Vet recomendations

[rcexplorer]

Originally Posted by uplander

It doesn't matter what sex Doppler is....it is the motivation....

As a pet owner....I understand all forum information is opinion....and everyone is entitled to theirs...right or wrong....

The only place Purina, Nutro, Iams , Pedigree, and Science Diet get questioned is Internet Forums....

Holistic Vets think Science Diet is a reason for poor pet health...Conventional Vets think the opposite...

If you are a person who thinks foods can help prevent illness you stay away from highly processed foods...does your dog need that philosophy ? That is where we get into the debates...and if it works..does it matter....

A new poster just mentioned Nutro as being a great food ....I bet that their experience has been good....but if you follow the industry it is a food that has had it's share of problems...

People see yeasty ears, eye boogers, and loose stool as reasons to change diets....or a poor coat or itching....The thing we all can't see is what is happening to the internal organs...Does anyone not believe all the Cancer in dogs is not about the food chain ? You can feed the best food in the market place....but if the chickens they use have been eating feeds that are tainted the chicken meat and bone is going to have heavy metals...and is just as bad for your dog as is feeding foods with fish meal....

The reason Cal Nat Lamb works for so many dogs is not about anything else except it is a clean food....Free range Lamb...eating grass in a natural environment...but is 21 % protein too low ? another debate...if you work your dog....

Feeding your dog will be the hardest decision as an owner you make...because of all the choices.... and so few will work for you and your dog...why that is has to be because of sourcing and reaction to the processing....Dogs by nature can eat just about anything and survive...they have a great Liver...that converts many things eaten into what they need...

Kibble also gives many manufactures the place to hide the fact every production run is different ....Who is going to check ? As long as the color and shape of the kibble is the same..people don't get each bag tested...only if a problem arises does anyone question what was in the bag....

Should AAFCO/ FDA regulations be better....Yes... would the public be willing to pay for more inspections ... They hate taxes...

Getting back to the OP...you either trust your Vet and work with him....or seek out a Holistic Vet....I don't think Science Diet fed for a short period of time to your dog is an issue....long term maybe....

I would look at an Innova senior diet if the issue persists.... Innova works hard to get the PH of their foods correct...and helps seniors stay healthy....

Good Post

kathy

[rcexplorer]

Wanted to add the original poster has not posted since the first day I hope everything is ok with posters dog Sabrina

kathy

[NancyO]

Have you ever noticed that is what happens in these threads? The OP stops posting. Are we scaring them off?

Uplander, great post!!!!

Nancy

[EvoRoadster]

No NancyO, I have not been scared off, just busy. Anyway, I sure didn't expect to cause such a brouhaha but I now realize our pets well being is foremost in all our minds. To what end we achieve that is a personal decision. In Sabrina's case (yes, she is fine) the vet wanted her to go on canned Science Diet C/D to get the urine pH down and help dissolve crystals. We did have Sabrina on the canned C/D but after 3 days she stopped eating it. In general she has lost some interest in food which is probably attributable to the antibiotics she is on which is basically Cipro for dogs. I took a urine sample yesterday and the pH is down to 6.5 and I could not see any crystals in the urine under a microscope. She has stopped the non-productive urination attempts and still has 5 more days of antibiotics to go. We will then have another complete urinalysis done.

Now to the vet problem. First off I am a molecular biologist and my wife has a doctorate in experimental pathology. We have a clinic in Hawaii where we treat HIV+ patients and do clinical research on the longterm effects of the drugs prescribed so we are no strangers to medicine etc. When someone tells me they don't like something but are then unable to justify why I start having second thoughts about their advice. Unfortunately, in todays society, when you are seeking professional advice you almost always need to be as up on the subject area as the pro. Whether it is having your car repaired, a plumbing job or seeing your physician about a problem you have better be "up to speed". My vet convinced me to stop feeding Nutro since he said he sees quite a few animals with crystals in their urine who are being fed Nutro products. To that end I started researching dog foods and decided on Natura since it was highly regarded and I had a source for it. I am trying Innova and will monitor droppings and our dogs desire to eat it. Sabrina, even though she is a chocolate lab, is a very picky eater. On the other hand Ginger, our 4 year old yellow lab, will eat just about anything. We have decided to stick with this vet until Sabrina's treatment has run its course and she gets a clean bill of health. I have yet to ask the vet why he doesn't like Innova but when I do I will let you know what his answer is.

To Nikki, thanks for the PM but since I only have 6 posts I was unable to reply to you via PM.

[NancyO]

I am so happy to hear Sabrina seems to be doing well. That's interesting what your vet said about Nutro. I don't feed that food, but my last yellow lab ate it for a time. How long was Sabrina on that food just out of curiosity.

My yellow lab Cooper was on Innova/CN chicken and rice his entire life. Never had a crystal problem. I think you are making an excellent choice.

Oh, and I'm glad we didn't scare you off LOL. Food topics definitely get heated around here.

Nancy

[EvoRoadster]

I would guess she was on Nutro for about 2 years. Over the years she has been on Eukanuba, Science Diet and Nutro. All of them a kibble. Sabrina has been plauged with skin rashes and ear problems her whole life. Now that she is on a wheat/corn/filler-free dry food I hope some of those problems are mitigated. On the other hand, Ginger eats anything without any problems at all and has never had an ear or skin problem.

[NancyO]

Also, Innova is a really rich food. Go slow with the transition. If you do find it's not working you could also try California Natural Lamb and Rice for Sabrina. Made by the same company as Innova, but one meat source, one carbohydrate. A lot of dogs here are on it and they have done well. It's a good food for an allergy dog. Just a thought if the Innova doesn't work out. With my yellow that ate Innova I had to mix in the CN chicken and rice to keep his stools firm.

Nancy

[EvoRoadster]

No problems so far, stools are dark and firm and she has started eating normally again. WooHoo!

[NancyO]

That's great - I'm glad to hear it.

Nancy