One Iota

Question
QUESTION: Michael,

I have a 9 year old chihuahua, One Iota, who is loosing weight (6 pounds 4
ounces to 5 pounds 1 ounce in 4 months).  I put her on a raw meat diet an
few weeks ago and she is lively and not at all ill acting, though her stool is
difficult to pass and loose sometimes.

I live in Fiji and the local vet has done some helpful things (screening blood
work and and poor qualityl barium studies, but I need a real expert to discuss
the case with.

Do you know any vets who either specialize in chihuahuas, or that you have
great confidence in?

Thank you in advance for any help you might have,
Andrew Dorfman, MD

ANSWER: Dr. Dorfman,
You don't need an expert in Chihuahua's to discuss nutrition with. I have been studying and watching raw diets and small animal nutrition for over 25 yrs and I can tell you that I know very few Veterinarians that will advocate a raw diet for companion animals.
Dogs and cats face the same dangers with raw diets that humans do, especially with uncooked meats.
The main problem with them, other than the above, is that there is too much meat and not enough carbs of the proper kinds. Dogs are not obligate carnivores like cats and therefore do not require nor do well on a mostly meat diet.

Every wolf and coyote out there eats the insides of the intestines and stomach first- of what? Their herbivore prey.

So your dog isn't getting enough fiber in her diet and the weight loss is most likely due to her not digesting this diet properly. Little domestic dogs are not made to be little mini wolves.As dogs age, and she is a senior citizen, their ability, just like ours, to digest these kinds of foods decreases.

You can ask one of the veterinarians in here or call a local vet and ask them this question.
I hope you can find an answer soon.

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

QUESTION: I agree that experience and observation are the most important ingredients to
really understanding a subject or an aspect of reality.

Thanks for you comments.

I wonder if there is a guideline regarding the amount and type of carbs to
offer.  Of course experimentation will tell all, but as a starting place it might
be helpful to have some input.

One Iota's labs came back today and indicate she has an exocrine pancreatic
insufficiency with liver inflammation.  If you have any thoughts on supporting
and optimizing a healing response to this kind of presentation, that would be
wonderful.

Thank you.  (And am I writing to Jana or Michael? -- I cannot tell from the
way the page posts).

Andrew

Answer
Hi Andrew,
You are writing to Jana, the vet tech.
If you do some online research, you can certainly find a diet somewhere that balances the carbs and proteins.Looking for and trying to figure out a guideline for carbs that at best is experimental for your dog is like making her a guinea pig-and she is already suffering from the effects.

Again, most vet's will not advocate a completely raw diet and One Iota's blood work is a good example of why. Pancreatic insufficiency along with liver inflammation can be due to so many things, but the raw meat (that her body isn't dealing well with) and the lack of carbs are throwing her system into a tail-spin. Pancreatitis in small dogs can become very serious very quickly. I have seen many of them not make it over the years.

If you want her on a good, balanced diet may I suggest you place her (slowly) on Science Diet or a Hill's Pet product.
At this point she should be on Prescription Diet L/D for her digestive tract to calm down her inflamed liver. It has the perfect balance of carbohydrates and extremely digestive proteins.

After that I would get her on a senior diet but she can live on L/D for life as it is perfectly suited for that.
I have used and prescribed Hill's products for over 30 yrs and I have never once had a client bring back a bag for a refund (it is 100% guaranteed) except for a torn bag.
The product speaks for itself. Our clients pets have lived much longer than the average pet on the whole. I had a cat myself live to be 19 on K/D.

This is something you might want to discuss with your vet but I suggest you go to Hillspet.com and look it over yourself.
With over 50 yrs of veterinary research and feeding trials into this food, you can't go wrong.

Let me know what you decide and how little Iota does.