[Bobby dog]

Hey jakes mom:
I hear you about those pesky outside duties. I was just trying to enjoy my dinner and all I could think of is I really need to mow the lawn and weed the garden some before it rains next.

Funny, I have the same issue with Bobby. He probably gained a couple pounds this summer. He is a little backward in his activity levels. He is extremely active in the fall, winter, and spring. Well, he’s active as long as it’s not raining; he is a delicate flower after all! He is really an indoor guy in the summer. He goes outside and will stay with me most of the time, but no real physical activity except for our walks. I have been scaling back his meals a little to take care of it and adding a little more time to our walks. Actually, I need a little more walking also. lol

Did you get addicted to the coco oil yet? I am. That’s wonderful they are all almost eating just canned and probably some Freshpet too. I am going to take a break from trying to ween mine off kibble for a while. The amount I am down to is great to me considering how much kibble they used to eat. Baby steps, right?!?!

TSC does not have the 4Health canned cat food on their website in case you have looked. For a little while when I looked it up on their site their lower quality canned, Paws & Claws, would come up as 4Health. At my TSC they carry Chic & Beef, Turkey & Salmon, Chicken, and Indoor Chic formula; there may be more recipes IDK. I would take a guess and say the carbs are probably around 10%. They are all pate’ style with a few cubed carrots and some whole peas. My cat never eats the peas or carrots they are the only thing left behind when he finishes eating it. Here’s a few of the ingredients from the chicken and beef recipe: Chicken, chicken broth, liver, beef, dried egg product, brewer’s rice, dried potatoes, barley, guar gum, carrots, dried cranberries, dried blueberries… Protein min 9%, fat min 6%, fiber max 1.5%, moisture 78%. Not a bad food for rotation at 49 cents/5.5 oz or 99 cents/13.2 oz.

If your interested in a canned food for Jake, Bobby highly recommends 4Health too. It is one of the main canned foods I use in his rotation; 99cents/13.2 oz and $1.30?/for a larger can. 😉

[Barbara O]

I got several posts on the subject of Primal..I feed the Primal frozen…It is raw meat and veggies…with supplements added. It is manufactured in a facility that passes inspection for human food manufacture…The product is wonderful. I have a small spotted genet that eats it daily. I have mixed it in cat kibble and dog kibble…My friend has a dog that is very picky and it is a big dog…she mixes the duck with the kibble and the dog eats it like candy… I travel with it frozen. If you order it frozen…order as much as you can afford…that way the shipping will be cheaper. Check your local feed stores…those that carry dog and cat food…Also…check with any of your pet shops. I’ve found it in odd places when we travel. When they ship it, it is packed in dry ice…I order organic, grass fed beef for my husband and me and it is shipped from the midwest to hot Arizona in July…always comes completely frozen…ready for my freezer. By adding the Primal to the diet, you are assured of getting everything your animal needs…and you can add your own fruits and veggies to the food…I am assured the kibble, even if it is plant based, meets my Dane’s and genet’s needs…and they both are shiny and healthy. Have been raising and caring for animals longer than many of you have been alive…have a heavy background in animal nutrition in my undergraduate degree plus a few vet courses under my belt as well as human food chemistry courses…have tried to stay up with the research…Don’t believe everything your vet tells you…any vet that tells me how good Science Diet is, I run away from….Am fortunate I have a vet that has taken care of all my exotics and will call over the US getting answers to questions we might both have…have raised raccoon, ring tails, Fennec foxes…had some of the oldest in captivity…due to diligence in diet….both were spoiled pets….a animal fed a well balanced diet with added good oils and digestive enzymes, etc., is one who’s immune system is going to keep them healthy….Remember…corn, wheat and soy are not good for dogs…and raw bones to gnaw on are a blessing…cleans teeth and gives them B vitamins they need….They don’t have people stomachs…they have a straight tube so don’t give them too much variety at a time….They are a carnivore….not a cow…they have teeth for tearing…not for grinding…And….when the diet is high in protein and low in carbohydrate, the back yard is much easier to clean…

[USA]

Here are the numbers for boneless skinless raw chicken breast when run through the calculator

Crude Protein 23%
Crude Fat 1%
Crude Fiber 0%
Moisture 75%
Ash 1%

Nutrients on Calorie Basis
Total Protein 89.9%
Total Fat 10.1%
Total Carbohydrate 0.0%

As you can see the numbers for a high moisture, high protein, low fat meat will NOT have a super high fat content. So it is unrelated to “the difference between the calorie basis versus dry matter basis.” The high fat is only related to the fat content of the meat they use in canned products.

[Dori]

I feed my three toy dogs commercial raw diets. Very high protein, moderate fat and low carbs. My dogs weight 7 lbs., 6 lbs., and 5 lbs. If anything, I have problems keeping weight on them. They range in age from 5 years old to 15 years old. So to the question of what is the right amount of fat or protein, I don’t believe it’s a question that anyone other than the dog guardian can answer. Every dog is different. Every dog assimilates ingredients and levels differently. Protein in foods I feed my three little girls can range up to 54%, fat can at times hover around 36 – 38 %. I believe someone mentioned that it’s the quality of fats in a diet, not the actual percentage in the food. Same holds true for protein. Low carbs as I feed grain, potato, soy, etc. free. The only treats they get are organic small pieces of fruits or veggies.

No, I think whoever told you that a dog needs 1 gram of protein for every lb they weigh is incorrect. We would have an awful lot of emaciated dogs running around. Maybe someone with a better grasp on how many grams of protein to feed per pound will add some info.

I feed each of my dogs between 2 to 2.5% of their body weight per day. I use a kitchen scale and I feed them twice a day.

Hope something I’ve added helps.

[Akari_32]

He’s definitely doing better. Got a bit of a ways to go, but we’re getting there for sure.

I agree with you on the chemical and such side of that. What I meant by average is brands (like Pro Plan and Hills) that promote themselves to be the best of the best, and have minimal (chemical, etc) additives to them, but also have some thought and research behind them. Not that I think either of these brands are overly good, but they do have their places, and at this point I’m about ready to try anything. But I do know to stay away from certain things. The price point on these two Pro Plans is great. Like $15 a case usually. That’s something we can definitely handle. It’d be good for keeping the cost down and for some variety.

All I said to them (all of them) was that I needed a low carb food. I’m thinking Hill’s response was them thinking they were going to get my money anyways. Silly Hill’s– I’m not that stupid LOL

I know small breed foods typically have more calories per cup, which is great in my case for Haley, my 11 year old 60 lb lab mix. She can’t stomach too much dry food at once, so toy and small breed foods are typically a good choice if I can’t get a puppy or other higher calorie food. And large breed puppy foods, if formulated properly, have certain calcium and phosphorus levels and ratios. Beyond that, I don’t know if makes any difference giving large breed food to small breed dogs lol

[Akari_32]

Hey guys. Just updating. No baths in a few weeks, but his hair is growing back really well (new growth is about an inch long), and his skin is no longer red all over. Still red at his paws and up his hind legs some, and around his nose, but his body is back to pinkish-white, and he is chewing and scratching much less (and doesn’t smell nasty all the time). I’ve been giving him 3/4 of a can of By Nature 95% one day, and the next day he gets the rest of the can, and 1/4 cup of THK, mixed with however much water it needs to thin it back out to the consistency of just canned food.

He does need a bath right now (some one *cough* mom *cough* cleaned up pee in the hallway around his cage and then thought it was a good idea to put the pee towel in the cage because she didn’t want to walk it to the laundry room…), and I’ll use his medicated shampoo, and then wash him with his new shampoo and conditioner (supposed to be really good for their skin and coat, and has keratin in it– I’ll get the name of it in a bit).

I’m looking at some other foods to add in to his diet. I’ve emailed several companies and asked for the as fed carb values of their foods. My answers so far:

Purina Pro Plan:
“We appreciate your interest in our products. Please know that this information is not something we have readily available and takes time on the part of our nutritionist to determine. We cannot provide it for each and every one of our products.

However, if you can narrow your choice to a particular flavor or two, we’ll be happy to fulfill your request. Please understand it may take some time to process this information. We appreciate your patience.”

What the crap is that?? You don’t keep this info on hand?? Yeah, ok. Anyways, I went through the review side, and picked out all the four star formulas. More than they asked for, but whatever. My thought on the Pro Plan is that maybe an “average” food rather than a “fancy” food would do him some good. Some dogs don’t do well on high quality foods– we all know this. One of those if its ain’t broke sort of deals. Just an idea for a back up food. It’ll take some time to get an answer from them, I’ll assume.

Hill’s:
“Thank you for visiting HillsPet.com and sending us your message.

Due to your special pet’s medical condition we would suggest that you speak to your veterinarian for a food recommendation. Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. offers a full line of therapeutic products which are formulated for the management of certain health issues that can develop in pets. The product that will work best for your pet depends upon his or her individual circumstances and is something that your veterinarian will have to help you to determine.

We appreciate your interest in Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. If we can help in any other way, contact our Consumer Affairs Department toll-free at 1-800-445-5777 8AM-5PM CST, Monday-Friday or revisit HillsPet.com.

Sincerely,

Consumer Affairs
Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc.”

I was hoping to get some values on Ideal Balance. Another “average” food sort of idea. But looking at the values on the can today at the store (they have dry matter basis on the Hill’s website), I’m ditching this food. Way too low protein and just 4.5 and 5%. And toooooooons of carbs. Each can has a protein source, and then three or four carbs sources. No thanks!

Nutro:
” Dear Danielle,
>
> Thank you for taking the time to contact us. Our canned food for dogs average about 5% carbs. Canned food is low in carbs because they are primarily water or broth (around 78%). We do not make anything that will have lower values than 5%.

……

Hi Danielle-
None of our dry foods will have a carbohydrate level as low as 15%. They average 30-45%. Canned food, by nature, will have the lowest carbs, as they are primarily made of water/broth. The Ultra™ and the Natural Choice® Chunks & Gravy formulas have the lowest amounts (approx. 4%). Hope this information helps!”

All of the Nutro Natural Choice and Ultra cans are right in our price range, at $21 to $28 a 12 can case. The Large Breed recipes seem to be the best looking as far as how much to feed, and protein values. And if the carb values they gave are correct, they are right where I want to stay. Very nice looking line. I don’t tend to follow the whole dog’s size and age marketing thing, but he’s only 8 pounds. Would a large breed (puppy and adult food) be fine for him? He’s two years old, and should be about 8 pounds (he’s probably 7-ish).

And theres always EVO. Good price point, but high fat. Not a food I’d have him on all the time. Maybe I’ll use it to keep his weight up. I’m having trouble keeping his weight up with out him eating us out of house and home. I’m trying to do the best by him and by moms budget. $20 a case where he’s eating the whole can every meal is not helping the budget issue. The By Nature is great, but its not high calorie enough, and I don’t think high fat enough, either. He’s an active little guy, and needs something that can keep him beefed up.

Anyway, if anyone has any thoughts or input or anything, throw it out there!

[Dori]

My major concern with your post is that you are saying that Bella has not eaten in four days. Regardless of whether this food is on EC’s choice or not, you have much more to be concerned about.

Please find a food that Bella will eat asap. As far as Lucy is concerned, I too have a dog with Cancer. She is a 15 year old Maltese with bladder and lung cancer. To date she remains asymptomatic. I have done extensive research since her diagnosis three months ago and all roads lead to raw food diet for canine’s with cancer. Fortunately my three dogs have been on raw dog food diet for at least a couple of years now. Obviously because of Hannah’s age and also because she is asymptomatic which have chosen not to go the chemo and radiation route. I have put her on K9 Immunity Plus which has been recommended by many on the various canine cancer sites. I have also added Denamarin to her diet which is a combination of milk thistle and Sam-e. Also I give her turmeric & curcumin daily (helps with inflammation). So far she continues to do well. Eating, drinking, playing, barking at anything that passes by (be it a car, person, or animal). We give her tons and tons of love, massages, and hugs.

Good Luck, I hope all goes well and that you can find a food that your dogs will eat.

Forgot to mention that because I feed my dogs raw, they eat no grains whatsoever. No corn, potatoes, rice, soy. I feed a high protein, moderate fat, low carb diet to all my girls. I also feed them organic fruits and veggies as treats. I don’t feed any commercial treats.

I not feed BB or Purina under any circumstances. If you are going to continue to feed a dry food though, you should add water to it. Of course, I would urge commercial raw foods, especially for Lucy, Bella can also certainly benefit from a commercial raw diet. But if not raw, then I would urge you to find a freeze dried or dehydrated dog food.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by Dori.

[USA]

Hi MastiffMomma

I know you are worried about calories but I feel that calories can always be adjusted by the AMOUNT of food you feed. For me it’s all about the carbs for a dog with Diabetes. Diabetes can be a devastating disease in people and dogs so my top priority would be to cut carbohydrates to below 15%. Commercial dog food companies have taken a different approach. Because starch is cheaper than protein they will try to use low glycemic starches and fibers to slow down the absorption of the carbs and avoid a spike in blood sugar (glucose). That would be fine if dogs needed a lot of carbs to survive. Since they don’t it makes much more sense to cut the ingredient that ALL diabetics have a problem with, SUGAR in any shape or form!

There are only 3 basic nutrient groups, Protein, Fat and Carbohydrate so a food that is low in carbs will be high in protein and fat. This is okay for MOST dogs. Some dogs will have a problem with high fats and some dogs will have a problem with high protein.

I would always unless there is a medical issue with fat or protein try a ultra-low carbohydrate food first. Without a doubt carbohydrates are the enemy to a dog with diabetes and cutting carbs can increase both the quality of life and the length of life for a diabetic dog.

Dry food kibbles need starch to hold them together so the lowest you can go in carbs is about 15% and most kibbles are MUCH higher. I estimate that the dry food he is eating now is 50% carbs. Dry foods can also tax the kidneys because they are so concentrated and low in moisture. Kidneys are one of the first things to be affected by diabetes so dry foods are not my first choice. I have listed a couple of dry foods because whatever food you choose to feed has to fit your lifestyle as well as your mom’s.

/dog-food-reviews/evo-dog-food-dry/
http://www.midamericapetfood.com/victordogfood/pdf/Brochure-GF-Ultra%20Pro.pdf

Canned foods do not need starches to hold them together so they can go all the way down to 1% carbohydrates on a caloric basis. They can also be of a higher quality due to less processing and and a more natural moisture content. The canned foods I have listed below are all below 10% carbs but their fat content is high.

/dog-food-reviews/evo-dog-food-canned/
/dog-food-reviews/wellness-dog-food-core-canned/
/dog-food-reviews/tripett-dog-food/
/dog-food-reviews/by-nature-95-percent-meat/
/dog-food-reviews/castor-pollux-ultramix-grain-free-canned/

Remember that any changes in diet will require a change in the amount of insulin your Mom’s dog will receive. Lowering Carbs will require you to lower the amount of insulin your mom’s dog gets on a daily basis. Changes should be made slowly and gradually and with the help of a VET. Home monitoring of the dog’s blood sugar will greatly help you to manage the dog’s diabetes.

It’s nice that you are looking out for your mom and her dog!!!

[LabsRawesome]

Hi Zach, does your dog have a medical condition? Just wondering why you’re looking for a low fat medium protein food. Because by having lower fat and protein the food is going to have way too many carbs. 🙂

[Akari_32]

I totally bought all that cat litter LOL I have extra money now because classes are out, so I won’t be spending $40+ a week on gas. Mom *sort of* fixed the printer, but whoes to say how fixed it will stay, and it still doesn’t print very well. It’s the most expensive piece of junk money can buy -_- But I just don’t have the money to buy something that’s going cost $1+ a day in any sort of volume (I could by a little at a time, and use a $2 off $10 coupon, rather than a $4 off $20).

He still gets Friskies Special Diet now, in his rotation, and it’s essentially the same as Grreat Choice, minus the urinary tract additives and added colors, which is why I’m thinking it looks like the better of the two options for the time being and to replace the Friskies in the rotation later (not that he needs it, but it stretches the Wellness out). Actually, the Wellness coupon may be expired…. Any body check it lately? I’ve only got the one from last month, with the Duo’s introduction.

I thought I saw that Authority and Max Cat both had corn *something*? Corn gluten, or some such? Can’t seem to find it now, though. Maybe they changed it? Oh, and neither appear to be grain free, unless I’m mistaken (I want as low carb as possible– I’ll run them both through the calculator in the morning). And Authority is *full* of fish. In the morning, I’ll dig a little deeper into both brands and see what they have to offer. Maybe I’ll do half and half, Wellness, and something else.

Either way, I’ll make it work. I just need to get creative! LOL The best part is I’m going on vacation for a week in a week and a half, and I’m so low on food. Works been chopping my hours into little pieces, I was stupid and bought all that cat litter, and there are no good cat food sales! Bleh! Lol I have 4 days off this week, so I have plenty if time to figure out cat food stuff :3

[Akari_32]

Alright guys, I need some opinions. Like an idiot, I went out and spent $40 on 200lb of Tidy Cats litter. That’s my entire monthly budget for pet food. And I did this WITHOUT looking to see how much cat food I had left. So now I’m down to 10 days of food, with an extra couple weeks worth of just Sheba stashed away, as well. So, 10 days of his normal rotation left. Wellness is not on sale, and my printer is down, so I can’t print out a bunch of $1 coupons and price match at Pet Supermarket. Friskies is on sale for 49 cents a can, which isn’t bad, but I don’t like all the additives in there. Then there’s Grreat Choice. On sale for 37 cents a can, no colors, no questionable urinary tract mumbo-jumbo.

The only thing I don’t particularly like is that it’s just under 3% carbs and has a little fish (on the description of the beef on at least. Some others may not). I’d like to see a bit lower, and no fish. But all I need to do is get enough to stretch out his current rotation long enough to get more Wellness, or find something else good to add in. I can get like 55 cans of Grreat Choice for $17. That’s almost two months of food right there! By-products aside, it’s a decent food.

Authority is on sale too, but I don’t know how I feel about the corn stuff they use. Same with Nutro Max Cat. I’ll me looking around at more sales. I may get some Friskies too, but I’m not sure yet. I’ll keep a looking around. Just wondering what you guys thought about my plan?

http://m.petsmart.com/h5/hub?id=cat%2Fcanned-food%2Fgrreat-choice-pate-adult-cat-food-zid36-12869%2Fcat-36-catid-200027%3Fvar_id%3D36-12869

[LabsRawesome]

High protein 42% 22% fat and low carbs 17% total carbs. 479 kcals per cup. Victor Ultra Professional formula. I buy it local for $40 a 30lb bag. I don’t think a food with your exact specs exists. I haven’t looked at them all tho. ;P http://www.midamericapetfood.com/victordogfood/pdf/Brochure-GF-Ultra%20Pro.pdf

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by LabsRawesome.

[theBCnut]

If you add up the numbers, a food can’t have 30% protein and 14% and less than 45% carbs, but the lower fat level is the only way you will get the calorie count you’re looking for. If you have 40% protein and 18% fat, you are going to have higher calories, since fat has double the calories of protein and carbs.

If you really want low calorie per cup, you need to use canned food, since it’s 80% water, it will have lower calories per cup.

[Jennifer H]

Let me start this post by saying I do know I just may be unrealistically seeking ‘the perfect food’.

My mission is to see if some of you who’ve done even more food research than me over the years has a solution to my feeding dilemma:
The QUEST: I am looking for a high protein/moderate fat/low carb/moderate calorie/reasonably priced diet:

Desperately seeking a grain free food w/ protein in the 30 to 40% range; fat in the 14 to 18% range; carbs preferably under 45%; and here’s the hard part: calories in the 335 to 360 range.

I am currently using Nature’s Logic Beef and they’re doing ok, but the cost is quite frankly ridiculous at this point.

I have tried Taste of the Wild’s Southwest Canyon (my dogs have explosive diarrhea on it). I am also currently feeding Hi-Tek Naturals grain free, but am concerned about some internet whispers I’m hearing.

The SET-UP: I love, lure course, show, race, and breed with whippets. I have some that are ridiculously picky eaters and are a bit skinny (such a common sighthound trait) and some who unfortunately are a bit chubby. My non-eaters must have free feed, or they literally waste away. Of course, this presents a problem for my over-eaters.

I have found that several of my over-eaters (all females, go figure), have self-regulated their appetites and weights on higher protein/fat and lower carb diets. I have one little gal that is truly a porker, in spite of not appearing to eat that much at any given interval.

Thoughts?

[USA]

Hi Liz and Mr Lou!

You have very good instincts and Mr Lou is lucky to have you! And of course you are lucky to have Mr Lou!

The frozen green tripe is an excellent source of digestive enzymes and should eliminate the need for adding digestive enzymes to Mr Lou’s diet. Because he received an antibiotic shot which kills the good as well as the bad bacteria I would add probiotics to help replenish his gut. I use this one from Vitacost and it looks like they deliver to Canada.

http://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-probiotic-15-35-35-billion-cfu-60-vegetarian-capsules-9

Start slowly. Half a capsule every other day added to his largest meal. If everything is Okay after 6 days you can go to 1 capsule a day sprinkled on his food. After a month you can reduce it to 1 capsule every other day if you’d like.

k9choicefoods looks like a good food. I couldn’t find the numbers for Protein and Fat but I like the way they raise their animals and their quality seems outstanding.

I would stay away from kibble for multiple reasons. It is a super processed food that is as far away from raw as you can get. The quality will NEVER come close to the raw food you are feeding Mr Lou and feeding a whole food in it’s natural form without any alterations or processing is the absolute best in my opinion.

The Honest Kitchen uses quality ingredients but their foods are too heavy in carbs for my liking. And with any food that has it’s moisture removed who knows exactly how long it takes to re-hydrate it 100% or if it is even possible to re-hydrate it 100%. I just wouldn’t take the chance if I were you. But if you do use a dry food use very little and re-hydrate at least for 24 hours.

The water you understand so just keep up the GOOD WORK and keep drinking while eating or after exercise to a bare minimum. There is mixed evidence on raised feeders but I tend to agree that if you use raised bowls it will allow more gulping or air so I don’t recommend them.

Sardines contain the fish oil you are looking for in a whole food form which is always better than a supplement. Mr Lou is a big boy so after starting really slow a 3 oz tin (packed in water) once or twice a week should be good. If Mr Lou doesn’t like sardines then 2 fish oil capsules daily should be fine.

For supplementing plain raw meat I would use Steve Brown’s dinner mix and not a dehydrated food like Preference by The Honest Kitchen (carbs and re-hydration again)

Here’s to a healthy and happy life for both Mr Lou and you (it rhymes)!!!!!!!

[Bobby dog]

Hey Akari:
It’s about 2x more carbs than what you have been feeding, but still lower than what he was eating in the past. I would be feeding it if I had a Costco membership (or knew someone who did)! lol C4c and Betsy have recommended it to you before; you can only give it a try and see how he does on it! 😉

[losul]

Lisa, I’ve been thinking about Chewy. Hopefully you have started to be able to keep badly needed nutrition in him now?

Some questions about his umbilical hernia, large or small? Has it gotten larger over the last several months? Is it painful to the touch for Chewy? I’m wondering if for some reason, perhaps financial, you had delayed the procedure, because in general a vet would do it by 5 or 6 months if they were pushing the time frame out to allow for spaying/neutering at the same time, otherwise probably earlier, and especially if it was causing problems or growing in size. From what I can determine Chewy is now about 9 months old. With a very small hernia, it might be only a bit of fat that pokes through the hole in the abdominal wall. With a larger hole, a loop of the intestine might drop into the sac and cause restriction which could definitely make Chewy vomit. Worse, a more severe restriction could even strangulate the intestine with much more dire consequences. Occaisonally the hole may even begin to close on it’s own by about 6 months. If the intestines are outside of the abdominal musculature structure and it begins closing……

This would be a large umbilical hernia, and no doubt the intestines have dropped into the sac. This one might be large enough not to substantially restrict or strangulate the intestines, depending on the actual size of the hole. It’s still quite dangerous.

http://www.faqs.org/photos/hernia-2773.jpg

“The symptoms associated with a hernia, like the one pictured in Figure 1 and 2 may initially relate to the inability of food to pass through this constricted section of intestine. Muscles within the wall of the intestine are responsible for moving food and water through the organ. Waves of contractions called peristalsis propel the contents along the length of the intestine. When an obstruction is encountered, like the one described, the peristaltic waves reverse direction and move the food backward through the entire digestive tract. This results in food and water being vomited.”

http://www.americananimalcare.com/pethealth/hernia_surgery_dogs_cats_umbilical_diaphragmatic_irguinal.html

I don’t know what is causing Chewy’s vomiting, but it’s really serious stuff to be vomiting everyday for many months, and a pup at that. You really must work on getting to the cause and very soon.

BTW, if Chewy’s case even has anything to do with acid production, low acid production can cause the same symptoms as too much acid production. I’d think thrice about self medicating with acid inhibitory drugs, especially at inspecific dosages, and remember he’s ONLY an 8 to 9 lb malnourished pup. 1/2 or 1/3 of an adult human dose???? Stomach acid is even more important to the dog, a carnivore. Acid is needed for proper digestion, especially protein digestion, acid is needed for the stomach to empty correctly, and failure to do so results in GERD. Stomach acid is a defense against bacterial infections and fungal infections, certain vitamins and minerals also require acid to be absorbed such as calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, iron, selenium, B-12, etc. Improper digestion of foods can lead to to large of particles getting into the lower digestive tract and causing allergies, diarrhea, pathogenic bacterial fermentation, etc. Acid stimulates pepsin to be released into the stomach for digestion, and for pancreatic enzymes and bile to be released into the small intestine to further digest carbs, fats and proteins. I could keep going on and on. Proper overall health begins with proper acid production. Improperly diagnosing, and prohibiting or shutting down acid production with zantac, prilosec, etc. could be the start of a vicious circle and downward spiral of, helicobacter overgrowth/ infections leading to ulcers, other pathogenic infections, colitis, gastroenteritis, IBD, pancreatitis, allergies, diabetes, malnourishment, inability to digest all but the simplest of foods (hydrolyzed), dependence on inhibitors, evermore drugs to staunch the symptoms (like metronidazole and steroids) and mask the root cause, and ever declining health. Be very careful….. and best wishes Lisa.

I wonder why acid inhibitors are some of Pharma, Inc’s. biggest blockbusters of all time?

• This reply was modified 11 years, 4 months ago by losul.

[Akari_32]

Hey guys! I finally got a chance to go to Costco with my grandma to check out the new canned food and see if it would be good for Bentleys new low carb diet. It looked pretty good, with peas and such not coming up until 5th and 7th on the list (if I recall correctly). Now I’m wanting to email them and ask them the as fed carb value on the food, but I can’t seem to find their website anymore! I always got there by accident through the Costco website, but they seem to changed that. If anyone knows how to get back to the Kirkland pet food website, or knows the carb value of the new canned food, I’d love them forever 🙂

[fey W]

Raw is less wasteful, cheaper and much easier. On raw the dog gets to eat zero carbs and chew on bones to naturally keep teeth clean and possibly sugar levels more stable. It is low in ingredients so perfect for allergy prone dogs.

My dog is currently eating cooked food. I had to cook up a whole chicken and bone it, cook up pork and chop those meats, cook up hamburger and rice and mix together along with a small amount of liver and add in a calcium source, some bits of this and that to balance the diet. Then I had to go back to the original amount of raw ingredients to figure out how many meals that would be and divide accordingly so I won’t over/under feed her pack up in 2 day packets and freeze. On raw I give her boneless red meat and every 2-4 days she gets a bit of raw bony meat plus organ along with the same supplements I have to give her with a cooked diet minus the calcium of course. She loves it all but sure has more enjoyment from the raw.

Never heard that dogs get snappy if taken off raw. Many dogs get possessive of raw bits so practicing trading is a great idea. Many people only find out their dogs can be possessive when some delicious raw bony thing is given, even rawhides, bully sticks don’t have the same value.

My lucky never ever had any parasites from raw feeding or fleas or ticks or contaminated water, Sassy once got a tapeworm from eating a flea. Raw meat from the store is very safe. I have always cooked raw meat and it is very easy to keep juices contained and the kitchen clean, lots of water and soap.

A great primer on raw feeding is here.
http://www.chanceslittlewebsite.com/prey-model-raw.html

[weezerweeks]

Corey my dog had sturvites without the infection. The diet is what got rid of mine. I switched to canned with below average carbs and plenty of water and it took care of them. I even added water to the canned. It flushes them out.

[Marietta B]

Ziwipeak air dried is high protein and low carbs and no sweet potatoes. It’s basically just meat. Dogs go nuts for it.

[Cordell N]

Hello,
I home cook for my three dogs. A 7 month old Australian Shepherd, a senior Boston Terrier and a senior Bassett Hound. I make their food in a crock pot twice a week.
I use a combination of meats which usually include chicken thighs or chicken quarters and ground beef and chicken gizzards. I also add ground lamb if I can find it in the discount area.
I throw in carrots, green beans and other vegetables from my garden like squash and tomatoes. If I have some fruit that needs to be eaten I throw that in also. I add some water and cook until done. I remove the everything and debone the chicken and mash with a potatoes masher and mix well. I then cook my carbs in the liquid. Sometimes rice, potatoes, lentils, oats or barley. I least that cook until very well done add a can of pumpkin and mix it all together. I would estimate that the meat comprises about 75% of their diet.

I add a supplement I make at feeding that includes ground egg shell, nutritional yeast, kelp powder, lecithin granules, ground multivitamins, salmon oil, yogurt, apple cider with the mother and Brazil nuts. I also put a cube or two of cooked beef liver or canned sardines on top a couple of times a week.
I would like to add some raw food and bones to their routine.
I bought the following at the Asian and Mexican markets.
Chicken and turkey necks
Pork neck bones
Beef feet cut up
Pork heart.
My questions are can I give a neck a couple of tomes a week as a treat?
Are raw pork neck bones and cut up raw beef feet safe as treats?
Should I cook the pork heart in the crock pot with my other meat or serve a small portion raw on top of their cooked food?
Thanks in advance for your help!
Cordell

[Susan]

Hi Amy, its not the Frontline, frontline only penetrates the first 1-2 layers of their skin, My boy had a reaction to Advantage DO NOT USE the Advantage penetrates thru the skin to their blood, within 24hrs one side of my boys head swelled up his ear & his bottom lip swelled, & he was vomiting blood early hours of the morning, at first I didnt think the Advantage until I rung his vet. the best way to know whats happening is an elimination diet, for 1 month you just feed 1 new protein & say boiled pumkin or rice nothing else no treats nothing, thats if you think it could be foods, I used chicken in Patches elimantion diet but now I think Patch cant have chicken as the lumps on his head that look like hives got worst, Patches vet said that he has seasonal allergies & cause I just rescued him 19 months ago she said I’ll start to see a pattern, I noticed last winter Patch was good, no itch but the end of summer Patch got all his hive like lumps, itching & rubbing along the wall, this winter Patch has his hive like lumps again, so I look in Patches diary & last winter I wasnt feeding him chicken, this winter I was feeding chicken, so Ive stopped the chicken…Ive heard all these test are no good as they give false readings the best would be if you could try him on raw, Im just starting a new kibble called Wellness Simple it has limited ingredients, also watch his carbs, no potatoes, no sweet potatoes, no carrots no high carbs that turn to sugar that makes yeasty itchy skin.. If he can handle it i’d feed raw.. & google a good Raw diet for itchy skin..Ive been thinking of putting Patch on Raw but he has IBD & I have enough trouble trying to find a low fat kibble, so raw would have to much fat for Patch..also there could be a plant or grass in ur garden or on his walks that he’s allergic to, I’ve changed Patches walking route to see if that helps….Its winter here in Australia, so if Patch has enviornment allergies or seasonal allergies like his vet said, why is he getting them now being winter & he didnt last year, thats whats making me look at his food this year, I use Malaseb Medicated shampoo, & I use a cortisone cream when he gets some of the red itchy sores, I found the cortsone 1% cream is excellent Im just using my cream…just look at the ingredients in his kibble & see if there’s Potatos sweet potatos carrots, lentils any high carb foods…A friend from the dog park had a staffy that was so itchy he was red & losing his fur she tried the vet diets they didnt work then she tried the Holistic Select Adult health Anchovys sardines & salmon & her boy is looking excellent not scratching fur all grown back..so a few people from the dog park are using the Holistic Select with great results… Im also given Patch tuna & pumkin for breakfast to replace the chicken & his hives have gone. sorry for the book..Oh a good dog probiotic this will help too…good-luck

[Nancy C]

Victors makes a high protein low carb food – 17% carbs – 42% protein. Can’t remem the name. I think it’s GMO free too. go to their site, you can’t miss it. Good luck.

[Nancy C]

Thank you, BC. When I started feeding TOW last fall I was totally ignorant. Some how I slowly began to wake up and since then I have been HORRIFIED at what I have learned about kibble. (Had been busy working on a phd) Fortunately I have tended for 10 years to feed my sweet Golden “top” foods, relying on the owner of a Pet Food place here to guide me. I fed what he fed his golden. So you have helped. I keep going back to ZiwiPeak and am getting closer about feeding it, but now skeptical about the high carbs. DMB: protein is 40%, Fat is 31% and carbs are 21%. I would appreciate your input. Even the fat at 31 is feeling high to me. I have this GSD who had all that diarrhea in the spring, all which started with ORIGEN and ACANA! He is now doing well on Dr Tim’s PERSUIT but I think the 30% carbs is too high, so need to find something to replace that. The testimonials both at ZIWI site and AMAZON (Lots of reviews there), are excellent, usually 5 stars. The main complaint is the price, although most posters agree it is expensive but worth it. With all your knowledge I am interested in your perspective. Thank you!

[theBCnut]

Hi Nancy

I wouldn’t give you the same advice at all. When someone is looking at TOTW, I automatically assume one of their considerations is price, so I listed decent quality foods that are also economical, which almost automatically means they are not really high in protein, which means they will be higher in carbs. There are really only a couple kibbles that I would consider low carb, the one Victor and Wysong. After that, you are looking at kibble and canned mix, or just canned, or kibble and raw, or canned and raw, or just raw, to get the carb level you want. I personally do kibble and raw.

[Bobby dog]

aquariangt:
I am looking for new dry food. Since P&G is being sold to Mars by the end of 2014 and Merrick seems to be having issues, I am down to Wellness Turkey & Duck. I have an old GF cat food list I am going to have to dig out to start looking for more dry food to add to my rotation.

I look for foods with no fish meal and low carbs. The fish meal is a little difficult everyone likes to add it.

For cat food, at least when I am trying out new recipes (wet or dry) I always buy local so I can buy a small quantity and can return it quickly if I need to. So my selections are a little limited, but not too bad since I have a boutique pet store, a local chain pet store, and a national chain pet store close by. I never mind ordering food on-line for my cats once I know they will eat it. I was going to check out Pure Vita and I will also take a look at Earthborn when I get a sec tonight. I think C4c feeds Earthborn.

[Akari_32]

The cans I had had big black spots in them. They didn’t smell bad, but it weirded me out. I threw a few cans away that I had already opened, and the rest were taken back. Until Simmons emails me back and wants to explain, then I’ll not be using anything that I know to be canned by them.

Right now, from what I’ve seen with out too much digging, EVO 95% is in our price range after my $4 off coupon is applied. That would bring it down to $21 a case. TOTW is too, but I’m pretty sure thats Simmons too, right? And I think they use sweet potatoes and such, as well. I’d like to stick to 95+% recipes to keep those carbs away. By Nature is still on sale on PetFlow. Maybe I’ll just have mom get another case of that. I have some credit with them from a damaged item they didn’t want back… I just hate to have all one brand. I’d like to at least give him two brands, you know?

I’m looking at $30 or less per case. Preferably $25 or less (much preferably lol). Here’s a link to their dog food. The canned foods start on page 22, which is where the link should dump you off at… I don’t really know what I should be looking for, other than grain free. But grain free doesn’t mean low carb :/ If you have any ideas, throw them at me!

http://www.petsupermarket.com/products/petsupermarket/dog/dog-food.aspx?pgidx=22&pgsize=10

[Akari_32]

So I just took all the Pure Balance 95% back to the store. I showed the lady a picture of the huge black spot in the food and she was like “Ewwwwwwww!!!”

So that leaves us with only the By Nature right now. I’m going to email THK and see if they have a carb percentage on their grain free recipes, and I’m also going to be looking into other canned foods.

When looking at sites like PetFlow and Chewy, what searches should I be using? I was putting in low glycemic, since yeast feeds off sugary and starchy and whatever things, but I don’t really know if thats exactly what I should be looking for, since I know on PetFlow that EVO 95% doesn’t come up under that search.

Also, about what percentage of carbs should I be looking at? I know for the cat I aim for less than 3% for anything that makes up the bulk of his diet, but is that even possible in a dog food thats $2 or less for a 13 oz can?

[Anita L]

WOW!
Just…
WOW!

Y’all are ALL awesome!

Yes, this is all a lot to take it at one time. So I started a document where I could copy and paste and put it together by topic and sort it all out (or at least attempt to). I will definitely only be adding (or subtracting) 1 thing at a time. Right now, with the Miracle pack, good food and no treats, we’re already making positive steps and some improvement. I’m SO thankful I found this site and all of you!

I have stopped the bad treats that I have on hand. They will be going in the garbage.
The food they are getting is grain free. That has been in the last couple of months. I have still been working on which grain free doesn’t have the garbage…..Zolicylus, I like that you said start with NV Instinct Turkey Meal then transition to Brothers.

I’m still pondering adding the canned food as a topper…..I’ll have to remember to check the carbs in those.

On the Miracle Pack, that has been gradually stepping up to the correct dosage over the last couple of weeks and I can tell a big difference this week.

Sun or Mon, I was reading some of the links Bobby’s Mom posted about the Po/Iodine. I was making a mental note to go buy some and then realized I may already have it. I checked my first aid supplies and I DID have it. I was doin’-a-lil dance. I used it on the hot spots expecting Spocho to run. As soon as I layed that warm wash cloth with Po/Io solution on her, she just relaxed. It was awesome! She hasn’t been eating at it as much and the skin is looking better. One small step…..

I read something about soaking their feet in “Detol Antiseptic lotion” and then washing with Malaseb Shampoo. Exactly what is “Detol Antiseptic lotion” and where would you buy it (if at all)? The pups are now down to just chewing their feet (sometimes legs) and scratching their neck and ears. I have some tea tree hydrosol for the their ears, but was wondering about those poor feet.

As for the yeast…..I know all too well about it…from personal experience. When I learned, after having my daughter (now 7) that we both had yeast, I researched to the hilt to find out as much as possible and anything natural. One thing that helped us the most was a 1:10 vinegar solution on the yeast (showing on the outside); wipe with the vinegar solution, let air dry, then do an anti-fungal cream (rotating creams). Would it possibly help to soak their feet in the vinegar solution (instead of the Detol), then wash their feet….say in between baths?

The definitely always have clean water to drink whether they’re outside or in (mostly in now b/c of heat)…spoiled babies! LOL

Bobby’s mom, I did look at the activyl site and it said it was ok to bathe them after 24-48 hours. So Malaseb Shampoo, here we come! Hot Oil Treatment too if I can get help!

Coconut oil: definitely going to have to learn how to distract after applying it topically. Bobby’s mom, I’m glad you said that about checking the price club stores. We have a Sam’s Club and they have it! For SO much less than what I’ve been picking up at WalMart (hell on earth…IMO).

Bobby’s mom, it took me a while, but I was determined to check out all the links you posted. Great information. At least I feel like I have more of a plan now instead of taking “a stab in the dark” over and over. I downloaded the ABC e-book but I have not had a chance to read it. But I will be in the next few days.

I swear it has taken me 2 hours to put this together…pups want out, pups want in, daughter needs something, husband needs something, laundry, oh wait! cats are hungry too….LOL

And speaking of cats, now I’m realizing how I need to change their food and add probiotics, etc. Bless their hearts! It’s mother and daughter and they are old: 12 and 13. I don’t want them to be miserable for their last years. They still bring me prizes to the door…mostly birds.

This is all I can think of for now. I will be continuing to follow this post and will also update with results.

I just can’t say how wonderful it is to find ONE place like this for help! THANKS!!!!

[Bobby dog]

Akari:
That’s great to read!!!!!! 😀 Just stick with the shampoo from Petflow, it is clearing out the yeast on his skin. It contains the ingredients to kill off the yeast, unless you have some Malasab or Nolvasan (or the equivalent of Nolvasan from the drug store) on hand. The other shampoos you mentioned before have oatmeal or don’t have anything to kill the yeast and will just dry out his skin.

Treating the outside is as important as the food that goes in!!! Try to get the point across to your mom that she is contributing to his condition by feeding food that helps the yeast grow. It should be easy to convince her now since his hair is growing back! You are doing what is helping him, no carbs just protein.

And I read about your meat shopping spree! I am going to lobby my local grocery store to carry more raw meat choices for Bobby! haha I am jealous of your store’s selection.

[Bobby dog]

Hi Anita:
Here are the supplements, foods, and products I used (and still do along with some new additions) to get rid of Bobby’s flea dermatitis and yeasty skin. Olive oil flea dip, Nolvasan shampoo, raw eggs, bone broth, unrefined organic coconut oil, sardines/fish oil, MSM, and DE. Not too complicated or costly! This along with a new diet plan that I began last September helped to restore his health.

Dogs with severe yeast issues more than likely need a carb free diet to starve the yeast; carbs feed yeast and bad bacteria. All kibble has carbs because they require starch to bind the food into a kibble form. Your dogs would probably benefit from a grain free and low carb food preferably with no potato. Bobby’s yeast issues were bad, but it was not necessary to eliminate kibble from his diet. I did feed kibble that had low carbs and I only feed kibble that has average to low carbs now.
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/05/03/eating-these-foods-can-make-your-dog-itch-like-crazy.aspx

Since September I have fed DFA rated 3-5 star kibble along with DFA rated 3-5 star canned food. After a few months on the new diet, I started alternating canned with fresh foods, dehydrated/freeze dried foods, or frozen commercial raw. By continuing with the supplements, feeding quality food and treats I went into this flea season with a healthy and fresh smelling dog. Fingers crossed no fleas on Bobby and it is rainy and very humid where I live, fleas are in full force.

It is very important not to make too many changes at once; this includes new foods! Start supplements in low doses slowly working towards the desired dose. If everything is okay, add another supplement. As far as shampoos, olive oil flea dip, and applying coco oil topically I used them right away and regularly without any worries because they provided immediate relief and were important for treating the yeast.

For a flea dip I used olive oil (from the grocery store) which has no long lasting effects, just immediate relief for the skin and to kill the fleas without chemicals. I did this outside so I did not have to worry about being tidy. Start under the chin and in the collar area working your way to the back, belly, and leg areas all the way to the tail. With Bobby I would just pour it on then massage it in to be sure his skin and between his toes were coated. His fur is not too thick or long. He loved the massage that came with it not to mention he was not itchy and uncomfortable while it was on him. The fleas pretty much disintegrate. Your dogs’ coats may be heavier than Bobby’s if you decide to try this, be sure to separate the fur, pour a little, and then work it in. I always left it on for an hour letting him run around and play, but you will definitely see their lifeless bodies after a short time so an hour is not necessary. Then I shampooed it off, it is easy to shampoo out; I even use olive oil as a conditioner for my hair.

I bathed Bobby once a week using Nolvalsan shampoo mostly. I always shampooed twice leaving the first application on for at least 10 minutes. I can’t find Nolvasan on-line so they may not make it anymore. Hibiclens or the drug store equivalent has the same ingredients as Nolvalsan. Malasab shampoo is a popular choice and highly recommended by many posters on DFA. I also used EQyss Micro-Tek medicated shampoo when the condition became less severe. You can find Micro-Tek on-line and in some pet stores. With your size of dogs I would look into a large bottle of Malasab shampoo, but in a pinch you could always purchase the Hibiclens or generic equivalent at a drug store.
http://www.drugs.com/vet/malaseb-shampoo.html
http://www.eqyss.com/pet_microtek_shampoo.asp
http://www.vetstreet.com/nolvasan-shampoo

The biotin in eggs is great for the skin and hair. I fed Bobby one raw egg a week. However, he recently decided he no longer likes raw eggs so we have poached eggs on Sundays. He gets a one minute egg and I get a two minute egg. lol
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/feeding-your-dog-raw-eggs-good-or-bad/
http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2005/02/09/raw-eggs.aspx

I made bone broth and fed it once a week. I still feed him bone broth weekly; Bobby weighs 44 lbs and I feed him ¼ – ½ C of broth.
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/reasons-your-dog-love-bone-broth/
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/12/02/pet-bone-broth.aspx

The coconut oil must be organic and unrefined for all the benefits. I fed it 3x/wk as well as used it topically when needed as a soothing and healing salve; I tried feeding it 2x/wk after his skin healed, but found he benefits most eating it 3x/wk. Previously I bought Spectrum brand from Wal-Mart, 14 oz. for $8.99; they were cheaper than my health food store. I recently found organic unrefined coco oil at my BJ’s, 36 oz. for about $10. So if you belong to a price club, look for it there.
http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.com/2012/02/coconut-oil-is-good-for-your-dogs.html
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/16_11/features/alternative-treatments-updated_20861-1.html?pg=3
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/the-health-benefits-of-coconut-oil/
http://www.greenpasture.org/public/Products/InfusedCoconutOil/index.cfm

I started out feeding tinned sardines packed in water once a week, but I failed to keep it in my pantry on a regular basis. So I switched to a fish oil supplement. You can find many good fish oil supplements for dogs on-line and in pet stores. I used CVS 1000 mg fish oil tabs 3x/wk and I still supplement his diet with it. Tinned sardines packed in water would be the healthiest choice. I tried cutting back to 2x/week, but he developed a little dandruff so I am now back to 3x/week.
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_12/features/Fats-Chance_20658-1.html
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/15_9/features/Fish-Oil-Supplements-For-Dogs_20600-1.html
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2009/06/13/the-frequently-missing-ingredient-in-your-pet-s-diet-that-could-devastate-their-health.aspx

MSM helped to relieve and heal his itchy skin. MSM has other benefits that may be helpful for your dogs as well. I use only100% pure MSM powder with no fillers or flavorings. You can find pure MSM marketed for dogs on-line and in pet shops.
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/msm-raw-fed-dogs/
http://www.vetinfo.com/msm-for-dogs.html
http://www.natural-dog-health-remedies.com/msm-for-dogs.html
http://essentials4all.org/100__Pure_MSM.html
http://wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com/naturvet_msm.html

I also used DE as a flea powder and for treating his environment. Some posters use garlic to repel fleas. Here’s some info:
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/garlic-for-dogs-poison-or-medicine/
http://www.springtimeinc.com/product/bug-off-garlic-dogs/All-Natural-Dog-Supplements
http://www.enonvalleygarlic.com/About_Garlic.html

Homepage

I was not fully aware of the important benefits of probiotics for our pets. I now feed kefir twice a week to Bobby for the probiotics. This would have made a tremendous difference with the healing process if I had used it during his skin/flea issues; if I only knew!
Probiotic info:
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/10/26/advantages-of-using-pet-probiotics.aspx
http://probiotics.mercola.com/probiotics-for-pets.html
http://www.medicine4animals.com/23/Does-Your-Cat-or-Dog-Suffer-with-Digestive-Problems,-Skin-Problems-or-Poor-Immunity.html
http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.com/2012/05/foods-rich-in-probiotics-beneficial-for.html

ABC diet:
This is a download I highly recommend; it is $2.95 and worth every penny! I feed the ABC diet now throughout the week rather than in one meal. This is an easy way to enhance any kibble diet with fresh foods. I found this download after Bobby’s issues were cleared up, but I definitely would have followed it during that time. I believe it would have helped with the healing process.
http://www.seespotlivelonger.com/home/sll/page_41/see_spot_live_longer_the_abc_way___electronic_down.html

I recently started giving Bobby unflavored beef tendon and beef trachea chews. Here’s some healthy treat suggestions:
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2012/02/10/easy-to-make-pet-treats.aspx

[Christina E]

I have a 7 year old female miniature schnauzer who recently had bladder stone removal surgery. The stone analysis showed that they were composed 100% of calcium oxalate. The vet, of course, recommended that she be put on a “prescription” diet, but I think that food is just awful! Plus, there is no guarantee that even eating that food will prevent the stones from coming back 100%, so why have her eat it? I am looking for a high protein, low carb dog food. I know that most kibble is high in carbohydrates so I want to stay away from that. I am looking for a good canned food (low oxalate) or frozen/freeze dried food commercially available. A lot of the foods seem to have sweet potatoes, which are a high oxalate food, along with carrots. Besides home cooking, which I really don’t want to do since I’m not good in the kitchen, I want to make sure she gets feed a biologically complete food. Thanks!

[Bobby dog]

Hi Anita:
I will sort through your questions and add some links to the over the counter remedies that I used to completely heal Bobby! Remember, all dogs are different. Bobby had no health issues other than flea dermatitis, flea infestation, bad diet (please remember, anything they eat must be quality ingredients, it really makes a difference), and yeasty skin.

It sounds like you already have been to the Vet and there are no other health issues?

Did the Vet give him a steroid shot for the itching?

I really suggest feeding canned with kibble. Moisture is really important for healthy dogs and especially important for dogs that have some health issues. I always feed kibble with canned or fresh meat lightly cooked, or dehydrated, freeze dried or frozen raw for every meal. If you are going to TSC for DE, check out the 4Health canned dog food. It’s 99 cents/can and DFA rated 4.5 stars. I feed 4Health, Pure Balance from Wal-Mart ($1/can for stews and $1.25/can for 95%), and Earth’s Pride ($8.99/6 pack) from BJ’s as my main canned rotation.

4H DFA review:
/dog-food-reviews/4health-dog-food-canned/

4H TSC link:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/SearchDisplay?storeId=10151&catalogId=10051&langId=-1&pageSize=&beginIndex=0&searchSource=Q&sType=SimpleSearch&resultCatEntryType=2&showResultsPage=true&pageView=image&searchType=1002&autoSuggestURL=AutoSuggestView%3FcoreName%3DMC_10001_CatalogEntry_en_US%26serverURL%3Dhttp%253a%252f%252ftsc-prod-lb01.crossview.inc%253a3737%252fsolr%252fMC_10001_CatalogEntry_en_US&searchTerm=4health+wet+dog+food

I was wrong; you can buy 20 lbs of food grade DE for $12.99 at TSC. They carry it in the livestock feed section.
http://www.tractorsupply.com/product__10151_-1_10051_2789

Check out the Activyl site to see what they say about bathing your dog. Most products are waterproof, but you never know. The Vet Tech at my Vet’s office gave me info on it, but I never checked it out after I settled on Sentinel because it already had the flea egg killer in it and I want to use as little chemicals as possible.

For treats, stay away from carbs or anything sugary, it will only feed the yeast. I have never fed them, but posters here recommend The Honest Kitchen Beams. I haven’t fed treats from the pet store recently and find many have carbs and starches so I just make very, very small meatballs for Bobby (I freeze them) using 2 lbs of ground beef, an egg or two, fresh garlic, tumeric, and I add fresh basil, cilantro, or parsley if I have it. I also throw in any veggies I have, but if you decided to make something like this I would leave the veggies out for now. You can also slice meat as thin as you can and place the slices in the oven on the lowest temp and cook until they are like a jerky consistency.

It is not unusual for them to try and lick off the coco oil if they like it. It is a wonderful product and is good to feed and apply to skin irritations due to its antiseptic properties. Just try to supervise your pups so it can soak in, it really will make them more comfortable and the fleas don’t like the oil.

Probiotics is an important step to get their immune systems back on track too! Probiotics has helped my cat tremendously. I use plain Kefir or plain greek yogurt right now for him. He has grown hair in places that I thought would never come back! That is another story. I think you will see a tremendous improvement within a week of using probiotics with their coats and skin.

Everything that I used on Bobby you will find at Wal-Mart, drug stores, health food stores, on-line, or pet stores very easily. I will post tomorrow what I used to help Bobby and hopefully something or several things can help your guys as well.

[USA]

Yes, I am pretty much going to describe the treats that I make. I am proud of them and they ARE what I consider an almost perfect dog treat. Why almost perfect? Because there are two types of dogs I would be CAUTIOUS of feeding my treats. They are dogs who have dehydration issues and dogs who have phosphorous related kidney issues. Why? because my treats are under 10% moisture and they are about 80% protein.

Don’t worry about this being spam I only supply ONE local pet store and if I made more they would take more!

The treats should be one ingredient, MEAT. There is no need for any flavorings, or ingredients needed to hold the treat together or anything like that.

QUALITY counts. Since I have been making treats I have learned a lot about the pet food industry. I would never use any pet grade ingredients and that includes marketing terms like:
Made from USDA inspected (insert meat here). Yes it was inspected but did it pass? Was it inspected on the way into the USDA facility but failed to make it through the USDA facility?

I learned that it all comes down to economics. If a piece of meat whether it be poultry, beef, fish, pork or whatever COULD be sold in the human market IT WOULD! Why, economics. If something could be sold in the human market for 1 dollar a pound it will NEVER find it’s way into the pet food market at 19 cents a pound. It’s simple economics, nothing else.

That’s why the treat I would look for would be Human-Grade and have been made every step of the way in the human food chain. In other words human edible. Almost every treat maker and dog food maker uses the terms USDA something or other.

Complete transparency. I wold never feed my dog anything I could not trace back all the way to the farm where the animals were raised. What they were fed, how they were housed and so on.

I don’t subscribe to the notion of TRADE SECRET or PROPRIETARY. I am an animal lover and I would be thrilled to know that my openness and transparency enabled YOU to make a homemade treat for your dog using MY recipe. I never believed that openness would hurt your company and I always felt that a company that made a truly high quality product would be PROUD of that product and happy to share with you the details that PROVE that it’s true and not just a marketing strategy.

Sample example of an acceptable treat
Chicken Jerky :
100% Whole chicken dehydrated at temps between 140 and 170 degrees F or freeze dried. No added ingredients other than a functional treat which could add DHA or Fish Oil or Turmeric or something like that. A properly made piece of jerky will last years without any refrigeration or preservatives.

Chicken traceable to the source. Human grade every step of the way.

Made and sourced in the USA.

A fat content below 10% for muscle meats and below 20% for organs. To show they didn’t use trimmings.

A protein content no lower than 70%. Again to show that they are using whole pieces of lean meat or Organs. Also because MOST dogs eat a diet that is low in meats and high in carbs (IMHO) so I would only want to add high protein meats to their diet.

[Joseph Z]

I would like to re-nominate Farmina. My doberman has been on the low grain chicken formula since it became available on Chewy in early April. He has done fantastic. Previous skin issues resolved on Acana- but very gassy. Now no itching/scratching and best of all very minimal gas. Of course this is anecdotal but generally all reviews seem very good. This is a relatively affordable blend with very acceptable listed ratios of protein/fat/carbs and ca/phos. Only the grain free has been reviewed. The company, though, seemingly deserves SOME consideration.

[Paula D]

I have read some articles that suggest low carb foods may help “cancer dogs”–the idea is to starve the cancer cells,which apparently can more easily use carbs (v protein and fat) to grow.

Good luck with your Hannah.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Some of the posters here are just a little picky. Don’t let it deter you though. If you can feed a 5 star food that’s fantastic, but if you can only feed a 3 or 4 star food there’s no reason to feel bad – your dog will still be eating a better quality food then most dogs! And, as Sandy said, you also need to consider how well your dog does on the food. While I do personally feel that the vast majority of dogs will thrive on a high protein, low carbohydrate food (like those rated 5 stars) some people find that their dogs simply can’t tolerate the higher protein and fat content of most of the 5 star foods.

[RescueDaneMom]

Hey Bonnie, I agree with aquariangt. There’s a thread in the forums somewhere titled Fromm dog food dangers in which a number of people have reported feeding Fromm making their dogs sick. Yet others feed Fromm with no problems. I fed the Fromm Gold to our rottie for a while but I stopped once I became educated and realized it was almost 50% carbs. He was on the heavy side and didn’t need that many carbs (granted dogs don’t really need any carbs).

A lot of people have said good things about Dr. Tim’s. I haven’t tried it myself. I don’t feed white potato or grains because I have a dog with arthritis. I would definitely try it if I could though. I think it’d be a great one to try. I prefer the other formulas over the grain-inclusive Kinesis because it is lower protein (26%) which means higher carbs. I prefer to feed 30% or more protein. Also, don’t forget that the more calorie-dense foods (higher kcal/kg) the less you will feed of it so it will last you longer making it an even better bang for your buck. Ex: you would feed less of the Momentum (588 kcal/kg) than the Kinesis (415 kcal/kg).

I hope that helps. 🙂

[DogFoodie]

Hypoallergenic is basically nomenclature. If a hypoallergenic food contains beef, and your dog is intolerant of our allergic to beef, he’ll still produce a response.

You wanted low residue. Did you identify your dog’s reaction to foods of varying fiber levels? The food you’re feeding now contains a lot of grain (filler ingredient), so it’s producing a larger stool volume.

I’d look for a grain free food with a higher percentage of meat protein and lower carbs along with lower fiber. You might look for Victor GF Ultra Pro, which meets those criteria and has a fiber level of about 2.5%.

I’d also consider adding digestive enzymes. One I’ve had great success with four one of my dogs is Swanson’s BioCore:https://www.swansonvitamins.com/swanson-ultra-biocore-optimum-complete-ultimate-full-spectrum-enzymes-90-veg-caps. It helps him break down sugars from starches and vegetables better than any other enzyme I’ve used.

[Akari_32]

Thanks guys! I’ll look into prices for canned foods (could do coupons or whatever depending on the brand), and commercial raw. What other brands of commercial raw have you guys seen in chain stores other than Natures Variety, and what did they cost? I’ll also add those links to my list of things to read.

For his shampoo, we have and use several. It’s just sort of whatever we pick up when manage to drag him into the tub (he really hates baths lol). We have Grreat Choice Oatmeal Shampoo, a couple sample packets of Beyers stuff (shampoo and conditioner– some sort of lipids and oils thing), and some Neosporin human body wash, which helps the most, but obviously isn’t a dog shampoo, so we don’t use it often.

Would a medicated shampoo need to come from the vet? Is there anything I can make at home to help him? I’ve started using coconut oil for Alec, and it’s helped clear his tummy out. I could butter up Bentley with a homemade coconut oil shampoo or something lol

And yes, I’ve been using honey. But just like everything else, it helped for a few weeks, and now it does nothing. He likes it though.

Oh, and I have THK trial things, too. They are kind of low protein, though, so that would leave me to believe they may be higher in carbs? (Which is why I’m not sure if I want to a premix or dehydrated complete meal).

[Susan]

Yes, Shasta 220 is right.. treating the outside is just as importatnt with dry itchy skin, you need a real good medicated shampoo that kills bacteria (yeast) I use Medicated Malaseb shampoo & bath every 5-7 days as soon as Patch starts his scratching its bath time…His feet are real bad at the moment cause we are having heaps of rain so I fill a shallow bath & put a couple of caps of Detol Antiseptic lotion in water & soak his feet they smell awful like corn, you can smell him when he sits next to me like a bad yeasty bread shop a real yukky yeasty smell, after I soaked his feet, then I washed his feet in some Medicated Malaseb shampoo the reddness has gone & he has stopped licking… so we’ll sleep tonight..try to get a medicated shampoo that kills bacteria of the skin.. with food low carbs no potatoes, sweet potatoes, any foods that converts to sugar are NO good as they make yeast… scratching can start the bacteria breeding & spreading, so bath weekly…. If you cant find Malaseb look for Paws (Pure Animal Wellbeing) Nutriderm Replenishing Shampoo & Conditioner for dry itchy skin.. I bath in the Malaseb shampoo then the Paws Conditioner, the conditioner u leave on their skin to moisturise & soften the skin..u’ll need to do this routine probably for the rest of his life even though they start to look real good & stop scratching you can then maybe bath fornightly, in winter Patches itch slows down, then when summer is back so is his seasonal allergies..

[Bobby dog]

Hi Leslie R:
Canned food is high in moisture, maybe stews have a little more moisture than pate’? IDK Check out these brands: Wellness Core, Blue Buffalo Wilderness, By Nature 95%, Hound & Gatos, and EVO & EVO 95%. Some of these canned foods may not be supplemented with vitamins, they are only for supplemental feeding. I am not sure if they are what you are looking for, but they could be a place to start. Some canned foods that are low in carbs may be high in fat. You didn’t write what kind of health he is in, other than his diagnosis, so these may or may not be good for him depending on his current health condition.

Also, I read the other suggestions you received about making homemade food for him. You could always look into feeding both homemade and canned as well.

Here’s a DFA link about calculating carbs in dog food that may be helpful:
/choosing-dog-food/dog-food-carbohydrate-content/
I love JRT’s, good luck finding what he needs!

[Leslie R]

Can anyone recommend a good canned food with low fiber, high moisture content & low carbs? I do not want to feed him Rx diet E/N! Thanks for any help!!

[pugmomsandy]

I have couch potato pugs and they eat at least 30% protein and regular fat kibble and get less than the recommended amount on the bag. They also eat raw food which is alot higher in protein too and much lower carbs than kibble and get around 6 oz per day. They have maintained their body shape this way and not by “light” or other “diet” foods.

[Shasta220]

Cassy is our faithful old girl, and has been slowing down quite a bit lately. I am clueless as to what ratios of protein/fat/carbs I should be looking for. All that I have been looking at recently is for 4-5 stars and grain free (I’m thinking her dandruff might be from grain, because we switched to GF a month ago and dandruff is diminishing)

I kinda got that “duh” moment – I need to be thinking more about her protein and carbs, right?

What amount of protein/fat/carbs do you suggest for a senior Labrador? She is mostly outdoors, so I’m thinking maybe I should go a bit higher on protein? (Just bought her a bag of NutriSource GF to try…realized it’s only 20%. I might try BB wilderness or back to basics next, since they have high protein)

For now, dry is our only option. I might get into canned eventually, but not right now.

[Susan]

Hi, my rescue English Staffy boy that I rescued about 17months ago sounds like ur girl, Ive been having problems with his paws & ears since Feburuary, he was put on an elimation diet I found he cant have sweet potatoes & potatos make him itch more probably cause of the carbs in the Potatos Ive found that when he walks on wet grass of a money his paws are worst, making them red & itchy Ive been putting Cortic-DS 1% cream that I use for myself this cream will clear his paws if I put on at night before bed when he wakes up his red sore paws are all better I go for our morning walk then by lunch he’s starting to lick his feet if he has walked on grass..with his ear vet gave me Dermotic (ear & skin suspension) these drops clear his ear with days of applying very good ear drops, Have you tried the Holistic Select Anchovy Sardines & Salmon meal Adult Health kibble this kibble has No Peas beef or Chicken & has helped my friend Staffy & Ive told another lady at the park & now her mix breed staffys skin & itches have cleared up..my boy isnt on the Anchoy sardine & Salmon he’s on the Holistic Select Senoir as he also suffer from I.B.D & Pancreatitis & the Senior is a lower fat%….I also have taught Patch No Lick & everytime I see him lickin his paws, I tell his no & in the begingin I’d put him in a shallow bath with Detol Antseptic lotion or betadine, & soak his paws 3 times a week this helped kill the fungus & bacteria inbetween the toes, also no Potato, Sweet Potato make the yeast worst..

[Bobby dog]

Hi camano:
Welcome to Akari’s cat food recommendations thread that we hijacked from her! lol I second everything that Akari and C4c wrote! If you get tired of reading through this thread or just don’t have the time, just post a question, we all pop in at one time or another to comment. I have fed brands from grocery stores, Wal-Mart, pet store chains, feed stores, and specialty stores. I keep a list of them; mostly so I don’t waste money buying something they don’t like again. So if you are thinking about trying out a food and want to know if anyone has used it before, just ask, one of us has probably fed it before.

Here’s some links to the pages I reference mostly on the catinfo.org site that C4c mentioned:
Home page: http://www.catinfo.org/
Commercial Foods: http://www.catinfo.org/?link=cannedfoods
Cat Food Nutritional Composition Charts: http://www.catinfo.org/docs/SortableCatFoodChartCatinfo.org2-22-13.htm

If you have a budget to keep in mind, check out Akari’s “Coupons!” thread under off topic forums. You’ll find info on sales, coupons, and deals on pet foods there. If you have any coupon questions, Akari is the person to talk to. We discuss our pet food scores on this thread too though:

/forums/topic/coupons/

My five cats’ ages are between 6 -15 years; one has a hyperthyroid. I feed grain free kibble and canned food; I also rotate both foods. I feed mostly low carb foods and try to stay away from gravys, sauces, starches, glutens, grains, fish, and artificial ingredients. They are addicted to fish so I feed it a few times a week.

For kibble I feed Wellness Core Turkey & Duck, Innova Nature’s Table, and Merrick Chic. I am currently feeding EVO kitten & cat food that I got a B1G1 free deal on. Looking for something to replace Innova since Mars bought the P & G pet division.

Right now for canned I am feeding Wellness Complete Health Chic or Beef & Chic, Tiki Cat Sardine, Natural Balance Turkey & Giblets, Innova, Triumph Trout or Turkey, Pro Plan Select Chic & Liver, and Sheba pate’s without fish. I always have Friskies Poultry Platter, Fancy Feast Turkey & Giblets, Chic & Liver, Tender Beef Feast, and Fish & Shrimp Feast Flaked on hand and sometimes Purina One Turkey Pate if I have coupons.

I am trying out Grandma Mae’s canned and all my cats like it. It’s GF but there is fish in all the recipes. The flavors all have similar ingredients just switched around. It went over well so I will probably buy it again. I have to rotate the better canned foods because they get tired of them, so next month I will feed other brands; but, they always eat their Purina. lol

If you are comfortable ordering on-line, check out the on-line retailers mentioned on this site and sign up for their e-mail updates. Chewy, Wag, Petflow, Petco, Petsmart, I know I am forgetting some. Those sites sometimes send through sale info and free shipping deals. A lot of them give discounts for first time customers and discounts for auto ship orders. I tend to only order on line when I definitely know it is a food my guys will eat and of course it has to be a better price than what I can get it for at a local pet store. I have ordered from Petco and Petflow without any issues. Petco.com has great deals about every other month. They will do no minimum purchase deals with free shipping and handling. They also sell smaller bags of kibble for half off during these sales. Another deal Petco does sometimes is buy $100 of products and you get $30 off your order with free S & H.

[Akari_32]

Hi there! I’m extremely happy with Wellness Complete Health. They are grain free, very low carb (posted a picture a few pages back of an email they sent me stating the carb percentages of each recipe I asked for– the ones with out fish, in their entire brand), and seem to be lower fat that most of the premium brands (most premium brands are very high fat to keep costs down for them selves, but they still charge an arm and a leg, such as EVO). With coupons, I can get it as cheap as Friskies, or sometimes even cheaper. We don’t have a lot of feed stores around here, so that’s about all I can recommend. Lol Some Walmarts have decent foods, too. Just check their website, and if you find something you like, click “find in a store near me”.

[Dori]

Summit Dry Dog Food? Seriously? How did that make the EC list. Very low protein, low fat, and sky high carbs. I’m really confused. HDM or Mike can you comment please.