto chew. While drying (approximately 30 minutes after Bravecto administration), the dog had a seizure and died. Petechial lesions on the abdomen had also developed. A necropsy had not been performed at the time of the report. Follow-up information is expected. Follow-up on 12 Jan 2016: A necropsy report was received. Gross pathological findings included multifocal petechial hemorrhages of the mucosa/serosa in multiple organ systems, moderate congestion in the coronary and myocardial vessels, and severe congestion of the meninges, which were adhered to the cranium. The presumptive diagnosis was hepatic encephalopathy. Hepatic findings were compatible with hepatic glycogenolysis or glucocorticoid hepatopathy, which is consistent with differentials such as hyperadrenocorticism, severe stress, or an iatrogenic origin (e.g. glucocorticoid administration). The microcirculatory lesions are associated with microcirculatory collapse, shock, and death, which suggests a possible hypersensitivity reaction to products administered to this patient.

*****

Suspected Adverse Reaction: Bravecto 250mg was administered to adog on 13 Nov 2015. One hour later the dog’s skin was red and after that, the dog had seizures. The owner brought the dog to the clinic, but it was dead on arrival, approximately 1.5 hours after administration.

*****

You are all free to use what you wish so if you think the convenience of feeding this insecticide once every 3 months to your dog is worth the risk go right ahead but at least you have read the warnings and know the risk. There are many settlements too if waivers are signed.

[Jane L]

You are wasting your breath obviously once Cameron referee to Snopes 😜 That is quite funny for some talking science!

For anyone interested Snopes have not updated their unproven statement from June 2015 on Duncan’s death in spite of being provided with his MSD cases number, letters to owner from Merck and paid vet bills on the owners surviving dog. This case was the first to hit the news and another 4000 odd cases / 900 approx. deaths have followed on. If these reported cases are just 1% as they say is the norm then obviously this is a massive issue. I think with groups now in so many Countries anybody with half a brain can see there is a big problem here. So be aware if you dog reacts there is no antidote and so far there are no clues why some are react so violently and others days after dose 3 or more and others appear fit after over two years. If you love your dog why take the risk especially as it does not even prevent tick disease and works by your dogs blood feeding parasites? Surely a deterrent to prevent the bite is preferable?

Unproven does not mean it did not happen it means there is not 100% proof of the cause. It’s the 100% conclusive scientific proof that appears impossible but if you feed you dog one of these so called ‘tasty treats’ and within minutes on many occasions it starts seizing I think you know the cause. The intelligence of someone referring to Snopes as the fountain of all knowledge is laughable 🙄😫

Anybody interested in reading facts just apply to the EMA and read the cases and see how they singled it out at the January meeting for targeted PSUR’s.

[Susan]

Hi Rich, click on this link, Clean Label Project,
http://www.cleanlabelproject.org/product-ratings/pet-food/ scroll down & read the kibbles & wet foods that had the most toxic chemicals, arsenic, lead & cadmium, most were pet foods that had fish as the main protein, last yea I started feeding Patch the “Holistic Select” Adult/Puppy, Salmon, Anchovy & Sardines made by Well Pet who make’s Wellness another kibble Patch did well on then went down hill after 2-3months, his stomach & bowel seems to know when a kibble isn’t right & something is wrong, now I know why after reading the Clean Label Project… all last year Patch was doing really well eating TOTW Roasted Lamb + different cooked foods that I add to his diet for dinner, then Spring come around, cause Patch suffers with Seasonal Environment Allergies, I start to feed a fish based kibble thru the Spring & Summer months the year before I feed an Australian made kibble “Meals For Mutts” but this year I started to feed the Holistic Select G/F fish kibble instead the man at the pet shop recommended the Holistic Select he feeds it to his 2 Staffys that also have allergies then after 2-3 months Patch went down hill after eating the Holistic Select, he stopped eating it, he was doing sloppy cow pattie poos, up all hours of the night pooing, bad wind pain, whinging, I saw his vet, she put him back on the Metronidazole & I put him back on his TOTW Lamb kibble, his poo’s firmed up within 2 days.. then 1 month ago I see Holistic Select kibble on the Clean Label Project it’s 10th, contains the highest amount of harmful environment and industrial contaminants & toxins.. I nilly died & Holistic Select is a 5 star kibble on the DFA….
This is why over time it’s best to find a couple of different brands of pet food with a different protein that agree with your dogs & you rotate between the 2 or 3 brands so if 1 brand isn’t being made any more or has something wrong like toxins or lacking vitamins, not enough omega 3 etc your dogs are not on the one food long enough, eating the same food 24/7 for years & years & suffering long term health problems…..

What kibble works for one dog may not work for another dog, if your dogs were doing sloppy poo’s with jelly mucus on them it’s normally food intolerances, or the protein may be too high, after doing a food elimination diet with my boy, it was chicken, corn, corn gluten meal, barley, boiled rice he can not eat, his IBD vet specialist said when I’m looking for any kibbles or wet tin foods make sure it has 1 single protein with limited ingredients so there’s less chance he will react to an ingredient, she said if after 9-12 months he’s doing really well on the same kibble, its best to introduce new foods into his diet, sometimes a dog will start to react to an ingredient in the food you’ve been feeding for years, so I rotate kibbles now & I add different foods to his diet for dinner or as treats but I didn’t do all this straight away it has taken over 3-4 yrs to get to this point where Patch can eat anything now as long as it’s not any foods he’s sensitive too…also sometimes a 5 star food won’t be the best food for your dog, if it’s a 3 stars food & agrees with your dog & the ingredients all look good then that’s OK, Dog Food Advisor gives less stars sometimes cause the protein is under 25%, there’s nothing wrong with the kibble, but the lower the protein the more carbohydrates that kibble will have….

[Cameron M]

Susan and Judy, I was thanking the individual who took the time to express his/her opinion.

Judy, I am sorry for your loss, however, I am not discussing Comfortis I am discussing Bravecto. Likewise, I am not discussing your doctor ( hey readers…lets stop here a second…scroll up a bit and read the post where the person suggests listening to your vet now notice Judy digging at her husband’s Doctor…can’t win huh?).

I keep responding because seriously…we are in a lot of trouble today because people do not understand basic science…perhaps our schools are to blame. It is truly scary to me to hear such twisted yet seemingly “common” sense comments be accepted…such as it must be toxic if it kills fleas.

Rubish! So Judy to answer I will say I do not know what you mean because what is toxic to a flea is obviously vastly different than what is toxic to my dog or myself with both us being mammals.

Even between mammals there are vastly different toxicity variables. Do you enjoy grapes Judy? How about chocolate? Both really tasty and good food items for humans that will kill dogs…gee…it seems simple common sense doesn’t really work in the world of science. So please keep your you simple homespun observations to yourself because all you do is create danger.

If you actually have studies which support harm being caused by Bravecto then please do share…but you don’t. Scopes even investigated this and found all the hype to be an urban myth based on conjecture vs facts.

Flea and tick control are extremely important – neither Judy or Susan have bothered to offer a helpful suggestion as to a proven alternative to medication ( I say proven vs swing a chicken over your head on a full moon).

So please Judy and Susan…can you share a good method to protect my gal here in FL from flea bites ( which cause disease) or ticks ( which cause disease)?

[Cameron M]

Not sure you are directing this to me…well yes..actually I do have a doctorate but no offense taken.

And yes…my vet whom I trust HIGHLY reccomends Bravecto…nontheless I am doing my research as well just to make sure.

And I add that there are some out there who love a good scandel..even when I say my vet reccomended the drug they scream…aah the vets are making money off this…they are part of the quote “system” as if there is this huge shady group of people lying about research and killing dogs just so they can make a buck.

Really, in today’s world you can’t win…you say you agree with a research study and the opinion of a trained vet and they jump on you…you say you don’t trust a study and the otherside jumps on you.

What I do is listen to experts..look at all sides and decide the issue solely on science. To date I have not read a single research article which supports all the dire side effects that some here are claiming.

Now will admit a few here do make a logical case for longer term and presently unknown side effects. Such as yes…how does the liver react over 10 years to this drug.

Medical doctors today now realize that minor but constant inflammation in the human body can cause cancer…20 years ago they would have laughed at the notion that some minor little thing would kill you 15 years later.

For now I feel safe in the short term usage of Bravecto…BUT I am not certain I will want to use this for the next 5-10 years? I’ll get back to you on that question!

[Cameron M]

Hi Jane,

I do see your logic regarding the effects on the liver…I am posting an portion of a research study…please note the extremely high dosages given to the rats…400mg per Kg body weight a DAY…a DAY. Wow…my gal got about 11.4 mg per pound for 3 months ( (roughly 23.6 mg per kg per 90 days!!!)

Jane…anything to excess is dangerous. Drinking to much water at once can literally kill you…does than mean water is toxic. Well yes…sure it is toxic if you are stupid enough to drink 3 or 5 gallons at once.

How about baby aspirin..yep..thats toxic to in some people. If I listed all the side effects of just plain old aspirin and didn’t tell you the drug name there is no way you would ever pop another aspirin again. Yet rarely do any of us ever actually realize any negative effect from aspirin and there are many studies that support aspirin has numerous beneficial effects at low dosage…from preventing heart disease to preventing some cancers.

Some people don’t seem to have comon sense…they read a “study” and don’t really have the expertise to understand the study then they get freaked out.

Please…do go read all the horrible…super scary possible side effects of aspirin…but you know what…I’m not concerend at all and I think it makes perfect sense to take a daily low dose of aspirin…the logical benefits are far better than the risks.

But yes…see my other posts…keep an eye on this…know your dog…get proper blood tests done and see how your pup is tolerating this new drug.

Please see below post from PARASITIPEDIA.net:

LD50 acute, rats, p.o. >2000 mg/kg
LD50 acute, rats, dermal >2000 mg/kg.
In rats the main target organ in the repeated dose toxicity studies was the liver. Increased organ weight, hepatocellular fatty change and effects in related blood parameters were observed mainly in the highest dose groups, thus at large overdoses relative to recommended/proposed use in the dogs. At the dose of 400 mg/kg bw/day effects on thymus and adrenal weight and microscopic changes in lung and thymus were observed. Comparable effects were reported after dermal administration at very high doses.
In Beagle puppies treated at 1x, 3x and 5x the maximum recommended dose (= 25 to ~60 mg/kg bw) three times with a 56 day interval, fluralaner was well tolerated. There was no evidence of product-related effects in food consumption, body weight, clinical parameters or physical examination variables, or clinical pathology findings.
In a pivotal reproductive study Beagle dogs were treated up to 3X the recommended dose 3 times at 8 weeks intervals starting 12 weeks (males) and 4 weeks (females) before expected mating. Treatment continued until the females had whelped (males) or the puppies were weaned (females). No adverse reactions were observed in adult dogs and no detrimental effect on reproductive functions, number of puppies and puppy survival was detected.
Safety data collected during field studies with the tablets for dogs in Europe and the USA showed that the product was in general well tolerated. In the European field study mild and transient diarrhea, vomiting, lack of appetite and drooling were recorded in 1.6% of dogs in the first days after treatment.

[Cameron M]

Hi Susan,

Thank you for the excellent information! Yes, I am concerned about all these aspects..my plan is to use sparingly. Just one dose from now through Sept. then switch back to Sentinal. My dog splits her time between FL and VT…Fleas are a non issue in VT but ticks are a huge issue.

We are in FL at the moment and fleas are horrible this year because we didn’t have a heavy frost this winter ( normally my part of FL..St Augustine..gets 1 or two hard freezes a winter).

I plan on keeping a close eye on Coco.

As to your observations about Bravecto remaining in the body for too long…I did read a medical study which stated that trace amounts were found in the blood at 111 days but that the effective dosage ended roughly at the 90 day mark…this is an overlap of 21 days and like you I am concerned about build up if given on a regular basis.

With that said …the flip side is that if you think about it – even using a monthly medicine has the effect of keeping the dog under load too. Every month you administer a monthly dose the dog always has the drug in its system…right?

I don’t really see a difference…giving 3 pills of Sentinal over 3 months is the exact same as giving one pill of Bravecto over 3 months.

Therefore my main concern is the overlap and build up relating to proper dosage schedules as discussed above vs. concern over having the drug in the dog’s body.

I guess the real question is …” is it safe or not” If the drug is really safe ok…if the drug causes cancer or other illness then I wouldn’t use it period.

I also agree with you that with any new drug one has to worry about long term side effects which don’t show up in the studies…ones that only start cropping up after 5 or 10 years.

We just don’t know yet with Brvecto…BUT in theory I do like the fact that it doesn’t load the liover or kidneys…that part is very good. In addition the studies to date indicate far fewer adverse reactions than other standard and older medicines…that part is good too.

Then we have the fact that boy…it is working great on Coco so far regarding fleas…has the potential to kill ticks within 2-4 hours after being bitten ( I think lyme disease requires the tick be attached for 24 or more hours)..so that is also a plus.

My pan…keep a wary eye…use a sparingly as possible…AND most importantly take Coco off the med for long breaks when neither fleas or ticks are an issue…maybe even just giving her one dose a year.

In a perfect world without fleas or ticks I wouldn’t giver her any medicine. I HATE ..ABSOLUTELY HATE that I have to medicate my gal…but since I do I am going to keep researching which medicine is the safest then give as little as possible.

Thaks again!

Cameron
P.S. I wish our pets had the ability to help make a choice…by saying hey you dope…don’t give me that junk…it makes me feel woozy…or bad. That is the single hardest part about having pets…we have to observe and use our knowledge to guess what is best and how our babies feel. To everyone reading…please – get to know your pets!!!

[midwestdoglover]

Hi there,

I am new to this forum and loved reading all your guys posts. My dog (who is my best friend) is probably getting a better diet than me at some times.. ha from my experience, i have always been around dogs. My parents had a lab, fed her Iams her whole life. But for my pup, ever since he was a pup i got him on Taste of the Wild food, they have 4 or 5 different flavors which i switch it up and he never seems to get tired of eating it. I swear by this stuff: his coat is great, white teeth, no health problems (knock on wood), he is a gorgeous dog and can say the food i believe is a big contributor.. check this stuff out, it isn’t too bad either price wise if it keeps our friends healthy, also all natural ingredients..

[Robin M]

Hello, anon101…No worries. I was just a little confused about where the tone (can’t think of a better way to word it lol) came from. It felt to me (and please understand that this was ONLY MY perception…which can be completely wrong, trust me lol) that you were upset about something I had said, and I could not for the life of me figure out what it was.

Anyway, forget about the whole thing, please? I hate communicating via message boards or facebook. Because intent cannot be conveyed over written word. It’s up to whomever reads it to decide what is meant by the words. So, I probably mistook what you typed. For that, I sincerely apologize. It is not an excuse, but we are waiting on the arrival of our first granddaughter, and I am a little “on edge” lol. Please forgive my words.

I wish to get back to the main subject, if possible. Are we still ok?

[HoundMusic]

@ Robin M:
“Also, you can see the “humps” where his hips are on his back. So I am just curious if he is actually overweight?”

Pictures can be deceiving, but it does seem like he has a waistline, and might already be at a good weight. Even correctly build Beagles are a square dog, and people not familiar with the breed often confuse their naturally heavy build for being fat. I have actually had Vets who thought my red & white bitch and her sire were mixed with some sort of bulldog breed, because they were not accustomed to seeing anything other than scrawny puppy mill Beagles 🙁

I stink at posting pics to this site so I’ll add a link to a brace (type of field trial) Beagle site with some good pics of this type of hound – they are all actually slim & trim for their body shape.

http://thebracebeaglenews.com/

@ Inked Marie

Hallo there ::waves::

How are your puppers doing? Oh, and give Boone a treat from me 🙂

[anonymous]

Many dogs tend to be stoic, inflammation of the gums is a red flag.
In fact, doing anything other than a dental cleaning and whatever else is recommended by the specialist could result in increased pain and infection.
https://www.avdc.org/periodontaldisease.html
excerpt below
Periodontal disease begins when bacteria in the mouth form a substance called plaque that sticks to the surface of the teeth.  Subsequently, minerals in the saliva harden the plaque into dental calculus (tartar), which is firmly attached to the teeth. Tartar above the gum line is obvious to many owners, but is not of itself the cause of disease. 
The real problem develops as plaque and calculus spread under the gum line. Bacteria in this ‘sub-gingival’ plaque set in motion a cycle of damage to the supporting tissues around the tooth, eventually leading to loss of the tooth. Bacteria under the gum line secrete toxins, which contribute to the tissue damage if untreated. These bacteria also stimulate the animal’s immune system. The initial changes cause white blood cells and inflammatory chemical signals to move into the periodontal space (between the gum or bone and the tooth). The function of the white blood cells is to destroy the bacterial invaders, but chemicals released by the overwhelmed white blood cells cause damage to the supporting tissues of the tooth. Instead of helping the problem, the patient’s own protective system actually worsens the disease when there is severe build-up of plaque and tartar.
Periodontal disease includes gingivitis (inflammation [reddening] of the gums) and periodontitis (loss of bone and soft tissue around the teeth). There is a wide range in the appearance and severity of periodontal disease, which often cannot be properly evaluated or treated without general anesthesia for veterinary patients. Effects within the oral cavity include damage to or loss of gum tissue and bone around the teeth, development of a hole (‘fistula’) from the oral cavity into the nasal passages causing nasal discharge, fractures of the jaw following weakening of the jaw bone, and bone infection (‘osteomyelititis’). Bacteria from the mouth can enter the bloodstream and are carried around the body. Studies in dogs have shown that periodontal disease is associated with microscopic changes in the heart, liver, and kidneys. 
Studies in humans have linked periodontal disease to a variety of health problems including poor control of diabetes mellitus and increased severity of diabetic complications. Additionally, it has been shown that diabetes is a risk factor for periodontal disease

[Acroyali]

Susan I’m not 100% but are metronidazole and (all) flagyl the same thing? This little dog was on flagyl and (if I understood the poster correctly) was taken off because there were suspected neurological complications from the medication 🙁
You make an excellent point about giving any supplements or any meds separately so if she throws something up, the owner will know what caused it.
Also, you mentioned Patch can’t have beet pulp–when one of mine was taken off food that contained beet pulp many years ago his chronic runny eyes cleared up! He’d had that his entire life, I figured it was structural but apparently beet pulp isn’t tolerable by everyone.
Chronic digestive upset is the worst…I love it when I read posts from caring owners that recognize the smallest symptom and take action =) Cheers!

[Susan]

Hi, you do not mention your dog age?? this can play a big part in her bad breath, as we get older we make less Hydrochloric acid, it’s called Hypochlorhydria, it can cause acid reflux, as well as burping, gas/wind, abdominal bloating & pain in dogs, what I think my boy has after he eats he’s very vocal & tells me when something is wrong, walks are really good… he takes Losec (Omeprazole) now 20mg every morning, I didn’t want him on a Pump Proton Inhibitor but it made a real big difference, the Zantac (Ranitidine) & Pepcid (famotidine) didn’t help at all neither did the Probiotic…
Hyperchlorhydra is excessive acid production & Achlorhydra is NO acid production….
I don’t think you can do the Hiedelberg test on dogs, I looked into it this…
I would change her diet?? when my boy eats certain foods & homemade meals he gets this bad fermenting smell that comes up into his mouth, it the food sitting in his stomach & not digesting, even thought they don’t make as much stomach acid they still need a acid reducer like Losec …Google Hypochlorhydria it will explain what happens with low stomach acid & how the Helicobacter-Pylori can take over the stomach cause this bad fermenting smell… Best to have an Endoscope + Biopsies done? has she ever had Endoscope + Biopsies done? My boy had Endoscope & biopsies done about 3-4 yrs ago, stomach looked great vet said but the biopsies showed he has Helicobacter-Pylori & IBD in stomach & small bowel, he was put straight on the triple therapy meds, Metronidazole, Amoxicillin & Losec for 21 days, I had to do the triple therapy meds a few time to stop the Helicobacter taking over his stomach, With Metronidazole (Flagyl) I only give for 10-21 days max now only when he has his breath problem or very sloppy poo’s, but I wait 1-2 weeks to see if I can fix these problems first, my boy gets bad side effects when he takes the Metronidazole, he takes the lowest dose for his weight he takes 1 x 200mg a day with a meal, he weights 18kg=40lbs, he suffers with bad paranoia, scared of his own shadow, he starts acting real weird, so vet has said only give him the Metronidazole when he really needs it for only 10-21 days then stop…….
When Patch eats homemade meals he gets his fermenting bad breath smell, so I break up all his meals, have you tried feeding a kibble or wet tin food or a vet diet wet tin food?? I feed “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb kibble & I’m trying their wet tin food as well, each month I rotate Patches meals & see which one he does best on & he seems to not react when if diet is changed, I rotate with the “Canidae” Pure Wild kibble, if you have a dog that’s 7yrs old & over have a look at the Canidae Pure Meadow Senior kibble, the kibbles are nice & small & easy to digest like the TOTW kibbles, I stay away from chicken, Patch gets real itchy & gets red paws when he eats chicken, the TOTW Roasted Lamb was the first kibble that worked for Patch, it firmed up his poo’s, stopped his acid reflux & no fermenting bad breath smell, it’s just Lamb meal & sweet potatoes, potatoes & peas & egg + probiotics & Purified water maybe the purified water has something to do with why a lot of dogs with IBD, EPI & IBS do real well on TOTW kibbles.. maybe buy a small bag of the TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb kibble & wet tin food & give it a go, or try the “Canidae” Pure formulas,
http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
The Probiotic your giving is it a dog probiotic powder? do not give a probiotic with food, the best way to take a probiotic is when stomach acids are low, first thing of a morning, in between meals or at night, when you give a probiotic with food the stomach acids are very high digesting all the food, best times are first thing in the morning with no food, or give at bed time at night 4 hours after last meal or in between meals thru the day…..If your probiotic is a powder, I was adding 15ml of water to 1 teaspoon probiotic powder & mixing together in a bowl by swirling the water around so the probiotic powder dissolves & Patch loved drinking it, I found the Dog Probiotic powder didn’t help, it made Patch feel sick, 20mins after drinking probiotic, he was doing his mouth licking, I take the Yakult probiotic drink, I was giving Patch 1/4 of my Yakult drink he loved it, but he felt sick again & did his mouth licking…..Since changing his diet & he takes Losec Patch doesn’t have his bad fermenting breath no more, since I feed him a limited ingredient grain free kibble.. I also feed 5 smaller meals a day, 7am, 9am, 12pm, 5pm & 8pm, at 12pm & 8pm I feed a small amount of wet tin food. I break it up, feed Taste Of the Wild Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb wet tin & the Royal Canine Vet Diet Hypoallergenic wet tin, I don’t feed any foods that have Beet Pulp, Beet Pulp is a Prebiotic & suppose to fix & help the stomach & bowel like a Probiotic does, Beet Pulp is in a lot of Vet Diets for Stomach & Intestinal health & normal kibbles use the Beet Pulp cause it firms up the poo, Beet Pulp might work for your dog but when Patch eats a kibble or wet tin food with Beet Pulp he gets his fermenting bad smell in his mouth…..
Have you ever tried any of the Royal Canine vet diets- PV, PS or PR or the Hypoallergenic they have no Beet Pulp & are for Digestive Health the protein is a novel protein & has been broken down for the animal, so it doesn’t sit in their stomach fermenting & digesting real slow….worth a try.. https://www.royalcanin.com/products/vet/food-sensitivity
or Hills Vet diets like I/d Digestive Health? but read all the I/d formula as some have Beet Pulp, look at Hills I/d Chicken & Vegetable Stew wet, it has digestive enzymes to help digest the protein, it only comes in a small 156g tin now & smells really nice, you only feed as a small meal like lunch & late dinner in between the kibble meals … if you stop feeding the home made meals just see for 2-4 weeks does the bad breath problem go away??? it would be best to start the Metronidazole again for just 10 days while you try a new diet the Metronidazole stops any diarrhea, makes the stomach bacteria balanced properly again & if there’s too much Helicobacter bacteria the Metronidazole kills it, also when your giving the Probiotic make sure any antibiotics like Metronidazole are given 4 hours before or after the probiotic was given & only do 1 thing at a time, so if something happens like diarrhea vomiting etc you know what caused it….

[Jane E]

Origen white paper is worth reading from top to bottom (Goggle it). Here is an excerpt:
Protein requirements actually increase by about 50% in older dogs, while their energy requirements tend to decrease. When insufficient protein is provided, it can aggravate the age-associated loss of lean body mass and may contribute to earlier mortality.

[Leslie L]

I have 2 Labs who I would like to give Keifer to. In my grocery store I can get Lifeway plain or Wallaby plain. From a bit of research I know they are milk based but the fermenting process removes 99% of the milk product. I have also read about goats milk keifer but do not know a brand or where to buy. If I gave Greek yogurt, is that as good as the Keifer? I give them Primal raw goats milk now a few times per week. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[anonymous]

Hope this helps, excerpt below. Click on link for full article.
https://www.mspca.org/angell_services/qa-with-angell-west-cardiologist-dr-rebecca-malakoff/
My dog/cat has a heart murmur. What does this mean?
A heart murmur is a “swooshing” sound heard while listening to the heart, instead of a crisp “lub-dub” sound. This typically indicates some turbulence to blood flow in the heart. It can be caused by a leaking valve, by an area of narrowing within the heart causing disturbance to blood flow, or by other abnormalities such as a defect or “hole” in a heart wall from birth. As in people, some pets can have a soft “innocent” murmur, where no significant heart disease is present. Murmurs are graded on a scale of 1 to 6 depending on how loud they are and how many places over the heart they are audible (with 6 being the loudest and most widespread). To determine the cause of a heart murmur, an echocardiogram, which is an ultrasound of the heart, is recommended.

[K C]

your pup needs to be tested before treatment, if you don’t have the funds call you local humane society and they will give you info for a free clinic or test the
stool for you.. you will definitely need a dog probiotic to restore the bacteria balance in the pups body and they are safe even if not ill .
There many viruses out there as it is Spring , unfortunately some are deadly if left untreated. There can be many thing that cause diarrea in pups not everything is from illness or parasite ,they could have a blockage from eating something.
Note that most people on here already have a diagnosis and just need to finish getting rid of the parasite.
Best wishes in getting help

[F D]

Hi!
I have a 5 month old husky that has been having
bad diarhea for a week now.
I think it’s giardia because it
is watery but now it’s mushy. It really has a foul smell.. can I treat this myself?
with pancur c? And kochi treatment?
I do not have a lot of money for a vet and
reading this forum has helped a lot..
what else do you advise? Hopefully somebody’s here!

My puppy is very active and doesn’t act tired
or sick at all. He still a happy puppy

[Erica H]

Hi there,

American Natural Premium is a brand carried on Chewy.com that was suggested to me by a breeder. It is an American-made food that appears to have quality ingredients and meet calcium profiles for large dogs. I would be interested in reading a review on this food brand for use in large breed puppies in particular.

Thanks!
Erica.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 8 months ago by Erica H.

[Jasmine T]

I took him to vet, they wanted bloodwork and xrays. I dont like this vet. She told me i was feeding him wrong, dogs are omnivours , he only needs 25 percent protein and 50 percent carbs . I told her i knew it was controversal and she said it wasnt it just is what it is. And she had such an attitude with me there after.Anyway,i wish she was more helpful , in responding to my questions. I decided to take the meds to make him feel better and if nothing changed i .an apt for an xray the next morning.which i have in an hour . I cant afford xray and bloodwork together. I lost my job and this is all i have , il spend every penny but i only have so much. They gave him two shots and some pills.he WONT SWALLOW the pill. I wrapped it in a tiny peice of canned chicken and tossed it in his mouth and held it shut. Over and over he would spit it out when i let go.so i waited thinking i could wait him out. I did this and he just looked at me when i let him go. I got suspicious and made like i was leaving , i came back twice and he hadnt spit it out . Then i found it later. He litetally waited for me to leave leave to spit it out.the pill was metronidazole. He got a shot of antibiotic,and a antiemetic.
They couldnt test his stool for parasites because it wasnt a stool,it was pink water. He is drinking water,not as much as id like. He had a half a bowl yesterday.
Im bringing my boyfriend to his appt today so that if we get terrible news , he will be there and will more then likely ask his grandmother to help pay. Shes taken her dogs there for years too ,maybe she can request a payment plan. I dont know. I know an xray isnt the end of it.
Maybe he ate a stick or something or glass or poison. I have no idea. It does make the most sense it was the heart.
I read that heart could be fed as a muscle meat ,that it should not be counted as an organ. I read that if it SECRETES then its an organ meat.
Yes too raw to fast.
My dog is 12 in aug. Lab mix. Im trying to stay calm. I am close to freaking out. If something shows in the xray il have to rob a gas station to get the money , im thinking 5000 emergency sugery . What could be wrong with him???
Im counting the min till our appt. I regreted waiting till today shortly after we got home. I thought about it all day and night. I should of just did it yesterday…

[pitlove]

Yes BUN can be elevated with dehydration. Elevated BUN is not always a sign for concern. It is when both BUN and creatinine are elevated that it is concerning because creatinine is only elevated when there is a decrease in glomerular filtration.

If you haven’t already I would let the vet know what kind of diet he is on considering high protein diets can also cause elevated BUN. Again, not something that is always cause for concern depending on why it is elevated.

[Susan]

Hi Jazzlover,
Have you increased the Omega 3 in your dog diet? tin sardines in spring water are excellent, add about 2 small sardines to the raw diet a day, how come your only feeding 1 raw meal a day? is this raw meal balanced properly, is it home made raw or premade raw diet? after adding the Sardines you watch Jazz’s skin & coat start to shine & improve….
Have you tried using High Potency Vitamin C powder for dogs? Vitamin C is a Natural Anti histamine & strengthens the immune system, we use Vitamin C in Australia, it’s also added to our dog foods, here’s the Natural Animal Solution site, I’m pretty sure Jacqueline Rudan the Naturopath does sell her products in America, the Skin Pack is really good & a good price, it will balance the raw diet if it’s homemade diet, I used it when Patch was eating a raw diet…. done the bottom of my post is a link when you have clicked on the link read about Vitamin C then go to the top & click on “Pet Health” look on your left, scroll down a bit then you’ll see “Skin System” there’s a little green arrow facing down, click on arrow & all skin conditions will come up, click on “Skin Allergies” the last one, it’s a really good read, make sure you bath weekly or twice a week or daily in the bad seasons to wash off the pollens & allergens on the skin, bathing relieve the itch I also use “Malaseb Medicated Shampoo” it’s mild & can be used daily, excellent for red paws…
For Jazz itchy lower back tail & bum area have you tried “Sudocrem” it’s a healing cream sold in the baby Section at Supermarket or Chemist, when Patch starts rolling body on carpet & bum surfing on my carpet I should bath him but some days you don’t feeling like bathing the dog so I buy the Huggies baby Wipe the Coconut Oil wipes there’s also Cucumber & Aloe. I wipe his fur down then get another coconut oil wipe & wipe his bum & around his tail area, then I apply the Sudocrem, then straight away the itch stops… When he gets his itchy bum it’s from food sensitivities, as soon as he eats something he’s sensitive too he starts rubbing his bum on carpets…
http://naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/Shop/product/high-potency-vitamin-c/

[LEELINA M]

To Pitluv:
I am truly sorry for the loss of any beloved furry family member. As I previously stated I am also new to RAW and we are all learning, this is why we come to these forums. To listen, share and hopefully help. I literally read more and more on the subject online every single day. I’m petrified of getting it wrong and harming my baby girl. I’m 110% committed to her health and nutrition as well as education and training.

While I appreciate your passion, you come off extremely strong for no apparent reason. As the rest of us post advise in which someone was seeking you never actually answered her question, you simply tried to shoot the idea down. My advise to you is to NOT BE SO COMBATIVE. I’m guessing that you work in a traditional vets office or maybe for a big name pet food company. Not judging but the 2 seem to go hand in hand these days. I considered not responding to you at all and writing you off just as Ashleigh did because people like you spend far to much time trolling online for things to be negative about.

In regards to my “questionable remarks” as you put it… I’ll do my best to address them in order they were received. If you read Minnie’s Meal Plan you’ll see that IT IS BALANCED DAILY as Dr Becker recommends. I believe in balance over time as a standard but for now Minnie is a growing baby so I’m gonna pack everything she needs into every single day. On that note Dr. Becker also says to “feed the best that you can, the best you can afford” and the best that I can afford and do for my pet is A HOMEMADE RAW FOOD DIET. I choose homemade because I know exactly what is in it. I wouldn’t feed her anything I wouldn’t eat. The best I can afford is FULLY ORGANIC MEATS AND VEGGIES FROM TRUSTED BUTCHERS AND SOURCES. My situation isn’t everyone else’s situation. Some can only afford sale meats. My advise is simply to do the best you can just like Dr. Becker recommends.

In dogsnaturallymagazine.com there is an article about Salmonella:The Bad Bacteria by Dana Scott and she references a couple vets who break down a dogs mouth and intestines so that its easy to understand why a healthy dog should not be harmed by food borne pathogens. In the case of the poor rotti, there is just no way that you can be 100% sure that his gut wasn’t already compromised. It is very sad and stories like that are why I feed Minnie foods rich in antioxidants and essential fatty acids to help prevent a leaky gut issue.

I guess all I can tell you is where I started like naturalmonarch.com and it just ballooned out from there. I’ve been to too many websites to keep track of or site for reference and I continue to learn every day. I implore everyone to do the same. Also, seek the guidance of a Holistic Vet and or Holistic Pet Nutritionist in your area. Nothing against traditional vets but their clinics and/or schools are funded by major pet food companies and pharmaceuticals. And now i sound like a nutjob, sorry for that 🙂

Everyone please have a beautiful afternoon. Minnie and I are off to the beach
Love, Leelina

[LEELINA M]

Dear Ashleigh,
I’m so sorry if you’ve been discouraged by negative postings. I’m also new to RAW and finding more hurdles than helpers. The problem is everyone thinks they know everything rather than just sharing what they’ve learned. I hope you are still looking into and exploring the world of raw. Here is what I’m learning and would like to share…. Obviously every dog(like every person) is different but what works for most should work for all, barring complications. I’m feeding raw with a spin. When Minnie first came home I started her on an organic GROUND WHOLE CHICKEN WITH ORGAN MEAT AND BONE. I’m lucky enough to live in an area of Southern California where that is available to me, made by NATURAL MONARCH. Knowing that she also needs other protein sources i went seeking online and now I follow Dr. Becker. She’s a traditional vet gone holistic and i like that. She has a youtube video with Rodney Habib that outlines a raw food recipe which i follow but i change up the protein. I like that this recipe doesn’t call for too many supplements. In addition i feed Raw Meaty Bones every other day. My puppy is super finicky so we’re only doing Lamb Chops, Pork Spare Ribs and Beef ribs with the occasional Chicken Wing. She refuses to eat chicken sometimes as well as chicken feet and turkey necks. She’s kind of a butthead 🙂 but we’ll keep trying. In all my research I have learned that EVERY MEAL DOES NOT NEED TO BE BALANCED! Just work on balancing over the week. Also, Human grade is best. Dog food or food intended to for pets does not have that same regulation. i don’t care what anyone else says. Let those guys eat dog grade food instead of human graded. Even sale meat is ok for animals, as you know animals have different enzymes in their mouths as well as guts to combat the bacteria and parasites that we as humans cannot without cooking it first. If in doubt just cook the protein in question and feed everything else raw. Minnie doesn’t like the taste of ground beef(youtube recipe) but i already made a giant batch so i cook it then add a tablespoon of pumpkin to kill the scent and smell and she loves it. I also add lots of parsley, kale and mint to ward off any leaky gut issues. Dogs that get sick and /or die from bacteria already have had compromised immune systems so please don’t be turned away by nay sayers. Here is a sample diet of what Minnie eats but keep in mind that she is a growing toy breed puppy and eats 3 times a day but only eats 6.5% of her body weight per day (18 weeks as of today between 6 & 7 ounces per day)
sidenote, I’ve started mixing in the rodney habib video recipe into her already ground chicken mix plus as said before pumpkin to the beef mix after lightly cooking it. The beef, i only heat the beef.

Monday… Lightly cooked Beef mix with pumpkin then a pork spare rib the Natural Monarch Raw Chicken with mix

tuesday… Ground Turkey with rodney habib mix then ground chicken mix

wed… ground beef mix then ground turkey mix then a beef rib

thurs… chicken mix then a lamb chop then chicken mix again

fri… beef mix then turkey mix

sat… beef steak with bone then chicken mix then turkey mix

sun… chicken mix then lamb chop then beef mix

Upon writing it out, i see that i obviously feed lots of ground meat but that’s because Minnie is a spoiled puppy. I feed her enough Raw Meaty Bone to have the benefit of the nice breath and clean teeth and gums plus the calcium from those and her chicken has ground bone as well and the egg shells provide sufficient calcium. I plan to introduce more WHOLE proteins after 6 months. It is safe to fast dogs for a day after that point. But right now she’s just too small and too dang picky.

Pulsing spinach, kale, parsley and other super green veggies into your mixes is also sufficient however, i also juice so i mix in the pulp into Minnie’s food.

I hope any of this was helpful.
Love, Leelina