[Kathleen H]

My 12 yr old JRt has had a fatty tumor for about 4 years now. His vet measures it every year and it seems as though the last year that I have switched to Freshpet either Chicken or Chicken and Turkey refrigerated roll dog food his tumor has tripled in size. He has a wellness exam coming up but I am 800 miles away presently and am just very anxious about this right now. Has anyone had a similar experience?

[Patricia A]

Kathleen has your JR gained weight when the tumor spiked in growth? Some info from an article on fatty tumors below.
Because lipomas are so common in overweight dogs, one obvious treatment is weight loss. In some cases, diet and exercise have reduced the size of existing lipomas and may have helped prevent new ones from developing. Even if your dog’s lipomas don’t shrink as a result, helping an overweight dog trim down should help her feel better and be more active.

Switching to a raw, grain-free diet has been said to help some dogs, although most raw diets are high in fat, which may be counterproductive.

Limiting vaccinations may help some dogs, especially if lipomas tend to occur after vaccination.

“In my practice I have been following several dogs who are now 6 to 14 years old,” says Judith K. Herman, DVM, of Augusta, Maine. “So far these dogs, all of whom received minimal vaccinations and are fed raw, have not developed any lipomas. Most are Jack Russell Terriers, Belgian Tervurens, Labrador Retrievers, and Golden Retrievers.”

• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Patricia A.

[brit]

sadly Freshpet is junk and has carrageenan in it which can cause serious tummy troubles 🙁

[Kathleen H]

Actually his weight is great! he weighs just under 10lbs. He is technically a mix of a shortie and parsons. He has the long legs like his mother, His dad had the short legs. He was also the runt of the litter. He looks buff. He runs and jumps and plays like a puppy at times. The last vet visit his vet said he and my 12 yr old Border Collie mix are very healthy for their age and look half their age! I have been giving them both CBD pellets made from the entire hemp plant the last 4 yrs which IMO has helped their coat and their old age everything. Back to my JRT Einstein, I walk him every 4 hours. It does seem like the lipoma has been pressing near where he urinates and I have seen his little ” wee, wee” when he is having a bowel movement the past month…I had NEVER seen it ever as he was neutered as soon as he was able years ago. The only difference is the switch of food. I have considered grain-free but having eliminated corn, wheat and soy in the kibble they had been eating did improve both of their coats and my BC mix no longer has skin allergies.I do believe they need a few grains. Im just wondering if the fat content in the food could just be adding to the bulk in his stomach.and he is not digesting it well.It has had no ill effects on my BC mix. As I stated he does relieve himself, both ways every 4 hours when I take them out as does the BC mix. The Vet did say the lipoma might eventually get in the way of him urinating but advised against surgery at his age even several years ago. I absolutely hate the idea of going back to kibble full-time because of the vitamin D that sometimes gets through in almost any brand!. I know I will get backlash from this but I was feeding them Rachel Ray Nutrish Real Chicken and veggies recipe which was a come up from the Beneful they had always eaten as einsteins parents ate it and I just kept him on it after I was able to take him home. When I rescued My BC Mix..he just ate what Einstein ate. I spend more money on my dogs than I do myself! As far as vaccines go…They got whatever was required up until 3 years of age, the distemper/parvo and something else combo. They only get Rabies every 3 years. They did, however, get the distemper booster two years ago. I had a vet when I lived in PA tell me unless my dogs were around other dogs they really did not need that vaccine after the age of 3. Well, when I moved back to NY this vet said she had heard that from a lot of people and talked me into getting that done several years ago. That was only because I have an RV and my dogs are in the woods a lot. I did not get them the Lyme disease shot because I believe that their monthly Advantix II should take care of ticks anyways. I believe less is best! Idk I guess I will just talk to their vet about the food when they go to their wellness exam in about 6 wks.I guess what it really boils down to is at 12 years of age I know my time left with them is less than the time I’ve had with them and my anxiety gets the best of me. Thank you for your response and I am sorry this has been such a long reply!

[Kathleen H]

If you think Freshpet is Junk..what would you recommend? I am a firm believer in DogFood advisor ratings and that is what I go by! There is NEVER going to be a perfect dog food but I like to get as close to 5*s as possible!

[Patricia A]

Kathleen you’re being loving, responsible and caring pet owner. I also believe less is best when it comes to vaccinations. I stopped all vaccinations when my Hannah turned 9 after being diagnosed through bone marrow s testings with Neutropenia . Results came back immune mediated from vaccinations. She only stopped wanting her dog food at 16. I then gave her only home cooked such as boiled chicken, lean hamburger, steak, sweet potatoes, boiled eggs, natural peanut butter, cottage cheese, plain yogurt etc. Anything that she would eat. I crumbled up 5* kibble with this. She lived very actively until 17 when we knew it was time. She had mitral valve disease common in small breeds.
My other two are doing very well on kibble with freeze dried food. I believe fresh pet according to DFA reviews are showing higher in fat. I use freeze dried Primal and Stella’s which is very convenient since you just hydrate with warm water. They both have high ratings. I stick to only the 5* ones since they are lower in fat. I also add a little 5* kibble with the freeze dried. Anytime I have appropriate home made they are fed that in-between. If you want to try just do it VERY slowly in the transition. But if your dog is doing well with the fresh pet then feed what she does well with since she isn’t gaining weight from it which is bad and uncomfortable with the limposmas and also no tummy troubles.
Don’t be anxious. At 12 my Hannah was just middle aged. At 12 he has many years ahead.

[Kathleen H]

Patricia thank you for the response. Yes, lipomas do grow, fortunately, they do not turn cancerous. I trust my vet completely though and she knows that I question her with the vaccines and generally does not push anything on me. As stated I just wanted to make sure with the distemper because we were going to be in the RV as much as possible and there are at times other dogs around. Rabies..well that’s a no brainer I have seen Einstein race and get halfway up a tree after a chipmunk before I had a chance to process it! Being outside bats and rodents are an issue..I do not think I will get the 3 yr rabies anymore as it does take a few days for them both to recover from it. One year rabies from here on out! and no more distemper. I guess as long as he is healthy and happy, he is too, he is a good boy. He is not crazy like I have seen other JRTS. He is the boss of his little (40lb)bro..lol. Panda will come crying to me if Einstein puts him in his place. I hate to take the Freshpet away because they get it twice a day and they both love it..only chicken or turkey they have never liked beef dog food. The high-fat content is worrisome but they are both at a healthy weight and get plenty of fresh air, sunshine, and exercise. I will, however, take your suggestion and try freeze-dried when I am out of the Freshpet I just purchased again yesterday, Thank you for the suggestion. I also at My mealtime give a few veggies and meat b4 its seasoned and put in a separate area with their food to cut down on the begging eyes when I am eating. I also give them plain yogurt when my Unneutered BC mix starts having issues with a full stream. I also have been giving spring water for the last 5 years. When Panda had his skin irritations I started eliminating things one at a time. City water and water conditioned water. It’s hard to pinpoint but you have to start someplace ( he was a rescue and my vet will not neuter at his age and said if I am trying to get rid of the behaviors it won’t work anyway. I do the best I can but it’s my belief that there is always room for improvemen> I have been curious about freeze-dried but haven’t tried it yet. Thank you for your feedback and it sounds like you truly care about your pets too! I’m 55 and I don’t understand why when I was growing up we had maybe 5 choices of dog food and most often the family dog was given table scraps and lived to be a good old age! It’s the chemicals that come with technological advancements IMO!

[Patricia A]

A wee bit older then you kathleenl. Don’t remember growing up with our dogs even being fed kibble. Just chicken, veggies, hamburger etc. Our poodles snowflake lived to 15. Don’t think he was vaccinated beyond his puppy shots either. I finally stopped my obsession and anxiety over my two’s diet and whether or not I was feeding the right food with all the choices . I think variety is the best . One tend to gain weight so I always have to watch my hubby sneaking cheese, pasta etc. in big pieces. lol He says those “hungry eyes” get to him too. lol
Glad I helped with suggestion and hope they like the Primal even as treats. Good luck with your fur babies.

[Author]

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