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Homemade Pet Food Resources and Links

May 10th, 2011

Recently, we posted a series of Q&As with people who feed homemade pet food to their dogs or cats. As a follow up, here are some helpful resources and recipe sites for homemade dog food and homemade cat food.

Getting Homemade Pet Food “Right”

The main concern with homemade dog food or homemade cat food is getting the nutrient balance right. Honestly, I’m not sure I do that very well for myself, so the idea of taking on that responsibility for my dogs makes me nervous. Could I feed a decent meal now and again? Sure. Could I meet their nutritional needs over the long haul? I’m not sure.

That’s where good, researched pet food recipes come into play. I understand that others feel otherwise, but because of my background writing about veterinary medicine and pet health (dating back to 1995), I feel better about getting this kind of pet health information from board-certified veterinary nutritionists. Both of these sites offer that foundation of knowledge.

Homemade Pet Food Recipes

BalanceIt.com – To select and download recipes, simply:

• Pick your protein
• Pick your carbs
• Pick your species (dog or cat)

You’ll have to create an account for the site so that you can pay for your homemade pet food recipes. $20 for one, $30 for two, $12.50 each for 3 or more … ordered all in the same transaction.

The site also sells and recommends BalanceIT nutritional supplements to ensure pets get the vitamins, minerals, amino acids and such that they need for long-term health.

PetDiets.com – The site requires you to attest to the fact that your pet is:

• Between ages 1 and 15
• Spayed or neutered
• Has no health problems

Then, you can select and download recipes. It’s $25 for the first one, and $12.50 for others for the same species ordered at the same time.

This site also sells and recommends BalanceIT nutritional supplements.

Homemade Dog Food, Homemade Cat Food Q&As

If you’d like to catch up on this series of pet food posts, check out these links:

Homemade Dog Food: Feeding Raw to Active Dogs

Homemade Cat Food: Raw or Cooked

Homemade Dog Food: Food Allergies and Pancreatitis

Homemade Dog Food Q&A: Cooking for Fido

Homemade Dog Food Q & A: Feeding Raw

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Tags: BalanceIT, cat food recipes, dog food recipies, home-cooked pet food, homemade cat food, homemade dog food, homemade pet food, pet food recipes, PetDiets, veterinary nutritionists
Posted in Dog Allergies, Dog Food Basics, Dog Health, K9 Nutrition | Comments Off

How to Search for Dog Foods

January 12th, 2011

When I asked for reader questions at the end of 2010, I assumed they’d be of the big-picture variety … like … Do probiotics survive the pet food production process?

Instead, we got a couple of very specific cries for help. Sometimes, because of medical situations or other considerations, people have a tough, tough time finding a food that works for a specific pet. While I hesitate some to become the queen of food recommendations, I’m going to do my best to help.

Before we get started, let me explain how best to search K9Cuisine.com.

When you first arrive on the site, select the product category you need.

Once you’re in the right product area (dog food or cat food, for example), you can search by brand name, if you already know what you want.

If you’re more of a Google-style thinker (like me), you can search using keywords in the search box.

Or, you can drill down even deeper into the dog food category, by selecting the kind of food you want when these pop-out menus come up.

And, from there, you can even refine your search more, using these drop-down menus.

I used a combination of these search tactics in my quest to answer these reader questions.

Question #1 – Can you suggest a dry dog food with a low percentage of protein that uses fish but avoids a bevy of protein and carb allergens?

The backstory on this question is that Cindy needs a kibble for her golden retriever (age 2 1/2). Her challenges include:

• Wanting a dog food with a low percentage of protein to help address some behavior issues
• Wanting a dog food with fish as the primary protein source
• Needing a dog food without chicken, lamb, corn, wheat, or carrots (due to allergies)

Cindy has already tried three big-name products in this dog food segment of the market, but she struggles with:

• A 40% protein level in a top contender
• Skin/coat issues on the current food she feeds
• Skin/coat issues with the last food she tried

Answer #1 -Dog Food With Low(er) Levels of Fish Protein

This turned out to be harder than it looks because MOST of the dry dog foods that use fish as the primary protein source provide a high level — sky high — of protein. Someone told me years ago that anything in the 20% or higher range was like giving your dog “rocket fuel.” Looking back, I realize this person likely bought into the cheap, commercial food mantra. These days, many consumers WANT super-high levels of proteins for their dogs, even those who are not star athletes.

The second challenge is that many fish formulas also feature carrots, which is great, but not for Cathy’s dog.

So, here is one more idea Cindy might want to try:

Natural Balance Sweet Potato and Fish

This is the lowest % protein fish food without any of things that trigger Cindy’s dog’s allergies that I could find. How do I know that? I used the Analysis Tab and the Ingredients Tab to dig deeper.

Question #2 – After some medical scares, my dog refuses all dry food and will only eat “crap” canned food. She is losing weight. Is there an affordable, yummy food?

The backstory on this question is that Eileen’s pittie (age 13 1/2) is having all kinds of eating trouble due to a recent surgery and some new neck issues.

Answer #2 – More Fun Proteins and Higher Fat Content

Since Eileen’s dog has already dropped 10 pounds, I’m pretty sure a food with a slightly higher fat content might help her get the energy she needs and perhaps help put on some weight. Personally, I would ALSO feed her 3-4 times a day to build her strength up … once Eileen finds a food her sweetie pup will eat.

So, I set out in my K9Cuisine.com search to find a canned food with an interesting protein and higher fat content. My search (much like the one done above) resulted in these two suggestions:

Pet Kind Venison – Duck – Salmon

Nature’s Variety Instinct Rabbit

Otherwise, Eileen … because of your dog’s age, I would be VERY tempted to cook homemade food. I know it’s daunting, and I’m not even sure I’d be up to doing it long term, but I have done it for spans of time when my dogs really needed to eat.

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Tags: canine allergies, canned dog food, dog food, dog food search, dry dog food, how to search K9Cuisine.com, low-protein dog foods
Posted in Dog Allergies, Dog Food Basics, K9 Nutrition | Comments Off

Ask Us Your Pet Food Questions

December 29th, 2010

As 2010 comes to a close, we’d like to thank all the loyal K9Cuisine.com customers and the Dog Food Dish readers for their support, encouragement, and participation. We’re already hard at work on some blog post topics for 2011, but we thought we’d take this opportunity to ask what topics you like like to learn more about or what questions you have about pet food or pet nutrition.

We’re already exploring more insights into home-made diets and more help for those whose pets have allergies, but we’re happy to tackle any topics of interest to YOU!!!

If you have time this week (amid the holiday crush) or really anytime, please post a comment and let us know what you’d like to know, and we’ll do our best to research the answers and seek expert input in our replies via future blog posts.

Thanks again. And, Happy New Year!!!

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Tags: cat food, dog food, dog food industry, dog food ingredients, dog food questions, pet food, pet nutrition
Posted in Dog Allergies, Dog Food Basics, Dog Food Debates, Dog Food News, Dog Health, K9 Nutrition | 5 Comments »

Weird Symptoms: Pet Food Allergies

September 1st, 2010

After the dog food I had been feeding my two dogs scored an F on K9Cuisine.com’s Dog Food Rating Tool, I found another / new line of food from the same maker that scored an A+. As I mentioned in the post Dog Food Rating Tool – Explained, everything seemed terrific … until it wasn’t.

Dog Days of Summer: A Whole New Meaning

July was a rough month at my house with veterinary bills totaling more than all our other monthly bills combined. Ginko’s third knee surgery in 10 years cost us FOUR times the initial estimate.

He is mostly recovered now, after two major rounds of antibiotics to deal with the massive infection they found tunneling its way through his right knee.

Ginko was none to happy to wear the collar that kept him from licking his surgery leg, after last month's knee surgery.

But, in the process of healing, Ginko suddenly developed an unquenchable thirst, which of course led to lots of peeing and very little sleep for anyone at our house.

He would literally stand at the empty water bowl and CRY, after having just slurped down the entire thing.

Weird Symptoms: Pet Food Allergies

During one of his post-op appointments, where they drew blood samples and did some urinalysis (and found nothing of concern), our veterinarian concluded that the change in dog food was to blame.

How’d she know?

Oddly enough, she had recently switched her dogs to the exact same food, and they too had become “water mongers.”

Other Possible Causes

Now, with Ginko having just come through a tough 2+-hour surgery, and with the massive antibiotics he was taking, it was easy to think that perhaps those things had something to do with his sudden water issues.

Dog Food Switch: Take 2

But, just to be sure, we switched him from the salmon and sweet potato formula to the turkey and sweet potato formula.

My worried, skeptical husband really wanted to switch Ginko back to the old food … F grade or not, but I convinced him to that we’d just try another protein source in the A+ line instead.

He begrudgingly agreed, saying, “Let’s hope it isn’t the sweet potato that’s the problem.”

Problem Solved

After just one week, Ginko’s thirst issues vanished. He is completely normal again.

I’m not saying that Ginko is “allergic” to the salmon, but I believe there is some dog food intolerance or dog food sensitivity there. I cannot imagine that all that thirst and drinking and peeing doesn’t wear a dog down, so I’m glad we switched, and I’m glad he is doing better.

While we could have just returned what was left of the salmon food, I’ve continued to feed it to Lilly (my border collie, the canine heroine of our blog Champion of My Heart) … because she is doing great on the new food. I’ll just switch her over to the turkey when we run out of salmon.

This experience makes me VERY leery of moving them to a dog food rotation schedule … because, frankly, my budget can’t take many more expensive veterinary scares right now.

Trading Ills

Alas, the salmon-based food virtually made Ginko’s “gas” problem disappear, so now that he is back on the turkey (grain-free, gluten-free) formula … the gas has returned.

I’m also a bit stumped that we haven’t seen a great reduction in stool quantity from either dog.

Because Ginko was on strict house rest during his recovery, I supervised every trip to the dog pen for him to potty for several weeks, and I’ve got to say … what’s coming out the other end is NOT less than it was on the old food.

So, either the old food wasn’t all that bad, in terms of fillers, or there is a goodly amount of sweet potatoes, peas and such in the new food.

It’s been a long, long time since I fed so-called “grocery store” brands. Perhaps I just don’t remember stool quantities from the old days.

What Weird Symptoms?

So, beyond the typical symptoms veterinarians see in dogs with food allergies, what crazy things have you seen when a food didn’t agree with your pet?

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Tags: allergy symptoms, animal protein, dog, dog allergies, dog food, dog food allergies, Dog Food Dish, food sensitivity, hydrolysate, K9Cuisine.com, novel protein
Posted in Dog Allergies, K9 Nutrition | 14 Comments »

Are Gourmet Dog Food and Treats Hampering Dog Allergies?

June 30th, 2010

Last week, we talked about the usefulness of “novel” proteins in the diagnosis and management of dog food allergies. Today, I’m going to ask a potentially loaded question: Are gourmet dog food and treats hampering our dog allergy efforts?

I ask because once upon a time LAMB was considered a novel protein that veterinarians could use to test dogs with dog food sensitivities. If Fido ate a beef- or chicken-based dog food at home, then lamb (which he’d never eaten before) would be a good option.

Then, lamb ended up in more mainstream dog foods and dog treats, and it could no longer be used in that way.

I’m no ogre. I’m no naysayer. Personally, I LOVE buying my dogs fancy dog treats made from pumpkin, cranberry, blueberry, and other ooh-la-la ingredients. I like giving them some variety in their diet.

Whole oats here. Sweet potatoes there. A little rabbit nibble today. A dried duck treat tomorrow.

You know the drill because you do the same thing. Right?

So, I ask this question in part because I wonder if in all our attempts to improve our dogs’ lives we might be sensitizing them to more and more things.

And, dogs with allergies must first be SENSITIZED before an allergy develops. That’s how the process goes:

• Exposure
• Sensitize
• Immune Reaction

But, I also ask in the wake of a New York Times article (The Truth About Dog and Cat Food) published earlier this month that essentially panned premium foods as expensive gimmicks. (Personally, I think otherwise, but …)

Think about it. As we broaden our dog’s food horizons, we greatly shorten the list of truly novel proteins that can be used to diagnose and treat dog food allergies.

And, if whatever has caused allergies, in general, to increase significantly in the last 60 years (in both people and pets) continues, then might we someday face a situation where dogs with allergies have fewer and fewer viable food options.

What next? Turtle meat, rattlesnake meat, emu?

I’m not going to change my shopping or feeding habits, but I thought I should pause and ask a bigger question.

Flawed logic? Slippery slope paranoia? Think so? Let me know.

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Tags: dog food, dog food allergies, Dog Food Dish, dog treats, gourmet dog food, gourmet pet treats, K9Cuisine, lamb, novel proteins
Posted in Dog Allergies, Dog Food Debates, Dog Food News, K9 Nutrition | 9 Comments »

Dog Allergy Basics: Dog Food Allergies

June 23rd, 2010

Once upon a time, I felt terrible about my eldest dog needing surgery on both his knees at age 3. He just had another knee surgery earlier this month, after nearly 7 years relatively pain-free. That’s my orthopedic sob story.

Yet, I once spent a weekend in Palm Springs, California, with the top veterinary dermatologists and veterinary allergists from the around world. The things they shared about their work snapped me right out of it because I learned:

• How hard dog allergies are to diagnose
• How hard certain dog allergies can be to treat
• What role LIFE-LONG management plays in canine comfort

Suddenly, those surgeries, even with recovery periods stretching many months, didn’t seem so bad.

So, let me say this … If your pet suffers from any kind of allergy, you have my unequivocal sympathy. Really.

The Proteins Do It

It’s the proteins, kids. The proteins that usually lead to dog food sensitivity or dog food allergies in our canine pals. This includes proteins that come from plant sources and even things we think of as carbohydrates.

In very simple terms, it takes a BIG molecule to trigger a dog’s immune system to overreact. That’s all an allergy is really.  It’s a normally helpful body system that goes overboard.

And, proteins are big enough to get the Let’s-Make-the-Immune-System-Freakout job done.

Most Common Allergy-Causing Proteins

• Beef
• Dairy products, like milk
• Chicken
• Eggs
• Corn
• Wheat
• Soybean

Dog Food Allergy Symptoms

Remember, since these allergens get absorbed in digestion, symptoms include:

• Gas
• Bloating
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Itchy paws, skin, ears

Some in the dog training world also believe that dog food allergies or sensitivities can lead to fear and aggression issues in certain dogs.

Food Elimination Trials

If veterinarians suspect a food allergy, they’ll likely recommend food elimination trials or a bigger food switch — lasting at least 8 weeks — that cuts out all of the most common dog food allergens.

Everyone in the family or in your dog circle needs to be on board with this. No sneaking Fido forbidden snacks. No cheating.

Often this means using a food with a “novel” protein. In other words, a protein your dog has never been exposed to before. Things like rabbit, duck, and kangaroo are used as novel proteins.

Lamb actually was once used as a novel protein until it made it’s way into mainstream dog foods.

You can make novel protein food at home, or you can buy it from places like K9Cuisine.com (this blog’s sponsor) or through veterinary channels.

There is another option, though. Veterinarians can prescribe diets that use “hydrolysate” proteins, which are essentially common sources of protein (like chicken), but the protein has been broken up into such tiny pieces that the dog’s body no longer sees it as an allergen.

Proving Feeding Trial Results

If a dog does NOT improve on the new strict diet, then doctors rule out food allergies.

If a dog does improve, then veterinarians will usually recommend “challenging” the patient with the previously fed diet to see if symptoms return.

Adding Foods Back In

Because it’s usually more than one protein causing the issue, it can be hard to figure out which ones might be OK.

BUT, once a dog is doing well on a new diet, you can carefully reintroduce certain kinds of food or treats in two- or three-week intervals to see how well the dog tolerates them.

You may find that your dog isn’t as stuck in food and treat choices as I’m sure it first feels when the dog food allergy diagnosis is first made.

What Worked For You?

Have you been through this dog food allergy process? What foods or treats ended up working well for your dog? We’d love to know.

Shout Out Any Cautions Too!

For example, Karen from the OPDogBlog posted a comment to Dog Allergy Basics: 3 Common Triggers that explained how a dog food formula change  threw her dog for a loop that’s taken months to unravel. Her advice? Check every label, every time.

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Tags: allergy symptoms, animal protein, dog, dog allergies, dog food, dog food allergies, Dog Food Dish, food sensitivity, hydrolysate, K9Cuisine.com, novel protein, plant protein
Posted in Dog Allergies, Dog Health, K9 Health, K9 Nutrition | 2 Comments »

Dog Allergies and Dog Breeds

June 16th, 2010

Just as some dog breeds show a propensity for deafness, heart trouble, or certain kinds of cancer, some also sometimes develop allergies more than others. Here is a quick recap of which dog breeds are more likely to develop different kinds of allergies.

Breeds Prone to Atopy (environmental allergies)

Veterinarians classify atopy as a genetically predisposed inflammatory and itchy skin disease. Researchers have found that atopic dogs have defects in the outermost layers of their skin that allow for the increased uptake of these proteins through the skin.

• Retriever breeds (Goldens, Labs)
• Terrier breeds (Westies, Fox terriers, Yorkies, Carin, Scottish, Boston)
• Dalmatians
• Boxers
• Chinese Shar Pei
• Cocker Spaniels
• Miniature Schnauzers
• Chihuahuas
• Lhasa Apsos
• Shih Tzus
• Irish Setters
• Shiba Inus

Breeds Prone to Food Allergies

The connection between actual breed and dog food sensitivity or dog food allergy is less clear than with atopy. However, prevalence suggests that these breeds may be more prone:

• Cocker Spaniels
• Shar Peis
• Poodles
• West Highland Terriers
• Wheaton Terriers
• Boxers
• Dachshunds
• German Shepherd Dogs
• Golden Retrievers

***

Many thanks to Rod Rosychuk, a board certified veterinary dermatologist and associate professor at the veterinary teaching hospital at Colorado State University, for compiling these lists.

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Tags: atopy, dog breeds, dog food allergy, environmental allergy, veterinary dermatology
Posted in Dog Allergies, Dog Health, K9 Health, K9 Nutrition | 1 Comment »

Dog Allergy Basics: Dermatology CSI

June 9th, 2010

Since dog allergies often manifest as itching and skin issues, pet parents turn to veterinary dermatologists for help uncovering the mysteries that may or may not be allergy related.

An Itch By Any Other Name

Rod Rosychuk, a board certified veterinary dermatologist and associate professor at the veterinary teaching hospital at Colorado State University, tells Dog Food Dish that unraveling the symptoms is “truly Dematology: CSI.”

“When presented with an itchy dog, we first have to recognize that there are things that can make dogs itchy that are not allergies (for example, bacterial infections, mite infestations),” he says.

Other Dog Allergy Hints or Indicators

Veterinarians, be they dermatologists or otherwise, look at a number of factors to help them figure out what’s what. This includes:

Breed – since some have a genetic propensity to develop atopy

Age of itchy onset – since food allergies show up in dogs a year old or less, while atopy usually emerges between 1-3 years of age and gets worse over time

Seasonality – since fleas and pollens tend to be worse in certain areas at certain times of year

Nature and location of skin problems and coat changes – since different kinds of allergies show up in different locations:

• Flea allergies = rump, back of thighs, groin areas
• Atopy or food sensitivity = face, ears, feet, armpits, flanks, private regions

Ruling Things In or Out

Often veterinarians must try various treatments  as a test for symptom relief to figure out what’s going on. For example, if the doctor suspects flea allergies, and the dog responds well and improves after flea therapy begins, then the diagnosis is confirmed.

If symptoms continue, however, even after flea control, then the search for a cause continues and may include:

• Food trials lasting at least 8 weeks to test (We’ll talk MUCH more about food sensitivities and allergies in the coming weeks.)
• Bathing remedies aimed at getting pollens and other irritants off the dog’s coat
• More detailed “skin prick” tests or even blood tests looking for allergen-specific antibodies (IgE), especially if atopy is indicated

No Easy, Fast Answers

Slogging through the various tests and suspicions takes patience, and lots of it. It’s easy to get antsy when your dog is suffering, but if you seem to be facing a possible atopy or allergy diagnosis, try to hang in there with as much grace and ease as you can muster.

Chime In!

Do you have a dog allergy victory or scary tale to share? Let us know!

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Tags: allergies, dog, dog allergies, dog food, dog food allergy, food allergies, itching, veterinary dermatology
Posted in Dog Allergies, K9 Health, K9 Nutrition | 9 Comments »

Dog Allergy Basics: 3 Common Triggers

June 2nd, 2010

In the coming weeks, the Dog Food Dish Blog will cover dog allergies, bit by bit. Today? Three Common Allergy Triggers …

Dogs develop allergies when their immune systems become hypersensitive and generate an excessive reaction to normally harmless substances. Essentially, the dog’s body overreacts. The immune system does too much.

“These [triggers] are almost always proteins,” says Rod Rosychuk, a board certified veterinary dermatologist and associate professor at the veterinary teaching hospital at Colorado State University, “because, in part, proteins are larger molecules, and it takes a larger molecule to illicit such an immune response.”

1. Flea Bite Allergy

We’re talking salivary proteins, which is a polite way of saying “flea spit.” When fleas bite, they insert some saliva into the skin. Dogs can become hypersensitive to this, which leads to scratching and biting at the skin. Next comes hair loss, skin inflammation, and skin thickening.

This particular allergy is more common in heavy flea areas of the south and southeast United States.

2. Environmental Allergy (atopy)

According to Rosychuk, veterinarians classify atopy as a “genetically predisposed inflammatory and itchy skin disease,” often triggered by:

• Pollens from weeds, grasses, trees
• House dust mites
• Molds
• Fabrics (including cotton or wool)

Dogs can even be allergic to dander from other animals. Seriously. Your dog could be allergic to your cat. (That’s your pet trivia for the day.)

Dogs with this kind of itching commonly develop symptoms between 1-3 years of age and tend to get worse over the years.

Researchers have found that these dogs have “defects in the outermost layers of their skin that allow for the increased uptake of these proteins through the skin,” Rosychuk says.

3. Dog Food Allergy

Dogs can be allergic to single protein in dog food, but it is often several proteins, including:

• Beef
• Dairy
• Chicken
• Eggs

This can encompass the protein elements of grains like corn and wheat as well as things like soy.

Dog food allergies usually begin during puppyhood and often can be controlled through diet. (We’ll talk much more about that in coming weeks.)

“The incidence [of dog food allergies] does vary somewhat throughout the country,” Rosychuk says. “In the front range [of Colorado], where we do not see flea bite hypersensitivity, 5% of the dogs with [allergy symptoms] will be food sensitive. 90% being atopic, and 5% will be both food sensitive and atopic.”

Since dogs absorb these allergens during digestion, tummy troubles (diarrhea, vomiting, gas) are common. They can, however, also show skin itchiness that looks similar to atopy or environmental allergies.

Other Dog Allergies

Dogs rarely develop contact allergies, where a non-protein substance combines with a protein on the skin to produce an allergic reaction. But, that too is a possibility.

Sometimes, dogs can develop allergies to drugs, mites, bacteria, and yeast as well.

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Tags: atopy, canine allergies, dog allergies, dog food allergy, flea bite allergy, food allergy
Posted in Dog Allergies, K9 Nutrition | 14 Comments »