[USA]

Hi c4c,

You are right about my concerns!

[USA]

Hi Mike,

I would imagine that the people who are really frustrated are the non-paying members of the forums who cannot participate in topics that have nothing to do with the Editors Choice section. I on the other hand can participate in any topic because I am a paying member. My concern is with the fairness of it.

In the FAQ’s for the Editors Choice Section you put the following restrictions on Editors Choice content:

“Is it OK for me to share the content of my Editor’s Choice membership with others?
The information published in our Editor’s Choice section has taken hundreds of hours of research and hard work and is provided for the exclusive use of our paid subscribers only.
So, please do not share your login details or private Editor’s Choice content with others.”

My thoughts were that if you could place restrictions on sharing the content of the Editors Choice section with non-paying members then if you so desired you could also ask that the topics in the Editors Choice section be related to the Editors Choice content.

[USA]

Hi PaxRomana

The jerky I make (USA Dog Treats) is made in a USDA inspected commercial catering kitchen with a grade A rating. I use Mary’s Chickens, Free-Range, Air-chilled, Non GMO, boneless skinless chicken breasts for the chicken jerky and I use WIld-Caught Salmon, Whitefish (Pollock) and Mahi Mahi for my fish jerkies.

The protein is above 80% on all varieties. Each variety is made with only one ingredient and is 100% fish or chicken. No added anything!

The ingredients for the jerky you mentioned are:

Jacks Links Beef
BEEF, SOY SAUCE(WATER, SOYBEAN, SALT, CORN SYRUP, CARMEL COLOR), WATER, SALT, SUGAR, FLAVORINGS, MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE, SODIUM NITRITE, POTASSIUM SORBATE TO ENSURE FRESHNESS.

Oberto’s Beef
Beef, Sugar, Water, salt, spices, natural flavors, natural smoke flavor and vinegar.

I would not feed these to my dog.

You can also make your own 100% meat jerky using any thinly sliced piece of meat that is trimmed of all external fat. Just bake in a slightly ajar oven at the lowest temp until you can easily break a piece in half.

[USA]

I agree with Betsy. For a dog with cancer who is not already eating a raw diet and doing well on it I would not want to add the additional bacterial load that comes with raw food. A lot of healthy dogs do very well on a raw diet and this is something worth trying in dogs who are not fighting cancer or other serious illnesses.

Kibble is highly processed and the way it is made and the ingredients that it uses are the furthest from a NATURAL diet for a canine that you can feed your dog. The fact that kibble is a dry food adds additional stress to a dog’s kidneys and liver.

If a homemade lightly cooked diet is not an option a high quality low carb canned food would be much more beneficial for all dogs than kibble but especially for a dog dealing with a serious illness.

[USA]

Hi Tina L,

Demodectic Mange is definitely related to the immune system. It is believed that all dogs have the mites but they are kept in check by a healthy immune system. Your dog may have a late blooming immune system or there may be other things going on.

I would recommend you feed him the best food you can. Take a look at the 5 star foods on the review part of this website. Try to stay below 25% carbs which is still a lot but it is hard to find dry foods with less carbs. Canned foods can be found with less carbs and if you are able to feed a large dog only canned food then that would be a good option. If you want to look a little deeper into the quality of the foods you might want to join the Editors Choice section here. There is a yearly fee but it goes more in depth into the dog food companies on the list. The better his diet, they better he will do with everything life throws at him.

The pills for the itching might have been a prednisone type drug which stops itching by SUPPRESSING the immune system! This is counter productive to BUILDING up the immune system to control the mites that cause Demodectic Mange!

I agree with you on limiting vaccines, flea control and any other toxic meds although at some point if his mange becomes wide spread and he is in constant distress you might have to seek the least toxic alternative. I would suggest you supplement his diet with digestive enzymes to make sure he is absorbing all the nutrients in his food, probiotics to help strengthen his immune system, omega 3’s to help with inflammation and turmeric as an antioxidant.

Good Luck with your pup!!!

[USA]

Hi Leslie

Would you consider making your Jack a homemade diet? If he has no food allergies or intolerances a homemade diet using chicken, beef, turkey, fish, pork and other meats would be beneficial for your pup. You would use lean meats, 10% fat or less. Lightly cook the meats. Add about 20% non-starchy pureed veggies and fruits. Occasionally add some organs and sardines.

Supplement with Omega 3 oils, digestive enzymes, probiotics and a vitamin mineral mix like Steve Brown’s See Spot Live Longer Dinner Mixes and you have the basics of an economical, highly nutritious, species appropriate low carb diet that would help your precious pup do the best he can!! Turmeric is an excellent supplement for dogs with cancer. Slight adjustments to the diet with fiber would depend on the needs of your dog.

This is not that hard to learn and there are plenty of people here to help you along the way! I wish you and your pup the BEST!!!

[USA]

I really appreciate all the work you do for the readers of Dog Food Advisor!!!

The editors choice section is not what what I expected. I don’t understand the purposeful vagueness that is part of the Editors Choice selection process. Part of the criteria for being picked for the Editors Choice section is disclosure. If a company does not disclose where they are made, where their ingredients come from and other things they will not be included in the list. I agree with this 100%. Full disclosure enables a consumer to make an informed decision about what foods to feed their dogs. That is all I ask from a dog food company. Make your food however you like as long as I can find out how it is made I can decide if I want to feed it to my dog or not.

I feel the same way about the Editors Choice section. You are asking for full disclosure from dog food companies yet you are not giving us full disclosure on how and why a dog food company is included or not included in your list. I hope this changes in the future.

[USA]

Hi scottny,

Why does it have to be a cookie type treat? I make jerky treats for my dogs using free-range chickens and wild caught fish. They are 100% meat or fish which is much more appropriate for a dog than a cookie type treat. They will give the stomach acid something to work on to help with the regurgitation issues. Dogs absolutely love all meat jerky treats. Chicken is the most universally liked dog treat I have ever seen!

A simple recipe is use any fish fillet or chicken breast or piece of meat that has no external fat. Slice thinly, turn oven on lowest setting. Place on cookie sheet and if possible leave the oven door slightly ajar to let the moisture out and bake until treat is able to be broken in half by bending.

[USA]

Currently I make dog treats and I am a canine massage therapist and I make essential oil based flea products for dogs and cats. I used to be a groomer. My expectations for using a dremel where high. It does not cause as many nail bleeds as a nail clipper but if you press hard and keep going the nail can still bleed. However, it vibrates the nail and this can be a problem. So here is my mini guide to nail clipping.

Heavy Grit Nail File – Puppies and any super sensitive dog can benefit from a nail file. First you begin to associate good things with your dog letting you handle their feet. Treats, toys, love, whatever is a high value reward for YOUR dog. Stay below their freak-out threshold. This means that if your dog freaks out the minute you get close to their foot you stay just outside that threshold and reward. You slowly move closer and closer to the foot each time stopping just before they reach their freak-out threshold and you reward. If you go too far just stop for the day and continue tomorrow.

Once you can handle the foot without a reaction you touch the file to the nail and if everything is still good you give a stroke and so on. This requires patience and determination but you will soon be filing your dog’s nails. If you file your dogs nails regularly you will not have to do anything else.

Nail Clipper – Only use pliers type clippers or scissor type clippers. Guillotine style clippers have a cutter on only one side and are much more likely to crush or pinch a nail. Any nail clipper you use MUST be super sharp. As soon as they begin to dull throw them away and get a new one! If your dog’s nails are very long and there is a nice chunk of nail that you can cut without hitting the quick then DO NOT use a grinder. Grinding large amounts of a nail are usually more upsetting to a dog than one quick clip. When clipping a nail don’t softly squeeze the clipper. One firm squeeze and your through. A firm squeeze IS the way to go. If your dog has dark colored nails and you can’t see the quick, cut small slivers and look at the nail from the bottom where you just cut. As you get close to the quick you will begin to see what looks like a black dot in the center of the bottom of the nail. This is the vein canal and you are getting close to the quick and you have gone far enough. In light colored nails the vein canal will show as a pink dot. If the nails are still touching the floor at this point you should cut a sliver a week until you get the nails just above the floor. Each time you cut a nail close to the quick the quick recedes a little and in a week you can cut another sliver. If you wait two weeks or more then the quick is right back where it was and you will not be able to get the nail any shorter than the last time.

Dremel – Good for finishing any nail to remove the sharp edges or to slightly shorten a nail. If there is long hair you can slide your free hand under the hair and pull it back. Long hair can get wrapped around a dremel and upset you and your dog!!!

Walking on concrete helps any dogs nails and with enough walking some dogs never need their nails cut. Dewclaws never touch the ground so they must ALWAYS be checked!

Dang, that might be the longest post I ever wrote!

[USA]

Beautiful tribute. May Pearl rest in peace my friend.

[USA]

Hi Guys and Gals

A few years ago when it became clear that there was a problem with the Chinese Jerky I started to make my own jerky treats. I use only free-range chicken for my chicken jerky and wild caught fish for my fish jerkies. My treats have only one ingredient, meat fish or poultry. I use fresh meats from local supermarkets like Whole Foods so all of my treats are human edible. I gently dehydrate the meats to make jerky. I vary the drying times so I can make a more chewy treat or a crunchy treat.

Since dogs are designed to eat a diet high in meat and low in carbs plus they absolutely love jerky treats I wish you guys would make your dog’s treats with more meat and less carbs. You don’t need to use flour or a lot of starches if you make jerky type treats. You can use whole meats, fruits and vegetables or you can grind up mixtures of meat and veggies or fruits and dehydrate them. You can make them in an oven at the lowest temperature or you can use a dehydrator. Veggies and fruits will add antioxidants and vitamins while meat will supply the needed protein and fat.

Even though I call them treats the jerky I make is designed for a carnivore like a dog and since dogs absolutely love meat based treats it is a win win situation!

[USA]

Hi CattleCait

I’m sorry to hear hear that Jessie is not doing that great. I would also recommend a physical to see how her health is doing. A blood test will help in ruling out some things or diagnosing them. If Jessie was doing better when you were home more and that is the reason she is not doing so great then getting someone to do the things with her that you used to do might help.

If she is missing you I hope that finding her a human companion that can be with her for an hour or so in the middle of her day will help her out of her depression. Dog’s never have all the options that we do to fill time. They can become very attached to someone and that is a huge responsibility for that person. I hope that Jessie feels better very soon!

[USA]

Thank you Shawna for clarifying Dr Dodds stance on raw diets and hyperthyroidism!!!

[USA]

Can anyone from DFA answer my question?

[USA]

Hi Mike

I read the FAQ’s before I asked. I just want to make sure that ALL of the brands you have reviewed on DFA were considered for the Editors Choice and that if a brand you have reviewed on DFA is not on the Editors Choice that means it did not qualify.

This way I know that let’s say Great Life but it could be any brand already reviewed on DFA is not on the Editors Choice list because it did not qualify, not because it was not evaluated.

[USA]

Hi K a,

Could you please describe his scratching. Where, when etc. Why do you think it is a food allergy?

[USA]

Hi Michelle

There could be something wrong with that particular bag of food or your dog might not be feeling well.

When you use NPH or N type intermediate acting insulins they last about 12 to 16 hours per dose and they have a peak which is when you are supposed to feed your dog.

There are long acting insulins like levemir and lantus which have no peak (or very little peak) and are taken once a day. They are for the sugar (glucose) that your body (or your dog’s) makes. Then there are fast acting insulins like Novolog and Humalog which last around 5 hours and are taken before (or right after) meals. They are for covering the glucose (carbs) from meals.

The graph in the link shows the different types of insulin and their onsets and durations.

http://community.diabetes.org/t5/image/serverpage/image-id/1281i92D09A0934C03334/image-size/original?v=mpbl-1&px=-1

In a two insulin regimen you would give your dog a long acting insulin once a day for the sugar (glucose) that your body (or your dog’s) makes. And you would give a rapid acting insulin before meals. You could also give the rapid acting insulin right after a meal. This way you could base the dose on the actual amount of food your dog did or did not eat.

This is the gold standard of insulin regimens (in humans) and this is the one I personally use (I have diabetes) and recommend for people AND dogs. It is a more intense regimen and requires more effort on your part. It also requires you find a vet that will support you in this kind of insulin regimen.

The food you are feeding is 47% carbs and I have a problem with treating a person or dog with diabetes a diet this high in carbs. I think the reason it is used for dogs is that bottom line, carbs are cheaper than meat. So they use a lot of fiber (9.7%) to slow down the absorption of carbs into your dog’s bloodstream!

I would look for a canned food that is below 10% carbs. If your dog does NOT have a problem with high fat diets then low carb canned food is a much more appropriate diet for a dog with diabetes. It would require a lowering of your dogs insulin dose and you need to have a vet support you in a change like this!

I wish you and your husky the beat!!!

[USA]

My reply disappeared. This is a duplicate.

Vitacost has 54 oz coconut oil for $21.99. Free shipping at $49.

http://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-extra-virgin-certified-organic-coconut-oil-54-fl-oz-20

[USA]

Vitacost has free shipping over $49 and 54 oz coconut oil for 21.99

http://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-extra-virgin-certified-organic-coconut-oil-54-fl-oz-20

[USA]

I started a topic in the off topic forum about microchipping. It never showed up in the column on the left so I will post it here.

Microchipping was something I used to think all dogs should have done. This was a long time ago when AVID was the only one making chips for dogs. The chips were all on the 125 kHz frequency and there was only one scanner to read them.

Then Home Again started making microchips for dogs that were also on the 125 kHz frequency but then they made a 125 kHz microchip that was encrypted so the AVID scanner would not read a microchip if it was an encrypted chip from Home Again!

Then an ISO (International Standards Organization) microchip was introduced in Europe that was on the 134.2 kHz frequency and this was going to be the international standard for microchips in pets. Too bad the USA never made it our standard also.

The original scanners that AVID made and gave away to thousands of shelters and rescue groups in the USA could only read AVID’s original chip. It couldn’t read the Home Again encrypted 125 kHz chip or the new 134.2 kHz European chip.

Now people were getting their dogs microchipped and shelters and local animal controls with older scanners were NOT ABLE TO DETECT that the dog had a microchip!!!

Then Banfield the PetSmart Vet came out with the ISO 134.2 kHz microchip in the USA.

Dogs were being euthanized who HAD microchips but whatever scanner the shelter had was unable to read whatever chip the dog had. Yes, there are universal scanners that are able to detect but not read ALL microchips. But who knows what scanner YOUR local shelter and animal control have?

If the frequency mess was not enough a link has now been established between implanted microchips and a certain type of cancer called a Sarcoma.

Yes there’s more, the needle used to implant a microchip is NOT a tiny needle. The non-profit I work with used to microchip dogs for free. Toy breeds were the dogs who did the worst being chipped. About half of the small dogs would SCREAM when being chipped and the Bichon and Maltese types with the tender skin would have visible holes in their skin and be very tender at the injection site, sometimes for days.

We have seen dogs with 2 chips who were microchipped without the Vet or Vet tech finding the original chip, we have seen many chipped dogs who after being adopted the new family never registered the microchip so even though the dogs had a chip we were unable to locate their current home.

Conclusion: I no longer recommend people get their pets microchipped. It could lead you into a false sense of security where you think your dog will be returned home in an emergency but it will not. And the sarcoma link just puts the risks too high for the meager benefits IN MY OPINION.

Secure your yard gates with locks, put signs up on the gates letting people know you have dogs inside, put an ID on a breakaway collar (yes they make them for dogs). Find ways of making sure your loved ones are not lost in the first place and make sure they are have some kind of ID that can be physically read in an emergency.

Sorry for the bad news!!!

[USA]

Hi Akari

I would not put anything removable in his bowl. Here is a stainless steel 8 oz bowl that if it helps is the simplest solution.

https://www.petedge.com/zpetedgemain/catalog/productDetail.jsf?sort=TA&wec-appid=PEDM_WEBSHOP_TR&page=72A214C22827430A9795247F1BF064D6&itemKey=005056A633791ED2B5866575D686AFB3&show=12&view=grid&simpleSearchString=slow+eat&wec-locale=en_US

GOOD LUCK!

[USA]

Hi Jason

I’m happy to see that you are looking for safer alternatives for flea, tick and mosquito control!

Products like Frontline, Advantix, etc can buildup in the organs of dogs over time so even though you don’t see immediate side effects they are still dangerous. They are also neurotoxins and I am just glad you looking for alternatives!

Indoors
Wash their bedding at least once a week and add Borax (boric acid) to the wash.

Boric acid can also be rubbed into any fabric couches or chairs. Vacuum the cushions and rub the Boric acid into the fabric beneath the cushions.

Outdoors
Beneficial nematodes are effective for flea control. If your dog roams the whole nine acres that is a lot of nematodes you will need (like a billion!). I would do the area around your house no matter what. I prefer to use nematodes in vermiculite (scanmask) rather than nematodes on a sponge. The ones in vermiculite have a shelf life of 2 years, the ones on a sponge are probably dead or dying by the time they are purchased (shelf life of about 4 to 8 weeks).

Keep any vegetation as short as possible if you can. Ticks are usually in vegetation above 2 inches or so.

I don’t know how big your creek is or if there are fish in it but that would be the only place I might look into commercial mosquito control. The chemicals would not be on your dog as long as he doesn’t swim in it.

On your dog.
Bathe at least once a week for flea control. Use a flea shampoo that has essential oils in it. Natural doesn’t mean safe so try a small amount first and see how your pooch does. Just bathing with any shampoo will kill fleas as they will drown.

Essential oils
There are many that will kill and repel fleas, ticks and mosquitoes. I would say that they do not work as well as poisons such as frontline but they will not kill your dog along with the fleas!

Repel Mosquitoes and they smell lemony or floral,
Citronella
Citral
Lemongrass
Geranium oil or Geraniol

Kill fleas and the have a very strong smell. The ones that have a P contain Phenols which are very powerful and carry risks of their own
Clove P
Cinnamon P
Thyme P
Cedar
Peppermint
Rosemary
D limonene and orange oil (also have risks)

Ticks are hard to repel or kill naturally. Inspection is key to natural tick control.

It is best to spray your dog daily with a mixture of oils as applying like frontline requires spreading agents to be used.

Patty – I had to look up “vermifuges”

• This reply was modified 10 years, 2 months ago by USA.

[USA]

Hi sue66b,

An ultrasound of the abdomen usually does not require sedation. If they are planning on taking a biopsy they may want to sedate your dog.

The reason why eating is usually not recommended before an abdominal ultrasound is because when you or your dog eats, air is introduced into the abdomen and ultrasound waves do not penetrate air. They will get a clearer picture of your dogs abdomen if he doesn’t eat before the procedure.

Good Luck and I hope everything turns out OK!!!

[USA]

Hi Molzy

There will always be a risk in feeding a dog raw meaty bones. No one can guarantee you that a bone will never cause harm to your dog. Raw feeders want to feed their dog a similar diet to what wolves eat in the wild, believing it is the most natural and species appropriate.

One thing that I think is often overlooked is that when wolves consume bones they also consume the fur of the animal they are eating. The bone usually comes out the other end of the wolf wrapped in fur. The fur protects the inside of the wolf from being damaged as the bone makes its way through its digestive system.

For the gulping you could try feeding a large piece of frozen meat. The piece should be bigger than your dog’s head. This makes it almost impossible for your dog to just gulp down. Being frozen also makes it difficult to just swallow and could encourage your dog to chew. As long as you are able to take the piece away from your dog before it becomes small enough to swallow or when your dog has eaten enough, a frozen piece of meat larger than your dog’s head is an option.

Another option is raw boneless meat. This method has no danger of your dog being injured from bones. In this method you would have to add a calcium supplement to replace the calcium in the bones.

Reading a book like See Spot Live Longer (more geared to the beginner) or Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet (a little more advanced) both by Steve Brown will help you in preparing nutritionally balanced home prepared raw or cooked meals for your dogs.

I am not a fan of using a metal vice grips or a metal tube to stop your dog from gulping. I am worried that your dog might injure himself by chomping down on them or by trying to swallow the vice grips.

Good Luck with Quincy and LoJack!!!!

[USA]

Hi Eric, Good Luck with your new addition!!!

A couple of things we need to know before discussing grooming tools for your pup is what kind of dog are we talking about and could you please describe his or her coat for us!

[USA]

Hi Cotons mom

Keeping the area that becomes wet with tears dry and clean can help to prevent tear stains. What can happen is that moisture from regular tearing can collect dirt and bacteria and cause what are usually rust colored stains. This is the same thing that causes a white dog’s feet or other area to stain from constant licking or chewing. Try wiping under the eyes with a damp cloth and then a dry cloth a couple of times a day. This will help to prevent moisture and dirt from causing stains under the eyes and keeping the area clean and dry will help with moisture stains anywhere else like feet and butts!

[USA]

Hi GizmoMom,

The reason fish have Omega 3’s is because they eat algae that is high in Omega 3’s. There are now Omega 3 supplements made from Algae. Search online for omega 3 algae oil and go from there. It is the same forms of Omega 3 (EPA and DHA) as the different fish oils so it will be well absorbed and it is not from fish!

Coconut oil is good for it’s antifungal qualities and dogs usually like the taste of it. I think that EPA and DHA Omega 3’s are the best supplement for a dogs skin, coat and brain as well as having anti-inflammatory and anti-depressant effects. Coconut oi is a great supplement for a dog with yeasty fungally skin.

Omega 6’s like Olive and other Vegetable oils are usually plentiful in a dog’s diet, so as long as you rotate Meats, Fish, Poultry, Veggies and Fruits you should be fine in the Omega 6 category.

Good Luck!!!

[Author]

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