Health issues...but only on one side of the body?

[GatorBytes]

Originally Posted by evybear15

I'll have to look into it! We did try doing a partial raw diet for a while as the breeder we got him from recommended incorporating chicken necks and such to his diet, but we found out through that he actually can't have chicken. Poor dog had diarrhea ALL the time before we connected the dots... We're hesitant to try turkey because of that, even though I know it's not the exact same!

Blackshep - Possibly.. I think I asked the vet about it initially, but he didn't seem to think so? It honestly doesn't seem to phase Baxter at all, it's just...always leaking.

Too bad that RAW gets the boot as so many feel that was the cause and so many abandon it. The problem is mixing denatured/rendered mats and fats with natural. Dogs don't process foods for about 8 hrs. Ordinarily the stomach acids would neutralize microbes from RAW, but the kibble being dry absorbes the fluids, enzymes, acids needed for the body to effectively manage RAW, this alkalizes the gut, and not enough left over to render the bad bacteria and digest fats from the necks. Diarrhea.

Most dogs do not tollerate a mixed diet - All or none.
If you decide to transition to raw, then add a pancreatin digestive enzyme and minimize the fat until he's on track. Cococnut oil will serve where animal fat is missing and is not metabolized by the liver therefore giving it a rest while it heals...everything will fall into place.

[evybear15]

Originally Posted by GatorBytes

Too bad that RAW gets the boot as so many feel that was the cause and so many abandon it. The problem is mixing denatured/rendered mats and fats with natural. Dogs don't process foods for about 8 hrs. Ordinarily the stomach acids would neutralize microbes from RAW, but the kibble being dry absorbes the fluids, enzymes, acids needed for the body to effectively manage RAW, this alkalizes the gut, and not enough left over to render the bad bacteria and digest fats from the necks. Diarrhea.

Most dogs do not tollerate a mixed diet - All or none.
If you decide to transition to raw, then add a pancreatin digestive enzyme and minimize the fat until he's on track. Cococnut oil will serve where animal fat is missing and is not metabolized by the liver therefore giving it a rest while it heals...everything will fall into place.

That actually makes sense.

We still have a decent amount of chicken necks and backs frozen (as we figured we could use them for chicken stock for ourselves if nothing else). If we do switch to RAW, I may give it another shot.

It's a lot to take in, so I definitely want to do my homework, so to speak, before making any changes. Not to say it's right or wrong - I just want to be sure I understand what it is that I'm doing first.

[Blanketback]

What does Baxter sleep on, and do you wash it with hypoallergenic detergents?

[GatorBytes]

Originally Posted by evybear15

That actually makes sense.

We still have a decent amount of chicken necks and backs frozen (as we figured we could use them for chicken stock for ourselves if nothing else). If we do switch to RAW, I may give it another shot.

It's a lot to take in, so I definitely want to do my homework, so to speak, before making any changes. Not to say it's right or wrong - I just want to be sure I understand what it is that I'm doing first.

Thats hilarious you mention making stock for yourselves....do this for your dog too. My dog had a knee injury and I wasn't able to do surgery (too many other variables to list)...Although already on raw so had the fundamentals at least or he wouldn't be here...

I was using a couple of suppliments - one for joint health/pain (Fast Joint Care + - uses eggshell membrane as glucosamine source) and one for inflammation (Wobenzyme) and calcium (as I had reduced his bone due to bowl problems and fat - which he is now back to normal amount of bone)...fast forward 9 months I couldn't maintain the expense. I happened across a reminder about bone stock. My dog at had just turned 7, was 10lbs underweight, his leg muscles had atrophied femurs and hip bones were showing...he was viewed by passers by as a 14 yr old dog soon to be PTS. End of Dec. last year (back to stock)...I made a pot of stock, as well had saved eggshells, dehydrated them and ground (in place of the calcium and FJP suppliment) and added this to his diet...he started trekking along a bit faster after a couple weeks and on day 30 jumped on my bed...he could barely walk let alone jump for 10 months - now he's on my bed ALL the time LOL...he nearly cleared a 4 foot fence the other day going after a squirrel.

I used a half cup stock split am/pm. I do not use any other joint suppliment what so ever and he is 8 now (oct.) he also gets 1/4tsp of eggshell in his A.M. meal as he doesn't get bone - only P.M.

[evybear15]

Huh! So many things that I never would have thought of doing for Baxter that seem perfectly normal to do for myself - such as stock.

Clearly, I have quite a bit to learn, but that's easily remedied.



He has a blanket in his crate that he sleeps on when he is in there. I will admit that I don't wash with hypoallergenic detergent...It's worth a shot though, and it's easy enough to find fragrance- and dye-free detergents. At night he sleeps on the floor next to the bed, which is carpeted (not new, not recently cleaned with any chemicals), or in his crate if he so pleases.

[Blanketback]

I think it would be worth a shot to wash his blanket in a different detergent. If you notice him in his crate, does he favor one side to sleep on, and is it his right side? He doesn't seem to have really horrible symptoms but he's obviously not reacting well to something. I'm very sensitive to scents myself, and regular detergents give me a bad headache. I can only imagine what they smell like to dogs, lol.

[evybear15]

I haven't really noticed him favoring sleeping on one side or another - he flip-flops around and changes positions a lot. Every time I wake up in the middle of the night, he's in some other spot, completely different position - flat dog, on right side, on left side, curled up, sprawled on his back while wedging himself between the door and his crate...

I have to swing by the store on my way home from work, so I can grab a bottle of fragrance and dye free detergent. His blanket is due to be washed anyway, so it's good timing!

But I agree...it's something minor right now, but it's obvious that something just isn't right. Best to figure it out while it IS minor, instead of waiting for the bigger issue to emerge.