El

[El]

Hi Jaxons Mom, Welcome to the forums!

I make jerky treats for my crew. Here’s a recipe;

Boneless skinless chicken, turkey, or duck breasts. You can also use beef, pork, fish, etc.

– Trim off ALL the external fat.
– Slice meat as thinly as possible, 1/4 inch MAXIMUM thickness. Try to keep all meat the same thickness.
– Place on a slightly greased rack in oven.
– Set oven to lowest temp, usually 200 degrees F.
– If possible, leave the oven door slightly open, this will allow the moist air to be removed faster.
– Jerky is done when it snaps in half when you you bend it.

If you are going to use a dehydrator, I recommend this type;

http://www.amazon.com/TSM-Products-Stainless-Dehydrator-Shelves/dp/B002UUT4BY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1456011819&sr=8-1&keywords=tsm+dehydrator

If you use a dehydrator like the one above, the things that change are the temp, 165 instead of 200, and if you get one with 3/4 inch holes in the racks, you will NOT have to grease them. If it has racks with 1/4 inch holes, you will still have to grease them. I recommend stainless steel racks with 3/4 inch holes for all types of jerky.

I am very happy with your feeding philosophy, and so are your pups (yes, they told me so) 😉

• This reply was modified 5 years, 8 months ago by El.

[El]

Hi Jennifer p, welcome!

I’m sorry to hear about your new dog’s past guardian being ill 🙁

There are a lot of ways to help your dog get used to eating a mixed diet of kibble and canned. But to answer your question;

“Should I just give up and give him a good quality canned food? I would appreciate any advice”

My advice would be that a high quality canned food is a much more appropriate way to feed a dog, any dog really, than a high quality kibble. Regardless of why your pup is having a hard time eating kibble right now, a high quality canned food is the way I’d go if possible!

Your doing a very noble thing by taking this pup in, Thank You very much 😉

[El]

Hi Kathy R

Congratulations, how exciting!!!

Ziggy Lives ;}

Okay, some quick advice. You are what you eat, fresh is best. Most dogs are waaay over vaccinated. The vet makes a lot of money off of those friendly reminders. Please research a minimal vaccine schedule.

Good luck, your cat will need it! Just kidding 😉

[El]

Hi Raffaele C

Here’s a list of essential oils that are known to be useful in fighting fleas.

Peppermint – kills fleas, strong smell, relatively safe.
Clove – probably the strongest flea killer, but can be irritating to skin.
Lemongrass – smells like lemons, repels and kills, not as powerful as peppermint or clove.
Red Cedarwood – woody smell, kills fleas.
Rosemary – expensive and works as well as peppermint oil.

A simple mixture for a gallon of water would be;

4 oz of any of the oils above.
4 oz of isopropyl alcohol to help with absorption
120 oz of water
Shake well before each use
Lightly mist dog, NOT CAT, with spray bottle or wet a washcloth and rub all over. Can be used daily. Start slowly because you can never know if your dog will have any sensitivities to any of the ingredients.

Here’s a link, buy a couple of 1 oz bottles to start. See which ones you and you and your dog(s) like the best, and go from there.

https://www.newdirectionsaromatics.com/products/essential-oils/

For testing using 1 oz bottles, mix 1 oz essential oil with 1 oz alcohol and 30 oz water in a 32 oz bottle 😉

[El]

Hi Sadie’s Mom

I’m so sorry that your pup is not feeling well 🙁

I’ve read your current posts, and your previous posts about Sadie’s “slipped disc”. Pitlove was right on target when she told you;

“More often than not, when a dog that was once a very food motivated dog suddenly stops wanting to eat with the same enthusiasim, there is something wrong medically”

In Sadie’s case, a 9 year old overweight Dachshund with disc problems, her back is going to be a problem area for sure! Whether there is something else going on, I can’t say.

When you take her to the vet on Tuesday, I would have him do a complete physical (if possible) and a senior blood panel, with a urine analysis (if possible). I would make sure he checks out her back, her teeth, as well as the the rest of her.

– Moistening her kibble could help if she has an oral problem

– Adding canned food could also help if she has an oral problem, and it will also boost the overall quality of her diet. I would mix it in thoroughly so she can’t eat the canned without eating the kibble. For your other dogs you could mix in a little less.

– Please try to get her on the lean side, please, please, please.

I hope that Sadie feels better soon 😉

[El]

Hi Losul

I’m glad that everything worked out well for you and turbo! I hope the new year brings you less stress 😉

[El]

Hi boobear27

I’m happy to hear your dog is doing better now!

“What is wrong with Wellness brand?”

Wellness Core is a very good kibble, and Wellpet is a very good company. But there is no kibble that can compare to the quality and health benefits of a fresh food, properly balanced diet 😉

[El]

Hi boobear27

“My dog recently had an upset stomach and I fed her boiled chicken and rice with a little bit of canned pumpkin for a few days,,Now she seems to be doing fine, she’s her old self again:)..Now I’m starting to transition her back to her kibble gradually starting with 75% of the boiled chicken and rice and 25% of the kibble I also add water to it to soften it..The problem is she will just eat the chicken and rice but won’t eat the kibble”

I suspect she is letting you know that boiled chicken, rice and canned pumpkin tastes a whole lot better than even a quality kibble like Wellness Core. I would listen to my dog and look into feeding a diet that doesn’t consist of highly processed dried out nuggets. If you would like any help in figuring one out, please let me know. I would be glad to help 😉

[El]

Hi Ana A

“Fresh” to me is whole foods either fed raw or lightly cooked. The 2 below are complete diets for Adult Dogs, and because they DON’T contain bone they can be lightly cooked.

https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/freshpet-vital-raw-patties/
https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/freshpet-vital-raw-rolled/

For transitioning from Kibble or canned to raw, I would lightly cook the raw to eliminate some of the possible bacteria, and to slowly accustom your dog’s digestive system to the new diet. I would also transition very slowly. Start with 10% of lightly cooked raw and go up by 10% every third day. Repeat when transitioning from lightly cooked to fully raw. It’s slow, but it’s worth it. A high potency multi-strain probiotic along with a prebiotic will help in these transitions.

Once you are feeding fully raw for a couple of months with no problems, you can start looking at ALL raw foods, including those with bones. The transition periods from one raw food to another can usually be done in a couple of days, and some are able to switch raw foods with no transition at all.

If you would like to learn more about raw feeding along with recipes for preparing food at home, I recommend this book;

http://www.amazon.com/Beckers-Real-Food-Healthy-Dogs/dp/0982533128/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1455056117&sr=8-1&keywords=karen+becker

Good Luck, and feel free to ask away 😉

[El]

Hi Ana A, welcome to the forums!

For the same price as this kibble (5 to 7 dollars a pound), you could feed your pup the highest quality 100% balanced, homemade or commercial fresh food diet.

Please let me know if you’d like any suggestions 😉

[El]

Hi Lauren D, Welcome to the DFA forums.

I’m sorry your bulldog is having issues 🙁

If you want to find out if your pup has food issues then DogFoodie is right, if done properly, an elimination diet, is the gold standard for identifying food sensitivities and/or allergies. Your poor baby has been suffering with skin issues for most of his life, it’s time to figure out if food is the problem. BTW, I’ve never heard of allergy injections (immunotherapy) for food allergies.

Has his skin been tested to see if he has ringworm, mites, mange, yeast overgrowth, bacteria, or anything else? Bulldogs are notorious for skin issues and skin issues can be caused by many different things, and as Anonymously has said, the type of skin issues you are describing are rarely caused by food issues.

I strongly recommend a high potency, multi strain probiotic to hopefully strengthen and diversify the microflora in his gut. This could also help strengthen his immune system and help his gut health. I would also give him a prebiotic to feed the probiotics.

We’ll all be hoping the best for you and your bully. Please keep us updated 😉

[El]

Hi Pitlove

Great Post! And ladders do make my head spin 😉

“The ladder will cause your head to spin”

[El]

Hi Suzanne

Thank you for your kind words 😉

We will all be hoping the best for you and your precious pup!

[El]

Hi Suzanne

I’m sorry to hear what you and your pup are going through 🙁

Here is some info on garlic poisoning. If your dog exhibits any of these symptoms I would immediately take her to the vet!!!

Symptoms of Garlic Toxicity in Dogs and Cats
It’s important to note that it may take up to two to four days after your pet eats garlic for symptoms to appear.

According to Lee, symptoms of garlic toxicity include breathlessness, lethargy, diarrhea, vomiting, pale gums, an elevated heart rate, an increased respiratory rate, weakness, exercise intolerance, and collapse.

Your pet also could lose interest in food as a result of this type of poisoning.”

http://www.petinsurance.com/healthzone/pet-articles/pet-health-toxins/Garlic-Toxicity-and-Pets.aspx

[El]

Hi Pitlove

“I was speaking to him as though he wanted to use a dry kibble and not homecook”

And I was speaking to him as though he might want to know what’s the best option for determining if his dog has a food allergy.

[El]

Hi Pitlove

“In fact, I believe it was another poster on here, Aimee, that once said that some over the counter limited ingredient diets had tested positive for proteins that should NOT have been in the food. Cross-contamination is NOT what you want when conducting a food trial.”

I completely agree, and that’s why aimee and myself both agree that:

“When doing an elimination diet home cooking with one protein source and one carb source that your dog hadn’t previously been exposed to is the “Gold Standard.”

[El]

Hi Bobby D

Search google for “dog elimination diet” and you will find plenty of info on how to do one properly. I tried to post some links for you, but they keep getting filtered 😉

[El]

Hi Bobby D, welcome to the DFA forums 😉

“Is it possible for a dog to be allergic to a certain food and have them be symptom free for over a month”
Yes
“or should an allergy show up much sooner than that?”
Maybe

The first thing I would do is take him to a regular vet if you haven’t done so already. I would definitely take advantage of my vet’s expertise and experience before I do anything else. Once you have a better idea of what is actually going on with his skin then you could always find out what worked for other dogs with the same diagnosis. Your vet could take one look and know what it is (hopefully). Or your vet could immediately narrow it down to environmental, or food, or fleas, or yeast, or ???

If it’s food related I would do an elimination diet before I would ever put him on a veterinary prescription food like “Royal Canin Hydrolyzed Protein”. Here are the ingredients;

Royal Canin Hydrolyzed Protein
“Brewers rice, hydrolyzed soy protein, chicken fat, dried plain beet pulp, natural flavors, monocalcium phosphate…”

It’s just rice sweepings, hydrolyzed soy and vitamins and minerals to balance it, and it costs about $100 for a 25lb bag!!!

With a TRUE elimination diet you would pick 1 protein and 1 carbohydrate that he has never eaten before and feed ONLY those 2 things for at least 12 weeks.

Once you see a vet, please come back and let us know what’s going on!
Best of luck to you and your furry one 😉

[El]

Hi Rachel S

I’m very sorry that your pup is having digestive issues 🙁

I believe that proper nutrition is instrumental to raising a healthy and happy dog. That’s why no matter what the current issue with your pup might be, I would look for ways to improve his nutrition. Any extra money spent on improving his nutrition is like an investment that I believe will pay dividends down the line.

Those dividends are things like a longer, healthier and happier life. You could also wind up saving money by spending less on vet bills, tests, medicines, etc.

So, please don’t lower the quality of his current diet and instead look for small ways to improve it. Some of the things you could try are;

– Adding canned food to a dry (kibble) diet. Canned foods ate less processed than dry foods and they include the much needed moisture that’s missing in dry foods.

– Top off his kibble with fresh lightly cooked meats that you buy in the supermarket. Make sure these toppers are not more than 15% of his total diet or else you could unbalance his nutrients.

– Make one day a week a home cooked day where you feed him the same meats and veggies you eat. This option requires some research on your part so that the meal you make him is nutritionally balanced and fit for a king, I mean dog 😉

Whatever path you choose, I wish you and your “hounddog” the best, and if at any point you have questions about anything, please feel free to ask!

P.S Huge poops are usually from the starches and fiber in a dry food diet and things like pre and probiotics are very beneficial to the long term health of the gut and the immune system!

[El]

Hi Pitlove

“Nature’s Variety is a good food, my only concern is that when I look at the link you provided the calcium and phosphorus does not say if that is the MIN or MAX levels.”

At the bottom of the page it tells you exactly what the Calcium and Phosphorous numbers refer to;

“^Vitamin and Mineral information represent the typical values.” 😉

[El]

Hi Pittiemama, welcome to DFA!

I’m very sorry to hear about your pups kidney issues 🙁

I believe in exploring all options when it comes to the health of my furry family members. I research everything and then I research some more. I think that peer reviewed articles are very important because they are written by experts and reviewed by experts in whatever field the article or study comes from.

A good place to search for canine kidney disease, or any medical issue you would like to research is “Google Scholar” and “Pubmed”.

Anecdotal evidence can often be confusing. For instance, Shawna’s baby lived over 8 years on a holistic, raw diet with plenty of alternative treatments.

And a friend of mine adopted an 8 week old lab who was diagnosed with kidney disease at 12 weeks old. She lived to be 9 years old on a low protein, prescription diet from the vet.

I tried to talk him into feeding a less processed homemade or commercial diet that used fresh minimally processed whole foods but he stuck with his vet’s food. I can only imagine how long she would have lived on a fresh food, minimally processed diet designed for kidney patients.

I did talk him into using freeze-dried kidney products and I suspect they helped. Seeing a holistic vet is something I would definitely look into. The more you know, the better you will be able to make an informed decision regarding the care of your pup.

Naturopathy is a very controversial form of “medicine” and I hope you do your due diligence before going down that path. Make up your own mind based on your own research.

Below are a few very critical quotes and links about Naturopathy and the original online, no attendance required, schools of natural healing. I wish you and your baby a long and healthy life 😉

“The Biggest Quack School in Natural Medicine Closes”
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dr-andrew-lange/the-biggest-quack-school_b_641931.html

“Diploma Mill PoliceSM Clayton College of Natural Health (AL) Distance Learning Accreditation Report”
http://www.geteducated.com/diploma-mill-police/degree-mills-list/clayton-college-of-natural-health-accreditation

“Clayton College of Natural Health: Be Wary of the School and Its Graduates”
http://www.quackwatch.org/04ConsumerEducation/Nonrecorg/clayton.html

“A Close Look at Naturopathy”
http://www.quackwatch.com/01QuackeryRelatedTopics/Naturopathy/naturopathy.html

“Colorado, naturopathy, and “health freedom”: Devolving into a quack wonderland?”
http://scienceblogs.com/insolence/2013/06/11/colorado-naturopathy-and-health-freedom-devolving-into-a-quack-wonderland/

“Britt Deegan Hermes, a former naturopathic doctor and Bastyr grad, has a new blog: Naturopathic Diaries. It is a must-read! Britt reveals the pseudoscience and lack of clinical training behind naturopathic education.”
http://www.no-naturopaths.org/

[El]

Hi Kelly P

I would recommend these 2 books as part of your research into feeding a properly balanced raw diet to your pup.

http://www.amazon.com/Beckers-Real-Food-Healthy-Dogs/dp/0982533128

http://www.amazon.com/Unlocking-Canine-Ancestral-Diet-Healthier/dp/1929242670/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1453507384&sr=1-2

“Ok I have not yet gotten my puppy I have about 4 weeks still. She will grow up to be around 100lbs, so I’ll probably feed her about 2lbs a day.”

Here are the feeding guidelines from Primal, I think they are pretty accurate. Puppies need more than 2% of their body weight daily.

Feeding Percentages
1.5% Weight Loss
2.0% Non-Active
2.5% Maintain Weight **
3.0% Slight Weight Gain
3.5% Significant Weight Gain
4.0% Kittens/Puppies (8 weeks-1 year)
4.5-8.0% Kittens/Puppies (4-8 weeks)
4.0-8.0% Pregnant/Lactating

“We will be training too with treats so I need to be sure they level each other out. I have done a lot of research as I’ve been preparing for the past 1-2 years. What I found so far is the following.
Feeding anti-oxidants or some sort of cooked veggies is a good idea.”

I would puree the veggies. Cauliflower, broccoli, spinach in moderation, green beans, peas in moderation…

“Feeding organic eggs, shell and all, is good at least once a week. Egg shells provide a lot of calcium.”

I would suggest free-range organic eggs. I know that people feed finely ground egg shells as a calcium source, but I don’t know about feeding whole egg shells. I would do a little more research specifically on the calcium requirements of large breed puppies if I were you. She will be getting calcium from bones, egg shells, spinach and ?

Feeding a whole fish once a week is good because of the oil it provides, be sure not to feed tuna because of the high mercury levels. Cooked Tripe is great and so is a some coconut oil. I figure I can saute the veggies in coconut oil.

In general, I would feed small fish, they usually have softer bones and less toxic buildup. I would not cook the tripe. One of the benefits of feeding “Raw Green Tripe” are the enzymes, and any processing or cooking will destroy those enzymes.

“As far as percentages I have read a few different things but my research has come up with the below.
Version 1
75% Muscle/skin (i.e chicken breast)
10% Edible Bone
5% Liver
5% Non liver organs
5% Anti-oxidants/Veggies
Version 2
50% Meaty Bones
35% Muscle/Skin (i.e chicken breast)
5% Liver
5% Non liver organs
5% Anti-oxidants/Veggies”

I feed my dogs a homemade lightly cooked diet. Version one looks pretty good. Since I lightly cook my guys food I would replace the 10% edible bone with 5% more pureed veggies and 5% supplements to balance out the diet.

“My main questions are about bones.”

This is good because I see bones as the riskiest part of your diet plan and I would carefully consider both sides of the argument so that you can make the most informed choice possible. Also, regarding Wolves and bones, research has shown that larger pieces of bones are excreted from wolves wrapped in the fur of the animal they ate, maybe as a way of protecting their insides from the bone fragments.

Good Luck with the new addition to your family 😉

[El]

Hi EmilyAnn

Congratulations on slimming down your little cutie pie 😉

It’s safe to give your pup pumpkin every day. If you’re looking for a variety of healthy snacks, you could try broccoli, apples, carrots, bananas, homemade jerky, kefir, eggs, ???

The key is moderation, so even things like carrots, apples, bananas, and any other non low glycemic fruits or veggies can be enjoyed for variety, antioxidants, and just because he likes them. Eggs are the “perfect protein” and my dogs like them, plain kefir is a good probiotic, but it is dairy, homemade jerky is high protein and very yummy.

Variety is good, try a lot of things, make sure the total of ALL his treats are not more than 10 to 15% of his diet, so you don’t unbalance what I hope is his balanced commercial raw. When you try new things give very little so if it doesn’t agree with him it’s only minor.

One of mine ONLY eats homemade chicken jerky, no turkey, no fish, no beef, no bullies, no veggies, nothing but chicken jerky, for treats anyway. You think he’s spoiled? 😉

Congratulations again on his successful weight loss! I know he must have acted like you were starving him.

[El]

Hi sherrie l, welcome to DFA

Your instincts are correct! Your lab would benefit from a proper diet for his condition, and in my opinion that would be a LOW CARB wet food, preferably homemade, or commercial raw, cooked, or canned.

Diabetes is a disease in which the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin to correctly breakdown carbohydrates, or the body becomes resistant to the insulin it does make. Since diabetes always affects carbohydrate breakdown, it makes sense to limit carbs as much as possible. At least that’s the way I see it, and limiting carbs as much as possible is the best way to normalize blood sugars and avoid diabetic complications.

So, if you agree with me so far then I would like to offer you a few diet options;

1) Homemade, properly balanced, low carb, moderate fat. high protein, lightly cooked. I feel this is the best option. ANY change in diet should be done slowly, over a minimum of 2 weeks. If you want to try raw, I would first do a 2 week transition to lightly cooked, and then an additional 2 week transition from lightly cooked to raw. A good book to start you off is;

http://www.amazon.com/Beckers-Real-Food-Healthy-Dogs/dp/0982533128

Any recipe for raw food that does NOT contain ground bones can be safely cooked. ANY changes in diet will also require an adjustment in insulin. Less carbs = less insulin, more carbs = more insulin. I would NOT change his diet without monitoring his blood sugars at home, at least 4 times a day during transitions. I would also consult a Vet who is willing to support you on a change to a low carb diet.

2) Any 5 star raw, cooked, or canned food that meets these guidelines;
Low carb = less than 15% of calories from carbohydrates
Moderate fat = less than 50% of calories from fat.
High protein = minimum, 35% of calories from protein
These are MY definitions and others may have different opinions on what constitutes low, moderate, or high.

5 star wet – https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/wet/5-star/

5 star raw – https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/raw/5-star/

Editors choice (a fee applies) – https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/editors-choice-landing/

I wish you and your pup the best 😉

PS – “My 11 year old lab was recently diagnosed with diabetes and is taking *15 mls.* of insulin twice a day.”

You mean 15 units. U-100 insulin has 100 units per mL, and U-40 insulin has 40 units per mL. Each line on an insulin syringe equals 1 unit, not 1 mL 😉

[El]

Hi Gwen J, welcome to DFA, and yes, you’re in the right forum.

First of all let me say that your friend is blessed to have so many apparently healthy dogs who live to be 12 to 15 years old 😉

Health and longevity in dogs, like in people, is related to a combination of genes and environment. So, while your friend’s dogs appear healthy and live to be 12 to 15 years old on what you call a below average kibble, I believe that with all other things being equal, those same dogs would have been a little healthier and might have lived a bit longer if they had eaten a less processed, more species appropriate diet than a below average kibble.

That was the easy part, the difficult part is figuring out exactly what a healthier more species appropriate diet is and how you can achieve that within yours or anyone else’s financial and other constraints.

One way is to add approximately 10% lightly cooked meat to a dog’s diet. I would stick to a meat that is already in the food your feeding. Another way is to rotate between 2 or 3 different kibbles that don’t have overlapping proteins. Most companies now have a red meat, a lamb or a venison, a fish, and one or 2 poultry formulas.

The reason for adding only 10% lightly cooked meat is that the kibble is probably balanced as far as vitamins and minerals go, and if you added more than 10% of anything, you could unbalance that diet over the long term. The reason to rotate is that it helps expose your dog to a variety of proteins and nutrients and helps a dog have a more diverse population of healthy bacteria in their gut, and a diverse population of bacteria is very beneficial to a dog’s immune system.

Transition between foods s l o w l y. The longer a dog is on the same food the greater the chance of problems when switching foods. Try a 3 week transition to begin with. Add 10% of the new food to the old food, then every 2 days go up another 10%, so that it takes 20 days to fully transition.

Hopefully things will go well and then every 3 months or so you can switch to a new food until you find at least 3 foods that don’t cause any problems, and that your dog enjoys.

I know I wrote a lot of stuff, but in reality I’ve only scratched the surface. For now I’ve told you about 2 things that I believe will improve the health of yours and your friends dogs.

Good luck, keep us updated, and in the future if someone replies to you in a manner you don’t like, just IGNORE THEM, you’ll have a much better experience here if you do!

[El]

Hi Pitlove, you said

“What makes you think a dog could connect on an emotional level with watching an animal be slaughtered? Are they not capable of brutally killing other animals with no second thought?”

Are not people capable of the same thing?

I find it sad that you read his statement;

“consider how your dog would feel watching those animals being slaughtered and tortured. Probably just as bad as you would, I’d imagine.”

And failed to understand the message he was trying to convey about the horribly inhumane way that food animals are treated.

[El]

Here are some of the side effects from the active ingredient in these chews (chlorhexidine gluconate) in humans.

“Applies to chlorhexidine topical: compounding liquid, mucous membrane insert, mucous membrane liquid, topical dressing, topical liquid, topical pad, topical soap, topical solution, topical sponge

Gastrointestinal

In clinical trials, 56% of chlorhexidine oral rinse users had a measurable increase in staining of teeth, and 15% experienced heavy staining. Stains may generally be removed by conventional professional prophylactic techniques. Staining of rough areas may be permanent. Stains are general dark brown to blackish.

Staining will be more pronounced in the presence of heavier accumulations of unremoved plaque.

Staining due to chlorhexidine may be due to the interaction with dietary compounds such as coffee and tea.[Ref]

Gastrointestinal side effects have been reported the most frequently with chlorhexidine oral rinses. These have included staining of teeth and tongue, increased calculus formation, alteration of taste perception, bitter taste, burning, numbness, dryness, and soreness. Aphthous ulcer, grossly obvious gingivitis, trauma, ulceration, erythema, desquamation, coated tongue, keratinization, geographic tongue, mucocele, and short frenum have been reported rarely with chlorhexidine oral rinses. Gastrointestinal side effects associated with chlorhexidine oral rinses without oral hygiene measures have included increased gingival bleeding after gentle massage.

Parotid gland swelling has been reported rarely.

Gastrointestinal side effects associated with chlorhexidine cleanser have included a single case report of acute gastritis.

Gastrointestinal side effects associated with chlorhexidine cleanser enema have included a single case report of acute colitis.

Gastrointestinal side effects associated with the periodontal chip have included transient toothache (50.7% vs 41.4% placebo), including dental, gingival, or oral pain, tenderness, aching, throbbing, soreness, discomfort, and sensitivity.[Ref]

Hypersensitivity

Hypersensitivity reactions to chlorhexidine have included allergic contact dermatitis, pruritus, vesicle formation, urticaria, dyspnea, and anaphylactic shock.[Ref]

Hypersensitivity reactions have been reported after the use of products containing chlorhexidine as a preservative or devices coated with chlorhexidine, including allergic contact balanitis and anaphylactic shock.

Patch testing using chlorhexidine has revealed positive reactions in more than 2% of patients tested. In eczema patients, the rate may be as high as 5%.[Ref]

Ocular

Exposure of the eye to chlorhexidine cleanser, generally during preparation for facial surgery, has resulted in eye pain, edema of the epithelium, keratitis, inflammation of the conjunctiva, corneal epithelial cell loss, chronic corneal ulcers, and opacification. Corneal transplantation to correct permanent damage has been required in some patients.

Allergic conjunctivitis is rarely associated with the use of contact lens solutions which contain low concentrations of chlorhexidine as a preservative.[Ref]

Ocular side effects associated with chlorhexidine cleanser have included ocular toxicity.

Ocular side effects associated with chlorhexidine containing contact lens solutions have rarely included allergic conjunctivitis.[Ref]

Nervous system

Nervous system side effects have included cases of sensorineural deafness following direct instillation of chlorhexidine into the middle ear.

Nervous system side effects associated with insertion of the periodontal chip have included headache (27.1% vs 27.5% with placebo chip)

[El]

Hi aimee

Focusing on nutrition without regard for the ingredients that are used to provide that nutrition is as bad as focusing on the ingredient list without regard for the nutrition those ingredients provide.

I have a novel idea, how about those “Veterinary nutritionists and PhD nutritionists” you love, get together with those “marketing companies” you look down upon, and create dog foods that use fresh human grade meats and vegetables to provide a nutritionally balanced, minimally processed, diet for dogs!

[El]

Hi Shawna

I agree with you that there are problems with allopathic medicine.

“Anonymously” has provided several links to studies, including meta analyses, that showed that Homeopathy has never been PROVEN to be effective using peer reviewed studies or double blinded trials.

You have pointed out some of the flaws in traditional western medicine, but I was wondering if you can provide any data, either peer reviewed, or double blinded that shows Homeopathy to be effective, and what it is effective for?

Thank you

[El]

Hi Shawna

“with the help of my holistic vet and homeopathy, we were able to figure out that chicken was causing the inflammation.”

How did Homeopathy help you figure out that Gizmo’s IBD was caused by chicken?

[El]

“I am not a supporter of vegan dog diets and as an aside I feel it should be considered animal cruelty to do feed them to a cat as they can become critically/fatally ill, however, your dog is clearly an extreme case.”

If feeding a cat a vegan diet is animal cruelty, then they way we treat the animals we feed to our dogs and cats should be considered a capital crime!

[El]

Hi C4D

That’s a GREAT QUESTION!!!

Normally the bacteria from raw is dealt with in the dog’s digestive system. Because of the extractions, the bacteria from the raw could enter directly into the bloodstream and we don’t know how your particular dog will be able to handle it. There is also the extra stress to the immune system from having the extractions performed.

I would be cautious for a few days and maybe feed the canned or if you use chunks of meat for raw you could quickly sear the outside of the meat to kill any potentially harmful bacteria before it enters the bloodstream. If you feed ground meat this won’t be as effective because the bacteria is all through the meat and not just on the outside.

The possible risks will be there until her mouth is fully healed preventing direct access into the bloodstream.

[El]

Hi Udi

I wouldn’t worry about whether or not you did something wrong at this point. If you get another dog I would wait at a bare minimum until he or she is fully developed before I consider spaying or neutering them.

By the way I have never spayed or neutered a dog that was still intact when I rescued or adopted them. I am a firm believer in dealing with dogs the way you deal with children. You don’t remove body parts to change unwanted behaviors and you don’t castrate them as a method of birth control.

You seem like you really take good care of your lab and are very concerned with his well being. Being on the small side is a good thing and puppy food can be fed until your guy stops growing (around a year or so).

Taste of The Wild is a very popular food and if you ever want to “upgrade” spend a little time over on the review side of this website and check out the 5 star, freeze dried, dehydrated and raw foods.

Keep up the good work!

[El]

Hi DO

There are 2 options for creating a custom diet for your dog on BalanceIt.com The first is for HEALTHY dogs and is called the Autobalancer. I found BalanceIt’s Autobalancer recipe generator to be a lifesaver for people who want to feed their dogs a nutritionally balanced homemade diet quickly and easily. While it may not be beneficial to everyone and it doesn’t have unlimited options, it certainly can be of great assistance to novices and anyone else looking for a simple way of entering the world of homemade diets!

https://secure.balanceit.com/recipegenerator_ver4/index.php?

The second choice is for dogs with a specific health issue and while you can create a recipe, you can’t view it or use it without a vet’s approval.

https://secure.balanceit.com/tools/recipegenerator/

ALL the free recipes use supplements from BalanceIt. There is a paid option where you can use human supplements that you purchase yourself.

[El]

Here are some of the more humane ways of dealing with the issues that are given for castrating dogs and cats.

Population control – Vasectomy (male), Tubal ligation (female).

Behavior issues – Training and understanding.

Cancer – Healthy lifestyle, observation, and a fresh food species appropriate diet.

Are these answers perfect? No, but they are a humane way of dealing with the reasons our culture gives for castrating dogs (male or female). Dogs and cats deserve to be given the same consideration and respect that people are given in similar situations.

[El]

Hi zuponicafe

That’s a handsome dog in your avatar!!!

I don’t see neutering as something that “must” be done to all male dogs. Neutering is a nice term for castration and castration is a serious thing to do to any male animal. I like to put the human test to things of this nature.

Would you consider castrating a male child or adult for the same reasons you are considering castrating your dog? If not, then what is the reason that it’s OK to castrate the dog and not the person?

I’m not saying you shouldn’t neuter your dog. I’m just saying you should think about why you’re considering it and see if there is a more humane alternative!

[El]

Hi Belinda

Thank you for posting this, I had no idea that Green Tea extract could cause lethal toxicity in dogs!

I am saddened that dogs, the best friends of mankind are still used as test subjects in experiments like this.

[El]

Hi Kristie

Rest easy! Missing a week of thyroid meds is not a life or death situation for your dog. Your Vet acted very unprofessionally when she yelled in the back room about you!

[Author]

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