[DogFoodie]

That’s great, Maria!

Just be sure to “cook” it lightly as it does contain bone.

[DogFoodie]

I have a dog that won’t eat any raw, but Answers. He will literally walk away from any other. Maybe dousing it with some of their fish stock or goat milk will entice your pup.

My first thought was the same as C4C, is it cold when you feed it? You could put his portion in a container or plastic bag and submerge it in a hot water bath.

Also, is pork something different for him? Maybe try a different protein.

I wish I could feed mine Answers all the time, but I’m having trouble finding a vendor near me that will carry it consistently. In my opinion, it’s the best commercial raw.

Good luck!

[DogFoodie]

In Re: the Doggie Dooley, look under “Not Draining”:

“5. The Digester will not work well in temperatures below 40 degrees. The Doggie Dooley will be dormant during the Winter months and then can be used once the weather has warmed up again.”

http://www.doggiedooley.com/frequently-asked-questions.html

You should have a clean out somewhere near your house if you are on a municipal sewer system.

Several years ago, I had a conversation with a poster who stopped by here who used the Doggie Doo Drain and she said she loved hers. If my clean out was in a better spot, I’d have gotten one. The Doggie Dooley has to be buried and you have to use a waste digester. The Doo Drain seems so much simpler and is the equivalent of flushing.

[DogFoodie]

I researched them years ago. I wanted one until I learned it got too cold where I am in the winter… or so I seem to recall that was case.

Then, I found this other cool thing that you attach to your clean out. It’s like a big funnel with a lid. You “make a deposit,” then flush with a bucket of water. Turned out my clean out is located in a very conspicuous spot. It’s called the Doggie Doo Drain. https://www.amazon.com/Doggie-Doo-Drain-Waste-Attachment/dp/B0020N940C/ref=lp_8461727011_1_1?srs=8461727011&ie=UTF8&qid=1476233900&sr=8-1

[DogFoodie]

Hi Jenny,

My sensitive boy has both food and environmental sensitivities. His environmental challenges have been worse this year than ever, as have mine. I’m located in the Chicago suburbs.

I can’t speak as to the histamine in raw foods. The only raw my dog will eat and does well on is Answers, which is fermented.

[DogFoodie]

She switched her dog to a raw diet as a recommendation of, and under the guidance of her former vet.

[DogFoodie]

So, he’s been eating raw and doing well on it. His allergy issued subsided once you began the raw diet. He’s still on raw and is doing well on it. Right?

Your new vet was a jerk to you. I’m sorry you had to lose your former vet in the move.

No, you’re not doing anything wrong. I would just look for a raw feeding community for support and possibly not discuss nutrition with this current vet.

Are there any holistic vets near your new home? http://www.ahvma.org/find-a-holistic-veterinarian/

[DogFoodie]

I was curious because you’ve recommended their food in almost every post and sometimes that’s indicative of a financial interest in the company.

[DogFoodie]

I guess I didn’t see that I was misinterpreting something since the posters in both threads mentioned specifically that their dogs had silica stones. But, OK.

[DogFoodie]

Anonymously,

In another thread, you recommended Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea to an individual whose dog had silica stones.

/forums/topic/food-for-dog-with-silica-stones/#post-83704

Is there a reason you’re not recommending that same food, but rather Rx food, for Terry K?

[DogFoodie]

Susan W,

Are you affiliated with VerUS in any way or do you have a vested interest in the company?

[DogFoodie]

I just looked quickly at a few I was thinking of that might work for you. Please double check the ingredients to make sure it doesn’t contain any of your triggers.

Another to take a look at would be Dr. E’s Limited Ingredient Grain and Potato Free dry dog foods in buffalo. Also take a look at Great Life Grain Free buffalo.

Canine Caviar Limited Ingredient Diet Open Meadow Holistic Entrée Dry Dog Food would be a good choice if he can tolerate millet.

Personally, I’ve used First Mate products for my boy with sensitivities and think highly of them. At quick glance, their Ocean Fish Meal Original Formula Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free might work.

[DogFoodie]

Not sure if any of these will work. Double check the ingredients to make sure it doesn’t contain any of the triggers.

Acana Lamb & Okanagan Apple
Acana Pork & Butternut Squash
Addiction Hunter’s Venison Stew (canned)
Canine Caviar Lamb & Pearl Millet
Canine Caviar LBP dinner
Canine Caviar Wild Ocean
Canine Caviar Open Sky
Petcurean Go! Sensitivity & Shine Venison

[DogFoodie]

Hi Patricia,

I second C4C’s recommendation for a fecal test. I also second her recommendation for NutriSource, which is generally well tolerated by sensitive stomachs.

I looked at the NutriSource Large Breed Puppy (grain-inclusive formula) and it has 4% fiber. I also looked at the three foods you specifically mentioned and with the exception of the Royal Canin (of which, I’m not a fan), the others are pretty high in fiber. How is he doing on the Eukanuba? Any loose stool while eating that? Right now, whatever he’ll eat and does well on is what he should be eating. Prolonged loose stool can actually do more damage. His digestive tract is healing when he’s not having the loose stool, even if that means temporarily using the I/D – at least the Calcium is OK for a LBP in the I/D.

I’ve been through this with my Golden when he was a pup and finally have a good handle on things. What I would do is sit down and look at all of the foods you’ve fed him. See if there’s anything in common in those foods that he doesn’t do well on and those he does. Compare ingredients and nutrient profiles. Sometimes it’s a fiber issue, sometimes it’s an ingredient issue, sometimes it’s a protein issue.

[DogFoodie]

Hi Oceans11,

I feed my dogs a base of kibble and vary the toppers. The extras I mentioned are the toppers. Sorry I didn’t make that clear! 🙂 I buy small bags of dry food that will be used up within two or three weeks. I rotate foods with each new bag. Neither of my dogs requires a transition. My Cavalier would love to eat raw at every meal, but my Golden turns his nose up at it and walks away. I feed them similarly for my sanity. I can’t feed them the same dry food because my Golden has lots of food sensitivities. They both love raw tripe though. I use tripe as a topper or occasionally a full meal. It stinks to high heaven. I order mine from My Pet Carnivore. I’m on their local home-delivery route. You could also order from Hare Today. I prefer frozen raw over canned.

ALS foods are all life stages. They meet the AAFCO profile for growth. Growth foods are called “puppy” foods by some manufacturers, but some might also refer to growth foods as ALS foods. The other profile is adult maintenance. I prefer not to use maintenance foods. Some foods labelled puppy just might be higher in calories, so it’s a good idea to pay attention to calories (usually listed as kcals per cup) all of the time. Feeding guidelines on bags and cans of food tend to be high. Determine for sure how many calories your pup needs daily and measure it out. Be sure to include calories from all sources… kibble, canned, treats, etc. With a small dog, you might need to weigh food using a digital kitchen scale to ensure accuracy. There’s less room for error when you’re talking about a small number of calories to begin with. Keep an eye on their body condition and use that as your guide for portion control.

If they’re truly hungry at mealtime they’ll eat eagerly!

[DogFoodie]

I’m not at all a fan of Evanger’s at all. They’ve had lots of major quality control issues.

I see no problem with your feeding your adult dog puppy food, just be aware that it’s typically higher in calories. Puppy foods are AAFCO growth foods, which are same thing as ALS foods. My adult Cavalier is about the same size as your Coton and she occassionally gets puppy foods in her rotation. She eats about 350 calories per day from various sources; ie: kibble, canned, fresh fruits & veggies, lean meats.

It’s possible your pup is being overfed, which is probably the leading cause of loose stool. They miggt be reluctant to eat because they’re not really hungry.

I would be really careful about home cooked unless it’s properly balanced. If you’re just feeding fresh or whole foods as toppers, just be sure it’s not more than 20% of her daily calories. A homemade, properly balanced, diet is the best thing you could feed them, but it’s tricky. Raw green tripe works wonders when you’re trying to entice a picky eater at mealtime.

[DogFoodie]

The timing is very peculiar, isn’t it.

Where do you live (house / apartment)? Any chance puppy is being exposed to some sort of pesticide or cleaning solution?

[DogFoodie]

I agree with Susan. Have you changed his diet at all during this time?

How old is puppy? Any recent vaccines? Could even be he got some bad bunny pooh. Is he gaining weight (assuming he’s a growing pup).

I’d call the vet tomorrow and would definitely get them a fresh stool sample.

[DogFoodie]

Entropion and cherry eye are not the same thing.

If left untreated, entropion can cause blindness.

[DogFoodie]

Actually, Brothers Complete doesn’t use sweet potato either. They use tapioca as a starch.

I’ve used Brothers in my rotation for years. It’s one of my favorite foods.

[DogFoodie]

Hi Dog Pack Mom,

I think you’ll find the answers to your questions here: /reports/editors-choice-log/

[DogFoodie]

Hi Terry S,

You have to be a paying member of the Editor’s Choice in order to post in those forums, but you do not have to be a paying member to post in any of the other forums.

If you are already logged into Disqus, try hitting the refresh button to see if it magically logs you in again.

[DogFoodie]

John,

Are you saying the pup you’re feeding is only five weeks old?

[DogFoodie]

You bet!

Unfortunately, I heard of so many dogs that tried it, but didn’t tolerate it very well. I had heard of folks that had good luck with it as a limited ingredient food though. I tried it once when my two were pretty little and just never got around to trying it again.

Ingredient-wise, it was a great product. I too, was sorry to see it go.

[DogFoodie]

They discontinued it sometime last year. I can’t recall for sure when it was. I seem to recall that they posted something on their Facebook page when they announced it. I just looked and their Facebook page is gone now, too. It was something about sales being down.

[DogFoodie]

Hi Naturella,

You know the product was discontinued, right?

[DogFoodie]

Thank you, Dr. Mike!

Anonymously, when an internet troll’s activities become criminal, it’s imperative to put measures in place to confirm their identify and stop them. There should be no question that Dr. Mike always has, and will continue, to do the right thing in an effort to make DFA as safe as possible.

[DogFoodie]

Do you add a small amount of salt and garlic to your jerky?

[DogFoodie]

Great news, Losul!

Thank you so much for sharing your experience with us. I’m so grateful and I learned so much in the conversation.

I miss you being around more often, but I respect your privacy as well.

[DogFoodie]

Hi Lauren,

I think I’d take a look at doing a true elimination diet if I were you.

Since you’ve been working with your vet on identifying your pup’s food sensitivities, you could talk to them about it and get your instructions from them. Essentially, you choose a single protein and a single starch that your dog hasn’t eaten before and feed only that. After you’re dog’s condition has settled down, you slowly introduce other ingredients, one at a time. If he reacts, you withdraw the food and continue with your single starch and protein. If not done properly, you’ll end up with inaccurate results. If done properly, it’s the gold standard for identifying food sensitivities / allergies.

Some folks will use raw or cooked foods, prepared at home. Others will choose prescription foods from the vet. Either way, it’s not forever, but it’ll help you get some answers.

With my food sensitive dog, I have better luck with Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diets.

Good luck! I know how frustrating it can be!

[DogFoodie]

Hi Wendeyzee,

Actually, the cause of pano is largely unknown, but it is more likely caused by excess nutrition then other factors. You should keep a pup lean during growth. Excess protein is excreted as waste in urine.

[DogFoodie]

OK, gosh. Thanks, Ed.

Here I thought it was up to me to make choices for my pets based on their unique nutritional requirements; but, you’re telling me I should just feed them all Purina.

Interesting.

Whatever.

Sounds like “Alex Woodward” has now made his way to the forums.

[DogFoodie]

Hi Arby,

I’m curious, is it correct that are there 39 brands of food represented on your food finder?

[DogFoodie]

What are your dog’s age? If you have puppies, what breed / size? What are you currently feeding them?

[DogFoodie]

WellPet does use co-packers for their Wellness products, but they do not use Diamond any longer.

[DogFoodie]

Hi Kathleen,

I agree. Weruva is a great product.

Sadly, their line of “Kobe” products, is manufactured in the US by Evangers. Evangers has a terrible reputation.

For that reason, I’d exclude the Kobe products if I fed Weruva to my dogs.

[DogFoodie]

Hi John,

I buy mine at my vet, but they have a great price and card what I want, so I’m lucky. Last time I took my two in for a check-up, I ended up winning a six month supply box for one of my dogs. I was so happy!

I have read that there are guidelines regarding heartworm preventatives. If you don’t buy it from certain places, and administer as prescribed, and your dog ends up with heartworms, you won’t be covered under their warranty. Just something for you to check into before you place an order.

My integrative medicine vet, whom I always see for wellness, uses Sentinel Spectrum for her own dogs and recommended it for mine as well.

[DogFoodie]

I’d definitely agree that overfeeding is the leading cause of loose stool.

What is she eating currently?

Have you eliminated the Greenies?

[DogFoodie]

When you say she has a sensitive stomach, what exactly do you mean? What are her symptoms? Loose stool, diarrhea, vomiting, gas, rumbly tummy, regurgitation, itchiness, ear / skin issues, etc.; and, when do her symptoms flare. Have you identified any ingredients to which she seems to respond negatively?

[DogFoodie]

I like a lot of Solid Gold products. One of my holistic vets has been carrying it in her office for years.

[DogFoodie]

Hi Losul! I sure miss seeing you around! I’m glad you checked in, as you’ve been on my mind lately. Hope all is well with you. 🙂

Great news, Glenna!

[DogFoodie]

Hi TH,

I went to Chewy.com and did a search of foods with fish as the primary protein. There are lots to choose from that are poultry free. Orijen Six Fish, Acana Pacifica, Zignature Trout and Salmon, Wellness Core Ocean, several varieties of Fromm, Earthborn Holistic Coastal Catch…, are all brands that are on the first page of the search that I’d use, that a quick glance of the ingredients seems to indicate contain no poultry. There are lots more than that to choose from.

FWIW, I believe strongly in a rotational diet. If you’ve been using fish based foods for a while, maybe it’s time to try a new protein for a while. A variety of proteins is important for a complete amino acid profile. Rotating foods also helps to avoid prolonged exposure to less desirable ingredients.

Good luck finding something new!

[DogFoodie]

I’m a little confused. When you said, “My vet still does not believe she does not have an infection,” you mean that your vet believes that your dog has an infection. Is that right?

[DogFoodie]

Wow, what a relief!

That’s crazy you weren’t told to fast them.

You mention that you were cooking for them. We’re you making sure that their meals were complete and balanced? What will you be feeding them going forward?

[DogFoodie]

I read your post and subsequent edits before you deleted them.

[DogFoodie]

He chooses to blog “anonymously.” Interesting. You frequently provide links to his site, but not in this case, so I visited his site and I do not see his name anywhere on the page you referenced. It actually says, “It doesn’t matter who I am.” He provides a link to his resume, which you have to download from his site.

[DogFoodie]

I don’t believe grains are horrible either, but neither of my dogs do well on them. I choose high quality ingredients over highly processed ingredients that are fillers with little nutritional value, like corn gluten meal.

I definitely do not agree with many of the statements made by Skeptvet. I don’t know that he actually states his real name anywhere on his blog. The fact that he recommends rawhides is concerning to me.

Blue Buffalo is terribly overpriced for the quality. Every formula contains chicken. Blue Buffalo is currently being sued by Purina for misrepresenting ingredients contained in their foods. The company seriously lacks transparency.

Feed what you like and what your dog does well on. I can guarantee you’ll meet plenty of folks who wouldn’t feed the foods you’ve chosen. You might never want to feed what they’ve chosen.

I guess you need to ask yourself if you’re looking for a different food or validation of the food you’ve chosen.

[DogFoodie]

Hi Craig,

Chicken and rice shouldn’t be fed long-term unless recommended by your vet. This diet lacks vitamins, minerals, amino acids, Omegas, etc. White rice has very little nutritional value.

I would suggest that you consider rotating proteins that you’re adding as toppers. Your dog would benefit a great deal from the addition of tinned sardines a couple of times weekly. Chicken is fine occasionally, but rotate that with the sardines and a red meat protein. Make sure that the extras (including treats) make up no more than 20% of your pup’s daily intake to avoid throwing off the nutritional balance of his diet.

Since you have a smaller dog, and he seems to like homemade (probably warm) food, you could fully investigate making home cooked meals, that are complete and balanced. It must be properly balanced or it’ll do more harm than good when fed long-term. A good book to read would be Dr. Karen Becker’s Real Food for Healthy Cats and Dogs. Dogaware dot com is a great website with lots of information about nutrition and home cooking meals.

If you are looking for commercial diets, you might investigate dehydrated or freeze dried foods. My favorite dehydrated foods are from The Honest Kitchen. Zeal might be a good choice to start. Freeze dried (and canned) foods tend to be higher in fat which is very important in your dog’s diet, but should be fed in moderation. Your dog is eating very little healthy fat currently, so any increase in fat should be done gradually. A good freeze dried food is Orijen, but it’s high in fat. You might also look at a lower fat canned food as an option, such as Wellness Core Reduced Fat.

You’re obviously a very caring pet guardian! I’m sure you enjoy cooking for your dog and you could fix him chicken and rice once a week or so. As long as his diet is balanced the rest of the week, it’ll be fine. I’d probably use brown rice for a little more nutrition and fiber rather than white rice. Good luck and have fun!

[DogFoodie]

Hi Craig,

Have you been giving your dog some sort of multi-vitamin supplement since you acquired him?

I have to say, the diet you posted in your other thread concerns me quite a bit, but I’ll post my thoughts there.

If you’re feeding a complete and balanced diet, you don’t really need a multi-vitamin. Some folks like to add whole foods as supplements such as: lean, unseasoned meats from your dinner; pureed dark leafy greens; eggs, either raw or lightly cooked; some cottage cheese; kefir; etc. These are mostly considered toppers. You could also add a fish oil supplement, preferable salmon or krill.

[DogFoodie]

When I first read your post, the first thing I thought also was to switch to grinds. 🙂 My two favorites are My Pet Carnivore and Hare Today.

[Author]

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