Dog_Horse_Girl

I think the OP means "used a steroid to clear up" the inflammation. Steriods are given by both injection and orally. Steroids are powerful drugs and come with side effects that can produce harm to some vital organs in some dogs. That's why I've suggested herbal remedies for long-term treatment b/c it's far safer IMO.

I keep forgetting about Dr B's patties b/c there's no distributor here in NT... I would recommend them as part of an overall raw approach - fed in conjunction with RMBs they can provide near-complete nutrition without the preparation time of prepare-yourself raw diets. See, processed foods are obsolete! Or they could be...

The Stafford is one of those breeds that can suffer from skin problems. My staffy cross, Ruby, is the same. We've moved all over the country and the only place she didn't react was Canberra. We couldn't see our way clear to have her on steriod therapy long-term b/c it's too dangerous to their health. We didn't want to go down the testing route as it can be a long time before you get an answer and even then, sometimes the answer is "idiopathic" - translated, it means "we don't know what she's reacting to". I did a search here for treatments, and I found Robert McDowell's remedies were highly-thought-of. I have started Ruby on his Blood Cleanser and the Skin Allergy mixes. Since she started her skin has improved to the point where she's hardly scratching, there is no raw skin anywhere on her body, she hasn't gnawed at her feet ONCE, and she's very calm and relaxed. A completely different dog. I know that she will likely be on the remedies for much of the year. But that's OK by me b/c they're not doing her systems damage in the way that western treatments do damage. She has been on a raw diet for years. So I basically eliminated a food allergy without even trying an elimination diet. I do notice when she has to have processed foods that her itch is very bad, so she's not given much in the way of processed at all unless she's had to go to a kennel. We have minimal treats except dried liver, and other dehydrated meat treats with no additives at all. I would contact Robert McDowell and go from there. We're also about to try his Anti-inflammatory Mix for the greyhound (slipped disc) as Metacam (her current medication) is very harmful to some dogs - it can damage the kidneys over the long-term and I've already noticed a big change in her bladder habits (she can't hold on at all, whereas without Metacam she can wait without any problem). HTH.

If your friend is keen, then I'd suggest raising the pups on a BARF or raw diet. One source of protein isn't enough, so your friend would have to investigate other bones and then include the other foods including organs, veg/fruit pulp, sardines, eggs etc. I am sorry but I can't recommend any processed dog foods sold in supermarkets. They are not worth buying IMO. If your friend wants to buy her dog food in the supermarket, then IMO the whole, raw ingredients served as is (except for the plant matter) are the way to go. If she wants a processed food, then any of the imported super premium foods such as Eagle Pack etc would be great. ETA - most of the better processed foods will have sample bags available. Just ask! That way your friend doesn't have to spend a lot of money only to find the pup doesn't like the food. That might help?

Bones shouldn't be too heavy if you're using the more suitable ones - including lamb neck and chicken parts. It's the meat that's weighty rather than the bone. If you've got heavy bones then it's likely they are 'recreational' bones rather than 'food source' bones. What I mean is that a marrow bone is more bone than flesh and is classed 'recreational', whereas a chicken frame or wing is more flesh than bone and is classed as a food source bone.

This is perhaps related to stress as your pup is travelling AND in season for the first time. It's possible that her digestive system is also not used to the food you are giving her and that is also causing a problem. Can you get her to a vet for a once-over?

Yes, but many butchers cut them into pieces the size of a fist or so.

Before we came back to Darwin, I hardly ever gave minced meat to my dogs. But buying decent raw meaty bones is a challenge here, and so I'm adding some human grade minced meats to their diet. I buy three different minces: beef, lamb and chicken and I rotate them through the meals. One day will be minced meat and yoghurt in the mornings then RMBs in the evenings. Another day will be RMBs in the morning, minced meat and offal in the evening. Dogs need variety to their diet the same as people do. I also use yoghurt, eggs, sardines and veg/fruit pulp in their diet in varying quantities at various times. The bulk of their diet is, however RMBs and offal.

I'm not sure which formula you plan to buy, but I've had a look at the Performance Formula and this is what it says: Sporting breeds require high protein formulas that provide the nutrients to build and repair muscles. This formula provides quick energy sources from the 18% fat. Dogs obtain energy from a combination of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. This formula has a select blend of these ingredients and optimal levels of mineral for developing strong bones and teeth, excellent muscle tone, a shiny coat and firm, consistent stools. Average Analysis Crude Protein (average) CrudeFat (average) CrudeFiber (average) Moisture (average) Omega 6/3 Ratio 26.0% 18.0% 3.0% 8.0% 5:1 Ingredients Chicken Meal, Rice, Ground Yellow Corn, Corn Flour, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols a source of Vitamin E), Dried Beet Pulp, Natural Flavoring, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Fish Meal, Flaxseed, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Inulin (from chicory root), Ascorbic Acid (source of vitamin C), Zinc Sulfate, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Iron Sulfate, Niacin Supplement, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Calcium Sulfate, Thiamine Mononitrate, d-Biotin, Riboflavin Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Menadione Nicotinamide Bisulfite, Beta Carotene, Folic Acid, Sodium Selenite, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide. Not surprisingly, rice is the second-top ingredient and corn by-products make up the third, fourth, and fifth ingredients. It includes beet pulp which is added so the dogs don't fart as much or as smelly as they ordinarily would on such a food. There seems to be a fair bit of salt too, but as it doesn't indicate what percentage is made up of salt, it's hard to determine if this is a problem or not. There seems to be a lot of added minerals too, which may not be a problem but you have to ask why they would add so many if their ingredients are sourced whole and from human grade suppliers. It may or may not be better than supercrap - I don't have its ingredient list to hand. But IMO get the dogs off it as soon as you can b/c it's garbage and you can do much better. HTH. :rolleyes:

I feed my dogs based on raw meaty bones (about 70% of their diet) and I don't feed really hard bones any more. There are a few reasons but the most worrying thing is that really hard bones have been known to crack teeth and even result in teeth being snapped off. I wouldn't recommend lamb shanks or neck bones from cows for younger dogs especially and with caution for all ages. Marrow bones IMO are too rich for the average dog and are best given as a 'treat' infrequently. I know they're very popular but they don't deserve to be IMO. With a pup, I'd be sticking with the softer bones such as lamb flap, lamb neck chops (rosettes), chicken parts, turkey parts, and the occasional piece of roo on the bone such as tail. Beef brisket is also good IMO. Oh, the aim of feeding meaty bones is that they EAT the bone not just the meat. If the bone is too hard, they can't eat it. :rolleyes:

Priceless Pets is the cheapest. Vet Products Direct is much more expensive these days...$10 more on average for Interceptor than at Priceless...I guess that's what happens when a business has a loyal customer base, it puts the prices up! ;) I'll be sticking with Priceless Pets. Good service, cheap prices, what more could you ask for?

Yep, my opinion is that dogs can't cook so why would they want cooked foods? Whenever my dogs have had something that's been cooked, they tend to smell bad for a day or two and their system seems out of balance in that their poo changes consistency and volume. Raw = best IMO. And my dogs seem to agree!

Dogs aren't susceptible to salmonella. They have shorter bowels so the bacteria doesn't have the chance to multiply the way it does in the human gut. Many raw/BARF feeders give their dogs whole raw eggs - yep, the dog eats the shell and all. Veg should be pulped or processed, so either a juicer or food processor is useful there. Veg only makes up a small proportion of the diet. I probably give my dogs veg/fruit pulp two or three times per week at most. Sometimes they go for a month with nil and then I'll give them a serve a day for a few days or give them three serves equally spaced in a week or so. Rice and pasta can cause digestive issues in some dogs...which is why a lot of dogs have loose poo when they're fed processed dry food of the cheaper variety.

My vet disagrees with you there on the cod liver oil. In fact many vets strongly suggest CLO in the inflamed dog (whether it be skin inflammation or joint inflammation). I give my greyhound the recommended dosage and I give it in capsule form. When you say, "untold damage to bones/structure etc" perhaps you could explain what you mean?

You raise a few ideas of concern to me. Firstly, dogs don't need cooked foods and cooking eggs isn't something I'd recommend. Offer them raw, no more than once a week or so if you wish to feed them (most raw/BARF feeders give eggs). Vegies are also offered raw, pulped or processed, and some fruits can go into this mix. Please stop feeding "rice or spaghetti as a filler" as this replicates what processed foods do and the dog simply can't digest this well at all. If you want to give your dog a "filler"...um, I'm not actually sure why you'd want to do this? Why not simply feed foods that the dog can fully digest and gain all the nutrition available? :p Lamb shanks aren't ideal meaty bones IMO. Lamb neck/neck chops and lamb flap are better examples IMO. Basically a meaty bone is just that - bone with lots of meat, and the bone should be easily and readily eaten and digested. Softer bones in preference to harder bones.

I don't give brewer's yeast as I have one dog with allergy problems. Brewer's yeast can inflame the allergic dog. I don't give many supplements at all. However, Lilly the greyhound is on glucosamine and cod liver oil for her joints (she has a slipped disc in her neck) and a few injuries that play up from time to time. I give the others cod liver oil when I feel they need it, as it's good for skin and coat plus it's anti-inflammatory properties are well-documented. It's the least expensive oil available and it has a broad effect in the dog's system. :p I think we can go overboard with supplements. I try to give the dogs only what they need when they need it. Offal is a rich source of many of the substances that supplements are purported to supply - I'd rather feed offal than tablets.

It depends on what else you're feeding her, i.e what other meaty bones do you give her and how often? Chicken is a good source of protein but IMO variety is important. Billinghurst says that we aim to feed a 'nutritionally balanced' diet over time, say a couple of weeks - therefore, we offer different foods to achieve that 'balance' that processed foods claim to have (IMO they aren't balanced to suit the canine's digestive system). If chicken is the only meaty bone you offer, then I'd suggest having a look at offering some lamb, beef and perhaps pork (just don't overdo the pork initially as it can cause digestive upsets in some dogs). :p

According to Dr Billinghurst, bones are a great source of calcium and should be fed daily. According to my dogs, he's right! :p As long as bones are fed RAW, and as long as there's a good balance between bone/meat/offal/veg/other add-ins, it shouldn't pose a problem. Oh, and white dog poo is the result of a diet that's highly digestible. The white is apparently caused by the bits of bone that isn't fully digested...

Pretty much all the "fresh" poultry and much of the butchery products sold here is frozen. It comes up from down south frozen. I didn't know this at first until I bought a bag of chicken necks and found they were partially frozen. I then asked every poultry supplier and butcher in my area to find that it's ALL frozen then freighted up here. Oh, well. I have a box of chicken carcasses, still frozen...I plan to thaw them in the bottom of the fridge then bag them up and re-freeze. I think as long as you don't do it at room temperature, it's fine. BTW - the local Lenards thaws some of their stuff "in the sink". That's one reason to buy it frozen.

It depends. My greyhound has, as one example: a turkey wing portion, half a lamb's heart, a BIG scoop of yoghurt, a scoop of veg pulp. My staffy x has, as one example: two chicken necks and a wing, two small pieces of lamb's heart, a scoop of veg pulp. My mini foxie x has, as one example: a chicken neck, a sliver of lamb's heart, a scoop of veg pulp equal to about one teaspoon. The aim is to offer a wide variety of raw foods so that over time, the diet offers a nutritionally balanced formula. So some meals are smaller than others. Some meals don't include offal. Only some meals have vegetable matter. Some meals include minced meat as well as bones. Some meals include canned fishes. I also have supplements for specific needs: the greyhound is getting glucosamine and cod liver oil for example, b/c she has a slipped disc in her neck. Every so often, the other dogs will get cod liver oil to improve their skin and coat condition (usually in the colder parts of the year when the skin dries out somewhat). In your position, I read as much as I could get my hands on...from reputable sources. I experimented with various things until I found what worked for my dogs. And I keep an open mind as to what constitutes a 'good raw diet' and change ingredients around to suit the dogs' needs. HTH.

I wouldn't feed it to a dog... There are IMO much better dry foods out there.

Yep, I'm also wondering why you'd feed both diets...why not just stick to one or the other? Iams is a poor quality food IMO - if you want to feed processed, perhaps aim for a better quality food such as Eagle Pack or Nutro etc?

Can I ask why?

Raw diet is exactly what it says, "raw" foods. No cooked or otherwise processed foods with the exception of occasional treats if you feel it appropriate. Dried liver makes an excellent treat and is not processed in any way other than dehydrated. I feed my dogs a raw, whole foods diet. Whole body parts or broken into smaller pieces...I use chicken, lamb, beef, roo (when I can get it) and turkey. I use offal from beef and lamb. I use vegetables and some fruits pulped by a juicer (use the pulp and a small amount of juice to combine). I use sardines or mackerel. Eggs occasionally. Full fat yoghurt for two weeks in four. Occasionally add pieces of cheese just b/c the dogs love it. Processed foods contain a lot of stuff that isn't digested or can cause reactions in sensitive dogs. Dogs don't need cereals, grains, colours, artificial flavours or preservatives and in some cases, these extra ingredients cause harm to the dog. A good home prepared raw foods diet may not 'cure' all ills but it certainly helps IMO. Try reading anything by Dr Ian Billinghurst for starters. You may wish to also look at Tom Lonsdale's Raw Meaty Bones book.

I agree with what's already been posted. To add some more thoughts: A raw whole foods diet is what I feed my dogs on, and I find it provides excellent results for each of my dogs. Raw foods are fed as nature intended for the dog to digest most readily - dogs can't cook and many are not doing well on processed foods. Hills is a crap food, once you understand what the ingredients lists mean, you'll have to agree with that. Many vets push what they sell - they get excellent 'incentives' to sell this stuff so why wouldn't they try to convert all their clients? You can use a combination approach to feeding, many of us do that. But IMO a raw diet is optimum if you have the time and knowledge to prepare it yourself. If not, then I'd suggest a genuine super premium food such as Nutro, Dick van Patten's Natural Balance Organic Formulas, Eagle Pack (Holistic is an excellent range), Nutrience or even Royal Canin. All are genuinely super premium and offer great nutrition and excellent value for money. If a dog is pooing to excess, it's b/c it isn't able to digest a certain portion of its food. Most dog food processors include a lot of fillers b/c they're cheap and in plentiful supply (not too many humans want to eat chicken feet or feathers, for example but put it in dog food and you have yourself a great profit-margin!), but dogs suffer as a result of eating stuff that isn't really offering optimum nutrition. What you're feeding except the Hills is a great start so keep doing that if you can. You can even give your dog the whole egg (and shell!) as long as it's only once a week or so. Oh, congrats on your puppy! :p