TDG

[quote name='Mutts4Me']Okay, now, I click on this thread, having NO CLUE as to its contents, and one of those two ads that run at the top reads: [quote]Labradoodle Meetup Day Meetup with Labradoodle lovers Local events at friendly venues![/quote] So I read that, think "okay, whatever" and move on to the thread. I see "Labradoodle," stop in confusion. Weird movement. Is that coincidence, or do the ads somehow reflect the contents of a thread? I've noticed some that seemed to have been coincidences before, but this was quite odd (Labradoodles not being the most commonly mentioned dogs).[/quote] meetup.com is a website you can use as a tool to organize and schedule meetups of any kind, for any interest group. those google ads appear by use of a certain key word algorithm, just like you get certain ads on yahoo when doing a serch on particular keywords. it's actually a nice feature if you have an interest group or if you are looking to find a certain interest group near you.

gooeydog, you don't have to take breaks with the supplements you mentioned, but an occasional skipped day won't hurt. on-and-off regimes are usually only recommended for herbs, like for example milk thistle or homeopathic remedies. fish oil and glucosamine/chondroitin work on a "maintenance level", meaning they only have their beneficial effect if a large enough amount is present in the body at all times. water soluble vitamins and "leftover" digestive enzymes are excreted from the body on a daily basis and thus need to be replaced regularly as well. don't stop giving her supplements before the surgery. increased doses of vitamin E and vitamin C will give her immune system a boost to get through surgery better, and for an easier recovery period. you could even do a course of echinacea and milk thistle for a week or so afterwards to help her body rid itself of the substances used for anesthesia and painkillers if any are given. glucosamine hydrochloride is the chemical compound glucosamine is administered in for medicinal purposes, such as in joint support. at health stores you would either be looking for "nutritional yeast", "torula yeast" or "yeast flakes". it usually comes in jars or boxes. i usually order mine online at houseofnutrition.com. hope this helps! :)

[quote name='DivineOblivion19']I'm sure TDG could help you out when he reads your thread! :wink:[/quote] hehe he's a she :) maybe i should fill in my profile someday. :oops: anyway, please stay [b]far, far away[/b] from any soft-moist commercial food. they are loaded with chemicals to preserve the food ingredients, high in sugars to bind moisture and are generally of poor ingredient quality. above mentioned "kibbles n bits" product doesn't contain a single shred of "real" quality meat but is loaded with 3 different synthetic preservatives, various chemical additives, 4 different artificial colors and poor quality supplements. all the chemicals to keep a soft/moist food from spoiling aside, and also looking past the high amounts of sugars and salt, they are also very high in phosphorus, which is a big issue especially in older dogs, since a diet high in phosphorus is very hard on the kidneys. kidney problems are hard to detect until it's too late already and they have lost about 75% of their function. if you need more info on commercial dog foods, have a look [url=http://www.mordanna.com/dogfood/]here[/url]. if your dog prefers a softer meal, consider soaking the kibble in warm water for a few minutes before serving. just don't let it sit for long and toss any leftovers. if that isn't yummy enough, add low-sodium broth. alternatively you could consider something like flint river ranch's "dry water" dog food, a mix of dehydrated, freeze dried, oven baked and otherwise prepared ingredients that comes in a bag like kibble and you add warm water to it 2 minutes before serving.

is it possible that he is eating too fast? that's one thing that comes to mind immediately if he otherwise appears healthy and has no other issues. side note on the brand you are feeding: in my opinion nutro is the better brand, don't bother wasting your money on science "fiction" - it's a popular brand but poor quality. still, if you can, you should switch to a better quality food, even nutro is just "middle of the road", especially if you consider the price tag. have a look [url=http://www.mordanna.com/dogfood]here[/url] for some info in how to identify better products. you say you live in a rural area, check out your local feed and farm supply stores, often they carry better quality foods than your run-of-the-mill pet store, or are willing to special order something for you. premium edge or "chicken soup for the dog lover's soul" are two decent quality brands worth looking at if you can't locate any of the higher quality ones. :)

i'm with cassie here, this is most likely something that has to be tackled from the inside fore the most part. for non-toxic environmental treatment for fleas use diatomaceous earth. you need to get the food grade tho, do [b]not[/b] use the type that is sold for pool filters. sprinkle it everywhere outside in your yard (if you have one of course) and just leave it. reapply after it rains. you can also use it indoors, sprinkle in the desired areas and vacuum it up after 24 hours. this stuff is non-toxic and can even be used as a natural dewormer for all intestinal worms, but the dust should not be breathed since the sharp particles can irritate throat and lungs. fish body oil (NOT cod liver oil) at a dose of 1000mg per 10 lbs of body weight is not only excellent for skin and coat, it also stimulates the immune system and reduces inflammation. whenever high doses of omega 3 fatty acids are fed, the daily intake of vitamin E should also be increased since the EFA's oxidize rapidly and increase antioxidant requirements in the body. (more details [url=http://www.mordanna.com/dogfood/index.php?page=efas]here[/url]) i'd also venture a guess that maybe a different food than the chicken soup might also be helpful. don't get me wrong, it's a pretty good quality food, but it has a lot of different ingredients (4 different protein sources, seven different grains, lots of "extras") and there might be some in there that irritate your dog. when my own dog suffered from severe flea allergy dermatitis, i put him on california natural chicken & rice (a very simple food, chicken meal, ground brown rice, ground white rice, sunflower oil, natural flavors, taurine, flaxseed, vitamins/minerals) and megadoses of fish oil and for a week i bathed him with tea tree oil & aloe vera shampoo (earthbath.com) every day and followed up with a home-prepared oatmeal rinse that i dabbed on the affected areas after bathing and let dry on the dog. for that i ground up 1/4 cup of organic oats in my blender until i had a fine powder, which i added to a quart of boiling filtered water, turned off the heat and let steep until cooled. i applied this stuff a total of 3-4 times a day until the swelling and redness were gone and hair started growing back. thank god this was our only bout with a flea allergy, ever since i changed my feeding regimen completely, my dog doesn't get all irritated anymore when he picks up the occasional flea. so much for a professinal who told me that "if a dog has a flea allergy once, they never get rid of it".

this is a basset hound, right? due to their proportions (long back, short legs) they are very predisposed to back injuries and prolapsed disks. do not let your dog jump up or down furniture, in or out of the car and do not let him climb stairs - especially not while he is a puppy. as far as the comment on having no money for the vet goes - maybe you should consider rehoming this dog. caring for a dog properly costs money and you might be able to get around by skipping proper care and buying cheap food etc. for a while, but ultimately you are going to run into trouble, especially with a breed that is prone to a lot of health issues. sorry to be blunt, but i can't sugarcoat it.

dog shampoo, mostly :) or dish soap.

also don't forget that the IAMS company is owned by procter & gamble, a corporation that is notorious for still doing excessive, unnecessary animal testing on a large scale for a variety of their products. and i'm not talking about critical stuff like medical research here. i've been boycotting any and all P&G products in my household for over 2 years now and i can't say i'm suffering. :D

you are welcome. :) it's quite interesting to follow all those little battles of "our food is better than yours", especially when you are somewhat familiar with the ingredients the pet food industry uses.

anyone interested in learning about commercial pet foods, what to stay away from and what to look for, check out this website: [b][url]http://www.mordanna.com/dogfood[/url][/b] it answers just about every question you could have about finding a better food.

[quote name='Cassie'][quote]Sugar beet pulp is a by-product of the sugar industry. It is added to some pet foods as a "filler" to slow down the transition of (rancid) animal fats which are essentially toxic waste. The body tries to expel these fats as quickly as possible and diarrhea is the most efffective way. Sugar Beet Pulp is used to hold this toxic waste in. [b]This may cause the feet to swell which in turn may cause the dog to lick its feet[/b]. [/quote] This information I obtained from my phamplet which came with my solid gold dog food. If this information is wrong then I do apologise for mentioning it.[/quote] i was talking about sugar beet pulp too. :) unfortunately, solid gold (and many other pet food companies as well) tend to put down ingredients they do not use themselves in an effort to let their food stand out from the rest. the most common "target" for this practice are ingredients like wheat, corn, beef and so on. ever noticed that solid gold very rarely uses chicken in their products for example? that's another one of those different approaches. this doesn't necessarily mean that an ingredient they don't use is harmful or dangerous. it is true that beet pulp is a byproduct of the human food industry, but so are for example brewer's rice, brewer's yeast, a variety of organ meats, whey and other ingredients. the difference is that beet pulp is used for its specific properties as a fiber source, not directly as a source of nutrients. the only situation where i would be wary of beet pulp is in products that are overall of poor quality already, and in products where it is listed as one of the main ingredients (before the first fat source). beet pulp has low solubility and moderate fermentability. solubility refers to the water-holding capacity of fiber sources. highly soluble fibers, such as pectin, vegetable gums, mucilages, a few types of hemicellulose and fructo-oligo-saccharides have a high water-holding capacity, slow the rate of nutrient absorption and increase the gastrointestinal transit time ("holding in" whatever is to be digested, to phrase it in the words of that dog food pamphlet). most types of highly soluble fiber are also highly fermentable by the (beneficial) bacteria of the large intestine. insoluble fiber types (cellulose, lignin, most hemicelluloses) have a much, much lower water-holding capacity, cause a decrease in gastric transit time, moving the chyme (the food mash that is to be digested) through the intestines at a faster speed, and excreting it with less water retained. so, going back to solid gold's claims, they picked the wrong fiber source for their claims of "holding in" harmful ingredients the body wants to expel. there is no doubt that manufacturers of poor quality feeds use high amounts of beet pulp as a "stool hardener" in order to keep dog owners happy who would otherwise revolt if they had to pick up huge, soft stools resulting from feeding foods that contain only approximately 10-20% meat. but used in moderation, such as for example in high-end brands like eagle pack, life's abundance and artemis it is definitely not harmful. allergies and food sensitivities occur in many animals for many different reasons and the allergens vary widely. i'm sure there is a possibility that some animals react to beet pulp, just like some react to wheat, or chicken, or other things, but it is certainly not the major irritant it is made out to be by some companies.

hounddogdaddy, please buy the book "the other end of the leash" by patricia mcconnell and take to heart what she has to say. it's one of the best dog training books i've ever read.

if you switch your dog to a home prepared diet, you can supplement with pork pancreas, which will keep things under control nicely unless the condition is very advanced already.

i dremel my dog's nails too. :) he hates having his feet messed with and when i still used nail trimmers, each session was a major drama. he doesn't exactly like the dremeling either, but it's not a struggle and he tolerates it.

the excessive shedding may well have to do with switching to a better food. so be patient and keep brushing. it happens quite often that dogs blow a lot of coat when a higher quality diet is introduced and the new coat will grow in much denser and healthier. :)

try earthbath. all of the products are very mild, but this one might be best: [url]http://earthbath.com/clearadvantages_pint.html[/url]

have you considered digestive enzymes, so he'll be able to utilize his food better? you can also feed green (unscalded, unbleaced) tripe. it stinks to high heaven, but most dogs can't resist it.

have you tried a "zoom groom"? [url]http://www.kongcompany.com/grooming.html[/url] i use one for my dogs and cats and it works really well. they are made of a soft, rubbery material that pulls out dead hair really well. i have a dog with a double coat and i can remove most of his undercoat using this brush, so he is a lot more comfortable in hot weather. you might also want to look into feeding a diet with a higher protein and fat content or giving a fish oil supplement to help maintain coat and skin. personally i wouldn't clip or shave a dog who isn't otherwise groomed regularly.

have you considered crushing the kibble in a blender and mixing it into the homemade? that works really well for some finicky eaters. it's not a good idea to mix larger batches tho, since wet kibble goes sour pretty fast. other than that, thumbs up on the home made. it's really hte best thing you can do, regardless if you decide to feed it raw or cooked.

beneful is one of the most atrocious scams in the pet food industry. it really makes me sad when i hear how many people actually think they are doing their dog a favor by feeding that stuff. the funny thing is that the price per bag seems really low, but on a comparison of daily feeding cost on a one-year basis, beneful is over 10% more expensive than canidae. but that's not the worst. science diet is about 60% more expensive compared to canidae.

beagles are hounds, and hounds like to vocalize. think of the consequences that may have when you are at work most of the day and the dog is unhappy. a few episodes and your landlord might knock and tell you that the dog has to go or you'll both be on the street. there is no telling in advance how hard or easy it will be to train the little guy to stay home alone if i were you, i'd talk to a few reputable breeders and see what they have to say ont he topic. and by reputable i mean folks who care about their breed and wouldn't lie to you just to sell you a puppy. alternatively, think about adopting an adult dog who is known to be able to cope. whether a small dog is trembling and yippy depends on the way you socialize and train it. if you treat it like a china doll, shield it from the world and don't give it any chance to be a dog and interact with the environment, it's no wonder those poor things get neurotic and yappy. the outcome is on [b]your[/b] shoulders. i don't know what all the talk of "guy" type of dogs is all about (i hear it often), but do yourself a favor, be fair and don't pick a breed based on looks. get a dog that suits your lifestyle. if you are away from home 8+ hours a day and the dog will be home alone, don't get a high-drive dog who has been bred to work long and hard hours. they'll go stir crazy. here are a few breeds i can recommend for living in an apartment, from experience with their personalities and requirements: american eskimo dog, pomeranian, boston terrier, pug, dachshund, west highland terrier, corgi, italian greyhound, miniature and standard schnauzer. there are a few others. have you considered adopting a mixed breed from a rescue or shelter? ou could also rescue a retired racing greyhound. they are beautiful dogs who due to their rearing are already used to spending much of the day kenneled, and they do not need as much exercise as you'd expect from an ex-racer. :)

[quote name='Cassie']beet pulp is a cheap filler and has been known to cause excessive licking of the paws[/quote] i've never heard of that. beet pulp is a source of moderately fermentable fiber, which is very beneficial for intestinal health - moreso than many other sources. the only thing you should look for is that the beet pulp is not a [b]main[/b] ingredient of the food, in which case it does serve as a filler rather than as a fiber supplement. i've been studying commercial pet foods for four years now and all the negative publicity about beet pulp is one of the things i have not yet been able to get any reliable proof for. not in regards to bloat, changes in coat color, allergies or any other issue.

i would be worried feeding an otherwise healthy animal a food with such a low protein and fat percentage just because of food intolerances. essentially you are sacrificing nutrients that directly support body cell, skin and coat health (protein and fat) for something that does nothing but supply energy (carbohydrates). if i were you, i'd look into california natural or the natural balance line. and definitely do either an allegy test or an elimination diet so you can actually find out what your dog reacts to. it's no good to try 10 different foods that have fairly common ingredients if it turns out your dog is allergic to chicken protein or fat or can't tolerate rice for example.

take the flea collar off the little guy and throw it away. and stay away from any hartz products, they have poisoned many pets. see [url]www.hartzvictims.org[/url]. see your vet and get some advantage flea prevention to put on him, it is much safer and gentler than a flea collar. your puppy is very young to be away from its mother, i question any breeder who lets a puppy go to a new home before at least 8 weeks of age. in many states this is also illegal. a puppy of that age is still very much a baby and will sleep a lot. you should provide a crate in a quiet place to which he can retreat whenever he wants. it will also make housetraining a lot easier for you.

[quote name='sscully']The Proheart6 injection would definitely not be needed.[/quote] i can not mention often enough that people should [b]not[/b] let their vet administer proheart 6., unless they are prepared to risk their pet's health and life, even if it is 6 months or a year down the road. many, many dogs have died after getting their second or third injection, showing no problems at all after the first or second. please stick with true and tried products rather than one that has not even been sufficiently tested. [url]http://www.dogsadversereactions.com/moxidectin/moxidectinpage.html[/url] vets have knowingly witheld information from clients and some have even administered this injection without consent of owners, only telling them afterwards that "they don't have to worry about heartworms for 6 months now". be educated. don't just go for the "most convenient thing". :D