Hills ZD Alternative

Question

Charlie   QUESTION: My Weimaraner, Charlie, is 2 and a half and has to be fed Hills Prescription ZD.  If he is fed anything else, he gets really bad diarrhea, gas and pimple like bumps under his skin.  The bumps usually show up within two days.  I'm spending about $70 on an 18 lb bag and it only lasts about two weeks.    Is there any other food that i can give him that is a little easier on the wallet?    I am willing to try anything.

ANSWER: Hi Kevin , What were you feeding prior to the Z/D?  Also, has he been tested for parasites in the stool?

Let me know,
Marie Peppers LPN MA

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: When I first got Charlie I tried at least four different foods and the only one that I remember is Blue Buffalo.  He had problems with everything.  I had him in and out of the vet every other day, for months, and they could not figure it out.  They took many stool samples and blood samples and still couldn't diagnose him.  Finally I took him (nearly two years ago)to a dermatologist  for animals and they prescribed the Hills ZD.  Within a week his bumps were gone and the diarrhea, for the most part, stopped.

Answer
Let's add to the Hill's - Use a little less of the Hills and more of home-cooked, see below:


Ok - here is the  Hill's RX Science Diet ingredients Z/D -
Ingredients of Z/D  - Almost NO food in this????

Brewers Rice, Hydrolyzed Chicken Liver, Hydrolyzed Chicken, Soybean Oil (preserved with BHA, propyl gallate and citric acid), Powdered Cellulose, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Sulfate, Glyceryl Monostearate, DL-Methionine, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), Taurine, Iodized Salt, Dicalcium Phosphate, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), preserved with Mixed Tocopherols & Citric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Rosemary Extract.


So, if you look at the first main ingredient it is rice.  VERY poor quality of a First ingredient.

As you can see, the Z/D is an average to poor quality food.  I would keep him on the Z/D but add some home cooked meats to each meal or at least one meal per day.  Please cook up some white chicken or lamb.

I am not Telling you to Take him off the Z/D food.  JUST "doctor it up" with adding some cooked chicken or cooked ground lamb - Then, use Less of the z/d and add the cooked meats in place of the Z/D.
You can add 1/2 cup of cooked canned green peas - to the chicken each day.
If you can give 1/2 cup of green beans, that would be great.  ( offer 1/4 cup and see if he does well with digestion of the green beans)


NEXT- To balance out his Diet and help with Digestion - NuVET will be a great addition.

It will re-build the Weak immune system and blast the allergies.  Also, NuVET will help the heal the intestines. I would give this boy 1 1/2 per day for 3 weeks and then go to 1 NuVET per day.  When you call, tell the girls Marie sent you ( order code 81098)

NuVET is all natural and very safe.
Call 1-800-474-7044  
a 60 count is 39.00
a 90 count is 55.00
Ask them about the auto ship 15% OFF discount program.
Also, ask them about the 60 day money back guarantee.
http://www.nuvet.com/81098


Last - Please give him some Acidophalus 1 billion CFUs ( 1 ) per day for 2 months.
YOU can find this probiotic at any store that sells human vitamins.
This will balance out the Yeast bacteria overgrowth and Smell.
Very safe and easy on the belly.



HOPE this helps.

Marie Peppers LPN MA
My private e-mail is :

mtnmom@gci.net
*contact me with your results
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