[DogFoodie]

Boy was I ticked when I got my Mercola Bladder Support this week. It has a manufacture date of February, 2013. There’s no expiration date on the package and I can’t find any information about it on their site. I originally figured the three containers would last me a year, but they’re already almost two years old now. Very annoyed…

[Dog_Obsessed]

There is a site called Leilah’s Laughs that has lots of good dog humor and poems, here are some of my favs:

Poem for new puppy owners:

Poem for New Puppy Owners

Posted on Acme Pet by Bravehart on October 10, 1998 at 11:25:22:

Don’t smell crotches, don’t eat plants,
Don’t steal food or underpants.
Don’t eat my socks; don’t grab my hair,,,
DON’T RIP THE STUFFING FROM THAT CHAIR!!

Don’t eat those peas, don’t touch that bush,
Don’t chew my shoes, what IS this mush!?!
Eat your cookies, drink your drink,
Outta the toilet! Outta the sink!

AWAY FROM THE LITER BOX, IT’S FOR THE CAT!
(and must you kiss me after that!?!)
Raising a puppy is not for the lazy,
Those rugrats are funny, but also quite crazy.

Don’t despair through the toil and the strife.
“Cause after three years you’ll get back your life!
So lets go for walkies, so you can do your “thing”
And maybe I’ll get back my diamond ring!

-Author unknown

The 12 days of christmas puppy style:

A Puppy’s 12 Days of Christmas

(Be sure to read down to Day 12)

On the first day of Christmas my puppy gave to me
The Santa topper from the Christmas tree.

On the second day of Christmas my puppy gave to me
Two leaking bubble lights
And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree.

On the third day of Christmas my puppy gave to me
Three punctured ornaments
Two leaking bubble lights
And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas my puppy gave to me
Four broken window candles
Three punctured ornaments
Two leaking bubble lights
And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree.

On the fifth day of Christmas my puppy gave to me
Five chewed-up stockings
Four broken window candles
Three punctured ornaments
Two leaking bubble lights
And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas my puppy gave to me
Six yards of soggy ribbon
Five chewed-up stockings
Four broken window candles
Three punctured ornaments
Two leaking bubble lights
And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree.

On the seventh day of Christmas my puppy gave to me
Seven scraps of wrapping paper
Six yards of soggy ribbon
Five chewed-up stockings
Four broken window candles
Three punctured ornaments
Two leaking bubble lights
And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas my puppy gave to me
Eight tiny reindeer fragments
Seven scraps of wrapping paper
Six yards of soggy ribbon
Five chewed-up stockings
Four broken window candles
Three punctured ornaments
Two leaking bubble lights
And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree.

On the ninth day of Christmas my puppy gave to me
My wreath in nine pieces
Eight tiny reindeer fragments
Seven scraps of wrapping paper
Six yards of soggy ribbon
Five chewed-up stockings
Four broken window candles
Three punctured ornaments
Two leaking bubble lights
And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree.

On the tenth day of Christmas my puppy gave to me
Ten Christmas cards I shoulda mailed
My wreath in nine pieces
Eight tiny reindeer fragments
Seven scraps of wrapping paper
Six yards of soggy ribbon
Five chewed-up stockings
Four broken window candles
Three punctured ornaments
Two leaking bubble lights
And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree.

On the eleventh day of Christmas my puppy gave to me
Eleven unwrapped presents
Ten Christmas cards I shoulda mailed
My wreath in nine pieces
Eight tiny reindeer fragments
Seven scraps of wrapping paper
Six yards of soggy ribbon
Five chewed-up stockings
Four broken window candles
Three punctured ornaments
Two leaking bubble lights
And the Santa topper from the Christmas tree.

On the twelfth day of Christmas my puppy gave to me

A dozen puppy kisses
And I forgot all about the other eleven days.

Here is the link to the site(warning: some of the jokes are not kid appropriate, so don’t show to kids without reading first): http://www.wonderpuppy.net/1lists.php

[Naturella]

@Akari_32, I think you’re right, I may have to tell them the problems of messing with my stuff and then cancelling my order and what not, just cause it did shock me to no end she’destroy coupons before anything was done. And claim I didn’t have what I said I did.

@InkedMarie, also just waking up so let me try to explain coherently, lol.
Here is what I was prepared to do:

I had 4 $5-off any bag of Specialty Brand (Castor&Pollux, Wellness , and Nulo included in the list) dry dog or cat food (that said “not valid with any other offer”), and 4 Wellness manufacturer $7-off any bag of dry dog or cat food (that said “one per customer”) stacked together. I had 3 C&P manufacturer coupons (that said “one per customer”) for $5-off any bag of Organix or Ultramix, each stacked with the $5-off Petsmart specialty brand coupon mentioned above. I also had a Nulo manufacturer coupon for $3-off any 4.5lb bag of food that said nothing that I can remember, stacked with the $5-off Petsmart coupon mentioned above. I also had a ton of the Wellness manufacturer coupons for $2-off any wet food, that said “one per customer”.

When I went to the register I figured I’d split my order and do all the Wellness stuff first as I also had a Petland $10-off $25+ purchase that I was going to ask if they’d match, as well as a Petsmart receipt coupon for $5-off ANY $5+ purchase I would ask them to use if they wouldn’t match the Petland coupon. I had 4 bags, 6 cans, and 6 Petite Entrees of Wellness altogether. So after she scanned them all, I gave her the 8 total dry food coupons and 12 coupons for the wet food. She started looking at them antsily, scanning here and there, putting papers everywhere, and ripping the Petsmart $5-off specialty brand coupons as she went! Close to the end of the transaction she decided she would only take six of the wet food coupons, not 12, and that she would claim I only gave her 2 Petsmart coupons, not 4. Luckily, I found an extra one in my bag and gave it to her and she decided she wouldn’t take it, and that she couldn’t do this, wasn’t comfortable, etc. I asked her if she preferred to do separate transactions for each bag. If you know me, you’d know I am a very accommodating person, so I would do whatever they felt was better for them. Well, because I was there the day before and did basically the same thing, she assumed maybe that I’m trying to use coupons to “rob” their store, lol, so she decided that, as a manager, she couldn’t handle my coupons and didn’t want this checkout on her record, so she asked an assistant to come check me out and cancelled my order, wrote on my extra $5-off Petsmart coupon that I had 2 more, and got another lady over.

The new lady was very polite, so she started reading through the coupons and decided that I can only use ONE of each of the Wellness dry and wet food period, as it said “one per customer” on them, and she did let me use the $5-off Petsmart coupon with them. So first actual transaction was one bag and one can of Wellness with the 2 Wellness and 1 Petsmart coupons. Then I wanted to do a C&P bag, with a C&P coupon and a Petsmart coupon, but then the lady decided my C&P coupon wasn’t authentic cause it was printed off a printer, and the coupon said “reproduction of coupon forbidden” (as did the Wellness). I explained that I got it online and she said I can’t trust online coupons. Um, the Wellness coupons came online too! Hello! Very few places send actual coupons in this day and age! Either way, she wouldn’t take it, so I proceeded with one bag of Nulo with a Nulo coupon and a Petsmart coupon just fine.

At the other store I tried to do basically the same and see what happens and the lady there let me use one $7-off Wellness coupon, one $2-off wet Wellness coupon, and one Petsmart coupon together for a bag and a can of Wellness. Then she saw the Petsmart coupon said “not valid with other offers” so she wouldn’t combine it with anything anymore and I should’ve stopped shopping, but I was getting confused so I ended up with 2 bags of C&P at only $5-off and 2 more cans of Wellness with each transaction of a C&P bag, with the Wellness coupons for wet food applied.

Hope this makes it more clear… If anything, I’m not contesting coupon policy, just the very first lady ripping my stuff and lying about how many Petsmart coupons I had.

• This reply was modified 11 years ago by Naturella.

[InkedMarie]

Naturella,
I’m still trying to wake up so maybe I’m not understanding what you were trying to do. Can you explain, one transaction at a time? Let me explain lol. IF you had say

Three $2.00 coupons off any bag of Wellness dry food, I do not think you can use more than one coupon per bag. Usually the bag says that.

IF you had a buy one bag get one free coupon, you *can* use a. $2.00 off of the one you buy but you cannot use a coupon off the free one. I’ve had these BOGO coupons and have argued with managers about using a coupon off of the one I’m paying for. I win. Always do lol.

This is non dog related but in the 80’s when my boys were small, Pizza Hut had a “get your pizza free if it’s not ready in 20 minutes” deal. We knew our local PH do we ordered a pizza with more toppings than we normally would have. Went to get it and our stopwTch was 20:36. The worker refused our free pizza, saying it was only 36 seconds over the 20. I ask where it said there was an X amount of a grace period. I ask for the manager. Maria comes out, says “hey Marie” lol. I explain, we get our pizza for free. Back then, Steve was sort of mortified that I challenged them. He’s grown since then!

[Akari_32]

The thing with coupons is that their terms and conditions refer to other like coupons (manufacturer vs manufacturer, for example– apples to apples!). Unless the coupon explicitly says “Not combinable with any other offer” it can be used with other coupons (like stacking a manufacturer coupon with a store coupon for the same item. At that point, its up the individual store if they’ll take a store coupon along with such a manufacturer coupon). Working for Publix, we get a lot of coupon training as cashiers.

I had one manager at PetSmart the other day tell me “You’re already getting $15 off, what’s the problem?” when I had handed the cashier $20 in coupons on a $20 order and she messed up in entering them, accidentally entering one to add $5 rather than take it off. I’ll tell you what the problem is, mister! Ima come over there and smack you in a minute! LOL That chick’s lucky she got you instead of me :p

[Naturella]

Finished my paper and took Bruno on a refreshing walk! Woohoo. Ok, back to DFA!

Bobby Dog, I can imagine that they at least get scolded for mistakes in taking coupons… But come on, some the original prices these foods have are just deadly! Some are well over $20 for a 4- or 5-lb bag…

Either way, Akari, I know everybody does it (coupon stacking), but it does say on the coupon not to, and I am sure that not everyone cares about that, but apparently people here do. As for the first manager lady who was checking me out, yeah, she just freaked out and refused to give me service basically and didn’t take the time to explain (like the other 2 ladies) that they won’t do what the coupon says not to do… So I could call and report her but I don’t remember her name. I may go back there for my Nulo cans just to get her name, lol. And the cans. Or just the cans. Whatever.

Either way, I know this is probably normal, to have bad coupon days, I know I have read about a few of yours with mean managers… And I will be so happy to have another dog, eventually, just want to be able to give him or her the proper resource availability should he or she, or Bruno ever get actually seriously sick. Food I will always find ways to provide them with. 🙂

[Naturella]

@Akari_32, thank you so much for the words of wisdom and encouragement!

Your words actually made me think, though… I wish I had animalS, but I only have AN animal. And a small one at that. I really don’t NEED to be stocking up like I am, when there are people with much more limited resources, with more animalS, who they also need to feed. I could say the same thing you did, that “I have animalS” to a rude associate or manager and they may never even know the truth, but then it would not be the truth… And I do try to donate some food and spread the savings by giving others coupons, so I do try to give back… I guess I just wanted to be sure Bruno has plenty of good food, variety, etc, and there is a note of just being excited to score a deal (apparently it could become addictive). But for me to not end up on Hoarders (cause I fail at couponing, lol, so no Extreme Couponing for me), I need to stop shopping (and dog food is really the only thing I stock up on). But dog food has expiration dates, and if I want my little guy to be healthy, he won’t possibly be going through food that fast. One day we will have another dog with Bruno, just not yet. And that’s okay. And Bruno will be fine with the food we have for a long time.

I am happy to learn how to do it and I keep trying to let others know, and have prepared stacks of coupons (same as I had and same as the ones I used for Snowy) for some friends with multiple pets, so I will give them those to try their luck at their local stores, and I hope they score like I did for Snowy. One of them has one large dog and 2 cats, and another – 5 dogs, so THEY do need the savings. I did too, but for now, I truly am good. 🙂 I will keep looking for deals for my friends AND Snowy though, so as long as I am NOT shopping for myself (Bruno), I will be fine. In a few months I can do another big trip for Snowy, so that’s something. 🙂

As for reporting the manager, meh… What can I say? “They were rude to me because I was trying to “cheat” the system and get away with a great deal”? Corporate would probably promote them! LoL. But like you said, karma will get them, and plus, I am sure they are just also looking out for themselves, wanting to do things right, and keep the job that allows them to feed their animals (possibly, if they have any). So yeah. No hard feelings… Well, maybe just a tiny bit, but it’s okay… 🙂

[Naturella]

Hey, all!

Popping in for just a quick update, because I have a paper to write and I am so disappointed in myself and today overall…

I went to the same store I did yesterday, loaded up 2 Original Wellness COREs, 1 Ocean, and 1 Wild Game. 1 C&P Organix GF and 2 Ultramix GF. One Nulo. 12 cans total – 6 small cans of CORE and regular ones, and 6 of the tiny petite entrees. I went up to the register, and divided up the stuff in 2 transactions, Wellness stuff first, C&P and Nulo second.

The lady scanned all the Wellness stuff, then I showed her all the coupons, and she got so… confrontational. She was scanning them and ripping up the Petsmart ones after she scanned them. Then she said she scanned only 2 Petsmart ones and 4 Wellness ones, and I KNOW I had 4 Petsmart ones attached to each Wellness one. Well, she was ripping them up so I couldn’t prove it! Good thing I had an extra Petsmart one, so I gave it to her, and I gave her the stack of 12 $2-off any canned Wellness coupons, and she started freaking out, she scanned 6 of the $2-off ones and said she’s not doing any more, and she said she’s not going to take my extra $5-off Petsmart coupon either! So I would have returned 2 of the Wellness foods if she wasn’t going to give me the whole deal, and she was just trying her best to get me to argue with her, like so hard! She was rude, confrontational, and I was NOT going to argue at all. I was very polite and calm the whole time. She said she remembers me from yesterday and that she does not feel comfortable letting me do this with the coupons. She said she will cancel it all because she doesn’t want it on her record and get someone else to check me out. Maybe this is a good place to mention that she was a MANAGER, and she said she’s rather have an ASSISTANT check me out. I also didn’t want her to cancel the transaction as it wasn’t that bad, like in the $30s for 4 Wellnesses and 12 cans, but she didn’t care. Before signing off, she made sure to let the assistant know I “did this yesterday and I’m trying to do something funny with coupons again, and that she can’t handle it, she’s uncomfortable, and doesn’t want it on her record”.

When the assistant lady came, she was very polite, and I told her how the other manager from yesterday, the male one, checked me out with no problems at all, and she said that he shouldn’t have and she hopes he doesn’t get in trouble for it. I said I hoped so too.

So she began checking me out, and read every word on every coupon. In the end, I only got Wellness CORE Original and one small can of Wellness with the $2-off, the $7-off, and the $5-off coupons, and she said I can only use ONE of the $7-off of Wellness (per customer), and ONE of the $2-off for canned food (per customer). I said ok. I also got a dry Nulo for a total of $8-off with a Nulo coupon and the $5-off Petsmart coupon on a different transaction. UGH. At least she was polite, albeit super meticulous. Also, she said I couldn’t use the Castor & Pollux coupon cause it wasn’t original (?!?!?!) and that I can’t trust online coupons cause they are false, and on the C&P coupon it says “reproduction of coupon strictly prohibited” so she wouldn’t take any of them. Seriously?! How are you going to say the coupon is not original?

Ok, so I went to another store after regrouping to try it again. The cashier there was very kind, also kind of meticulous though, and she also read everything, but she was kind of confused, so she let me use the $7-off coupon of Wellness with the $2-off canned, and the $5-off Petsmart one for one bag and one can of Wellness together, and then she said she can’t combine coupons cause it says so on the Petsmart coupon, so I need to choose between the manufacturer coupon and the dang Petsmart coupon. So I did another transaction with one can of Wellness and the $2-off coupon, 1 bag of Ultramix on a super sale (expires soon), with the C&P coupon, and another bag of Organix with the C&P coupon (I shouldn’t have gotten it, it was just $5-off, but I was getting so confused). So all in all, I did 5 different transactions, 2 stores, and spent $44.00 for just 5 bags of food and 4 small cans… I am very disappointed and apparently store enemy #1 to my closest Petsmart, lol.

Anyway… Back to paper… blah… I guess for me it just depends on the cashier, cause I don’t want to argue, because I can’t really argue what the coupons says, it just depends who will let me get away with what. Either way, after 6 cans of Nulo for $3 that I WILL get, cause I have the coupons to, no more shopping, like, ever, for real, and I fail as a coupon student… Le sigh…

[Akari_32]

Good job, girly! Check and see if your store has the holiday 6oz CORE cans on clearance for $1.27 like mine does! Use that two dolla off canned coupon than came in today’s wellness email, and make some money!

You can certainly go back in there and do the same thing tomorrow. As long they get paid, they don’t care what you do with your pet perks.

One note about the kibble size, I don’t know how Bruno does with larger kibbles, but anything that wellness makes that isn’t marked puppy or small breed has massive sized kibbles. You might want to feel how big they are through the bag before you decide what you want. The puppy CORE (and obviously the small breed) has small kibbles, but the other ones are all dime sized in diameter.

The store here has stopped letting me do multiple transactions. Even if it’s just two small ones. I’m about ready to kill the managers there. Actually, just the one. He’s always mean. Doesn’t like to let people just do what they’re doing. Not really sure how all these rude people get to be managers!!

[Avery M]

Just this monday my boyfriend and I picked up a 10 week old australian shepherd. This is the first dog I’ve been entirely responsible for and I’m definitely consider raw as an option (especially if I can find an affordable way to do it). I’ve read some articles and watched youtube examples of other people’s meal preps. So far what I’ve gathered is that is that I should slowly introduce and then rotate a variety of meats (I was thinking chicken, turkey and beef) as well as adding organs several times a week, and meaty bones daily. I’ve also noticed many people disagree on whether any vegetables are necessary. I have several main questions: Do I need to rotate the kind of animal the organs and bones come from like I do the meat? What, if any, adjustments do I need to make for her given that she’s a puppy? Is their a substitute for the green trife (I’m not sure if that’s what it’s called, I believe it may be stomach of some sort?) like a probiotic or something? I’m not sure where to get that.. If there is anything else I should know or advice to give me that would be great. Thank you.

[Nancy M]

I’m back on here again! Now asking if anyone has had much experience with Victor dog food. I’m currently feeding a puppy/adult formula; specifically the Hi-pro Plus. Not to repeat myself, but the Sheltie pup I got about 2 weeks ago was already on it, so because my mini Aussie pup is now a year old and ready to change over from Diamonds Naturals puppy formula, I decided to just put her on this same formula. For a couple weeks, the Aussie has aquired very itchy skin but other than that, went through the switchover just fine. The Sheltie pup remains doing well on it. I’m planning to change the Aussie over to something else as soon as I know for sure the food is causing her allergy/itching problems.

BUT, BUT, BUT………I have also noticed excessive stools, I think. It’s rather ridiculous in my opinion. It’s like, what the heck is staying in there? I clean my yard everyday, and since this morning again, I’ve cleaned up no less than 3 – 4 stools, EACH dog, already and it’s only 4:00 in the afternoon! This doesn’t seem right. Plus, the Aussie has lost about a pound of weight since she got on this food. I’ve started giving HER a little more because of the weight loss and then of course, the puppy is growing, so I’ve added a tiny bit more to his meals trying to get him down from 4 feedings a day to only 3. But it seems this stuff is almost going right through them. Sheltie pup is now almost 13 weeks and HAS continued to put on weight, but it’s minimal (which I would say is a good thing), but I’m concerned about all the stools and my Aussie’s weight loss, on top of the itching/allergy issues.

Can anyone give me some input and experience with this food?
Thanks for your help, as always!
Nancy

[Dori]

For de-matting the very best product I have ever used and still due is called Ice on Ice. You spray some onto the mat, mush it around a little into the mat and then with a detangler comb (the teeth are metal and they roll) it combs right out. As you know I have Hannah in a full coat and Maltese’s are notorious for getting mats especially if you’re nuts (like me) and keep them in a full to the floor coat. Their hair is very cotton like so is always getting matted. This is by far the best product I have ever come across in my life. It’s amazing truly. You can find it on Amazon and you can read up on it on the site. It’s also a finishing no rinse spray. Doesn’t particularly have any odor that would bother you. Doesn’t build up on the hair which is great.

Dog Foodie, just wanted to mention that I’m a dog owner that does not believe that neutering and spaying permanently changes the texture of their hair. I have had neutered or spayed every single dog I have ever owned and believe me there have been a lot and not one time was any of their hair or fur affected.

Have you tried feeding him canned sardines packed in water a couple of times a week. Amount per meal would depend on his size. I use a small can twice a week and divide the can among the three dogs. On days that I don’t feed sardines, I add a little splash of Nature’s Logic sardine oil in one meal of their day. It has made an enormous difference. I truly didn’t ever see that the coconut oil made any difference with their hair. I give it to them but for other reasons. I also give them only a tiny bit of coconut oil, if I give the recommended amount they all get diarrhea. No thank you! It was when I started adding the sardine oil to their food and sardines to their diet that I saw a drastic difference. Also, the only kibble in rotation is Nature’s Logic Sardine formula. It’s pricey but if you feed rotation it’s not too much of a big deal. Of course, again, it depends on the size of your dog.

Anyway, try the Ice on Ice by Chris Christensen. It’s a leave in detangled and finishing spray. I have found that it’s also fantastic when I’ve given any of the girls a bath and find that I missed a tangle before the bath which is ridiculously difficult to get out when wet, I just spray the mat generously, work it into the matt and comb it out.

[Dori]

Akari the reason I think she may have an infection is the sudden teeth chattering, acting anxious and distressed and also Ginger suddenly wanting to be very cuddly with you. And let’s not forget the poop incident. Some of those symptoms looking at them separately might be explained away but they’ve have all come on together. A sign that something is going on internally. Before refilling her antibiotic I would take her into the vet or at least call in and speak to vet and let him know what went on. Vet may tell you to just refill that antibiotic or recommend a course of a different one. Most vets will want to see the dog but since your vet knows about Ginger and has already seen her a few times you may get away with a phone call. Remember there are different antibiotics for different infections. Having worked at the vet you know that one antibiotic is not a cure all for all infections. Don’t you wish it was that easy? I sure do. Do you happen to have The Honest Kitchen Perfect Form at home. If you do I would start adding 1/8 of a teaspoon into each and every meal of hers. The recommended dose says to add more but I find that their recommendation is way to high. I’ve never given the girls anymore than 1/8 tsp. and sometimes just a little sprinkle. I find it works much better than pumpkin, or anything else out in the market. When Katie was at her worst with the food allergies and everything and the constant diarrhea (what a friggin mess…..I feel for you girl having to have cleaned up that mess) I used it all the time. I think through the years with Katie I had tried everything on the market until I came across The Perfect Form.

I’m glad you’ve taken her off canned food. The canned food may simply have too much fat in it for her. Also canned foods generally have guar gum and/or carraggean (sp?) which may be ingredients that she also can’t deal with. I’m glad her poops are better today. I’d keep her off canned foods forever and ever. Like I said, if she does well long term on the Wellness Small Breed Salmon and Potato then I would just keep Ginger on that and forget about rotating foods with her. It’s really not worth it in the case of a dog like Ginger. It’s, no doubt, much too difficult on her gut which I’m sure is in bad shape due to her previous owner or owners and what they fed her.

Even if her poops are better today I’d still get her checked out just to rule infection out but somethings up with all those sudden symptoms coming on at once. Again, please post her progress. Worried about Ginger.

If you don’t already have my email address this is it. [email protected] If you want to email me and send me your address, I have a few extra dog beds around that I haven’t been using. (I’m a bit of a dog bed addict). Dog food addict. All things dog addict. You get the picture. They’re in good condition and since I have small dogs that would be the perfect size for Ginger. : ) They can all go in the washer and dryer.

• This reply was modified 11 years ago by Dori.

[Akari_32]

I’m also worried about her being in pain. She actually seems to be feeling better today. Seems more peppy. Ran around the house a few times whenever she thought I was going to the kitchen, and when I leashed her up to go out side, she ran to the door, as well as running back in when I opened the door to go back in side. Also ran to her eating spot when I went to put her bowl down, and did less sleeping today.

Just curious, what makes you think she’s got an infection? She’s got another refill of antibiotics that I’ve been considering refilling because her mouth is getting stinky and nasty again.

I have stopped giving her canned, and am just soaking her food in some warm water. Already her poops are better. Not sure what it is about the canned, but I think that was a lot of her problems. The problem with finding something that works and sticking with it, though, is that I haven’t found a dry food that works for her. But for all I know, it could have been the canned that wasn’t working. Canned in general may just be something she can’t have. So far her poop looks good on this Wellness Simple Small Breed Salmon and Potato with no canned. They’re small, light in color and well formed. It’s only been a few days I stopped the canned, so that could still change.

However, with her improvement today, I can’t help but wonder if perhaps the Purina One canned wasn’t agreeing with her, and now that she hasn’t had in a few days, and it’s out of her system, she’s feeling better. I work tomorrow, so I’ll see how she feels Thursday and go from there.

[Victoria W]

I was going to package the heart into 6 oz. servings to freeze since that amount will make feeding like the ABC day pdf suggests easier. I am unsure how much of everything else, liver and other organs to add to the weekly meal plan. I am thinking along the same amount 6-8oz spread between 2 or 3 meals a week where I would replace some or all of their canned food with the organ meat….does that sound like overdoing it? I think I read somewhere on here in a post that too much liver causes problems because of the huge amount of protein it has in it. So with that in mind I was going to use the following ratio for grinding up the organ meats : 1 part liver, 1 part kidney, 1 part stomach/tripe, 3 part lung/other meat, 6 part heart….for a total of 6 oz.

I have the Min Pin chi mix baby inside, and the outside babies are a little of this a little of that mutts tbh lol. I live in SE Missouri on 40 acres and we have family that come and hunt our property because it is close to a conservation area and LOTS of deer stay on our property all the time….in fact its an everyday thing for us to have to honk our car horns at a few so we can get out of our drive/road. I absolutely love deer meat and I cant wait to eat some of the tasty looking burgers we made last night lol :p

[Akari_32]

Well I’m late to see this, but hope you had a good Thanksgiving, girly!

Just stopping in here to let you guys know I bought a TON of those new Wellness Duo’s (none of the fish ones, naturally) and Kitty loves them! Eats a whole can in about 30 seconds flat lol I’ve also got my sample of Wild Kitty Cat Food that I have to get some ground meat to try him on. I was going to buy a whole can of Oasis+ Feline and put him on raw, but I just don’t think I could afford it, even with cheap meats like chicken thighs and what-nots. I also don’t think the freezer can hold much more animal food, much less human food LOL I can’t even buy my favorite frozen pizzas that are BOGO this week because the poor thing is so tiny and already packed full of Bentley’s food!

Oh! And I’ve also cut him back from two 5.5 oz cans a day to a 3 oz can for breakfast and a 5.5 oz can for dinner. He was 13+ pounds at the vet when we went that last time! Fatty… LOL Which is pretty bad for me because I’m all about proper portion sizes for the critters. He’s very hard to judge, though! His fur stands straight out and hides any curves he’s got, so I can’t really tell if he’s a good weight or not until I apparently take him to the vet for a UTI and he weighs almost 4 pounds more than when I got him in March LOL *rolls eyes* But he’s back down to what I think looks like a good weight now. I’ll have to weigh him and see what he’s at right now.

[Susan]

Look for a low carb food, my boy was licking & licking his paws & his paws smelt like corn chips, real yeasty & when he’d walk on wet grass, his paws would get red & itchy…..His 2 front paws are the worst, he can’t eat potatoes, Sweet Potatoes Peas, no starchy foods….also bath him & his paws in Malaseb Medicated Shampoo its an anti-fungal shampoo kills the bacteria but doesnt dry out his skin & the Malaseb relieves his itch & red paws & stops his smelly paws, so no licking…
Your best to feed either cooked or raw diet so u can control the amount of carbs he’s eating have you looked at “K9 Natural” freeze dried food. This food was invented for itchy dogs, has no beet pulp either, here’s their link to have a read….
http://www.k9naturalusa.com/ the Chicken & Venison has the least fat%

[Dori]

Just read an article on line that Petsmart acquired Pet360 which owns PetMD.com as well as Pet Food Direct. Apparently Petsmart hadn’t decided yet what to do with it all or how to maximize potential for its stockholders. I believe Pet360 has other pet companies under its umbrella also.

I’m not crazy about Petco buying Foster and Smith.

Well, two or more companies that I will no longer give my money to. I do not shop in any stores that sell animals. I also try to frequent local smaller stores in my area. I like to keep the smaller stores in business so I try to do my small part for them. They also have such smaller stores that their inventory moves quickly. Nothing every old and rancid. Nothing even close to expiration dates. I recently convinced them to start carrying Natures Logic Raw which I’m thrilled about. They say I spear headed the movement (actually meaning I badgered them into it) lol. They also said that they well knew that I’m a long time raw feeder with really high standards and knew the only kibble I ever purchased was Natures Logic so they started ordering whichever proteins I would ask for so that there must be something to Natures Logic. I then started bugging them for the raw. Voila! They installed a third freezer to house it. They now carry the entire line. I’m now starting to bug them about Answers Detailed Raw. Those are things that can be accomplished with local small businesses that you could never in a million years do with a Petco or Petsmart.

• This reply was modified 11 years ago by Dori.

[USA]

Hi BC,

Please stick to the facts of what actually happened here! You said:

“For yeast, my favorite kibble is Brothers Complete. It was formulated specifically to help yeasty dogs.”

And I asked:

“Can you please explain how this formula will “help yeasty dogs.
Any references you could present to back up this claim would be greatly appreciated!”

You then flew off the handle and along the way made FALSE accusations about me:

“It’s very rude of you to ask a question for no reason other than to try to start an argument, as you are well aware. You already know the answer, this has been hashed over numerous time here with you smack in the middle of it.”

1) I dearly hoped that I could ask you a question about the comment you made that brothers “is formulated to help yeasty dogs” without you starting a fight.

2) I do NOT know the answer to the question I asked you, AND I have never been “smack in the middle” of any discussion on DFA about brothers and the claim that “It was formulated specifically to help yeasty dogs.”

3) You and I and the other regulars are just a tiny percentage of the people who read these comments. Most people who visit DFA have NO IDEA what you are talking about when you refer to things that happened in the past!!

I ask you kindly to please refrain from making FALSE accusations about me, Thank You!

[Barb R]

I have been using it for years after reactions to the topical spot flea treatments. Dog had seizures.
i get it here.
http://www.earthworkshealth.com/
No fleas. I just dump some in an empty shaker
and spread from the neck-ear area to the base of the tale and rub it
in. You may want to apply outside cause it can make a mess if the
dog decides to shake after applying it.

[DogFoodie]

Ditto what my friends, Marie and the Nut, have already said.

The Nut mentioned that yeast is a big part of food intolerance and I just wanted to say that once I fully embraced that, I finally found the answer for my dog. Start by keeping a list of everything you feed your dog and make notes about your dog’s reaction to the food. Keep the ingredient panel off of the packaging (because ingredients change) and soon, you’ll start seeing problem, common ingredients pop up.

Hang in there, it can be very frustrating; but once you figure out your problem ingredients and eliminate them, your dog will have so much relief. It’s worth the effort.

Now, that said, the very best food I found for my dog with food intolerance issues has been Nature’s Variety Instinct LID, but that’s because it contains none of his triggers. If it contains none of your pups triggers, it could be great for her too.

Good luck!

[theBCnut]

Now, I’m going to say something that sounds like the opposite of what others are telling you, but bear with me. NONE of those things caused the seizures. Epilepsy, diabetes, renal and/or liver failure, brain tumors, poisoning, these types of things cause seizures. Those other things only trigger seizures, but the underlying problem is already there.

Your dog need to be checked out to make sure the seizures are from epilepsy, because any other cause left untreated can kill your dog. If it is determined to be epilepsy, then chemical exposure, stress, and a number of other things can trigger the seizures. So as was mentioned, getting him off flea meds, heartworm meds, clearing out cleaning chemicals, fertilizers, pesticides, herbicides, scented candles, air freshners, etc. can reduce or even eliminate the seizures, so it’s important to do as much of that sort of thing as possible, especially early on when you can see if it is making a difference. Cleaning up the diet is really important too. Go natural as much as possible.

[Dori]

It may very well have been the topical flea tick meds. that have been known to trigger seizures in dogs. Also, what foods are you feeding your dog. I remember reading that some ingredients have to be avoided in dogs that get seizures. I’m sorry but I don’t recall what they are.

I do agree with Akari that it at minimum requires a call to the vet to let him know how many, how often and how long each seizure is lasting. Please start keeping a log of everything and anything you are feeding your dog. What’s happening in the hours preceding the seizures. Anything new happening in your environment inside and out. Have you changed cleaning products anywhere in the house. Are you burning candles. Are you using air fresheners. Anything new sprayed outside around your property. All this is needed information to determine what is going on. I would want to know all that first before putting him on meds for seizures but, of course, advise your vet of all the above. Write everything down before calling the vet. You made have made some change in his environment that is affecting him. Also, laundry detergent…is it scented??? Did you change laundry detergents or softeners? Anyone of these things could be triggering seizures.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Karen J-
I have been trying to follow your posts because I have some experience with Struvite crystals. You are tough to follow because you have started so many topics regarding the same issue. It is easier when you keep it all on one thread! Anyway, I’m a little confused. Does your dog have urinary crystals? Is she straining to pee or have blood in it. If yes, then you definitely want to at least feed canned. If you are going to feed kibble, I would feed the prescription type that dissolves the crystals. My cat had crystals and ended up having a blocked urinary tract. I was faced with having a very expensive emergency procedure or euthanasia. I opted for the procedure and it cost close to $2,000. Now I have no money for Christmas, but we still have our cat. Before the surgery, I was already feeding him at least half of his diet with canned food. I also have a water fountain that the cats use. Increased water intake is also important. There are several theories on what causes Struvite crystals. They might be different in dogs than cats, but the outcome could be the same. The vet food for crystals has restricted magnesium and phosphorous which affects the ph level of the urine. After learning the hard way and thinking vet food is crap, I have been feeding the prescription food for about a month and his last urinalysis was clear of any crystals or blood. I will continue to feed both canned and dry Rx food for 6 months and then slowly switch back to regular canned, but will always feed the vet kibble. I try to feed as little kibble as possible, but he was a shelter cat addicted to his crunchies when I got him.
So, in conclusion, I really hope that you can avoid the same situation. Good luck!

• This reply was modified 11 years ago by crazy4cats.

[evan v]

Thanks Akari32. The $5 coupon worked.

Audrey – I got a few different Nutrisource and BB samples. I tried giving him a few pieces of each and as stated before he seems to like the puppy one the most. I tried giving him the Purevita verison of salmon & turkey but he turned them down quickly. He ate of few pieces of the BB but didn’t finish the small amount I tried to give him. But no doubt Nutrisource looks like are great brand. =)

aquariangt – Yes I noticed the Fromm grain free diets are much higher in protein also. Grain free also should mean loaded with peas or potatoes. I can see why it’s hard to find dry foods without them…

theBCnut – I just read the Dogs and Carbohydrates — A Surprising Secret Revealed on this website! Now I see where you get your info from?

[Akari_32]

The thing with Purina is that that they *like* carbs. They know that dogs (and cats) do not need them, and they know that dogs loose weight better on low carb, high protein diets. But because they are greedy and want all the money they can get, they tout carbs to be valuable energy sources and actually call them “essential carbs.” They know all this stuff, yet they don’t put it into practice. They do have some Pro Plan formulas that look pretty good, and that I’ve used here and there in the past, however. And I like the looks of Beyond for shot term use, and I’ve used those as well, before the recent packaging and marketing changes. I will say, they are getting better, as a brand. They are realizing that consumers are beginning to no longer rely on marketing, but are instead reading labels and researching for themselves what is good and what is not. My hope for this new line is that Purina has continued down that path. Don’t get me wrong, my hopes are aren’t high, but they are there lol

[theBCnut]

High protein does not cause kidney or liver issues. That is a fact. Period. There are a lot of myths that people choose to believe, but that does not make them true.

Yes, Dr Mike Sagman is a dentist. Dentists actually have to know something about nutrition. Dentists also have to have a good education and continue it all their professional careers. The reason this is important is because it means ***They are capable of learning things outside their field of specialty***just like you are. IDK about you, but I have children, and I’m not a certified nutritionist, but I am capable of learning what constitutes a good diet and feeding my kids a good diet, same with my dogs. Keep reading, keep learning all your life, and don’t let anyone try to tell you that you have to be a professional in a particular field for you to understand it. That’s crap!!

For a little dog, I recommend Farmina, NutriSource Small and Medium Breed, Amicus, Nature’s Variety Instinct, Brother’s Complete, Canine Caviar, and if you are feeding a rotational diet, Nature’s Logic.

[evan v]

Hello there, I just got a maltipoo. He is over a little over a year old. The previous owner was feeding him Iams adult small breed. The dog food industry sure has changed over the years. It’s been a while since I’ve had a dog. With that being said I went online and googled “best dog food” and started learning a lot about dog food in general. Anyways I was wondering what are some good dog foods you would recommend? I have already read all about diamond products and trying to stay away from them. But the funny thing is I know people are still feeding it and when I was checkin out some of the local pet stores in my area I saw 3 out of 5 people walk into a store, go right to the TOTW section, pick up a bag and then proceed to check out. On the other hand the other two people bought BB and Nutro. I got to talk to the lady that bought BB and long story short she said her German Shepard dog is doing so much better on it.

Lastly while I was at a local store one guy said since hes a small dog the high protein diets are not very good for him. He said small dogs can get kidney and liver failure. So I’m looking into something that’s low in protein. Also the guy seemed to already know a little bit about this website. He said the guy that does all the reviews is a dentist. At that time I didn’t know that. LoL. I just love coming on here and looking at the the ingredients from all the different dog foods and like I said before what are some good dog foods you would recommend? Thanks!

[Dori]

Hi Akari. I swear by Perfect Form but from what I’m reading if this is an ongoing issue you would have to give Ginger the correct dose of Perfect Form with every meal. She’s small so it wouldn’t be much. Personally I think she’s having a food intolerance issue. I tried researching some of the foods you’re feeding her and most, if not all, contain some type of poultry in the ingredient list. It could be that she does well for a little while but with the addition of a canned as a topper that has more of whatever ingredient she is having an issue with which may or may not be in her kibble, it’s more than her gut can tolerate. If I were you I would attempt to find a food (dry and canned) that does not contain any poultry whatsoever and no white potatoes. White potatoes and tomatoes are high inflammatory foods and are probably also causing issues with her old age arthritic symptoms. That’s the reason Hannah gets no foods with white potatoes, rice and tomato. Also, there are dogs that cannot tolerate white potatoes yet do fine with sweet potatoes. I wish I could be of more help but I really do believe that the diarrhea has to do with her foods. As I said, find a kibble with NO poultry of any sort and a canned with no poultry of any sort. Feed her only those foods for a couple of weeks without rotating anything else into her diet and see how she does. Also, what treats if any is she getting from you or any other person that thinks she’s just too cute and needs a treat?

[Marta J]

Hi All, New to the forum and I’m so glad I found it. We are getting a Westie Puppy in a few weeks and I’d like to transition him to a better quality dog food. The breeder we are getting the puppy from is feeding him a lower quality food (I can’t remember the exact name but it’s one of the big box companies). I’ve read enough to know that I won’t be feeding him Blue Buffalo (seeing some negative reviews).
Any opinions on Orijen or Now Fresh brands?
I’ve read that there are some positive reviews for Wellness core small breed.
I’d like to stick with grain free & price isn’t an issue. I’m in Canada and I’m sure I have access to same brands as the US.
Thank you 🙂

[InkedMarie]

I soak got however long it takes to get my raw fed dogs food ready & add supplements. If you are on FB, message Farmina there, you’ll get a faster response.

C4C, the calories/feeding amounts are on the bag, I can’t find them on the site but I feed less.

[Kristin C]

I think it depends on what else you feed. If you only feed kibble then it might be a good idea to add water for the hydration. If you feed dehydrated you are (usually) already adding water. And if you feed raw there’s naturally moisture in the meat. Freeze dried can be fed dry or with water I guess but I always add water. I feed mostly raw so when I’m at home I don’t add water to the few kibble meals per week. Right now we are on vacation so I added water to the kibble meals we fed at the hotels.

[InkedMarie]

There are various options for raw. You can buy pre made raw at the store; the ones I like are Primal & Vital Essentials. If you go to the review side, put raw food into the search and read up on them.

Darwins is pre made raw that is shipped to you. Google for the website, they offer a trial package at a good price.

You can do your own raw, BARF or prey model. Prey model has no fruits or veggies. That is what I feed but I feed it ground. I buy the bony ground from Hare Today and some from Reel Raw. I buy some boneless from Hare but most of it locally.

[dakcmumm]

Thank you all for your inputs. I am the mommy of 2 mini dachshunds. My Sophie is 12 years old and Louis (rescued in April of this year) is 8. I have been feeding Sophie Lotus grain free kibble turkey and fish and Louis Merrick canned food. Louis has no teeth left due to neglect prior to his adoption. Louis has very bad odor everytime I kiss him and he sheds like crazy. Also his eyes always have some kind of discharge. Even though Sophie’s health is OK, I still think that she is not at her best. Sophie licks her paws a lot and needs to loose a few pounds. Anyway, after I read Dr. Martin Goldstein’s and Dr. Pirtcain’s books I cried so much and decided to switch my babies to raw food. I have been looking for supplements and was tempted to order Dinovite. But I stopped after I read your reviews on this forum.
Thank you again for extending yourself and post your experiences with the product so that other people can learn from you. I am so desperate now to what supplement I should try. I know there is no perfect of anything. But I want to educate myself as much as possible and find a good enough supplement that I want to try on my babies. I will give them a fast starting tomorrow before switch them over to raw food diet.
I am a new member to this forum. I will talk to all of you again soon.

[Merry G]

I read that when you lower the protein the phosphorus is lowered also because it’s contained in the meat protein. I found a canned dog food that has a .8% of protein and according the the article I read, that’s a good low range.
She doesn’t like that KD Science Diet dog food! I don’t either! It’s rubbery and I don’t like the added ingredients. And not too long after I was feeding it to her she got really sick with throwing up and then refusing to eat. I had to fix chicken broth and crackers for her, lol like ya would for a kid! A few days later she was fine and now she’s as frisky as a pup.
I have a very picky boxer so getting her to eat something good for her is a real challenge. I boil and then fry or bake chicken for her and add yellow potatoes, carrots and celery. And it’s seasoned with some rosemary, sage, a bit of ginger and salt and it tastes good to me so I always hope she’s not in her “diva mode” and will chow down on it! lolol Dogs! How they get US trained to suit them! 🙂

The dog foods I saw that were made from fish used salmon. I’m going to see if my girl will eat tuna fish. She won’t eat food that I put fish oil in. So maybe she’ll get her omegas with tuna instead.
I had to laugh at the Vet when he asked if Sage drinks alot of water or more than usual. Fer cripes sake I said to him. We live in the DESERT and we ALL drink more water than people in the flatlands or moisture rich areas do!
But sigh…it made me paranoid so now I pay too much attention to the amount of water she drinks which is no more than she always did, lol. I’m looking for things that aren’t there because of this diagnoses.

[crazy4cats]

My cats are pretty fascinated with my 20 gallon fish tank also and get on top of it quite often. I’m shocked they have not ended up in it yet!

Well, it’s been about a month already since my cat, Casper’s, blocked urinary tract emergency already. I can’t believe it! I’m still feeding mostly canned prescription canned food. I also feed him a little Royal Canin Rx kibble as well, as he is a crunchy addict. It took me months to get him to eat canned after adopting him from the shelter. Unfortunately, I’m feeding the other three mostly the prescription as well. But, they get a little regular kibble. They eat the Rx canned better than Casper. Which means they are all peeing twice as much as they used to. Somehow the food dilutes the urine and also makes them more thirsty, encouraging them to drink more. I probably need to add another litter box. (yuck)

He goes in tomorrow for a follow up urinalysis to see if his new food and drugs are keeping him clean and clear! It’s hard to keep track of who is doing what in the boxes, but when I do catch him in one, I listen for the sweet sound of rushing pee! LOL! So far so good. I’m keeping my fingers crossed for tomorrow’s test results. I’m hoping to be able to switch to some regular food somewhere down the road. The prescription food is definitely more expensive than it should be considering the ingredients.

Our BDog hasn’t been on here much. I sure hope she’s not buried in snow!

[Michael H]

Visited the butcher today. I found I can get beef heart at 2.29/lb from the butcher, so I may end up going there weekly for some and maybe grind it in with another meat myself. I have a gimpy grinder that can do meat, not bone though. They do bone in grinding, but can’t offer it until deer season is over. Wish they had any pastured/grassfed meats, but at least its promised they don’t use sodium/broth injected items.

They also had frozen cows brain there! Not sure if they’d go for that, haha.

So from them I found I have access to:
Organs-beef heart/liver/brain, chicken liver/unsure of hearts/gizzards(is this meaty or organ?), possibly spleen I think if they can order it.

RMB-bone in chicken parts, turkey necks/wings, assorted ribs. Other necks, trachea, chicken feet, etc. are still hard to find. Bernie is a gulper so I’m not sure what size to even use-too small and no chewing action, too big and he may choke on it. Zuli is a gnawer and has great teeth already, 3yo and never needed a dental.

I forgot to mention that between us boarding guest dogs from our home, and another cat present from my sister in law who lives with us, I may just be able to raw feed for the first meal of the day, while everyone else is put away. Either that, or have RMB meals in the morning, since I’m assuming they’ll take a while to chow down and everyone else will go nuts if they sense what’s going on.

Do you think my ‘bases’ may be covered if I did raw in the AM and a good freeze dried in the PM?

[Michael H]

Hi everyone!

We have 2 dogs:

Bernie, 9y M allergic-to-life Basset Hound
Zuli, 3y F Lab Mix

and our cat:
Sophie, 8y F Mackeral Tabby, borderline diabetic

Due to both Bernie and Sophie’s above issues, it seems like my best option at this point would be to try raw feeding. The dogs both enjoy the occasional chicken wing or turkey neck, but I have not yet tried feeding it as a whole diet. The cat, who was originally an outdoor stray who did hunt for her sustenance, does accept things like turkey and pepperoni, but for most of her life has been on dry food…which is probably why she had the October diagnosis for diabetes. She is near impossible to catch (the yearly vet visit can take us anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour to capture her-we’ve blocked off hiding spaces as we find them over the years, though once she actually broke INTO the wall to hide) and has a lack of scruff, and at this point I’m really fearing the ability to be able to administer insulin consistently. So, it seems that a diet change may be my only help with this. For Bernie, I can control what goes into the food, and avoid his allergens altogether.

I work from home, so cooking and preparing isn’t a big deal. I handle raw meat for my own consumption so that doesn’t bother me, and I’m very versed in the realm of preventing cross contamination.

My access to pastured/organic items is limited to either very far drives or possible home delivery (have to order a LOT at a time to make the shipping be affordable). For the delivery [ReelRaw] they do have a lot of variety, which is nice, but seems the most expensive option that I’ve come across ($300/mo for all pets, around 50lb of items, still cheaper than whole foods). I do have a butcher shop somewhat nearby, but the only organs they carry or process is beef heart, and the variety of RMB’s I can get aren’t much, as well as they do not carry any pastured/organic meats.

Upon my research, I’m finding a lot of conflicting information. It seems that on one side everyone is pro supplements to add to the meals, which I’m hesitant to do so, as I’m of the perspective to not take any synthetic or multivitamins myself since I feel I’m literally peeing the money away, and rather get what I need from whole foods. I know dogs cant digest fruit/veg well, as anytime I’ve given a piece I find it the next day pretty much intact in their waste. We do own a masticating juicer, so that is an option. I’ve come across some freeze dried foods (Big Dog Natural) that say they ferment the veg to make them bioavailable, which is interesting, though I’m unsure if it’s still too high-carb for Bernie. It could all be a bunch of hogwash as well. I do agree with adding omega 3/sardines at meal time, as I feel that the fats are too delicate for any processing procedure.

Then there’s all the premixes available with vitamins, minerals, kale, sweet potatoes, etc. (Urban Wolf, THK, SSLL Dinner Mix). It’s hard to find a premix without one of Bernie’s proposed allergens in it, and to be honest I’d rather keep the carb count for him down as much as possible, as Bassets are already yeast factories, and Sophie needs as little carb as possible-I don’t think I’ve come across mixes for cats anyways. What dog eats kale in the wild anyways? I have a hard time getting it down myself…lol.

On the other side, I’ve come across a few companies that don’t use added vitamins/minerals (Answers, ReelRaw), stating it’s complete/balanced as is, or with Answers, their own products they (conveniently) suggest to add, which is goat’s milk yogurt, or buy their combination product with veg, clay, cultured things, etc. Bernie is borderline allergic to cow dairy, so I’m unsure if he can even have that anyways. I’ve tried kefir with him before, but the yeast didn’t get any better, and would occasionally have putrid gas as well.

Bernie is currently on Orijen, which he does seem more energetic and less itchy, however the gas has been atrocious, and even though he’s not been really red and itchy on it, still is having a yeast issue (underarms, ears, back of legs). This is a dog that sleeps 14 hours a day on those areas, so not much air is circulating. The gas has gotten better by feeding him less of it, but it can still clear a room. I think it’s due to the lentils/chickpeas-while he’s not allergic to them, doesn’t mean he can digest them well.

So to end my novella for how, I’ll boil it down to some questions:

-Do you feel that the supplements are needed if I use the cheaper conventional meat from the butcher? Or would possibly they be getting enough if I splurge for the pastured meats/organs/rmb? It’s doubtful I can afford both the pastured and supplements.

-Do you feel premixes are worth it, and would make the conventional meat balanced? (again, may not be able to do both pastured + mixes)

-How important do you feel variety in meats is? If I shop locally, I only really have access to beef, chicken, and pork, which I myself am even tired of, haha. Most any recreational or RMB’s I can find in the area are meant for soups and have very little meat left on them. With delivery I can get many more options, but I pay out the wazoo for it.

-Would maybe just doing the freeze dried route be the best idea? Between the issues above and our cat, I’m also leaning towards this route. I’ve also heard that cats don’t dig cool meat very much, and as its the winter now I don’t want Sophie to lose any weight form refusing food. The 2 dogs will eat anything so I’m not worried there. I know I have to avoid giving Sophie all ground meat due to taurine loss. My wife also would rather rip off her eyebrows than touch raw meat, so if it comes a time when I cannot feed them, I’d have to have an alternative on hand anyways.

Thanks for any input!

[Gloria K]

I’ve been reading the comments on this particular subject and want to add my two cents worth. For those of you who don’t know, I just adopted Mickey, a rescue shelter dog, one-year-old terrier mix, 11 pounds. This dog drinks no water whatsoever EVER! I could not imagine how this dog was surviving without water and yet urinating at least two or three times a day. I went so far as to measure the water that I gave him, 1 cup into his water bowl, waited 24 hours then poured it back into the measuring cup – still one cup. Yesterday I looked outside while making my bed and there was Mickey drinking out of my koi pond. THAT’s were he’s getting his water from. I have an excellent filter and a UV light so the pond is crystal clear, no algae, however I’m concerned as to whether this could hurt him or not. I may have to cordon off the pond until he learns not to drink out of it. What do you think- could this have hurt him? And how can you tell when a dog has crystals in his urine?

[theBCnut]

I read lots of super green supplement labels and ordered my own ingredients from swansonvitamins.com. There are a couple commercial ones I’ve used in the past, but they all have things Micah can’t have, so now I just make my own. Right now he is getting alfalfa, kelp, and spirulina, plus blueberries. When looking for a commercial one, I look for one that doesn’t have green tea and is organic.

[theBCnut]

First, please don’t settle on one food. Go over to the review side and do a search for the article on rotational feeding.

For the first couple weeks, feed him exactly the way the breeder was feeding him. That way, the only big stressor on your pup will be the adjustment to his new living arrangements. After he has fully adjusted, then start transitioning to the new food. I would only add one new food at a time, so if there is any issue, you know what is causing it. Transition slowly, but know that if you do go with a rotational diet, soon you won’t have to transition at all to switch to a new food.

Yes, use canned foods, and dehydrated, and freeze dried, and if you can handle it, even raw.

The benefits of using canned are in the moisture content and the meat content. Canned is closer to a natural diet. However, be aware that some canned food companies under report their fat level by a huge amount and dogs that are at risk for pancreatitis can become deathly ill from eating some of these foods, so read the review before buying canned, and pay attention to what is said about the fat level down in explanation. If you are only using it as a topper, it probably won’t matter, but if you ever have a reason to feed a whole meal of the canned you are using, it is something to be aware of.

[theBCnut]

They do not know what the Chinese chicken breeders did to the chickens or what the processors did to the chicken to make it lethal. I read all 82 pages of the FDA report. They tested the jerky for everything they have a test for and even created new tests to test the jerky, but they never found anything that should have caused those problems. There are still things they suspect, but they have no way to test for. It could be something that the chickens were fed or something that was added afterward. Nobody this side of the ocean knows, and nobody that side of the ocean is saying either. No, there is nothing about jerky treats that makes them harder to process.

I really think the problem is that they come from a country that does not value life, so they don’t care what they do to treats for dogs, and especially American dogs. Frankly, if I lived somewhere where dogs got more expensive treats than what I got paid, I probably wouldn’t care either.

[Susan]

Hi Cathy what are you feeding him at the moment?
Try a limited ingredient food with low fat%, has the vet put him on Hills ID
low fat GI restore wet tin food the fat% is only 8.5% fat dry matter so if it was a kibble the fat is only 8.5% cause it has already been converted…
commercial wet tin foods are higher in fat that can cause sloppy poos unless u can find one
thats around 1-2% fat in wet food.. Have a look at the Wellness Simple limited ingredients
kibbles, I tried the Simple Lamb & Oatmeal & Duck & Oatmeal kibbles, Simple does have grainfree kibbles aswell…Simple also have wet tin food but the fat% is high around 7-8% fat if they were a kibble the fat % would be around 38% fat.. the one with the lowest fat% is the Wellness Petite Entrees mini fillets 2% fat in wet
here’s the Wellness range
http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/recipes.aspx?pet=dog&ft=1#Complete

[Peter S]

Hi, I’m trying to figure out which way to test my 3-yr old lab for food sensitivity(s). I’m referring to an actual blood/saliva type of test and not a food-rotation/elimination type of test. I recently read about Dr Dodds’ Nutriscan saliva test and the limited (biased ?) online reviews I saw were pretty much all positive, but then I asked my local vet about it and she said that the test wasn’t reliable enough. I have also heard about some sort of “muscle-testing” but haven’t yet followed up with any research about that. I’m hoping that the very knowledgeable posters here at DFA can help me out with some advice on this topic !

[Kersi B]

Hello everybody!

I am new here and tried to find some informations on my own, but I am lost…

I move from Germany to California this January and take my 6-year-old Chihuahua (3kg or 6,6p weight) with me.
He already has a light cardiac insufficiency, but the doc said that he doesn’t need any medicine yet.
Here in Germany I feed him with wet (in the late afternoon), dry (he has a extra bowl with some in case he is hungry) and own-cooked food (as often as I can instead of wet food). His treats are 100% dry meat only. And I give him Vitamin K1 and homeopathic Crataegus supplements to his food to strengthen his heart.
But none of the brands I am feeding him right now are available in the US.
So could you please help me to find the brands with the highest quality but affordable for a student? Thank you so much! <3 :*

• This topic was modified 11 years, 1 month ago by Kersi B.

[Akari_32]

I did find a shop near by-ish that has it, according to the website. Can’t wait to get it!

So heres a deal I’m hoping to try out soon. Naturella sent me a ton of $10 off $25 a purchase coupons for PetLand. PetCo should take these. I also have a $10 Natural Balance PetSupermarket coupon, which PetCo takes. Then I have two $3 off any size bag 4.5lbs or larger of Natural Balance Ultra manufacturer coupons (one from Naturella!). PetCo has the Small Bites formula for $29.99.

Should this work, I will have a 12.5 lb bag of Natural Balance Ultra for $9.09. Not bad! I would like to see if they’ll price match Pet Supermarket for me, since they have it for $28.99, which would make it $8.02, and me *very* happy. The sale price online for PetCo does say $26.99, but I’m not sure if thats in-store, too, since PetCo is freaking stupid and can’t just have the same sale price in-store and online. That would just be too easy.

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/Akari53/D60C9619-BD1A-4BC1-B22F-D2808FAD9238_zps2be9yufo.jpg

http://i765.photobucket.com/albums/xx294/Akari53/7D268BB6-EFA0-4965-945E-1CEF3EF6CF90_zpsnszbungi.jpg

I also scored a 4 lb bag of Wellness Simple Small Breed Salmon and Potato (didn’t even know that was a thing!!) and a 4 lb bag of Wellness CORE Puppy for $2.46 and $2.48 respectively at Pet Supermarket the other day! The Simple was on clearance for $11.97 (they say it was in the wrong spot, because it rang up at $17-something, but the tag on shelf was right– I don’t think it was in their system properly, but they gave it to me anyways), and the CORE was marked down 20% for an upcoming expiration date. Used a $5 off PetSmart coupon and $5 off Wellness Coupon for each of them. The CORE I’m using now, using it to spread out Haley and Dweezle’s other food (also Wellness, but its the Toy Breed kind lol), since the expiration date is in a few weeks. I’ve used it twice, and its half gone already, so no worries there! The Simple I’ll try out for Ginger, since its small kibbles. Yay!

*edit*

So I just looked through PetCo’s flier and the Natural Balance IS on sale for $26.99. That means I could very well get it for $5.88 a bag!!!!!!! Holy geez! I know where I’ll be going in the morning!

• This reply was modified 11 years, 1 month ago by Akari_32.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Michael –

The reviews for Pinnacle products can be found here .

To see others’ opinions of Blue Buffalo you may wish to read through the user comments that follow the product reviews.

If you’re looking for budget friendly options here is our list of recommended budget friendly foods.

If you’re looking for a puppy food, here is our list of recommended puppy foods (it includes a list of foods appropriate for large and giant breeds).

Hope that helps.

[Naturella]

BCnut and Dori, thank you for taking the time to read through and answer my hidden question! I thought they are fatty formations too, but I didn’t think they could disappear like that! By the time they took her to the vet where she gets her grooming, they were gone and he had nothing to feel for! I am so happy that they trust and let me feed their dog as I see fit – I am very appreciative of it, and I try to be very cautious with what I buy for them, as long as it’s fairly good and a good deal. Basically I wouldn’t feed her something I wouldn’t feed Bruno. To my knowledge she has no known allergies (but she does have fleas and they use a topical… Yuck) but I prefer to give her grain free for as long as I can. The Wysong bag is not grain-free but I like the overall makeup of the food, so I hope she does well on it. I have also brought her a bunch of chews and she loved her lamb ear, and is now working on a stingray tail. She also has a split antler laying around. I am pretty excited she is responding so well to everything so far.

As for Zach, I don’t know much about bumps but I would do as the BCnut suggested. Just get them checked out.

[Naturella]

Hello, all!

I know we all have a passion for dog health and love to spread the word to other dog lovers. This thread can be for our success stories, if anyone cares to share.

For me, I have several (3, really). I think you have heard them before, but one is a close friend of mine who used to feed Shep and is now a crazy dog food lady like me, feeding 3.5-5-star foods, rotating all the time, and giving canned or THK as toppers. Another friend used to feed whatever Walmart carries and is cheap, so Beneful, Pedigree and the like. Now she feeds Victor, TOTW (every once in a while), Holistic Health Extension and Pure Balance, with various canned as toppers. The third story is the lady I babysit for and they used to feed their dog Kibbles ‘N’ Bits, Beneful, Iams, etc, and now I am in charge of their dog’s menu and I also shop the dog food for them on a budget, so she ate 3 bags of Dogswell LiveFree and is about to start a Wysong bag. She also had 2 bumps on or really close to her ribs before I started her food change, and I almost can’t believe it, but I can’t feel those bumps anymore! Is that even possible? I don’t know. I plan to get her 3-4 bags of various Earthborn Holistic next and maybe a bag of something else to stick in the middle. I’ll see what deals there may be around Black Friday online and in stores. She’s also been on a daily teaspoon of coconut oil for about a week now, and also I advised the family to use it as a “leave-in conditioner” after bathing her, so she gets it on her skin and coat as well. In a month or so she should have nice, healthy, shiny coat, in addition to loving her food and being more energetic. I want to introduce her also to having a lightly cooked or raw egg once a week and maybe some sardines too. I will take it slow though – I want them to notice the benefits of coconut oil first so that they know I am not doing crazy experiments with their dog, lol.

[Merry G]

I don’t understand how a dog’s BUN numbers can be elevated either by dehydration or a sign of kidney problems. You’d think that they wouldn’t even mention dehydration! He did tell me that she can live with it for quite some time before it worsens but didn’t say how quickly it can progress or what to watch for. She doesn’t really like the KD Science Diet and I found some dog food online that has low protein and I ordered a case hoping she’ll be happy eating it. I don’t mind making my own food for her. I’ve been boiling and crock potting chicken for her for more than a year because she decided regular dog food was beneath her “diva dignity.” I mix it with brown rice sometimes and she gets the broth and carrots too.
I like to squirt a bit of fish oil in her bowl but that dog can sniff it out and then she will not eat it!
I would have no problem cooking her whatever kind of food would be good for her I’m pretty much used to it now.

I read a paper written by a Vet about putting a dog on low protein food in the early stages of renal failure. His name is Kenneth Bovee, DVM, MmedSc, (Dept of Clinical Studies, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.) It reads kind of dry and technical but I did my best to understand it. It seems that there’s quite a controversy about if a low protein diet actually helps but Vets have been told it works so they’ve been recommending it for a long time.
I’ve read about herbal supplements that can help the kidneys function better, or “cure” renal failure but I don’t believe there’s a cure!

I appreciate all your feedback and I hope that I can help Sage live the rest of her time with us in a painless, quality way. I still marvel at what a dog can add to one’s life and how completely smitten we can become over them! I’ve had 4 boxers in my life and I’ve loved every one of them equally and my life was enriched by their love.

http://www.dogfoodscoop.com/support-files/bovee_protein_renal.pdf