[Isabella A]

I’ve tried several types of kibble on my golden retriever–trying to find one that didn’t give her hot spots and ear infections. Not a single one worked. Then I switched to homemade food, and suddenly the hot spots went away. Then I switched her to My Perfect Pet (because I didn’t have the time or energy to keep cooking for her), and her ear infections have improved a bit. I mix in some goats milk and primal freeze dried nuggets, because it helps with her farts. But her stool is still super soft. I feed my other two smaller dogs the same food, and their stool is nice and firm. Is there something else I could be doing?

I don’t trust the two vets I consulted with diet–because they both told me (prior to me switching to homemade) that I should keep her on kibble and give her allergy shots or pills for the hot spots, and now they tell me that whatever I’m doing is working and to keep it up. Hoping that someone here has any ideas!

[Patricia A]

Isabella which protein/flavor Primal Nuggets do you feed. Some are higher in fat which might cause the looser stool. Try the rabbit or Turkey/Salmon which are I believe lower in fat. Also You may need to have a veterinarian shave or clip your dog if her hot spot is especially painful.) Clean the affected area with warm water, and gently pat dry with a clean cloth or paper towel. Apply a small amount of an over-the-counter hydrocortisone ointment to stop itching and aid healing.
Try to keep her from scratching and which causes the viscous cycle of hot spots. Maybe a bully stick to chew.
Hope this might help .

[Susan]

Hi Isabella,
there might be too much organ meats in the pre made raw your buying read ingredients, also too much bone, my boy cant have too much organ meats- liver, heart, kidney, or bone causes diarrhea with him or the fat is probably toooo HIGH in the raw you’re feeding …
The fat in raw diet, cooked meal & wet can foods & dog rolls hasn’t been converted to dry matter like a kibble has, so when you see say-5%min fat, I times the fat % by X 4 = 20%min-25%max fat you’ll get an ruff idea what the fat is, also it depends on the moisture %, if the moisture is 78% max & under the max fat will less, if the moisture is 79% or more then the max fat will be higher.
Or contact the Pet Food Company & ask them which raw formula has the lowest amount of fat you’d be looking for 3% 4% max fat to get around 10-16% fat, ask can you have the fat converted into dry matter.

Best to make your own premade raw diet my vet said cause most pre-made raw is high in fat, when you make your own raw you control ingredients, organ meats, & fat unless you find a local small business who makes pre-made raw with fresh human grade free range meats.

Turkey & Pork is really good lean white proteins when the fat is removed & buy green fresh vegetables – parsley, broccoli, celery, small spinach leaves, apple, peel de seed cut up apple & put veggies thru a blender, blend into a pulp & put veggies/fruit mix into ice cube trays – 1 spoon & cover ice cube trays, then freeze & take out night before put in fridge or use as needed, add 1-2 veggie/fruit mix spoons to 1 cup meat also buy tin Salmon drain the salmon & put in container & store in fridge, add 2 spoons salmon per meal to help balance diet & add Omega 3 to dogs diet.
Or look for Freeze Dried Raw or Air Dried Raw- Ziwi Peak has their Venison formula for Skin & bowel problems & has the lowest fat% but fat is still too high for my boy, in Australia we have Prime SKD rolls – Kangaroo & Pumkin, Wild Boar & Pumkin, Salmon & Tapioca, Duck & Sweet Potato, Crocodile & Tapioca, Kangaroo & Potato, Turkey & Flaxseed rolls, these rolls are really good for dogs who suffer with food sensitivies then you start an food elimination diet what you need to do.
I dont know if there’s same type of rolls you have in US??
So you’ll know what ingredients your dog is sensitive too?? as food sensitivities cause farts, sloppy poos, wind pains, yeasty ears, yeasty skin, rubbing bum on ground, anal problems, vomiting itchy skin,.
Food sensitivities can take 20mins for dog to react after eating a food, up to 6 weeks to react??
Id start a food elimination diet now Winter is coming best time as environment allergens are at their lowest so less chance confusing results.

“Sudocrem” is excellent its an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, healing cream for skin problems, Eczema, Dermatitis, itchy dry red skin, Sudocrem acts as a barrier & protects skin from Allergens normally dogs who get Hot spot suffer with Environment allergies & yeasty ears, skin paws can be from environment allergies & food sensitivities..my boy suffers with both..
Weekly Cool Baths in a medicated shampoo are the best you can do to wash & cool skin, if dog is really itchy then bath twice a week in medicated shampoo, I use Malaseb medicated shampoo, it kills the yeast & bacteria on skin, days you do not bath buy baby wipes that have aloe extract leaf & vitamin E, wipe the dog down after being outside wipe off allergens, before bed wipe dog down & apply the Sudocrem to stop any itchy skin & heal red itchy skin even ears I use cotton tip & lightly apply Sudocrem & before going outside apply Sudocrem it acts as a barrier to protect skin from allergens.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sudocrem-Antiseptic-Healing-Cream-125g/553023443

I like “Canidae Pure Fresh Pork -16% fat or Canidae Pure Fresh Duck & Sweet Potato 16-17% fat or Canidae Pure Fresh Salmon & Sweet Potato has highest fat% 18-20% fat a lot of dogs doing really well on Canidae Pure formula’s I buy the Canidae Pure Senior for my old boy.

You can also try “Gastro Elm” alot of people say its really good firm up sloppy poos acid reflux etc its Slippery Elm powder, Dandelion Root Powder and Marshmallow Root Powder.
https://www.gastroelm.com/

[Ron L]

I buy as much Aldi’s Pure Being Salmon and Potato as I can find in my local store. My dog Bentely loves it, and it is gonea soon as I put the bowl down and turn my back. He is a 5 year old Lhasa Apso/Poodle mix. He turns up his nose at Pedigree beef chunks in gravy, but will eat Purina 1 Lamb and Rice or Lamb and Vegetables, though without gusto. He will generally eat only half of the kibbles I mix in with the wet stuff. I bought Pedigree beef in gravy at Walmart at $.83/can and he frowned at the bowl, but eventually after hours of protest, ate it later in the day. Too bad, it was cheap.

I do not feel it necessary to buy expensive dog food. As one of my vets said, they joked in school that since dogs are scavengers, and so the only advantage of feeding them expensive food is better feces! I realize that there may be some benefit from expensive food, but I have had several dogs each for 15-16 years, and always fed them moderately priced stuff. It is kind of like Apple and Sony, some brands market themselves as “premium quality” in order to make more profit. I won’t fall for that. Some people feel less guilt and better about themselves when they buy expensive dog food. If you want to be convinced expensive food is better for them, you will be convinced because you want to be. It is like voting if you think about it.

My point is, although he smells of fish when he finishes, he licks his bowl clean when he is fed the Pure Being Salmon and Potato. He does not get the runs from it, and when I run out and he has to eat a substitute, his digestive system tolerates it. It is fortunate Aldi’s is only 5 minutes away.

Bentley, (who is a rescue dog), will practically pry open the lid of the can to get at the Salmon and Potato. I wish it was Salmon and Sweet Potato, (which I think I remember Aldi’s also sold before.) I paid $1.55/can yesterday and found 7 cans mixed in with the chicken/beef mixture cans. You sometimes have to rummage around the open cartons to find the salmon cans.

I NEVER feed my dog chicken. I believe it causes allergies in some dogs, and I am not fond of buying the allergy medication. He has already cost me, after 9 months, what I paid for my first Super Beetle in 1971.

[Author]

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