Comments on Best Dog Food? Why That's Horsefeathers!

The emergence of pet allergies IMO is new. I’ve had two Boxers the last 15 years. Kibble fed. No allergies, no cancer, fully vaccinated.

Why? No vegetable AKA seed oil in their food. Since you’re a vet I would think you’d be aware of the role high levels of Omega 6 fat has on a body. It OVER STIMULATES the immune system, even in the absence of stimuli. That’s the nature of the beast!

It’s also linked to cancer, heart disease, weight gain, slow metabolism and more. Saturated fats stimulate GLP1 and tells the dogs brain to stop eating. They eat less, and if not eating seed oils their metabolism is faster as well.

Basic chemistry, double bonds in omega 6 fat (PUFA) makes it fragile, oxidized by oxygen, heat and iron. Saturated fat is much more stable and thus durable, not susceptible to oxidation.

When PUFAs are oxidized, they release toxins in the blood and tissue, often causing DNA damage.

This information is widely available if you want to see for yourself.

So we’re getting two unvaxxed puppies tomorrow, they will be fed beef, bone and organ meats with some supplements as well.

My recently adopted 3 yo dog's DNA breed/health test resulted, among other things, in two affected genes for Copper Toxicosis accumlulating. I am aware there has been controversy about some commercial food having too much copper. I am trying to figure out how to feed him to avoid excess copper. I looked into Vet Nutritionist consults and they are crazy expensive. What would be the best way/resources to help formulate a healthy diet with only the required copper amounts? Any insight/advice much appreciated.

My dog licks his paw till raw.
Vet told me cytopoint has no side effects and it would help him so I agreed to give him this shot.
After less than one month he had a lump/tumor on his paw.
Then I found out cytopoint has been killing many dogs horribly.
Vet said never heard anything of such things.
Vet cut off the tumor luckily it was not cancer.
I told vet no more cytopoint so vet said only option is apoquel and Royal Canin SkinTopic.
Have not giving my dog any medication for itchy because of fear but licking/biting get so bad so I have been thinking maybe I have to give him apoquel but I reached this site and stopped.
Here in Australia, we do not have rabies but you can’t take unvaccinated dog to dog school/training and can’t board dog without kennel cough vaccine.
It’s been so tiresome experience.
I’m going to read your site more and hopefully I can get some answer.
Thank you.

I won't say that I agree with the efficacy of homeopathic remedies but I and my contemporaries have discussed the vast numbers of younger people suffering from so many allergies. When I was at school in the 50s and 60s no one had eczema, dairy allergy, peanut allergy. I do wonder what has happened to our food to produce these ailments. The same for animals too.

I just want to say Thank you for being so kind and helpful to the people who respond to your articles! Please keep up the good work!

Great and very interesting article. I can only see one problem, at least for me. Where I live, in the south of Spain, homeopathic vets just don't exist.

My 2 year old Great Dane has just been through hell. Had a eosinophilic granuloma lesion in the floor of his mouth. Vet decided to remove as it was 4 inches long and infected and the dog had a bloody drool for several months. Biopsy had been done and no cancer just EG. However he been on a course of Baytril and amoxycillan along with prednisone 40 mg a day which I am now weaning off. They want me to put him on a "Hypoallergenic diet. Recommended Purina HA, Hills ZD or a Royal Canin which I am in agreement with none of those. My dog currently eats Dr. Tim's Grain Free Kinesis and I had considered raw but Docs are vehemently against raw. He has to go back to docs soon for recheck and am laboring over what to do about food. They are saying if he come off pred that lesions can come back. Still not sure what even caused lesion. Dog was having other skin issues prior to lesion and on several antiobiotics for folliculitis. It was after a two week course of cephalexin that the drooling began and he has a sore throat and everted tonsil and then we noticed the big lesion under his tongue. They tell me that they have never had any experience with cephalexin causing a eosinophilic granuloma. all very mind boggling. IMO too many drugs have been given to a 2yr old dog.

This is really an unacceptable diet for our pet dogs. With all the chemicals and the ingredients (feathers and some meat from animals dying from disease) included in making dog food in the dog food industry, we cannot afford to feed these to our pet dogs. Commercial dog foods use preservatives, dyes, chemicals, fillers, animal by-products, corn, soy, additives, artificial flavors, and so on. And it is these ingredients, as well as some others, which are making our pets sick and slowly killing them. That is why we need to avoid these products and start cooking for them. My dogs love my home made dog food way far from pre-made dog food. And I recommend this to everyone who loves their pet dogs.

thought of another topic idea: your recommendation for books on natural pet care. there are so many choices and i do have quite a few, but always looking to add! thank you!

Hi Will,
I waited to read your post on neutering until I had time to savour it:).
Neutering is seen as part of 'responsible pet ownership' here in Australia and I believe we have a high rate of neutering/spaying.
After a lot of research I chose not to neuter our female Australian Bulldog, Harriet. Evidence is emerging that sex hormones have broader roles than was previously understood, for example, heart health. If this is true for us, why not our furrier family members?
I also found the concern about pyometra and mammary cancer unsettling, more cultural than scientific in its suspicion of female sex organs as ticking bombs. Why would a species evolve to have spontaneously deadly but biologically essential organs?
Like most of my decisions about care for Harriet, such as no annual vaccination, no heartworm tablets or chemical flea treatment and a BARF (biologically appropriate raw food) diet, it ain't easy. Thank you for your thoughtful articles on many animal topics. It helps keep me 'keeping on' and reminds me that I'm not a lone contrary weirdo:)
Best Wishes
Carol

in response to your request for topic ideas in your recent newsletter, i'd love health tips for senior pets and also specific natural remedies. with my raw-fed pets, i'm currently facing anemia, hot spots and idiopathic sterile cystitis, but welcome tips on any health issue. thank you for all you do for the animals!

This is a wonderful piece and so necessary for pet owners to know and understand. How does one get the word out since the big corporate mega-monsters seem to rule the media and advertising world?
Thank you so much for sharing this much-needed info.