[Akari_32]

Didn’t even think to see if it was reviewed yet! I checked a while back but hadn’t seen it then. Would 20% carbs be too much for a dog that’s always digging at themselves from yeast problems? He’s on by Nature 95% right now, but his eyes are getting tear stained, which he hasn’t had in 2 years since we brought him home (came eating on yucky Puppy Chow).

[Jennifer H]

Thank you, everyone for answering my post. To be honest with you, I never really researched dog foods until he ended up with Pancreatitis. We have always had poodles and none of them ever had issues until Milo. It was when the Pancreatitis happened, that I found this site and began to truly research dog foods. I agree with you magnoliasouth that Natures Recipe is not the best food. I really do not feel right feeding him something I can not eat and is not the best after educating myself on what is truly in pet foods. Truly, I do not know what caused the attack, I am just going by what the vet said, that pig ears are high in fat. Milo had only eaten his grain free dog food, grain free treats and a pig ear before his attack. My neighbors were aware of his allergies and I have again made it clear that he is to have nothing to eat. The vet said that it would be hard to determine exactly what caused the attack, they are just speculating the pig ear is the cause of it. As for the Royal Canin, i stopped it within about 2 days of purchasing the case of it from the vet. I now realize that the vet promotes that junk.

I have looked at the list of low fat/low sodium on here but I am still worried that some of them may still be too high in fat for him. My other worry is with a lot of the limited ingredient diets, there is a lot of starchy foods instead of grain, which promotes yeast. I am still working my way through the list and was not aware of the other thread with the low fat/low sodium foods, so I will look at that as well.

Corinne, your post has been so helpful to me, with lots of information. I do not feel it was preachy at all, but very very helpful. Unfortanately, I am not at all happy with my vet. There answer was and still is “royal canin”. Most of the time, I am speaking with a tech. My vet has dismissed my concerns about Milo’s food allergies and continually states that it’s “season allergies”. Not to seem more knowledgeable then the vet, but I know how Milo acts when he is having a food allergy. I am looking for another vet in the meantime. I did give Milo some Benadryl, but I did not give him the Prednisone after the attack. I honestly didn’t know it could cause Pancreatitis, and I am now wondering why the vet did not know this as well. They actually gave him Prednisone for another issue in April, so I am wondering now if that is what caused the pancreatitis.

With all my recent research, I did read about the pancreatic enzyme, which I am starting to give him. I would love to fed him a homemade diet w/ supplements. Another area I have read a lot about. Corinne, is there any pointers you can give me? Or maybe steer me in the right direction of recipes, supplements, etc. to begin dong this? Also, I have read that Chicken and Rice diet is ok to feed him, while I know it is not balanced, would it be ok to feed him this diet until I have his food situation under control?

You have given me so much direction, I am very thankful and plan on getting to work on as much as I can right away.

[Corinne M]

Hi Jennifer,
I completely feel for you – it can be overwhelming trying to digest all the information out there when you just want to make your pup feel better! I had a Golden Retriever who had a bout of pancreatitis, and I learned a lot in the process – maybe some of it can help you.
First I had some concerns about Milo reading your post – and I want to address them without sounding preachy or condescending, so please understand that I am approaching this as if you have the level of knowledge that I had when it happened to my dog (very little knowledge). So forgive me if some of this is just plain simplistic and maybe obvious.
I never learned what caused the pancreatitis in my dog – there are theories, but the best experts I talked to said it could have been just plain old bad luck. What there seems to be agreement among the experts is that, once a dog has a single an episode of pancreatitis, everything changes – dietary needs, vaccine protocol, immune support, medication sensitivity, everything… FOR LIFE. That sucks, right? But it’s assumed that the pancreas is now more fragile or less efficient than it once was, and the goal becomes avoiding another bout of pancreatitis.
So you’re already working on the first step – which is diet; low protein, highly digestible, etc. etc. Essentially, a diet that doesn’t stress out his pancreas.
A compromised pancreas essentially means a problem in the digestive tract, which is why I wanted to respond to you. Digestive problems are often tied to things you are describing in Milo, like food sensitivity, itchy skin, loose bowels, yeast infections & immune deficiency. A healthy pancreas releases digestive enzymes into the digestive tract which then help to breakdown the good food you feed him so that his body can utilize all those wonderful nutrients. So the first step that you are already tackling, “what high quality food can I use?” is critical! Unfortunately, I don’t know – I feed homemade – but I trust that you will get some wisdom from this site & through your research will get that answer. But the NEXT steps are equally important, and here’s where I hope my experience can help you.
Part of the dietary changes you must make is supplementing with pancreatic enzymes. Ask your vet or do some research. I used a formula that was specifically recommended for my dog based on tests run by his endocrinologist – and my dog was a 90 pound, 14 year old Golden – so I can’t tell you what’s right for Milo. However, I can tell you that minimally, Dr. Pitcairn’s book says just pick up a human grade digestive enzyme from the vitamin store and give ½ capsule with each meal. That would be better than nothing.
Without proper food digestion, the best, highest quality diet won’t give Milo the nutrients he needs. So don’t skip this step.
Next, vaccine protocol. Dogs with compromised pancreas should follow a more “minimal” vaccine protocol. Ask your vet, or google Dr. Jean Dodd’s vaccine protocol to get additional information.
Immune support: here’s where I think Milo really would benefit from your research and discussions with your vet. The food symptoms you describe (itchy skin, loose stools, yeast imbalance, etc.) sound to me like two things going on: 1) problems in the gut – which will be dealt with thru diet & supplements; and 2) a weak immune system. The skin is a wonderful organ for telling us when our dogs’ immune systems are struggling. A dog with a healthy immune system will be pretty resilient when it comes to yeast & other skin flare ups. A balanced complete diet, fully digested with the help of enzymes may go a long way toward giving him relief – but you probably need to look into some immune support supplements to help him recover initially. Ask your vet, or look into having his immune system tested at http://www.hemopet.org the lab report will include a review by Dr. Dodds who can suggest a specific immune support protocol for Milo. I used Moducare (Thorne Labs) plus other specific herbs & vitamins.
Medication sensitivity: And here is where you are not going to like me…Prednisone is not something I would give to a dog 30 days after pancreatitis. I absolutely understand why it was prescribed (to make your itchy dog less miserable), and frankly, I don’t know of any substitute that will do the trick. The problem is, Prednisone is a corticosteroid and can actually trigger a bout of pancreatitis. It is absolutely not safe for Milo right now…sorry. Google it or ask your vet if this seems like questionable advise – but I can’t stress enough, NO PREDNISONE.
I hope you take this in the spirit offered – advice from a fellow pet owner who adores her pets. And hope Milo is on the mend soon!
Corinne

[Jennifer H]

My toy poodle, Milo, had Pancreatitis the end of May. A few years ago he was diagnosed with Wheat Allergies and our vet at the time recommended Natures Recipe Grain Free Dry Dog Food. He had been eating that food for years without any issues. He is prone to occasional ear infections. He has been seeing his current vet for less then a year. When he came home from the hospital after the pancreatitis, the vet sent him home with Royal Canin dog food and the tech at the vet said that after he was finished eating the Royal Canin they sent me home with, that he could go back to eating his regular pet food. He just need to not eat anything that was high in fat or salt. My poodle is big. He weighs about 17lbs. He is not overweight for his size, just a big poodle. A neighbor was feeding him pig ears without our knowledge so I thought perhaps this had caused the Pancreatitis. Anyway, I tried to put him back on his regular food and he refused to eat it. It was a dry kibble. I brought this to the vets attention and at that time they said they wanted him to remain on Royal Canin. I purchased a case without reading the ingredients first and I couldn’t believe I was feeding this to my pet. Milo has changed eating this food. He is constantly hungry. He begs for food, pesters you until you give him something more to eat and he has begun to scratch non-stop. He has been getting non-stop ear infections, biting and licking his paws and has very loose stool. I have left dry food down for him to eat, but he will not eat it. The symptoms he shows with the ears and biting/licking are usually signs I have seen in him in the past when he had food allergies. I returned to the vet and they did not think this was a big deal. The vet tech actually commented that it sounds like my dog likes the Royal Canin. (um, no I don’t think so either) They gave me more prednisone and told me to give him 1 Benadryl, twice a day, every day.
On the Benadryl, all Milo does is sleep. He acts spaced out. He is still scratching like crazy. I have read so much information on so many topics that my head is spinning. I feel so bad for my little guy and I am at a loss as to what to do for him. I have looked into different pet foods, but most of the high quality foods that are grain free are loaded with starch or fat. Any advice anyone could give me would be so much appreciated. I have tried diluted vinegar rinses and it seems to help for the night, but the next day he is back to scratching non stop. Is there any foods out there that are low fat, with no starch and no grains? I have tried a few brands that have quality ingredients, but I have found they have a lot of starch (potatoes, sweet potatoes, in gravy) and while he has enjoyed the food, it is not helping with the itching. I would prefer ingredients that are ok for human consumption (I don’t want to eat it, but I want him to have the best). I have tried MyPerfectPet, but it is loaded with potatoes and he has scratched even more. I have read so much that my head is spinning and I am at a loss. I just want him to be happy and healthy. Thanks again in advance.

[Corinne M]

Hi Ashlee,
I feel compelled to respond to your post because I also found this site when I got interested in dog nutrition after one of my dogs developed health issues…and to be honest, it hasn’t been an easy road. However, I can tell you that the journey has resulted in major improvements in all of my dogs’ health & wellness. And I’m committed to continuing the journey – but it’s daunting at times, expensive (but the costs are offset by reduced vet bills), and sometimes overwhelming. I made some mistakes along the way, mostly in trying to get the supplements right & balancing the calcium/phosphorus ratio in homemade/raw feeding – but fortunately, my dogs are healthy and thriving on a natural diet. So if my experience can help others to avoid some of the pitfalls along the way, that would be great.

So here’s my 2 cents based on what I read above: I would start with Cookie, since she has cancer & arthritis (and is over weight) I think she’s in greatest need. This may be “off subject”, but the first thing I would do is cease any vaccines completely. Her immune system is compromised by the cancer, so your vet should be able to give you a waiver if you need one in order to keep her “tags” current – if your local jurisdiction wont accept a vet’s waiver, you can pay for titer testing in lieu of vaccination. But to be honest, I don’t think you would/should have to go thru that expense ( I can elaborate if you need help getting around city requirements). Next I would get a consult with Dr. Jean Dodds at Hemolife http://www.hemopet.org/veterinary-diagnostic-laboratory.html
you can do this by phone or email if you are not located in southern California. Call her and explain Cookie’s situation & that you are looking to switch her diet. She can tell you what labwork would be appropriate to determine a course of action (especially testing Cookie’s immune system & inflammatory issues) you can print the lab order from her website & have your vet do the blood draw & have your vet send it to her for the testing. Ask her to call you with the results and her recommendations – she can tell you what supplements to use to assist with Cookie’s immune support & inflammation/ arthritis. I would ask Dr. Dodds about raw feeding for Cookie – if her immune system is an issue, you may want to buy a high quality prepared raw food like Bravo Balance http://www.bravorawdiet.com/product/balance/index.html and *lightly* cook it – just enough to be extra safe. Of course, getting Cookie’s weight down to optimum level will help with the arthritis – if you feed her the Bravo Balance at the amount appropriate to her *ideal* weight, her weight should normalize in a few months without her feeling deprived. Bravo’s website has a feeding calculator you can use to determine the amount to feed – just remember to plug in her ideal weight, not her actual weight. Here’s a link: http://www.bravorawdiet.com/product/feeding/howmuch.html
I only suggest a prepared raw diet because it takes a lot of the guesswork out of feeding a “nutritionally complete” raw diet – and it sounds like Cookie needs help ASAP. As for cost, assuming Cookie’s ideal weight was 60 pounds, you would feed 1.2 lbs of food per day and I think a 5 lb chub of their balanced brand is like $27 – so her food would be about $42 per week. When I make raw/homemade my cost is about $2 to $5 per pound, depending on my protein source (and not including cost of supplements). Expensive – but I’ve saved a TON on vet bills; my dogs never get skin issues or yeast infections anymore.

As for the other dogs and your journey to switch to raw, there are some great resources here on this site and suggestions for other resources – just read everything you can get your hands on and learn about the diet/wellness connection. If you find it challenging at first maybe switch first to a home made diet, then take the leap to raw when you are ready. At least with home cooked you have control over your ingredients & can deal with specific ailments (like Mia’s yeast infections) by eliminating foods that are common culprits for yeast imbalances.
Best of luck to you in your journey!
Corinne

[losul]

Hi Sue66b,

I know you are trying to be helpful, like everyone else, and I truly feel for you and Patch.

You might find it counterintuitive, but I actually thought Betsy’s suggestion for trying ACV was a reasonable and sensible one with little harm done if it didn’t work. It works or it doesn’t. I think there’s a decent chance it could’ve helped, and if it were me I would have been willing to give a try, if only for a short period. It’s inexpensive, non-toxic, and could actually have been a simple solution. It would have been much better if it had been tried sooner before Lisa’s pup’s situation became as dire, but at least it’s good that her pup is now going back to the vet today.

You actually said “ask ur new vet can you have a script & try the Metronidazole,” ( I’ve seen you say similar to others) Vets know all about metronidazole and prednisone without asking them or pressuring them to “try” it. Metronidazole is a very important antibiotic/drug, but can be dangerous and one that shouldn’t be taken indiscriminately, especially not to just to “try” it for diarrhea without knowing what may be causing it. It has some immuno-suppressive and anti-inflammatory effects in the digestive system, but how often is that temporary and not getting to the root problem? It’s a good thing human doctors don’t prescribe it as freely as some vets seem to, or at least I hope they don’t, and especially with repeated and/or higher dosage rounds. Ask any woman that had to take flagyl(metro) at high and/or repeated dosages for certain bacterial infections. Chances are they then expirienced serious yeast overgrowth, or a new yeast infection,- oral thrush, esophageal thrush, vaginal candida, etc., and then had to take fluconazole for the yeast infection. There’s also the issue of certain bacteria selectively building up resistance such as clostridium, staph species, etc. In some humans, sometimes even vancomycin is sometimes no longer very effective against serious c. difficile infections. Hopefully for those folks, whose benificial bacterial flora has been obliterated and can’t seem to ever get the upper hand, fecal matter transplants from healthy donors could hold the key. And maybe some day for dogs also….
__________________________________________________________________
My intent is NOT to scare folks from metronidazole altogether, just to make them more aware, not to take it’s usuage lightly. As I’ve said, it’s a VERY important drug when it’s really needed.
_____________________________________________________________________

Nothing to do with you Sue, but for others-I’m a firm believer that it should not be used as a first line defense for giardia, when there is a safer, cheaper, usually more effective, non antibiotic alternative-fenbendazole (panacur).

Here’s what CAPC Companion Animals Parasite Council says;

No drugs are approved for treatment of giardiasis in dogs and cats in the United States.

Metronidazole is the most commonly used extra-label therapy; however, efficacies as low as 50% to 60% are reported. Safety concerns also limit the use of metronidazole in dogs and cats.

Albendazole is effective against Giardia but is not safe in dogs and cats and should not be used.

Fenbendazole (50 mg/kg SID for 3 to 5 days) is effective in eliminating Giardia infection in dogs. Fenbendazole is approved for Giardia treatment in dogs in Europe, and available experimental evidence suggests that it is more effective than metronidazole in treating Giardia in dogs.

and their reccomendations;

CAPC recommendations for treatment of dogs

Administer fenbendazole (50 mg/kg SID) for 5 days.

Alternatively, fenbendazole (50 mg/kg SID) may be administered in combination with metronidazole (25 mg/kg BID) for 5 days. This combination therapy may result in better resolution of clinical disease and cyst shedding.

If treatment combined with bathing (see Control and Prevention) does not eliminate infection (as evidenced by testing feces for persistence of cysts), treatment with either fenbendazole alone or in combination with metronidazole may be extended for another 10 days.

http://www.capcvet.org/capc-recommendations/giardia/

—————-

Metronidazole is known to cause cancer in mice and rats, it’s not proven to do so in humans or dogs, but here’s what the U.S. National

Toxicology Program (NTP) says;

“Metronidazole is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen based on sufficient evidence of carcinogenicity from studies in experimental animals”

http://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/ntp/roc/twelfth/profiles/metronidazole.pdf

————————

[Kim L]

Very long story short, my vet recently noticed a really slight heart murmur in my 17-pound Shih Tzu Lhasa mix. She suggested Krill oil (as opposed to standard fish oil) to help with his heart and his flaky skin.

I currently have him on Horizon Pulsar Fish Formula (very low glycemic as he has issues with yeast). However, as it is a fish formula, I would not want to give him too much fish oil. This is what Dog Food Advisor says about the fish oil already in the food: “The sixth ingredient is salmon oil. Salmon oil is naturally rich in the prized EPA and DHA type of omega-3 fatty acids. These two high quality fats boast the highest bio-availability to dogs and humans.” I have been looking into Dr. Mercola’s krill oil, and it says to give about one pump per 10 pounds. Does that seem excessive with fish-based food, or no?

This may be a silly question, but I just do not want to give him too much if the food already contains some, and also want to be sure that Krill oil is, in fact, better than an omega-3 fish oil supplement. Thanks!

[Ashlee S]

Hi, I’m new to the forum. But long time dog owner. I currently have three large dogs. I know all of my dogs would benefit to a raw diet but I’m lost on where to start. My dogs are currently fed on taste of the wild. I’m more than happy to research a lot on my own but I could use some help on where to start. What to feed? How much?

Here’s a little info on my dogs, if it might help.

Cookie who is the oldest is turning 12 years on the 24th, she’s a female Labrador weighing around 65 pounds. Cookie is overweight, she has cancer and arthritis. She can’t walk far distances and isn’t comfortable swimming any more, so exercise isn’t the easiest way to her weight off. Cookie, although overweight she doesn’t eat much. She is a retried mom who quickly gained the weight when she was spayed late at the age of 7 years. And I have yet to get her weight off. Although she has cancer and arthritis she is active for her age and condition. She’s fine with small walks around the block but anything more she limps her way home.

Mia, is my female bloodhound. Mia is 6 years old,she has a long chronic past of yeast infections in her ears which have significantly gone down since switching to TOTW. Mia’s a very active girl. It’s very easy to control her weight, compared to my other two dogs. She does eat A LOT but she never strays from her weight too much. Usually a steady 85 pounds. She’s eating 3 1/2 cups a day of just kibble with occasional raw cow bone

Bentley is the hardest to keep his weight. He is currently overweight, I’m getting his weight down right now by cutting back his food and feeding vegetables and raw cow bones recommended by his vet. Bentley is a heeler/hound/lab mix. I adopted him back in August of 2013. He’s a year old. He’s closer to the size of a heeler than anything but weight wise he’s a hound/lab. Last time he was weighed he was 63 pounds a few weeks ago.

I exercise my dogs daily besides cookie who can’t handle daily walks. I take them swimming at least once a week and hiking once a week but they get daily walks and runs. So lack of exercise isn’t the problem it’s balancing their food.

I know I need to make this decision on my own but there’s no problem with suggestions. If you could help steer me in the right way you suggest would most benefit my dogs I would greatly appreciate it.

And also if you could estimate on monthly costs, I would greatly appreciate it. Or Estimate on how much to feed so I could estimate the cost. But would GREATLY appreciate any links or forums you know of where I can start my research in raw feeding that would be great. 😀

Thanks!

Just for a reference of my dog’s here is a picture
http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/yy312/bloodhound74/10269495_10204245391361703_3714956536614035392_n_zpsaecdda73.jpg

[Cordell N]

Hello,
I home cook for my three dogs. A 7 month old Australian Shepherd, a senior Boston Terrier and a senior Bassett Hound. I make their food in a crock pot twice a week.
I use a combination of meats which usually include chicken thighs or chicken quarters and ground beef and chicken gizzards. I also add ground lamb if I can find it in the discount area.
I throw in carrots, green beans and other vegetables from my garden like squash and tomatoes. If I have some fruit that needs to be eaten I throw that in also. I add some water and cook until done. I remove the everything and debone the chicken and mash with a potatoes masher and mix well. I then cook my carbs in the liquid. Sometimes rice, potatoes, lentils, oats or barley. I least that cook until very well done add a can of pumpkin and mix it all together. I would estimate that the meat comprises about 75% of their diet.

I add a supplement I make at feeding that includes ground egg shell, nutritional yeast, kelp powder, lecithin granules, ground multivitamins, salmon oil, yogurt, apple cider with the mother and Brazil nuts. I also put a cube or two of cooked beef liver or canned sardines on top a couple of times a week.
I would like to add some raw food and bones to their routine.
I bought the following at the Asian and Mexican markets.
Chicken and turkey necks
Pork neck bones
Beef feet cut up
Pork heart.
My questions are can I give a neck a couple of tomes a week as a treat?
Are raw pork neck bones and cut up raw beef feet safe as treats?
Should I cook the pork heart in the crock pot with my other meat or serve a small portion raw on top of their cooked food?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Cordell

[theBCnut]

The next dose of antibiotics might kill off most of them, but it will keep some nasties from being able to take over. That’s why us ladies are supposed to eat yogurt 2 or 3 times a day when we take antibiotics. We keep replenishing the probiotics that the antibiotics kill off so yeast can’t take over in their absence.

[theBCnut]

I alway give probiotics with antibiotics and my dr and my vet, both, back me up on this. Giving the probiotics an hour after a dose of antibiotics helps to keep yeast and bad bacteria in check.

[RescueDaneMom]

I am using See Spot Live Longer and Urban Wolf right now. I like both and will continue to use both. My Dane gets bored quickly with food flavors so I have to rotate a lot. The Honest Kitchen Preference has too much sweet potato in it for him, he gets yeasty from it. He didn’t like the Grandma Lucy’s Pureformance at all, guessing it’s the chickpeas.

Edit: Sandy, the Carnivore Raw looks like a good option for me. I like that they make a version you can add when grinding bone. It looks like it will go a long way too. 1 jar makes 40lbs worth of raw with bone. Thanks for sharing about Carnivore Raw. I will definitely be looking into it more.

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

[Susan]

Yes terri, Elimination diets are best, but you can do ur own home cooked or raw, instead of the kibble, I found my boy cant have Potatos or sweet potatos makes him itch more, I started with just boiled chicken breast & pumkin, then after 2 weeks I added some sweet potato & within 2 days his ears were itching, so I stopped the sweet potatos & his ears stop itching, then I added a boiled egg, he was fine, I started gaving him a little bit of banana as a treat he was fine but I noticed that he started to get his yeasty stinky smell again & I looked up bananas & they are a high carb fruit that converts to sugar that causes yeast, so now Im stopping the banana, he’s not a happy camper, he loves his banana, Im sick of cooking & freezing chicken every 10 days, Im using tuna or salmon now instead of the chicken, my vet said try goat, I went to the butcher & he said that goat is dearer then lamb, around $35 a kilo, that idea went out the door, The vet did skin scrapping & got stuff out of his ears & he too came back negitive for yeast but he itched & stank like a bread shop, real stinky yeast smell..so I dont understand, Ive googled high carb fruit & vegies & I stay away from them…I will not try the steriods as I saw on one of Dr Karen Becker videos the steriods just mask the problem, a band-aid as soon as u stop the steriods the problem comes back, I think the enviornment adds to Patches itch problem as well, we walk alot so just rubbing against a plant, grass or sniffing pollen in the air can set them off, next dog will not have any white on their bodies, the vet said white dogs are normally more prone to skin problems..
If your dog can stomach raw, then raw is best for elimination diets, there’s no carbs, that’s why Id say alot of dogs have these itchy problems….also alot of these grainfree kibbles have potatos, peas, sweet potatos, lentils, barley, legumes…

[Terri M]

After several skin scrapings to rule out sarcopic mange, demodectic mange and yeast (all negative), my vet wants us to try an elimination diet. Royal Canin specific protein -Rabbit/potato was what they wanted him to try along with wet rabbit food to mix with the dry. Have any of you had success with this food regimen? We’ve been asked to do this for eight weeks. I have two other frenchies (both brindle) with no skin/coat issues. This sweet boy is honey blonde. We also have him on omega-derm which I put on his food once daily. We have also done the corticosteroid injection followed by antibiotic and steroid therapy which worked for a while, but the skin condition came back. Prior to this, I had switched him to Acana a Grasslands grain free with wet food. I also use a special allergy anti-shampoo. I’m at my wits end trying to help my little guy. Any suggestions/advice are welcomed!

[Susan]

Hi Amy, its not the Frontline, frontline only penetrates the first 1-2 layers of their skin, My boy had a reaction to Advantage DO NOT USE the Advantage penetrates thru the skin to their blood, within 24hrs one side of my boys head swelled up his ear & his bottom lip swelled, & he was vomiting blood early hours of the morning, at first I didnt think the Advantage until I rung his vet. the best way to know whats happening is an elimination diet, for 1 month you just feed 1 new protein & say boiled pumkin or rice nothing else no treats nothing, thats if you think it could be foods, I used chicken in Patches elimantion diet but now I think Patch cant have chicken as the lumps on his head that look like hives got worst, Patches vet said that he has seasonal allergies & cause I just rescued him 19 months ago she said I’ll start to see a pattern, I noticed last winter Patch was good, no itch but the end of summer Patch got all his hive like lumps, itching & rubbing along the wall, this winter Patch has his hive like lumps again, so I look in Patches diary & last winter I wasnt feeding him chicken, this winter I was feeding chicken, so Ive stopped the chicken…Ive heard all these test are no good as they give false readings the best would be if you could try him on raw, Im just starting a new kibble called Wellness Simple it has limited ingredients, also watch his carbs, no potatoes, no sweet potatoes, no carrots no high carbs that turn to sugar that makes yeasty itchy skin.. If he can handle it i’d feed raw.. & google a good Raw diet for itchy skin..Ive been thinking of putting Patch on Raw but he has IBD & I have enough trouble trying to find a low fat kibble, so raw would have to much fat for Patch..also there could be a plant or grass in ur garden or on his walks that he’s allergic to, I’ve changed Patches walking route to see if that helps….Its winter here in Australia, so if Patch has enviornment allergies or seasonal allergies like his vet said, why is he getting them now being winter & he didnt last year, thats whats making me look at his food this year, I use Malaseb Medicated shampoo, & I use a cortisone cream when he gets some of the red itchy sores, I found the cortsone 1% cream is excellent Im just using my cream…just look at the ingredients in his kibble & see if there’s Potatos sweet potatos carrots, lentils any high carb foods…A friend from the dog park had a staffy that was so itchy he was red & losing his fur she tried the vet diets they didnt work then she tried the Holistic Select Adult health Anchovys sardines & salmon & her boy is looking excellent not scratching fur all grown back..so a few people from the dog park are using the Holistic Select with great results… Im also given Patch tuna & pumkin for breakfast to replace the chicken & his hives have gone. sorry for the book..Oh a good dog probiotic this will help too…good-luck

[Michele N]

I’ve done my research with my dog for the past 5 years, as he’s had issues since I’ve had him. I KNOW how to read a label, and believe me, I’ve spent more time doing that than anyone I know. I am not an idiot that doesn’t know how to read ingredients, and I am offended at Dinovite, who sent me an ingredient list, of a dog food, that is NOT even what I feed my dog. Maybe THEY should do their research before sending out an email of an ingredient list of a completely different dog food then what I feed my dog. It’s pretty ignorant if you ask me. I have the privilege of knowing pet nutritionist, holistic vets, and have come to my own conclusions, that feeding raw is the very best option, especially if you use your own human food, because then you know exactly what your dog is eating. Unfortunately I cannot afford to feed him this on a daily basis, nor do I always have the time to prepare it for my 3. I am lucky to have 2 excellent pet food stores, not big commercial chain stores, that actually do their research and buy high quality dog and cat food. I switched to grain free years ago, but until I found a brand that used a very limited amount of ingredients did my poor allergy sufferer get any true relief and his skin infection cleared up,and all of his fur grew back. I also think taking him to an allergist and having him tested for every ingredient in dog food, is not only ridiculously expensive, but it’s a huge waste of money. The fact being that the dog food companies use fillers with their mix of vitamins, some of which come from China and India. This is NOT listed on the ingredients on any package including this Dinovite stuff. So that being said, none of us REALLY know every single ingredient in dog food, or premixed vitamins, like Dinovite. Who knows where they get the fillers used to bind the vitamin mix. Who knows for sure what is truly in it? Fact is, my dog is allergic to the outside environment and there isn’t anything I can do to prevent that, which is partly why I wanted to try this Dinovite to help him with this time of year, as they claim the vitamin mix helps dogs with yeast and allergy issues. But instead of helping him, it made him break out with red bumps all over his body, and now we have to deal with a skin infection. There is obviously something in this product that he is very allergic to. So my question is, why is this company putting ingredients in their product, that could cause these severe allergic reactions in dogs that already have immune suppressed systems? Why are they telling people to put their dogs on a yeast free, and grain free diet, yet put those ingredients in their supplement? It seems highly irresponsible of this company to CLAIM to help these dogs, only to make them worse. I can use my own supplements in my dogs food, which is what I was doing, without issues, so I guess, yes , I should’ve known better. Any product out there that CLAIMS to be a cure all, is really a SCAM! I have learned to trust my better judgement, and know that most of these pet products are full of crap. Literally! Also explain to me why when I emailed Dinovite, telling them since putting my dog on it, he is itchier, that,they told me that I need to keep him on it longer because I haven’t given it enough time to do it’s work? Maybe they need to hire some reputable people that give out good advice instead of just caring about their pocket book. Maybe they need to put a disclaimer on their product, stating that this supplement may actually make your dog sicker than he was before starting him on it, and may require you taking him to the vet and paying out enormous vet bills to fix the problem that our product may cause your pet. This product may have helped other dogs that don’t have poor immune systems that can handle the crap they put in this product.

[Bobby dog]

Hey Akari and C4c:
How do you like my Avatar? It’s Archie, my hyperthyroid kitty. I finally took the time to pick a photo. Lol

I am glad you’re considering probiotics! I threw kefir out there because I know you are kinda taking on the costs of Bentley even though he’s not your responsibility. It has 11 strains of probiotics and it costs between $3 to $4; awesome price for that many beneficial strains. To answer your question about dosage for small dogs 1 tsp – 1 Tb. I dose my cat daily due to his health issues; Bobby gets kefir 2x/wk. More dosage info is on the Ottawa Whisperer link.

Swanson is always recommended by regular DFA posters so I think you are making a great choice. Buy one get one free, better yet! I would even give it to Alec and your guys a few times a week. I agree with C4c, if you are going to spend the money for a probiotic you should buy one with the most strains to get his immune system back on track, the whole point of adding probiotics. The grapefruit yeast supplement only has two strains; IMO that would be something to try when he is healthy again. I also am not sure of the “yeast” included in the title. The probiotic complex is a little better, it has five.

[Akari_32]

How do these look?

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/swanson-probiotics-dr-stephen-langers-ultimate-16-strain-probioticwith-fos-60-veg-caps

Or this one?

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/swanson-ultra-probiotic-complex-120-veg-drcaps

Ooh, look at this yeast one!

http://www.swansonvitamins.com/swanson-condition-specific-formulas-yeast-defense-essentials-120-caps

[Michele N]

I have a 5 year old German Shepherd who has had allergies since he was just a pup. We have tried just about everything out on the market to relieve his itching. He has itched his fur off at times, and it is black underneath. He has a yeasty smell to him. He had to be on steroid shots when he was younger due to his terrible outbreaks and skin infections. He gets worse in the summer, but his problem went year round. Until I got sick of having him on high doses of Benadryll and taking him to the vet for the allergy medicine, which really didn’t help the problem, just gave him a little relief. After a year of me spending hours of researching nutrition , and yeast problems in dogs, I stumbled upon a dog food, that pretty much saved my dogs life. It is Dr. E’s Limited Ingredient Grain and Potato Free Food. It only contains 5 ingredients. For the first time in his life, my dogs fur grew back and he stopped itching and he didn’t smell anymore. I also have him on supplements, probiotics, digestive enzymes by Mercola, Jointsaver, & Lysine. This spring came all the pollens and grass which he is also allergic to, and he started itching again. Although this time he didn’t scratch off his fur. He just had some hot spots, and so I had a friend suggest trying Dinovite, because he said it was helping his dog. I can say that since I put him on this supplement, about a week and a half, he has been itching himself until he bleeds. I emailed the company and they said that was not enough time for the product to work. So I continued a couple more days, and now I am ready to toss this stuff in the garbage. I am so steaming furious, that this company would put out a product that contains yeast as an ingredient, and a ground grain sorghum, and then tell you to put your dog on a yeast and grain free diet, makes no sense to me. I don’t know where they source their ingredients, maybe China, I don’t know, but what I do know is that my dog hasn’t been this bad off in years. He has red bumps all over his legs, back, stomach, groin, even his tail. He is so miserable, that now I may have to have him go back on the terrible medicine I wanted him off of. He has bad hips and elbows and arthritis, so the last thing he needs to be on are steroids. But now it seems as if he has a horrible skin infection after being on this product. We haven’t changed anything else in his diet , so I know for sure, that this reaction is caused from the Dinovite. I absolutely DO NOT recommend giving ANY dog this product that has allergies, immune disorders, pancreatic disorders, or skin problems. He was doing oK, with his allergies, he was itchy, but he didn’t have these red bumps all over his body, and he wasn’t scratching himself bloody. Now I am going to have a huge vet bill, on top of a very miserable dog. I am One very UNHAPPY customer. I should have known better. The less ingredients he has in his diet , the better. There is no miracle cure for allergies, and any product that claims to be, is lying. The only thing you can really do, is limit your dogs ingredients, find a food that has limited ingredients or feed a raw diet so that you know exactly what your dog is eating. Use human grade supplements recommended by a holistic vet, and research dog nutritionists and find one and talk to one if you can. And if you dog is allergic to pollen and grass like mine is, give them baths frequently after they’ve been outside. I use Zymox enzymatic shampoo and rinse. I also have used Dermagic and all of their products are fantastic, especially the hot spot salve. It doesn’t just sooth the itchy skin, it takes the hot spots away. I am mad that I got sucked in to this SCAM at my dogs expense!

[Bobby dog]

Selenium yeast is the natural form of sodium selenite. I assume pet food companies use ss as opposed to sy because it is cheaper; the natural form is best. It looks like a nice choice.

Akari, ever think about probiotics for Bentley? An affordable way to add probiotics is to buy plain kefir. Since he has responded to the his new feed and bathing routine, I would bet (and I only bet on sure things!) probiotics would really send him on his way to better health. I use Lifeway from Wal-Mart; they have coupons on their website too.

http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.com/2012/05/foods-rich-in-probiotics-beneficial-for.html

http://www.drharveys.com/blog/tag/148

Bobby loves it, but I can only get one of my cats to eat it by mixing it in his food. Luckily it’s the kitty who needs it the most, the hyperthyroid kitty. I give it to Bobby a few times a week. I give it to my cat daily, it has made such a huge difference in his skin and fur. I do plan to buy probiotics to mix in food for the rest of my cats, just haven’t decided on which one yet. Since I am only feeding two animals I freeze it in icecube trays and put a cube in the refridgerator to thaw for the morning.

[Akari_32]

Daaaang, that is a good price! I may look into that…. lol I have so much dry food right now, and probably 20 cans, for the big dogs that I don’t know if I even have the space for anything else! I wonder how long it’ll be on sale for….? I’ll swing by in a couple days and check it out lol

I was really liking the looks of this canned food for Bentley because it was salmon based, which should give him some extra good stuff for his skin, but I see that it has Selenium Yeast in it. Thoughts?

http://www.petflow.com/product/Artemis/artemis-osopure-salmon-formula-canned-dog-food

[Bobby dog]

C4c & Anita:
Those amounts that C4c wrote in her post about feeding her cats is almost exactly how I feed my cats and they are mostly outdoor kitties.

My big hyperthyroid kitty gets a little more canned food when he wants it. His weight is good and since he has health issues I figure he needs a little extra nourishment. He eats the best out of all my kitties because he is not finicky. My other kitties are still addicted to fish, dry food, and kitty crack (a.k.a. Purina). lol

Akari:
Pick up some more by Nature since it’s still on sale along with the EVO 95%. IMO that’ll do for a rotation for now and both foods are within your budget.

I quickly looked at PS selections and keeping your budget in mind and ruling out Simmons I believe EVO is your only choice for a balanced 95%; nice choice IMO. I’ll check out the GF selections to see if there is something you might want to consider as a back-up when I have a bit more time.

I don’t blame you for wanting to stick with 95% foods, I am sure this is really helping to heal his skin. I fed (and still do) PB 95% for two months straight, maybe more, without rotating any other canned foods while I was getting Bobby’s yeasty/dermatitis skin healed. That was the only 95% that fit my budget other then when I could find other brands on sale. I think Bentley having two nice brands is pretty good! 🙂

Do you need to stock up on canned food for your guys? Did you see the awesome deal they had on Solid Gold canned food? If there was a PS near me I would be buying out their stock of Solid Gold! 😉
http://www.petsupermarket.com/products/petsupermarket/dog/dog-food/solid-gold-dog-food.aspx

[Bobby dog]

I love Grandmas, I miss mine!! 🙂

EVO 95% is a good choice. I think you want to try and aim for around 20% carbs until his yeasty skin is under control. Remember to keep fat %’s in mind too.

I am not sure who cans TOTW, I never fed that brand. You can also try to match PB 95% protein and fat %’s with other foods since he did well on it.

I’ll check out the Pet Supermarket list too.

[Akari_32]

So I just took all the Pure Balance 95% back to the store. I showed the lady a picture of the huge black spot in the food and she was like “Ewwwwwwww!!!”

So that leaves us with only the By Nature right now. I’m going to email THK and see if they have a carb percentage on their grain free recipes, and I’m also going to be looking into other canned foods.

When looking at sites like PetFlow and Chewy, what searches should I be using? I was putting in low glycemic, since yeast feeds off sugary and starchy and whatever things, but I don’t really know if thats exactly what I should be looking for, since I know on PetFlow that EVO 95% doesn’t come up under that search.

Also, about what percentage of carbs should I be looking at? I know for the cat I aim for less than 3% for anything that makes up the bulk of his diet, but is that even possible in a dog food thats $2 or less for a 13 oz can?

[Travis A]

Zach’s Quality Dog Food is $0.66/LB for their puppy food and their most expensive is still only $0.75/LB and their food is rated 4.5 stars on here and ingredients only have 3 red: Brewers dried yeast, beet pulp, and garlic. That’s the same with all their products. I currently have my 2 boys Pit/(boxer/lab) mixes and they love it and are doing well on it. I purchased their puppy product and it was $32.50 for 50lb bag. For a 4.5 even a 4 star food that’s unheard of, i did the research as it seemed questionable for that price but it all seems to check out as a good quality company and product. I have posted this brand recently on a few blogs but that’s because i do believe it to be a good quality kibble that’s extremely affordable and way cheaper than other comparable products at least in my recent findings, hope this helps.

[Anita L]

C4C and BObby’s Mom:
I actually love flavoring things with it and don’t mind the smell of white vinegar….I clean/dust with it and like the smell. Smells “clean” to me. HaHa

Somehow I missed the ACV foot bath link. But, I used to dip their feet in a white vinegar solution to help with the allergies that I now know is yeast. Sometimes it’s the simple things….that I forget! 🙂 This is a definite that I will do this afternoon.

Aw Poo! I meant UNrefined (on the coconut oil) being the same as virgin…..brain going in too many directions at once. 🙂

When I get ready for the canned, I guess I’ll be heading to WM. Oh how I hate WM! I will definitely have my list together and have plenty of time to wait in the long lines. Hopefully it’ll be fine. Thanks for the info on the amounts!

Man! I’m loving this! (I’m such a nerd!) 😉

[Bobby dog]

Hi Anita:
Thanks for the link!

I get the ACV thing. I am bizarre, love the taste. Anyway, I only posted the information because it’s what helped Bobby through his yeasty skin issues. Every dog is different so what worked for us may or may not work for others. 😉 Did you happen to see the ACV foot bath suggestion for itchy paws? I think it is under the WDJ skin condition link.

For organic coco oil you want unrefined rather than refined. I have seen many descriptions on line, virgin, extra virgin, unrefined, cold pressed. These descriptions are referring to the process used to make the oil that keeps the most healthy benefits.

As far as using a canned topper, your pups would benefit most from a GF or 95% canned food. The most budget friendly 5 star 95% is Pure Balance from Wal-Mart ($1.25/can). I will check out my dog food spread sheet to see what I have used in the past for GF or 95% and I am sure other posters will have some suggestions for you too. Some 95% foods are only for supplemental feeding because they don’t have any added vitamins. I don’t think that it is a worry unless you decide to only feed something like this as a topper, then you would want to make sure you feed enough kibble to ensure they get their vitamins. Wal-Mart’s 95% is a balanced food.

I would also like to mention since Bobby’s skin issues have cleared I have been able to feed him GF and grain inclusive kibble, foods with potatoes, veggies, and fruits. I feed a rotational diet, I buy small bags and switch proteins and carbs with each new bag. I haven’t had any issues with yeast since I have been paying attention to the ingredients they contain. You may find you will not have to completely eliminate certain ingredients when they are healthy again; but then again you may find you might have to avoid certain ingredients, you never know. 🙂

You would refer to your kibble and canned feeding directions for the amounts to add to kibble. I add about 4 T of water to the canned food to make a gravy and extra moisture never hurts. Bobby weighs 44 lbs, on pate’ style foods I usually get four feedings and stew styles about 3-4 feedings. Some other posters will probably have some suggestions for using canned as toppers as well. Most importantly you want to observe your dogs body conditions and adjust accordingly.

[Anita L]

One thing I forgot to say that may help others.
For my digestion and sinus issues, it’s yeast.
This website was the most helpful to me (and their products which I now purchase on Amazon because they closed their store) http://www.stopyeast.com. The information explains everything and may be helpful to dog/cat purposes as well.

[Bobby dog]

Hey Akari:
I love our lady Karma! 😉 Glad your okay because you are making a difference for the little guy!!!! I know budget is always on both of our minds so remember if you need more shampoo and can’t find Malasab in stores, check out the drug store versions of Nolvalsan shampoo or Hibiclens. That will treat the yeast as well. You have a little guy to bath and ordering just shampoo on line isn’t worth the shipping. Hibiclens even offered coupons on their website. 😉

[Bobby dog]

Hi Sue:
I have no experience feeding fresh coconut to dogs, but I have read about it and it sounds interesting, might try it in the future.

Cold pressed is what you are looking for, that is the best process of making the oil so it retains all of the healthy benefits. So you might see, cold pressed, unrefined, or virgin on a label.

As far as brands, I only use organic and I have bounced around many different brands such as Nutiva and Spectrum. I have just settled on the brand sold at BJ’s (my price club) because it is so much cheaper than Wal-Marts price. Basically look for organic and a label stating it is unrefined, virgin, or cold pressed and you should be good to go.

Anita:
A few things about the info I posted. The treat recipes I posted by Dr. Becker are fine except I would only make the whole meat treats, not the recipes with potato flakes, veggies, or fruits. Or you could probably make those recipes minus the potatoes, veggies, or fruits. For now focus on feeding protein not carbs. The same for the ABC diet; If you decide to add healthy foods to the kibble your feeding, I would skip the veggie and fruit additions for now so you don’t keep feeding the yeast.

By the way, Steve Brown, author of the ABC diet, is very popular around DFA and you may want to check out his other books along with his website. I have not fed any of his products or read anything other than info from his website and the ABC download so I cannot recommend anything other than to check him out.

I don’t know what Detol Antiseptic lotion is. If I were in your shoes I would make a pov/io foot bath for them, easy enough since you already have it! Nothing to loose if it doesn’t help.

As far as canned food goes, I highly recommend it over kibble as most do on this site, but it just isn’t in my budget to feed my dog only canned. Canned food is more species appropriate as well as provides extra moisture. If budget isn’t an issue with you I also have many other 5 star brands I have fed if you want to give it a try.

Here is a link to the GF Potato free kibble thread on DFA for some kibble ideas. I believe if you keep reading other posters have mentioned some more brands in addition to the initial list.
/forums/topic/grain-and-potato-free-dog-foods/

I add a 1/4 t of organic ACV with the mother to each meal for Bobby. I did not start this because of his skin issues, but for his acid indigestion issues; it worked wonders for it. I also use it for my acid indigestion. After researching it I also found it has benefits for the skin as well.

I also have used a vinegar rinse on Bobby to help relieve his itchy skin, he seemed fine with it and it helped. I did it once or twice in the beginning and kind of forgot about it because his health improved pretty quickly with the routine I had established.

Here’s some info I saved about ACV:
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/2_6/features/5220-1.html
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_01/features/Pet-Uses-Of-Apple-Cider-Vinegar_20435-1.html
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_01/features/Pet-Uses-Of-Apple-Cider-Vinegar_20435-1.html?pg=2
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_01/features/Pet-Uses-Of-Apple-Cider-Vinegar_20435-1.html?pg=3
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_01/features/Pet-Uses-Of-Apple-Cider-Vinegar_20435-1.html?pg=1

Come on over to the other thread us cat lovers hang out on “cat food recommendations.”
/forums/topic/cat-food-recommendations/page/36/

Akari started the cat thread too! It is a pretty big thread so you may just want to jump in and ask questions. It would take a while to read everything. Also, we all recommend catinfo.org and littlebigcat.com for cat sites. catinfo.org is my bible for cat care. You will learn alot about food on that site.

[Anita L]

WOW!
Just…
WOW!

Y’all are ALL awesome!

Yes, this is all a lot to take it at one time. So I started a document where I could copy and paste and put it together by topic and sort it all out (or at least attempt to). I will definitely only be adding (or subtracting) 1 thing at a time. Right now, with the Miracle pack, good food and no treats, we’re already making positive steps and some improvement. I’m SO thankful I found this site and all of you!

I have stopped the bad treats that I have on hand. They will be going in the garbage.
The food they are getting is grain free. That has been in the last couple of months. I have still been working on which grain free doesn’t have the garbage…..Zolicylus, I like that you said start with NV Instinct Turkey Meal then transition to Brothers.

I’m still pondering adding the canned food as a topper…..I’ll have to remember to check the carbs in those.

On the Miracle Pack, that has been gradually stepping up to the correct dosage over the last couple of weeks and I can tell a big difference this week.

Sun or Mon, I was reading some of the links Bobby’s Mom posted about the Po/Iodine. I was making a mental note to go buy some and then realized I may already have it. I checked my first aid supplies and I DID have it. I was doin’-a-lil dance. I used it on the hot spots expecting Spocho to run. As soon as I layed that warm wash cloth with Po/Io solution on her, she just relaxed. It was awesome! She hasn’t been eating at it as much and the skin is looking better. One small step…..

I read something about soaking their feet in “Detol Antiseptic lotion” and then washing with Malaseb Shampoo. Exactly what is “Detol Antiseptic lotion” and where would you buy it (if at all)? The pups are now down to just chewing their feet (sometimes legs) and scratching their neck and ears. I have some tea tree hydrosol for the their ears, but was wondering about those poor feet.

As for the yeast…..I know all too well about it…from personal experience. When I learned, after having my daughter (now 7) that we both had yeast, I researched to the hilt to find out as much as possible and anything natural. One thing that helped us the most was a 1:10 vinegar solution on the yeast (showing on the outside); wipe with the vinegar solution, let air dry, then do an anti-fungal cream (rotating creams). Would it possibly help to soak their feet in the vinegar solution (instead of the Detol), then wash their feet….say in between baths?

The definitely always have clean water to drink whether they’re outside or in (mostly in now b/c of heat)…spoiled babies! LOL

Bobby’s mom, I did look at the activyl site and it said it was ok to bathe them after 24-48 hours. So Malaseb Shampoo, here we come! Hot Oil Treatment too if I can get help!

Coconut oil: definitely going to have to learn how to distract after applying it topically. Bobby’s mom, I’m glad you said that about checking the price club stores. We have a Sam’s Club and they have it! For SO much less than what I’ve been picking up at WalMart (hell on earth…IMO).

Bobby’s mom, it took me a while, but I was determined to check out all the links you posted. Great information. At least I feel like I have more of a plan now instead of taking “a stab in the dark” over and over. I downloaded the ABC e-book but I have not had a chance to read it. But I will be in the next few days.

I swear it has taken me 2 hours to put this together…pups want out, pups want in, daughter needs something, husband needs something, laundry, oh wait! cats are hungry too….LOL

And speaking of cats, now I’m realizing how I need to change their food and add probiotics, etc. Bless their hearts! It’s mother and daughter and they are old: 12 and 13. I don’t want them to be miserable for their last years. They still bring me prizes to the door…mostly birds.

This is all I can think of for now. I will be continuing to follow this post and will also update with results.

I just can’t say how wonderful it is to find ONE place like this for help! THANKS!!!!

[Bobby dog]

Akari:
One more thing, I know I have written that I haven’t tried the pov/io solution that Dr. Becker recommends, but I definately would if Bobby ever gets yeasty or has some skin condition in the future.

I was thinking about how she demonstrated apply it. Growing up and working with horses all my life you come across some nasty tempered ones that would just assume kick you in your head than let you help them get better when they are injured. You always end up brainstorming about better and easier ways to treat an ill tempered injured horse.

Sometimes, depending on what I am treating, I use a spray bottle to apply pov/io solution to my horses and that is probably how I would apply it on Bobby. I would still mix it as Dr. Becker recommends. I would apply the solution outside so I didn’t have to worry about cleaning up, then dab any excess off with a moist cotton towel, and let the solution dry on the dog outside. Remember to use a towel or wash cloth you don’t care about because the iodine will stain.

[Bobby dog]

Akari:
That’s great to read!!!!!! 😀 Just stick with the shampoo from Petflow, it is clearing out the yeast on his skin. It contains the ingredients to kill off the yeast, unless you have some Malasab or Nolvasan (or the equivalent of Nolvasan from the drug store) on hand. The other shampoos you mentioned before have oatmeal or don’t have anything to kill the yeast and will just dry out his skin.

Treating the outside is as important as the food that goes in!!! Try to get the point across to your mom that she is contributing to his condition by feeding food that helps the yeast grow. It should be easy to convince her now since his hair is growing back! You are doing what is helping him, no carbs just protein.

And I read about your meat shopping spree! I am going to lobby my local grocery store to carry more raw meat choices for Bobby! haha I am jealous of your store’s selection.

[zcRiley]

ANITA, all this fantastic advice & info, huh? In case you’re overwhelmed, you can also reverse your process of elimination by eliminating everything plus all treats except for the Miracle Pack (start that with tiny tiny increments). My own pooch couldn’t wait for trial & error awhile back, I stopped everything cold turkey. Stopped the shots, the meds, everything. It was cleansing time.

START WITH: Nature’s Variety Instinct Turkey Meal Formula (Dry). It has ONE protein & does NOT contain grain, gluten, potato, dairy, eggs, chicken, beef, or fish (half of which feeds yeast/allergies etc). , just add 1/4 cup of water to your portion for moisture & the correct amount of the Miracle Pack). And absolutely nothing else. No treats. Hard to do? Yes, it is. Will your dogs survive? Yes, they will. Then you graduate to Brothers Complete Advanced Allergy Care dry food. You’ll see the ingredients & know what you just “added”. Then move on to grain free treats only.

No oatmeal anything shampoo (feeds yeast). If medicated shampoos give an allergic reaction, try Aroma Paws Rosemary Tea Tree (Yeast & Bacteria Healing Formula), it’s all natural. There’s a matching spray, too.

Trifexis is the best (fleas). Comfortis is good but not for ticks.

And lots & lots of clean water to drink. Good luck with whatever method you choose!

[Susan]

Hi, how much Coconut Oil would you give an 16-17 kilo dog thats about 37lbs????? & is the refined oil the best????? Ive written it down somewhere.. Also Patch has Diarrhea problems, vet saying IBD.. he hasnt had no diarrhea since last December after a food change, do I introduce him to the coconut oil so slowley, he’s starting to smell like a yeasty stinky dog..Im thinking he never had the yeasty smell last winter, so Im thinking maybe the banana & toast that he gets of a morning is causing the over yeast growth ..I started the toast as he has bad reflux in the morning, the toast keeps his chicken & pumkin down, Ive stopped the chicken as new vet is thinking he may have intolarences or allergic to the chicken, Im crossing my fingers & hoping it is the chicken thats making him ill of a morning…Thanx

[Bobby dog]

Hey C4c:
I hope she comes back too! I also hope some or all of this info can help your sister’s or anyone’s dog for that matter. Also, be sure to print out my previous post about DE and the post with the link for using povidone/iodine solution to clear up yeasty skin for your sister. I did not use the pov/io solution because I did not know about it, but that would have definately speeded up the process of killing off the yeast!

It was nice to resolve his issues without harse products. As I wrote, Bobby was healthy other than the flea infestation, flea dermatitis and yeasty skin. I contributed to the problem with bad diet choices. Once the food/treats changed and supplements were added the rest was a little more time consuming, but worth it! I just had to make time to use the olive oil flea dip once a week, give him a bath at least once a week, use the coco oil topically daily, use DE when needed topically, wash his bedding weekly, and vacuum daily. I started this routine last September. Using the olive oil dip wasn’t necessary past October and bathing weekly tapered off in less than a two month span and settled to about 2x/month until about February. And I am a little embarassed to say I have not bathed him since March; I do brush him weekly. He is getting a bath this afternoon because I have some visitors coming tomorrow. lol My persistance to rid him of his feas and yeasty skin paid off because I have so much time to do other things this summer, well I just don’t know what to do with myself!!!! 😉

[Bobby dog]

Hi Anita:
Here are the supplements, foods, and products I used (and still do along with some new additions) to get rid of Bobby’s flea dermatitis and yeasty skin. Olive oil flea dip, Nolvasan shampoo, raw eggs, bone broth, unrefined organic coconut oil, sardines/fish oil, MSM, and DE. Not too complicated or costly! This along with a new diet plan that I began last September helped to restore his health.

Dogs with severe yeast issues more than likely need a carb free diet to starve the yeast; carbs feed yeast and bad bacteria. All kibble has carbs because they require starch to bind the food into a kibble form. Your dogs would probably benefit from a grain free and low carb food preferably with no potato. Bobby’s yeast issues were bad, but it was not necessary to eliminate kibble from his diet. I did feed kibble that had low carbs and I only feed kibble that has average to low carbs now.
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/05/03/eating-these-foods-can-make-your-dog-itch-like-crazy.aspx

Since September I have fed DFA rated 3-5 star kibble along with DFA rated 3-5 star canned food. After a few months on the new diet, I started alternating canned with fresh foods, dehydrated/freeze dried foods, or frozen commercial raw. By continuing with the supplements, feeding quality food and treats I went into this flea season with a healthy and fresh smelling dog. Fingers crossed no fleas on Bobby and it is rainy and very humid where I live, fleas are in full force.

It is very important not to make too many changes at once; this includes new foods! Start supplements in low doses slowly working towards the desired dose. If everything is okay, add another supplement. As far as shampoos, olive oil flea dip, and applying coco oil topically I used them right away and regularly without any worries because they provided immediate relief and were important for treating the yeast.

For a flea dip I used olive oil (from the grocery store) which has no long lasting effects, just immediate relief for the skin and to kill the fleas without chemicals. I did this outside so I did not have to worry about being tidy. Start under the chin and in the collar area working your way to the back, belly, and leg areas all the way to the tail. With Bobby I would just pour it on then massage it in to be sure his skin and between his toes were coated. His fur is not too thick or long. He loved the massage that came with it not to mention he was not itchy and uncomfortable while it was on him. The fleas pretty much disintegrate. Your dogs’ coats may be heavier than Bobby’s if you decide to try this, be sure to separate the fur, pour a little, and then work it in. I always left it on for an hour letting him run around and play, but you will definitely see their lifeless bodies after a short time so an hour is not necessary. Then I shampooed it off, it is easy to shampoo out; I even use olive oil as a conditioner for my hair.

I bathed Bobby once a week using Nolvalsan shampoo mostly. I always shampooed twice leaving the first application on for at least 10 minutes. I can’t find Nolvasan on-line so they may not make it anymore. Hibiclens or the drug store equivalent has the same ingredients as Nolvalsan. Malasab shampoo is a popular choice and highly recommended by many posters on DFA. I also used EQyss Micro-Tek medicated shampoo when the condition became less severe. You can find Micro-Tek on-line and in some pet stores. With your size of dogs I would look into a large bottle of Malasab shampoo, but in a pinch you could always purchase the Hibiclens or generic equivalent at a drug store.
http://www.drugs.com/vet/malaseb-shampoo.html
http://www.eqyss.com/pet_microtek_shampoo.asp
http://www.vetstreet.com/nolvasan-shampoo

The biotin in eggs is great for the skin and hair. I fed Bobby one raw egg a week. However, he recently decided he no longer likes raw eggs so we have poached eggs on Sundays. He gets a one minute egg and I get a two minute egg. lol
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/feeding-your-dog-raw-eggs-good-or-bad/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/02/09/raw-eggs.aspx

I made bone broth and fed it once a week. I still feed him bone broth weekly; Bobby weighs 44 lbs and I feed him ¼ – ½ C of broth.
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/reasons-your-dog-love-bone-broth/
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/12/02/pet-bone-broth.aspx

The coconut oil must be organic and unrefined for all the benefits. I fed it 3x/wk as well as used it topically when needed as a soothing and healing salve; I tried feeding it 2x/wk after his skin healed, but found he benefits most eating it 3x/wk. Previously I bought Spectrum brand from Wal-Mart, 14 oz. for $8.99; they were cheaper than my health food store. I recently found organic unrefined coco oil at my BJ’s, 36 oz. for about $10. So if you belong to a price club, look for it there.
http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.com/2012/02/coconut-oil-is-good-for-your-dogs.html
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/16_11/features/alternative-treatments-updated_20861-1.html?pg=3
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/the-health-benefits-of-coconut-oil/
http://www.greenpasture.org/public/Products/InfusedCoconutOil/index.cfm

I started out feeding tinned sardines packed in water once a week, but I failed to keep it in my pantry on a regular basis. So I switched to a fish oil supplement. You can find many good fish oil supplements for dogs on-line and in pet stores. I used CVS 1000 mg fish oil tabs 3x/wk and I still supplement his diet with it. Tinned sardines packed in water would be the healthiest choice. I tried cutting back to 2x/week, but he developed a little dandruff so I am now back to 3x/week.
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_12/features/Fats-Chance_20658-1.html
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_9/features/Fish-Oil-Supplements-For-Dogs_20600-1.html
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2009/06/13/the-frequently-missing-ingredient-in-your-pet-s-diet-that-could-devastate-their-health.aspx

MSM helped to relieve and heal his itchy skin. MSM has other benefits that may be helpful for your dogs as well. I use only100% pure MSM powder with no fillers or flavorings. You can find pure MSM marketed for dogs on-line and in pet shops.
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/msm-raw-fed-dogs/
http://www.vetinfo.com/msm-for-dogs.html
http://www.natural-dog-health-remedies.com/msm-for-dogs.html
http://essentials4all.org/100__Pure_MSM.html
http://wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com/naturvet_msm.html

I also used DE as a flea powder and for treating his environment. Some posters use garlic to repel fleas. Here’s some info:
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/garlic-for-dogs-poison-or-medicine/
http://www.springtimeinc.com/product/bug-off-garlic-dogs/All-Natural-Dog-Supplements
http://www.enonvalleygarlic.com/About_Garlic.html

Homepage

I was not fully aware of the important benefits of probiotics for our pets. I now feed kefir twice a week to Bobby for the probiotics. This would have made a tremendous difference with the healing process if I had used it during his skin/flea issues; if I only knew!
Probiotic info:
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/10/26/advantages-of-using-pet-probiotics.aspx
http://probiotics.mercola.com/probiotics-for-pets.html
http://www.medicine4animals.com/23/Does-Your-Cat-or-Dog-Suffer-with-Digestive-Problems,-Skin-Problems-or-Poor-Immunity.html
http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.com/2012/05/foods-rich-in-probiotics-beneficial-for.html

ABC diet:
This is a download I highly recommend; it is $2.95 and worth every penny! I feed the ABC diet now throughout the week rather than in one meal. This is an easy way to enhance any kibble diet with fresh foods. I found this download after Bobby’s issues were cleared up, but I definitely would have followed it during that time. I believe it would have helped with the healing process.
http://www.seespotlivelonger.com/home/sll/page_41/see_spot_live_longer_the_abc_way___electronic_down.html

I recently started giving Bobby unflavored beef tendon and beef trachea chews. Here’s some healthy treat suggestions:
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/02/10/easy-to-make-pet-treats.aspx

[Susan]

Hi, have you ever tried an elimination cooked diet, its very rare for a dog to be allergic to that many proteins, Id be looking at the carbs the fillers in the kibbles that you have tried & it takes a good 3 weeks to see any results, the best way & I know it takes time is the elimation diet… start with a protein say turkey or duck with some pumkin mixed thru for one straight month, no treats nothing no other foods & with the carbs watch out for wheats, potatotes sweet potato any high carbs.. Brown or white rice are Ok, good as fillers when on elimination diets… I use pumkin as Patch get the runs from rice but not grounded rice is OK with him….any carbs that convert to sugars they make yeast thats what makes them stinky & itchy….Im going thru this with my dog at the moment, he normally doesnt itch in winter but he’s itchy this winter, so now Im looking at the food, before vet said it was grasses pollens etc but its winter & there’s no pollens at the moment, Like Betsy said Im trying the Wellness Simple limited ingredients range kibbles, Ive just bought Patch the Duck & Oatmeal Formula, it has no eggs, no gluten, no dairy, no corn, no by-products, no soy or No artificial preservarties, colours or flavours, its a good start, also can ur boy eat wet tin foods they dont have all the processed stuff that kibble have..Start all over again from scratch, thats what Ive been doing this week, Ive also been using human tin Salmon to replace Patches chicken mixed with pumkin he loves it, but I still havent started the Wellness Simple Duck kibble as the vet said 1 thing at a time, if Patch can handle the Salmon with his IBD then next week Im starting the Simple Duck but Ive given him a few simple Duck kibbles & he loved them so Im just using them as a treat for this week so far there’s been no diarrhea, the Wellness simple does have a Salmon & Potato kibble but Im trying the Oatmeal instead of too many potatos try & look at all the foods he has had & see what carb ingredient was in most of them then try a kibble that doesnt have the same Carb ingredients.. thats way Im trying the Oatmeal its something Ive never tried..keep us posted, Id like to know how he went & what food you choose..but Raw is the best if you can handle it.. http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/dog-wellness.aspx

[Bobby dog]

Hi Anita:
I will sort through your questions and add some links to the over the counter remedies that I used to completely heal Bobby! Remember, all dogs are different. Bobby had no health issues other than flea dermatitis, flea infestation, bad diet (please remember, anything they eat must be quality ingredients, it really makes a difference), and yeasty skin.

It sounds like you already have been to the Vet and there are no other health issues?

Did the Vet give him a steroid shot for the itching?

I really suggest feeding canned with kibble. Moisture is really important for healthy dogs and especially important for dogs that have some health issues. I always feed kibble with canned or fresh meat lightly cooked, or dehydrated, freeze dried or frozen raw for every meal. If you are going to TSC for DE, check out the 4Health canned dog food. It’s 99 cents/can and DFA rated 4.5 stars. I feed 4Health, Pure Balance from Wal-Mart ($1/can for stews and $1.25/can for 95%), and Earth’s Pride ($8.99/6 pack) from BJ’s as my main canned rotation.

4H DFA review:
/dog-food-reviews/4health-dog-food-canned/

4H TSC link:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&pageSize=&beginIndex=0&searchSource=Q&sType=SimpleSearch&resultCatEntryType=2&showResultsPage=true&pageView=image&searchType=1002&autoSuggestURL=AutoSuggestView%3FcoreName%3DMC_10001_CatalogEntry_en_US%26serverURL%3Dhttp%253a%252f%252ftsc-prod-lb01.crossview.inc%253a3737%252fsolr%252fMC_10001_CatalogEntry_en_US&searchTerm=4health+wet+dog+food

I was wrong; you can buy 20 lbs of food grade DE for $12.99 at TSC. They carry it in the livestock feed section.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/product__10151_-1_10051_2789

Check out the Activyl site to see what they say about bathing your dog. Most products are waterproof, but you never know. The Vet Tech at my Vet’s office gave me info on it, but I never checked it out after I settled on Sentinel because it already had the flea egg killer in it and I want to use as little chemicals as possible.

For treats, stay away from carbs or anything sugary, it will only feed the yeast. I have never fed them, but posters here recommend The Honest Kitchen Beams. I haven’t fed treats from the pet store recently and find many have carbs and starches so I just make very, very small meatballs for Bobby (I freeze them) using 2 lbs of ground beef, an egg or two, fresh garlic, tumeric, and I add fresh basil, cilantro, or parsley if I have it. I also throw in any veggies I have, but if you decided to make something like this I would leave the veggies out for now. You can also slice meat as thin as you can and place the slices in the oven on the lowest temp and cook until they are like a jerky consistency.

It is not unusual for them to try and lick off the coco oil if they like it. It is a wonderful product and is good to feed and apply to skin irritations due to its antiseptic properties. Just try to supervise your pups so it can soak in, it really will make them more comfortable and the fleas don’t like the oil.

Probiotics is an important step to get their immune systems back on track too! Probiotics has helped my cat tremendously. I use plain Kefir or plain greek yogurt right now for him. He has grown hair in places that I thought would never come back! That is another story. I think you will see a tremendous improvement within a week of using probiotics with their coats and skin.

Everything that I used on Bobby you will find at Wal-Mart, drug stores, health food stores, on-line, or pet stores very easily. I will post tomorrow what I used to help Bobby and hopefully something or several things can help your guys as well.

[DogFoodie]

I was just browsing “weight loss” foods and found one that looks like it would be an excellent choice.

Petcurean Go! Fit + Free Senior. 32% protein, 14% fat and 4.5% fiber. 394 kcals / cup

Ingredients look excellent: Chicken meal, turkey meal, salmon meal, de-boned chicken, de-boned turkey, de-boned trout, potatoes, peas, tapioca, lentil beans, chickpeas, pea fibre, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), natural chicken flavour, whole dried egg, apples, duck meal, herring meal, flaxseed, salmon oil, alfalfa, de-boned duck, de-boned salmon, sweet potatoes, canola oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), coconut oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), potassium chloride, pumpkin, carrots, bananas, blueberries, cranberries, broccoli, spinach, alfalfa sprouts, blackberries, squash, papayas, pomegranate, glucosamine hydrochloride, dried chicory root, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Aspergillus niger fermentation product, dried Aspergillus oryzae fermentation product, L-carnitine, vitamins (vitamin A supplement, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, inositol, niacin, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (a source of vitamin C), d-calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, beta-carotene, riboflavin, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), minerals (zinc proteinate , iron proteinate, copper proteinate, zinc oxide, manganese proteinate, copper sulphate, ferrous sulphate, calcium iodate, manganous oxide, selenium yeast), sodium chloride, taurine, New Zealand green mussels, yucca schidigera extract, chondroitin sulphate, dried rosemary, green tea extract, peppermint, parsley, rosehips, zedoary, dandelion, chamomile, ginger, fennel, tumeric, juniper berries, licorice, marigold extract, cardamom, cloves.

Here’s a link to the product on the Petcurean website: http://www.petcurean.com/for-dogs/go/fit-and-free-grain-free-senior

[Dori]

All my dogs (three toy breeds) are fed commercial raw diets as of about 1 1/2 years ago. I rotate brands as well as proteins. I can now rotate them from meal to meal without a slow transition but that took quite a while to accomplish. Their guts are now at the point that changing from protein to protein doesn’t bother them in the least. My favorite of the commercial raw brands are Primal Pronto (although any of their complete “Formulas” are great), Natures Variety Instinct Raw, Answers Detailed Raw (a bit hard to find), Darwin’s Natural Selection (that’s an auto delivery food only from their web site or by phone), Vital Essentials Raw. These are the brands that my dogs have thrived on. Some of the others are pretty popular also such as Stella & Chewy’s, etc. my dogs haven’t faired as well on the other brands. Since being on raw they no longer has goopy stuff coming from their eyes, tear stains are gone, no more yeasty ears, their skin and coats are healthy and very very shiny. Oh, also no more gas, gurgling tummies, no more smelly poops. You’ll find that their poops are much much smaller and firm enough to easily pick up and dispose of. Their bodies utilize more of the nutrition in raw than they do on kibble. Added benefit of raw is that they are grain free. Dogs don’t have a necessity for grains, white potatoes, corn, soy, etc. One of my girls is allergic to all things poultry (anything with feathers) so I avoid all of those.

Many people start their puppies right on raw after a couple of weeks being home. Usually when you bring a puppy home it’s best to keep them on their same food for a couple of weeks that they were eating at the breeder. Theory being that they are stressed enough going home with a stranger to a new environment with no familiar scents, missing litter mates, etc. But then you do a slow transition as if you were transitioning from kibble to kibble. Initially you may find that the puppy has some diarrhea but that will pass. What I did was purchase a product from The Honest Kitchen called Perfect Form and while I was transitioning them to raw (good for transitioning any foods really until they get healthy enough to transition without issues) I would add the recommended dose to each of their meals. Gets rid of the diarrhea almost instantaneously. At least that’s been my experience with the product. I no longer feed dehydrated foods because to me they’re not strictly raw. Not crazy about freeze dried either.

Commercial raw is more expensive than kibble but you’ve already been feeding ZiwiPeaks which is an expensive dog food already so it shouldn’t be too shocking. I believe raw is much healthier therefore you save a ton of money at the vet which makes up for the more expensive diet.

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

[Anita L]

I am SO glad I found this convo! I live in AL (I am definitely seeing super fleas…ugh!) and am having the same problem with my 2 dogs. 1 is 55 lb aussie/blue heeler mix and the other is 100 lb lab mix. They are both miserable. I have been using Benedryl to help their itching, knowing its only temporary (and everybody needed some sleep). I have been working on the food and trying to deal with the yeast aspect as well.

So here’s my question:
Akari32, When you say you will be treating your home and yard with DE, what is DE? (probably a dumb question and something I should know, but I am so overwhelmed with all of this right now, I can’t even think of the simplest things). I have really benefited from following your “adventure” and BobbyDog’s helpful suggestions. THANKS to you both!

Also, Zolicylus, I have recently started on the Miracle Pack (one step in the right direction) and this is not the first time I’ve heard about using Brothers Complete Advanced Allergy Care. I have come SO close to buying it but keep holding out. Right now we are using Nutrisca Salmon & Chickpea. I’m seeing a switch in the near future. So THANK YOU!

[theBCnut]

DinoVite uses yeast for the vit B, not because eating yeast cures yeast. Often yeasty ears are a sign of a food issue and while DinoVite may help, the only cure is to figure out the food that is causing the issue and remove it from the diet.

[Dori]

I wouldn’t. I have a dog with many food intolerances and allergies as well as environmental issues. She had very yeasty ears. What fixed that issue was going to an all grain free diet also free of corn, soy, white potatoes and any type of poultry. I avoid anything that has any type of yeast in it. Any food or supplements that I have tried with her that contain yeast of any sort starts the yeasty ears all over again. My other two dogs though not having any allergies or intolerances whatsoever also used to have gunky ears. Their ears have all cleared up also once I made all the switches. All clear now. Good Luck.

[Zach M]

Can I give my dog active dry yeast, or yeast culture, for her dog food? The product Dinovite uses it to cure ear infections so I was wondering on it.

[Bobby dog]

I am not sure if Bentley has seen his Vet for diagnosis yet, but I read this article posted by HDM with some interesting info on yeasty dogs. Maybe you want to reconsider giving Bentley honey due to its sugar content and try bee pollen instead. If he has a yeast condition this could be why you saw initial improvement then nothing; the sugar from honey feeds yeast.
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/05/03/eating-these-foods-can-make-your-dog-itch-like-crazy.aspx

[NectarMom]

I been using Brother’s Complete for 2 yrs and 3 of mine do fine on it and my 4th girl does not do well on it because she is allergic to Poultry and fish but I can honestly say before I started using it my dogs smelled yeasty and it took approx. 8 months to get the yeast out of their systems when feeding only Brother’s Complete and now they are free and clear of Candida Yeast. I now rotate different brands that are grain free and white potato free. Brother’s Complete will always be one of our rotation foods.

[Becca]

no I have not tried that one. I crush fresh garlic and I ordered nutritional yeast, to see if that will work just found out brewers yeast can cause bloat. I will look into the info you sent thank you.

[ladyquixote]

Hi all, first want to thank ya’ll for all the great info you supply here. Have been gathering nutrition info for about a year now and have some major budgeting concerns regarding planning cooked meals for my two dogs. Background: Eldest dog, Gracie is 12 y.o./55# (she is much bigger than standard Aussie) and has major yeast and anxiety problems. Found an alt vet last March who prescribed a variety of chinese herb powders which have significantly helped both problems but still a work in progress. Second dog, Tonto is about 3-1/2 (turned up at my front door emaciated last year and ended up part of our family). He weighs about 60 and is experiencing airborne allergies, due for vet check tomorrow for further input. Both are Aussie mixes.

Foodwise, they were on a mix of the 5-star dry no-grain dog foods since beginning of last year, then began adding the usual recommended toppers plus supplements and then transitioned to all-cooked meals over the last three months. It’s quickly begun taking a lot of my time to prepare meals, so this evening I sat down to figure out my monthly cost. Until now I would go out and buy enough food for a week so the cost bite wasn’t so noticeable.

I knew it was getting too costly but the final tally ended up being $15/day for two dogs! Way, way too much. In addition to the food, there are the supplemental herbs and now monthly visits to the alt vet to check progress which should end once both dogs level off with their itchies.

I’ve removed cottage cheese, carrots and rice which make great fillers because both dogs’ itchies worsened. So more meat takes the place.

My question to you is this, if I switch back to at least level 4-star dry dog food and toppers what would you suggest would be the right ratio between the both?

Gracie’s daily calorie target: 1037, Tonto’s daily calorie target: 1280
Here is a sample 1-day meal divided into two meals for Gracie:
— Chicken Liver pate, (chicken liver smothered then pureed): 2 TBSP 47 Cal
— Chicken Hearts, (lightly smothered then chopped fine): 1-1/2C 402 Cal
— Turkey, Ground; 93% Lean: 1-1/4C 425 Cal
— Mixed Veggies, 1 Cup Cooked then pureed: 40 Cal
— Pumpkin, Canned; 2 TBSP: 13 Cal
— Berries, 1/2 C: 36 Cal
— Alternate Every Day: Either 1-Egg or 1/2 tin Sardines in Water: 65-72 Cal
— Supplements include, Probiotics, 1/2 tsp finely ground eggshells, 1-multi, fish oil or coconut oil.

I’d be interested in your input as well as hearing what your average cost per day is for two medium sized dogs! Thanks so much.

[Jackie B]

I tried everything– parsley, distilled water, eye wipes, food with no dyes, grain-free, hypoallergenic, yeast starvation diet, on and on. Finally I broke down and bought Tylan powder. 1/8 tsp twice a day for 3 weeks– and my mini poodle’s eye stains are gone and have been gone for weeks now. This is the same antibiotic used in Angel’s Eyes, and previously I wanted to avoid antibiotics, but he was miserable with the scratching and eye rubbing. Buying the Tylan by itself is cheaper than the Angel Eye’s. The taste is horrible and bitter but my dog didn’t seem to care.