[Richard P]

Jude, I had the same problem with my Great Dane. My vet said to make sure he doesn’t come in contact with plastic; no plastic food/water bowls, etc. Also make sure that food and treats do not contain wheat, corn, soy and do not give treats high in gluten such as Greenies or Dentastix. If ears itch try using Novalsan Otic on a cotton ball to clean out the ear canal. I saturate the cotton ball with the Novalsan otic and press the cotton ball into the ear to squeeze out the liquid and then rub the base of the ears for a minute to help cleanse. Then stand back because she will shake the cotton balls out of her ears.
For skin itching you might try Equyss Micro-Tec Equine Spray from http://www.KVSupply.com.
It’s all natural and non-toxic. I spray it on him and brush it in all over

[Richard P]

My last paragraph in my last post sums up the purpose of my posting. I would simply like to know why Mike Sagman believes it proper to lump of group of differing formulas, analyze one of the formulas, and then use that to rate the whole group containing totally different ingredients.

So I am not really interested in your opinion, Steve; only in a reply from Mike Sagman, which I probably will not receive.

[Richard P]

I’m not a big Purina fan either, but let’s forget the “brand” for a minute and look at ingredients of this particular formula. None of the “questionable” in Red ingredients in the review of Pro Plan Focus are actually contained in the “Sensitive Skin and Stomach Salmon” formula (with the exception of the 7th ingredient, animal fat preserved with mixed tocopherols).
Here are the top 7 ingredients of “Sensitive Skin and Stomach”:
Salmon, Barley, Ground Rice, Canola meal, Oat meal, Fish meal, Animal fat preserved with mixed tocopherols.
It doesn’t contain specific probiotics but does contain unulin, a quality prebiotic.

I’m not advocating the Purina brand. I just think that this specific formula is a much better dog good than most of the other Pro Plan Focus recipes and that they should not all be lumped together with a 2.5 rating when their ingredients are vastly different.

[Richard P]

Homemade Dog Treats (Linda Arndt) http://www.greatdanelady.com)

1 ½ lbs liver
1 Cup oat flour (or if allergic get non gluten flour)
2 Eggs
½ Garlic Clove

Mince meat and garlic.
Mix in other ingredients and bake in a loaf pan for 30 minutes in 375 degree oven. Cut into portions. Treats can be frozen.

[Richard P]

Hello Kathryn,

Everyone seems to have their own idea about what is the best dog food, but what is best for one dog may not be the best for your dog. Obviously, feeding the “best” food you can find and having your bloodhound throw it up is not the best food for your dog.

It appears that every food you have tried is not tolerated by your bloodhound except your vet’s recommended Purina EN Gastroenteric Wet. So listen to your vet. Purina EN also comes in a dry kibble so you could ask your vet if it would be alright to add some of that to the canned food.

Also, (and with my vet’s approval I might add) I will cook (crockpot or grill for flavor variety) a family pack of boneless skinless chicken breasts and chop them up to add 1/2 cup to my Great Dane’s kibble. I store portions in freezer bags and defrost each bag as needed. Chicken breast is probably the easiest meat on your dog’s GI tract. Ask your vet if that would be OK to try with your bloodhound.

As info, I also cook boneless skinless chicken thighs which are tastier than the breasts but have a little more fat content. Additionally I rotate other meats–lean ground chuck, lean pork roast. If something gives him a bout of diarrhea I discontinue that or at least try a smaller portion added to his kibble. All this is with my vet’s approval. Great Danes have sensitive stomachs but these fattier meats might not be appropriate for your bloodhound.

Lastly, if you are concerned about the ingredients in the Purina EN, keep in mind that the first ingredient, brewers rice, has a very beneficial effect on canine GI/diarrhea issues. Years ago I had a Great Dane with a severe diarrhea problem. Instead of giving him medications for it, I cooked large batches of white (not brown) rice in chicken broth and mixed it 50/50 with his kibble. Within a week his diarrhea was gone.

I hope some of this information was helpful to you. Good luck with your bloodhound and rub his belly for me.

Sincerely,

Richard Pflueger

[Richard P]

Thanks for all the information, but at those prices, I’ve decided to just to grill him beef roasts and cut into cubes to add to his kibble. As info, to get him to eat his medications (rather than chase him around the house to grab him and cram the pill pockets down his throat) I’m having success with rolling ground chuck into small meatballs, inserting the pill inside and frying in a pan. Have got to keep the meatballs small or he will crack them open, eat the meat, and leave the pill in his bowl. And all Danes should have raised food/water stations. Thanks again for your reply.

Richard

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