[Acroyali]

Couldn’t agree with Bill (Spycar) more.
Anon, who checks your own diet to ensure it’s “complete and balanced”, anyway?

[Acroyali]

This is great news, Pacer1978! It sounds like the problem is found out and under control!!

Talk with your vet. Some people have had good luck using Pepcid AC or other means of settling acid reflux for a few days if she should have a flare up.
I’m very glad she’s on the mend and I bet you are, too!

[Acroyali]

You seem positive that this dogs problems is dental related, despite having a dental done a week ago.
You might want to check that, could be taken as veterinary advice.

[Acroyali]

This sounds like a good plan Joanne.
Maybe the vet will have some answers for you.

If you find a brand that works, it might be good to check into other similar brands and keep a stock of that bland diet in the freezer if possible because dog food companies seem to like changing and screwing with formulas, and if this happens it’s nice to have an immediate back up until you come up with a solid long term plan.
(I had a friend years ago feed California Natural for his Bulldogs ear and skin issues, his dog was doing SO well and when the company went kaput, he was so upset.)

[Acroyali]

https://pethelpful.com/dogs/Dog-Behavior-Exercises-for-Building-Confidence-in-Insecure-Dogs

[Acroyali]

Sounds like a good place to start, S B.
When you get your dogs issues ironed out and he gets more confident, you could look into a puppy but always tell the breeder that you have a fearful dog, too. The last thing you want is for the pup to pick up on that, but a lot of people have fearful dogs and bring puppies in. It just takes management and the help of a good trainer.
Best of luck, and please update.

[Acroyali]

Yes I do have a better idea which I stated…talk to a trainer! Sheesh, the poster is looking for ideas. I gave them one. .

[Acroyali]

Also, I wouldn’t advocate giving this dog up to a rescue because of his issues to get a cute Golden puppy instead without working with the dog first, with a real trainer.
That’s terrible advice.

[Acroyali]

Also, no to both questions IMO…no to another dog right now (you’re having problems with one, don’t multiply that. Get this one under control first), and an adult class won’t help. Get one on one help from a trainer FIRST, and use classes as a way to up your training once his fear is under control.
Don’t push “socializing” this dog by forcing him to meet everyone and play with every dog he sees. It’ll backfire.

[Acroyali]

In addition to finding another vet, dump the Petsmart training classes. They’re great for most pet dogs without issues, but for a dog like this you need a good trainer that’s very experienced with fearfulness and German Shepherds in particular.
a 3 year old dog that’s fearful will never be not fearful, but a good, experienced trainer will help you handle your dog so their fears are lessened and issues are managed much easier. Your dog will relax a little when he realizes you’ll take care of problems and he doesn’t have to worry about it.

[Acroyali]

When she was into the vet and they “looked her over”, what exactly did they do? Did they speak to you about re-running blood work to see if there are issues with any organs?

[Acroyali]

Talk to your vet. In person preferably, or on the phone in depth. Call the vet, leave a message with the receptionist and, if your vet is good, you’ll get a call back when they have a few free moments.
If he was doing well on the lamb and rice, I’d consider this some kind of dislike of his system to the new chicken and rice diet and be hopeful that changing from lamb to chicken messed him up a bit, and even after going back to lamb, his gut is still on strike a bit and isn’t back up to par.
The vet might want you to stick to a low fat, bland diet for awhile then slowly go back to his old formula. A bland home made diet will cause no harm short term, and make sure your vet knows what you’re feeding, and ask them how long they should be fed this.
If you’re unsatisfied, there’s no harm in seeking a second opinion of course.
Whatever happens, I hope things straighten out.

[Acroyali]

Why not feed a goat’s diet to a horse, or a horses’ diet to a nursing dairy cow, etc…?

[Acroyali]

@Alice B I’m sorry for the passing of your husband. I’m sure he’s very happy and proud of you to know you are taking care of these little dogs and doing right by them and researching for their well being.

[Acroyali]

The Preference might be a good option.
The leanest proteins you can get are white meat turkey (VERY low fat) and certain kinds of fish. Mixed in with the preference, this might be a good option.
Also, boil and rinse the meat, don’t fry, bake, etc.

[Acroyali]

If it’s structural, odds are food won’t help the actual problem but might make things easier to clean up/more solid, etc. Does your guy like pumpkin? As a short term help (for you), it might make his stools solid enough that clean up is easier.
Frenchies IIRC are a docked breed, not natural born bobs?
I’ve known some dogs that were docked WAY too short at 2-3 days old, that did affect sphincter muscles (bowel control). Tail is extension of the spine, etc., we all know this…and if the dock is very short this may be causing the issue, but I would NOT hesitate to see a neurologist if it’s do-able to rule this out.
It’s really cool you’re caring about this guy so much and doing so much to keep his life/living area clean btw. You obviously care about this little one a lot. I hope you can find a solution to help you both out!

[Acroyali]

@Liz R, I’m so sorry.
I hope someone can help your Chihuahua.
Susan posted some excellent links. Ketopet has done some amazing stuff in cancer treatments. The more I read and the more I speak with keto pet, the more I’m amazed!
Wishing you the best for you and your little dog.

[Acroyali]

Translation….
“Skept vet. Zignature. Formerly Nutrisource, now Fromm. More skept vet.
I’m still relevant!”

[Acroyali]

Hi @Mabels’Mom…
Most raw feeders with puppies crush soft bones (chicken wings etc.) for puppies under 6 months. Some don’t, but we do.
What types of bones are you feeding? Wings are softer than thighs, etc.
If you’re concerned, take Haley’s suggestion and hand feed, or use HUGE pieces (whole chicken backs or half chickens) that force that pup to not gulp, and to actually chew and take away when they become small or the puppy slows down.
If you’re extremely worried, feed ground bone and huge meat (boneless) chunks until you find a solution you’re happy and comfortable with.
Also agreed with Spycar…don’t feed trolls =)

[Acroyali]

Hi Blane F,
It’s suspect that Zignature would include taurine but not list it in the ingredients.
I’m no expert but I was under the assumption that it was some kind of law that things added to ingredients would be listed under that ingredient panel.
Maybe others more in the know will add their thoughts.

[Acroyali]

@Alice,
Whenever we have the rare opportunity to have small breeds here (which we love), we feed 3-4 small meals per day.
4 meals for those under 16 weeks.
3 meals for those under 6 months.
If the puppy thrives, we go with it and when they begin to “pick” at a noon meal or pick at their mid-afternoon tea, or begin to get pudgy, we nix that mid day meal.
Some pups won’t stop eating no matter what. If your notice one or both of your pups are eating like champs and are losing their waist-line, don’t take it personally. Replace the mid day feed with a cookie. Or a chew, or something.
fIf you phase it out in their aduld hood…great. They should be fine.
If you’re like us and find that noon snack is insanely demanded by these extra small companions…. and you’re well trained, well… =) Welcome to our world!

For a handful of fosters (and those we refused to let go of, and adopted!), we’ve found a normal dinner at 5-6-7-8PM (or whenever you feed) with a small bedtime snack helps the 2:00AM bile stuff.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 10 months ago by Acroyali.
• This reply was modified 6 years, 10 months ago by Acroyali.

[Acroyali]

I dislike free feeding personally, unless you’re out of the home 8-10 hours a day.
If you have two babes, this can make it hard to see if one is not eating as well as they should.
If you’re away for hours, I’d say free feed but keep the puppies separate but close by one another so you can see whom is eating what, and how much, and if one goes off their food, you’ll catch it immediately vs. days later when it might be approaching the “too late” category.
I have no problems feeding small dogs, kittens, young cats, young dogs 3-4 meals a day.
Do not fast a puppy. Especially a toy breed.

Fasting is a GOOD thing for grown, healthy dogs in their physical prime, but only if they’re ADULTS and in good shape (physically).
NEVER fast puppies or seniors, and never fast cats longer than 12-14 hours.
We fast ours twice monthly, but only health adults and never babies or seniors. This equals extending every other Sunday’s breakfast from 6:00AM to 9-10AM, and serving dinner a bit early if we can manage.
Again, seniors and babies (large breeds. 9-12 months and toy breeds under 12 months) are exempt from this. Our large adult working dogs do seem to benefit from a fast, but the “fast” includes a lot of water, bone broth and goats milk and recreational bones.

There’s nothing scientific about our method but when it come to feeding schedules and fasting, we err cautiously.
For your adorable Yorkies…..forget fasting for now, feed your puppies like the growing machines they are and enjoy them! If you never fast them, odds are they’ll thrive and be happy. Yorkies are super long lived.
Do the best you can, and enjoy them.

[Acroyali]

I emailed Zignature awhile back asking about some basic protocol (nothing to do with the recent “grain free” scare), assuring I’d be answered within 5 business days. We like to keep a “dog food” brand in back up in case our raw supplies run short.
More than 3 times the 5 business days have passed and I’ve yet to get a response, which is disheartening.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 10 months ago by Acroyali.

[Acroyali]

Also, I’m no expert but I did give a glance to the (http://westierescueoc.com/the_westie_diet)
and I would be OK feeding these diets short term but not long term, as there’s no real balance, no calcium, and a lot of stuff is optional so I do think you’re doing a good thing by noticing a not so well balanced long term diet when you see one.
We wish you and your Westie all the best. I wish I had ideas for canned foods but I don’t. I’m hopeful that some more seasoned members here will add to your thread.
All my best…!

[Acroyali]

I’ve love to see a reputable, believable poll on how many vegetarian/vegan dogs are owned by vegetarian/vegan owners.

[Acroyali]

Did the vet specify what type of bladder stones, specifically, she is having, as if I recall correctly there are a few different types that require (in some circumstances) different therapies.
If you’re unsure, ask your vet for more specifics!

[Acroyali]

Hi Pitlove,

We are not breeding anything right now, but have done so in the past (purebred, for working purposes) and hope to again in the future. It’s NO easy task, but very rewarding!
(I don’t feel 100% comfortable sharing the breed for privacy reasons.)

[Acroyali]

What Bill said.
Raw fed dogs usually have good dental health without the aids of dental chews and routine cleanings. I dislike putting my dogs under and aim to avoid it.
Non raw fed dogs, usually, do not have excellent dental health through a lifetime, unless provided with safe chews daily (RMB’s), and have owners diligent with tooth brushing.
A correct bite and a strong root structure plays a part, as our raw fed pet with a terrible bite and a terrible root structure often times have issues despite RMB’s, but it’s more rare than the regular dog with a sound bite/root structure eating kibble and chomping down Greenies.
No matter what we feed, when we evaluate a pup we look for a good bite. Parents must have a good bite, or at least the bitch if the sire is off site. When teeth fit together well, good dental health usually follows. When the jaw is over or undershot, poor dental health usually follows….with kibble fed dogs/cats, it’s a few years (or months with the little guys), with raw fed dogs, it’s a few years and (in our experience) less intense even with the little guys. It depends on so many factors.

I’ve seen dogs eat dental chews, Greenies, Denta-stix, CET chews, and they chomp off 1/3 of the chew, chomp, swallow, chomp off another 1/3, chew once, swallow, and then swallow the rest of the chew whole.
I cannot fathom how that does a damned bit of good for their dental health.
Our dogs plow through RMB’s and huge hunks of rubbery tripe and it takes them a good bit of time to do so. Their teeth are gorgeous.
Can I see what’s going on behind their gumline? Of course not. But I can’t see what’s going on behind the gumline of my own teeth and I can’t look inside my own body and detect cancers or organ malfunction, etc….
Sometimes, common sense prevails.

[Acroyali]

In response to the latest skep vet crap…
I did a search on their site awhile back. This skep vet character constantly named other vets…GOOD vets…by name and attempted to trash them. Along with their borderline ballistic rantings…not a site for me until they take a Xanax and chill the hell out.
Dr. Karen Becker is a skep vet favorite in trashing.
I did a search on Dr. Karen Beckers site and found NOTHING in almost 11 years in her trashing this person by name, only a few people mentioning what a jackass this skepvet is in the comments section and one person failing at pimping the skep vet blog.

Rule #1 in business–never trash your competition by name unless you want to look like an ass.
As a business person…skepvet fails this, ten fold.
Too bad. I’m sure their website has a lot of good info but when they trash other vets by name (they don’t even limit their rantings at “other vets/holistic vets” and leaving it nameless), their credibility goes down the toilet to me and others.
A good vet doesn’t need to trash other vets by name. They can simply share their findings and leave it at that.

[Acroyali]

Avoid professional dental cleanings, feed RMB’s, rec bones when applicable and huge chunks of raw green tripe.

Problem solved.

Save your money on these expensive “plastic” dental chews. Watch a dog eat a greenie or denta stick. They bite of huge chunks and swallow them whole. Hello, intestinal surgery as some here like to blame on raw ;D
Raw vegetables and carrots and such are no better. Dogs chew off huge hunks and swallow them whole. RMB’s are much tougher to gnaw through and are eaten much more slowly. Fed large. A small dog should get a chunk of food much larger than their head. With tripe, it’s boneless and is an excellent food for teeth cleaning meals.

I wouldn’t waste my money on these plastic treats shaped to resemble toothbrushes when most dogs chew through them in 3-4 bites and swallow. How is that doing a damn thing for their teeth?

[Acroyali]

anon101

Member
“Also, the formula I mentioned does not have beet pulp (incorrect, see below) https://frommfamily.com/products/dog/classic/dry/#adult
For normally active adult dogs. Naturally formulated with chicken, brown rice, real cheese, and whole eggs”

(From Fromm’s website (that looks like a great company, IMO)
“A holistic approach to complete and balanced nutrition for each life stage and lifestyle. Available in three categories: Fromm Heartland Gold (grain-free red meat), Fromm Gold Coast (grain-free ocean fish), and our original Fromm Gold (duck, chicken, & lamb).”

A *HOLISTIC APPROACH.*
How homeopathic of you <g>

[Acroyali]

I’d find a different vet.
For peace of mind and all….

• This reply was modified 6 years, 10 months ago by Acroyali.

[Acroyali]

I have no idea on your location but I would personally skip supermarket meat and go to a dog food co-op or find a farmer or butcher you trust with all your heart if you want to keep feeding raw.
Go to a local big box store or grocer that often has meat on sale, take note of the return area, and you’ll probably see meat left in carts in un-refrigerated conditions.
If your dog is having health problems, food quality matters. Most grocers handle meat meant for human consumption as just that–meat that will be cooked to a safe temp.
Most healthy dogs can handle meat that wasn’t stored very well. But with Addisons, I’d be extra careful in making sure this meat was frozen immediately and kept that way until you thaw it in your own kitchen.
If you’re worried, look into cooked diets. At least until she’s what you’d consider stable.
Balance it has a great site for this. Dog aware does too, with guidelines for preparing a cooked diet.
If you’re 100% stuck on raw…(and I say this as a raw feeder myself!!!)..
Find a co op or a distributor. My Pet Carnivore, Hare Today, and We feed Raw (google search) are all apparently good companies with good track records for quality foods with good handling. MyPetCarnivore delivers to parts of the USA, Hare today and We feed Raw offers delivery and the shipping chargers may be more than expected (insulated boxes aren’t free) but it might be a good potential solution to look into.
Another option is seeking out training or kennel clubs and asking the people there is anyone feeds raw and where they get their food. Conformation and sport people are usually looking for an edge, and can direct you to a local co-op, a good company like Hare Today etc., or a reputable butcher shop.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 10 months ago by Acroyali.

[Acroyali]

I’d keep swimming him and ignore the odd comment suggesting people think you should starve him.
Swimming is low impact, which is excellent on oddly shaped joints, and muscle building.
Building muscle while removing fat is critical here. Swimming will help this along but his stamina will need built which can take a few months, but can certainly be done.
Swimming helps MUCH than walks for weight loss/muscle gain, and is way more fun for most water dogs.
(Don’t go by the scale alone. Take pictures and date them, and take pictures every 2-3 weeks if you have to. One of his entire body side view, and one viewed from above..his back/waist, etc. GOOD weight loss is slow and steady til a plateau hits. Bad weight loss is rapid and is usually water/muscle loss, not what you want with a dog with poor hips. Good muscle supports poor joints.
It may be so gradual that you won’t notice, but in 6 months you may see the original photos and be shocked.)

Most serious dog people who have performance dogs swim them for these reasons.
Think of human PT and physical rehab. Most start with swimming because of the low impact for injured/unwell joints and muscle/calorie burning properties, vs. taking a walk or 30 minutes on a treadmill.
Letting him self regulate as you’re doing IMO is one of the best things you can do. When he’s tired, let him quit, then see if he wants to go again in another hour or so. He’ll build endurance.

[Acroyali]

So don’t use Lew’s site.
Some of us do, and have had excellent results.
Very simple solution for you! Pretty cool, huh?

[Acroyali]

@Kathleen Q,
We have the old version of Lew’s book. “Raw and natural nutrition.”
Despite what others here say, a good diet is not homeopathic nor anything close to it. This poster does not understand what homeopathic medicine is. It has nothing to do with diet.
If they would take 15 minutes to educate themselves, they’d see that but sadly they won’t.
Lew has a blog that might be helpful at b naturals dot com. Search “heart healthy”.
Our guy lived for years past the vets expectations with the help of this person, despite their “homeopathic” (LOL) ways 😉
This is not a raw friendly site unfortunately. If you’re after help in raw feeding, this is not the site to visit. Sad that the support that existed 5 years ago has disappeared.

[Acroyali]

https://denisefenzi.com/2012/09/training-a-shaped-retrieve/

https://www.dogwise.com/the-clicked-retriever/

Both aimed at competition, but really good ways to shape and train a good retrieve.

Also, if you’re looking to teach your pup a retrieve, I wouldn’t leave retrievable toys or objects out 24 hours a day because they become less interesting this way. Keep a few toys (the light cloth idea is excellent) out of reach and only bring it out for 10-15 minutes a day, and take it up and put it away when you’re not actively training.
For some reason, when we keep these objects out of reach the become ALL the more amazing to dogs and when we bring them out and initiate a game, they’re so happy to join in!

$150 for a single lesson is outrageous.

[Acroyali]

The book from Lew Olson has heart healthy recipes in it, cooked or raw, that focus on taurine and CoQ10, very important for heart health.
Is your pom on any medications at this time?
B-naturals dot com.
Lew was very helpful to us when we had a dog with heart disease.

[Acroyali]

@David C,
Most pups that are extremely mouthy and like to “carry” or “steal” objects make the most reliable retrievers you could ask for. This is why Goldens and Labs dominate retrieving trials 😉
I agree with pitlove, get into a basic obedience class and teach her how to learn, and let the instructor teach you how to teach what you want. Sometimes our messages are mixed and we don’t even realize it.
Are you wanting a dog with a competition retrieve with a dumbbell or just a pup that likes to fetch and bring stuff to you?
We had a non-natural retriever that was shaped with a clicker to pick things up and bring them to us. He wasn’t sure about retrieving at first but management and working with a competition trainer changed this.
He’s never, ever NOT done a good, reliable retrieve in the obedience ring and has never shuffled out–he blasts away from me with the fetch command and pretty much hauls ass on the way back!

[Acroyali]

If this puppy is ignoring “fetch” items and chewing/shredding things up, keep shred-able objects away from her. I know you said you dislike crating her, but crating is a tool and is only abusive if you use it too often and as a way to keep her “out of your hair”.
If she’s mouthy with objects, this is good for a hopeful retriever!!
If she gets something she shouldn’t have, tell her she’s very clever, clap at her, do NOT be angry….ask her to bring it to you. If she does, make a huge fuss and tell her she’s amazing and give her the object to play with, or give her a treat (not something crappy like a milk bone, but a several pieces of meat, cut small, one at a time to show her that bringing you things is GOOD. This IS retrieving.)
A very smart breeder I worked with stressed to puppy buyers that puppies that get things in their mouths are GOOD puppies, smart puppies. Despite puppy proofing, this WILL happen. Best to teach the pup that bringing you treasures is a pleasurable thing, and are easily taught to trade and deliver to hand, vs. an owner that flips out and creates guarding because the pup is worried that you’re angry/trying to take the awesome thing away.
If the pup has something in her mouth you wish she did not, encourage her to bring it to you (“What have you got!!! Aren’t you a clever puppy!!!!!!!”) vs. (“Give me that, that’s not yours”) etc.
Have fun with your pup. If you’re really wishing for a good retriever, seek out a nice class that offers retrieving lessons and you won’t be disappointed.

[Acroyali]

Jaky S, Smith Ridge is a top notch facility.
Unfortunately people here will come along calling them homeopathic and holistic and link ridiculous articles from vets living in the 1960’s to attempt to discredit them and steer people away.
This site is not raw friendly and is not holistic friendly.

[Acroyali]

It’s so great that people point out that raw food contains salmonella…but fail to show how many kibbled foods have been recalled for salmonella, or worse.

[Acroyali]

@ Emily C, it’s great you’re feeding your dogs a LID home prepared but make sure they receive calcium in some form (bones, seaweed calcium, eggshells, etc.)!
I did not see you mention this as a supplement, hence my comment.

[Acroyali]

What formulas of 4-Health and TOTW is/was he on? Each company has several quality formulas and none of them are the same.
When a dog is going after “rears (anal glands) and ears”, it’s usually (not always) a food issue.
It’s silly IMO to assume owning a dog will set you back thousands of dollars. Vet care is expensive, but simply itchy ears/paws shouldn’t set an owner back thousands. It makes it impossible for the average Joe to own a pet.
Keep a log of what they eat (the company, brand, formula, and ingredients list) and what that food contains and how they react. Talk with your vet. If they blow you off, fire them and find another vet that will talk to you.

[Acroyali]

Hopefully if Lori gets a second opinion, the first vet will be able to send the 2nd vet all the records. It happened to us when we had a dog being treated that was getting worse and worse and we sought a second opinion, as we refused re-doing x-rays, blood tests, and exploratory surgery.

Lori, did they say why they wanted a biopsy on his liver? Were his enzymes way elevated or way down? I obviously can’t help with this, I’m just flat out curious.

[Acroyali]

Not all veterinarians follow through.

The OP mentioned seeing a holistic vet and you went off about “homeopathic stuff” that probably will do harm. Homeopathic vets, in many cases, ignore other possible solutions in favor of using homeopathic remedies only. Combining the two types of practice as if they are one is false.

[Acroyali]

Charisma, that sounds awful 🙁 Hopefully you’ll find something your dog does well with.
One of mine is violently allergic or intolerant to chicken but does great on turkey; this isn’t set in stone of course. One of my cats has a terrible time with raw diets of any description (even boneless with Alnutrin added), but on a cooked diet he’s done very well.
Every 2 hours is pretty often but with chronic pancreatitis, several small feeds per day vs. 1 or 2 large(r) feeds might not be a bad idea. My cat with IBD (no pancreatitis, thankfully) does much better on 3-4 little meals per day. When we were still doing 2 feedings per day, he would eat then seem to have abdominal discomfort from the larger portions.

[Acroyali]

Sorry you’re having difficulties Lori 🙁 Have you been able to do a search for any holistic minded vets in your area? You didn’t specify if his current diet is dry or wet, most dogs with diabetes (and many with stones) do well with a higher moisture diet than a dry food can offer. I’m not a fan of prescription diets , so I can’t help on that much, but if you’re thinking of trying something else a holistic vet who knows about raw and/or cooked feeding for a dog with health problems would be the person to consult, as when dealing with diabetes and possible liver problems, finding a good diet can be tricky (but not impossible).
I’ve been down your path. It’s frustrating as heck to spend thousands and see little to no improvement, but don’t give up. Contrary to what others seem to think, holistic vets and homeopathic vets are two very different types of practice and have absolutely nothing to do with one another; a holistic vet would be a good option.
Lew Olson at B naturals has a great book on feeding real food to dogs, and has chapters with information on what foods are good for what problems (based on the dogs current lab numbers, something you’ll want to keep up with). Hope this is helpful.

[Acroyali]

Many people have fed a low phosphorous raw diet to dogs in early/mid stage kidney disease. Mary Strauss and Lew Olson have excellent blogs that touch on this topic. Numbers matter, so depending on what things are elevated and how high will determine the best diet possible for your dog.

Also, raw diets are NOT “homeopathic.” Not even close.

[Acroyali]

Hi LovelyBear!

All my dogs use their feet when eating, yet my cats don’t. Go figure 😀

I wouldn’t be surprised if she catches onto the crate games soon and remembers that her crate used to be a place she enjoyed. Some dogs just kind of get weirded out by something they haven’t seen in awhile. My overly visual herding breeds are like this. One of them will stare at something new as if willing it to move!

Truthfully I don’t think all kibble is horrible, but I’m like you–I’d rather know what I’m feeding my dogs and cats, as well as know where it’s sourced from…most of it is farm to bowl. The suppliers I’ve used for the many years I’ve been doing this have never left me anything but satisfied. I don’t feel a raw diet magically “prevents” or “cures” cancer, nor will keep a dog from dying of anything but old age when they’re well into their 30’s (but wouldn’t that be awesome….), but I consider it another form of insurance, along with environmental factors that can potentially increase or decrease those risks. We do our best.

I don’t notice a huge difference between my young or young-ish raw fed animals vs. their non-raw fed friends, but as they age I see subtle differences between the two. An NR breeder I work with has generations of dogs and her seniors look (and act) pretty much like the younger generations do. The most striking difference was between one of my dogs (then 7 years old) and another dog of the same age and breed who appeared to be much older. Maybe we just got lucky genetics but my dog was often guessed to be between 2-4 years old because of his coat condition, clean teeth, etc.

Wishing you the best of luck!!

[Author]

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