[lovemypuppy]

Now I’m even more confused.

Looking at Instinct’s calculator it shows that to maintain my dogs weight I need to feed 518 kcal a day and recommends 8 ounces of the food I selected.

Thing is, it shows this for both the Venison and the Lamb and each are listed as 384kcal and 368 kcal, per patty, respectively. So, I’m not a math genius but this doesn’t add up.

I’m I missing something or just having horrible luck with these calculators??

[lovemypuppy]

The raw food that my pup eats is 31.25% fat, after converting to dry matter basis.

The catfish beams are around 4%, so not high in fat by any stretch of the imagination. Honestly, I don’t think either of the techs were familiar with Beams and just assumed fish skin = high fat.

I read that raw food needs to be no more than 60 calories per ounce, otherwise the fat content is too high. Our nuggets are 48 calories per ounce, but 31.25% fat seems kind of high. Hmmm. Always something more to learn or understand!

• This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by lovemypuppy.

[lovemypuppy]

Thanks, DogFoodie. I bookmarked it so I can access it whenever I need.

The minimum protein is 88%, so wouldn’t that mean the max amount of fat possible would be 12%? Either way 4-12% fat isn’t very much.

I’m going to ignore their advice for sure, though based on other reasons, I’m giving these catfish skins a break (trying to sort out possible food intolerance/allergy). I really do feel like they are a good, healthy, simple treat and look forward to going back to them sometime in the future.

InkedMarie, I plan on involving a holistic vet soon. I just can’t feel 100% comfortable with a traditional vet that doesn’t see eye to eye with me on nutrition, so need to involve a vet with a more holistic approach, especially in regard to nutrition.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by lovemypuppy.

[lovemypuppy]

Thanks everyone for all the good information!

First let me say, I’m in my late 30’s and this is the first dog I’ve owned, lived with, or cared for. Not trying to use that as an excuse, it is what it is, but I’m definitely having a steep learning curve, and unfortunately it’s at the expense of my pup 🙁

I don’t know she has a food allergy or any type of allergy, but given her breed (Boston Terrier), finickiness, weight loss, red eyes, tear stains, brittle and dry fur, dry itchy skin, missing fur on her hind legs and behind her ears, and a few small scabs from scratching, I felt like it made sense to try to switch to raw with minimal ingredients in hopes of improving her overall health and identifying any potential allergens.

Unfortunately, I didn’t come to this conclusion until after giving her WAY TOO MANY different types of animal proteins (kibble, wet, freeze dried, toppers, etc.) while trying to find a food (and training treat) she’d settle on. I’m sure it didn’t help that she also went through quite a few different foods with the breeder when she was having a hard time weaning.

At this point, I’m not sure it would be possible for me to pinpoint a specific food that might be causing her skin and fur issues. The animal proteins she’s had the most of are chicken, beef, and turkey. Also, most of her symptoms were present before I started switching her food around and giving her novel animal proteins. So, if I had to take a guess, I would say she is having a hard time with turkey, chicken, and maybe lentils (they gave her horrid gas, anyway).

At this point, she’s been on the commercial raw for about a week and I’m seeing dramatic improvement. She still has tear stains, but I imagine that will take time (to grow out) and diligence on my end (wiping her face). She has gained weight and filled out, her coat is not nearly as dry (even shiny towards her back/spine) and her skin flaking and itchiness has lessened.

Given her overall improvement, I’m not inclined to switch her food yet again, especially if I can just stick with this for 10 weeks and see where she is at then (and if need be do more of a true elimination diet). I will stop the catfish skins (bummer) and try to find some type of low fat duck chew. I have sweet potato chews but she doesn’t really like them … they seem to crumble up and are more crunchy than chewy. Maybe if that’s her only choice though, she’ll learn to enjoy them 🙂

@DogFoodie, have you looked at Nordic Naturals Pet Collection? They use pharmaceutical grade, molecularly distilled fish oil, using sardine and anchovy oil or cod liver oil. Their pet line is pretty much the same as their human line with the exception of tocopherols as the preservative rather than rosemary extract. Just a thought.

If you read all of this, you rock! Sorry it’s so long and again thanks to all for offering your valuable insight!

[lovemypuppy]

FWIW, my vet recommended Royal Canine Mini Small Breed for food and Nylabone for chews. I don’t give either of those to my pup.

[lovemypuppy]

I get confused when comparing protein and fat % because it can look very different based on the moisture %, kwim?

• This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by lovemypuppy.

[lovemypuppy]

Thanks, that make sense to avoid the animal protein sources across the board, from food to chews and everything in between. I guess I was secretly hoping that wasn’t the case.

Right now, I’m feeding a commercial raw diet that contains salmon oil and duck as the only animal protein sources.

For chews, I’m giving catfish skins (Beams) but not sure if that is OK since catfish is a different type of fish than salmon.

[lovemypuppy]

I switched my 11 week puppy about a week ago to a raw commercial diet. I wanted to avoid giving kibble and raw in the same meal since they digest at considerably different rates. Instead, I planned on making 1 out of 4 daily meals raw, and then slowly working up to 4 out of 4 meals being raw when the transition was complete. This didn’t end up working for us because as soon as she got her first taste of raw, she refused to eat even a single kibble. Despite a fast transition, or lack there of, she did very well with no GI upset. I did give canned pureed pumpkin for a few days to help prevent any potential GI upset.

[lovemypuppy]

I switched my puppy at 10 weeks to a commercial raw diet. She’s been on it for only a week but already appears healthier. I chose Primal Formulas because there are 8 different formula options, it’s convenient (pre-portioned into 1 ounce nuggets), it is rated for all life stages with a calcium to phosphorus ratio of 1.2:1, and the ingredient list is commendable, IMO, with all veggies being organic and the addition of fish oil, apple cider vinegar, and coconut oil. The only supplements that are added are zinc, copper, and selenium – the rest is all food derived.

[lovemypuppy]

I’ve tried warm water, I’ve tried hot water, I’ve tried cold water, lol.

Thankfully, the raw food diet is continuing to go great! She is gaining weight and her coat already looks much better. Her stools are healthy, consistent, and they stink less. Her gas is less than it was on quality kibble and the stink isn’t there. My guess is it’s the apple cider vinegar and the natural enzymes in the food that are taking the smell away.

I need to figure out how to load a picture on here. I have pictures on my phone but don’t know how to get them onto my computer. I need to figure it out soon 🙂

[lovemypuppy]

I’m just learning about this today. I’m new to dogs as my first ever is just a small puppy right now, but I’m wanting to be well read for our next vet appointment. What I like about Interceptor is, (according to the FDA) the minimum effective dose to prevent heart worm is just 0.1mg per kg. Of course, the milbemycin oxime at this low of a dose won’t do a thing for intestinal worms, but I don’t like the idea of treating for things that aren’t necessarily an issue. I looked everywhere online to purchase it and couldn’t find it anywhere, then realized it was discontinued. I did find a site that claims to have the same drug/medication from the same manufacturer but labeled for different countries for sale. I didn’t feel comfortable trusting that, so am happy to learn Elanco will be bringing this product back in the spring! My puppy is 11 weeks now, so I hope we can go straight to it without having to use something else 🙂

[lovemypuppy]

Thanks for the info! Mercola’s website is down right now for maintenance, but hopefully it’s back up and running soon. I don’t know Japanese, but I will try to use an online translator 🙂

[lovemypuppy]

I wouldn’t say I’m educated, but I’m getting there thanks to sites like this! 🙂 Good point! Knowing what my finicky pup will eat is tricky since it won’t necessarily be the same as another’s finicky pup.

After speaking with some local dog peeps, I decided to switch her to raw with only one protein source (Primal Duck Formula). She doesn’t like most treats but has never turned her nose up to freeze dried meats, including duck.

I’m hoping she likes the new food and transitions well with little GI upset. I’m also hoping the single protein source will aid in sorting out her potential allergies (environmental or food). Once she is settled for a bit, I will start rotating her food … seems like a great idea all the way around.

We are so excited to have our first ever puppy-dog! She is the cutest thing ever and brings so much joy to our family!~ Thanks for the link and food recommendations!

[lovemypuppy]

Thanks. Yes, BT do have gas issues 🙂 I just don’t want to make them worse … guess I’ll figure out her baseline over time and with trial and error.

Since last night she’s been barely interested in her Acana and hasn’t eaten but a few kibbles today. She doesn’t have a lot of weight to spare and is already small for her age. She also has dry fur with some flaking.

I’m going to the pet store again today and will be reading more on homemade diets. I just want her to eat and get the nutrition that she desperately needs. If she isn’t eating more by the end of the week, I’ll be taking her to the vet, though I’m afraid they will just scold me for not feeding her Royal Canin.

[lovemypuppy]

Amicus Puppy, Small Breed … grain free, low glycemic, non-gmo, includes probiotics, all sourced from Canada, except vitamin pack sourced and manufactured in the US (California). It’s oven baked at low temp, veggies and fruits are raw. It runs about $28 for a 11 pound bag. I can get it locally in the states, and it can be bought online. It was my #1 pick for my puppy, but unfortunately she is finicky and doesn’t want to eat it. I’ve read many other’s gobble it up no problem, even finicky ones, so I think it just depends on the dog. It’s a quality food no doubt, and the price is less than many others.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 2 months ago by lovemypuppy.

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