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SaintsDontCarryBrandy

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  • in reply to: Large and Giant Breed Puppy Nutrition #121939 Report Abuse

    Completely agree with pitlove- 4 is not thin by any sane Wolfhoud/GSD standard. Since this only started post-antibiotics, then the cause/effect relationship seems straightforward. Keep in mind: Antibiotics are exactly that– anti-BIOTICS. They aren’t snipers; more like land (or gut) mines. They indiscriminately kill everything biotic (living). When they show up in the dog’s digestive system, they kill off all bacteria. It will take your dog’s body a minimum of 4-6 weeks to regrow and replace the good bacteria in her gut.

    I also agree that a change in food would likely only exacerbate the problem. However, while adding probiotics to help her rebuild her insides is good, using human-food yogurt is not the way to go. Cow-based dairy products are very hard on dog stomachs. (If we were talking goat yogurt from your own goats, it might be easier, but that’s a whole different discussion.) Talk to your vet about an alternative probiotic for dogs. There are plenty out there, and you can usually get them from Chewy for far less than the average vet or pet store.

    You may also consider a tablespoon of canned pumpkin in her food once a day for a few days, as this may solidify her stool and help restore and regulate her digestive function. (No fussing about “canned pumpkin isn’t real pumpkin”, now…this isn’t the Pick-On-Libby Dog Food forum, after all)

    Finally: Using antibiotics can also trigger reactions in parasitic organisms hiding in your pup. When one part of the system is weakened, such parasites as worms and flukes can take advantage of that weakening and increase their attacks on the body. This often occurs with newly re-homed puppies, which is why a new pup obtained at 8-12 weeks should be taken to the vet for a checkup after arrival and some upset tummy should be expected. (Stress, in this case, is similar to the use of antibiotics in that it weakens one of the body’s defenses, causing previously unseen parasites to sometimes rear their ugly heads!) They might also die off and require flushing out of the system, which may prolong the diarrhea episodes. You might want to get her checked for internal parasites.

    Personally, I use Victor Grain-Free food on all my Saints, and have had great success with it. Whatever you’re using, if it worked pre-antibiotics, it’s likely the antibiotic reaction (not the food) causing her current gastrointestinal distress.

    in reply to: Large and Giant Breed Puppy Nutrition #45610 Report Abuse

    *confused* HDM- help me out here…On the original Calcium.docx file, Victor dog foods don’t actually make the list (not sure why)- yet you just recommended them to Qi X. Would they work for a Giant like my incoming Saintzilla? Considering Victor Grain Free, as I can actually find it on Amazon (although chewy’s not carrying it right now). With the limits of mountain living, finding decent food is pretty much dependent on the internet!

    in reply to: Large and Giant Breed Puppy Nutrition #45608 Report Abuse

    Have a new Saint puppy at 3 months old who’s apparently been raised on some serious junky food with questionable ingredients (it rates two stars on the DFA list…and I think they were being kind…). Two major questions:
    (1) Can I switch him over to e.g. Victor Grain Free or another brand and potentially undo some of the dietary damage?
    (2) What can I use as decent dog treats/chews? My parents raised great Saints, but they fed “whatever was cheap”, and I know the results of that path, so any suggestions would sure be appreciated. With the high rate of hip dysplasia in Saints, avoiding overfeeding or overcalcifying is a big focus.
    Thoughts?

    in reply to: Large and Giant Breed Puppy Nutrition #44574 Report Abuse

    Lemdem-
    One other concern on antlers is their relatively high salt content. One of the reasons antlers disappear when on the ground is their quick erosion due to both calcium and salt content. While calcium is present, remember that unlike most bones, antlers have a very high sodium content, and should not be used as dog chews for any breed.

    in reply to: Large and Giant Breed Puppy Nutrition #42923 Report Abuse

    Our family has had Saint Bernards since before I was born, but the diet choices weren’t either as varied or as useful as they are now. “What’s cheap?” reigned over “What’s the best diet?” Now I have a Saint Bernard puppy (9 weeks) coming into our household who’s been raised on Sportmix Wholesome. It averages 3.5 stars, but given its first few ingredients are major flags, I’m not willing to “save a few bucks” in exchange for a less healthy and shorter-lived pup!
    I can’t access HDM’s Large Breed Dog Food list on Google (argh); am considering Victor Grain Free, but am open to any dog food good for giant-breed dogs (my pup’s dad is 220 and a strapping boy, so he isn’t likely to be small…) Saints develop at a rapid pace, so their dietary needs are similar to other giants (Newfies, Mastiffs, Danes, Pyrenees, etc.)

    Am reading everything I can get my hands on. I’m willing to get better quality dog food; would appreciate any advice, as well as thoughts on feeding raw vs. great-quality package food. Thanks!

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