[USA]

Thanks for trying to help Omayra out aimee.

Omayra, I will be hoping things get better for you and your little one!!!

[USA]

Hi sue

Since the Malaseb works I am going to make a suggestion for a natural, soothing, cooling, antibacterial and antifungal rinse or spray for the skin that costs me about $15 USD to make a gallon

1 Gallon Aloe Vera juice. No sweeteners or anything else, just aloe vera juice. Remove 16 oz of juice. Replace with 8 oz of regular witch hazel and 8 oz of raw (cloudy) Apple Cider Vinegar. Shake Well

The Aloe soothes and helps rebuild damaged skin.
Apple Cider Vinegar is a natural, effective antibacterial and antifungal.
Witch Hazel soothes and cools irritated skin.

You can put it in a spray bottle and mist Patch’s feet and in between his toes. You can mist his body paying special attention not to get any in his mouth, nose or eyes. You can put some in your hands or on a cloth and gently rub it into the places on his head.

This mixture is safe to use up to 2 times a day. The witch Hazel contains some alcohol but the amount used will only bring the total alcohol content of the gallon to just under 1%. I like the regular witch hazel better than the alcohol-free version because the alcohol-free version is preserved with either parabens (bad) or benzoic acid (i’d rather use a little alcohol).

Good Luck and give Patch a body rub for me!!!

[USA]

Hi sue

I got the ingredients for the Allerderm EFA-Z Plus here:

http://www.virbacvet.com/pdf/product_pdfs/ALLERDERM_EFA_Z_Plus_Essential_Fatty_Acid_Luquid_msds.pdf

And here are the ingredients with amounts for the Allerderm EFA-caps HP:

http://valleyvet.naccvp.com/index.php?m=product_view_basic&u=country&p=msds&id=1023100

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS Per Capsule
Eicosapentaenoic Acid (EPA) 120 mg
Docosahexaenoic Acid (DHA) 80 mg
Linoleic Acid (LA) 50 mg
Gamma-Linolenic Acid (GLA) 38 mg
Vitamin A 800 IU
Vitamin D 25 IU
Vitamin E 11 IU

[USA]

Hi Leah

These are the ingredients from the MSDS sheet for the Allerderm EFA-Z Plus:
Sunflower Oil 85 – 95%
Fish Oil 1 – 10%
Borage Seed Oil 1 – 10%
Zinc Sulfate Monohydrate <1%

The fact that your dog’s “itching decreased by 90% or more” is remarkable and you are very lucky!!!!

If I were to evaluate this product based on the ingredients alone I would say that the Fish Oil (Omega 3’s EPA & DHA) and the Borage Oil (Omega 6, GLA) are two very good oils for reducing inflammation in a dog’s skin. The Sunflower Oil makes up most of this product and I think the Fish and the Borage oil are far superior for itch relief. Zinc Sulfate Monohydrate is actually a skin and eye irritant and I am not sure why it is in this product. It is sometimes used as a zinc supplement.

I would have recommended a Human Grade fish oil product first and a Borage oil supplement second as these are proven to relieve skin irritations.

Bus since you are achieving such amazing results with the Allerderm EFA-Z Plus I say count your blessings and if the time time comes when the Allerderm is no longer doing a terrific job I would try the Fish oil and the Borage oil.

As for changing her diet you might not get as good results or any results at all because we don’t know if the itching is food related but upgrading her to what you consider a better food is always a good idea!

Good Luck and give your little girl a scratch and a belly rub for me!!!

[USA]

Hi Susan

I totally agree with garlic, onions, etc being harmful to dogs even in small amounts.

/forums/topic/garlic-onions-leeks/#post-48523

[USA]

Hi losul

I eat onions and garlic

[USA]

Hi Lisa

I almost forgot, if you use the enzymes I linked to you would add a half a capsule to the turkey as you pureed it. This would mix it well and give it time to start digesting the protein before you fed it to Chewy.

[USA]

Hi Lisa

I am very sorry for your ongoing troubles with Chewy.

Because Chewy vomited chunks in the morning before any food there is definitely a digestion issue. That’s the easy part, the hard part is figuring out exactly what is going on. I would like you to try a little food trial. Boneless, skinless turkey breast would be the best for this trial. Steam 4 oz of turkey breast until it is very well done then puree it in a blender or food processor. Don’t add ANYTHING except one ounce of water if needed to puree. Divide in half. Feed Chewy half of the puree for breakfast then wait 12 hours and feed the other half.

The pureed boneless, skinless turkey breast is about as low fat, low fiber and easily digestible as you can get. This will help to determine if it is a digestion issue related to fat, lack of enzymes or motility. Food that remains in the stomach overnight will ferment and can cause nausea and vomiting. I would try the puree first without any digestive enzymes for 2 days and if Chewy throws it up I would try again with digestive enzymes. I would buy a human grade product for protein digestion only, something like this:

http://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-quercetin-bromelain

Since the puree is only protein and moisture I would stay away from a full spectrum digestive enzyme at this point.

Chewy and you are in my thoughts and give the little guy a hug for me!!!

[USA]

Thank you aimee!

[USA]

Ladies,

I believe that the Sulfides in Garlic, Onions, Leeks, Chives, etc in ANY AMOUNT have an effect on the red blood cells of cats and dogs. I think that at a low exposure the effects are sub-clinical meaning there are no signs of toxicity. But I do believe that the red blood cells are affected at any level of consumption.

I know there is plenty of information out there to support both sides of this debate and I know that plenty of people use garlic for fleas and as a spice in their dog’s food.

I have a dog whose red blood cells are affected by any amount of garlic. She is a rare example of a dog that shows clinical signs of red blood cell damage at any level of consumption. I know she is VERY sensitive to the effects of garlic but her experience has led me down the path of believing that although most dogs are not as sensitive as her that ALL dogs red blood cells are affected by Sulfide ingestion.

So I have provided a couple of links. 1 agrees with me and 1 says that the toxicity of garlic is not affected by cooking.

Just my 2 cents.

http://www.lifewithdogs.tv/2012/06/the-dangers-of-onion-toxicity/

“The organosulfoxides (sulfurs) in onions, garlic, leeks and chives react with the cell membranes of the red blood cells of dogs, causing the cells to lyse (explode). Cats are even more sensitive to the lytic effects of allium (onion family) toxicosis than dogs.

It is a common myth that a small amount of onions or garlic is not harmful to dogs. In fact, many homemade dog treat recipes include garlic powder as a flavoring because dogs tend to love it so much. Dogs are more tolerant of garlic than onions, and small amounts of either often do not produce effects that are noticed.

However, I believe that any amount of garlic or onions is unacceptable, because it always causes damage on a cellular level, whether or not we notice the effects of the damage and label it “toxic.”

A small amount of garlic or onion ingestion will cause a small amount of subclinical hemolysis. That is, a small amount will cause a small amount of red blood cell explosion. Dogs need their red blood cells to oxygenate their brains and other important organs.

A moderate amount of garlic or onion ingestion will probably cause your pet to feel light headed and lethargic, which may go unnoticed.

A large amount of garlic or onion ingestion will cause clinical signs that are felt by the dog and noticed by the people. Signs may take several days to develop.”

Regarding cooking:

http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/toxicology/a/onion-toxicity.htm

“The chemicals found in cooked, raw or dehydrated onions begin reacting with a dog’s metabolism soon after consumption, preventing the red blood cells from carrying oxygen to the body. Within a few hours, the patient becomes lethargic and has trouble breathing. Other clinical signs may include dark-colored urine or a yellowing of the gums (called icterus). The patient may also vomit up the onions or other foods consumed from the trash.”

[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.

[USA]

Hi Betsy

You are not overlooking anything. Unfortunately whenever canned foods remove the carbs they are replaced with very fatty meats so the fat content skyrockets. If they used LEANER meats the carbs would go down, the fat would rise a little and the protein would rise a lot!

Edit: I just read your second reply. It is really only related to the suoer high fat content (read trimmings) of the meat that is used when replacing the carbs. If they used LEAN meats they could achieve numbers very close to the ancestral diet.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 8 months ago by USA.

[USA]

Hi Tabitha

Dr Mike should probably clear up the fact that an estimate of 8% ash would only be accurate for Dry dog food. Wet dog food does not usually contain meat meals which are high in ash and if you call the companies like Wellness, Natura, etc you will see that Dry products are usually in the 6% to 12% ash range while canned foods are usually in the 1% to 3% ash range.

So if you plugged in 2% for wet foods and 8% for dry foods it would improve the accuracy of your calculator.

Thanks again for providing such an easy to use tool to help out consumers!!!

[USA]

Hi Tabitha

I looked at your calculator and it is very cool. Thank you! If you know the Ash content of the food it gives you very accurate percentages. If you don’t know the Ash content and leave that field at 0% as you suggest, it throws off the accuracy of the other readings a little.

If you put 2 check boxes on the Ash reading that read Wet and Dry you could make it so that if the Dry box was checked and the Ash value was left at 0% it would assume 8% Ash and if the Wet box was checked and the Ash value was left at 0% it would assume an Ash value of 2-3%. While not perfect it might improve the final analyses if the Ash value is unknown.

Of course you could also just leave instructions to add a certain value for the Ash percentage if not known depending on whether the food is wet or dry.

Thanks Again Tabitha.

[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!!!

[USA]

Hi Cyndi

I know this is very upsetting to you. Please don’t make any major changes to Bailey’s diet just yet. Wait until you see the test results and also see what happens when you stop the treats and the Sentry Natural Defense.

Regarding the AM feeding unless you are adding more than 10% liver or 20% non-liver organs then the AM meal would be pretty well balanced. The PM meal is the one that could use some adjustments to make it balanced. Fresh veggies or a multivitamin/mineral that do not supply more than a small amount of calcium and phosphorous are needed to balance the PM meal along with some fat adjustments.

I sent Steve Brown an email about his dinner mixes and organs and here is his response:

“Is it okay to feed muscle meat AND organs when using your
dinner mix?

Yes, it’s okay to add muscle meat and some organ meat, but please don’t
add a lot of liver. Keep the liver to less than 10% of the total meat.
Adding up to 20% hearts is fine.

Steve Brown”

[USA]

The dog you see in my avatar had localized demodectic mange when we first adopted him. He was 4 and a half months old. He had a ring of no hair around both eyes and he was itchy. This is pretty common in puppies as they transition from their mothers immunity and develop their own immune system. I transitioned him from the kibble he came with to the home prepared diet all of my dogs get. His immune system developed and held the mites in check without any drugs or medications.

All dogs have mites it’s just that a healthy immune system usually keeps them in check and no symptoms appear. It is possible that your dog will need some help in restoring balance but my first choice would be a home prepared diet of 75% meat (including about 10% organs) and 25% non-starchy vegetables and a little fruit. A good starting book to read on preparing a home made diet would be Steve Browns See Spot Live Longer. All recipes that do NOT contain bone can be lightly cooked or served raw. I would start with lightly cooked while his immune system develops and then if you like you can ease him onto a completely raw diet or continue with a lightly cooked one.

Good Luck with your new addition!!!

[USA]

Hi Pauline

Another thing to consider is that sometimes larger dogs develop bald spots and elbow patches from the weight placed on those areas when they lie down. Hard surfaces are worse than soft surfaces.

[USA]

Hi Cyndi

I’m sorry to hear that Bailey is having issues with her skin and coat.

When did you start using the Sentry Natural Defense topical? Could it be related to the scratching? Below are the ingredients for the Sentry topical. It is almost 15% phenols. Phenols can be very irritating to the skin. Personally I would not use it. The Mercola product is much gentler.

Peppermint Oil 3.00%
Cinnamon Oil 4.50% (phenol)
Lemongrass Oil 4.50%
Clove Oil 5.00% (phenol)
Thyme Oil 5.00% (phenol)
Other Ingredients – (Vanillin, Isopropyl Myristate) 78.00%

A low thyroid is NOT always accompanied by weight gain, lethargy or hair loss. Another possible symptom would be aggression. Maybe a little more touchy or in a bad mood etc.

Some blood tests include a basic thyroid level (T4). Call your Vet (the quack) and ask if a T4 was done and what the value was. It is also a good idea to request copies of all the blood tests that Bailey has done so you can spot any trends that a vet might overlook. YOU are the best advocate for your dog. Also try to get a copy of the blood test that Bailey had before the last one and check that T4 value. If a blood test shows a low or borderline low T4 or a downward trend then a complete thyroid panel should be done to confirm. The good news is thyroid medication is pretty safe and inexpensive.

What about treats? Have you added or changed any lately? Can you give us a breakdown on the treats Bailey gets please.

For a soothing, cooling and pH lowering skin rinse I would get a gallon of Aloe vera liquid and pour out 2 cups of liquid (16 oz) and replace with 8 oz of raw apple cider vinegar and 8 oz of witch hazel. This will help with any bacterial or fungal issues that either caused or were created by the scratching and it will also cool and soothe the skin.

Benadryl 1 mg per lb can help but antihistamines are always less effective in dogs because histamine is not as responsible for the symptoms as it is in humans. The antihistamine with the best track record in dogs is Tavist (clemastine).

Give Bailey a belly rub for me!!!

[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)!!!!!!!

[USA]

Hi Liz

Sorry to hear about your guy’s problems.

I read your post and I have a couple of suggestions for you:

Avoid Kibble and all dry or dehydrated foods because they can expand in the stomach even if re-hydrated prior to feeding.

Stick with 3 smaller meals instead of 2 larger meals a day.

Digestive enzymes could help prevent the buildup of any gasses due to improper digestion and could speed up digestion.

Probiotics are usually a good idea for gut health and overall immunity. Probiotics can absorb water in the gut in higher doses so be careful and watch out for straining to poop if you use them.

Some of the raw meats in Walmart contain a solution of salt and other things but you can wash most of that off to minimize any residual salt. Ground meats should be 100% meat and all of the meats in Walmart though maybe not the best in terms of quality are still Human-Grade. Buying meats for your dog in a supermarket guarantees you a certain quality. Even high quality raw dog food does not guarantee you that the meat is Human Edible. Raw dog foods are usually much higher in fat which leads me to believe that even though they might claim to use Human Grade meats they are using the trimmings which are mostly fat.

Buy a premix like Steve Brown’s dinner mixes which will make a boneless raw meal balanced and complete except for Omega 3’s. You can buy sardines in water and add some a couple of times a week to his meals and this will take care of his Omega 3’s

http://www.seespotlivelonger.com/home/sll/smartlist_13/dinner_mixes.html

Keep up the good work and make sure you don’t feed him near exercise time and continue to limit water around meals and exercise but give him access to water at all other times.

I have a question. Did the surgery include attaching the stomach to the abdomen to prevent the volvulus (flipping of the stomach)? If so then at least any future bouts of Bloat will not be life threatening.

Give you pup a hug for me!!!

[USA]

Hi cmeeks

You said “that’s why I buy 100% meat jerky like a lot of you guys”

I make Jerky for my dogs and for a store that sells pet food and treats. 100% meat jerky is a great treat for dogs and cats, so whenever I hear about a jerky treat for dogs I take a look.

Did you know that the Rocco and Roxie treats are NOT 100% meat? They even contain Rice Protein and Nitrites. Because of this I would not recommend them.

This is the ingredient list for their “Beef Jerky”
Beef, Rice Protein, Spices, Salt, Sugar, Garlic Powder, Sodium Nitrite,

[USA]

Hi Alina

Corrine and the others are right. No surgeries should be done when a dog has all the stress to their bodies that your dog has. Any vet would be able to postpone the neutering and give you a medical exemption to show Animal Control.

[USA]

Hi Alina

I will take the limping question.

Limping suddenly after he was groomed is a sign of trauma. You checked the foot pads on the injured leg and tried to detect any swelling or dislocations. Good Job!

If all his other legs are fine and he is not showing any other symptoms the limp can be from an injury to the foot, ankle, knee, or spine (pinched nerve, etc). It can also be a sprain or strain to soft tissue which will not show up on an x-ray.

I suspect he jumped out of the tub or off a table or he was manhandled and his leg was pulled into an unnatural position during his nail clipping. At the very least the “Groomer” should be able to tell you what happened. I would be very wary of going back to the same place if I were you.

You should try to restrict his movements so he does not add to his injury before you can determine what is going on. Especially no jumping and avoid stair climbing. Maybe walk him on a leash until his leg gets better so he can’t run.

The vet should manipulate his leg from the ankle, the knee and the hip to see if he can determine the site of the injury. He should also pay special attention to the knee to rule out luxating patella and do a drawer test to rule out an ACL injury.

I hope everything turns out okay and your pup has a speedy recovery!!!

[USA]

Nicely put Sheila R

[USA]

Hi Lynn J and lynne s

The danger of lead could still be there.The EPA said:

“even newer plumbing advertised as “lead-free” can still contain as much as 8 percent lead.”

I don’t know if this applies to water coolers and instant hot units. They both use copper pipe that runs through a heating coil similar to a radiator in a car. The water runs through the copper pipe and that is where the lead could get into the water.

The insta hot and the water cooler both use a holding tank (albeit small) to hold the heated water. This is where any minerals, metals or other impurities would build up and be re-absorbed back into the heated water.

So anytime you have a holding tank that is where impurities will build up. I would read up on how to clean and flush these tanks to remove any residue. Citric acid and vinegar are often used in coffee makers and water distillers to remove buildup.

It aint easy trying to do the best for our pups, but it sure is worth it!!!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 9 months ago by USA.

[USA]

Hi Dfwgolden

Regarding ear cropping or more properly ear mutilation you said:

“Lol wow as if I haven’t had this question asked to me 1000000 times. (that should have been your first clue)
Why did I do it? (yes, why would you mutilate your pup for your pleasure?)
Because I wanted to that’s why. (great reason for cutting off half of each of your dog’s ears)
Why did I want to? (yes, why would you want to disfigure and cause unnecessary pain and suffering to a loved one?)
Because I prefer a more regal look.(thank the lord you had a good reason :S)
Does that make me a bad pet owner?” (of course it does!)

You mutilated your dog’s ears because you “wanted to” and also to satisfy your desire to have “a more regal look” for your dog. BRAVO!!!! :S

[USA]

Hi InkedMarie

Your response is highly unlikely, but I would like to thank you for your comment. I knew nothing about the additional dangers of lead poisoning that come with drinking or cooking with hot water from the <b>hot side</b> of the faucet. I only knew about the sludge and sediment dangers!

“Hi Ladies,
Please don’t add hot or warm water from a tap or faucet to your dog’s food. Water from the hot side of a faucet has gone through a water heater which is full of slime and sediment. That is not something I want in my dog’s food!”

“InkedMarie
USA Dog Treats: no offense but if my tap water is good enough for me to drink, it’s good enough for my dogs.”

[USA]

Hi Jenn

Tooth problems could very well be the reason she doesn’t eat with gusto. She could still be sore from her bad tooth and she could have other issues with her teeth and gums that are still contributing to her not eating.

I would stick with a soft food for now and pay special attention to the health of her teeth and gums.

Is her weight good?

Give her a hug for me!!!

[USA]

Hi Jenn

How are her teeth and gums? Since she prefers softer food maybe something is going on inside her mouth that makes chewing on harder things difficult. Ask the foster what mealtime was like for her. Did she eat alone? In a crate? Knowing this might give some insight into what is going on with her. The other labs watching her MIGHT be making her nervous.

How is her weight? Is feeding her only canned an option?

Good luck and please keep us updated.

[USA]

Hi InkedMarie

The truth is that the water that comes from the HOT side of your tap is NOT good enough for either you or your dogs to drink. But don’t take my word for it.

http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/tips/water.htm
http://blogs.vancouversun.com/2010/05/03/why-you-shouldnt-use-hot-tap-water-for-drinking-or-cooking/
http://www.akwater.com/operations_faq.shtml#babyformula
http://fcwa.org/faqs/index.htm#Billing
http://health.howstuffworks.com/food-nutrition/get-the-lead-out-dont-drink-cook-with-hot-water.htm
http://water.epa.gov/drink/info/lead/
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/158461/0042948.pdf

You Shouldn’t Drink Hot Water From Your Tap

Cool it down! Why NOT to use hot tap water for cooking or drinking

http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/environment/Publications/drinkwater.pdf
http://www.fitsugar.com/Why-You-Shouldnt-Use-Hot-Tap-Water-When-Cooking-4193089
http://www.lead.org.au/lanv8n1/l8v1-11.html

[USA]

Hi Cordell

You deserve to be praised for the time and effort you take to prepare your dog’s meals!

Personally I would not mix raw with cooked. I believe that over time a dog who eats only cooked foods will develop changes to his digestive system that will make it harder to deal with the bacteria in raw food. For senior dogs I think this problem could be even worse.

I would think about about adding digestive enzymes tor your dog’s diet to replace the ones that are lost during cooking. I would also read Steve Brown’s book “Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet”. While your homemade supplement looks wonderful, Steve’s book will help you make sure you are feeding your dog’s a diet that is perfectly balanced and nutritionally complete.

Keep up the good work!

[USA]

Hi Ladies,

Please don’t add hot or warm water from a tap or faucet to your dog’s food. Water from the hot side of a faucet has gone through a water heater which is full of slime and sediment. That is not something I want in my dog’s food!

[USA]

Hi Richard D

Low fat and high protein diets are the standard of care for Lymphangiectasia. It looks like supplementation with the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K is also recommended.

I would also speak to my vet and do my own research on supplementing your dog’s diet with digestive enzymes to help with the absorption of protein.

[USA]

Hi Zach M

I would look into the “kennel” Ginger stays at when you vacation. Her refusal to eat is likely due to stress. In Los Angeles where I live there are ALL kinds or boarding and day care. There are home based ones where your dog would be in someones home and not in a multiple dog kennel. There is pet sitting where someone comes to your home every day and can spend time with Ginger, walk her and feed her while she remains in a familiar environment.

The kennel Ginger stays at might not be the right one for her. If possible try to figure out if there is a less stressful option you can find for boarding Ginger when you go on vacation.

Good Luck and please give Ginger a hug for me!

[USA]

Sunshine and happiness indeed!

[USA]

Hi Amy E

It would be relatively simple to figure out if it is the Frontline that did caused Moby’s skin bumps. Stop using it for a while. ALL of the commercial topical’s penetrate the skin to some extent so I would NOT use any flea control that is applied directly to the skin until you have figured this out.

Commercial spot-ons Like Frontline are neurotoxins and I don’t use them at all! They also penetrate the skin by using pretty powerful solvents that scare me!

There is a topic in the forums on Natural Flea Control and you might want to take a look and see if any of the less toxic choices are something you could try.

/forums/topic/natural-flea-prevention/

Good luck and keep us updated!

[USA]

Hi Tracy

Some dogs vomit yellow bile when they miss a meal or first thing in the morning because their stomach starts to produce acid and there is no food to absorb it. If she only vomits when she misses her lunch I would make sure I gave her something she really likes, even just a little.

I have to make sure I give my little guy something in the morning or else he sometimes will throw up bile. His favorite foods are cheese and homemade chicken jerky.

[USA]

Hi theBCnut

Eucalyptus:
Eucalyptus polybractea is also called Blue Mallee – Highest 1,8-Cineole content. Should be best flea killer. The most camphoraceous smell with a touch of peppermint.
Dives – Different chemical makeup. Probably not as effective for fleas and ticks.
Radiata – High 1,8-Cineole content. Camphor smell with a touch of sweetness.
Globulus – High cineole content. Less camphor like and a little more woody.

The lemon type Eucalyptus called Eucalyptus citriadora has a very high Citronellal content. Camphor smell with lemon mixed in. Great repellent. I prefer Citronella Java for it’s softer lemony scent.

Moroccan Rosemary IS Rosmarinus Officinalis. There are different country of origins for Rosmarinus Officinalis. I like the smell of the Moroccan the best but they all have a high cineole content.

The repellents, Citronella, Lemon Eucalyptus and Geraniol have a very short duration of effectiveness. Less than a day when applied as a spray. The Killers, Clove, Peppermint, Thyme, Cinnamon, Rosemary, Eucalyptus, Orange, and so on have a duration of a couple of days when applied as a spray.

I can’t believe you don’t like the smell of orange oil OR orange blossoms. They are different smells and I really like both of them!

[USA]

Hi theBCnut

Nice list! I have used most of them except for the birch and the bergamot. My research has led me to these observations:

Geranium – Effective as a repellent mostly because of it’s Geraniol content. Ceylon type Citronella has a higher Geraniol content and is MUCH less expensive.

Eucalyptus – Powerful killer of fleas! Contains 1,8-Cineole. Rosemary has similar qualities (1,8-Cineole) and I use it because it has other ingredients that in combination I think make it a more effective flea killer. I also like the smell better! The Morocco type is my favorite.

Peppermint – Powerful flea killer! I don’t like the smell. It is often used in combination with Rosemary for the synergistic effect.

Clove – Powerful flea killer! I stay away from Clove because of it’s phenol content. Phenol’s are in my opinion pretty toxic and can be very irritating.

Cinnamon – Phenol

Tea tree – I don’t like it because of it’s toxicity. Oils that contain Geraniol have the same antiseptic qualities and they are safer and smell better.

Patchouli – Brings me back to the 60’s! Expensive.

Birch – The sweet version contains primarily Methyl salicylate (the wintergreen smell). Methyl salicylate penetrates the skin and I think it is pretty toxic. It is also a powerful flea killer.
The Tar version contains Cadinene which would put it more in to a Cedar type of oil and would also make it much safer.

Cedar – Powerful flea killer and safe to use!

Lemongrass – Repels and kills. Not as effective as Geraniol but it smells good. The citral version of lemongrass smells divine. Safe.

Bergamot – I would only use a Bergaptene Free version because of Bergaptene’s toxicity. It gets it’s flea killing properties from Limonene which is MUCH cheaper in Orange oil.

Spearmint – I love the smell! It contains limonene AND R-(–)Carvone which is also a flea killer and is what gives spearmint it’s characteristic smell. S-(+)-carvone, smells like and comes from caraway seeds

[USA]

Annamaet’s treats are the EXACT same formula as their dog foods with the same name. So Manitok treats are exactly the same as Manitok dog food. Except Manitok treats are $8.99 for 10 oz making them $14.40 a pound while Manitok dog food is $17.99 for 5.5 lbs making it $3.27 a pound.

I know of a couple of dog food makers that came out with treats that are basically their dog foods in treat form. There is a huge per pound price increase in all the dog foods that have used the same formulas for their treats and I don’t know what would justify such a huge price increase.

These are meat-meal based treats as is the dog food. I hope meat-meal based treats because of the dubious quality of meat-meals are not included in your recommended treats list unless you can independently verify the quality of the meat-meals for yourselves.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 9 months ago by USA.

[USA]

In the sample example the 100% whole chicken should read:

100% whole boneless skinless chicken, breast or thigh.

[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.

[USA]

Hi Mike

The new guideline could have only been “too restrictive” to the Editors Choice members. No one who is not an editor’s choice member could be restricted in any way by the now removed guideline. In fact Non Paid members would have an enhanced experience if the guideline was still in effect and followed.

So it looks like in this case the rights of the Editors Choice members to post wherever they like supersedes the rights of the Non Paid members to be able to participate in any comments that are not directly related to the Editors Choice content.

Tina wrote:

“People that this bothers shouldn’t read those topics or be on this website then.”

Tina’s remark is rude and offensive and presents this forum in a very judgmental and unwelcoming way. That kind of remark will stop people from expressing themselves without fear of being attacked by a rude poster!

[USA]

Hi Case,

I’m sorry to hear that but thanks for trying!

When Dr Mike added the quote below to the Editor’s Choice Forum description I thought it was a good idea. But in reality it can only be enforced by the staff of the Dog Food Advisor.

“This forum is for Editor’s Choice members only. Participants are asked to limit all discussions to topics related to Editor’s Choice only.”

[USA]

Hi Mike,

I just clicked around on the latest replies list on the left and there is a smaller % of Editors Choice replies that could go in the regular forum then there was 4 days ago!

[USA]

Hi Shasta220,

I am so sorry for your loss.

A belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY OTTO!!!

[USA]

Thank you Dr Mike!

[USA]

Thank you Bobby dog!

[USA]

Hi Mary C

The highest quality dog food would be one you made yourself using lean pasture raised meats and wild caught fish, fresh organic vegetables and a few supplements.

In commercial dog foods I would rate them as follows:
Raw
Dehydrated
Canned
Kibble

One of the issues with a very low carbohydrate food for dogs is the fat content. Most commercial foods with low carbs are high in fat, some are really high. If your dog doesn’t have any other health issues he or she might do fine with a high fat, high protein, low carb diet. If your dog has other issues such as pacreatitis a high fat diet might not work as well.

I strongly believe that with a diabetic dog the number one priority is to limit carbs as much as you can. After all, diabetes is a failure of the bodies ability to regulate and metabolize ALL carbohydrates and injected insulin cannot currently duplicate the bodies own production of insulin. Diabetes CAN be controlled with the proper diet, the proper insulin regimen and home testing of blood glucose.

So please tell me a little bit about your dog:
How old
Current food and amounts fed and at what times in relation to insulin injections
Current insulin regimen, what type, how often
Current blood sugar readings
Overall health and any issues besides diabetes

Once you develop a routine that works for you and your pup things get easier! Give your pup a hug for me!!!

[Author]

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