[ilse]

Hi, all:

Just found this forum trying to dig up info on anal sac issues. My redbobe coonhound rescue (approx 2 years old) had developed a problem. Vet has expressed twice, has offered surgery … but I want to solve this wholistically.

He isn’t overweight, but I read that weight can be a problem, so I’ve put him on a bit of a diet, trying to take off a few pounds

He is eating grain free, mostly canned with some kiblle (go limited ingreditents) (well, except for treats and sharing bits from my plate), I usually feed him Duck as main protein or else whitefish, main brands Wellness Simple, Cocolicious, and some others (I try to mix). I do feed pumpkin, and lately grated raw carrot (found that idea online), some omega 3 fish oil, occasionally yogurt….

His stools are good, but lately he seems to be very itchy also, scratching ears and chewing legs a bit.

Just googled and saw that apparently there is a test for food sensitivity (not allergy). Anyone done that? Good results in finding out what could be cause?

Thank you in advance. Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

ilse

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by ilse.

[Jenn H]

I know I’m very spoiled living in an area where I do have a lot of options. Being near Boston I can go right to Tufts (one of the best vet schools) in an emergency.
There’s so many different vets and emergency animal hospitals. I guess I assume it’s common.

Believe me I know phone consults can be very expensive. As if vet care isn’t expensive enough already.

Personally I wouldn’t change foods w/o slow transition, but you know your dog better than anyone. Even the vet. Follow your own instinct.
Remember you are your dog’s advocate. He needs you to be his voice. Make it heard. I’m not a confrontational person, but eventually I ran out of patience. I told them that I was done seeing my girl sick and they needed to stop blaming everything on Lyme and find the solution. Doctors don’t like to think they are wrong. Sometimes they need to be humbled.
While I still ended up with an umbrella diagnosis at least I got them to successfully treat the symptoms without pushing their agenda.

[melissa p]

Thanks for the info and Put love. I have done hours of dog food research as well as colitis amd allergens . I try and educate myself as much as possible. I know thete is no hypoallergenic dog good persay I should have rephrase that to l.i.d dog food that’s high quality with no controversial ingredients or more so things like Ethoxyquin which I have found on the label of both Vet brand foods i.e. Hills and Royal Canin. My issue is my vets only reasoning to my suggestion of other brands is ” he doesn’t know them”. I have called around to other vets to see who had dog nutrition experience and I’ve gotten. Shot down. To me is insane a vet in school really doesn’t get any training in nutrition so I an lost I guess because the only reasoning I hey as to why he should be on it is because it’s “easy ” to digest but I read endless research and articles saying majority of its ingredients aren’t good for ibd/colitis dogs plus allergies.

I appreciate the input both of you and to answer the other question I’m told by multiple vets/ my dog food store owner (had severe colitis dog that is so bad she’s debated putting to sleep it’s that horrific) but they all say allergy testa are a waste because they aren’t that accurate. Example I’ve gotten an allergy test and the suppose allergens I don’t react to its more of a broad possibility. He definitely is allergic to chicken as I’ve tried chicken California natural. As well as lamb and rice 2 different brands. Salmon and pea. And now kangaroo and red lentil which he does well on nixed with an i.d. food but he’s allergic to it ( realized whwn fed just that when had a flare up, became tomato red and itching also hot spots ) then tried hamburger a nd rice mixes. Diarreah when on both separated and mixed after 3 weeks. Tried oatmeal still upset tummy. . Also I’ve read hydrogolized diets can actually hurt your dog because it just tricks rhere body ans masks the issue so I figured that’s why he pooped normal but was still breaking out in staph infection from licking hot spots on hills I.d

Biggest current issue idk what to feed him right now after his bloody poop the other day and lethargy all today and still mucus off colored poop today but it was firm atleast. I caved and got the potato and venison canned but he’s never had it so I’m worries will thay make his flare up worse???

My vet tech who knows nothing said feed it straight but I’m afraid to ..let me.say tho I like my vet I don’t dislike him..I don’t appreciate having to feel like my vet is going against me is my issue..he should listen to my concerns and not force feed me thete dog food they sell is all.

Thanks:) just very overwhelmed my dogs mu baby I wan t him to not just survive nut thrive and live a healthy long life

[Dennis M]

Hello All,

We have an 11-year old Wheaten Terrier who has struggled with fits of gulping/rapid swallowing “episodes” since he was a year or so old. I have read more and more of folks saying their vets are diagnosing this condition as “complex partial seizures” or “limbic seizures.” Something that causes a rapid — seemingly involuntary — swallowing. But he always remains conscious — buy clingy. It can happen weeks apart, or a few months apart, but always several times a year. And when it starts, it continues overnight (he doesn’t sleep) and into a second or even third day, gradually dissipating. He swallows so hard (in rapid succession) that his neck/head lurches forward a little bit each time — almost like a hiccup. Our vet and GI specialist we saw were convinced he has IBS / reflux issues and we’ve tried all sorts of remedies around that diagnosis, but nothing seems to help. They’ve never seen him do it in person, but have seen a video of him doing it. Our regular vet is perplexed, but initially suspected reflux. The specialist indicated food allergies, but doesn’t make sense if he eats the same thing each day, and fully recovers on the same food that purportedly causes the issue. We never did a scope, because we kept searching for answers around food and reflux meds. And some years, its only happened a few times. Here are the reasons we are leaning toward seizure (from putting pieces together) and not reflux: happens on all sorts of food brands (high quality), protein sources, canned and kibble; totally random; happens even feeding three small meals; two Pepcids given before each meal doesn’t prevent, nor does Pepcid, Cerenia (anti-nausea), or Sucralfate (Carafate — a anti-ulcer drug) combination help to prevent, stop or shorten an episode once its begun. We immediately withhold meals during an episode and give him the above meds — but he still continues to swallow/gulp and not sleep all night. We ask ourselves if reflux/GI related why wouldn’t these meds help within a few hours?

He really doesn’t have any diarrhea or straight vomiting issues. Maybe once or twice a year, he might vomit out of the blue, but it does NOT involve a gulping episode – so it seems gulping and vomiting are not the same. Simply being nauseous shouldn’t cause the involuntary rapid-fire swallowing and licking we see. Reflux would cause burning sensation and discomfort up into the esophagus, but again, if a double dose of Pepcid does nothing, I again lean towards seizure. As one member wrote — it’s so true — it seems like it’s something happening to them they can’t control, even though they are fully conscious.

Can anyone say if they’ve had success treating as a seizure? How or what tests did your vet do to make this diagnosis? What seizure meds have been used and any bad side effects? We’d be the happiest parents in the world if we could finally solve this mystery — and educate others having the same problem! Thanks so much!

[Dennis M]

Hello All,
We have an 11-year old Wheaten Terrier who has struggled with fits of gulping/rapid swallowing since he was a year or so old. I have read more and more of folks saying their vets are diagnosing this condition as “complex partial seizures” or “limbic seizures.” Something that causes a rapid — almost involuntary — swallowing. But he always remains conscious — buy clingy. It can happen weeks apart, or a few months apart, but always several times a year. And when it starts, it continues overnight (he doesn’t sleep) and into a second or even third day, gradually dissipating. He swallows so hard that his neck/head lurches forward a little bit each time — almost like a hiccup. Our vet and GI specialist we saw were convinced he has IBS / reflux issues and we’ve tried all sorts of remedies around that diagnosis, but nothing seems to help. The specialist indicated food allergies, but doesn’t make sense if he eats the same thing each day, and fully recovers on the same food that purportedly causes the issue. Here are the reasons we are leaning toward seizure (from putting pieces together) and not reflux: happens on all sorts of food brands (high quality), protein sources, canned and kibble; totally random; happens even feeding three small meals; two Pepcids given before each meal doesn’t prevent, nor does Pepcid, Cerenia (anti-nausea), or Sucralfate (Carafate — a anti-ulcer drug) combination help to prevent, stop or shorten an episode once its begun. We immediately withhold meals during an episode and give him the above meds — but he still continues to swallow/gulp and not sleep all night. We ask ourselves if reflux/GI related why wouldn’t these meds help within a few hours?

He really doesn’t have any diarrhea or straight vomiting issues. Maybe once or twice a year, he might vomit out of the blue, but it does NOT involve a gulping episode – so it seems gulping and vomiting are not the same. Simply being nauseous shouldn’t cause the involuntary rapid-fire swallowing and licking we see. Reflux would cause burning sensation and discomfort up into the esophagus, but again, if a double dose of Pepcid does nothing, I again lean towards seizure. As one member wrote — it’s so true — it seems like it’s something happening to them they can’t control, even though they are fully conscious.

Can anyone say if they’ve had success treating as a seizure? How or what tests did your vet do to make this diagnosis? What seizure meds have been used and any bad side effects? We’d be the happiest parents in the world if we could finally solve this mystery — and educate others having the same problem! Thanks so much!

[Alexis Y]

Wow! You guys are amazing in your knowledge! I have just added my first Irish Wolfhound puppy to our family 2 days ago. I originally started reading this forum because I want to ensure she receives the best food I can provide. Her breeders started her on wellness just for puppies canned food at the time of weaning. They suggested Wilderness puppy for dry food, but after reading the previous posts, that won’t be happening. Can anyone give me a good suggestion on what to feed her. Her stool is soft serve like and I’d love to remedy that if possible. She seems happy with the wet food, but, is there a benefit to wet vs dry? I’d prefer to feed dry food as I’ve always had better experience with dry with previous pups(none have been as large as she will be).
I live in a very small town and I’m not sure how experienced our vet is with this breed. Though she has always been great with my other babies, this little girl is a bit less common and a lot bigger(eventually) than my other babes have been.
I want to give this little girl the best beginning to ensure a long, happy healthy life.
Thanks in advance for any suggestions!

[Mallary P]

Hi all:

My beloved (spayed) Shih Tzu will be 9 years old this year and I’ve recently [this month] switched her to the Fromm Surf and Turf Grain Free food, which she seems to enjoy. My dog has LOTS of food allergies and we spent about two years plus lots of trial/error to find her a good food. In the beginning the vet had her on Science Diet and steroids for about a week, but that was not a long term solution. She gets whelps (almost like acne) all over her and it’s very itchy. Poor baby. For a long time, she was on Nature’s Recipe limited Ingredient Chicken and Sweet Potato Food. She did well on it [no breakouts], but it wasn’t as great when I read the report on her. Given that she is moving into her senior years, I want to make sure she has the best quality everything because I love her and I want her around for a long time. She gets a decent amount of exercise for a Shih Tzu and is a good weight–according to the vet.

I see some of the forums on here suggesting that they given their dogs different high quality foods in rotation. She’s really enjoying Fromm, but I would like to give her another high quality food to give her some variety. Any recommendations? Acana, Orijen, etc?

She generally does better with Chicken, Salmon, and duck. Beef, Pork, and too much diary has proven to be no-nos in our house. She loves raw carrots as a treat and antler bones to chew. Sometimes I give her high quality canned food, so if I could get both kibble/ canned food recommendations that would be great!

[Pitlove]

Well, I had a more indepth explanation for you about THK Jenn, however I apparently tried to close a tab on my browser and it closed this tab too. Regardless, my conclusion is based on my further investigation after reading Aimee and several others comments about their nutritional inadequacy on THK review. My boss was considering bringing this food into work and I wanted to check it out. What I did find out is that Aimee’s conclusions where correct. Several of their diets report below NRC mins (I side by side compared the NA on THK website to the 2014 NRC nutrient profiles) on key nutrients like Methionine and Riboflavin. I don’t think those facts have anything to do with Aimee or her being “a fan of Purina”. 🙂

As for Nulo, I could not find who manufactures for them. What I did find though, was emails to the company from a poster on another dog food forum, where the company stated that they could not disclose their manufacturer. Shoot them an email for me and see if you have better luck though. Til then I can’t recommend them.

[Jenn H]

My heart breaks for you. I too lost a guy fairly recently to HSA on the right aorta. He was what I called a better behaved 8 month old. He was actually a very young, funny, happy, mischievous at times 8 y/o. He was diagnosed 2 wks after turning 8.
That dog never had a bad day. He was never sick either. He was so perfect in so many ways.
Luckily I had vets who knew what it was we were dealing with and advised against surgery. It may have bought him more time, but it likely would not have had the quality that managing it gave him.
HSA is an incredibly sneaky disease. 1 of his vets said it’s usually the tumor rupturing and bleeding out that ends their life as opposed to the cancer cells.
Usually by the time really noticeable/worrisome symptoms show the tumor is already at a size where removal is likely too risky.

I hope soon you will be able to enjoy the memories of your time together. That is his gift to you.
Take the lesson you have learned and forgive yourself for being merely human without all the answers. You did exactly what you believed to be in his best interest then made the hardest decision anyone ever has to make. Your actions were selfless and kind. I’m sure he wouldn’t want you beating yourself up. If it happens again you now know the subtle signs of the disease.
Be as kind to yourself as you were to him.

[Freddy w]

Your welcome Curtis

Well after do research after research
I’m trying flax seed(ground)
And I mix some with there food

Also goats milk(a little)
And it seems to help

Fiber seems to get right into there system and firm the stools right up
I’ve already seem that at least there firming up some

Try to use a little fiber with each meal for awhile 3 to 4 days
Seems to help 😊

You can get the flax seed at Walmart pharmacy area
Or online
I’m still waiting on perfect form to show up
At my door

I will update !!

[Pitlove]

Hi Jazzlover-

I would have a look back at Aimee’s posts in this thread. She has it completely right about yeast. There is far too much misformation on the internet about yeast and some of it is even perpecuated by vets like Dr. Becker.

As Aimee mentioned previously, carbs DO NOT in fact feed yeast. Yeast infections are secondary to a primary cause. For instance in my pitbulls case, his hypersensitivities to certain ingredients in food like beef and duck cause him to get yeast infections under his nail beds, inbetween his digits and in his ears. He also has break outs around his mouth like acne and his mouth and inbetween his digits gets bright red and raw.

My boy has been completely yeast free for a few months now and he is not on raw and he is not on grain free. Raw and grain free are not automatically “anti-yeast” diets. Very common misconception that has been put out there on the internet as truth. Not all dogs need to go to raw or grain free to have their yeast issues solved. The key to treating yeast overgrowth is to find out the primary cause/trigger of the yeast overpopulation. Your dog naturally has yeast all over his/her body, but when something (like hypersensititivies or allergies) suppresses the immune system the body is off balance and can no longer keep the yeast from overpopulating. My dog does well on foods that have fish as the animal protein source and no wheat. He can eat other grains though without issue.

Also the only thing that has been clinically proven to kill yeast are shampoos that contain chlorhexidine gluconate, like Malaseb. There is no clinical proof that ACV kills yeast.

I’d like to add also that it will be much more difficult to treat the yeast if the primary trigger is environmental.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Pitlove.

[Shawna]

Here’s another doctor on acid reflux (and heartburn) if interested. This is in humans but holds true for our pets too.

“The Myth About Heartburn
It’s commonly believed that heartburn is the result of overeating. And although 116 million Americans may overeat, the size of the meal has no scientific correlation with the frequency of heartburn.
Then we must be producing too much stomach acid, you say. Having too much acid production is very rare. In fact, the opposite is the case. In most people, stomach acid decreases with age.

What Causes Heartburn?
In order to cure acid reflux disease, you must remove the cause of the problem and promote the healing process. The following are the most common causes:

Food allergies: In my practice I have found that a majority of cases of heartburn are caused by food allergies. Food allergies often cause a host of other problems and can be diagnosed with a simple blood test.

Foods: certain foods cause the lower esophageal sphincter to relax, thus leading to heartburn. These include peppermint, coffee, alcohol and chocolate.

Hiatal hernia: This is a physical condition where part of the stomach protrudes through the diaphragm. It can generally be reduced without surgery, though even when present it is not necessarily the sole cause of heartburn

Low Acid Production: Ironically, low stomach acid levels can result in heartburn. This is much more common than increased acid. This problem can be assessed clinically and is readily treatable.

Medications: Many medications cause heartburn as a side-effect, including, several acid blockers. These include:

Acid Blockers: Prevacid, Prilosec, Zantac, etc.
Asthma inhalers (beclamethasone, flovent, etc).
Corticosteroids
Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs), such as aspirin, ibuprofen, and naproxen.
Antianxiety medications, such as diazepam (Valium) and lorazepam (Ativan).
Osteoporosis drugs such as alendronate (Fosamax).” http://www.centerforfoodallergies.com/gerd.htm#part1

[Shawna]

Here’s another take on acid reflux that is supported by many. This is from the website reflux.org and is written by a medical doctor – the bio says this about this doctor “Dr. Stephen Wangen is the co-founder and Medical Director of the IBS Treatment Center. He
lectures nationally and is the author of two books, “The Irritable Bowel Syndrome Solution,”
and the recently released “Healthier Without Wheat: A New Understanding of Wheat Allergies, Celiac Disease, and Non-Celiac Gluten Intolerance.”

Dr. Wangen writes
“However, it’s not just a dairy allergy that can cause reflux. As we already discussed, gluten intolerance is also known to trigger reflux. (Note that reflux can be the only presenting symptom of celiac disease, the most researched form of gluten intolerance. But also note that you do not have to have celiac disease to be gluten intolerant.) In fact, any food can potentially trigger reflux. And the right kind of testing will point to the relevant food(s). But there are certain foods that come up more often than others as allergens. The top four food allergies that result in reflux are:

Dairy Egg Soy Gluten

But remember, it’s not the food that is the real problem. The real issue is how your body is reacting to that food rather than anything inherently bad in the food itself.” https://www.reflux.org/reflux/webdoc01.nsf/487b3ba0c2f1a4ff85256ff30009f061/cc3c84cff50a7a0b8525764e005d879b/$FILE/2009%20Summer%20Reflux%20Digest%20final%20to%20upload.pdf

Although these four foods may be the most likely to cause acid reflux, they are not the only ones that do. Additionally continuing the acid reducer can create further issues as acid is ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY for protein digestion. Protein malnutrition can happen with long term use of these acid reducers and a whole host of new symptoms can be caused by protein malnutrition. B12 absorption is also dependent on adequate acids in the stomach and B12 malnutrition will also cause some unusual and problematic symptoms.

[Joyce B]

Hi Marina. So glad your Frenchy is doing better! If you’re not already doing it, try digestive enzymes. I use Mercola’s and this has been a huge help for my 2-year old Pom with similar issues. All the things you’ve done have made all the difference for us too: lower protein and fat, limited ingredients, no poultry (for us turkey and egg specifically), and I give healthy snacks every 4 hours and before bed. Your Natural Balance diet – is that all dry? Kibble is the most difficult for dogs to digest. Can you substitute some of that with some good canned (without carrageenan) or raw? Keeping the fat low of course. We feed half dehydrated raw and half low-fat kibble and that works great. And lastly, any plans to wean your boy off the Prilosec? (I know alot of vets and owners swear by the acid reducers and PPIs but there are others that say not enough stomach acid can cause the sphincters to malfunction. Pepcid seemed to make my dog worse after a few days, although it helped my older dogs with other issues.) Best of luck and please keep us posted!

[Jenn H]

There’s a lot of theories floating around about when to switch a lg breed puppy to adult food. Because my GSDs are very active and use every bit of fat & protein I tend to keep them on lbp food longer than a yr. Usually up to 18 months. Or I’ll switch to an adult food for all life stages and/or lg breed adult. I’ve had dogs take 3 yrs to finish growing. (Usually unaltered males.)
No matter what food they are fed I keep the calcium as close to 1.5% or less until I am certain they are finished growing.

It’s fine to start them on joint supplements as early as 6 months. My 8 month old has already been on them for 2 months.
I prefer liquid since more of it is absorbed, but I’ve also had really great results from NuPro.
Cosequin is another brand that has worked great for a lot of my horses. They now make a version for dogs.

Things I look for in joint supplements is:
***glucosamine hydrochloride
*promotes healthy joints
*enhances body’s ability to produce collagen & joint fluid
*helps body to repair joint damage
***chondroitin sulfate
***MSM
*organic form of sulfur that connective tissue needs for maintenance
*HA

Whole food supplements w/ a lot of Glycosaminoglycans (GAGs):
•sea cucumber
•green-lipped mussel
•shark cartilage
•eggshell membrane
You’ll often find these listed as sources on labels of joint supplements. Especially the mussel & shark cartilage.

Take care to find out where ingredients are sourced blah blah blah like you would for dog food.

[TAMMY C]

P.S. One last comment, variety is “key”, in my research it is said (a happy medium here in the wide range of opinions) variety is key, you do not want to feed your Beloved the same thing day after day. This is important to know, for those who only have a Dog or two it makes your life easier in preparing meals, it is important for you to know because with this knowledge you’ll understand that you don’t need to try a fit every food type in a feeding to try and meet the Beloved’s requirements. In reality, in the wild, or even for us humans, as long as we are getting say within a given week a portion of many varieties of foods you get what your body needs. When you feed the same ingredients meal after meal that is where one can get into problems trying to meet the dietary requirements and of course the frustration trying to do so. Yes, I learned the hard way, hahahaha. I was trying to fit every food group in a given meal and it was not feasible for me. Than, reading a book I bought recently, “Home Cooking for Your Dog: 75 Holistic Recipes for a Healthier Dog” showed me the way……not trying to create the perfect meal of ingredients every single meal of the day, I was exhausted. And, where I live, very limited on available ingredients. Along, with available kibble.

[Jaxons Mom]

Hey everyone I’m brand new to raw feeding and I’m trying to learn as much as I can. Like all of you, feeding my lab mix pup the healthiest, most nutritious and enjoyable food and treats possible is extremely important. I think it would be fantastic if there was a thread for anyone who would be so kind to share any recipes they may have for homemade healthy treats that compliment a raw diet! Also I will be investing in a food dehydrator, so recipes & tips for making dehydrated treats is welcome as well.

I go through a lot of treats currently as I do 1-3 sessions daily that last anywhere from 5-15 minutes. I break them up to be pea sized, and I use dehydrated liver, but it gets pricey. Looking forward to trying out some recipes!!

[anonymously]

Have you checked the search engine at this site for “bladder stones”

Here is a good thread: /forums/topic/crystalstone-in-bladder/

Ask your vet if he thinks this product would be helpful? http://www.chewy.com/dog/k-plus-potassium-citrate-plus/dp/112519

The best thing you can do is to increase water intake and offer frequent bathroom breaks, opportunities to urinate. Sure, dogs can hold it, but that’s not good for this condition, You want to keep the bladder flushed. Stagnant conditions in the bladder are conducive to stone formation.

[Carlene]

I apologize for yet another lengthy post but it’s so interesting that many of our stories read the same…

I’ve been dealing with the gulpy air licks since my pit bull was around 1.5 years old. He is 6.5 now. He will gulp, air lick, hard swallow, stare at me like “help me!”, he grinds his teeth, he will vomit hand size piles of white foamy bile, sometimes dingy yellowish bile, eat grass, eat more grass, throw that up and then being exhausted, he will sleep for hours. If I’m at work while an episode happened, he will resort to carpet, socks, wicker baskets, whatever he could get in his mouth. In the early days, this happened maybe a couple of times every six months but I wasn’t too concerned. I mean we all occasionally get sick, right? But for the first couple of years, I did casually mention it to my vet at bi-annual appts and even joked about renaming him Stan (the South Park character who pukes all the time). Something else maybe worth mentioning is sometimes I would get home from work after being gone for 10 hours or so and he would puke his kibble. It was still in perfect little round pieces, just like it went in, except it’s wet. So ZERO digestion in 10 hours for whatever that’s worth. His episodes began to increase in both frequency and severity about 3 years ago. No rhyme or reason. No patterns. Nothing I have been able to pinpoint. The episodes are almost a daily occurrence now. I mention to friends “he had a good day today” instead of a bad day because they are so frequent. You can see it in his eyes, his head is down, he’s tired, his eyes are red, he’s drooly, he stretches his neck, and he’s very, very clingy. I honestly don’t even remember what the first treatment protocols were or what order we went in. But here are some of the things we’ve tried:

-Rubbing Trachea/Throat, Singing a song, Going for a walk. Basically distractions – works sometimes.
-Canned organic pumpkin or Plain Greek Yogurt to settle the tummy during an episode – would work sometimes
-Pepcid for acid reflux – seemed to work for a while
-Probiotics
-Elevated Food Bowl
-Pepcid with Carafate Slurries each morning and evening to coat the tummy before meals – maybe worked?
-Metronidazole/Amoxicillin combo for suspected Helicobacter Pylori – tested negative
-Complete Blood Panel
-Barium swallow with Xrays to examine the esophagus and rule out Megaesophagus – all clear
-Daily Prilosec OTC 20mg – works sometimes.
-Dry Kibble Changes – all over the map but all No Corn, Soy or Wheat – settled on Nutrisource Chicken for approx. 2 years –
-Canned food – makes it worse-
-No dry kibble for 6 months – I cooked for him. Chicken, Veggies, Rice. Worked well at first, and got worse toward the end of the 6 month period.
-Animal Communicator – don’t laugh. I was very skeptical too. But this lady I do not know told me that his tummy had been sick for a really long time and that he was tired. She also told me that his body required a warm protein rather than a cool protein. I switched him from Nutrisource Chicken (cold) to Nutrisource Lamb (warm). She also told me to try essential oils. She didn’t say what kind, she said to let him smell the unopened containers and he would be interested in the one his body needed, if he needed one at all. I met with an essential oils expert, did just what she said and let him do the picking. We went vial after vial while he would sniff and turn his head over & over again. Until he sniffed…and he didn’t turn away. He sniffed again. He sniffed all around that vial like I was holding a piece of meat. He nudged my hand. More like a shove than a nudge really. I turned the vial around to see what it was expecting something food related but it wasn’t, it was something called Digize. Digize is:“a dietary supplement that provides valuable aid for digestive concerns and helps support a healthy digestive system. Benefits and Uses: eases heartburn, calms upset stomach, alleviates diarrhea, minimizes bloating, comforts sickness associated with pregnancy, reduces discomfort while travelling, overcomes constipation, improves digestive function, eases acidity in body, and rids body of parasites.” Well I’ll be darned.
-Daily Prilosec/Carafate/Reglan regimen
-And Cerenia. This stuff works beautifully and at $15 per dose, is more expensive than pure gold.

I know I’ve forgotten a few things we tried, but we have tried a lot. In December 2015 he had had several pretty rough days in a row. I’d gotten home from work one eve and knew he wasn’t feeling well. I heard something weird, looked down at him standing in the kitchen and I see his teeth chattering, his body is stiff as a board, and he has this hard stare, like no one is in there. It was the weirdest thing that only lasted maybe 30 seconds, but it definitely happened. After it was over, it took him a good while to get his bearings back. He was so wobbly and confused. I texted my vet and she replied with “He’s just had a Focal Seizure.” I wonder if that’s somehow related to his gulpy air lick? Anyhow, because December was so bad for him I finally bit the money bullet and scheduled his Endoscopy, Biopsies, and Exploratory GI Surgery January 11th 2016. First off I want to say that I’ve done a TON of research too. I was convinced he had esophageal erosion, burns from the severe acid reflux, or big angry ulcers all over the lining of his stomach. Or stomach cancer. Yeah, that. So the results of the Endoscopy? The doc gives me a rundown. The esophagus looks perfect. The stomach looks perfect. Nothing in there at all (I did kind of expect a toy or something). The pyloris spincter looks good. The duodenum looks good, and the very beginning of the small intestine looks good. He said there doesn’t seem to be bile backing up into the stomach at all. So. Inconclusive. I couldn’t decide if that was good or bad news. I do know that I REALLY need an answer though.

Since the surgery, I’ve had him on a regimen of Prilosec/Carafate/Reglan but it seems like he was sicker after the surgery than before. Like the scope irritated something, I don’t know. Results of the biopsies came back and they confirmed IBD, which we already knew. Doc says more testing is needed with the next being for something called Myasthenia Gravis, a nerve/muscle disorder. We haven’t done this test yet, but it is our next medical step. Anyway, after doing a bunch more research and with Doc’s blessing of course, last Wednesday February 10th I changed his food again to a limited ingredient novel protein, Zignature Kangaroo. I took away ALL the treats too. Treats are now Kangaroo kibble. I also went to feeding him 3 small meals a day on as consistent of a schedule as I can. If his tummy is empty, he gets gulpy licky. If his tummy is too full, he pukes. So day 1 on the Kangaroo, Wednesday, was a good day. Thursday was a good day. Friday was a good day. Saturday I discontinued the Carafate and Reglan but continuing the Prilosec. So far the good days have continued. Today is day 8 of “a good day”. I hope this lasts and I want to be positive, but I know the odds are not in our favor. Just one more theory, one more trial, grasping at more straws. I’ll definitey be looking more into the magnesium deficiency and Bilious Vomiting Syndrome that were mentioned earlier in the thread. At some point we have got to figure this out. Seems like none of us are giving up so I’d say we have a pretty good chance.

*One word of warning about the Kangaroo. It stinks. It makes his breath stink, his poops are dense and alfalfa’ish smelling, and it digests quicker than other kibbles. And did I mention it stinks? Wish us luck and thank you for all your comments, for reading, and caring…

• This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Carlene.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Carlene.

[Bev A]

Bitty’s BUN was extremely high 3 months ago. I started the Nitrogen Trapping as Shawna suggested and it is working. Her BUN is still very high but it has come down and the creatinin is back where it should be. Thanks Shawna. I am continuing the Nitrogen trapping to hopefully bring it down further.
So the Latest blood work has shown something new. Her Globulin level is high. And the Albumin level is low. I know teeth can be part of the trouble and she is notorious for her bad teeth, as tiny poodles tend to be. However at 14 we fear putting her out so are not addressing that problem. She has lost the majority of her teeth already. Her appetite has improved greatly, I am so happy to report. At times she doesn’t want to eat but I give her tummy meds and after a bit she will eat. No left overs, she hates that but she will eat. Her kidneys are holding up better and no more diapers. Yes! I am not aware of holistic vets around here but sure there must be. But are there suggestions on how to further correct the blood work? Thanks every, I love this site,

[JeffreyT]

Hi minnie-mama, congratulations! Havanese is a great breed, very much like maltese, which I have.

Here’s some good information on the importance of a rotational diet. I changed my pups’ diet a few days after they came home and used probiotics, enzymes and pumpkin to avoid stomach issues, and still use first two for good digestion and to keep their immune systems strong.
/frequently-asked-questions/diet-rotation-for-dogs/

Dr. Karen Becker’s newsletter gives excellent nutritional advice, and I use the Mercola enzymes, probiotics, krill oil and multi vitamin she recommends. Mercola also makes a natural flea and tick repellent that is the best smelling one I’ve used, and it works.
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/07/21/13-pet-foods-ranked-from-great-to-disastrous.aspx

I highly recommend the book Scared Poopless to help avoid cancer and other diseases later on. The author’s website is loaded with helpful advice on avoiding vaccine overdose (especially important for small dogs), and how to do heart worm meds safely.
http://www.dogs4dogs.com/

Mine get a variety of the five star freeze dried and dehydrated foods (all you have to do is add water) with some home prepared meals using Dr. Harvey’s premix and organic meat already made from Whole Foods. Their main meal consists of these foods, and at night they get a light meal of dry and a topper like lean meat, egg yolk, yogurt, cottage cheese, goat cheese, a sprinkle of parmesan, a sardine from the can or ground salad or vegetables (never feed onion). As long as you keep toppers and treats under 20% of their daily intake, the diet will stay balanced.

I always get grain-free and gmo-free foods. Their favorite dry foods are air dried like Ziwi Peak, Real Meat Food Co, Only Natural Max Air Dried and Wellness Core Air Dried. Some of the better kibble foods that my picky ones have eaten are Petcurean Go Now, Farmina, Amicus and Wellness Trufood Baked. You can call the companies to get samples, and make sure to get the small breed puppy formula. I always buy the smallest bags, and do not keep food over one month because it starts to go rancid.

The treats they go crazy for are Stella and Chewys, Orijen, Lakse Kronch Wild Salmon, Primal and Dogs for the Earth. Dogs for the Earth also makes an organic food that they love.

Make sure to avoid synthetic shampoos and other toxic products. Earthbath puppy is a good one that is non-toxic. For face, when mine were puppies, I used Castle Bath which is a non-toxic face cleaner and powder to keep faces clean and avoid tear stains….cotton baby washcloths work best with this. Baby shampoo from the healthy food store is also good for faces. Avoid drug store brands because they’re loaded with toxic chemicals.
http://www.castlebaths.com/tear-stain-remover.html

Before I got my maltese I joined an online maltese forum where I learned a lot about food, training and grooming… you may want to consider one for Havanese.

Good luck!

[Shawna]

Epikitin is used primarily as a phosphate binder in chronic kidney disease. From what I’ve read, the main ingredient, chitosan, is the phosphate binder but is also a mild prebiotic (shown to work better than FOS but I haven’t seen studies as compared to acacia fiber).

I have some concerns about epikitin – it has hydrolyzed soy protein – soy does not have a high bioavailability. Additionally, soy is high in glutamic acid and when freed by hydrolyzing, and used chronically, it can become an excitotoxin/neurotoxin in susceptible people/pets. There may not however be enough freed glutamic acid (and aspartic acids) in the product, at the recommended dose, to be problematic but it is still a concern for me. In my opinion, the hydrolyzed soy is added as a flavor enhancer and flavor enhancers, like MSG, have been scientifically shown to cause various disease states in those susceptible.

I’m not sure if phosphorus builds up in acute kd so by feeding a diet already lower in phosphorus AND using a binder you may not supply enough for the body and create symptoms of low phosphorus. If you’ve had a CBC done and it shows high phosphorus than epikitin may be beneficial.

Epikitin is often recommended with Azodyl (which is a probiotic formulated specifically for kd). I chose to use Primal Defense over Azodyl because PD has a wider variety of beneficial bacteria not just the ones for uremia. On the lower protein diet with the inclusion of Primal Defense I don’t know that Azodyl would benefit Faith but it could be something to look in to? I personally wouldn’t replace PD with it but use it in conjunction with.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Shawna.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Shawna.

[Shawna]

Yeah, I think there definitely could be a connection between the yawning and anemia. There are different supplements that can be used depending on what the cause of the anemia is.

The cause is likely due to her kidneys BUT the antacid could be exacerbating it by impeding intrinsic factors action on B12. Standard Process has a human B12 supplement (that is suitable for dogs) that has porcine intrinsic factor right in the product. I would personally start my own on this if experiencing the same things. I would give it away from meals and the antacid being used. There is another form of B12 that I have had excellent results with but it is given intranasally and likely won’t be well tolerated. I’d try the Standard Process or a similar product.

Inappropriate bacteria in the gut can utilize iron being consumed so if that was a potential factor, being on the probiotics will address that with continued use.

Chlorophyll is considered a “blood builder”. It is chemically just like blood except magnesium replaces iron. Many holistic practitioners use it in cases of “blood loss”. Audrey became anemic and HIGH doses of Standard Process Chlorophyll Complex Perles given over a weeks period did the trick for her. The maintenance dose for humans is two perles per day. From memory I was giving Audrey six to eight per day. The first few times I gave it I had to coax her to take it but after that she was almost frantic to get them when I even grabbed the bottle. After she was back on track I started her on a maintenance dose (for financial reasons) of a high quality Chlorella supplement. I tried three different brands before I found one that really worked well for her.

I found this, in my opinion, really cool article on supplements for renal disease that may be helpful. I haven’t had a chance to read the whole thing but here’s the section on “Kidney-associated anemia”.
“Renal Disease in Small Animals: A Review of Conditions and Potential Nutrient and Botanical Interventions
Susan Marie Pollen, DVM, CVA

Kidney-associated anemia is characteristically normocytic, normochromic, and nonregenerative.18 Anemia may cause tachycardia, lassitude, and cold and exercise intolerance.17 Erythropoietin must be given. In addition, nutrients that benefit RBC production, including water-soluble vitamins B12 and folic acid, are especially important when vitamins are lost in isosthenuric urine. Also useful are eggs, raw beef liver, liquid chlorophyll, kelp,63 and supplements containing vitamin C for optimal iron absorption, vitamin E for antioxidant protection of RBCs, vitamin A, and iron and copper for hemoglobin synthesis. Supplementing branched-chain amino acids (valine, leucine, and isoleucine) and glutamine is also useful if nephrogenic anemia is accompanied by amino acid deficiency. 61” http://www.anaturalhealingcenter.com/documents/Thorne/articles/RenalDiseaseSmallAnimal.pdf

Standard Process Chlorophyll Complex is fat soluble but worked like a charm. Not sure why the recommendation for “water soluble” but most chlorella supplements contain water soluble chlorophyll.

Obviously the addition of animal proteins (eggs and liver) would need to be evaluated for the amount of protein and phosphorus they add. The Standard Process Renal Support supplement has many of these suggested nutrients without adding a significant amount of phosphorus.

I truly hope all of your hard work and dedication shows wonderful results with the next lab work!!!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Shawna.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Shawna.

[Suzanne W]

Aimee, anonymously, pitlove, eldoctor, Anna c, and forum readers, thank you so much for all the advise and thoughtfulness! I really feel that you care about my Maltese, Sophie. She has been fine except for being a little more tired the past couple days, then vomited a small amount this morning, but is eating, drinking, and urinating fine. She has had no other symptoms and I truly believe that with great food and good care, she will make her new red blood cells and be perfectly fine. I have read veterinary journals i.e. Experiments which are horrible to the lab dogs, but I digress. I learned that day five is frequently when problems are SEEN, though if the dog ate a bunch it may have vomiting and diarrhea very soon. The blood work is abnormal the very next day, but they may appear fine till day five which in one study was sorta level then started slowly dropping on day seven. They replace approximately one percent of their red blood cells daily, so it takes awhile. Red blood cells have a life of 120 days. Vomiting should be induced immediately and then take to emergency vet because they might give activated charcoal or other care which may keep your dog from any serious problems. If you didn’t induce vomiting in the first two hours, then just take your dog in anyway. If your dog develops signs and symptoms of panting, fast heart rate, fast breathing, restlessness, lethargy, portwine coloured urine, pale gums, not eating or drinking, weakness, dark colored skin, bruising, finally collapse, obviously you needed to get dog in at beginning of all this. There isn’t a cure, but the treatment is supportive i.e. I’ve fluids, possible corticosteroids, antibiotics though I didn’t get why, and possibly a blood transfusion with oxygen as the red blood cells are how the oxygen travels through system. If you take pet in, then they have an excellent prognosis, but if you try to deal with this at home, your pet may die or suffer organ failure, heart problems, and may even need surgery. Now it’s time for a healthy diet to hel make red blood cells. An iron rich(think liver). Diet will help. They recommend meat, eggs, fish, folic acid(found in enriched cereals and fortified products) and vitamin c. That’s all I can remember off hand. Sorry so long, but i want to help anyone who goes through the same thing. Btw the studies were on onions and garlic, allium family. Thanks again to all of your support it meant so much to me, you have no idea. I’ll update after this is completed! And to Pitlove, that pit charged but only wanted to sniff. My precious Ida freaked out and that’s what started the problem. Neither dog was at all viscous. God bless!!!

[Marilyn G]

I have read Steve Brown’s Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet and See Spot Live Longer. I would like to begin with the ABC plan once a week. I have an 11 pound Silky Terrier and I feed him Acana Wild Prairie dry food. On the bag is says Crude Protein (min.) 31% and Crude Fat (min.) 17%. So, I’m assuming that I would feed him the ABC2 plan. Would that be correct? Also, in the table there is no column for a 10 pound dog, so I’m wondering if it is safe to assume that I would feed him 4 oz. of heart, 3/4 can of sardines, 1 egg white, 1/4 egg yolk, 2 oz. vegetables and fruit. Would that be correct? Also, is the weight of the heart before cooked or after? I want to be sure that I have the amounts correct because I don’t want to cause him any health issues and possibly shorter life. I want to do what’s best for him. Any comments would be appreciated. Thank you.

[Pitlove]

Hi Sheryl-

I firmly believe there are two kinds of researching that can be done- researching and “researching”. One is reading peer review research articles published by professionals in the field of canine disease and nutrition and the other being reading consumer reports and opinions of pet parents who may or may not have accurate information. The ladder will cause your head to spin as the opinions change depending on which website you go to, who you talk to, etc.

There very well could be a better option out there for your dog than Iams, but I think that is a decision that should be made by you and your vet or a veterinary nutritionist who is familiar with liver disease and what role diet plays in managing it. You can do over the phone or email consulations with various nutritionists who can help you make an informed decision on what diet would be best.

I know this was probably not the answer you were looking for, but I felt saying this was more helpful than making a guess at a food recommendation.

[Sheryl G]

We have been feeding our Tibetan Terriers(both 36-38 lbs) what we thought was a quality dog food but have recently begun reading about dog food and am totally lost. Protein, no protein.Our 90 year old has liver disease. Not the terrible one but one that is pretty under control with 4 meds a day and periodic blood work. I had decided one one then read about not having a high protein food with liver or kidney disease. My vet isn’t concerned because he is doing pretty well. Do you think we should just stay with the Iams ProActive Mature adult kibbles or change? I am thinking now that about 24% protein would be good. I heard about NOW by Pet Curran would be good with 24%. I cannot find it reviewed here anywhere. Does anyone know about it? Made in Canada. Thanks for any help you may have. P.S. I have another dog but will make that a separate topic. Thanks again. Cherri

[Suzanne W]

ANONYMOUSLY, you are right. A call to the poison or emergency center is exactly what I should have done. I wasn’t thinking clearly, obviously. I still must watch Sophie carefully for any adverse reactions for a couple weeks. Regarding that pbs special frontline you recommended, Lord help us all! I had heard things in the past, but had no idea it was so prevalent! I have assumed( yes, I know what they say about ass-u-me-ing, and this time it fits me for sure) that if it was manufactured here in the good ole USA, then it would be safe. Not so! That freaked me out. Who knows what the heck we are taking, cuz we certainly can’t trust our supplements anymore. I will finish watching it and make educated decisions regarding supplements in the future. Only 21percent of the supplements at Walmart, Walgreens, gnc and target I think if I remember are the real uncontaminated stuff? What in the world have we been putting in our bodies? And my precious soph…hmmmmm, that’s ridiculous. The government jumps in so many things, this is something the Foa should be regulating. THANKYOU for opening my eyes and ears! Keep spreading the word, cuz you may just save lives… God bless you!

[Suzanne W]

I took my German shepherd Ida, outside, was gone about five minutes. I was shocked to find my Maltese, Sophie, on the couch with my vitamin supplements and prescription pills! How in the world did she get them off the coffee table and then take them to the couch. She “moved “definitely five and possibly six pills. Ok, there are definitely two possibly three missing. I believe she ate two garlic gelcaps(2000mg garlic bulb), and possibly a caprylic acid gel cap. I was in shock… And anger! It took me about twenty to twenty five minutes to finally give her hydrogen peroxide. I don’t know if it went down so I tried again. After about a total of half hour maximum forty five minutes, she vomited twice, liquid(she had not eaten yesterday before this) bile colored without any gel substance so I saw nothing. I put a garlc gel cap in my mouth and moved it around n my mouth and it was competent dissolved in less than four minutes and did not taste bad. I decided that she may or may not have vomited it up as the substance is clear, odorless to humans that is, and almost tasteless. Hemolytic anemia is a horrible thing and I will watch soph for the next week or two. I was unable to obtain activated charcoal in time and then we couldn’t get it down her. I am disabled, and my husband has been out of work for six months, but found at least part time work the day before so wasn’t home. Before you judge us for not taking her in, we spent three grand in the summer on the dogs vet bills and we’ve spent hundreds more a couple months ago on skin problems with Ida. I’ve read what to watch for, but does anybody know anything I can do to support her or minimize reprecussions of this? I thought more protein, folic acid and supplements, so I gave her a half sardine this am. She’s already on blue buffalo grain free dog food, homemade topper made with different good quality meat and vegetables and fruits appropriate for dogs, and dermis supplement in her food. She gets tiny amounts of homemade treats we make with peanut butter, oatmeal, banana, flourless cookies we and the dogs like! Any advise? Ok I believe treat the patient not the diagnosis. She is acting fine thus far as it has only been 16 hours. Thanks for any help!

[wendeyzee]

To Dogfoodie and Pitlove,

I am sure your you mean well but are either of you a Veterinarian? You both came on here to make it seem like I don”t know what the heck I’m talking about, thank you!! Both of you have stated “caused by excess nutrition well what do you think to high protein is? As for calcium i stated in my post I was really careful about that which i do not remember it having any correlation to Pano as in direct correlation to CHD. Now I will address excess nutrition, i have been reading these boards now at least since I got my pup maybe longer and i have researched many things said here as well as the Pano issue until my head will explode and my eyes bleed! I am here to be a good fur mom, I feed my pup the best i can afford short of making his food, he has never been OVER FED! My Vet whom I trust told me German Shepherds are prone to get Pano, the studies have stated that as well, and to change to a lower protein food which I did and it resolved!
I came in here to ask Miss Jenn what foods she likes as she also has GSDs, I did not ask for your advise about Pano, I went to the vet for that! Now I have said my piece and i will not further participate in this discussion.

[InkedMarie]

Ed,
No one claimed to be an expert. Most of us are just pet owners doing the best for our dogs. I can say the bulk of us don’t feed any of the foods you mentioned. I can say, for me, they are not good enough for my dogs. I know what ingredients/nutritional analysis/companies make a good food. You’re free to disagree.
Regarding breeders, handlers, trainers….one of my dogs breeders fed Eukanuba when he was a puppy, 10yrs ago. I have no idea what she feeds now, she isn’t a breeder. Another breeder of my dogs sent me home with either Canidae or California Natural. Been five years so I am not positive. We just got a puppy in November. Between my breeder & her partner, there are alot of dogs in the home. They feed 4Health grainfree.
I don’t know any “professional anything” who feeds the foods you mentioned, except for some vets. The vets I’ve had in the last 10yrs feed Science Diet, Purina & RC. I disagree with what Anony,ously said aout a food the vet approves of. I personally don’t care what my vet thinks about what I feed which is raw only to two & my brittany eats a mix of raw and kibble (currently going from Annamaet Aqualuk to Open Farm turkey; Dr Tim’s RPM is next).
If you don’t agree with what is posted her or on the review side, feel free to find another place to read & post. If you choose to stay here, be aware that you won’t be changing the minds of us “experts”.

[Susan]

Hi Bobby D, Yes a dog can take up to 6 weeks to show any signs of a food sensitivity…. My Patch was doing really well on the Wellness Whitefish & Sweet Potato (Read ingredients hardly any sweet potato full of barley) after 5 weeks he started scratching, hive like lumps under skin & sloppy yellow smelly poo’s, so I emailed Wellness Well Pet & the lady said yes it can take any where from 1 day to 6 weeks to show any signs of a food intolerance…

A few people have been complaining about Taste Of the Wild their dogs have dry skin & are real itchy, if you look at the Omega 3, it is lower in some flavours & higher in other flavours…..
Change brand of kibble with higher omega 3….. start adding a couple of small sardines in spring water (69c at Aldi) to 1 meal a day or give as a treat…..I have found just feeding a Fish & Rice kibble with no other ingredients my boy does the best on…I also feed a cook meal for dinner so only 1 meal is kibble… if you can feed freeze dried or raw is the best if your dog can handle a raw diet…

[aimee]

Hi Bobby D.

I’ve read that if sensitized, the response following reexposure is within hours but up to 14 days. “Symptoms can appear within an hour of eating the offending allergen, but may be delayed with a peak in clinical signs noted to be up to 14 days in one study.”

www dot lsu dot edu/vetmed/veterinary_hospital/services/dermatology/ce_lectures/food_allergy.php

When doing an elimination diet home cooking with one protein source and one carb source that your dog hadn’t previously been exposed to is the “Gold Standard. If pursing that do not buy ground meats as the grinders are often not well cleaned and there could be cross contamination. You need to buy large cuts and grind yourself.

If using commercial foods, use food from the vet office that have been made specifically for this purpose. They are costly as you are paying for extensive quality controls ( ingredient “fingerprinting” PCR analysis, complete breakdown and cleaning of all equipment and closing the plant to any ingredients except those in the diet being made) to ensure no cross contamination. Limited ingredient diets from retail sources are often cross contaminated with other proteins which will interfere with your results.

IMO a skin reaction 6 weeks out is less likely to be a hypersensitivity unless a newly developed one and if related to the diet may have to do more with the full nutrient profile not supporting skin health.

I know when I’ve trialed other foods it is usually 6-8 weeks before I note problems with Brooke’s skin and coat( dry flakes, dullness, and increased shedding)

Pitlove: Glad to here your dog is doing well. Is the plan to introduce each ingredient separately before changing the diet completely? For example add potato for several weeks and if all well then test the variety of fish in the food you are considering.

[El]

Hi Bobby D, welcome to the DFA forums 😉

“Is it possible for a dog to be allergic to a certain food and have them be symptom free for over a month”
Yes
“or should an allergy show up much sooner than that?”
Maybe

The first thing I would do is take him to a regular vet if you haven’t done so already. I would definitely take advantage of my vet’s expertise and experience before I do anything else. Once you have a better idea of what is actually going on with his skin then you could always find out what worked for other dogs with the same diagnosis. Your vet could take one look and know what it is (hopefully). Or your vet could immediately narrow it down to environmental, or food, or fleas, or yeast, or ???

If it’s food related I would do an elimination diet before I would ever put him on a veterinary prescription food like “Royal Canin Hydrolyzed Protein”. Here are the ingredients;

Royal Canin Hydrolyzed Protein
“Brewers rice, hydrolyzed soy protein, chicken fat, dried plain beet pulp, natural flavors, monocalcium phosphate…”

It’s just rice sweepings, hydrolyzed soy and vitamins and minerals to balance it, and it costs about $100 for a 25lb bag!!!

With a TRUE elimination diet you would pick 1 protein and 1 carbohydrate that he has never eaten before and feed ONLY those 2 things for at least 12 weeks.

Once you see a vet, please come back and let us know what’s going on!
Best of luck to you and your furry one 😉

[Rachel S]

Hello all! This is going to be long, but thank you in advance if you get through this and for all your kind help!

My 10 month old 75 lb lab/bloodhound mix has a sensitive stomach and has since I got him at 8 weeks old. He poops a 2-3 times/walk, in the morning and around 5 each day (he eats directly follow those walks – 7:30 am and 6:30 pm). Not only does the frequency of his bowel movements alarm me but they’re HUGE poops! In the mornings, they start out formed but still soft and progressively get worse as the day goes on. His last poop of the day is always very runny. He doesn’t strain to go, doesn’t seem to be in any discomfort, and doesn’t vomit. He is still full of energy and always happy. He has continued to grow and is a good weight for his size.

When I got him, the foster was feeding him Purina Pro Plan Puppy, so I continued on with that for quite a few months. Then, when he got a bout of diarrhea and knowing his history, the vet switched him over to prescription Purina EN. That got him back to his status quo, but I wanted to find something that could really firm him up. I started feeding him a limited ingredient diet – Zignature, and that brings us to present day. He definitely does the best on the Zignature, but I feel like there is still vast room for improvement.

I have tried pumpkin, goats milk yogurt, probiotics, prebiotics, and Perfect Form (that helped a little but he decided he didn’t like it anymore). He has been on metronidazole before but that made him constipated and when he would finally go to the bathroom, it was still very runny. He has also had multiple fecal tests, so no worms.

I plan to discuss all of this with my vet at his neuter next week, but I want to go in well informed (i.e. low/high fiber, low/high fat, etc.). She also gave me an estimate for some tests – maldigestion profile, fecal O&P plus giardia antigen-antech, canine GI profile – but it comes out to be ~$550 on top of his $450 neuter and it’s just too much for me to spend all at once. Could you kind folks suggest a way for me to prioritize different foods/supplements/tests?

Thank you again for reading through all of this. I love my boy very much, and I want to make sure he is healthy and happy.

[Shawna]

Hi Pittiemama,

So sorry for the delayed response… Although you can certainly buy Standard Process products on Amazon and other various websites, the company does not condone the selling of their product from those sites. SP is only legally sold through health care professionals. Anything you buy online could be close, or past, it’s expiration date, tampered with etc. Standard Process has a find a practitioner near you link on their website however if there truly is no place to purchase from locally (I would check with chiropractors and holistic vets), it can be recommended by professionals via phone consults. Once you have a recommendation you can then buy/ship direct from SP.

For nitrogen trapping purposes the prebiotics MUST be utilized along with the probiotics. You may have got this but mentioned only probiotics so thought I’d emphasize just in case. The Merck Vet Manual has info on prebiotics (fermentable fiber). It reads “In addition, feeding moderately fermentable fiber can facilitate enteric dialysis and provide a nonrenal route of urea excretion.” http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/management_and_nutrition/nutrition_small_animals/nutrition_in_disease_management_in_small_animals.html There’s other sources too, but for a vet tech (very cool by the way) I imagine this would be a good source, at least to start. 🙂

I did as much as I could to help prevent inflammation and damage to her kidneys. She had both of them and they looked good but were small in size. I wasn’t thinking straight on diagnosis and allowed her to be spayed the same day as diagnosis. I was later told by a vet here on DFA that I was lying about her because no vet would do an elective surgery on a dog with kidney disease. I asked him if he thought I should sue them or contact someone about it but he never replied. 🙂 Anyway, the vet who did the spay “opened her up a little more than necessary for the spay” as to get a look at the kidneys. Both there, a healthy color but smaller than should be.

Like you, I research everything – even material presented by those I trust. I like knowing the information but by researching I can often learn the whys and hows. I was at a Standard Process seminar back in 2009 and learned the words and brief understanding of apoptosis and phagocytosis. As soon as I got home I started looking at research. 🙂

I hope you quickly and easily find the best path for you and your little man!!!

[Lyndzy L]

Carol,
Thank you SO much for all this information I cannot tell you how helpful this is. You’ve been able to tell me more than any vet so far has. I’m going to try to find a local vet that is familiar with the port and go from there. Hearing that your dog is doing well over 3 years does give me hope.

When I read that your pup also had a lung lobe torsion my jaw dropped. I am 100% certain these two are related.

Thank you very much for your help.

[Lyndzy L]

Carol, thank you SO much posting this information it has been really helpful to me. My Great Pyrenees Mix dog ( barely 3 years old ) is battling with Chylothorax.

6 months ago he had surgery for a lung lobe torsion, they have no idea why it happened and it’s uncommon just like Chylo, but the prognosis was great so we went ahead and did it spending almost 10K after everything. I had two vets suggest we put him down before we were even able to determine that it was a lung lobe torsion and not only that, they had to open him up again when he got his chest tube stuck on their kennel ( a day after his first surgery ) and ripped it out and more air got into his chest…. it was a total disaster with one set back after another but he made it through it and we were so happy and relieved and he was acting great, my miracle dog I thought…. and now here we are 6 months later with him out of breath at the vet.

I just knew in my heart it was related to his lung lobe problem but they told me that chylo is unrelated, it’s a different kind of fluid. They tapped his chest… 2 liters I think? and told us about the surgery which I do not want to put him through. They had difficulty tapping his chest due to scar tissue from the past surgery and not only that just being at the vet stressed him SO much he went potty on himself and began panting and breathing hard way worse than before I brought him there…. this is the most laid-back, let you do anything to him dog I’ve ever met ( not to mention he is a therapy dog ) so to see him react like that broke my heart and I never want to take him into another vet’s office again.

After doing some research I found that the lung lobe torsion IS indeed related to Chylo but doctors are unable to tell what causes which but I do believe it was his torsion that created the Chylo. The vet that told me it was unrelated is a “specialist” but they don’t know jack about it, leaving me very disappointed and upset. I will NOT be taking him back to them.

I’ve been searching desperately for a vet that knows anything about this condition and the treatments but so far have had no luck ( I’m in Memphis, TN ). After seeing your post about the pleural port, which no dr. yet has mentioned to me, I believe that is the route we want to go… if we can find someone who can do it without complications and if so I’m praying that we can somehow afford it. We are already in so much debt from his torsion surgery I’m not sure what we are going to do. Right now he is acting OK with an occasional deep breath or two, it’s been a week and half since he was tapped. I have started him on Rutin.

I am concerned about how this works long term and how expensive it is to upkeep… how is your dog doing?? Are you still draining fluid twice a week? If you wouldn’t mind filling me in on how she’s doing I would greatly appreciate it.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 2 months ago by Lyndzy L.

[Pittiemama]

Thanks for your input el doctor! Luckily I’m not easily influenced. I’m thankful to those who give advice while at the same time I do my own due diligence. I do, however, appreciate hearing other people’s experiences and how they got to where they are. Anecdotal evidence isn’t hard data numbers but it still carries weight and matters.

I’m already planning on seeing a holistic vet in my area who I know personally through the vet field.

I’m familiar with peer reviewed journals and have used them through my own college career.

Though I’m still learning, I’ve dabbled in Naturopatic medicine with one of my dogs with cancer many years ago and was fortunate enough to have a very amazing Naturopathic Veterinarian who helped him.

Again, thanks for your words! Best to you as well.

[aimee]

Hi Kelly,

You can find veterinary nutritionists through their website acvn dot org. But most won’t do raw diets and even fewer a raw diet for a puppy. If you want to go that route I’d suggest trying Dr Bartges

The reason most won’t, I think, is two fold.. one the pathogen exposure and two the availability of nutrients contained in raw meaty bones isn’t quantified. Providing calcium at just the right range for a large breed pup becomes an unknown if calcium absorption from these sources isn’t known.

Some time ago I read an article on a pup that had severe calcium depletion on a home made raw diet yet there was plenty of bone in the gut.. In other words the calcium from the bone that was being fed wasn’t being absorbed.

So I wonder if a vet nutritionist who would formulate for a pup would skip the bone and use a Ca source whose availability is known.

The commercial raw foods you mention may be all life stage formula’s meaning they meet the criteria for puppies and then by default for adults.

The only company I know of that made a raw that went through feeding trials and is HPP and consults with a vet nutritionist is Natures Variety. The current formula haven’t been through feeding trials but carry a feeding trial statement by way of AAFCO’s family rule.

Like pitlove, I too have seen horrible results from a raw food diet on the growth of a puppy. The owner was an experienced raw food feeder for her past adult dogs and this was the first pup she raised on raw. The dog was anemic, small for its breed and had to have orthopedic surgery at a young age. So sad….After having seen this first hand it is why I’m uneasy with your plan.

[Kathleen C]

Well great, Weruva is on the list and I’ve just ordered a bag of the kibble, as I wrote in the Merrick forum. This is very encouraging since I’ve been looking for a good low cal food for my Boston Terrier for quite some time and Weruva is also low cal. It comes in several types and I’m getting the Venison & Salmon with Pumpkin. Also comes in Chicken and Turkey flavors so it will be easy to rotate without leaving the brand. As for Wellness, I read somewhere online, can’t remember when or where, that Wellness got mixed up with Diamond some how and one recall list has them on their “brands to watch list”. I also fed Wellness for a long time with no problem.

[Shawna]

Hi Pittiemama,

Hopefully I can help you here. My puppy had kidney disease right from birth. It is believed her kidneys just weren’t able to develop (she was the sixth puppy, the runt, for a 12 pound Chihuahua / Boston Terrier mix). The breeder had to had feed her, due to a collapsing trachea, raw goats milk and egg whites to keep her alive. She had symptoms (excessive drinking and urine) at just six weeks of age. She was officially diagnosed at one year and given a year to live. She lived to eight years and seven months old and then passed for reasons not directly related to kd.

A little background on me, my father is a naturopath. I did consult with him when I got Audrey’s diagnosis but being raised by him, I was able to mostly formulate the plan of attack myself.

Audrey’s numbers, when she was diagnosed, were right around the same as your babies — and she lived almost seven more very very healthy and happy years. It could happen for your baby too.

The first thing I would suggest is to keep up on his dental health. You won’t want to use anesthesia for dental cleanings so RIGHT now start doing anything and everything you need to keep his teeth clean. It was actually bacteria likely from a dental infection that got into Audrey’s kidneys and ultimately took her life. Use fresh garlic in his meals. Use an enzyme supplement in his water, Dr. Melissa Shelton’s essential oil called Dog Breath is very effective and a drop can be added to his water dish or you can mix with water in a spray bottle and spray right on teeth. http://www.animaleo.info/dog-breath.html I would also recommend a product made by Green Pasture’s called Infused Coconut Oil. It’s high in vitamin K2 (which has been shown to have great benefit for teeth) and has other wonderful nutrients. All of my dogs get it but I found it when Audrey’s teeth were already needing some extra support. 🙁 http://www.greenpasture.org/public/Products/InfusedCoconutOil/index.cfm

I HIGHLY recommend Standard Process Canine Renal Support. It is a food based supplement that “feeds” the kidneys but also has a product called a protomorphogen (which is the RNA/DNA of the kidney cell) that helps prevent inflammation to the kidneys. It is the one supplement she never went without. I also used their SP Canine Hepatic Support when I thought she needed a little liver support — helps with allergies too. I also used their Cataplex B and C as water soluble vitamins may need to be added due to the large amounts being urinated out.

ONLY give filtered or other forms of “clean” water. I would avoid tap water at all cost. Lower sodium mineral waters with good amounts of calcium and magnesium have been shown to be beneficial for dogs with kd. I like Evian water because it is high in calcium bicarbonate. I didn’t give it all the time but made sure (at least in the beginning) to give it regularly — I got lax in the later years and I truly believe Audrey would still be with me if I had not. She was doing so well though and my life got busier..

I HIGHLY recommend getting some Garden of Life Primal Defense probiotic and Garden of Life Acacia Fiber supplements as well. These are used as “nitrogen traps” and as BUN begins to build up the bacteria consuming the fiber will cause some of the nitrogen to be routed through the bowels freeing up the kidneys from having to deal with them. I gave probiotic foods (like green tripe, fermented veggies etc) frequently but when I noticed she was feeling a little lethargic, depressed, not feeling well etc I assumed nitrogen was building up and I’d give her the probiotics and prebiotic for several days. Always worked like a charm. Will be quite important as the disease progresses and he starts getting symptoms. This also allows for a higher protein diet. The protein doesn’t damage the kidneys but it does, due to BUN, add to symptoms. Oh, I forgot to mention. Audrey ate a HIGH protein raw diet up until the last six to eight weeks of her life. Audrey never had a problem with phosphorus but as your puppies disease progresses you may have to watch the amount of phosphorus in the foods you are feeding. The golden rule is to limit phosphorus but it’s obviously not always necessary. That said, phosphorus can damage the kidneys if it gets too high in the blood so either monitor it or feed the right amounts of phos for the stage your pup is at. Right now while phosphorus isn’t as big an issue, I like the Honest Kitchen Brave. To that I would add a raw egg a few times per week and give Answer’s raw goat milk regularly as well. Both raw eggs (if not whipped etc) and raw milk can easily increase the “master antioxidant” in the body called glutathione. This will obviously help out everything. Later, when phos needs to be more restricted, you may not be able to give the whole egg (as the yolk is higher in phos).

Supplements —
1. Organic Turmeric is good as it is anti-inflammatory but it also is anti-fibrotic (prevents scar tissue). Audrey didn’t tolerate turmeric well so she didn’t get it but in general it would be quite helpful for a dog with KD.
2. Spirulina, chlorella and pumpkin seed oil are all high in chlorophyll and supplies lots of other nutrients. Dogs with KD can be at risk for anemia and chlorophyll is awesome for anemia.
3. Burdock root is a prebiotic and of the herb world is considered to be the “blood cleaner”.
4. Milk thistle helps spare glutathione and is a good detoxer.
5. Distilled water (given once in a while) and food grade activated charcoal are good detoxers too.
6. Copaiba essential oil is great for pains and inflammation plus more. A therapeutic grade, like Dr. Sheltons, is the only kind to use on pets. Can be given in food or rubbed into the skin over the kidneys as an example.
7. Braggs brand apple cider vinegar can help with indigestion or tummy issues. Audrey didn’t need it often but when she did I would mix it 50/50 with water and syringe feed it. She hated it but within seconds would burp and feel better.
8. Therapeutic grade peppermint oil, ginger extract or Dr. Shelton’s GI Joe essential oil work great for tummy issues as well. I got sick to my tummy and used the GI Joe to help. Kept me from vomiting and soothed my tummy.
9. Learn about essential oils if you don’t already know. If you have a Facebook account, join AnimalEO’s page and sign up for Dr. Shelton’s Friday Fun Facts. I didn’t know about them early enough to be much use with Audrey (specifically Dr. Shelton’s oils) but I sure wish I had.

DON’T do ANY more vaccinations – not even rabies if you can at all avoid. Audrey was legally exempted from having to get the rabies vaccine for life. She wasn’t protected either as she only got her first shot (at six months) before diagnosis was made. No heartworm, flea/tick or anything like that either.

I know there’s things I’m forgetting but hopefully this is enough to give you a good jumping off point.. 🙂 Hugs to you and your baby boy!!!!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 2 months ago by Shawna.

[Pittiemama]

So I’ve never posted here before but have read and looked around a lot. I have a fair amount of knowledge regarding canine health and have had dogs for 25 years. Right now I’m facing a sad situation. My 5 year old rescue American Staffordshire Terrier has kidney failure. I adopted him nearly 2 years ago from our local shelter without knowing he had health issues but honestly I would’ve taken him no matter what, you know how that it is. I fell in love on sight! Anyway, he’s always had a questionable USG and it was at 1.019 when I adopted him as I had baseline blood work and urine done right after getting him. It fluctuates between 1.014-1.019. Since it wasn’t super low all the time and his other blood work looked normal no one really knew but had suspicions, as he was a big water drinker, much more so than my previous dogs. Now I’ve had him almost two years and his creatinine is creeping up. His BUN is 23 and creatinine is 2.2, it was 1.7 a month ago and 1.4 when I got him so it was never really, really low as the high end of normal from our laboratory is 1.6. His BUN is fine so far, thankfully. He had an ultrasound for a UTI he had about 8 months or so ago. It showed a kidney that looked a little weird but nothing to write home about, needless to say he a urinalysis, culture and a couple of rounds of antibiotics to kick it and be sure that if it was a pylonephritis the antibiotics would kill all the little bacteria that may be hiding, this was a suspicion as his creatinine was creeping up. If you looked at him, you wouldn’t even know he had an issue. He’s beautiful with a gorgeous coat, good weight, eats like a champ, good energy for a big, lazy pittie 🙂

Anyway, long story kind of short, here I sit broken hearted. He is a lovely animal with a ton of life ahead but I know how these things can go. He also has allergies so prescription diet isn’t the answer and you know it has some ingredients that I’m not thrilled about but the diets have their place and can be very important (this is solely my opinion that I don’t wish to debate at all nor pass judgement on anyone really as it’s not even an option.)

I’m very fortunate have an amazing team of veterinary professionals whom I know both professionally and personally who I love and deeply respect in my corner which is worth it’s weight in gold.

Here are my questions to you all, have any of you used supplements to support kidney function? He’s currently not taking any. Food? He eats dehydrated food, Brave by Honest Kitchen and really loves it. Have you worked with a Naturopath for kidney disease? I worked with a herbalist for one of my pitties many years ago who had mast cell cancer. Along with my vet, this may helped by dog live for 21 months instead of the 3 months we were given with him so I’ve seen how it can really help prolong a healthy, happy life. I have also worked with an acupuncturist for skeletal pain in a couple of my dogs. I’ve, happily, not had the experience working with a Naturopath for kidney disease until possibly now so frankly my experience in that arena is limited to the more traditional western side.

It’s long but if you got to this point, thanks and I look forward to hearing about your experiences 🙂

[Mike Sagman]

Hi Loreta,

You said that “Royal Canin changed its primary ingredient from Chicken meal to Chicken by-product meal several years ago and yet the review still states Chicken meal.”

That is not true. Not one of our Royal Canin reviews is over 18 months old. In fact, many of them have been updated in the last few months. You can see the “Last Update” information at the end of every one of our reviews.

By the way, we currently maintain 9 reviews for Royal Canin products on our website. And none of them are Editor’s Choice products.

So, it would be better for you to post your non-Editor’s Choice question at the end of the specific review you’re asking about. That way, others may be able to share what they know, too.

Keep in mind that there are over 900 reviews representing more than 4,300 different recipes on our website. And more are being added all the time.

With limited resources and only 3 staff members, it’s impossible for us (or any other website, for that matter) to update every review on a continuous basis.

Our policy is to update each review on a rotating schedule about once every 18 months or so — unless we receive a tip from one of our readers that a specific recipe has changed. Editor’s Choice company reports and puppy foods are updated much more frequently.

Hope this helps.

[El]

Hi Kelly P

I would recommend these 2 books as part of your research into feeding a properly balanced raw diet to your pup.

“Ok I have not yet gotten my puppy I have about 4 weeks still. She will grow up to be around 100lbs, so I’ll probably feed her about 2lbs a day.”

Here are the feeding guidelines from Primal, I think they are pretty accurate. Puppies need more than 2% of their body weight daily.

Feeding Percentages
1.5% Weight Loss
2.0% Non-Active
2.5% Maintain Weight **
3.0% Slight Weight Gain
3.5% Significant Weight Gain
4.0% Kittens/Puppies (8 weeks-1 year)
4.5-8.0% Kittens/Puppies (4-8 weeks)
4.0-8.0% Pregnant/Lactating

“We will be training too with treats so I need to be sure they level each other out. I have done a lot of research as I’ve been preparing for the past 1-2 years. What I found so far is the following.
Feeding anti-oxidants or some sort of cooked veggies is a good idea.”

I would puree the veggies. Cauliflower, broccoli, spinach in moderation, green beans, peas in moderation…

“Feeding organic eggs, shell and all, is good at least once a week. Egg shells provide a lot of calcium.”

I would suggest free-range organic eggs. I know that people feed finely ground egg shells as a calcium source, but I don’t know about feeding whole egg shells. I would do a little more research specifically on the calcium requirements of large breed puppies if I were you. She will be getting calcium from bones, egg shells, spinach and ?

Feeding a whole fish once a week is good because of the oil it provides, be sure not to feed tuna because of the high mercury levels. Cooked Tripe is great and so is a some coconut oil. I figure I can saute the veggies in coconut oil.

In general, I would feed small fish, they usually have softer bones and less toxic buildup. I would not cook the tripe. One of the benefits of feeding “Raw Green Tripe” are the enzymes, and any processing or cooking will destroy those enzymes.

“As far as percentages I have read a few different things but my research has come up with the below.
Version 1
75% Muscle/skin (i.e chicken breast)
10% Edible Bone
5% Liver
5% Non liver organs
5% Anti-oxidants/Veggies
Version 2
50% Meaty Bones
35% Muscle/Skin (i.e chicken breast)
5% Liver
5% Non liver organs
5% Anti-oxidants/Veggies”

I feed my dogs a homemade lightly cooked diet. Version one looks pretty good. Since I lightly cook my guys food I would replace the 10% edible bone with 5% more pureed veggies and 5% supplements to balance out the diet.

“My main questions are about bones.”

This is good because I see bones as the riskiest part of your diet plan and I would carefully consider both sides of the argument so that you can make the most informed choice possible. Also, regarding Wolves and bones, research has shown that larger pieces of bones are excreted from wolves wrapped in the fur of the animal they ate, maybe as a way of protecting their insides from the bone fragments.

Good Luck with the new addition to your family 😉

[Kelly P]

@Anonymously – I do know bones can be risky, but you have to get calcium in the diet. Which is why actually most people grind the bones, meat, and other ingredients into mush. I would prefer that my puppy learn to chew.

Also I don’t really care for you bringing in articles in regards to dogs are not wolves. A dog is a carnivore not an omnivore. You can argue that the parasites living on the meat can threaten the animal’s life, but then you have the same issue with your raw Commercial food, unless they’re not telling the truth and it’s really cooked raw meat.

@Aimee – I understand your worry which is why I’ve spent time researching.
I have not talked to a Veterinary nutritionist because I don’t know of any. A Veterinary is not a nutritionist either so I can’t ask them. Here’s what I’ve learned though for puppy specific food. Puppies need more calcium than an adult dog. I’ve also read that it’s best to start raw feeding from an early age. Do you buy the same bag of food for an adult as for a puppy?

Wysong doesn’t seem to have a difference, I didn’t see any of the Dawrwin’s to have a choice between adult and puppy. Primal Raw Food doesn’t seem to have a difference either… Am I missing the Puppy formula? Nature’s Variety Raw doesn’t seem to have puppy specific formula. I know Blue Buffalo does but that’s merely grain free dog food. I’m not trying to be a jerk, but if the formula for the adult dog doesn’t change why is it an issue? I’ve also read that there’s a large margin of error when feeding raw, maybe like you suggested its only for adults because puppy nutrition is so important. Or maybe because no one expects to feed a puppy any raw food?

[Juanita B]

My American Pit Bull Terrier has allergies too.

I have head wonders on Zignature (go to chewy.com and read the reviews) but it has peas in it and my dog quit itching but there is a lot of alfala for my dog. He is 2 1/2 now and has allegories since he was a puppy so I know what you are going through. I was just advised by a nutritionist to try Origen Tundra and all food must have absolutely no chicken of any type and no eggs. She also mentioned Acana Lamb and Apple but that has canola oil in it and that is made from a toxic plant. http://breathing.com/articles/canola-oil.htm

Go to http://www.orijen.ca/products/dog-food/dry-dog-food/tundra/ Don’t just go by the ingredients below; look at everything such an amino acids and other ingredients. I do not see anything your dog is allegeric to except peas but that is not on the top five ingredients. My dog is very sensitive and picky and he loves this especially with the freeze dry crumbled on it. I also add Answer’s raw goat’s milk which is supposed to help allegories. I don’t know the results yet. It has only been one week. I have noticed that his stool is better.

INGREDIENTS
Goat*, venison*, mutton*, bison*, whole arctic char*, rabbit*, duck*, whole steelhead trout*, whole pilchard*, whole alaskan cod*, goat meal, venison meal, alaskan cod meal, mutton meal, blue whiting meal, red lentils, green peas, duck fat, herring meal, pollock meal, garbanzo beans, yellow peas, alfalfa, dried kelp, pumpkin*, squash*, cod liver*, goat tripe*, goat liver*, mutton liver*, mutton tripe*, venison liver*, venison tripe*, carrots*, spinach*, apples*, pears*, cranberries*, freeze-dried elk liver, freeze-dried venison liver, freeze-dried bison liver, freeze-dried goat liver, zinc proteinate, mixed tocopherols (preservative), juniper berries, rose fruit, dandelion root, elder flowers, marigold, dried chicory root, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product.

[LOREN L]

DRY DOG FOOD – ADD WATER
By Loren D. Lasher

For the past 5 years I have been adding water to my dog’s dry kibble. Letting it soak for 12-15 minutes before serving; I have found many benefits. For my older dog, who had been plagued with digestive problems, they have all been resolved. In my research, I have gotten some support and some conflicting ideas but I believe if you read on, you can make up your own mind. There are many, many benefits of soaking dry food. I share this information, not as an expert, but as a person with some experience wanting to add to your ‘perspective’ and the health of your dog and/or cat. Read this article, check with your Vet and make up your own mind.

First, dogs, cats and many animals were designed to eat foods which were 70%-90% moisture. Dry kibble is dehydrated to about 10% moisture. When a dog eats the dry food, the food is seeking moisture and robs the animal of important vital fluids and creates a situation of the dog being dehydrated and needing to rehydrate. With dry food both the stomach and intestines are upset. Important digestive fluids are taken up by the dry food in the stomach and in the intestines. Intestines are designed to get nutrition from moisture. Dry food prevents much absorption of nutriments in the intestine. When an animal eats the dry food and fills their stomach and afterward water is added, from drinking after eating, the stomach swells and may contribute to bloat. The dry food swells in size and robs the dog of important digestive fluids.

Do an experiment and decide for yourself. Take two cups and put about 1/3 cup of dry food in each cup. Keep one cup dry and to the other cup, add half of cup of warm water and let it set for 15 minutes. Compare and think about what is happening to your dog’s stomach.

There are many benefits to adding water and soaking. First, the dog becomes and stays hydrated. Second, it reduces bloating. Third, it is easier to chew and digest. Fourth, with a bit of ‘gravy’, it tastes better. Fifth, with warm water the ‘aroma’ is inviting. Dogs like good smells. Sixth, the dog will eat less food and be full. You can reduce the amount of dry food served. I feed my 90 pound lab 2 cups of kibble soaked; 1 cup morning and 1 cup night. Finally, with wet food, the dog will eat slower.

Some people might argue that eating dry food cleans the dog’s teeth. Not so! Most dogs do not chew enough with the dry food. If you want cleaner teeth, you have to clean their teeth. Some chew bones may help, but not kibble.

Bottom Line: Bringing dry food to higher moisture content will benefit the animal in many ways. They will be healthy and hydrated. Add equal or more water per kibble. One cup kibble, one and one half cup water (minimum), soak 12-15 minutes. For a little extra, you might add a bit of low salt broth.

[Susan]

My boy does really well on pork, it depends on the cut of pork some cuts have less fat then other cuts, also was there any fat on the pork?
I make pork rissoles baked in oven, when I made the turkey breast rissole Patch had diarrhea, I didn’t know if it was the turkey or the egg I added, so now I don’t add any egg when making the rissoles, I haven’t tried making the lean turkey breast mince rissoles again……

Have you thought about having the Jean Dodds NutriScan Salvia testing done…. read link then click on the blue NutriScan next to Hemopet up top & read about the rope salvia test & what foods it test for…

https://www.tumblr.com/drjeandoddspethealthresource/25934674990/dog-food-sensitivity-versus-dog-food-allergy

[Kitty W]

Wow, no pun intended, but that is a lot to digest! Thank you, Jeffrey. I went to the sites for some of the food you mentioned, keeping in mind that I will have a single puppy, and started visualizing my freezer and pantry filling up with pricey food. i had hoped it would be simpler. However, again, I want him to have the best start. I will start getting Karen’s newsletter, and also read about rotation. If I had to narrow it down to starting on just one or two foods, does anyone have any recommendations about that? Also, can someone direct me to where I can read about how long, etc., to transition him off the Pro Plan? Excellent idea about the enzymes, etc.