[londoncalling1996]

I will do that Patty, I will get together some articles and talk to them about it. It would be interesting to hear their take on it.

Thanks for the info about the mast cell tumors, I have done some research and if it’s grade 1 and they get it all the prognosis is very good!! I didn’t realize it used to be “a matter of time”. I’m hoping that’s not the case here. After losing our first Berner at 3-1/2 years, we were so heartbroken, we couldn’t get another one. Then after almost 7 years, we went ahead and got Lux. This is terribly heart breaking. But, I am HOPING for the best, so we’ll see!

Cheers,
Jules

Correction, I’m feeding Lux a rotation of Wellness and WERUVA canned food, not Kobe. Kobe is the specific type of Weruva, with Kobe beef.

[londoncalling1996]

Thanks Patty, Marie and Hound Dog Mom! We are hanging in there. My BFF was diagnosed about 1-3/4 years ago and it’s been a struggle, hoped for a long time that she’d beat it, but it’s not happening. She is doing fairly well in her spirit. Saying goodbye to people. Working on getting her cancer experience blog published and just coming to terms with letting go of everything, including life. Now, if only I can come to terms with her dying!

Anyhow, since this is a dog food forum, I’ll try to get back to that, but first about Lux, I have done some research on MAST cell tumors and it’s not all bad. If all goes well, checking her whole body as often as daily as we can for the rest her life might be the worst.

We will know around mid-week or so what “grade” the tumor is and if they got it all.

As far as the food situation goes, when the Vet (a she, btw) told me not to worry about too calcium, but to worry about giving Lux too much protein, I have to admit, I did think I trust HDM and the advise and things I’ve learned and I’ve gotten here more than her! Yikes. It is scary to think about what Vets are telling people. I told her we’re feeding Lux 3 cups of food a day, 1 cup X 3 a day. She said to stay with 3 cups (Lux weighs 33.4 pounds), but change to to twice a day instead of 3 times a day. I know I was going to have to do that eventually, but man, the way Lux acts like she’s absolutely STARVING every time we feed her, I’ve been reluctant to reduce the times per day!

Anyhow, then I told the vet that I give Lux a mixture of wet and kibble, 25% canned, rotating between Wellness stews and Kobe, and 75% Fromm’s kibble (Surf and Turf and Beef Frittata). She said to cut the canned food out, that it has too much fat. She said I need to limit protein and fat so Lux doesn’t have ortho problems later.

I don’t know how to address this with them, as I do believe this is one of the best vet clinics in the area. and I don’t know enough about it to make an argument with them so they look into and give better advise to their clients.

[londoncalling1996]

Hi everyone, looking for some support from dog lovers and I’m pretty sure this is a good place. Took LUX is for her last set of shots today. It’s her 17 week birthday. Vet and I talked about feeding her, she’s 33.4 pounds and Vet said I need to watch protein, not calcium. I am confused about that, but not why I’m writing.

ANYWAY, Vet does routine check and she felt a lump on Lux’s leg. Turns out to be Mast Cell Tumor. CANCER. Our baby Lux is having surgery this afternoon at Adobe Animal Hospital in Los Altos, CA. I am freaking out. Spent yesterday with my BFF, who has cancer, on her 50th (and last birthday) and now this today. Oh the things life dishes out.

Thanks for listening.

Jules

[londoncalling1996]

Hi Kobe’d dad,

I have a 17 week old Berner that tolerates Fromm just fine. I’m started with a big bag of Surf and Turf and now we’re into a bag of Beef Frittata Veg. I mix in canned food, switching around between different Wellness stews and Kobe varieties. I mix 25% canned, 75% kibble.

I wonder how much you feed Kobe? Last vet visit Lux was 29 pounds. I know she’s more that that now! I’ve been giving her 3 cups of the mixed food, (1 cup 3 times) a day. Plus a little of the mix in a kong I freeze and give to her when I put her in her crate for the night, plus she gets little tidbits of training treats during the day. But, you’d think we’re STARVING her. Yesterday found a shredded bit left of a pair of my underwear. My 16 yr old daughter said there was some fabric hanging out of Lux’s butt yesterday that she was biting at, so my daughter helped her and pulled it out. So gross. Seems like we have our old Berner, Bailey back. He’s been gone for 7 years now and man did I go thru underwear back then! Crazy. I guess it’s in the breed. Some form of Prader Willi or something!

[londoncalling1996]

Yes, I would like to add my heartfelt THANKS to Hound Dog Mom! Thank you for all your time and trouble to gather all that information and sharing it with all of us! Cheers! Jules

[londoncalling1996]

Hi Sharfie, I probably missed something, but where did you come up with feeding your 4% of his body weight? I have a 12 week old bernese mountain dog who was getting 3/4 of a cup of kibble 3 times a day when we got her 3 weeks ago. She was 17 pounds then, and I think she’s about 20 now. (Need to weigh her.) She INHALES that 3/4 cup every time I put the bowl down. (I looked at bowls today at the pet store that work to slow dog’s eating down. Didn’t buy it! Yet!) I think she might need more, but she’s still got a roly poly puppy body and maybe she needs to slim down a bit? I don’t know how to figure out how much to give her as she grows. I’m switching to a combination of dry and wet and want to give her the appropriate amount. So, if she’s 20 pounds, 4% of that is about 12 or 13 ounces. (Math is NOT my strong point! Ha ha!) Does that mean I should I be feeding her 12/13 oz a day while she’s 20 pounds? Thanks a lot. Cheers, Jules

[londoncalling1996]

Hi Hound Dog Mom, Thanks for all your help! We are in different parts of the country that’s for sure! I was born in Toronto, but been in the USA 55 of my 56 years! Lots of my people live there.

[londoncalling1996]

Thanks so much for taking the time to reply to my questions. It’s really so helpful, I find it all a bit overwhelming. I made the trip to Los Altos today to the pet store with LOTS of good dog food options. I got 7 small sample bags of different kinds of Fromm dry kibble for Lux to try. I also got a can of Trippett, Green beef tripe, duck and salmon. (I haven’t opened it yet though, got to psych myself up for that I think! :-)) And a can each of Ziwipeak venison&fish recipe and Nature’s logic rabbit dinner. After reading your advise, I thought, “well, cost isn’t really an isssue, man, what we paid for this dog!”, but then I got to the pet store and saw the prices! If my 16 year old is going to go to college, Lux might have to eat some kibble! These three cans I got cost 15 bucks and with a berner in the house, we might be eaten out of house and home! I am looking on line at some of the on line sites you suggested. Thanks! I do like to shop local and will, but since it’s about 20 miles to the nearest pet store with good food, I can justify not using the local shop for all of our dog food needs all the time. So, now you have me thinking about wet and raw food, do I also need to worry about the calcium content in those for the first 8 or 10 months of Lux’s life? Maybe you have a list of your favorite canned foods for Large and Giant Breed puppies that have the right amount of calcium? (Fingers crossed!) Where are you located? I’m on the San Francisco peninsula, about 20 miles south of SF. Thank you for everything! Cheers, Jules

[londoncalling1996]

Hi Hound Dog Mom, I REALLY appreciate all you research and hard work compiling all the information on what to feed Large and Giant Breed Puppies, in our case, our 11 week old Bernese Mtn Dog. I printed your recommendations and took the list to our local pet and feed store. I was leaning to Fromm because it’s one of the lowest in calcium. The Fromm website listed our local pet and feed store as carrying two of their lines. Not only do they not carry Fromm, they don’t carry any of the foods on your list except Canine Caviar, which you said in a recent post that you are taking off the list. I can see this isn’t going to be so straight forward! I did call a pet store about 20 miles away and they carry Fromm, so I will go tomorrow and pick some up for LUX. Can you please tell me if feeding her just the dry food is good for her? Or should I add some protein? What about the green tripe? What about digestive aids? Should I add of of those to her diet? I do put a little wet food into the end of her kong and freeze it to give her a treat when I put her in her crate at bedtime. Should I count that as food and subtract some kibble in one of her daytime meals? Also, what do you recommend as a wet food to use in the kong and/or as a topper occasionally on her kibble? I want to do the best I can for her in her life and especially in the coming formative months! Thanks so much!!!! Cheers, Jules

[londoncalling1996]

Oops, just figured out the STAR ratings, your own reviews of the food. Okay, got that! Thanks!

[londoncalling1996]

I am hoping to do the best for our new, 11 week old Bernese Mountain Dog pup, Lux. We had a Berner, Bailey, who died way too young (3-1/2) and it took us a long time to get over the loss and risk another one (and their relatively short life expectancy) joining our family. We are hoping Lux will live a good long life, well past her predicted expectancy. So, here I am! I have been looking thru this wonderfully informative website, thank you, which is helping me, but also making my brain spin a bit! I have a couple questions, the first (I can’t seem to find anywhere here) is about the 4 and 5 star foods. What is the difference? Digestive aid, is this only if my dog develops a problem, like throwing up, or would it be beneficial for life? Also, toppers, like the green tripe, is that something I should give our pup? The breeder was feeding her Ekanuba Large Breed Puppy so I bought a big bag of it. Doesn’t sound like it’s a good choice from what I’v read here. I heard at a pet store, they used to be a better dog food before being bought out by a big agro corp. (If that’s true). I’ve printed your list of recommended Large and Giant Breed Puppy foods and I will take that with me to buy Lux some new food tomorrow. Anyhow, Hound Dog Mom, thanks for all your hard work and puppy love! Cheers, Jules

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