Tripawds Nutrition

Are you losing fingers from trying to pill your dog? If so, maybe it’s time to try some tastier treats?

Here’s a great homemade pill pocket recipe that Tripawds member bordergirl shared in the Forums, which made giving pills to her beloved Zip much easier:

“With thanks to Spirit Maxie’s mom I tried her idea of a mush to get pills down.

Zip was getting harder to pill because of the stomach upset from the chemo so along with her diarrhea problem from the same source I came up with this and all the dogs but especially Zip loved it.

This can be modified anyway your dog or cat’s diet needs it to be. This was easy on her kidneys and liver and helped her diarrhea. Sometimes I added FortiFlora to help her intestines get back the good stuff. I also think she liked the coolness of it on her throat.

May this be a blessing to all who need it.“

The Good Lady’s  Mush

• 1 bag dried dehydrated turkey or chicken
• half cup of pumpkin -NOT pumpkin pie mix
• 1/3 cup sweet potato flour. Avoid regular flour if possible. I got mine at William-Sonoma but a health food store would also carry it.
• 1 tbsp. oil.  I used coconut oil so it didn’t bother her pancreas
• Organic beef broth

Put turkey in blender to make a flour. Place all ingredients in sauce pan EXCEPT beef broth. With burner on low, stir all together and add enough broth to make it mushy — similar to playdough but not as smooth. Should hold together and be able to make little balls with it.

Refrigerate and keep covered. Pinch off what you need at pilling time.

Do you make your own pill pocket treats?
If so, share your recipe below!

No time to cook your own pill pocket dog treats?
Try Greenies Pill Pockets Duck Flavor

Made for dogs and designed by vets and experts. So they not only help with the delivery of medication, they are also a source of vitamins C & E to promote a healthy immune system.

Aside from a Flying Dutchman burger, Tripawds Spokesdawg Wyatt Ray prefers Honest Kitchen’s tasty homemade dehydrated dog food as his meal of choice. But this week, we ran out of Honest Kitchen! Now what?

You see, Tripawds’ dog house on wheels is camping in the desert this month, and we’re far from any utilities, services or shopping. Without the convenience of Honest Kitchen, it looks like we’ll need to prepare some home cooked meals for our voracious eater.

Recently we asked members how they picked their dog’s diet (see “How Do You Pick a Dog Diet for your Tripawd?“). Now, we’ll share how we choose what Wyatt eats on the road.

Wyatt Eats Like We Do

Three year-old Wyatt gets the benefit of what we learned about supermarket-grade dog food several years ago, when Spirit Jerry started having seizures. Although we can’t trace his seizures back to the suspect dog food, coincidentally they stopped once we upgraded Jerry’s diet by feeding him better kibble and more raw meaty bones.

Now that we know better, Wyatt regularly eats a Dog Food Advisor-approved, higher grade of commercial grain-free kibble, such as Earthborn Holistic or Taste of the Wild. There are higher rated dog kibble brands on the market, such as Orijen or Wysong, but Earthborn and ToW both fit into our budget.

Each day while we’re camping, Wyatt will get more than kibble. As usual, a rotating selection of unprocessed fresh foods is on the menu. We attribute this as the main reason fleas stay away from his shiny fur.

Although he won’t get his usual cup of Honest Kitchen added to his kibble, Wyatt will get to gnaw on raw chicken, a mish-mash of finely grated fresh veggies and when we can find them, raw buffalo bones. Buffalo bones are much stronger than beef bones. They’re more expensive but they last longer and unlike with cow bones, the marrow rarely causes less digestive upset in his sensitive belly.

We sometimes home cook large pots of stew for Wyatt, but not when we are dry camping in our RV without full hookups. Since water is a precious commodity, making a huge mess like this isn’t an option.

When we’re camped out in the desert, Wyatt eats much of the same foods that we do; lots of veggies, occasional meat and of course, kibble. We also supplement with eggs, fish oil and a good probiotic to keep his system running smoothly.

Feeding healthy foods to your dog doesn’t have to be expensive. Our own philosophy for Wyatt’s diet is the same as it is for ourselves: while organic is preferred, it’s not always affordable or feasible, especially when we’re in rural, remote areas.

We just do the best we can to eat a healthy diet, with few processed foods and bad fats. In the end, eating well won’t be as cheap as a bag of Ol’ Roy, but ultimately we’ll likely have fewer health issues.

What’s your approach to feeding your Tripawd? Do you have multiple dogs? How do you feed them? Tell us about your meal plan below.

Among today’s pawrents, the question of what type of food to feed a dog is a heated discussion topic. Some of us swear by premium commercial foods, others insist that a home-cooked diet is the only way to go. Still other Tripawds living with cancer have outlived their prognosis while eating the equivalent of Ol’ Roy.

We’re told to talk to our vets about nutrition, but if you mention “raw meat diet” to one, he’ll probably shake his head, tell you about patients’ expensive intestinal punctures from raw bones and advise you to stick with conventional kibble.

After all, that’s safe advice to serve up, since most vets have less than one year of nutritional training while attending vet school. They’re the experts and we’re not but if conventional kibble is the way to go, why do so many dogs thrive on foods other than kibble? And why do so many dogs die from cancer?

Do you feel like you’re on your own when it comes to choosing the best diet for your dog? How do you decide what to feed your Tripawd? Share your story below, we want to hear it.

Dog Diet and Nutrition Resources for the Layperson

The Internet has a bounty of reliable information about canine nutrition, but you need to strike a balance between your vet’s advice based on your dog’s current health, a manufacturer’s product claims (e.g., “holistic” or “human-grade” claims are not regulated by the government) and your gut instinct that tells you what your dog needs for good health. To help you do this, here are some canine nutrition resources to begin your journey:

American College of Veterinary Nutrition

The ACVN is where you’ll find Diplomates of the American College of Veterinary Nutrition (ACVN). They are veterinarians who are board certified specialists in veterinary nutrition and trained in the nutritional management of both healthy animals and those with one or more diseases. Most ACVN vets are found at research institutions but the ACVN Resource Page lists other organizations where board-certified ACVN vets can be found, or you can contact them to find a ACVN vet in your area. In addition, the ACVN FAQs page has succinct information for the lay person about canine nutrition basics.

Dog Food Advisor

The Dog Food Advisor, aka Mike Sagman, a previous Tripawd Talk Radio guest and dog food ingredient expert, has numerous articles about canine nutrition here. Read about everything from how to choose a good dog food to a rundown on the quality of your current commercial dog food.

Speaking for Spot

Dr. Nancy Kay wrote a terrific series about how to make good canine nutrition choices in conjunction with your veteriarian. Read these articles for her veterinarian’s perspective about choosing the best dog diets:

Reasonable Expectations IX: Discussion With Your Vet About What Your Dog or Cat Should Be Eating
Pet Nutrition Follow-up: Dr. Kay shares her dog nutrition philosophies.

Tripawds Amazon Blog: Canine Nutrition Books for Beginners.
A wealth of information about a healthy diet for dogs can be found here and in the Tripawds’ Eating Healthy discussion forums. But for an in-depth look at canine nutrition, consider taking a look at these books.

Modern Dog Magazine: The Cancer Diet for Dogs, Fighting Back with Food, by Elizabeth Pask and Laura Scott.
This short article outlines the basics of how to pick a food for dogs with cancer.

Indulging your Tripawd during the holidays doesn’t have to mean overdoing it on fatty, unhealthy foods. Instead, consider these healthy holistic gift pack ideas to keep your Tripawd in good shape.

We tried to select healthy treats that don’t contain cancer-promoting ingredients like sugar, which is really tough! Other than the high carb sweet potato treats, here are some great ideas we found.  Yum!

Thanks for shopping here; any purchases made at Only Natural Pet will help maintain the Tripawds community in 2012!

Wet Noses Organic Holiday Gift Pack
Wet Noses is a natural dog food company committed to providing healthy food for the pets of today’s world. They use no chemicals, preservatives or animal by-products.

Wholesome, natural ingredients and organic produce make up these delicious dog treats. Now 100% USDA Certified Organic!

For a limited time, try these two great holiday flavors, Apple Pie and Sweet Potato Pie. Apple Pie Ingredients – apples, apple juice, organic rye flour, organic oat flour, eggs, canola oil, ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, molasses. Sweet Potato Pie ingredients – organic sweet potatoes, organic rye flour, whole eggs, dry milk, nutmeg, orange juice, organic oat flour, molasses.

Zuke’s Z-Bones Functional Treats
Zukes Z-Bones provide a healthy way to clean teeth & freshen breath naturally. It’s loaded with powerful breath freshening herbs and healthy wholefood antioxidants.

The delicious, grain free formula is easy to digest and has the ideal texture to help scrape and polish teeth. Freshen, clean and support a healthy lifestyle the way Mother Nature intended. Every Zuke’s product is proudly made in the USA with the highest quality ingredients.

Rocky Mountain Antler Chews
Rocky Mountain Antler Dog Chews come from deer and elk antlers that are rich in minerals, do not splinter, and come from a completely renewable source: Antlers! These are wholesome dog chews that will give your dog hours of enjoyment.

These all-natural antlers contain a great healthy source of calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, magnesium, iron, zinc and manganese. All of these healthy ingredients in a compact, odorless and mess-free dog chew!

Only Natural Pet Holiday Duck Dog Biscuits
Treat your dog this holiday season to these Only Natural Pet Holiday Duck Biscuits. All natural and wholesome, your dog is sure to love the oven baked goodness of savory duck, sweet cranberry and a hint of mint.

These delectable limited edition treats are: Grain Free & Allergen Free, No Wheat, Corn or Soy and completely Made in the USA!

Ingredients – Garbanzo Bean Flour, Cranberries, Organic Canola Oil, Duck Stock, Dried Peppermint, Organic Brown Eggs

How do you prevent heartworms in your Tripawd? Are you sticking to conventional treatment such as Heartgard, or did you go the holistic route and start using a natural heartworm preventative like black walnut and nosodes?

Why are we talking about heartworm in the dead of winter? Because this blog post by Dr. Jennifer Coates of the Fully Vetted Pet Blog reminded us that year-round heartworm prevention is a must, even in December.

If you’re traveling with your Tripawd to see family this holiday season, remember that dogs can get bit by an infected mosquito during winter if conditions are right. With the climate being so wacky these days, a quick rise in temperature can create the right environment for a mosquito hatching inbetween snowstorms!

Conventional Heartworm Prevention: What’s Great, What’s Not

Conventional heartworm preventatives such as Heartguard are easily administered once a month. They are considered so effective that the manufacturers guarantee your dog won’t get heartworm if you follow the dosage instructions.

Some studies have shown that an initial dose is effective beyond 30 days, but if you stretch your dosage schedule out and your dog becomes infected, you’ve voided the manufacturer’s guarantee against infection and you will not be reimbursed for the heartworm treatment costs, which can be upwards of $1,000. Saving a few bucks to stretch out your prescription just doesn’t seem worth it when you look at it that way!

Standard heartworm preventatives do have some ingredients that many people consider toxic. One of them is Ivermectin the active ingredient in conventional drugs that prevents heartworm infestation. While some breeds such as Shelties and Border Collies are genetically predisposed to suffering side effects from Ivermectin, most dogs are not overly sensitive to it. An easy test can tell whether your dog is sensitive to this ingredient.

If you choose a heartworm medication that features other benefits, such as flea prevention, keep in mind that you are increasing the amount of toxins introduced into your dog’s body. If your dog is fighting cancer and already has a compromised immune system, you may want to use something else. Since heartworm infection is more damaging than a flea infestation, it’s advisable to continue heartworm prevention but consider other natural methods of flea and tick prevention instead, such as switching to a home-cooked diet.

Holistic Heartworm Prevention Options

If you choose to go the holistic route, popular options include homeopathic nosodes and a liquid tincture of black walnut. Nosodes help the body build defenses against heartworm infection. Black walnut also does this, in addition to infusing the bloodstream with a scent that repels mosquitoes.

Depending on how prevalent heartworm infection is where you live, holistic heartworm prevention may be an option for your pup, but there are a LOT of downsides.

First, you’ll have to be extra vigilant not only about administering this remedy but also about applying repellent to your dog whenever you go outside. You’ll need to do everything you can to prevent mosquito infestations around your yard. You’ll also see the vet more often since you should test your dog’s blood every six months to monitor for heartworm infection.

What Do You Do About Heartworm Prevention?

Many Tripawd pawrents go back and forth between using an all-natural, holistic approach to canine health and sticking to standard conventional medicine. Heartworm prevention is just one example of the decisions we have to make for our pups, but as long as this disease is even on your radar, you’re a step ahead of the game!

Here are a few discussions we’ve had about heartworm prevention. Add your input in the comments section below, we would love to hear more about what you do to keep these nasty pests away.

Eating Healthy: Heartworm and Lyme Disease Prevention
Eating Healthy: Heartworm Medicine, Which One Do You Give?
Anything Goes: Fleas, Heartworms and Parasites, Oh My!

Recommended Reading

Dogs Naturally Magazine: Heartworms
Fully Vetted: Prevent Heartworms, Even in Winter
American Heartworm Society: Guidelines for Heartworm Infection in Dogs
Natural Rearing: Heartworms
Natural Vet for Pets: Homeopathic Treatment for Fleas, Ticks and Heartworm

We didn’t, until a Tripawds member posted about her experience with this disease. Did you know: one in 200 cats and one in 500 dogs already has diabetes. Could your dog be at risk?

As with most medical conditions, early detection and treatment of diabetes is recommended and can help with treatment. The most common symptoms of canine and feline diabetes are:

• Increased Hunger or Appetite
• Excessive Thirst
• Increased Urination
• Weight Loss
• Weakness or Fatigue

What is Canine Diabetes?

According to our friends at VCA Animal Hospitals, “Diabetes mellitus, the clinical name for ‘sugar diabetes,’ is a condition that affects the concentration of glucose, or sugar, in a dog’s blood. Diabetes in dogs is most often the result of a dog’s body making too little insulin (Type I Diabetes). Much less commonly, dogs may develop Type II Diabetes in which their bodies don’t process insulin properly.

Insulin affects how your dog’s body uses food. When your dog eats, food is broken down into very small components its body can use. One component, carbohydrate, is converted into several types of simple sugars, including glucose. Glucose is absorbed from the intestines into the blood, where it travels to cells throughout the body. Inside cells, insulin helps turn glucose into fuel. If there’s too little insulin available, glucose can’t enter cells and can build up to a high concentration in the bloodstream. As a result, a diabetic dog may seem hungry constantly, but will lose weight because its cells can’t absorb glucose.

• Genetic Predisposition–certain breeds are more prone to diabetes
• Middle-aged to older female dogs
• Obesity
• Unspayed Females–unspayed females may develop Type II Diabetes and spaying will often result in resolution of the diabetes

If you think your dog may be at risk, make an appointment today to get your dog checked for diabetes. Meanwhile, here are some great resources if your dog is at risk of diabetes:

• VCA Animal Hospitals and Specialty Centers: Diabetes in Dogs, Testing and Monitoring
• VCA Animal Hospitals and Speciality Centers: More Articles About Diabetes in Dogs and Cats
• Mercola: Low Grain and Carbohydrate Diets Treat Hypoglecmia, Heart Disease, Diabetes, Cancer and Nearly All Chronic Illness

Tripawd Discussion Forums: Osteosarcoma Diagnoses on Lab with Diabetes

Wysong Canine Diet Senior Dry Dog Food:
Ideal for older and diabetic dogs requiring a lower caloric density and higher food bulk to help reduce the glycemic index and lower the body’s weight set point.

Solid Gold Cinna-Bone Functional Foodz Dog Treats, a great treat for dogs with diabetes. Cinnamon helps reduce blood sugar levels and is often taken as an antioxidant.Contains Barley Flour, Spelt, Canola Oil, Rolled Oats, Cinnamon, Lamb Meal, Fish Meal, Flax Meal, Garlic, Sea Vegetation.

Liquid Health Sugar-free Liquid Glucosamine Supplement:
Ideal for Diabetic Dogs. Contains no sugar, starch, salt, wheat, gluten, yeast, corn, milk or soy derivatives.

Tragically once again, suspicious dog food from China is making our animals sick. If you have any chicken jerky treats at home, stop feeding them to your dog and consider these healthy dog treats instead.

Here’s an excerpt about the suspicious treats from a November 19, 2011 announcement by the U.S. Federal Drug Administration (FDA):

“FDA is again cautioning consumers that chicken jerky products for dogs (also sold as chicken tenders, strips or treats) may be associated with illness in dogs.

In the last 12 months, FDA has seen an increase in the number of complaints it received of dog illnesses associated with consumption of chicken jerky products imported from China. These complaints have been reported to FDA by dog owners and veterinarians. Although most dogs appear to recover, some reports to the FDA have involved dogs that have died. To date, scientists have not been able to determine a definitive cause for the reported illnesses.”

Learn more about chicken jerky treat poisoning here.

Healthy Dog Treat Alternatives to Chicken Jerky

Tripawds Nutrition Blog: Honest Kitchen Healthy Treats

Tripawds Nutrition Blog:Dr. Harvey’s Sweet Potate’r Chews

Tripawds Nutrition Blog: More Healthy Homemade Dog Treat Recipes

Check Out These Healthy Dog Treats Too!

Halo Liv-a-Littles Healthsome Skin & Coat Wild Salmon Dog Treats: Made with Dream Coat, Halo’s best selling natural food supplement with a blend of six pure botanical oils and essential fatty acids that promote a full, shiny coat and smooth skin.

Zukes Hip Action Dog Treats Beef: A joint care supplement that masquerades as a treat, increasing mobility and decreasing joint pain while your dog happily snacks. Features: 300mg of glucosamine and 50mg chontroitin plus essential cofactor vitamins to aid in proper absorption. Yummy treat eliminates messy powders and hard-to-swallow pills. Gluten, corn and soy free. All natural—no preservatives, artificial colors or flavors.

In our continuing efforts to pass along savings to our members and readers, we’re proud to announce these new promotions from various Tripawds partners! Subscribe to the Eating Healthy topic in the discussion forums for regular updates about more Coupon Codes and Special Offers on Supplements for Dogs.

Save with new promotions from National Pet Pharmacy!

Canidae 44 pound Adult Life Stage bag is back and ON SALE!

Purina FortiFlora on Sale 16% off!

Free Shipping on all orders $49 and over with Auto Ship at National Pet Pharmacy!

Save 10% off orders over $85 at the National Pet Pharmacy! Use code SAVE1085. No expiration date.

PetFoodDirect.com has launched holiday promotions and new coupon codes too!

Don’t let your Pooch get a Holiday Paunch, Portion Control Bowls up to 20% off

Barksters Dog Treats – Buy More and Save!

Buy ANY Instinct 25.3 pound bag get a free 11oz box of Instinct Biscuits!

Save up to 35% on all Eukanuba Breed Specific and Custom Care Dog dry foods!

Get $10 Off Any Order $100 Or More At PetFoodDirect.com With Code: PFDSAVE10

Get 15% off all orders with PetFoodDirect.com with Auto-Ship

Save on all sorts of natural supplements and homeopathics with new Botanic Choice Coupon Code:

Take 20% OFF and get Free Shipping on any order of $25 or more at Botanic Choice! Coupon Code NOVAF Offer expires 11/30/11

We’re all looking for the best ways to save on our pet prescription needs, and now thanks to Michele at Pet News and Views, you can save even more.

Get Your Free Card at Pet News and Views

Pet News and Views is offering subscribers a Free Pet Discount Drug Card good for pets and their humans.

The cards are accepted at over 80 percent of all pharmacies in the U.S. and its territories, from national chains to your local pharmacy including Walgreens, Rite-Aid, Target, CVS, etc. The card never expires and can be used repeatedly.

Keep in mind that this card is not insurance and it’s only valid in the U.S. and its territories.

Visit Pet News and Views to Get Your Free Card!

We met Michele through the Tripawds Linked In group. Stop by sometime and say Hello!

Pawrents of dogs with sensitive bellies know, when you find a food that works, you stick to it. That’s one reason why we love Honest Kitchen’s all natural dehydrated dog foods, which now include “Love,” a grain-free alternative to home cooked stews.

Honest Kitchen’s foods have consistently worked for Tripawds Spokesdawg Wyatt Ray, as well as thousands of other dogs in the world. If you haven’t tried any of Honest Kitchen’s nutritious foods before, now’s your chance.

Keep reading to learn how to get a free trial sample!

Easy Grain-Free Home Cooking

Honest Kitchen’s Love is a complete dehydrated meal made with hormone-free beef, vegetables, fruits and of course . . . love!

Love is ideal for puppies and active adult dogs, particularly those with food sensitivities to grains, gluten, eggs and those who need a low carbohydrate diet. Like all Honest Kitchen products, Love is 100% human-grade, made in the USA, and does not contain corn, soy, rice, beet pulp or wheat. And it’s not just marketing hype either . . .

In addition to it being a great food, one reason we’re big fans of Honest Kitchen’s recipes and ingredients is that they are as good, if not better, than home cooked stews. According to Dog Food Advisor Mike Sagman, who’s reviewed Honest Kitchen’s recipes,

“it’s worth noting The Honest Kitchen has taken the rather unusual step of applying for (and actually receiving) FDA approval to label its pet foods ‘human grade.’ The company only uses human-edible components and produces all its products in a human food manufacturing facility.”

So when you’re time crunched and can’t get into the kitchen to cook up a batch of your home brew dog food, just add water to Honest Kitchen foods for a fresh, wholesome and human grade meal.

Love’s Ingredients:

Dehydrated hormone-free beef, sweet potatoes, potatoes, organic flaxseed, organic coconut, parsley, dandelion greens, papaya, cranberries, pumpkin, honey, rosemary, tricalcium phosphate, choline chloride, zinc amino acid chelate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, potassium iodide, potassium chloride, iron amino acid chelate, copper amino acid chelate.

Tri Honest Kitchen Love for Free!

Honest Kitchen will send a free sample of Love or any of their other dehydrated dog foods to anyone in the U.S. who leaves a comment telling us why your pup wants to try Love. Once we receive your comment, we’ll send you instructions for getting a free sample from Honest Kitchen!

And if you can’t wait, check out these deals at Only Natural Pet, where you’ll find all Honest Kitchen foods!