[C4D]

I agree with InkedMarie. I’ve had many dogs and one of my current dogs is a lab that’s almost 11. I never feed senior formulas. My large dogs live to the 15 year range. Older dogs need more not less protein as they don’t metabolize it as well. The thing you need to watch is their weight. Excess weight is hard on their bodies and joints in particular. Patti S included an excellent link.

Out of curiosity, what foods are you comparing and feeding? So many vary in quality. You might want to consider adding some fresh food to help your older dogs maintain their health.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 7 months ago by C4D.

[C4D]

I totally agree with you AGT! My dogs do love THK Beams, but there are so many other healthy options besides jerky!

[C4D]

Andy B,

Jack’s Links aren’t even healthy for people!!! There is 25% of the daily value of sodium for Humans in just 1 oz of jerky. That’s way too much salt, especially in a snack!

I don’t even feed my dogs jerky, except on a rare occaison. Why don’t you just pick a healthier treat. The other option is you could buy a dehydrator and make your own jerky.

http://www.jacklinks.com/products/original-beef-jerky

[C4D]

I didn’t check everything, but if you include the eggshell from both eggs, you’ll end up with too much calcium. Whole Dog Journal has several articles on home made diets. Karen Becker has a book as well.

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_7/features/Home-Prepared-Dog-Food-Nutritional-Information_20568-1.html

[C4D]

Ugh! DogFoodie, that happened to me the other day! Don’t you hate when that happens!!! Do you like Answers? I haven’t used it yet.

[C4D]

Dinovite is just a supplement. I also feed THK base mix, as Cockaliermom mentioned, with fresh cooked meat I buy at the grocery store. It’s a less expensive option to raw. My dogs don’t have allergies to chicken, turkey, beef or pork, so I stock up on what’s on sale & crock pot cook several days worth.

[C4D]

According to their website, they are now sourced and made in the U.S.

http://www.dogswell.com/healthy-dog-treats/jerky/vitality-jerky-chicken-usarecipe-1/

I haven’t bought them in a while because the bags said China, but it appears to have changed.

[C4D]

Hi Brie,
I’ve had dogs that develop allergies to certain protein in food with similar symptoms. While checking in with your vet is a good idea, especially to take care of the ear infections, I don’t think you have to rush to a dermatologist unless there’s no improvement after doing an elimination diet and/or if you don’t see a change from the switch in food.

You need to make sure ALL treats are grain free as well and it’s best to feed everything using the same protein as the food. So you need to use fish based treats. Limited ingredient diets are good if you don’t get great improvement on the current food. I do use Kefir as a probiotic since it helps control yeast. Good luck!

[C4D]

Hi Jane,

I haven’t had a dog with your issues, but I wanted to chime in. I had a dog with CRF. I wish you best of luck with your pup and hope she can get through this. Red gave you some good advice. I cook boneless and bone in chicken breasts for my dogs also. I simmer them for 30-40 minutes till cooked through and reserve the juice to add to their food, and shred the chicken. You can do several in a crock pot too.

I agree with Red on holding off on the rabies vaccine until all is well health wise. I did vaccines with an older dog that didn’t have any real serious issues and we almost lost him. Talk with your vet and research if your interested. They’re finding that the vaccine lasts longer than they thought but legislation hasn’t changed. Some states and counties allow waivers for dogs with health issues.
Dr. Ron Schultz has done a lot of research on it:

Home – Rabies Challenge Fund

[C4D]

I buy a lot of various foods, including Earthborn. I have The Honest Kitchen, Nature’s Variety Instinct and several others in my house right now. THK has a manufacturer date and best buy date of 1 year apart. I don’t have any Earthborn in my house but it’s made by the same company as ProPac. It has a manufacturer date & expiration date right next to each other. That’s what you would go by. I often buy bags of various dry food that has 1 year to 18 months expiration from when I’ve bought it, depending on the brand. It’s printed on the bag, but usually in the same place all the time. I think the Earthborn is always on the top. ProPac might be the same.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 7 months ago by C4D.

[C4D]

Hi Chris,

I totally understand. I’m not saying just up and change, but be wary. Having a couple of foods in a rotation make it easier to switch and cause less issues if there is a formula change in a brand. I see you’ve tried some of the budget friendly and not so budget friendly foods. I agree with Pitlove. Fromm is a good company and I’ve had good luck with their foods. Another one I use is Earthborn, also a family company. I know several on this site like Victor, but I’m not familiar with it.

[C4D]

Sorry guys, I hate to burst your bubble, but of course that’s what they all say. They said it every time there was a buyout. Just watch your dog’s reaction to the food and think about adding some of the better quality family company brands into your rotation. 😉

[C4D]

Hi Leslie,

I do a lot of rotating of food so I can use single proteins since I will switch to a different protein on the next bag. Feeding guidelines are just that, guidelines. I have very easy keepers (Labs) and I always have to feed a bit less than recommended even though they are fairly active. Every dog is different and have different metabolisms. So what might be enough for one dog is way too much for another dog. Generally, dogs will have more muscle on a grain free diet that has more protein than carbohydrates. But of course, that depends on if you’re feeding the correct amount.

One thing you might want to look at is the kcal/cup of the foods you are feeding. One size does not fit all. I don’t know what you fed before, but the calorie count might be completely different. Zignature Trout/Salmon is 420 kcal/cup. Were your dogs the correct weight before they were on grain free? If so, the easiest way to add some extra food is to do a gradual adjustment and add just a bit more for a week or so, note if there is some weight gain and go on from there.

[C4D]

Hi Lazaro,

Technically Eukauba does not make Pedigree. Mars is a huge corporation that makes Pedigree. Procter and Gamble originally owned Iams and Eukanuba, along with other brands and sold most of it’s pet food division to Mars last year:

http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702304058204579491271373975640

Purina has never owned Pedigree. I fed Iams about 20 years ago and there were no dog food rating sites I was aware of at the time. I don’t think I ever thought to read through the ingredients, etc. I think most of the dog food sites started about 15 years ago. I used thedogfoodproject.com and dogfoodanalysis.com before DFA came on the scene. Before these sites came on the internet, I think most people, myself included, just trusted the companies to make good food for animals or went by recommendations. Plus there were all those wonderful commercials! 😉

[C4D]

Pitlove, my whole point is not to chastise you, but to make you wary of corporate claims. The old Naturapet no longer exists.

[C4D]

Ahhh, to be young and hopeful. I used to feed Evo and Orijen in rotation along with several other really good brands. Evo was easily an equivalent food to Orijen in quality and price. It was family owned by Naturapet and even carried by veterinarians. I decided to pull it out of my rotation due to my dog’s weight gain and injury. It was sold off shortly after that to P&G. Within a few months, many people in the dog business (breeders, show people, etc) as well as others were complaining on the internet about their dogs having problems with Evo (as well as the other Naturapet products). Naturapet never had a recall in the entire family history, yet P&G had a massive recall within 3 years of acquiring the company. Here’s just a bit of the history in links:

Link for buyout & brief Naturapet history. Please note that in the first link, the wording is very similar to what Purina and Merrick said about the buyout:

http://news.pg.com/press-release/pg-corporate-announcements/pg-acquires-natura-pet-products

http://www.dailyfinance.com/2010/05/06/procter-and-gamble-natura-pet-products/

Assurance the product won’t change:
http://groovycatsndogs.com/proctor_gamble_buys_natura_pet_products/

1st recall info:

Natura Recall: California Natural, Innova, EVO, Innova, Healthwise Pet Foods for Salmonella Contamination

Many years ago, I also used to feed my new puppy Iams (you were a child back then). It was considered a very good food many years. I was pleasantly surpised (I thought) to find it available at walmart a few years later. A friend who bred, showed and trained dogs told me Iams was not what it used to be. We all know it isn’t.

History of Iams:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iams

History of Ekanuba:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eukanuba

They all say how they’re going to bring their wonderful product to the “next level”. The next level for all of these companies seems to be a step down. It certainly was for Iams, Eukanuba, Naturapet. Innova was one of the flagship foods that people loved. It doesn’t exist anymore since Mars took over. Sorry Pitlove, I’m older and much more doubtful and will definitely say goodbye to Merrick for now. I’ve already let Naturapet become a fond but bittersweet memory. And Zukes is history for me too.

[C4D]

I loved using Merrick’s canned food, but only occaisonally used the dry. I also used to use Zukes and fed Evo when it was owned by Naturapet. From my experience, within a few months of P&G taking over Naturapet there were many people complaining about dogs having stomach upset and GI problems all over the internet. I have many friends in the dog world and some who did have some issues with Evo as well. I had stopped feeding Evo just a week before the buyout, simply because I had to drop it from my dog’s rotation to bring her weight down. As a result, I never had a personal experience with it, but I’m very wary of Big Guy buyouts. I haven’t bought Zukes since the buyout either. I’m currently on hold with Merrick just because of past history when the Big Guys take over the small companies. So that’s my take on it.

[C4D]

I’m curious. Why are you feeding a multivitamin? Are you doing your own homemade meals?

[C4D]

Hi DogFoodie and Joe,

I looked it up and saw no ingredients and the ridiculously low price on some of the Rural King Good Friends food, but there is a list on the Good Friends Naturals. It appears to be made by Cargill Animal Nutrition, but there’s no info on that site except for Loyall, so maybe it’s a house brand for Rural King? Anyway here’s the link that has the G/A and ingredient list. The ingredients don’t look too bad. It wouldn’t be in my rotation, but I’m guessing it might be a 2-3 star food?

http://www.ruralking.com/good-friends-natural-chkrice-35.html

[C4D]

Hi Ashley,

Yorkieville is correct, the fresher, the better. Of course when you have over 200 lbs of dogs @ your house, you have to adjust. If you choose canned, just look for lower fat content, if that’s a concern. Also, splitting food into 2 meals is better overall for their metabolism.

[C4D]

Hi Ashley,

Soaking kibble is better than feeding dry kibble, but canned and fresh is still better since it’s less processed. I have several big dogs so I do a combination of canned/kibble/warm water for 1 meal and fresh cooked/premix or raw for the other due to the cost factor. Red is correct, if you free feed you can’t control portion size of each dog.

[C4D]

I am a firm believer in “gobbledygook” and “fairy dust” as it has totally worked for me, but I also use a vet for diagnosis. I am also one that is not a believer in skeptvet. HaHa! 🙂

[C4D]

My own vet is very much in favor of probiotics and it has now become a bit of a mainstream medication in both human and canine practice. If it only happened once, it might have been some other issue. You could start with a lower dosage, say 1/2 the actual dosing amount and see what happens. I use Kefir and give my various dogs 1 tsp – 1 tbsp daily depending on size. It’s 99% lactose free, much cheaper, contains all natural probiotics and has worked well for me.

[C4D]

I am chiming in on this too. Everyone is right! Get a different vet! My vets have slots daily for any serious issues and even with a regular appointment, I can get in within a couple of days. This dog needs to be seen ASAP! It might not be anything, but if symptoms are worsening you need to know! Good luck!

[C4D]

Hi Kevin B,

The thing is, Purina is including some of the things that more natural feeders have been using for years and calling it proprietary. MCTs, fish oil and glucosamin can be found in a lot better products than generic poultry byproduct meal, generic fish oil and manufactured MCT oil. They are also charging a fairly high price for some mediocre ingredients.

Link: https://www.proplan.com/dogs/products/bright-mind-adult-7plus-chicken-rice-formula/#ingredientsandguaranteedanalysis

I have an almost 11 year old Lab (aka old dog by your standards) with diagnosed arthritis in her 2 back knees (torn ccl’s) and she is on NO medications, walks/jogs almost 2 miles daily, runs and chases all the wildlife in the back yard, has stellar blood panels, a beautiful shiny coat, good teeth overall (she’s any aggressive chewer and had some dental work done as a result) and does act like a young dog. I feed her some good kibble and canned food mix along with a fresh meal daily. She does get supplements of Coconut oil, fish oil (human supplement sardine and anchovy) and Glucosamin/Chondroitin. You might want to try adding some really good fresh or canned food to his diet and look into supplements and you might be surprised how much more improvement you’ll see. 🙂

• This reply was modified 8 years, 8 months ago by C4D. Reason: defining fish oil I use

[C4D]

I have one dog that takes the 1200 mg double potency (720 omegas) human fish oil daily due to arthritis but I also have a foster that is allergic to fish and breaks out in a rash if she is given any fish in any form, not matter how little the portion. DogFoodie is right. It’s a great anti inflamatory, as long as the dog can take it. You also may need to supplement with an occaisonal dose of Vitamin E, if it’s not in the fish oil supplement you are using. There is a very delicate balance between fish oil and Vitamin E. Please research before giving.

[C4D]

I didn’t feed Whole Earth Farms, except for a few cans, but I did use Merrick cans a lot. From my point of view, I am holding on ALL Merrick food for now. Since I rotate my foods, that’s not a big problem for me. I’m just going to exclude Merrick for right now. :-/

[C4D]

I’m actually a frequent user of Nature’s Variety Instinct limited ingredients formulas. If that doesn’t work, Zignature has many limited ingredient formulas including fish.

[C4D]

Hi Kevin,
THROW THE GREENIES AWAY! They are loaded in wheat! If you must do a chew like that, pick one that has no grains and minimal potato. These are difficult to find. You might try something like a bully stick or venison ear. Here’s the ingredient list:

Wheat flour, wheat protein isolate, glycerin, gelatin, oat fiber, water, lecithin, natural poultry flavor, minerals (dicalcium phosphate, calcium carbonate, potassium chloride, magnesium amino acid chelate, zinc amino acid chelate, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate, manganese amino acid chelate, potassium iodide), choline chloride, dried apple pomace, fruit juice color, vitamins ( dl-alpha tocopherol acetate [source of vitamin E], vitamin B12 supplement, d-calcium pantothenate [vitamin B5], niacin supplement, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement [vitamin B2], vitamin D3 supplement, biotin, pyridoxine hydrochloride [vitamin B6], thiamine mononitrate [vitamin B1], folic acid), turmeric color.

Link:
GREENIES Pet Products for Dogs

Many dogs react to grains of any type. My own dog did, even though they were the “good grains”. This alone helped for many years until she developed a specific allergy to only 1 protein.

Red, I realize that you are all about skeptvet. HOWEVER, I really am not happy with how he dismisses alternative treatments.

I treated an older demodex mange dog (confirmed by my vet) with feeding her echinacea in her food daily for 7 days and shampooing her every 10 days (3 times) with a natural mineral based shampoo that included neem oil. My vet was aware of what I wanted to try before using the “traditional methods”. It worked completely. I also changed her from a fish based diet, (which I confirmed was the cause of allergy through my own trials) to a limited ingredient diet. She was completely cured. She is now able to eat all but fish in her diet. The fish was the cause of all of the allergy issues which in turn triggered the demodex. I treated a dog with high liver enzymes (vet diagnosed) with milk thistle and sam-e. Within 6 months, I brought the ALT down from over 300 to under 65. I had another dog with a bacterial skin infection that my vet thought was environmental. I switched the protein and we have not had an issue since. I did experiment and found that in fact the specific protein was the cause. I truly believe there must be a melding of both western traditional methods with some alternative holistic methods. That’s my $.02 worth! I will forever choose a combination of the 2.

P.S. I don’t use topicals either. I pull any occaisonal ticks that are on my dogs and have never had fleas, but have found that many of the natural methods repel fleas and ticks do help. I wouldn’t treat my children with flea and tick topicals even though we have had ticks on them over the years of primitive camping. I’ve kept all various worms/parasites at bay (even with fosters that are infected) with Diatomaceous Earth. It’s worked for me.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 8 months ago by C4D.
• This reply was modified 8 years, 8 months ago by C4D.

[C4D]

Ha! on the thank you’s (I read your post C4C). Very interesting read Dori! Thanks for sharing! 🙂

[C4D]

M Y,

These are just terrible treats. It doesn’t matter where they come from. They have been sold off to Smuckers now & there are various ingredient labels depending on which site you go to. I can’t even find the actual ingredients from the company that owns it. The website doesn’t even link to anything about the products. The ingredient panel on any of the sites is just awful, with all kinds of coloring and artificial additives. I think Petfooddirect might be the older formula, but they may still have it in stock. Either way, dogs don’t need BHA, sugar, 4 different artificial colors and a bunch of other preservatives in their treats!

Big Heart Brands website:
http://www.bigheartpet.com/

Bacon flavor on Petfooddirect:

Ingredients

Chicken, Corn Syrup, Soy Flour, Wheat Flour, Corn Starch, Water, Propylene Glycol, Animal Fat (BHA Used As A Preservative), Animal Digest, Calcium Sulfate, Soy Protein Concentrate, Sugar, Beef, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Phosphoric Acid, Titanium Dioxide, Sorbic Acid (Used As A Preservative), Red 40 Lake, Garlic Powder, Natural Smoke Flavor, Iron Oxide, BHA (Used As A Preservative), Citric Acid (Used As A Preservative).

Bacon flavor on Pet360, Target & Walmart:

Ingredients

Wheat Flour, Soybean Flour, Water, Beef. Glycerin, Whole Corn Sugar, Bacon, Corn Syrup, Natural Smoke Flavor, Bone Phosphate, Salt, Potassium Sorbate (Used As A Preservative), Phosphoric Acid, Red 40 Lake, Glyceryl Monostearate, Yellow 6 Lake, Titanium Dioxide, BHA (Used As A Preservative), Yellow 5 Lake, Blue 1 Lake.

[C4D]

LOL on the briefcase! Yep, expos are great!

No, I don’t have any special tricks, just a LOT of research, some friends in various dog businesses/rescue and I am a freak about checking labels & codes. 🙂

Very interesting about the 4 health codes! Thanks!

• This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by C4D.

[C4D]

No problem, BD! I love pet expos! Free samples and lot’s of info. 🙂

I have used a few of the Canidae pure formulas recently and my dog’s like it, of course they are labs 😉 and no issues.

I double checked on Canidae’s website. It states on all of the pure formulas that it’s made in Brownsville, Texas. I don’t see that claim on the grain inclusive formulas, so I’m not sure where it’s made. I included a link for the wild boar, but it’s on all of the formulas at the end of the description, right before the specs (G/A, etc). I see there are several new formulas, all slightly limited ingredient and a couple of protein specific, which is what I try to feed. I’m not sure if they’re really new or the stores around me don’t carry the whole line. The wild boar is only pork. I know there has been some controversy over wild boar & I have no idea where they source it, but with the possible exception of the alfalfa, it looks like it’s a possibility for allergy/food intolerance dogs.

http://www.canidae.com/products/2015/canidae-grain-free-pure-wild-dry-formula-dog-food/

[C4D]

I was at a dog expo and the sales rep said all the pure is made there. I’m not sure about the other formulas since I don’t use them.

[C4D]

Hi Bobby dog,

Canidae lists their new Ethos plant in Texas on their website. Here’s the link:
http://www.canidae.com/about-us/ethos

Marissa W
Another option I also use in rotation is Earthborn. You would probably order online.

[C4D]

Hi Marisa W,

Of those choices, I’ve used both Fromm & Canidae Pure (since they’re making it in their own plant) and have had good results with both. Solid Gold has gone through a recent restructure and I believe they’ve moved locations, but I’m not sure of who manufactures Dave’s or Solid Gold. Good Luck with it!

[C4D]

I agree with you Pitlove. The raw addition is not a lot and you could probably just buy some freezed dried raw and add the amount you want. I use NV, but only in rotation and I prefer adding wet/fresh instead.

[C4D]

I do use Nature’s Variety Raw Boost in my rotation. It’s funny that Merrick and Natural Balance came out with similar versions. The raw boost is not a lot, but I haven’t tried the Merrick Backcounty or Natural Balance versions yet so I can’t offer input on the comparison between the 3. Nature’s Variety costs slightly less per pound that Merrick per Chewy.com’s prices. Merrick is $62.98/22 lbs, Nature’s Variety $62.74/23.5 lbs. I don’t use Natural Balance as it has always been too low in protein in the past. They’ve upped the protein levels on the raw inclusive one, but I’m not too sure about Smucker’s ownership of the company, so I haven’t bought it.
I agree with Pitlove, Orijen is a great product and I used it on a regular basis in the past. It got too expensive for me with large multiple dogs and since I now add canned and fresh, I’d rather put my money into those items as opposed to more expensive dry. Just my opinion. Hope it helps.

[C4D]

Hi Tyler G!

Everyone has given you some good advice! As long as the food is working digestively, you can use whichever she likes. I do rotate my foods as the others do. If the Orijen gives loose stools, you might want to go with the Acana. They’re both good foods. I do think you might be feeding too much. I have an active 13 lb dog and she gets about the equivelant of 2/3 cup of food per day even though she takes long walks (over a mile) daily. If you need to get her to gain weight, you could also feed her a midday snack to get her weight up. A lot of fosters do this to get the skinny dogs to gain weight. How does she look? She should have a distinct waist when viewed from above and a distinct tuck from her ribs to her back legs. You should be able to easily feel her ribs without pressing in. You should not see her hip or spine. Sometimes we think they’re too thin because we are so used to seeing overweight dogs. As aquariangt said, you want to keep your Doxie on the slim side to prevent back issues.

Deanna Y, I think the Orijen has been reformulated with a lower calcium level, but I’m not feeding any LB puppies currently. Here’s the DFA forum link that’s really helpful:

/forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/

[C4D]

As a side note to skeptvet, I don’t ask a normal veterinarian what to feed my dogs any more than I would ask my general practioner doctor what I should be eating. I would ask a nutritionist if I needed advice.
I also believe that man and dog has survived and thrived for many thousands of years without asking a vet/doctor/nutritionist what they should be eating. I don’t think any living thing, man or beast ate kibble to survive those many thousands of years.

[C4D]

Let me preface this comment with the fact that I feed a variety of foods, including some kibble, canned, fresh cooked and commercial raw food. I have had no problems with my dogs or my family, including infants in the home on a regular basis. If you are an immune compromised person, I would definitely suggest a home cooked diet with a premix raw (these are only vegetables and vitamins) added as opposed to raw meat. Salmonella, listeria, and other bacterias are in many raw foods, including the ones we cook on a daily basis for our families. They can be present on the counters and sinks of our very own kitchen surfaces unless you clean and disinfect correctly. The bacteria can be present in treats, chews and dry dog food as well. Listeria is within the soil and water.

I also foster dogs and have had my share of dogs with Giardia, ringworm, demodex (not know to be infectious) and hookworms and have managed to not have any other person, child or dog infested with any of these problems. I am very proactive in testing my own dogs to ensure that they have not become infested with the various parasites that enter my home with the fosters.

There seems to be a bit of hysteria in the traditional veterinarian community. My own vet does accept the raw feeding of dogs as well as many of the more natural products, including the balanceit program, while also carrying some of the “therapeutic diets” for those that choose that route.

The problem with salmonella, is that it can also be linked to dry dog food:

CDC link:
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/dog-food-05-12/

CDC Salmonella General Info:

http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/general/index.html

Skeptvet, in your regard to your links, the first one was someone’s blog, which of course, everyone has an opinion. I see this as the contrary to a holistic or natural feeder/vet’s blog.

The 2nd link, was a study of 442 salmonella isolates over a 58 year period. It doesn’t even state the point of the study! So what’s the point of this link in reference to a raw diet as there is no reference to a raw diet anywhere in the link? Yes, dogs can get salmonella, but they can also get cancer, arthritis, kidney disease and a host of other things.

The 3rd link was a study of 10 dogs being fed a homemade raw diet. Really? That’s not a very large study. Certainly not one that even the study could conclude was enough to draw any real conclusions, only a suggestion that infants and immune compromised people shouldn’t feed raw and perhaps a larger study should be done.
Did you also note that even though 80% (8 of the diets) of the raw diet tested positive for salmonella before fed, only 30% (3 dogs) of the dog’s had salmonella in their stool sample? An interesting note is that one of the 3 dogs that tested positive for salmonella was NOT fed a raw diet that had salmonella. So where did he get the salmonella from? And what did the other 6 dog’s digestive system do with the salmonella?

I do believe that if you feed raw, you have to be realistic and clean effectively and take precaution if there are small children in the household. If there are immune or cleanliness issues, then a balanced, fresh cooked diet would be the next best choice.

[C4D]

Skye G, the only problem with a vegetarian diet is that many of the holistic vets found that it caused muscle waste. It truly must be carefully balanced to provide the correct nutrition for a dog.
On a side not, my husband actually had bladder stones. He did change his diet which included limiting caffeine products and drinking more fluids. He hasn’t had a recurrence in over 20 years. I’m not saying that it cured it, but I really think providing more fresh food to a dog, as opposed to dry kibble, could possibly help. This would increase the overall moisture in a dog’s system, helping to flush out the minerals that are forming.

[C4D]

Unfortunately, Dalmations are one breed that has a tendency to form stones. If you feed a fresher diet as opposed to dry kibble, it will help in keeping fluid in the system to flush out the stones. Of course you still have to watch the purines. Most of the dalmation breeders recommend poultry, eggs and cheese as it’s lowest in the purines. Many seem to recommend distilled water also.
Here are a couple of links that might help you out:

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/13_6/features/Kidney-Stones-Bladder-Stones_16231-1.html

I don’t use Flint River Ranch food, and it only gets an average rating on this site, so I’m not sure of the food, but the site has some interesting information:

http://www.aplusflintriverranch.com/article-healthydalmatiandiet.php

There are several dalmation sites if you google that offer some good information. Good luck with it!

[C4D]

Shawna is absolutely correct! Dry food is the worst thing to feed a dog in renal failure! She’s had a good deal of experience in the subject.
You do need to work with your vet for lab tests & results. There are several websites and a FB page I found helpful when my dog was diagnosed CRF.

balanceit.com provides recipes and foods based on your dog’s condition.

dogaware.com has a wonderfully helpful kidney page: http://www.dogaware.com/health/kidneydiet.html

There’s a Facebook group that has a lot of information called CRF Dogs.

Good luck!

• This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by C4D.

[C4D]

Congratulations on your pup! I’m a lab lover myself and I foster too! Everyone has given you some good suggestions. Unfortunately, diarrhea is often a problem when dogs/puppies make a transition to a new home. I would definitely get a stool sample as there may be a case of worms, coccidia or giardia that you’re pup is dealing with. The best test is to have it sent out to a lab for analysis, if you’re vet doesn’t do that routinely. If everything goes well it could be a case of stress diarrhea as he adjusts to his new environment. But as others have said, don’t let it go on for more than a day without seeing your vet. 7 weeks is very young, as DogFoodie said and young dogs can get dehydrated very easily. Good Luck!

[C4D]

Hi miss koa,

I’m not sure if anyone answered this, the commercial premixes are the ones you add meat to make a complete meal. There are several. I’m most familiar with Sojos, Grandma Lucy’s & The Honest Kitchen, but I think there are others.

[C4D]

Everyone has given some good ideas. I use the dehydrated foods often. I also grind them in a spice/coffee grinder before I rehydrate them which makes the pieces very tiny and easily eaten. Good luck with your pups and thanks for fostering!

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Hi red & BD! I’m using the dog dental brush & chicken enzymatic toothpaste right now but with 1 difficult to brush & 1 with bad teeth I want to get a good brushing. I bought a spin brush but I might try the sonic since the noise is bothering the difficult one. Thanks BD! I’ll keep you posted! 😉

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Thanks everyone. I’m happy to report the patient seems to be doing well so far. el doctor and Dori, I did back off the raw for her and am feeding just canned for the next few days. She is enthustiascally eating it while the others are having their raw. I have a lot of raw, but may throw some chickens into the crock pot so she can indulge! 🙂

Dori, I’m watching the potatoes and feeding the anti-inflammatory foods, so she hasn’t had any swelling yet. 🙂 The vet asked if I wanted and NSAID, of course I said no, but she is getting a bit of Tramadol.

jakes mom, she LOVES her coconut oil and would love any excuse for more!

el doctor, that was my main concern. Since it was in the front of her mouth, bacteria was a consideration and since she has a host of occaisonal issues, I didn’t want to stress her system any further.

So far, so good! Hopefully we will be able to keep her teeth clean and won’t have these issues again.

But, here’s another question. Has anyone used an electric toothbrush for their dogs teeth? I was thinking this might be more efficient in brushing if I can get them used to the sound. Thoughts and experiences are greatly appreciated!

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Hi Ginger E,

I think there are options besides Hill’s RX. First of all, what liver enzymes are elevated and what are the numbers? Honestly, while the weight loss is important, controlling the elevated liver enzymes would be my first concern. Did your vet discuss giving her any meds to control them?

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