Our 15 mo. female

Question
QUESTION: Hi Marie, I happened to be searching the net for dog food, bowel issues, German Shepherds, etc. and came across your listing.  We have a 15 mo female GSD, 61 lbs, but has some health issues and concerns.  I thought when we purchased her there were some issues after her being vaccinated, but I suppose I'll never know.  Whenever this poor dog was vaccinated, she developed a high white cell count and pure runs.  She just had her rabies and thank god, nothing happened, but I may just do titers for the others and no more Lyme after what I've been hearing.  She appears to have allergies to chicken and ''any'' poultry (duck, turkey, pheasant) and has some issues with beef, unless we give her Boars head roast beef (no fillers or gluten).  Those are not a concern, the concern is loose stools.  I'm not sure why.  We had her on one food which the breeder recommended, but we've had to switch her off of it as it got her very sick and almost killed her.  Now she is eating Wysong.  I tried Timberwolf but I did not see the word chicken in the ingredients, and now she's on the Wysong Anergen, lamb.  She is not on it long enough for me to make the decision as to whether it is working for her but I think the protein is too high for her but we'll see.  She does not do well on any raw diets due to an injury in her small intestine, but I noticed stools which are VERY SOFT moreso in the last month or a tad longer, when I increased her food last month.  I was not feeding her enough for her activity level, so when I did the increase, the softer stools and the food increase seems to all be about the same time frame.  She also about a month ago, started urinating a lot more than usual, but that was checked...her urine was at a 12 in alkaline, she at the advise of the vet, being she has a high alkaline urine w/ crystals, to remove all supplements.  She needs another sterile urine culture done in 2 more weeks.  Lots of problems (medical) for such a young dog that I thought would be a healthy one this time around, but again, we were ambushed by yet another breeder and their lies.  We would like to get her well and back on track.  We too give Nuvet, but those for now, were removed from her diet by the veterinarian.  The vet is pretty concerned about her health at this time, so we are just not sure what is going on.  The Anergen is not great in the caloric department, although it appears to be a good food label-wise.  However, for her and her activity level, it requires 3 3/4 cups of food per day, but much less then the prior food in calories.  If this does not work for her, I may go with Blue Buffalo as that seems to be high in calories but I don't want to keep on changing her foods.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.

ANSWER: addition:  I forgot to add this:
Metamucil cookie / wafer:
Also, a metamucil wafer treat/ cookie / apple flavored would be a great addition to the diet.  It adds fiber <<<<
Just give 1 cookie per day of the Metamucil cookie...They are pre-wrapped to 2 cookies in one pack - Remember, just 1 cookie / cracker per day...
Will add fiber to the diet and give form to all the loose stools.
VERY safe -
You can go with 1/2 per day after the first week.



Hi - I would put her back on the NuVET at 1/2 the regular dosage.  She does need some of the benefits of NuVET.  I have many kidney stone and kidney crystal clients taking 1/2 the NuVET dosage with no problems at all.

The only thing I see if using the food you are currently feeding 1 x per day and HOME-cooking for the other meal of the day - A kidney crystal diet:
Here is one you can try:  show your vet...

( most vets have poor knowledge of nutritional needs )

Here is a lamb recipe:

Lamb and Rice Diet

1/4 pound lamb (raw weight), ~~cook Please
1 egg, large, hard-boiled
2 cups brown rice, long-grain, cooked
1 bonemeal tablets (10-grain or equivalent)
1/4 teaspoon salt substitute (potassium chloride)

1 multiple vitamin-mineral -( OR 1/2 NuVET Waffer ) see below:
(MOST OF MY CLIENTS USE THE POWDER OR WAFER FORM OF NUVET FOR THE VITAMIN SUPPLEMENT)

Provides 730 kilocalories, 40.7 grams protein, 19.7 grams fat.

This recipe is enough for 1 meal for your sized dog.


*************************


Tuna and Rice Diet

4 ounces runa, canned in water, without added salt
1 egg, large, hard-boiled
2 cups brown rice, long-grain, cooked
2 teaspoons vegetable (canola) oil
1/2 ounce brewer's yeast
2 bonemeal tables (10-grain or equivalent)
1/4 teaspoon salt substitute (potassium chloride)
1 multiple vitamin-mineral table
OR/ NuVET 1/2 Wafer or 1 wafer ....
( MOST OF MY CLIENTS USE NUVET   -
order NuVET here
 http://www.nuvet.com/81098
or call  1-800-474-7044

Provides 760 kilocalories, 47.3 grams protein, 21.1 grams fat.




YOU can give some Cranberry - Great for crystals and possible stones:
Nature's Sunshine:  Cranberry

( tablets)- hide in food - 1 per day

http://www.mynsp.com/nuvetpetnurse/products/guide.aspx?stockNum=834

HOPE this helps...

Marie Peppers LPN MA
mtnmom@gci.net

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

QUESTION: Hi Marie, we've already tried all of this.   Unfortunately, rice does not seem to work for her, we've tried eggs too, as well as other things.  Nothing.  After today, giving Wysong enough time, it is making her worse.  I am sick and really don't cook at all, and in and out of the hospital a lot and we've tried both diets.  Again, they have not worked at all, they seemed to make her worse. Trust me, I've done things in stages with this girl, and to me, IMHO, she has way too many stomach issues and allergies.  She was hospitalized in January 2009 for three days.  There seems to be damage if you look at her Barium tests and other abdominal x rays.  The upper loop of the small intestine is not normal size, thanks to the folks at Nature's Variety.  Their diet, namingly the raw, had massive amounts of bones in it and it seems to have done some permanent damage to that area, whether she will need add'l tests or surgery remains questionable.  But I did try cooking for her, but when I'm in the hospital for treatments and drips, I can't rely on anyone that will do this for her.  I don't feel well enough sometimes to cook for me.  Hum.  I'll try the cranberry, although the vet said it won't work because she has no infection.  I don't trust her, as you are correct...she does not seem to be good with diets.  Another vet told me to replace her water to distilled water for a few weeks, to add acidity back to her system...she told me no.  I will however, add 1/2 Nuvet.  I am on their auto ship list, so it does not effect me either way.  But I've tried both diets.  Like me, with my Crohn's disease and blood disorder, funny.  I tried brown rice on myself and it went thru, totally undigested.  Made me worse...same with my girl.  So if the only suggestion we have is cooked diet, it won't work unfortunately.  I have to find something for her that is easy on the stomach, unless of course, there is something else that she has, which I don't know what it is, but all her bloodwork is perfectly normal.  We currently have her on Tylan 1/4 tsp each meal, as well as Prozyme 1/2 tsp each meal.  As well as a protiotic with each meal.  It is quite possible that with all the probiotic in the Wysong Anergen, (which has tons of protiotic) it may be just "too much" for her system.  I'm at a loss here.  But she needs to come off the Wysong, today, two weeks and she's worse.  None of this is making sense, and the doctors keep taking my money which I don't have.  I would rather maybe try a holistic vet and one that is good with nutrition, BUT most don't know my dogs background.  After Natures Variety bones lodged in her stomach and small intestine in December of 2008, that is when I stopped her raw food.  I wish you could see the photos I have.  I then tried it again, but again,     in June 2009, she was hospitalized another 2 days (ouch), as they thought she had a blockage, but did not have one.  I've taken this dog to vet after vet for answers, and the answer they give me when they see her tests and scans is "scar tissue."  Yes, we know this, but I don't know what to feed her in the interim.  It is possible there is just too much probiotic being administered.  Not sure if the idea of the Tylan powder antibiotic is worth the risk...she was different prior to taking it.  I may stop it today, as the vets don't call me back.  She is very special to us, and its unfortunate that no one seems to or wants to help her.  When I DID cook for her, both diets, that gave her pure water runs and she had to be given fluids and put on Flagyl and lomotil which is a narcotic, and I don't wish to give her this, again, unless there is an underlying cause that we don't know about.  Her stool was just tested AGAIN for the 15th time and nothing...they keep checking for Giardia, but I know she does not have it.  She is on Interceptor monthly, so I doubt its worms...unless she has something that Interceptor can't fix...but it does say whips and round worms.  I don't know if Hook is cured with interceptor.  I have Panacur here, but I HATE to worm t his poor dog, as I think its the food.  I am thinking of stopping the Tylan and Prozyme on my own, as neither seems to be working.  Seemed to for a while, but not now, unless its the Wysong.  I just am at a loss here and if it were not for the AKC pet insurance, I'd be broke, but its still laying out he money, and waiting five weeks for a check.  I still say its diet related, but not sure.  They keep tossing at me, add'l bloods work, tests, scans and whatever, but I don't believe them.  She does not do well on potato's as they make her scratch under her belly and arms legs.  A friend had given her green tripe, but that made her 1000 times worse.  She always did well on the NV raw lamb diet, but I would never feed it to her again after what happened.  Thanks so much for your time.  If you can think of something else that does not requiring cooking, I'm open to hear it or suggestions.  I love the Nuvet product, used it since I bought the dog and that is why I stay on Auto ship.  The breeder said that only the Nuvet and one Derm Cap ES daily is all she needs, but he never returns our emails or calls to discuss her health and diet, which is why I turned to the internet.  Seems that they made their sale and poof...we no longer exist.  Scary.  

OH, I tried the fiber, made her worse.  Then I went back to Pet pantry and they gave me the veggie fiber, made her a lot worse as well.  Someone told me organic pumpkin...bad choice as it acted like a laxative.  Poor dog, I'm so lost I could cry because my bad days outweigh the good and its tough dealing me with, let alone her, but she is important so I need to figure out something.  I'm still open to additional suggestions if you can come up with any.  Thanks so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer
Wow -  poor you !  How about SoJo grain free mix -  ( it is not all home-cooked)  - YOU add the fresh lightly cooked meat to the mix.  I bet you can get someone to do that.  
*the mix is GRAIN FREE ( the green bag is grain free:
You can do this when you are well -
here is the link to sojo - free shipping to your home:
GRAIN free should be very helpful with You adding your own lamb  ( ground lamb)
http://www.sojos.com/index.aspx?affiliate=petnurse


When you are in the hospital or ill - you can try one of the following????
Innova EVO -
EVO
95% Venison
Canned Dog Food

Pass up grain-based pet food for a meat-based formula bursting with nutrients and protein, such as EVO 95% Venison Canned Dog Food.



http://www.evopet.com/products/default.asp?id=1498