[Shawna]

Hi Elyce M,

You are right to question this. There has been LOTS of science over the last 20 years that proves protein is not only not damaging to kidneys but the science has shown that protein does not further damage the kidneys of dogs that HAVE kidney disease. Protein does increase BUN in the blood and if BUN gets too high it makes puppy not feel well but it has no ill effects on the kidneys whatsoever. My favorite source of scientific information on this is “Mythology of Protein Restriction for Dogs with Reduced Renal Function” by Dr. Kenneth Bovee http://www.championpetfoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Myths_of_High_Protein.pdf

Something as simple as dehydration can cause elevated BUN but if creatinine is high on the blood work than that is an indicator of kidney disease. Elevated BUN AND creatinine won’t show up on blood work until the kidneys are about 75% damaged so an elevation of both should be looked at more closely by doing more testing – urine specific gravity as an example.

If your pup really is in the beginning stages of kidney failure than lowering protein isn’t necessary but feeding “high quality” protein can be very beneficial. It is also advised to feed a wet food over a kibble. It is also beneficial to look at foods that are lower in phosphorus than your average diet as phosphorus can begin to build up in the blood and once it does it CAN damage the kidneys further.

For what it’s worth, my puppy had kidney disease from birth and ate a HIGH protein raw diet (between 45 and 54% protein) her entire life. She lived to almost nine years of age and passed from complications not related to normal progression of kidney disease.

Seven years of age is not old for a Shih Tzu but they also now know that senior dogs require a diet higher in protein than their adult counterparts due to a decreased ability to digest. This is taken from Purina’s website
“Protein for senior dogs. Healthy senior dogs require increased dietary protein in order to maintain lean body mass. We formulate our senior dog foods to contain more dietary protein (compared to adult maintenance formulas) in order to ensure that your dog gets the appropriate levels of nutritious protein he needs.” https://www.purina.com/dogs/understanding-dog-food/is-a-high-protein-diet-best-for-my-dog

Most better quality diets already exceed the minimum suggested for seniors of 25% (minimum not suggested amount) but this is a science based paper discussing the increased needs of protein in senior dogs. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18656844

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

[Lori H]

I am not disputing any content on this post or on skeptvet.com at all. I would like to mention something this makes me think of that happened to me just to add to this discussion. I have been very disappointed in the human medical community’s lack of knowledge of the human species as a whole “being” and not just something that you prescribe meds to and get them in and out the door as quickly as possible. I have just recently seen this same trend in veterinarian practices and that has caused me to educate myself more and seek other alternative methods. Until I can find an equivalent for my animals that I found in a Functional Medicine Doctor (MD, not Naturopath) in an Integrative Therapy Practice that takes a Holistic approach to treatment, I will have to continue to question, poke, prod and research anything a Veterinarian tells me. This practice saved my life with my own medical doctor, no exaggerations here, depending on traditional medicine was killing me. I am afraid that depending on traditional veterinarians may kill my animals.

For my animals, I have had 3 cases now where I took what a vet told me at face value and my three DIFFERENT animals with DIFFERENT conditions paid the price for that bad medical advice. I will not again assume that vets know everything. Yes, we have to do the best we can as lay-people. Unfortunately, that sometimes means we also make mistakes. I say all of this to say don’t try everything you read, but don’t stop reading and researching. Be well informed. Ask questions. If a vet shuts you down on your questions, maybe move on to a more open vet…….if a vet just wants to prescribe antibiotics and “see what happens”, maybe that isn’t the best “diagnostic tool” (smh) for your pet…….if a vet doesn’t even ask you what your pet is eating or what their activities include in a day, does that make you wonder what the heck they are even basing their decisions on?

[Donna W]

This is my first time posting anything but I wanted to share some info with anyone that could get some help for their pet persons. I have an old German Shepherd/Akita cross. He is now 15 years old. He has always been a big fellow but he was my husbands pet and extremely partial to him over anyone else. My husband had passed away due to an accident and the dog became seriously depressed for some time. Because my health was in decline also my sister moved me from Georgia to Oklahoma out of concern for me. My dog was 13 at the time we moved and weighed around 85 pounds. When we got to Oklahoma the dog began to have lots of health related issues. I take care of my grandkids and am on social security so not much money to spend for medical help for myself or my dog. I noticed that he started shedding horribly. He started having a bad odor and was losing tons of weight. He was scratching at himself 24/7 and crying out. His ears started having a fowl order also. I changed him from Pedigree dog food (which he had always eaten without any problems) to expensive dog foods, then to non grain foods to no avail. I got prescription ear medicine for him but as soon as it was used up, his ears started with the same problems. He really smelled bad and when we washed him, the odor came right back. He continued to drop weight. He lost at least 20 pounds. Along with his hair falling out by the hand full, his coat was super dull and he had always had a beautiful black and shiney coat in the past. I know that large dogs did not live as long as smaller breeds but this was driving me nuts. I made sure he did not have fleas. Bought him the best flea medicines. All to know avail and after 6 months I was ready to take him to the vet to put him to sleep when I came across a site on the internet where other people were talking about them having the same issues with their pets exactly like my dog. I was in disbileaf. I ordered this enzyme called Din-o-vite and gave him a scoop a day along with a squirt of omega 3 oil and a squirt of oil that made his food taste better as the enzymes did not taste good. After about a week and a half he started to improve and he continued do amaze me in his improvement. Everything got better for him. He is 15 now and although he is showing a favoring in his right side rear end when he gets up his change is nothing short of a miracle. I don’t know much about enzymes but I read that a dog has trouble digesting food and as they get older it can get worse. I hope this gets to someone else out there that is having the same trouble, try this before you think of putting your dog to sleep. He has been on the Dine-o-vite for 2 months now and I cannot believe it is the same dog. I know that he wont live much longer but he is happy now again and I know that his few remaining years will be spent with us at home.

[anonymously]

Orijen and Nutrisca for dry food are my favorites, check Chewy.com. For a reasonably priced wet food/topper, check out Newman Organics.
Your dog is a senior and therefore prone to developing bladder stones (breed) so I would soak her kibble in water prior to serving and maybe add a splash of water especially if she is not a water drinker. Make sure she gets out for frequent bathroom breaks/opportunities to urinate.
Also, check her teeth and get a cleaning and extractions if needed. Brush her teeth daily (see YouTube for how to videos)

PS: I just reread your post, if you want to feed only dry, presoak the kibble in water overnight, it will be soft, easy to chew and digest. If the food you are using agrees with her, then stick with it. You can always add a bit of scrambled egg or cooked chopped up lean meat/chicken (no bones)
Has she had a senior workup? Ask the vet that examines her what he recommends.

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

[Carol M]

Hi Lisa,

Thank you for your kind words! I hope Carrick does well. I had to order more needles from Norfolk the other day — Pam, the sales rep is wonderful — she suggested you contact Animal Medical Center in NY. She said it’s a non-profit but she didn’t know if they would charge less or might have some ideas. The $17,000 is ridiculous, Manhattan, his size or not! It was about $5k here in NC…it didn’t work & in fact yesterday was the 3 year anniversary of the initial surgery. The odds were 70-80% success rate.

I drain my dog twice a week & get about a liter of fluid each time, so about a gallon over a 2 week span. I think it was about a liter every 2 weeks initially so it’s increased quite a bit. Her left side is pocketed from repeated chest taps but the vet said fluid was still coming out so that’s a good thing. Sounds like Carrick has about double the fluid but he’d be much larger – she’s about 30 lbs.

I would not have had the surgery if I’d had any idea how bad things would get but I’m very grateful she’s still here!

I think the port is the way to go but I’m not a vet. It doesn’t cause scarring/pocketing like the taps do. Took a while to get used to doing it (I am more than a bit squeamish) but she’s very good about it. She’ll even come over to be shaved. knowing what’s coming. I’m sure she feels better.

One thing that I’ve read about chylothorax is a “gradual wasting” because of the loss of fats and proteins being removed with the chyle. I haven’t noticed any weight loss, her appetite is good, although her protein levels are a little low but not seriously low. I did talk to a nutritionist and she recommended a product called Vivonex TEN. It’s a liquid diet for people who can’t absorb nutrients through digestion. I tried mixing it with chicken broth, my dog won’t take it. But, it may be worth asking about, or since you’re using a holistic vet, there may be other nutritional alternatives.

Good luck! I hope that if you have the port put in that all goes well! Keep us all posted.
Carol

[adam]

Thanks for all the replies. I definitely did search through the forums and things tend to go in circles (Use the vet dog food/never use the vet dog food, high meat based protein causes stones/meat protein never causes stones, lowering urine PH helps/ Lowering urine PH causes stones, etc). But I understand there are a lot of unknowns and every breed if not every dog is different. I should know more when the full tests get back with what stones I am dealing with, and then certainly after they are removed and tested (still on the fence with surgery at such a young age but will probably go through with it).

Thanks for the recommendation to find a Board-certified Veterinary Internal Medicine Specialist, is there a search they provide of their members, say by state or do you have to lookup each one?

From all these posts I did gather that water is key, so thanks I will really start upping her water intake by soaking the kibble. She gets out at least 3-4 times a day and gets 20-30 miles of walks a week. She is not overweight at all, about 107 for a female Pyrenees.

Making my own food for the two large Pyrenees I have is not really feasible at this point, I would love to, but that is 220 pounds of dog to feed a day, just not going to happen on my budget. I do give them as much meat as possible though. I like the diet guide Susan linked to and bookmarked to to use when I can.

Pyrenees are pretty tough dogs and my other one who is the same age has zero issues with the same diet. You just don’t hear of Pyrenees getting stones very often, so I was just putting some feelers out there if anyone new something specific about that breed. When I read the ingredients of the “Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Canine Urinary SO” I was just shocked that this was my official solution… feed my dog Rice, Corn, and chicken by-product meal. there isn’t a single true meat in that food. I will stick with the food for now, but here is an article linked to in the forums that pretty much states food isn’t the culprit, it is the water as you all have told me:
http://www.petmd.com/blogs/thedailyvet/ken-tudor/2015/november/water-solution-urinary-crystals-pets-33270

[Talei H]

Hi all,
I’m back, but thankfully, not because we’re experiencing a gulping episode! A few days following my last post, Lilo experienced yet another bout of the “gulps.” We were at our wit’s end, because these episodes had never before occurred so close together, and because we felt just absolutely helpless. It’s been about a month and a half now, and so far, she hasn’t been plagued by this mysterious ordeal since. I’m not certain that we’re out of the woods permanently just yet, but I think that I’ve finally begun to pinpoint some of her specific triggers, and just wanted to share these ideas with the rest of you in case you find they might be applicable to your pup(s) as well.

As I mentioned before, our Lilo (Corgi) is an extremely anxious dog, and always has been despite our relatively low-key lifestyle. I’ve begun to suspect that her gulping (and the gastrointestinal issues that accompany these instances) are in some way related to her anxiety. The last two episodes (back in April 7th when I last posted, and again a few days later) occurred following some high-stress situations. I would normally attribute these incidents to coincidence, but I began to think back to previous bouts of gulping over the last year or so. I recall that the majority of her gulping issues were preceded by a particularly stressful situation. For instance, we took her with us on an overnight stay back in February, and because we couldn’t bring her with us at all times, there were times where she’d need to stay in the hotel room. In hindsight, I suspect that our decision to bring her into an unfamiliar setting, crate her, and then immediately leave was not the smartest, but I had no idea it would have such a traumatic effect on her. We were only gone for an hour or so, and when we returned, I immediately noticed the dreaded gulping, and just overall extremely anxious behavior. As with all previous episodes, this one resolved itself in about 24 hours, but I felt guilty during the entire overnight stay. In April, when we began removing everything off the walls and packing in anticipation of moving, Lilo again began to display signs of anxiety and ultimately, gulping (along with everything else that comes along with it: licking the carpet, pacing, devouring grass, panting, etc.). A few days later, we were the victims of an unfortunate car break-in at our apartment complex, and my fiance was of course, extremely angered by this when he found out and Lilo picked up on this. I should mention, she is incredibly sensitive to our voices – if we speak in even a slightly perturbed or anxious tone, she bolts and hides and we often have to coax her back out. It’s very strange, but even when we’re having a normal or semi-serious chat about something, she mistakes it for us being upset, and hides. So naturally, when one of us is actually upset or stressed out about something, she freaks out. We try our best to be mindful of our tone when she’s around. It sounds silly, but we definitely don’t want to stress her out if we can help it. It’s a very agreeable household around here 😉 But in all seriousness, I’ve been able to link almost every gulping episode to a “high-stress” situation, and am about 90% sure stress is the culprit.

As for the remaining 10%, well, it could be any form of digestive upset. In the apartment complex we lived in previously, Lilo used to pick up all sorts of mysterious droppings and whatnot while we were out for a walk. Despite my efforts, she’s extremely quick, and if she wants something she’ll find a way to beat me to it. For example, goose/cat feces were a frequent occurrence, which may have caused significant digestive upset and acid reflux. Now that we’ve been in our new house, she has her own yard to frolic in, and of course we keep it very clean. Again, it may be a coincidence, but I think it’s worth taking into account. Also, when we do try to administer Pepcid or Maalox to combat the supposed acid reflux, it does nothing to help, and in fact makes the situation worse because it gives Lilo diarrhea the following day. This led me to question whether the gulping was indeed caused by acid reflux, or whether it was a coping mechanism of her anxiety, which I’ve read can be a symptom.

I’m a firm believer that you should ALWAYS consult your vet if you suspect anything may be seriously wrong with your beloved pet. We have done so on multiple occasions, but as the vets seemed to be convinced there weren’t any abnormal physical ailments affecting Lilo and causing her gulping/acid reflux, I’ve resorted to trying to pinpoint and connect these instances to emotional triggers. This is not to say that there isn’t an underlying cause buried deep down somewhere, but the overall inconsistency in their occurrence (anywhere from once a year to once a week) have me wondering if the cause is mental, not physical. She is incredibly healthy overall, and she eats high quality food. Regardless of the cause, vets do not seem to take this issue seriously, which is something that really bothers me. For those of you with extremely anxious dogs, this may be something to consider. I understand how awful it is for both human and dog to endure these episodes when they do happen, and the feeling of being helpless while your best friend ultimately suffers is indescribable. I hope these insights help!

[Susan]

Hi, I would STOP feeding any kibble, when I first rescued my boy, he was weeing blood & had ultra scan & he had crystals, he was then desexed & put on the Royal Canine wet tin & dry kibble S/O Urinary for just 6 weeks to dissolve his crystal, I was lucky his crystal dissolved after eating the Royal Canine S/O vet diet, the vet said his crystals would of been from being used for breeding, the vet then said, I feel real sorry for the dogs he was breed with….

I would start feeding a raw diet, no kibble or change the brands she has been eating, kibble isn’t good for dogs, wet moist foods are heaps better for dogs with bladder problems…
Here’s a raw diet just have a look at the foods that the Naturopath recommends to feed, for vegetable I read feed lentils, chickpeas, sweet potatoes, spinach & string beans…You can email Jacqueline Rudan & ask her questions she emails back & she does consults overseas on Skype…
http://naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/Shop/2016/03/15/acidifying-diet-urinary-crystals/

[anonymously]

Please check the search engine here for “struvite” “bladder stones” or click on my avatar and read my posts on this subject , this topic comes up about once a week.
However, I am not a veterinarian, so please check with your vet before making any changes to your dog’s treatment.
I wouldn’t mess with supplements, keep the diet simple.
There are prescription meds that your vet could subscribe after surgery if her condition is stubborn. I would ask about that.

Example: /forums/search/struvite/

There is NO magic supplement. The trick is to add water to each meal 3-4 small meals per day soaked in water, don’t measure, just fill the small bowl, the dog will lap it up to get to the food.
The dog must be taken out to void (pee) ideally every 2 hours during the day. At bedtime and first thing in the morning. Stagnant conditions in the bladder are conducive to stone formation.
There is nothing wrong with Royal Canin Urinary SO. If you get the dry, soak it in water overnight then add water too. Once the dog is stable, few months to a year, you can talk to your vet about adding something tasty to the prescription food, like cooked chopped up chicken breast or some other lean meat.

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=cranberry

Excerpts from previous posts:

As your vet will confirm, dogs that have a tendency to make bladder stones have to be on a special diet the rest of their lives, this is a serious condition and it just doesn’t go away.

I would comply with the prescription food for now.
And don’t forget, water, water, and more water added to the diet. Ask the vet ….but I believe this helps big time. And frequent bathroom breaks, opportunities to urinate.

“My dog had both (struvite and calcium oxalate), no symptoms till the age of 11, started with UTIs. He has had no recurrences in 4 years since his emergency surgery.
In fact, I just took him in for a geriatric workup and his lab work was good”.

“I was afraid the vet would want to do x-rays and test his urine…..but he said as long as he is not having symptoms we are not going there (he’s too old to tolerate another surgery)”
“I do monitor his urination habits and check for normal flow, stream, amount. If I note any discomfort I will take him to the vet”.

“There is a genetic component and some breeds are more prone to bladder stones.

“Anyway, if you do nothing else, add water and take her out to urinate frequently.
I went along with the prescription diet for almost a year, since then he has been on Nutrisca salmon and chickpea kibble soaked with water +, I use the wet food too”
PS: Soak the kibble, even the prescription food in water overnight in the fridg, add more water prior to serving. Keep the bladder flushed. Maybe add a little canned prescription food as a topper.

PS: If he is overweight or inactive, start taking her for daily walks, that helps too.

[Susan]

Hi Haley, have you emailed Farmina? ask them any questions you may have.. I just google Farmina & clicked on the UK English link, send them a emailed they’d speak English…..link down the bottom..

Farmina kibble looks like a 5 star food & the ingredient list they write, Fresh Boneless Chicken (28%) dehydrated Lamb (27%) being written in the UK they would have translated everything & the Dehydrated Lamb must be dehydrated lamb not Lamb Meal… Farmina was invented with the help of an English company its all in the link below…

I love how Farmina writes the percentage of the meat which is excellent, you know how much protein your getting also the kibbles with grains Farmina writes oats-10% etc……Most kibble brands just write protein % under Guaranteed Analysis, the plant protein & meat protein are put all together & you don’t know if the kibble has more plant protein or meat protein….. I just looked at Farmina’s “Analytical Compounds” (Guaranteed Analysis) & Farmina have written it saying “Raw” the way all kibbles should write their ingredient list…. When ingredients are written it’s done when the ingredients are raw not cooked but they don’t tell us that on the kibble packet or on their online site.. I learnt thru Rodney Habib F/B page when Rodney brought out a video showing us how kibble companies con us, they write Turkey # 1 ingredient then the next ingredient is potatoes or corn, when potatoes are cooked they weigh more then cooked turkey, so really the potatoes are #1 ingredient or corn & your kibble bag is full of corn or potatoes…. an meat ingredient being 1st ingredient is good, but you need at least 2-4 meat ingredients as 1st 2nd 3rd & 4th ingredients, then a carb.

also about the shipping from Italy to America, I live Australia & we get kibbles all the way from America…. I was told by Sunday Pets the shipping containers that were shipping their Sunday Pets (New Zealand Brand) from NZ to Australia the containers were pack with some type of cooling ice packed foam to keep the containers cool…I don’t know if all kibble companies do this but ask Farmina & ask where is the food is made that comes to America is it made in the UK or Italy?
I got a bag of Canidae Pure Land the other month & when I opened the bag the kibble smelt so fresh & that has come all the way from America, no dogs had died yet in Australia from kibbles from overseas…
If you like the look of Farmina Pet Food then buy a small bag, smell it, even taste it, if your pup does well on it, then feed it….Farmina may be too rich, he may have diarrhea being around 42% protein you wont know unless you try it,…
The best diet for any cat or dog is a raw diet so maybe contact a nutritionist & have a raw diet made up.. Here’s an English Farmina link hover over “Farmina” & read all about the Russo family when they started in 1965 then in 1999 started making Pet Food then Farmina was created in 2008 with the help of an English company. Good luck with your new pup…. http://www.farmina.com/uk/d-dog-food.html

[Scared D]

It is very average food. The company is very much like the Purina of Italy and I have seen it locally. Look on Italian website and look at the junky products that are available there. Rather than stimulate demand the right way they try to give you useless items like plastic tote bags and metal food containers. No store wants that junk to deal with.

I think the label suffers from translation issues that make it appear better quality like “dehydrated lamb” is just ‘lamb meal”. Also a lot of the marketing is copy cat. I had some samples and to me it smells like a yeasty substance or some sort of digest is on the outside. I also think 18 month dating is a lot of bull. Who wants to feed their dog food that is already a year old.

As far as food coming from Italy. I would be concerned because of the time and heat that builds up in ocean containers. It can easily sit for a week or more in very high temperatures at ports and get ruined. This could happen on both sides of the trip and Italy in south is quite warm, not to mention here in the summer. Before leaving Italy those boats can make several stops in hot weather locations. Italy, Spain, Portugal.

I would say its no better than an average food to be honest and not worth spending a lot of time on.

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

[Francis F]

To Donna M. and To Helene K. : I am very sad for your losses. I know how much we love our loyal dogs and if the Canine Carry Outs are causing these mishaps, it should definitely be removed from the shelves.

My little dog is 14 years old and has always loved these treats, as I stated back in 2015. I have been giving him these treats (beef) since he was about 2 years old. Now, to me, these are TREATS only and are not to be fed as regular food. I have read the bags ‘Made in USA’ and don’t find where it indicates products from China. Prior to the complaints on the forums and the several deaths, I used to give him no more than 1/2 of a nugget in a.m. and 1/2 nugget in p.m. / Since reading all the forums, I became very skeptical and only give him like 1/4 of an inch crumbled up. I even stopped for a while and bought these other $6 treats at PetSupermarket, but when he eats more than 2, he throws up.

Now, so that all of us who have given our pooches these treats, and have been fortunate that they are still alive: can you indicate on the forum how many of these treats were you giving your dogs and for how long had you purchased them. Can someone post the link or a photo of bag where it indicates ingredients are from China? How about the FDA
indication of removal?

Thank you and again, I am really sad for your losses.

[Susan]

Hi,
One thing about senior foods some are higher in fiber & lower in fat, as a dog gets older they aren’t as active, cause your dog is young will that be OK?? make sure you read the Guaranteed Analysis & make sure fat is 10% & higher & fiber is around 4%…. Holistic Select Chicken Meal Senior looks pretty good & I seen salt under Sodium Selenite in the ingredients but pass half way, so does that mean there’s less?? also salt will be in some of the ingredients, so your best to find a few kibbles you like even normal adult kibbles & email companies for the Sodium %…..
http://holisticselect.com.au/senior-dry-dog-food-chicken-meal-and-rice
Canidae Pure Formulas are also very good so email Canidae & ask for the Sodium % in a few Pure Formulas….
http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

[becky p]

Zach, my 3 1/2 year, 130 pound Lab Mix has high blood pressure. He is very active and not overweight :-). I have been giving him medication to lower his blood pressure for 2 years now. His latest urinalysis had a slightly abnormal specific gravity reading. In 6 months, the vet will retest Zach’s urine. I asked him if there was anything I could do now that would help and he suggested a low sodium diet. He said that most senior dog foods are low sodium.

Does anyone know how I can tell which dog foods are low in sodium?

[Mike Sagman]

Thanks for your question. There are at least 2 ways to compute the calories weighted nutrient content of any food. I like to use what’s called the “modified Atwater method”. You can read more by clicking the following link to the AAFCO website.

http://petfood.aafco.org/Calorie-Content

By the way, I’m planning to add an easy-to-understand article about how to perform those calculations for our readers here on DFA — sometime in the not too distant feature.

Hope this helps.

[sam o]

I am looking to switch to raw and reading a lot on these forums where to start but I cannot find some answers to my question like when I first switch him do I just put him on chicken meat for the first 3 weeks or can he have the bone as well , it’s all quite a lot to take in so I want to make sure I do it right X can you help answer seen as you’ve at some point done the swap ??

[crazy4cats]

Here is an article written by a vet that was included in my Petcurean newsletter:

CATS | DOGS | HEALTH & NUTRITION | APRIL 8, 2016
The Great Grain Debate: Should pet foods avoid grains?
Dr. Jennifer Adolphe
BY: DR. JENNIFER ADOLPHE
Dog in the woods
Grain-free diets are becoming much more commonplace in the pet food aisle. There are a number of reasons for this growing trend, such as the belief that grains are harmful for pets or that grain-free diets are more appropriate for dogs and cats from an evolutionary perspective.

Also, gluten — a protein found in wheat, barley and rye — has been touted as a substance to be feared in many popular human nutrition diets, and pet and human nutrition trends usually go hand-in-hand. With so many grain and grain-free options available, what do you need to know about the great grain debate?

Grains are an important source of complex carbohydrates, which have three or more sugar molecules joined together so they are more slowly digested than simple sugars that only have one or two molecules. Although carbohydrates are not considered essential nutrients in the diets of dogs and cats, and are often considered “fillers,” they do play a critical role in your pet’s body.

In particular, carbohydrates provide a highly digestible, readily available energy source. Foods rich in complex carbohydrates are also an important source of essential nutrients. The shape, texture and density of kibble depends on the carbohydrate (starch) content of the food. This is important, as mouth feel and the structure of the kibble help to determine palatability.

Recent genetic research suggests that one of the important steps in the domestication of dogs was their adaptation to a diet high in carbohydrates relative to the diet of carnivorous wolves. Carbohydrates are often considered to be detrimental to cats, but research suggests that moderate amounts may actually be beneficial in promoting insulin sensitivity.

Some of the grains commonly found in pet foods include barley, corn, rice, oats and wheat. Whole grains include all parts of the grain, while refined grains have the nutrient-rich germ and bran layers removed.

Whole grains promote digestive health since they are not only an excellent source of complex carbohydrates, but are also rich in fiber. Dietary fiber is a unique type of carbohydrate that cannot be digested by your pet’s digestive enzymes, but nonetheless provides many benefits.

For example, oats and barley contain a special type of fiber called beta-glucan, which has been shown in numerous human studies to fight heart disease and diabetes. Beta-glucan may also be beneficial in pet foods to control blood glucose and prevent obesity.

Grain-free does not mean carbohydrate-free, as complex carbohydrates can be sourced from nongrain ingredients such as peas, lentils, chickpeas, tapioca, potatoes and sweet potatoes. Some pets may have allergies to one or more specific grains, but it might not be necessary to eliminate all grains.

Gluten-free diets are necessary for humans diagnosed with celiac disease or nonceliac gluten sensitivity, but this is not a common problem in pets and most tolerate gluten without any difficulty. The exception is some Irish Setters with inherited gluten sensitivity.

Many grain-free pet foods are higher in protein than conventional diets and, while extra protein is typically not a problem for most healthy pets, it can be problematic in certain medical conditions such as kidney disease. Since all foods contain a balance of carbohydrates, fat and protein, decreasing the amount of carbohydrate in a food will increase the fat and/or protein content.

What are some of the benefits of grain-free carbohydrate sources? Peas are an excellent source of carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins and minerals, and provide most of the essential amino acids required by dogs and cats. Peas also provide an added environmental benefit in that they are used as a tool in sustainable agriculture to add nitrogen back into the soil.

Tapioca does not contain protein, so it is not considered a potential allergen or source of food sensitivity. This is especially important in limited ingredient diets that are designed for food hypersensitive pets.

Potatoes are a rich source of vitamins and minerals, particularly vitamin C and potassium. Sweet potatoes are a major source of vitamin C and beta-carotene, which act as antioxidants, as well as manganese and potassium.

One of the primary benefits of grain-free diets is the increased variety of new and unique pet food recipes available. This allows pet parents to choose a diet with or without grains that works best for their dog or cat.

This article originally appeared on Multibriefs.com

Hope this article helps!

[Laura C]

Scary what I’m reading here. I’ve worked in a veterinary clinic/hospital going on 10 years. Struvites do not necessarily have a correlation with infection, but rather can cause infections via irritation.

We’ve removed stones the size of the entire bladder, and gravel that looked like pie weights, and in vast quantities.

We’ve kept track of various foods and found and strong food-crystal corollary. We used to see these conditions only in older cats (and dogs). We took out a 9cm stone out of a 24m dog with no prior history of infections.

All our struvite dogs go on prescription diets for life. Client that were non-compliant found that their animals developed crystals again. To infer that this course of treatment is wrong and to “find another vet” is ill-advised.

[Haley H]

Hi everyone!
This is my first post, but I’ve been a constant on this page for quite sometime. I have a malamute baby coming home to me this July and I want to give him the absolute best!!

I’ve found a great local-ish supplier of green tripe, raw hooves, and all sorts of cow bits. I was all about tracheas and gullets until I read the study that links thyroidtoxosis to feeding gullets/trachea with thyroid tissues present. I asked my supplier if their raw tracheas and gullets had thyroid gland on them, they assured me that their sources removed thyroid glands beforehand.

I’ve looked all around the Internet, to no avail…I’m fairly certain the entire feeding of gullet is out…too close to the thyroid glands, however do you think the trachea, sans thyroid tissue, is safe to feed???

I was planning on using the fresh or dehydrated tracheas to serve part of my puppy’s meals in. I’m a huge fan of Dr. Ian Dunbar’s positive reinforcement methods, and also his idea to allow the dog the opportunity to work for their food…something crucial to all working breeds imho. So I was going to use both forms of trachea, filled kongs, and stuffed raw horns, hooves, and bones instead of using a bowl at all for food. I know this is another topic altogether, but I’m curious to hear what everyone here thinks.

I was planning to do a 25/75 kibble/RF plan, where his kibbles are fed in the morning, his midday and evening feeding being raw, with kibble occasionally used as training reinforcement. I have read lots of the opinions on combining RF and kibble, but a study done (I’ll share the link here), shows via x ray, that the rate of digestion largely has no effect on a dog when it comes to raw versus libble, being that raw food actually takes longer to digest because the dog’s body is working to utilize ALL goodness.
LINK: https://therawfeedingcommunity.com/2015/01/08/digest-this-kibble-may-actually-digest-faster-than-raw/

I may transition him completely to raw by age 2, but I’m not entirely willing to risk messing up his joints or growth feeding strictly raw from the time I get him (which will be 8 weeks)

I’m super excited to be here, obsessed with canine nutrition, and eager to talk to someone who can follow what I’m thinking about right now…no one in my life really cares much for my research and pontificating. LOL.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Mary A-
I also had a tough time getting rid of my dogs’ Giardia infections. It is really frustrating. Sometimes the antigens from the parasite stay in the dog’s system for a while. You may want to wait a few more weeks before doing another fecal test. It may finally be gone.

Normally, I try to listen to a traditional vet. But, unfortunately, when it comes to Giardia, I also came to this site and got some great holistic advice to finally rid of it. I’m at work right now, and my notebook is at home with all the different remedies that I tried.

A couple of things that I do remember using though is using a medicinal dosage of probiotics that contain a high percentage of enterococcus faecium: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19298607

I’ve also had read that added fiber is good. So, I added shredded carrots to their meals. In addition, I added fresh cut garlic cloves for its antibacterial properties. Make sure to let it sit for about 10 minutes before you feed it as the allicin needs to release before it is beneficial. http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/garlic-friend-or-foe/

I also used the Kochi Free tincture, DE added to their food, some fermented veggies. and digestive enzymes on an empty stomach!!! LOL Here is Little Big Cat’s giardia protocol: http://www.littlebigcat.com/health/giardia-natural-treatment-protocol/

I didn’t add them all at once, thank goodness. Poor dogs!!! But, it finally did go away and I’ve been using Panacur still every six to 12 months because I’m so scared it may come back.

Here is Great Dane lady’s recommendations for Giardia: http://www.greatdanelady.com/articles/giardia_protozoa_diarrhea_vomiting_weight-loss..htm

You do need to get rid of it as soon as possible due to it possibly causing some damage to your pup’s gut. Sounds like you are trying to do just that. Use hot bleach water to dump on the spots where he poops too. Best of luck to you! I’ll write back if I can think of anything else.

[anonymously]

Best of luck. I tend to lean toward science based veterinary medicine.
I hope you will continue to post here, maybe we can all learn from each other.

PS: I understand why you prefer a homemade diet. I use a quality kibble as a base only. Canned food just doesn’t smell or look right to me. Just received a bag of Orijen from chewy.com that I ordered, I have to use up something else before I try it, but I am already impressed, the bag was air vacuumed…

[Shawna]

laconrad,

I spent an hour creating a post last night only to have it disappear. I’m guessing it was all the links include so in this post I’m only going to include a few links but I most certainly can provide them if wanted.

I definitely agree that dogs shouldn’t eat nothing but meat, or even meat and bone exclusively but it is an absolute fact that they have no physiological requirement for carbohydrates. Waltham is a reliable source of info on this —
“Cats and dogs can sythesise their own blood glucose from amino acids.
Carbohydrate, therefore is not an essential macronutrient. However,
if provided in their diet, cats and dogs can utilise carbohydrates and
they are used in pet foods as sources of energy and dietary fibre.
Carbohydrate levels tend to be higher in dry pet food than in wet
pet food.” https://www.waltham.com/dyn/_assets/_pdfs/waltham-booklets/Essentialcatanddognutritionbookletelectronicversion.pdf

In fact, the AAFCO (as of 2008 at least) doesn’t have any requirement for carbohydrates in the canine diet. There’s a minimum for fat and a minimum for protein but no required carbs. Many complete and balanced canned foods have no added carbs at all.

For the record, I do think certain vegetables and fruits are beneficial in the canine diet but protein and fat should not be displaced with any carbs. I personally have no use for most grains but I do utilize foods with millet or quinoa sometimes (to mix things up).

Dogs have been eating kibble for less than 200 years. Evolution doesn’t happen in 200 years. Yes, I would agree that my dogs ancestors probably got some carbs as table scraps however carbs in kibble is not the same as carbs in fresh, albeit possibly cooked, carbs. From my understanding grains weren’t processed in the manner we process them today either. Not to mention GMOs, glyphosate / etc and hybridization to increase the protein content wan’t a thing back then.

Ammonia is not toxic unless the liver is damaged and I’ve never read any research (even in humans) suggesting excess protein caused cirrhosis. Yes in cases where the liver is excessively damaged, or a shunt, limiting protein and feeding certain kinds, like dairy, helps alleviate ammonia from building up but it doesn’t damage the liver. I would agree that 78% of the amino acids in certain meat proteins is all that is used but the bioavailability of commonly used plant proteins aren’t any better and often worse.

Excess fiber in the diet can actually bind up minerals and prevent their absorption. Grains and legumes have anti-nutrients like phytates and enzyme inhibitors as well as lectin proteins which in susceptible persons and pets can lead to illness including some pretty nasty disease (even autoimmune disease). Although possibly not “nasty” I recently read research suggesting gluten as a cause for “Canine epileptoid cramping syndrome” in Border Terriers. In humans these lectin proteins from certain carbohydrates is also considered a factor in IgA nephropathy (a form of kidney disease) as well as type 1 diabetes (the kind dogs get).

Protein absolutely does not “cause” damage to the kidneys and some reports suggest dogs with kidney disease actually have an increased need for protein. They now know that “senior” dogs actually have an increased need as well – “as much as 50% more protein” and minimums for seniors is suggested at 25% — “minimum”. My favorite source of info on protein as a cause / contributing factor to kidney disease is “Mythology of Protein Restriction for Dogs with Reduced Renal Function” http://www.championpetfoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Myths_of_High_Protein.pdf

There are two papers published in the Journal of Nutrition suggesting that overweight dogs, even “obese” dogs, lose just as much weight (albeit slightly slower) on a high protein diet, 56% protein, as those fed higher fiber diets without the “muscle wasting” that is often seen in lower protein fed dogs. The body will break down muscle when it’s amino acid requirements aren’t being met through diet.

[Shawna]

laconrad,

Although I do feel small amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables are quite healthy for dogs, carbohydrates aren’t a necessary requirement – even in the modern dog. Yes, when properly processed, they can utilize them but they still aren’t a necessary macronutrient. Waltham is a reliable source of information on this – they state “Cats and dogs can sythesise their own blood glucose from amino acids. Carbohydrate, therefore is not an essential macronutrient. However, if provided in their diet, cats and dogs can utilise carbohydrates and they are used in pet foods as sources of energy and dietary fibre.
Carbohydrate levels tend to be higher in dry pet food than in wet pet food.” https://www.waltham.com/dyn/_assets/_pdfs/waltham-booklets/Essentialcatanddognutritionbookletelectronicversion.pdf

In fact, carbohydrates aren’t even required in complete and balanced foods. There is a minimum protein requirement, a minimum fat requirement but no minimum on carbs. AAFCO guidelines as of 2008 http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1659&aid=662

They now know that the MINIMUM protein requirement for senior dogs is actually 25%. ” 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. Older dogs should receive at least 25% of their calories from protein, typically provided by diets containing at least 7 g protein/100 Kcal ME.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18656844

It’s also a myth that higher protein amounts have a negative impact on a dog’s kidneys. In fact, dogs WITH kidney disease can safely eat a higher protein diet as long as phosphorus is watched. Here’s my favorite source of info on this “Mythology of Protein Restriction for Dogs with Reduced Renal Function” http://www.championpetfoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Myths_of_High_Protein.pdf

The bioavailability of the protein is every bit as important as the overall amount. The more bioavailable the protein the less blood urea nitrogen is created. So the better the quality of the protein the more that can be fed. An ounce of protein from beef, as an example, will be better utilized, leaving less waste, than an ounce of soy protein. Additionally raw protein will be better utilized then it’s cooked counterpart due to amino acid loss lowering bioavailability.

I have never read any literature suggesting protein as a cause of cirrhosis however I would agree that lowering protein would be advised if the liver is already severely damaged. NOT because the protein is further “damaging” the liver however the ammonia not being converted is quite toxic. Even in this article relating to humans they don’t suggest excess dietary protein as a cause https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000302.htm

Excess fiber in the diet has been shown to act as an anti-nutrient. I just this week read a research paper on this but I bookmarked it at work and don’t have access right now.

You’ve mentioned the liver and kidneys several times so I thought I’d add a little more research on the kidneys. “Long-term renal responses to high dietary protein in dogs with 75% nephrectomy. These results do not support the hypothesis that high protein feeding had a significant adverse effect on either renal function of morphology in dogs with 75% nephrectomy.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3702209

Purina Veterinary Diets
“A University of Minnesota study revealed renal aging does not occur in geriatric dogs, at least to the extent that it has been reported in people. When fed a diet of 39% protein and 15% fat (dry matter basis), geriatric dogs maintained relatively stable glomerular filtration rates and had no greater incidence of glomerulosclerosis than those dogs in the protein-restricted (19% dry matter basis) diet group. These and other studies indicate no need for restricted dietary protein, fat, sodium or phosphorus to help minimize renal disease progression in healthy geriatric dogs. Still other studies have shown high dietary protein alone will not cause the development of kidney disease. In addition, research has shown that older dogs may actually require more protein than younger adult dogs, just to maintain normal protein turnover, and to support lean body mass and normal immunocompetence.

Obesity has been associated with arthritis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, neoplasia and decreased survival. Therefore, efforts to maintain ideal body weight and body condition are far more important and appropriate than protein or phosphorus reduction for maintaining health in geriatric dogs.” https://www.purinaveterinarydiets.com/research/senior-dogs-do-old-kidneys-need-new-diets/

Interestingly, at least two papers published in the Journal of Nutrition have shown higher protein diets to be beneficial for weight loss in dogs.

“High-Protein Low-Carbohydrate Diets Enhance Weight Loss in Dogs” http://jn.nutrition.org/content/134/8/2087S.full

“Weight Loss in Obese Dogs: Evaluation of a High-Protein, Low-Carbohydrate Diet” http://jn.nutrition.org/content/132/6/1685S.full

[Christopher E]

Nature’s Balance makes a vegan kibble that we have been feeding our 70lb Australian Shepherd mix for a while… After switching from V-dog. She did good on V-dog and always had normal stool but I was looking for a more readily available alternative and Nature’s Balance Vegan Kibble is sold at all Pet Supermarkets (marketed as “vegetarian” though it is actually 100% vegan and states that it is such if you inspect the bag closely).

Our dog is doing great since we switched her to vegan kibble. We are also supplementing with Nupro, which is not 100% vegan because it has dissected liver (for taste), but everything else in it is vegan I think… Norwegian Kelp, Flax Seed, Nutritional Yeast Cultures, etc. For me, I was promoted to switch our dog to vegan after researching Dr Campbells work in the China study and Dr Estelsteins plant based diet approach to healthy living. There is no reason to think that it would not apply to canines and certainly would account for the extremely high rates of cancer in dogs, given there extremely high intake of animal protein found in most all dog foods. The fact of the matter is that, in the world that we live in today, we are all exposed to carcinogens at increasingly higher levels and the same goes for our pets. It has been long proven that animal protein is Miracle Grow for cancer and that an all plant based diet can prevent and even reverse the multiplication of cancer cells/tumers. The only reason that this is not as largely accepted as truth as it should be is all of the industries who lobby against such studies, and, uncoincidentally, fund numerous other “scientific” studies that purport to show the opposite for the sole purpose of creating misinformation. When canines lived in the wild, I.e., before the first wolves were domesticated, they rarely came across carcinogens… So high intake of animal based protein likely didn’t have the same I’ll effects as it does today.

Personally, I am an on again, off again vegan… Because I LOVE meat and cheese but also understand that the negative health consequences are many. Anyone who denies this is a fool. Anyone who claims dogs cannot be healthy on a plant based diet just because their ancestors almost exclusively ate meat has no idea what they are talking about. In the past canines did not have the opportunity to be given a complete diet consisting of plant based foods which are far healthier for them, that is no longer the case.

Whether you like it or not this is going to be a mute topic in 50-100 years anyways because if the world population continues to grow at its current rate a diet consisting of mainly meat will no longer be sustainable for humans or pets. Do your research before you start talking. Dogs are not obligate carnivores.

*Refer to my original post at the beginning of the thread for more info.

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

[DieselJunki]

My dog has been skin scrapped so many times and nothing ever comes of it but some bacteria, which we all know if they test a raw spot of course there would be bacteria, bacteria is all over our skin. I always decline anti-biotics and just treat the area at home myself. I believe my dog has more environmental allergies as apposed to food allergies because we did raw for nearly 2 years, just recently switched back to kibble and he has always been itchy. Spring is his worst enemy, and go figure, I just moved to Cali! He usually smells as well but it’s because he is constantly peeing on his darn legs, boy dogs are the worst sometimes. I bathe once a week with Zymox Shampoo and do the Creme Rinse (which I leave on). Throughout the week I will wet a cloth, put some of the Zymox Creme Rinse on and rub him down with it. It has a pleasant smell. I’m lucky though as I have a dog with a short coat, you’d have to really work to get the Zymox shampoo and Creme rinse in there. Zymox shampoo is enzymatic and I have had good success with it so far in helping to keep the irritants at bay for my dog. If you read the reviews online others with yeasty dogs it has helped greatly as well. There is another brand called Derma-Soothe Shampoo and Derma-Soothe Cream Rinse. I just bought them and have yet to use it so can’t say whether they are good but the reviews online are decent, I plan to use the Derma-Soothe when he’s really having a melt down, last week was pretty bad here for him but we made it. What I can’t stress enough is to follow the directions on the bottle, if it says leave the shampoo on for 10 minutes after you’re done lathering the dog up, leave it for 10, or even 20, then rinse, there is a reason for said directions.

+1 to going to the vet and having a skin scrap done to see if it’s really yeast but if you can’t afford it try to google how others treat yeast infections in their home. I hear a white distilled vinegar rinse after a bath and leaving it in (lightly drying but not fully) is a good way to help control yeast. But this may have to be a weekly or multiple day a week occurrence where you bathe and do the vinegar rinse to get the yeast under control.

In the mean time can we help you find a comparable priced dog food that is a bit better in the ingredient list? Maybe you can persuade her if the cost is about the same.

[InkedMarie]

Sue:
I don’t think Rachael Ray’s foods are all that good, to be honest. If you go to the review side here on DFA, you can read about it.
Regarding your shepherd, go to the Diet & Health Issues forum here; on top is a stickie on appropriate foods for large breed puppies. We can’t tell you what you can buy at your store; you need to look at the list of foods and call around or order online, like alot of us do.

[G.J. S]

Hello,
I am new to the thread, but would like some advise on dosing for Swanson’s Mobility Essentials for my 60 pound Standard poodle. She has been on human glucosamine and chondritin with MSM but none of the other anti-inflammatory’s discussed by Hound Dog Mom.
It was her post of some years ago that got me to try this mix. We live in Canada so the pills have just arrived by mail and I wanted to be sure of a canine dose. Adult dose is 3 caps twice daily. I have been giving her 1 cap three times daily of her present supplement which equates to about 1500 mgm daily. She also takes an Omega supplement. There is some glucosamine, etc. in her Acana kibble but it is negligent. Would appreciate any comments you might have.

[Christina B]

I have a 2 year old Australian Shepard/Retriever rescue that I got when she was 11 weeks old. When she was just about a year old she started to develop a bald spot on her side towards her back leg. She developed a scab that took months to go away. Her stomach issues started shortly after that and have continued for the past year. Her bald spot has spread and at time she has developed more scabs that take weeks to heal. I have taken her to the vet and had a Thyroid test done (negative), skin scraping (bacterial infection that resulted in 8 weeks of antibiotic), blood tests, parasite tests (stool samples). I have given her Pepcid AC daily per the vets instructions. I used coconut oil, salmon oil, antibacterial shampoos. She is on Natural Balance Duck and Potato dry food now and I give her half a can of various foods at night. The vet doesn’t seem to have an answer other than more testing. It’s breaking my heart to see her happy one day and then sick and depressed the next. I keep thinking it is some type of immune deficiency and she’s on the wrong food. I am leaning towards trying a vegetarian diet but I’m not sure if that will help. When her stomach is really off and I give her boiled chicken and rice it seems to help which makes me think it isn’t a problem with the meat. Has anyone else had issues like this with there dog and if so, what was the problem?

[Shannon D]

I am so glad I found this thread!!! I have a 1.5 yr old American Staffordshire Terrier named Lola. In January I noticed she wasn’t looking/acting normal so I took her to the vet. She always drank a ton of water. At first the vet kinda touched her back and said she may have pulled a muscle and that they could do a panel to check her cell count. Or he said they could do a full panel to get more information. I opted to do the full panel. Come to find out it was a good thing I did. Her results were:

BUN 130 mg
CREA 7.5 mg
PHOS 15.7 mg

They weren’t sure if she had got into toxins or what. I left her at the vet so they could give her fluids and antibiotics. That was on a Monday. They re-tested her on Wednesday.

BUN 90 mg
CREA 5.2 mg
PHOS 8.2 mg

So, she stayed. They re-tested on Friday:

BUN 85 mg
CREA 7 mg
PHOS 10.7 mg

At this point they weren’t sure what was going on. So they did an ultrasound. The vet said her kidneys were abnormal and it was probably something she was born with. They also told me there isn’t anything else they could do at this point, take her home and re-test in a week.
They offered me nothing. Just told me to take her home and make her happy. Put her on the Hills K/D diet and make sure she gets water. I asked about subq fluids and the vet told me they only do that for cats. That it would be too much fluid under the dogs skin.

I researched on my own and found an internal medicine specialist. I was able to get an appointment within a couple days. They re-tested everything and re-did the ultrasound.

BUN 85 mg
CREA 7.0 mg
PHOS 10.7 mg

She is also has alot of protein in her urine and high blood pressure.

He agreed that she was probably born this way and diagnosed her with Stage 4 -Chronic kidney disease (CKD)- most consistent with congenital kidney disease. He said she won’t make it to 5 years old. That we are on borrowed time. He told me that he wasn’t sure how she was up walking around with the numbers she has. She acts completely normal! To look at her you would think there is nothing wrong with her. They advised to keep her on the Hills K/D. They put her on blood pressure medication, along with a probiotic Azodyl and a phosphorus binder, and Epakitin. Said to re-test in a week.

Re-test after adding everything:

BUN 80 mg
CREA 8.6 mg
PHOS 11.4 mg

They then added another phosphorus binder and we know do 500ml of subq fluids a night. She doesn’t drink nearly as much water as she used to. If she starts to drink everyone stops and is really quiet to make sure we don’t bother her. Like watching an animal in the wild. 🙂

Fast forward to her latest test results as of 3/16/16

BUN 72 mg
CREA 8.3 mg
PHOS 8.8 mg

They wanted us to recheck in a month. But my husband and I discussed it and decided to wait because if her numbers are better they will say continue what you are doing or if they are worse or the same, they will say continue what you are doing. I pay about $200 every time they test.

They offer no hope, no suggestions of supplements or anything else we can do. Just take her home and keep her happy.

She has good days and some bad days where she doesn’t want to eat. But most of the time she looks and acts normal. You would never know she has kidney disease. Expect that she is now alittle aggressive toward our other dogs and we can’t have them together anymore. I’m not sure if that is because she doesn’t feel good or just being moody.

I have tried to research foods, supplements etc. It is so overwhelming!!! I don’t want to give up hope for our pretty little Lola.

Thank you for listening.

[Anand V]

Hi there,

I’ve been feeding my 9 1/2 y/o Alaskan Malmaute a dehydrated raw diet….she was already on it when I adopted her 3 years ago. She eats Honest Kitchen Thrive – Chicken and Quinoa. It has done her well but she does have some skin issues and it was suggested I try a raw diet from Big Country Raw (BCR). They’re not too far away from me towards the Niagara region. I haven’t found any reviews that you have done on this product under your rating system. I have read some others mention that supplements may be needed. Any input you can provide would be greatly appreciated. It sounds like a great product and is also budget friendly versus Honest Kitchen. That’s not the main reason I want to switch…doing it more to help my dog have healthier skin and fur….that means more than the $$$ I spend on her food.

http://www.bigcountryraw.ca/index.php

Thanks.

[Joanna W]

Thank you for commenting, but i choose to follow the low carb recommendation regardless of whether there are studies to prove it. The dog cancer survival guide both editions advocate for low carb, sugar, salt for dogs with cancer. Many other places I have read the same thing.

I do not rely on skept vets blog as a source of information that I look to. I have read enough of the posts to realize my way of thinking and the approach I take with my pets does not jive or align with the skept vets. When looking at care overall for my animals, skept vet is just to rigidly allopathic for my taste.

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

[CLAIRE H]

I am so thankful for this information all of you have shared!!! I have a boxer, Tigra who just started this about 3 months ago. She is not a rescue and has never known any trauma or abuse yet she has some anxiety and has developed fear of loud noises and thunder drives her on to my lap. I have another boxer who is a rescue and has none of this anxiety nor does she have the reflux issue yet is on the identical diet.

I am hopeful since eliminating the Glucosamine treats and the Zukes training treats and the treats with salmon oil and all dairy, Tigra, is not showing signs of the gulping and gagging at all and it has been 2 weeks since I stopped all treats. She eats Great Life dry raw Chicken kibble with Coco Licious can food in morning and again in evening and nothing in between. I am keeping my fingers crossed. With all the environmental toxins we are all exposed to and god knows what is in dog food it is no wonder there are these mysterious conditions that vets have no idea how to treat. I am grateful for all of your experience and will continue to follow this thread and hopefully report good news down the line.

[davis h]

​One tick bite was leading to CERTAIN DEATH..in fact came within 24 hours. Cancer..even “if” proved to be caused over an extended period of time….is a better option than DEATH within a week. Exposure to ticks is deadly and Lyme and other diseases are often as bad as cancer. My dog survived cancer but came within 24 hours of death from a tick. One walk in the woods in Arkansas results in at LEAST 20 ticks (more in April when there are seed ticks) per dog and I have several. It isn’t possible to check every dog twice a day for ticks. AND if one falls off…even if unforeseen due to small size or human error…and bites a child…is it worth it? MANY…MANY people have contracted Lyme disease (one friend of mine did on my property) and “Tick Fever” in Arkansas. It is epidemic. By protecting our dog against ticks using the best stuff out there you will more likely prevent disease than cause it AND prevent the potential death of a child/human.
IF vinegar and other “green” products worked so well the other preventatives wouldn’t get sold! IF a natural product killed ticks I wouldn’t buy a chemical. I’m not going to risk what was almost certain death by allowing my dogs to go unprotected by something that will work with the greatest likelihood of success.
Ever watch a dog headbutt a door…walk in circles…due to a swollen brain from meningitis…due to a tick bite? Ever watch a dog whose nervous system was impacted for the long run due to effects of a tick bite?
Ticks are a daily confrontation with impending disease and possible death. Ticks concern me far more than cancer that will most likely manifest itself within a dog’s lifetime regardless. Personally, I have to spray my clothing every time I walk outside. I have to use chemicals on myself…to prevent personal exposure and risk the lives of others in my household when a tick “follows me” inside. I must worry about today even if it leads to “possible” adversity in the future.
Obviously this is personal for me as a friend was read his last rights due to a tick bite he received on my property (120 acres not a nice suburban yard you can easily treat). My dog miraculously survived due to efforts of neurologists at MIZZOU. I attend Veterinary conferences and listen to lectures about the growing problem with exposure to ticks and mosquitoes. Unfortunately, its the reality of the world in which we live.

[Bobby dog]

Hi Tamara C:
Sorry to read about your pup. I can’t offer any advice on food as each dog’s Dx and threshold regarding foods that might trigger future pancreatic episodes are different.

However, if I was in your predicament I would seek out a boarded Veterinary nutritionist to help develop a balanced homemade diet suitable for my dog’s condition. I would also ask them for recommendations on Rx and OTC foods that would be appropriate.

Your Vet might have one they refer clients to. You can find Veterinary nutritionists at some Vet schools and here is a directory for ACVN diplomats:http://www.acvn.org/directory/

I don’t know if this is an option, but perhaps ask your Vet about an appetite stimulate. Good luck with your pup.

[Pitlove]

Hi Ronald-

Here is what veterinary nutritionist Dr. Rebecca Remillard says in response to a similar question on her website petdiets.com, when asked about arsenic levels in rice.

“”Am I overreacting?” The short answer is yes … the reason is that recently the level of arsenic was measured in rice … it had not been measured previously, and the feds do not have a reference range for rice so the media compared it to the reference range in drinking water which is not valid. They are working a determining a safe vs toxic Ar range. In the meantime, the odds are b/c Ar has been in rice (normally taken up from the soil) since the beginning of time, the current levels are what they have always been. Given we do not have an epidemic of Ar toxic in any species eating the rice, the newly discovered levels are presumed to be safe.”

As for Carageenan- Here is the opinion of holistic vet Dr. Randy Wysong, maker of Wysong Pet Foods

“Q: I just read an article about carageenan being a carcinogen, and started checking labels of canned pet foods and found it is tough to find one without carageenan. What does Dr. Wysong think of carageenan as a food ingredient? The article I read said it is a carcinogen for both humans and pets. I don’t see it listed in the few Wysong foods I surfed but it is pretty much in everything else.

A: Keep in mind that everything is a potential carcinogen and studies can be found arguing the dangers of practically anything. But it is the dose that makes the poison. This would apply to carageenan as well”

[Bobby dog]

Hi Susan:
Glad you read my post and hopefully you can help others that are using it in their raw diets.

Too bad you can’t get Balance IT in Australia Bobby has done really well on it. I like it because I have access to so many recipes which are easily prepared. I also find it very economical depending on which ingredients I choose.

There are vitamin packs in the U.S. available for raw feeders, however I am not familiar with any because Bobby only likes commercial raw not prey model.

I absolutely agree feeding an unbalanced diet (unless for medical reasons) is the worst you can do for your pets. However, at this time I feel the best diet is individual to the dog whatever form that might be as long as it is balanced.

I am very lucky since I have sorted out Bobby’s health issues I can feed anything and everything; I know some pet parents aren’t so lucky. I feel it’s best not to rule out any form of food. You never know what will be best at any given time.

[Randy K]

I wasn’t sure where to put this info so I figured this would be best. I’m sure some of you know about the great stainless bowls made in the USA for Basis Pet. They are more expensive than the cheap bowls made in India and other countries but I’m sure they are safer. Well they finally came out with an Extra Large Bowl which is 10″x3.5″. I’ve been using the Large size but just a bit small for our Shiloh Shepherd. I’ve already put an order in for the bigger size. This company is a small cottage industry and sells a quality product you can trust.
*I have no affiliation with the company other than being a satisfied customer.

[harish s]

Hi to all

This is my very first post on this forum.. There is so much information here is unbelievable.

I am getting my 45 days old french mastiff by weekend. I Have always had dogs but never a french mastiff.

I am little concern about the food to give him .. been reading a lot about this, which has confused me even more.

we in india unfortunately don”t have large variety to dry food .we have brands like royal cannin , pedegree n fewmore.

What is the kind of food should i give me boy.

any suggestion welcomed.

[Allie S]

So I feed Acana twice a day morning and night 1/4 cup – sometimes he doesn’t even eat, he’ll just skip a meal or will grab the 1-2 kibbles and barry it all around the house (its great when you sit down somewhere and kibble just comes popping out or Blue will nudge me to move because I’m sitting on his “dog food pantry”. I’ve even locked him up in his crate so he couldn’t go and pretend he was a squirrel and barry distribute his food around the house, but instead of eating – he just goes to sleep LOL.
I just ordered a 5lb bag of Orijen Adult dog food, looks like theres about 4-6% less carbohydrates than Acana and multiple websites I’ve came across stated to switch them on a high protein low carbohydrate. Looked at Fromm, made me nervous & I bailed out of that because carbohydrates are around 40%! Big things that I think of is Will my dog get a hot spot or some sort of skin or yeast infection due to different kinds of dog foods, because that is something messy I would love to avoid all in all because he has loads of hair.. I would spend the money on premium dog food just to avoid that mess, but every things a gamble. Next I looked at Evo, but ASH content was about 11%, seemed a little high.. Then it was Dr. Tim Kinesis, we used to have a lab and she was on it, she did great, but then I read about beet pulp and how it can be used as an artificial stool firmer and if they get gastrointestinal problems you’d never know because of that ingredient. Finally, my last choice was Solid Gold Barking at the moon high in protein and low in carbohydrates, but I saw on another discussion that orijen has way less grains than Solid gold soo I chose Orijen for now… (blue was on solid gold lil boss & had borderline diarrhea and pooped about 5 times a day)… Would anyone like to give input on the dog food choices? I also saw Natures Logic, but carbohydrates are about 35%.. (all percentages are from the food analysis on this website)

Crushed pineapple? hmm, canned or fresh? Sounds like a good idea!
I guess I could walk him more, he has great stamina, like amazing, he can out-walk me – after 2 miles I call it a day lol (momma gets tired)

[Strict] Scooping the poop looks like its the go – to plan for me at this moment, even if the pineapple and new dog food doesn’t work… It seems to me that my dog blue is like a baby lol (always need changing the diaper aka picking up the poop)

[FIREMAN29]

Hello, I’m new to this forum but desperately need some help. I have a 5 1/2 month old almost 60 lb amstaff male who has constant on and off diarrhea. I apologize for the lengthiness but theres a bit of a back story to give context. We got him as a rescue by proxy. His mother was rescued by a firefighter friend of mine when she wondered into the firehouse one day. Little did he know that this 9 month old sweetie was preggers. Nonetheless, he took her in, had the litter in his home and posted the puppies up for adoption. My wife and I wanting to get a rescue naturally jumped at the chance to take a pitty home with us. He was 6 weeks old and 6.5 lbs and they had already been weaned and eating Purina Beyond Superfood Blend Salmon flavor. Once that was done, we did the 10 day transition to Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy food and he loved it. One day around 10 weeks old he just stopped eating his food and refused to eat it. We contacted our vet and she suggested switching foods, we took the opportunity to switch him to a grain-free and healthier brand (Blue Buffalo Wilderness) once again using the previously mentioned transition method. The transition went fine and he loved the food. Then around 12 weeks he started having diarrhea every second or third day with the days in-between having normal stools. (Mind you, he also was having terrible allergic reactions to his vaccinations and was constantly on prednisone, benedryl, flagyl, and a probiotic). So we figured his digestive issues stemmed from his vaccine issues. His last vaccination was in the second week of February so its been two months. In that time he’s been teething, causing untold destruction, and still having those digestive issues along with a reduction in how much he’s been eating. We’ve done the chicken and rice to help his stomach several times as well so that he’ll eat.

Most recently, the vet gave us a canned food designed for digestive management to use for a week that would help his stomach out. She suggested that the Blue Buffalo may be too rich for his stomach and that we may need to find another brand. I spoke at length with my local pet store manager (Pet Supplies Plus) about this matter and he gave me several suggestions that would possibly help me. So I brought home a small bag of Wellness Complete Health Puppy Food and the pet stores brand called Redford Naturals for all life stages. Once he had constant solid stools with he canned food we began the transition to the Redford brand using the canned food as well. He seemed to be doing very well with the new food and eating it like he used to when he was a small puppy; till today when he started having diarrhea again for his second morning poop.

This is incredibly frustrating, and I have no idea where to go from here. We can’t afford to get him wet/canned food as he would go through it way to fast. And we want the best health for him so that he can have a long healthy life with us. If there is anyone who can help with this we would appreciate it immensely! Thank you.

[Erin P]

OK a week and a half ago I took Laiya to the vet her lymphs were swollen on neck, over shoulders back of hind legs and two on her lower stomach, those on her stomach looked as if they’d dropped were red swollen like a cyst I thought were gonna pop and leak so took her in and I wanted to find out what the cause was I’ve read so much finding out her skin issues as well as swollen lumps were because of something else going on,so if I could find that out I’d know better how to help. I mean if she has a bacterial or fungal infection whether she had cancer or not seems it should be cleared up! But no skin sample or blood was taken they didn’t listen to her heart or lungs. Just said looks like cancer. Took a fluid sample from swollen lymph on belly then told me she had about 3weeks to live! She never had symptoms! Never lost weight ,she seems fine except for swollen lymphs. There’s days you can tell she doesn’t feel good its killing me,I’m trying to feed her a good clean diet! Confused with some things such as meat being really bad for cancer because cancer cells use meat protein to feed and grow and none wants that! When I’d took her in to vet she had been switched to soft wet food because I thought her neck being swollen seeing maybe it was hard to chew. So yes at that time she had diareah and her little bing hole was red swollen as well I also noticed how her skin around her lil toottoot was sticking to her self the sweat well it was looking like it was blistered. She used to lay in her back when she slept therefore got air down there now she can’t because it affects her breathing so I can’t exactly put powder on it! I did wrong in some ways by spoiling her heck she won’t allow me to inspect on her! Or cut her nails! I want to do the best for her can anyone tell me anything! Should I take her to another vet andvi insist on bloodwork!? I mean isn’t there an underlying cause of swollen lymphs in the first place! Why wouldn’t they want to treat that!? All they did was give me prednisone for 1week it ran out yesterday, tramadol for pain and antibiotics. Right now I really need to know what I can feed her she’s so hungry more than before!

[Chandra E]

Last week I adopted a German Shepherd puppy. He was approximately nine weeks old. I had read up on how to feed him raw (learned about it from a friend who also has a GSD) and thought I had a good plan in mind but now I’m running into issues.
I started him off on turkey and he did great. Poops were perfect. I had about two days worth of meals on turkey when I switched him to chicken, despite what had been advised because when I returned to the grocery store for more turkey they were out but I was sold on the 10 pound bag of chicken quarters, much cheaper.
I think he was still doing alright on that until I added liver. Immediately after his first and only liver meal (it was about 70% may and 30% liver) I was reading more on the raw diet for puppies specifically and found that it was advised not to feed them offal at first because it can give them runny stools. Indeed, his next poop was runny.
I thought I should balance this with more bone and then read that the knuckles can cause blockages. After he didn’t poop for a day I panicked (probably prematurely) and gave him about a tablespoon of canned pumpkin, having read that it will serve as a laxative for him. I had to mix it with the plain yogurt he had been receiving in his Kong for him to eat it. (Possibly the yogurt is a problem too) this is his fourth day on the chicken, two days of runny stools… I keep trying to read what I can but was hoping somebody could give me a direct course of action to take from here.
Do I just need to wait for the organs and pumpkin to clear out of his system? Quit with the yogurt? Is it too soon to say his body doesn’t like chicken? To avoid further complications I have fed him meat only for the day, when should I go back to bone?
Sorry for the mess, much appreciation in any help given!

[Dennis M]

Hi Vanessa,

Thanks for your post. Long story short, since we weren’t getting anywhere with our regular vet, whom we really do like, I took our boy into a neurologist today. Based on physical exam, watching a video of an episode I taped, and a lengthy question and answer session, including the fact that all the GI meds made no difference, the official diagnosis was partial complex seizure. I felt somewhat vindicated, as I slowly started to lean that direction over the past year or so, since I read an online post of this diagnosis in another dog. Partial complex seizures don’t mainfest the same way in all dogs — our boy happens to be the rapid swallowing and gulping, and looking for things to eat. We did not do an MRI or electro-something as the Dr didn’t feel they would yield anything. In the Dr’s 40 years of practice, he’s only seen this swallowing disorder a dozen or so times, so it’s pretty rare — but not unheard of! He most recently successfully treated a dog with the same issue — seizures went from several times a week, to a couple times a year.

So leaving the office I felt mixed emotions — hopeful — that maybe after 8+ years, we’ve finally found the answer. Sadness, that I felt like I’ve let my dog down all that time. But I have died trying! My advice to everyone who has this issue — trust your instinct. You are your fur-kid’s best advocate. If GI meds are not working, and your pet’s behavior fits this description, it’s worth investigating with a neurologist. General vets can be wonderful, but they don’t have the knowledge or clinical practice that a neuro has. My personal opinion, is that all these fur-kids struggling with seemingly seizure disorders might have a link to either vaccines and/or monthly flea/tick products. From everything I’ve read, we sometimes over-vaccinate, and I don’t want to put toxic pesticides on my dog, if it’s harmful to my own skin. So a couple years ago, we went natural with those things. Diatomaceous Earth and sprays to keep bugs off him. Again, just my personal feeling.

I’ll conclude with treatment regimen. We got a prescrption for Levetiracetum (Keppra) extended release. It has less side-effects than phenobarbital, but is slightly less effective, especially over the long-term. But better to start with the least side-effect option, especially for an older dog. The “trial” is 6-9 months and we need to continue to monitor and track. If that doesn’t work, we could then go to phenobarbital, which I am concerned about. Alters personality for a couple months until the body adjusts. So have some real thinking to do, but feel like we finally have some answers. I’ll re-post with any developments. Please let me know if you have questions. Best to you all!

[Sheila H]

I went to Wyson Vegan checked the (huge) ingredient list (snore…). No fish oil or fish is listed but it does contain Omega 3 and Omega 6 oils. These generally come from fish.
Another thing to try is to make your own food. I did this for one of our dogs and i recommend it only if you have a lot of patience. There are many good books on this subject. My favorite was “Home-Prepared Dog and Cat Diets,” by Donald R. Strombeck, DVM, PhD. At the time I also subscribed to a Yahoo group called Totally Home Cooking. They had many diets available as spreadsheets and you could enter your dog’s weight and age and customize them. I can’t find it now, though. Most of those dog owners pets were afflicted with IBS. If I had not hooked up with Annamaet, which does contain a human grade fish oil, menhaden, I would start looking into home prep again. It will not be kibble, but where does it say dogs must have kibble? Especially if you have special needs.
On the other hand, if all that bothers you is fish breath you could start brushing your dog’s teeth…Good luck.

[anonymously]

http://www.homeovet.net/dynamic/php/downloads/dog-c8470f2c75dbe4b683205c3919ee2310/dog_diet_complete.pd

excerpt below from: http://www.2ndchance.info/Apoquel.htm
Food Allergies are probably over-diagnosed in dogs (they account for, perhaps 5-10%). Hypoallergenic diets are occasionally, but not frequently, helpful in canine atopy cases but you should always give them a try. Food intolerances are more common – but considerably more likely to result in digestive disturbances and diarrhea than in itching problems.

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies

Hope this helps, try the search engine here for more threads “allergies”

[Bobby dog]

Hi Kristen L:
I took a look at the food your pup likes, the consistency reminds me of some cat foods I feed. Not quite a stew IMO, a little thicker and more finely chopped than some foods I feed my dog.

Where do you shop? Do you have a budget you need to follow? I can check out my dog food spreadsheet and see if I’ve fed anything similar. I feed many different brands, recipes, and forms of wet food so I might have some suggestions for you.

[Kristen L]

Because of the recent recalls (I have 10 unused tubs) and the fact that I’m now reading all kinds of people saying how bad it is, I’m trying to switch my dog from Baneful prepared meals/chopped blends in the tub. My problem is she is a SUPER picky eater. For months she barely ate anything as I tried all sorts of wet food to find something she likes. There are even some benefuls that she refuses to eat. She will also eat Ceasars, which again I know isn’t not great for her, but only if it the home blends. She will only eat food that is watery it seems. I do mix her wet food with dry food, but that is the only way she eats dry. I am asking if anyone can recommend a wet food that will taste or be similar to these foods. I tried Rachel Rays Nutrish because it looked so similar, but she sniffed it and wouldn’t go near it. Any help is greatly appreciated!

[haleycookie]

Idk if I should keep asking for help here but it seems a bit easier then starting new threads everytime and perhaps if we keep this thread busy we will be noticed and get our kitty food advisor site. Anyway I have no problem feeding my dog good foods as she’s not picky and has a great appetite but I’ve seem to run into problems with my three cats. I’ve switched over to just raw and canned and they’ve been doing good but it seems they’re getting burned out of the types of caned I buy them. I work at a pet shop and I love adventuring to other pet boutiques and stores and looking for other good brands of food from the five star brands here on dfa. It’s easy to find my dog good foods for her rotation diet but buying cat food I find is a bit different as each can can vary in quality and what not. I feed my cats wellness core, wellness signature selects, instinct, lotus, weruva, and holisic select. Where I work supplies the wellness and instinct but I do venture out and get the other brands and I order weruva from time to time. However my kitties seem to be getting tired of this line up and are leaving their bowls almost full when I go to clean up their bowls. Does anyone have suggestions on grain free and fish free canned cat foods? I’ve been thinking of natural balance wild pursuit and blue wilderness, but I’ve been weary of blue since they’ve been found to be lying about what they put in there foods. Any easy suggestions where I can either buy individual cans or order them singly that would be very helpful. Thank you. 🙂

[Susan]

Hi, I’ve learnt one thing never listen to anyone, go straight to person/company & ask them..Taste of The Wild have added Peas & Garbanzo beans October 2015 to their Pacific Stream kibble….It says “New Enhanced Formula” on the bag….maybe that’s what happened & people were bringing back the new formula cause it wasn’t agreeing with their dogs cause of the peas & garbanzo beans…

I have just started introducing the Pacific Stream about 1 month ago & was real worried after I read complaints in the DFA review section, dogs were having sloppy diarrhea poos, probably from the sudden food changed of kibble, owners didn’t read the bag, where it says “New Enhanced Formula” some dogs wouldn’t eat their kibble & it was lighter in colour since the peas & garbanzo beans were added…
…..Patch had started their old formula of Pacific stream, so I rung the online pet store, where I had order the first bag from & ordered the last of their small bags old formula, all the large bags were all sold out & I was worried the new order that just came in were bags of kibble with the new ingredients…also the online pet store had already up dated the new ingredients of Pacific Stream on the page. I thought oh no, I’ll be ordering the new Pacific Stream that dogs aren’t too happy about then Patch will be having sloppy yellow poos….

TOTW Pacific Stream is a best seller in Australia, TOTW Pacific Stream is the only grain free kibble without peas, lentils, chickpeas, tapioca & garbanzo beans…it has sweet potatoes, potatoes, tomatoes, blueberries & raspberries….. So I email TOTW on face book, saying why have they started to add peas & garbanzo beans, it’s a best seller in Australia, its the only grain free kibble with out peas, garbanzo beans, tapioca & so many dogs with EPI & IBD are doing so well on the Pacific Stream…… TOTW must of gotten a few complaints in America & the UK, I live Australia ….. then I email the Australian company that imports TOTW they knew nothing about this ingredient change, it must of worried the lady, she emailed me back a few days later & said TOTW Vice president of sales rung her back thru the night & said Australia will NOT be getting the added peas & garbanzo beans she seemed very happy & sent me a small box of 3 X all their formulas samples…..I did a lot of emailing that week but it was worth it….
My boy has IBD & Skin problems for 3 yrs I’ve tried raw, cooked, wet tin & kibbles, I never tried the TOTW Pacific Stream cause of what people have said about Diamond & the fat is 15% I thought the higher fat will make Patches acid Reflux worse… cause I had run out of 4-5 star kibbles to try with limited ingredients, then I finally tried TOTW Pacific stream, it’s the only kibble that has stopped Patches acid reflux & he’s doing firm beautiful small poo’s he not whinging with his pain right side after eating, I don’t have to soak the kibble in water, his coat is looking so shinny & he’s put on weight & he only needs 2 cups a day for a 18kg 40lb dog & people are commenting how good he’s looking…. I’m introducing the Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb at the moment, I was worried cause it has peas & egg, I thought he’d get his wind pain from the peas & egg but there’s been no farts, no wind pain…so now he has 2 formulas that he can eat….
Here’s a video of the TOTW plant, its their new California plant so if your kibble is coming from here it looks pretty clean to me… http://diamondpetcompany.com/#facilities

[theBCnut]

There are quite a number of people here with dogs that have food sensitivities that results in itching, rashes, staph infections, hotspots, anal gland fluid overproduction, sebum overproduction, etc., including my dog. I put him on an elimination diet and as soon as I got him off of the foods he reacts to all symptoms ceased. His symptoms only ever return when he is given a food that he reacts to, so yes, food sensitivities do result in the symptoms you are seeing, so it is definitely something to look into.

If it is a food issue, with a properly run elimination diet, you can easily tell if the dog is reacting to certain foods. The only time there is difficulty is if there are also skin allergies that are causing the exact same responses. Those allergies tend to be seasonal. That’s how you know whether or not you are dealing with skin allergies. Also, certain types of allergies are recognizable due to where on the body the dog is reacting. That’s one area where a good vet comes in. They get to recognize those signs very quickly.

You will notice that I use the term food sensitivity rather than allergy. If you read some of the many threads here about food allergies and food sensitivities, you will see that vets often use the terms interchangeably, but we are talking about different things due to the differences in the dog’s immune system. The different types of food sensitivities that dogs experience are because they may have several different types of immune responses, IgA, IgE, IgM, and others. The “true” allergy causes hives, localized swelling, breathing difficulty, anaphylactic shock and is rare. Food sensitivities may result from damage to the gut lining and cause itching, redness, heat, sebum(skin oil glands) overproduction, staph infections and hotspots, etc. Food intolerances cause symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, colitis, gas, abdominal pain, etc. They are all different, but they are all immune problems and get lumped into the term allergies. And many vets try to treat them all the same with drugs that are not good for the dog, instead of trying to get to the cause of the problem.