[Shawna]

I posted with some links for you to check out weimlove — data from expert Dr. Ronald Schultz (immunologist and pathobiologist at the University of Wisconsin) in the field of pet immunology. The post did not appear. I’m guessing it is being held due to the links.. If it doesn’t post — google AAHA 2006 Vaccine Guideline (American Animal Hospital Association) and check out the chart on page 4. They clearly state that the core vaccines (except rabies) are known to last 5 to 7 years… Also google “The Rabies Challenge Fund” and “Dr. Karen Becker interviews Dr. Ronald Schultz” (this is a four part video series. Hopefully my post will show up here but if not this is some places to start with expert opinions on the matter.

[Shawna]

Hi weimlove ~~ I’m with HDM on this one 🙂 And you are right about rabies too..

The American Animal Hospital Association put out a canine vaccination recommendation in 2006 (there is a later one as well but the 2006 is easier to read imo). In the 2006 guidelines they CLEARLY state that it is KNOWN that the core vaccines (minus rabies) last longer than 1 year AND 3 years. The recommendation is to give (distemper, parvo and adeno) “every 3 years or longer”. Note the “or longer”. In the “Comments and Recommendations” section of the chart starting on page 4 they give the efficacy data for the individual core vaccines — they are 5 to 7 years. It is said that testing was only done that long and efficacy is like for life just like vaccines in humans. /forums/topic/vaccinating/#post-11205

When you do your research google Dr. Ronald Schultz. Dr. Schultz is an immunologist and pathobiologist at the Univerisity of Wisconsin and the leading expert on pet vaccines in the US and one of only a few in the world. Dr. Schultz and Dr. Jean Dodds DVM are currently under way with The Rabies Challenge Fund to prove the rabies vaccine lasts at least 7 years. On the website they discuss some of the damage known to be caused by vaccines (heinz body anemia, kidney disease etc etc). http://www.rabieschallengefund.org/

And if you have the time, Dr. Karen Becker DVM did a four part interview series with Dr. Ronald Schultz that is VERY enlightening (Dr. Schultz titers his own puppies to show when the mom’s immunity is gone and then gives the shots one at a time). He titers from then on (they don’t get any boosters). Here’s the link to the 1st of the 4 part video interview (each about 12 minutes long). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xC–bGthNN8

Good luck and best of health to your pup!!!

[Shawna]

Thanks Patty 🙂 Are Florida fleas more robust than Nebraska fleas? Hee hee I chuckle but makes me think of slugs. Slugs in Nebraska are tiny little dime, or smaller, size creatures. First time I saw a slug in Seattle I bout fainted. Almost the size of a newborn human.. HOLY SMOKES!!!

[Shawna]

Wow, that’s a good question!! ACV won’t hurt the dog — it actually helps with digestion (especially in senior dogs). All of my dogs get ACV, with their food, regularly. BUT, I don’t know if it will momentarily shift the skin ph. My guess is yes it would — a dog’s skin is alkaline and ACV is definitley acidic. But, because it is also antiyeast, antibacterial etc I think the temporary ph shift would be of no concern.. Hopefully others will post if they disagree or have relavant info..

PS — Toxed is right!!! I use garlic like your mom uses ACV :)…

[Shawna]

Hi poochie1059 — I agree with everything Hound Dog Mom wrote. Many better quality foods are appropriate for puppy, adult and senior dogs.

I wanted to add, MANY of us here on DFA, including Dr. Mike, believe in rotational feeding. We switch our dogs food regularly. Some switch daily, some with each new bag of kibble, some every other month and so on. If you start when the dog is a puppy and feed the same quality of foods you can switch between foods without having to “transition”. Dogs should be able to eat whatever (that is appropriate) you put in front of them. By only feeding one food we actually create sensitive tummies.

I rotate with every new bag of food and buy the smaller 5 and 6lb bags. I rotate proteins as well as brands. I use a variety of 5 star “all life stage” foods for all the dogs in my home including the foster puppies the adults and the seniors (I have 8 dogs and foster for Boston and Papillon rescue). The foods I use include Acana, Orijen, Brothers Complete, Merrick, Earthborn, Nature’s Variety, Nature’s Logic etc.

Additionally, many of us put “toppers” on our dogs’ foods. The topper can include canned foods, dehydrated, commercial raw, sardines, raw or lightly cooked egg etc. All these add extra nutrition and variety — sardines as an example are a great source of extra protein and omega 3 fatty acids.

Good luck with and best of health to your puppy!!!

[Shawna]

Nice post yourself!!! Nice anologies too!!!

“When her immune system is that overloaded, any other toxin can’t be adequately dealt with either. So they begin to illicit symptoms as well.” VERY true — I know things are really going down hill when I start to be affected by scents. At times I can not walk anywhere near a bath and body shop or perfume counter without nausea and headaches. When my body is cleaner I don’t react (still not good for us but no outward manifestation of noticable symptoms).

The guy, Raymond Francis, Toxed is talking about that cleaned himself by going to the mountains was so sick he couldn’t use a telephone due to the toxins in the plastic, read a newspaper or paper book etc. He too was told he was dying (while in the hospital). Mr. Francis got healthy and then wrote the book “Never Be Sick Again” discussing his ordeal and how to prevent these type of illnesses (including cancer). It is an excellent read.. His analogy of disease —– there is only one disease and that is malfunctioning cells. There are two causes of malfunctioning cells and those are deficiency and toxicity. And there are six “pathways” that will get you to health or disease. He explains it all in the book going into detail regarding each pathway.

One final thought, the Environmental Working Group has an article titled “Polluted Pets”. Here’s a quote from the article.

“The results show that America’s pets are serving as involuntary sentinels of the widespread chemical contamination that scientists increasingly link to a growing array of health problems across a wide range of animals—wild, domesticated and human…

But with their compressed lifespans, developing and aging seven or more times faster than children, pets also develop health problems from exposures much more rapidly…. http://www.ewg.org/reports/pets

[Shawna]

PS — knowing a fleas life cycle helps in going to battle with them.. The flea lays eggs and the eggs hatch (and look like tiny worms). The worms (called the larval stage) develop a cocoon type barrier (called the pupal stage) where they transform into an adult flea (like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly). Once the transformation is done they emerge as what we know to be a flea. Most products will not kill a flea when they are in the pupal stage. And, the flea can stay in the pupal stage til the right conditions for emerging are present. IF you vacuum well, launder items you can that have been slept on you can eliminate a good deal of the fleas in the pupal stage. The pupal stage is also why you want to rebath, reapply DE and relaunder at least once after a few weeks and then several times more if necessary.

There are other natural things you can try if necessary. You can also try a different flea product but I would definitley wait until the body has been able to eliminate the Frontline. Applying too many chemicals weakens the immune system making it even harder to fight off fleas etc.

[Shawna]

H Sophia,

I’ve had to fight fleas on my foster dogs. This is what has worked for me — first I wash the dog with a shampoo or soap that has tea tree in it (Dr. Bronner’s is a soap with tea tree that is the right ph for a dog’s skin – any castile soap is). Toxed has recommended Dr. Bronner’s mint soap as well. When bathing you will want to wet the head first as I’ve read that the fleas will scury towards the ears for protection — starting with the head will block them. Make sure to get soap everywhere but ears and eyes (in between toes as an example). Rince off and towel or blow dry.

Once dry I apply food grade diatomaceous earth down to the skin by parting the fur and taking a pinch of the DE between my fingers and making sure it gets on the skin not just the fur. Then I rub it in the area. (DE looks and feels like white flour but it actually has sharp edges. Those edges are harmless to us and our dogs (unless too much is inhaled) but are deadly to insects. They damage the exoskeleton and cause the insect/flea to dehydrate causing death.) I apply the DE from the top of the head to the beginning of the tail and across the back. If the dogs fur is light colored you can see the flea dirt and apply where it is seen. I have found that it is not necessary to do the entire dog — just head and back (I’m guessing this is the area where they feed?). I don’t spare the DE when I appy it but you do want to make sure to keep dust clouds down as breathing it in is not great for the lungs. I rebath and reapply DE about once a week or evey other week. DE can be a bit drying but after the fleas are dead and no more is applied the coat will go back to normal.

I also have a bottle of premade essential oils that are flea deterants. I’ll spritz some of that on all the dogs as a preventative. Here’s a premade product (there are others available) http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/natural-flea-and-tick-control.aspx

In the environment you want to vacuum (including baseboards and furniture that can’t be laundered etc). You also want to wash any bedding.

A few fleas is really not that hard to get rid of but if you don’t address it an infestation can develop and that can be a royal pain to battle.. Hopefully you have caught it early enough that one or two baths and one or two DE applications is all it will take along with vacuuming and laundering. If you end up with an infestation there’s more you can do but for now this, in my experiene, is a good start.

Good luck!!!

[Shawna]

Missed your question Honeybeesmom — sorry..

I’ve seen several recommendations but Dr. Becker recommends giving milk thistle for seven days after any chemical preventative is given. This is the recommendation I would go with. 🙂

[Shawna]

Ohhhhh Jan!!!! I hope her syringomyelia is well controlled!!!!! What a horrible disease! I watched a British documentary on show dogs and they emphasized the issues of a few breeds – Cavalier’s and syringomyelia being one. I bawled so hard that I had to stop the video as I couldn’t see thorugh the tears!

Praying for her!!!!

[Shawna]

She is intolerant of chicken — not only does it cause the eye issue but also causes colitis. Turkey is problematic too but only reacts if eaten too frequently. Non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAID’s) like rimadyl and metacam do the same thing (weapy eyes and colitis).

PS — I get gooey eyes when I consume a problem food for me — dairy. My eyes can sometimes get so much debris in them that I have pink eye symptoms (eyes stuck shut when waking) without the infection. It usually isn’t THIS bad but has happened a few times over the years. Usually it’s just a bit of goo in the inside corner of my eyes.

[Shawna]

Royal Canin HP works because the “protein” in the food has been hydrolyzed — aka chemically broken down into amino acids. Amino acids are supposed to be in the blood while “protein” is not. The immune system sees undigested “protein” as a foreign invader. So a hydrolyzed protein does not cause an allergic reaction EVEN if the original protein is a problem.

The thing to watch with hydrolyzed proteins (and ESPECIALLY hydrolyzed soy protein like in Royal Canin HP) is that it is VERY high in “free” glutamic and aspartic acids (two types of amino acids). Free glutamic acid is the G in monosodium glutamate (MSG) and free aspartic acid is the ingredient in the artificial sweetener aspartame that causes MAJOR problems for a lot of people and pets. These “freed” amino acids can cause things like multiple sclerosis, dementia, brain damage, aggression, lupus and on and on.. I would cut off my right arm before I would feed any of my dogs this food long term.. Just me though.. I have MRI diagnosed brain damage suspected to be cuased by MSG and aspartame so it REALLY hits home for me…

One of the Science Diet allergy foods also has hydrolyzed protein so I would avoid it like the plague too. Short term you’re probably okay but long term this could be disasterous as these amino acids seem to accumulate and cause more problems the longer they are eaten. I used to have momentary blindness (started at age 12 years) that was caused by MSG and aspartame (and any foods with free glutamic and free aspartic acids).

These types of hydrolyzed foods will stop allergy symptoms —- but at what cost??

[Shawna]

Eles ~~ I feel sorry for your little guy 🙁 I will say that when a food that is problematic is eliminated the symptoms can get worse at first. I personally, (me not my dog), have an issue with cow dairy products. When I quit them my symptoms get more severe for days before they get better. And then they can come back with a vengence for several hours to a couple days even though I haven’t cheated and had any dairy — it’s refered to as detoxing or a “healing episode”. The symptoms you are seeing (if you have gotten the offensive food out of the diet) could simply be the bodies attempt to get the histamine and other by-products of the allergic reaction out of the body as quickly as it can. If this IS what is happening than it is actually a good thing..

[Shawna]

I had to do a food trial too.. I’m a raw feeder and feed a LOT of variety so a food trial was a must. I eliminated EVERYTHING she had been exposed to in the past and started feeding her raw ostrich as the protein and a novel starch and gave her freeze dried goat for treats.. She ate this and only this for 6 months. At the end of the 6 months her sysmptoms were a thing of the past. I then introduced a new food about every 4 days to make sure there wasn’t a delayed reaction. Turns out she is allergic to beef bone (which I have to watch in whole food supplements as well as her raw diet), goat dairy, cow tripe and barley. I believe the lectin proteins in the barley damaged her gut allowing the proteins from the other foods to get into her bloodstream causing the allergic reaction. Oddly, she has no issue with what we think to be “protein” — chicken, beef, lamb, duck, turkey etc.

With Audrey we were sure it was a food allergy because she had symptoms year round and because her eosinophil white blood cell count was high on her blood work (eosinophils can be high with food allergies and parasitic infections). From my understanding, eosinophils are not high in food intolerances however and food intolerances (like Audrey’s to barley) can have the same symptoms as true allergies.

[Shawna]

My Pom will get tear staining and weapy eyes from foods that she is intolerant of but also will develop this symptom if I don’t keep her teeth clean.

[Shawna]

Eles7 ~~ when you are dealing with allergies (or intolerances) you have to look at ALL ingredients in the foods you feed. Potato is a relatively common food that causes intolerances. I have a friend who’s dog develops issues when she eats green beans. I know another dog that has an issue with garlic. My own dog can’t have beef bone (the meat is okay just can’t have the bone). Eggs, dairy, peas and many other foods can also be the problem. Going grain free and switching to a novel protein is a good start but many times it isn’t enough. Is there anything in common among all the foods you have tried? If so, I’d try a food that doesn’t include that — Nature’s Variety Instinct and Brothers Complete, as examples, use tapioca instead of potato (both have peas and eggs though). Nature’s Logic uses millet and other foods use garbonzo beans (aka chick peas).

[Shawna]

For additional reading on detoxing I would suggest Dr Martin Goldstein’s book “The Nature of Animal Healing”. He had a whole chapter on detoxing. I also like Veterinary Naturopath Dr. Jeannie Thomason’s article on detoxing http://www.thewholedog.org/artdetox.html

Many feel that when we do not allow detoxing symptoms (not allowing a detox to occur by switching back to the poor quality diet or by taking drugs to suppress the symptoms) OR that we suppress the symptoms in the first place that we set the body up to deal with the inflammation etc we are causing in another way — like cancer.

[Shawna]

Nice post Patty!!!
Here’s my personal (me not my dog) experience with detoxing. I have issues with the caseine protein in dairy foods. The harder the product the more caseine it has in it — so hard cheeses are REALLY a problem for me. We have opiate receptors in our brains and foods that we are intolerant of can bind to those opiate receptors — which, of course, causes us to crave the food that is an issue (this is true with dairy and gluten at least). And I do crave dairy.. I have found it harder to give up all dairy then quitting smoking (which I did 7 years ago after smoking for some 20 years).

Because of this craving and good feeling from dairy I quit for 2 or 3 weeks but then right back on – sometimes by accident (there’s dairy in SO many foods). The detox, for the first few days especially, can be worse than the symptoms while I’m consuming dairy. Symptoms that have been attributed to my dairy intolerance — weight gain, rash on my scalp with severe itching (to point of bleeding) and thickened skin in small patches, inflammation in upper back and sinus areas, inflammation in joints, brain fog, after long term use of dairy I developed malnutrition along with all the symptoms and issues of that (despite eating a good diet) like hypothyroid due to iodine deficiency and pica due to iron deficiency etc.. I’ve never had digestive symptoms, until about a year ago and then only infrequently — indigestion.

While consuming dairy my sinuses (ears and nose mainly) get inflammed but not mucousy. About the last year or so I’ve been having inflammation in my upper back sometimes with pain that wakes me up at night — I stretch and pop bones in/out even. For about the last two years I’ve been experiencing issues with my lungs. I attributed this to the years of smoking and iron anemia. However, when I quit dairy my back quits hurting, my lungs get better, more energy etc etc. However, the detox is a NIGHTMARE.. The first few days after quitting I get SEVERE sinus inflammation (including headaches and inflammation in my jawline that is so bad my teeth actually become loose). My back gets worse, joints hurt etc. This usually clears up in 4 to 7 days.. After that I start feeling MUCH better but once in a while I’ll still have a “bad” day and the ithy scalp may come back with a vengence or I’ll have a sinus headache with jaw pain for hours. The detoxing is often more intense than dealing with the symptoms while consuming dairy. But, they are always short in duration and after the detox episode I feel MUCH better overall again. Energy continues to increase, lungs continue to feel better (better able to breath and more stamina etc).

I’ve quit and then started back up again enough to KNOW beyond any doubt what symptoms are attributed to the intolerance and what symptoms to expect when I detox..

Our pets must experience very similar symptoms to us. Only they have no control over what foods they are given so craving the food shouldn’t be an issue with them..

[Shawna]

Honeybeesmom ~~ I haven’t used heartworm preventatives in any of mine for over 20 years. HOWEVER, if you feel better about using it then I think you should by all means!!!!! Since we all have to live with the consequences of the decisions we make, I think it best we make the decisions that make the most sense for our personal situation!!! 🙂 Yes, heartworm is technically a poison but because you feed well, you don’t over vaccinate, don’t treat your yard with chemicals, you limit other toxins etc, the poisons in heartworm meds are not as likely to cause a problem as in an immune compromised animal. It’s all synergistic in my opinion.. And if you use milk thistle after you can help the body eliminate the poison more efficiently.. 🙂

[Shawna]

I too agree with Hound Dog Mom BUT there is an alternative to giving the full dose — you can have a compounding pharmacy make a product specific to your pups weight. Dr. Becker mentions it in an article she wrote a year or so ago

“•Providing your dog is healthy with good kidney and liver function, go with a chemical preventive at the lowest effective dosage (compounded if necessary for dogs that weigh at the low end of dosing instructions), at six (not four) week intervals, for the minimum time necessary during mosquito season.” http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/08/03/why-havent-pet-owners-been-told-these-facts-about-heartworm.aspx

I also agree to only use heartworm meds as fleas are not, in most cases, life threatening and can be treated naturally as HDM mentioned. I also agree with giving every 6 weeks instead of 4 weeks. Additionally, look into the herb called milk thistle. Milk thistle helps the liver process toxins more efficiently. If you decide to give milk thistle, the product needs to be standardized to at least 70% silymarin (the “active ingredient”).

[Shawna]

Like Patty, I would try a high quality probiotic before switching foods (as the antibiotic and probiotic worked while on). With worms sometimes it requires testing of multiple samples for a proper diagnosis. Was pup checked for giardia or coccidia? Even if the probiotic doesn’t resolve the issue it will help with overall health.

If you find that you do have try a new food, check the ingredients in both the NV and the Puppy Pride and choose a food that has different ingredients.

[Shawna]

WOW James, I agree with you!!! This is LOADED with excitotoxins.. Feeding these long term and often (if the ingredient list is correct) is just asking for trouble in my opinion… 🙁

I make treats for my kids too — dehydrated liver, heart, chicken, fish etc. 🙂

[Shawna]

That’s horrible!!!

Ringworm came in to my house several years ago with a foster puppy. The puppy had been exposed while staying overnight at another foster home before coming to me. By the time it was all said and done, he had something like 17 lesions on his 6 month old little body and an adult male foster dog ended up with one or two. Not one of my dogs (I had 4 at the time) developed a lesion. All mine are raw fed and I bathed everyone with their shampoo and a few drops of oil of oregano when I saw the first lesions on the puppy. For about two weeks I used water with about 10 drops of oil of oregano and would spritz them all over. Haven’t had a breakout since then.

Others in the rescue I foster for have successfully used neem oil and need shampoos to get rid of ringworm. I’ve heard tea tree oil works too.

Oh, I also feed my own garlic. Not sure if the most benefit came from the garlic or from the oil of oregano oil?

[Shawna]

Yes, apparently all castile sosps have an acceptable ph for a dog’s skin.

[Shawna]

Happy happy birthday Hound Dog Mom!!

[Shawna]

OMG LOL!! Mimi (my once obese Papillon) used to steal food right out of your hand. Several bathtub time outs and she quit but recently got caught stealing food right from the babies mouth.. Baby Buzz was mad as h–l and Mimi KNEW she had done wrong so went high tailing 🙂 it out of the room knocking something over on the way. This got everyone barking — baby crying, multiple dogs barking and pure chaois… She got away and hid somewhere (likely downstairs) before I could get her so she got away with it but she knew what she was doing and obviously knew there would be consequences.. Anyone who says “dogs are dumb” obviously haven’t been around too many dogs.. 🙂

That is pretty impressive of Gertie!!

[Shawna]

I typed a response out and then lost it — user error UGHHH

I think its a good idea to look for a higher protein food as seniors need more protein than adults and protein is shown to help with weight loss. I’d also suggest trying a potato free food. Potatoes are known to aggravate arthritic issues in some. The protein in nightshade plants, like potato, bind with the fluid in the joints which causes inflammation. This may not be an issue for your pup but better safe than sorry in my opinion. Marie made a wonderful list of grain and potato free foods. It’s in the ingredient forum if I remember correctly.

Some of the foods in Marie’s list may not be high enough in protein but if they are better for the budget you can always add lightly cooked egg whites (high in good quality protein and no fat), boiled chicken, sardines packed in water, high protein canned etc as a topper to whatever kibble you chose.

My girlfriend started her senior dog on a product by Nutromax called Dosaquin. I really dislike some of the ingredients in it but she feels that the benefits are outweighing the negatives for her old lab mix. She’s seen noticable improvement.

I’ve seen a product for joints on Mercola Health Pets that looks great. I’d try this one before the Dosaquin if it were one of my pups. http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/pet-joint-supplements.aspx

I would also suggest organic turmeric and the enzyme bromelain. Both have been shown to have a positive affect on arthritic cases — both are anti-inflammatory. Turmeric is relatively inexpensive and well tolerated by most.

Also, check with your vet on the exercise. I had a girlfriend with a similar case with her lab mix. Turns out the extra exercise was doing more harm than good for her pup. Ended up having to do water workouts with him — great exercise but easier on the joints.

[Shawna]

Hi Jess,

I think you are really wise to look for a higher protein food. Senior dogs need more protein than adult dogs. I’d also like to suggest that you consider a potato free food. Nightshade plants, like potato, have been shown to aggravate some cases of arthritis. The protein in potato (called a lectin) can actually bind with the joint fluid causing inflammation in the area (may not be a problem for your furkid but better safe than sorry in my opinion).

Adding organic turmeric (the spice) to whatever food you feed can be very helpful too. Turmeric has been proven to be a powerful anti-inflammatory and quite effective in arthritic cases (needs to be organic as non-organic can be irradiated which damages the spice). The enzyme bromelain has also had positive results.

And, my girlfriend is using a product called Dasuquin by Nutromax for her elderly lab mix. She says she has seen noticable improvements while on it. I’m NOT AT ALL crazy about the ingredients in it but in her case she feels the good outweighs the bad in her senior pup..

Lastly, Mercola Healthy Pets has a joint supplement that looks really interesting. Personally, I’d try this one over Dasuquin. http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/pet-joint-supplements.aspx

I’m not sure if any of the foods listed in the link below are within your budget, and amounts of protein vary, but these are all grain and white potato free. (Thanks for making the list Marie!!) /forums/topic/grain-and-potato-free-dog-foods/

If a slightly lower protein food is better on the budget, you can always add lightly cooked egg whites (high protein and no fat), sardines packed in water (good source of anti-inflammatory omega 3 and will increase protein), high protein canned foods etc as toppers to the kibble.

Check with your vet on exercising. My frined had a similar issue to yours and found out too late that the extra walking did more harm than good for her pups joints. She ended up having to use water therapy (great exercise without causing negative impact on the joints).

[Shawna]

Hi Jackie B ~~ I have 8 dogs and I supplement all their diets with a concocution I make myself (5 of mine are eat raw with canned topper and 3 eat kibble with raw and canned topper). Sometimes I make my supplement completely from scratch but often I make it with a base of Solid Gold Seameal. None of mine have issues with muzzle staining from it.

Sardines, the spice turmeric and the enzyme bromelain are other foods that have valuable anti-inflammatory properties (bromelain is in the pineapple in Seameal). They make a arthritis supplement for humans that is nothing but turmeric and bromelain. Research has found both to be very effective anti-inflammatories.

My Pom Peanut has luxating petellas in both back legs. Out of a rating of 4 (being the worst) Peanut had one knee that was graded a 2 and the other was a 4 (always out). My holistic vet performed a procedure called prolotherapy on her both knees improved. The one graded 2 is no longer luxating at all and the one rated 4 has been downgraded to a 1/2. She know longer limps or acts at all as if it is bothering her. In prolotherapy they inject a saline based solution into the knee area. This causes inflammation which then causes the body to “heal” the area. Inflammation can be both good and bad. Along with the prolotherapy I was giving Peanut a raw diet and a whole food supplement designed to strengthen ligaments and tendons (allowing less give for the knee to pop) called Standard Process Ligaplex II.

I had her knees done a little over three years ago and, from memory, the cost was just under or just over $300 for both knees ($280 comes to mind).

Best of health to your little one!!! He’s sure a cutie!!!!!!
PS — prolotherapy is used in human knee injuries and also in race horse knee injuries.

[Shawna]

Hi Sedlypets ~ I agree with the others that a higher protein food is very beneficial with weight loss. I like the protein amount to be 36 or more if able. I would also supplement the food with a high protein complete and balanced canned food — subtracting kibble to compensate for the canned.

If you continue to think that it might be a medical issue I’d have her thyroid tested using Dr. Jean Dodd’s lab. Her lab is much more individualized — is the animal male or female, spayed or intact, senior or puppy etc. She has diagnosed thyroid issues in pups that other labs have missed.

[Shawna]

Hi Mike ~~ I know of (actually recommended to them) several people who have successfully won the battle with candida feeding their dogs foods, like The Honest Kitchen, with sweet potato in it.

If you look at Nutritiondata.com — sweet potato has a lower glycemic load at 17 then long grain white rice at 24. The glycemic load of oats is 57 and barley is 19. Also note that the “inflammation factor” of both rice and oats is “strongly inflammatory”, barley is “moderately inflammatory” while the sweet potato is “strongly anti-inflammatory”. Plus, sweet potato doesn’t bind with minerals and prevent their absorption like grians. None of the other pitfalls of grains either. I’ll take sweet potato over grains and white potato any day.. However, I agree with HDM that any binder that is used in excess is not species appropriate and can be detrimental.

I don’t know what type of tapioca is used in the dog foods that use it but…. The following research was done on mice so may not be relevant to dogs and humans but guessing it is. “High-hydroxypropylated tapioca starch improves insulin resistance in genetically diabetic KKAy mice.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19397723

Sweet potato http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2667/2
Rice http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5712/2
Oats http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5708/2
Barley http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/cereal-grains-and-pasta/5680/2

[Shawna]

HDM ~~ If my nose worked as well as a Bloodhounds, I’d probably be a chowhound too :)…

I have three that are very very very naughty.. They will search out and eat anything that smells good to them irregardless of being hungry or not. Mimi opened an entire bottle (360 pills) of whole food vitamin Bs (primary ingredient — liver).. She vomitted off and on for several hours but otherwise was okay. Kippee or Chleo (not sure which?) got a packet of premix and ate it the other day — enough to mix with one pound of meat.. Been watching both in case a vet visit is in order but so far seem to be okay.

The rest of my pups LOVE food but they know and respect the house rules.. 🙂

[Shawna]

PS — Dehydrated and Freeze dried are healthier in my opinion but you have to be very careful as many are WAY TOO high in carbs and fat.

[Shawna]

Hi Rainisdog ~~ no, high fiber is not as good.. Actually higher fiber does make the pup feel better but it also causes nutrient loss. Fiber prevents certain minerals from being absorbed. Like Sandy, I’ve had the best luck (with my foster dogs) feeding above average protein, moderate fat and low carbs. I even add high protein canned food as a topper to up the protein even more. My Papillon lost 15 pounds on a diet like this.

I rotate as well so my Pap was getting a variety of foods — Orijen, Brothers, Acana, Nature’s Variety Instinct etc. Even now, at 14 pounds she only gets 1/4 cup per meal with a teaspoon of canned. Any more than that and she gains weight. I only give treats when I leave the house and then only give a treat about the size of a dime or less.

Mimi, my once obese Pap, was 6 when she came to us and started her diet.

[Shawna]

Have them check the pups body condition if they aren’t already. If she’s losing weight then they need to feed her more than what is suggested — it’s just a guideline. I have a 5 pound Pom and a 5 pound Chihuahua. The Chihuahua eats over twice as much food as the Pom or she starts to lose weight. The Pom starts to gain on any more.

If she’s not losing weight and still ravenous, I’d have her checked by a vet for any illnesses that can cause that as a symptom — diabetes, cushings etc. Certain meds can cause it too if she’s on any meds.

[Shawna]

Thank you Dr. Tim!! Refreshing point of view :)..

[Shawna]

Hi 1butchroy1 ~~ Lepto vaccine is one of the worst (for reactions) that you can give your dog. It also has poor efficacy.. I vaccinate all my healthy dogs with the core puppy shots but lepto is one I will ALWAYS refuse..

I’ve read that dietary lectins (proteins in certain foods) can also cause autoimmune hemolytic anemia. If the food you have been feeding has foods that are known to have problematic lectins it may be worth switching foods just as a precaution (since he’s looking and acting better, my guess is it is likely the lepto vaccine but can’t hurt to rule out the food). Foods with lectins that are considered more problematic are chicken, all grains (rice being least), all legumes (including soy and chickpeas), potato, dairy and corn.

[Shawna]

If you cut back on the amount of food fed at each meal does she still have the vomitting? My 7 pound Shih Tzu mix would be OBESE on 1/2 cup of food per day. However I know a dogs metabolism, and therefore amounts needed, can be very different. One half cup may be the right amount for your girl.. If it is not the amount being fed I’d have her checked for thyroid or other issues that cause weight gain.

As far as Wellness Reduced Fat, I think it’s a good food. The only thing that would be better is one higher in protein still with moderate amounts of fat. If you’re feeding higher calorie or carb heavy treats it might be worth trying small pieces of boiled chicken too.

[Shawna]

Hi Jesse82 ~~ several ingredients in dog foods are known to cause allergy type reactions. TotW is not a bad food but it does have potato and potato is one of the ingredients that can be problematic for a lot of dogs with allergies and sensitivities. Chicken is another if he’s eating TotW w/ chicken.

I’d try a food that uses a carb different from potato — Nature’s Variety Instinct and Brother’s Complete both use tapioca, Nature’s Logic uses millet, others use chickpeas/garbonzo beans etc.

I react the same way as your boy to dairy products. Itch my scalp til it bleeds in my sleep. Benedryl helps me for about 4 hours then the itching (and other symptoms) come back. Zyrtec works for much longer but unless I go dairy free it always comes back. Same thing happens with my dog Audrey. Her itching was between her shoulder blades and it would get crimson red she was so inflammed.. Until I eliminated the ingredients (4 total) she had issues with it NEVER completely went away.

[Shawna]

That’s a good idea Marie except……. Buzz is a year and seven months now.. For about seven months now he has been scaling the baby gates (which we actually use for the dogs not the babies). For the last month or two he’s been pulling himself up the back of the livingroom chair and sofa to get on the furniture. The easy way is apparently not challenging enough… ughhh.. The playpen is a bit higher then the back of the furniture but I see him either 1. pulling the playpen and tree down on himself or 2. succeeding in getting IN the playpen with the tree… He’s a strong little dude.. Amazes me how strong he is.. Not even two and can lift his own body weight — and he’s not small. He is the same weight minus 2/10 of a pound as his sister who is 13 months older than him….

He’s the first baby human boy I’ve ever been around… I had NO IDEA!!!! 🙂 He’s completely fearless and will get what he wants come h— or high water… He does mind if you are watching him 24/7. I live in the real world though and he can move FAST :)..

[Shawna]

HDM ~~ most of the dogs I foster are puppies. I had one I was particularly taken by. He was part Boston Terrier, part some type of Bully breed and his DNA test said part Dalmation?.. He and his mommy came to me when he was just 4 days old (eyes still closed)… Raising him from such a tender age and being part Bully he could do no wrong in my eyes :).. (He looked like a Bully with his square head and major brindling.)

We made a 4 foot by 4 foot enclosure out of 2x4s and plastic chicken wire for the puppies that gave them plenty of space for a kennel, a doggy bed, a potty pad and a water dish. We kept them here while we were gone at work. Not one puppy ever damaged the enclosure til this little guy (must have been at least 15-20 before him). Came home one day and his mommy was in the enclosure and he was running around my bedroom floor being as naughty as puppies can be.. Upon closer inspection, he had chewed a hole in the plastic fencing large enough for his body to get through (he was still TINY at the time).. All I could do was laugh…

Although my little man, and all the puppies, were often mischeivous, it was the adult puppy mill breed dogs that were the most destructive. The bite strength of an adult, in puppy learning mode.. Say goodbye to a $50 pair of shoes due to one 5 year old male, couch and lawn furniture cushions/pillows due to a 6 year old female, mentioned the lamp that a 2 year old female ate in another forum, same 2 year old used my wooden headboard as a chew toy etc.. Add my grandbabies to the mix, there isn’t much in my house that doens’t need to be replaced… 🙂

I’d surely take Miss Mabel. However after feeding her for a week I’m sure I’d find a way to get her back to you.. I’m bettin she eats as much or more than all of mine combined!!!!!!!!!

[Shawna]

We’re not putting up a tree this year because my house is Buzz proofed (my one year old grandson).. Darn kid gets into EVERYTHING!!!

IF you put up a tree and have glass ornaments make sure you have cotton balls and real cream in the house.. If Sam eats any of them you can soak the cotton balls in the cream and feed them slowly one by one to Sam. We had to do this with our first foster dog — she ate the THICK glass fixtures off my expensive lamp on my headboard (three of them each about half the size of a tennis ball — left the bulbs just ate the glass fixture). The cotton ball and cream was the vets suggestion. Worked like a charm.

I like Cyndi’s idea of using a table top tree and letting your daughter decorate it too..

[Shawna]

Hi and welcome Devilbrad!!!

GREAT pics!! I especially like the one of all four dogs.. The faces are PRICELESS!!!

From a foster parent and rescuer —- THANK YOU for adopting your girl!! Daisy is a beauty for sure!!!

[Shawna]

Raw is the best diet possible as long as it supplies all the nutrients necessary for optimal health.. Can be disasterous if deficient in even one nutrient. One can follow recipes, buy commercial or add premixes to ensure the diet is adequate if concerned.

Precautions can be taken to address bacterial contamination. However many of us don’t think some bacterial contamination is a threat to a healthy dog or a dog with a strong immune system (like my 6 1/2 year old dog born with kidney disease). For those concerned though 1. probiotics can be fed regularly 2. meats can be purchased whole (like a roast) and cubed instead of fed ground 3. Apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, garlic etc can be added to the diet to kill bad bacteria if any is on the meat.

HDM, I agree with Alexandra :)… I just want to scoop Mabel up and give her squishy hugs til she makes me stop…….

[Shawna]

I’ve purchased emu oil in the past and forgot about it in my drawer (used as a face and hand moisturizer). The kind I bought was pure without any antioxidants or preservatives. The omega 3 fats in the oil (I’m guessing) oxidized and I could tell by the smell that it had gone bad. Had to toss a $20ish dollar bottle (small bottle) away with less than 1/3 of it used up.. Ughhhhhh…

Thanks Dave’s Hounds for posting about it… I kinda forgot about it and think maybe I’ll reinvest in some… This time I’ll try to use it up faster and store it in the fridge though.. 🙂

[Shawna]

PS to clarify — the second quote from Consumer Affairs regarding the 700 complaints is regarding ALL NUTRO products, not just Greenies.

[Shawna]

Many people did have an issue with Greenies and like Aimee said, they were reformulated. I can’t fault them for dogs choking as 2 have mine have choked multiple times and it wasn’t due to Greenies. And one of mine is a long time raw bone eater but if someone in the house drops a piece of food several of the dogs will snatch and swallow.. And a few times the food item has been too big to go down..

I found the below — take from it what you will 🙂

From Veterinarynews.DVM360
“During a Feb. 22 teleconference with media, Joe Roetheli, Greenies founder and chief executive officer, says the company financially compensated or reimbursed veterinary expenses for no more than 20 fatalities allegedly tied to the bone-shaped dog treats.” http://veterinarynews.dvm360.com/dvm/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=322331

LATimes
“KANSAS CITY, MO. — The maker of Greenies, one of the nation’s best-selling dog treats, settled a class-action lawsuit by pet owners who claimed the teeth-cleaning product injured or killed their dogs.” http://articles.latimes.com/2007/sep/18/business/fi-dogs18

Setteling a lawsuit could simply mean that they didn’t want the negative publicity a trial would bring but the reformulation makes me believe there WAS a problem.

Comsumer Affairs
“The dental chews were reformulated to be “more highly soluble and thus safer, yet effective as a daily preventive of oral disease,” the company said in a November 2007 statement.”

“A division of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has denied that it is investigating NUTRO Products Inc., whose pet foods are the subject of more than 700 complaints from consumers who say their dogs and cats became ill and, in some cases, died after eating NUTRO products.” http://www.consumeraffairs.com/news04/2009/05/nutro_greenies.html

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