How will we survive this?!?!Question:Ok, I'm being a little dramatic. :) But Dr. B says that because Kai is still having some tummy issues, he can't have any treats for a while. :( And since I primarily use treats in training, it's going to put a damper on things. I can still use his kibble, but it's pretty low value. Can anyone suggest other (positive) ways to motivate him? Or any other self rewarding activities we can do together to pass the time? He loves to play ball, and I had him do some tricks for throws, but it would take me forever to teach him a new behavior that way. :yikes: Any suggestions or thoughts are appreciated. :) Answer: What kibble is he on? Answer: Natural Balance Venison and Brown Rice Answer: Natural Balance Venison and Brown Rice I thought so. Why don't you try the Venison and Brown Rice treats made by Natural Balance specifically for dogs with allergies so they can have treats? You can view them here: http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/allergy/Venisontreats.html Answer: Ahhhhhhhh! Yes, the ingredients are pretty much the same! So I don't see how they could hurt. Thanks so much for pointing that out Showpug. :) Answer: Ahhhhhhhh! Yes, the ingredients are pretty much the same! So I don't see how they could hurt. Thanks so much for pointing that out Showpug. :) No problem. I think those treats would be totally safe because they are made to compliment the food and not trigger allergies. Hope he likes them. :) Answer: Me too. :) It'll definitely be better than nothing! Hopefully it will work out, because if it doesn't, our vet is probably going to recommend that we put him on Hill's z/d. Answer: Me too. :) It'll definitely be better than nothing! Hopefully it will work out, because if it doesn't, our vet is probably going to recommend that we put him on Hill's z/d. If you give the Hills z/d a try, make sure it's the z/d ultra and not just the z/d. The z/d is low allergen and the ultra is allergen free. They are outrageously expensive too! Hope this works! Answer: Oh, thanks for letting me know! If that has to happen, it will hopefully just be a trail to verify or rule out food intolerance... Since apparently I can't find a protein/carb combo that suits him! The problem is that we haven't been able to stabilize him on any food to test for specific intolerances. He's shown some improvement with NB, but still gets ill every 2-3 weeks. The vet says he's in good condition overall though, so we'll get it worked out. Answer: Oh, thanks for letting me know! If that has to happen, it will hopefully just be a trail to verify or rule out food intolerance... Since apparently I can't find a protein/carb combo that suits him! If he shows improvement, I would get him off of it eventually. He's shown some improvement with NB, but still gets ill every 2-3 weeks. The vet says he's in good condition overall though, so we'll get it worked out. Is he having intestinal/stomach issues when you say "get's ill?" Answer: Yes... every 2-3 weeks, he'll have a bout of vomiting where he will vomit 3-5 times in a 24 hour period. Sometimes he'll get diarrhea the next day as well. It's the strangest thing, because in between he seems perfectly fine! He's not losing weight either... he's actually gained two pounds since we got him! He's had blood work done and has been tested for parasites. But we're treating him with Panacur right now, just to rule that out. And then he will probably be treated for Helicobacter. If there is no improvement, we will possibly do a trial with z/d, but I'm still not sure how I feel about that (I hate Hill's). If it comes to it, he'll have to have an endoscopy. Hope that's not TMI for you! Seems like this doesn't belong on the training board anymore! lol! Answer: Holly never vomited but she did have constant diarrhea and the Timberwolf organics worked awesome. I hope this is nothing serious and he gets figured out soon. Answer: Thanks, Julie! I've thought about switching to TWO, but the vet says to just sit tight for now. Since his overall condidtion is pretty good, he wants to try one thing at a time. But if the Panacur and Helicobacter treatments don't work, we may try it. Answer: Yes... every 2-3 weeks, he'll have a bout of vomiting where he will vomit 3-5 times in a 24 hour period. Sometimes he'll get diarrhea the next day as well. It's the strangest thing, because in between he seems perfectly fine! He's not losing weight either... he's actually gained two pounds since we got him! He's had blood work done and has been tested for parasites. But we're treating him with Panacur right now, just to rule that out. And then he will probably be treated for Helicobacter. If there is no improvement, we will possibly do a trial with z/d, but I'm still not sure how I feel about that (I hate Hill's). If it comes to it, he'll have to have an endoscopy. Hope that's not TMI for you! Seems like this doesn't belong on the training board anymore! lol! That is EXACTLY what my dane used to do. He had inflammatory bowel disease along with other health problems. I tried everything with him and finally put him on Z/D ultra and it worked really well, but I hated the cost and quality of ingredients. Honestly, I would give Timberwolf a try. You have nothing to loose... Answer: That is EXACTLY what my dane used to do. He had inflammatory bowel disease along with other health problems. I tried everything with him and finally put him on Z/D ultra and it worked really well, but I hated the cost and quality of ingredients. Honestly, I would give Timberwolf a try. You have nothing to loose... I've been wondering if he has IBD for a while now. :( I'm holding out hope that it's something else. Did your Dane have to go on drugs? I REALLY don't want to put him on drugs for the rest of his life, that's my worst fear. I will definitely bring TWO up with my vet next time we talk. He's pretty open to input. ETA: What formula do you think would be best? Answer: I have really good luck with the Dakota Bison and Wilderness Elk with Holly. She was always really loose but within a day or two of starting her on TWO it was firm and it has stayed that way (unless I experiment with canned food or something). Just the kibble and some water is all Holly gets and she has never had a problem with it. Answer: I've been wondering if he has IBD for a while now. :( I'm holding out hope that it's something else. Did your Dane have to go on drugs? I REALLY don't want to put him on drugs for the rest of his life, that's my worst fear. I will definitely bring TWO up with my vet next time we talk. He's pretty open to input. ETA: What formula do you think would be best? My dane couldn't tolerate the drugs. They usually like to use prednisone or others like it. The side effects of prednisone are horrible though and I can't stand that drug. Anyway, I was able to manage him free from any vomiting or diarrhea as long as he ate the Z/D ultra or the I/D and trust me, I tried everything! They are both crappy and I hated feeding them, but it's all he could keep down. Knowing now what I know about nutrition though, there are a few foods out today like TWO that I would have tried on him. I would probably go with the Dakota Bison for a start or the Ocean Blue... Answer: another tip someone gave me,,,do they have the canned version of the food you feed? Bake it,,in like a loaf pan, cut into small tidbits for treats.. diane Answer: Thanks Julie and Showpug. I think we'll give TWO a shot. I'm going to try to get some samples and see which one he likes. Thanks for that tip, Jynx. That's a great idea! Answer: Have you considered doing a proper elimination diet? It sounds like a pain but it's really the only way to know with certainty what the problem ingredients may be. I would check out www.betterdogcare.com and get a customized analysis done by Mordy. She's got a degree in animal care focusing on nutrition and can make a diet plan for your dog and also help you get to the bottom of what's going on. I actually trust her for things like this 100 times more than any vet. Everyone I know who has used her has been very happy. Answer: That's a good idea. I didn't know that Mordy does that. If we don't find any foreign objects during the scope, that will be the next thing we do. His breeder thinks we should do the scope because she doesn't think IBD or food allergies are likely. |
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