Oh man, I'm lucky. She LOVES veggies. XD

Poor thing. I find it so odd that an originally carnivorous animal can have an allergy to beef and chicken, but dogs are very unnatural animals I guess! She is lucky to have a compassionate owner!

Aww that sweet baby! She eats REALLY well! Probably healthier than most people on this website. LOL

I know she eats healthier than me or any of my family. Lol
I told my doctor that I'm switching to eating what my dog is eating, as a joke.. He laughed and asked what she was eating. I told him, he laughed again and said that everyone should be eating that good. XD

So shiny

Is she a lab? If so, the two labs i had absolutely LOVED veggies, but none of the other dogs would touch them. Such odd creatures lol

Indeed! She's a black lab. Big girl too. She's a lot bigger than most labs we've run into, and not just weight-wise. Although, that being said, she's still overweight at 85 lbs.

oh man, i wish i could show you my sister's lab. She's a pure-bred, but she's so dang short! My mom's labs came up to about right above the knee, but Ash was so much shorter than them. It's like someone cut her off at her little dog ankles.

Labs are the best, such great personalities

Her coat looks good in the photo. She's got that typical lab flab thing though. I've rarely met a lab without it.

One of my cats, Trike, loves lettuce, spinach even better.

with us it is no different our dog is on dry food allergy particularly the flake foods because he has always rash between the toes so that it has become increasingly fast sore and inflamed also has the most dog food he can withstand not only of a particular brand, there are always fresh potatoes and rice, and since he gets it, he feels more comfortable :)

and she seems to enjoy her salad very ^_^

Yummmmm. I don't mean to be a dick but maybe the reason your dog needs to go to the vet a lot is because she eats too much veggies. I'm not saying no veggies....I know those veggies are okay for dogs....but maybe adjust the percentage? Dogs can also....with care....have a raw meat diet (of course don't use what she's allergic too) It's just a thought. A raw meat diet is proven to also improve the smell of dogs and the smell of their breath. :3

She's eating this on vet recommendation, because of her conditions. Her allergies make getting renal safe food nearly impossible, as most dog foods contain a high percentage of protein, which she cannot have. The ones that don't contain a lot of protein, are usually made with chicken.. which she cannot have...
She seems to be doing better on the veggies than not. She's been on this diet for about two months now, and we have noticed a decrease in her weight, and better overall skin conditions, as well as less of a reaction to her medications.

I'm thinking that her seizure meds are causing her recent UTI issues, which is possible, because she didn't have the issue before the pills were introduced to her. However, she needs the pills, so its gunna be interesting trying to figure out what our next step will be to make sure she's healthy. The vet still wants to do a couple of x-rays to make sure there are no bladder stones. I'll have to talk to her vet about it to see what I can do with $100, because that is all I can manage, with other bills that absolutely must be paid.

Oh man. Well I do hope she gets better.

Don't hesitate to ping me for vet advice. :) I'll offer some thoughts mostly just as a FWIW, since your vet is the one with all of the info and is familiar with her.

Food allergies make treating other conditions like kidney issues VERY hard. There's a good website/company called blanket.com that can do custom home-cooked diets for dogs, though you do have to buy their supplement to balance the diet properly. Still something to consider since you're doing a big percentage of home cooked food already. Well, prepared, since the veggies are raw. I don't see any issues with what you're feeding now as long as the biggest portion is the actual dog food.

I'd like to suggest looking into a couple of other things, too, that might help you out.

Using Aluminum Hydroxide powder can allow you to feed a higher protein diet without harming the kidneys with a high phosphorus level in the blood. (The protein is honestly less of a concern a lot of the time. But not always, and without seeing her bloodwork values I can't say for sure.)

Also, there's a supplement called Renavast that I have had good luck with in cats with renal failure. They make a dog version now. Your vet can probably order this for you.

What seizure medication is she on?

Good to see she's doing better. From what little I've seen since the news of the tail amputation, she seems worlds better.

Looks like she's eating better than me, too...

Please come and cook for me too.

cutie

All the noms! I bet she loves that yummy food *__* my german shepherd used to love berries and stuff xD we had a cherry tree, rasberry bushes and all in our garden, he just picked one - spit the stem out and then droped the core. We sure was smart! :O but nothing was better than his loved piggy ears x'D

Dogs are so precious ;__; so happy that Sammy recovered so nicely and is all happy again! Makes me happy *o* <3

Wow! That looks like a great salad! Replace the kibble with something a wee bit less 'doggy tastes-specific' and Vrghr would be happy to dive into that bowl too! *grins*

Hopefully she gets over these latest issues and is healthy and happy. What a lovely coat!

I may have a solution to the renal issues-
im going to take a guess its "bowl movements of sorts" like the runs for example. and if not, this is still very important relating to what she's eating. Everything in there ins super good for her, even in certain larger amounts depending on how much she is fed, except the Lettuce, as lettuce has no nutritional value what so ever and is mostly composed of water. A little bit of lettuce in her food is good , and lettuce helps with the bowls and colon/stomach, But, if fed more than a cup or close to a cup of shredded lettuce every couple nights, she could develop severe runs, and if the runs persist enough it could pose a danger to her health and or cause you the loss of your pet due to a loss of nutrients and or a condition where it can enter her blood stream, though I'd prefer not to be very detailed about that condition.

While I gave my dogs veggies, I'd just recommend lowering the amount of lettuce by maybe half over the course of a few days and see how she does, it may help a lot, since you already have other greens and veggies in with her food, the lettuce is not really much help to a dog other than being a treat or if your dog is not properly hydrated-

I am also very happy to see she is doing a bit better, and that her tail is healed, as well as her coat is looking fantastic, especially the length of it, not many labs around with that kind of hair length~

You're right that iceberg isn't really a nutritional benefit, but getting -extra- water into a dog with renal compromise is actually -helpful-, not harmful. If Sammy is not having diarrhea, there is no risk with the lettuce as far as her renal health is concerned.

Dogs with renal compromise usually benefit from reduced phosphorus intake, reduced protein intake (to a certain degree), and increased water intake.

yeah, That's why I was saying lettuce in a good portion every few meals is good, I was just giving info about it since sometimes too much lettuce in a continuous pattern can be the cause of some not so good stuff, like if a human were to eat a salad every meal or something like that, it would make a tummy rather upset ~

She dosen't get lettuce every day like this. Though we do about twice a week to keep her bowels from taking too much strain from carrots and yams, as they tend to be harder to digest. She's never had any issue from the lettuce yet. Keeps her pretty regular without causing runs or any bad things. also helps to fill her belly without the excess calories.

Her renal issues are from a very minor swelling of the liver and kidneys. Nothing that she hasn't had for a very long time. The vet isn't super worried because all her tests come back stable since we've changed her diet to this. We're keeping a close eye on everything to make sure nothing worsens, but so far nothing has, and it could be getting better. It could be something congenital from one of her parents, we're unsure. Just taking precautions to keep anything from worsening.

Sounds like a good plan. :)

this dog must love every meal!

Oh my god, yes... Have you ever seen a dog bounce like a jackrabbit without actually getting it's back feet off the ground? She does.. XD
... She never actually figured out she could jump in the air aside from jumping up on furniture... But I'm not complaining, it keeps her from jumping fences. Even small ones.

Looks like you are taking great care of her, lucky dog. Glad she is recovered from tail loss.

Thank you for being such a compassionate and loving owner, not enough people like this out there.
I'm so sorry to read about the sensitives :( I am not sure the brand, but I think they make a few sensitive dog foods ?

They do, but they all seem to contain at least one thing that she's allergic to. I've even contacted purina and other brands to ask if they could create a food for dogs like Sam. I know there are a few out there, but all they seem to do is send me a useless cupon that I end up giving to a friend because I can't buy their products.. :/

I got worried for a second that you had her on a vegan diet or something but it's good to see that she gets some proteins and meat products as well as a helping of veggies.

My dog is on Taste of the Wild: Bison and Venison dog food...I had to cut most grains and things from his diet because he was scratching and getting ear infections a lot. Luckily the local feed store in town sells this brand for cheaper than some of the crappy brands at chain stores so I can keep him well fed and healthy. He's not itchy and his ear infections happen much less often (from every few months to one every 6-12 months! He's a floppy-eared dog so he's a bit prone to them regardless of allergies).

Despite being fine with his food, he also has a taste for veggies like carrots and spinach. It's weird. He also likes apple pieces but he won't touch strawberries. I think it's a texture thing.

Could very well be a texture thing.

Nah, I wouldn't put a dog through a vegan diet. Although, I doubt she'd complain any, strangely enough. She loves her veggies. She also loves her pork skins though. XD
She used to eat Taste of the Wild when she was younger, and able to have the protein, but unfortunately that isn't an option for her anymore. >: Which is sad, because they have all kinds of awesome flavors that she used to love.

Yeah that's a bummer. Apparently they make hypoallergenic dog food with "split proteins" or something like that. Science...when the vet tried to sell it to me, though, they said a 15 lb. bag was $65! That's...a lot of damn money. So I'm glad I found something that works.

I had a landlady who owned a pitbull that she put on a vegan diet just because SHE was vegan. He was underweight and very lethargic a lot of the time. I think it's a bad idea for people to push their diets onto their animals, especially since cats and dogs are fairly carnivorous creatures (cats more so than dogs). There's plenty of pets that can live on a vegetarian diet like birds, rodents, pigs, horses etc... if you don't like the idea of eating meat, then don't get a meat-eating animal.

I'm rambling now lol. But your dog seems to be doing well!

I totally agree. Animals that eat meat, should be allowed to eat meat. It's natural for them, and they require it to be healthy. .. Hell, I require it to be healthy. XD (But that's mostly because I cant stomach most non-meat protein bearing foods.)

Yeah I can't do vegan...I could maybe do vegetarian but I do enjoy steak and chicken, mmm!

I wish you both much health and happiness. You love her very much and it shows.

At first I was confused with the veggies, but after reading some of the comments I understand a bit more. x3 You clearly love your dog, and I don't think many people would take such care as you are.

Eyh!
(first of all, i will not try to be rude in any way here, i say it now, it's not always easy for me, as english is not my native language (and i just come up from my bed), it can seems either rude or maybe a bit "documentary like", but sometimes, it's not that easy to write my thought .u. ! Sorry if i either seem rude or anything!)

Just a little question, here, actually. Have you ever tried a complete raw feeding food?
Yes i read, i have seens about allergic problems (that are, really a pain in the *** ): )
But my dog (a beagle x retriever actually) when i adopted him, was totally allergic to his food (actually, he did oedema, and red spots everywhere, within the first week of being home.), he was really thin (well, he just came from the shelter, so it doesn't help either), and actually was always on diarrhea mh.

That was when we where thinking about changing the food we gave to our dogs (actually, the other dog (sharpei x staff mix) began raw feeding several days ago, which was already great since he ate actually (before, in no way he wanted anything :/ ! )) so i said to myself "ok, let's try, but keep an eye on him because of the allergies, it wil be terrible oh my god"

And actually... No?
Actually, he is not even allergic to anything. He does some big reactions to fleas but the vet' said it was just big reactions (as we can have bigger spots or smaller with mosquitos) and said it was not a problem if there was not too much fleas (we live in the middle of nowhere with 2 dogs and 4 cats, it's nearly impossible to get NO fleas, so we are working everyday to maintain a population as small as possible, and it works)

But yeah, the food:
Actually raw food causes way less allergic reaction than any other pet food! +for the renal thing, raw meat is actually better the kibbles to regulate the work of kidneys since it's not dry basically.
Actually, did you try to give your dog "real" meat before stating she's allergic to it? (oh i do believe you, do never give chicken based kibbles to my dog actually uu"! but on raw his diet is mostly based on.... Chicken actually!) A lot of dogs owner with allergic dogs have seens than going on raw feeding/barf (actually we are on barf feeding here) just pop out the allergies they thought their dogs had.

Of course, when trying be sure to keep an eye on her (actually we were ready to rush at he vet + we had some medicines ready to stop allergic reaction that finally never happened mh) when trying if you do so. But maye it's worth the try?
Actually, chicken is the less allergic meat you can find (but well, raw feeding can be done with other meat actually), beef is the Worst of all meat concerning allergies (the most allergic meat you can find, the last to try to give to your pet when tested raw meats to check allergic reactions actually)

Actually it really helped here. One "allergic" stopped any itches thingies (ahhhh we could finally sleep gosh!) and the other just began to ate (well actually your lady doesn't seem to get the problem ;) ) since then they both go really well on their diet! no more allergic problems, no more weight problems (the sharpull here has a tendancy to easily go big and suddenly go thin when stopping to eat etc etc) (and also stop the veterinary visit, because gosh, my poor dog was here for 2 weeks, he already went 3 times :/ and past 12 of his 14 days with a medical collar because of the itches + oedemas )

But if you cannot really try anything, i can still try a little advice actually anyway.
Her vegetables should be mixed to give her a better digestion. Dogs are not able to digest correctly vegetables even if the are cut in small size. If you can mix it (it then looks like soup but here my dog does not try to think about the difference and eat it really well xD ) i would sugget you to do it =) it can't create any problem, but so you can know she will diggest all this way better =).

anyway, i wish you luck and courage with the lady actually, it's not easy to get repetitive health problems :/... I do hope it gets better in the future for you both!
And i hope i did not seem rude in anyway and also, i hope my english is not too terrible that early in the morning, too :|.
Have a nice day //hugs//
Ven

Edit: oh gosh i'm so sorry it's so long to say so little things ;_;

I'd totally be into feeding raw if her body could handle the protein that is in raw foods. Her renal issues call for low protein diet, which is why she's receiving the veggies and only one cup of low protein dog food. I've heard very good things about feeding raw though.
She can't have more than 20% protein per serving of food, and she's only to be fed twice per day because of weight issues caused by her thyroid disorder... Its kind of complicated.

We've tried mixing her veggies and blending them into pulp, but it gave her really bad stomach problems, and she was hungry about an hour after eating, so we had to stop. The larger pieces fill her up for longer periods of time. She seems to do better with the larger pieces.

Well, i maintain that i thin a raw/barf diet could totally help her out.
Actually, the "there is 20% protein in raw meat" thing is a little bit like an urban legend (if i can say it like this in english), actually, meat get approx/Roughly 12% proteins, and this is far from being the same/having the same effects as protein in kibble. Actually here in France, one of the biggest veterinary school/clinic (called "maison Alford", people from the entire France go here to heal there pets) Recommand people who get pets with renal issues to change the alimentation for raw/barf feeding. =)

Barf and raw feeding (actually barf is really good for dogs, raw is recommended for cats) is really good for the weight problems too! As it is wait lighter for pets than kibbles (god i hope i get the correct word?).
+ chicken is one , if not THE lighter meat you can find, you can easily remove fat from it by removing the skin etcetc.

Actually, being fed twice a day is totally correct for a bog (ours are being fed twice too =) ) + it's very good for larger dogs to eat at least twice a day because it help to erase the "stomach" disorder so well known on larger dogs (i don't know how it's called in english, here it's called "retournement d'estomac" ) so, don't feel the need to explain this point ^_^ ! I totally understand!

For the veggies, it's normal if, once mixed, she as several stomach problems and even diarheas actually. It explain by the fact than she IS in that case, assimiling it/disgesting it. When not mixed, vegetables are not disgested at all, and of course, as it comes out nearly the same (well, not the SAME XD but it's an image) as when it went in, it's normal to seems that she has not digestive problems. Actually she is evidently not hungry as vegetables will stay "as they are" for a longnmoment in the stomach =).

Actually, i will seem a bit "fixed in my ideas" but well, i know so many people who have seen there vet bill largely stopped by going for raw meat.
Actually a lot of cats are going on raw diet for renal issues (the worst thing with cat more than 10 years old), for the exact reason you said about proteins actually! The "problem" with kibble, is the the proteins in them are really heavy to assimile, and it is all "synthesis protein", not natural at all (since the smal amount of meat in kibbles is actually cooked twice or even tree times). Actually all things in kibble are additional and not that natural. As kibbles are "dry food", it actually make the kidneys work a LOT (that's why dogs / pets nourished on kibbles will drink much more than raw ones) and it will make a vicious circle actually. Even with "special food". Actually "medical food" does not work as it says it does.

The advantage of raw, is that you know what you are giving to your dogs. Proteins are actually not a problem in the raw feeding even for pets with renal issues. Actually, it's way more natural than kibble as you know what you are giving + the proteins are not synthetised. Usually, vets and a lot of people are going on the side of kibble because this is a well used thing we have in minds =) . ( + it give a lot of money to your vets + pet shops). I'm not saying your vet is like this (even if a lot are like than (we have all the problems in the world to find a vet than will not say us we are killing our dogs by raw feedin...) there is also some vet than are well informed of raw feeding.) dut take care with vet advices concerning kibbles actually.

Actually, i would suggest you to at least try it (the 3 first weeks can be accompagnied by diarrhea and digestive small problems, but it fixes quickly), try to give her raw chicken (really, allergie to raw chicken is REALLY rare. Compared to allergies to chicken in kibbles. it's terrifyng!) try a diet based on meat/bones/organs/+some vegetables, i've seen some miracles happening, even with animals than were considered as condamned actually, who now, run as if nothing happened!

Raw meat will make the kidney work way less, it should regulate (not heal but regulate) the work on renal problems (and once again, the proteins in raw meat does not go over 15% At the MAX, but is considered to be 12% roughly.), with a correct bones/meat level, not diarrhea problems, the weight problems can also be totally well handled by the diet change (actually raw feeding is considered to get the lower result in obesity for dogs), she would stop itching if not completely, really largely.
Usually people see there vet consultation bill going really on the "less side", as the dogs have less health issues! ^^

If my advices seems a bit harsh/bad formulated, i'm sorry again. Actually, i would totally have given you some documentation and a VERY good group on FB where people would have been really happy to help you out and give you better answers than me but it's all in french, so i cannot ;u;. But i'm sure there is good ressources in english too. I don't want to give you the feel i'm pushing you to do it, once again, actually i'm not, but i would say it's a road to consider! It showed so much positive things at home for my anorexic cat/my allergic dog and all the others actually. I saw so many people getting delightful results on their old cats with renal problems or their dogs with big health issues than i feel the need to give this feeding type the credit it deserves!
Actually, i don't know the price for meat by your side, but imagine, if it fixes some health problems, and help you and you miss not to got visit the vet each month, i'm pretty sure everybody would be way happier!

You could try to just go and ask questions about how to handle the raw feeding for the renal issues on a group, i think people would be happy to help you out actually. Unfortunately, i feel a little bit frustrated to not being able to give you help to find groups and ressources by now, i can maybe ask a canadian friend who feed her greyhound with raw meat if you want?

I really think it could be worth the try, or at least, trying to find people with the same renal problems as your doggy, nourrished this way? sharing info and all can be really helpful some time ^^ !

And once again, sorry for the loooong post ;u; !

Normally when people add veggies they don't provide enough of actual dog food so the dog ends up malnourished but you seem to have a good mix so I'm glad to see that you know what you're doing! At first I thought this was all vegan and was concerned. I'm glad to see there is still meat there and the veggies are mostly to fill her belly. Maybe you could also give some coconut oil or canned pumpkin (100% pumpkin - not the pie mix!) and salmon oil if you don't already?

The coconut oil is really beneficial in many ways (coat, digestion, immune system, bone health, the list goes on) including with allergies as it helps their skin enormously. Pumpkin helps with a lot of the same that coconut oil does but it's also really good for any constipation, adds fiber, and helps with preventing UTIs. Dogs love both, generally! You could alternate them or add both in half their amounts. Salmon oil is great for the coat, skin, eyes, and pretty much everything as well. They might help keep her doing well. You should try to get the best quality you can as the difference between poor quality and high is huge but any kind helps really.

As for her allergies, is there any possibility of getting her on at least some portion of raw meat/organ? My cat had severe issues with allergies (he's allergic to beef and his lips would swell + he'd tear his fur out) and UTIs before switching him to a raw diet. Now he eats nothing but raw meat, organ, and bone (at the proper ratio to a real animal and even whole prey on occasion). He hasn't had a UTI or any issues with allergies beyond the occasional flea issue (which is much easier to control now) in over 5 years. His coat is shiny, teeth are clean with nice breath, he's at a great weight, and, even though he's 9, he is healthier than he ever was on any brand of cat food we could find (and we tried dozens). I just think it would help a lot with what you described. It makes it extremely easy to control exactly what your dog is getting calorie and nutrition wise. You could obviously still have the veggies alongside if you wanted to as filler and since she enjoys them. There are prepared brands out there if you want no hassle (you just scoop like kibble) but preparing it yourself is a lot cheaper - especially if you find a good meat market or don't use it for her entire diet. Raw eggs (including the shell) are great too. Of course, feel free to just ignore this but I thought some info that you may find useful.

Ooh, she loves pumpkin. I should look for some, that's a great idea. Idk about coconut oil though. Salmon oil might do, but she gets gas with most salmon products.
Coconut oil, is that bad for her heart / body weight? She puts on fat really, really easily because of a thyroid disorder.

I wouldn't know where to get meats that she could eat. Mostly lamb or white fish, and they're both really expensive here. Most of what they sell in stores is beef and chicken. She can have pork... but .. pork can make her fat. We only recently got her down to a half way decent weight of 85 lbs. She was over 100 at one point before she was put on Thyrozine. x_X

Turkey or duck might be good, but again, they're a bit expensive.
I also have no clue about the amount of protein content in the meats I'd be giving her. I'd have to really watch that with her renal issues. She isn't allowed over 20% per serving.

Please read the above comments for further explanation as to why she's on this particular diet. (Veterinary prescribed due to health issues.)

No that's mainly cats. Dogs can digest a lot of veggies, but they should have protein mixed with their diets in an appropriate amount. Cats however NEED a large amount of protien, so when you see this kind of food bowl for a feline pet, there's something more than likely wrong.

Most dogs do need a decent amount of protein in their diets, but dogs with renal issues tend to not be able to handle it, and their liver and kidneys suffer for it. That, and sodium, which I make sure is low in all the things I feed Sam anyway, because it could cause heart issues in the long-run for any animal.

This reminds me of an old dog of mine. All the food allergies. He was preaty much allergic to startch and most grains. This kept us from cussing any kind of dog food. Thankfully unlike yours he had no heath issues for proteen. His diet ended up being raw chickens, fish and a few other things.

yay! I am sure it always gives a nice "munch" and "crunch" when she eats it XD

good fellows you and Sammy, I think it will certainly get better! and you are right, vegetables are beneficial for everyone, right? I think you are doing very well, taking care of her, because some in your place would have her have lulled. My respect for you!

i had a highly allergenic cat a while ago... i know how hard feeding an animal with allergies can be...
no fish no corn no rice.... rather hard to find a cat food without at least one of those...
we had to make a chicken mashed potato thing our selves with some appetite enhancers put in it as
well as give a daily steroid...

There has actually been a lot of debate and newer studies on the effects of lowering the protein content of a pet with renal issues.
The old belief is lowering the protein slows the damage. But unless your dog is in advanced renal failure there is no longer supporting evidence to suggest that lowering the protein in mild/moderate cases will have an effect. (So it all depends on what stage your dog's issues are). Not only that but lowering the protein can cause malnourishment and decrease in muscle mass.
What is recommended is feeding high quality, highly digestible proteins such as raw meat (or a high quality kibble) but the added benefit to the raw is the added moisture content and with renal issues the more moisture the better. What you really want to decrease in the diet is phosphorus content and supplement with omega 3s, antioxidents and B vitamins.

My older dog was in early signs of kidney problems before he had to be put down (unrelated cause) so did a lot of discussion with my vet and research when that was discovered. And always been a big proponent of raw even though I can't afford to do it with all my dogs anymore. The overall improvement in health is astounding and it was much easier for them to take excess weight off and keep it off. I have never had a fat dog on raw no matter what the protein is. Leanest muscle meat to feed though is the heart instead of the ground meat.

Sorry for the late response but just wanted you to know that if you did want to try raw you still could based on newer studies. You could just use turkey, pork, and fish (or even wild proteins like venison, elk, quail etc if you know anyone who hunts and dont want to waste what they wont use). There are places to get raw meat cheaper if you know where to look. For example I can get 40lb boxes of certain stuff from the local butcher shop that they cant sell for humans anyway (necks, heart etc). We also have a place nearby that only caters to people who feed raw and you can get good quality meat in bulk that they are allowed to sell as long as it is labelled not for human consumption. If you really wanted to do it there are ways to get it that is cheaper than getting it from the grocery store or premade raw dog food companies.



Keep up with the veggies though! She seems to like them and it is good that it is working on some levels :)

She's getting down to a normal weight on this, and her pelt is so shiny!
If she starts losing muscle mass, I'l really have to think about changing to a different protein source, but for right now she seems to be doing quite well on it.
I always keep a close eye on her, so if she shows any signs of risk from it, I'll have a word with the vet to see what can be done.