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  #31  
Old May 7th, 2017, 05:32 AM
MaxaLisa MaxaLisa is offline
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I would scratch feeding raw off your list permanently.
I meant to say feeding real raw meat. You might at some point be able to transition to some of the dehydrated foods, they don't seem to upset a pancreatitis dog as much, like that tripe. Often pancreatitis dogs can't even handle raw vegetables.
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  #32  
Old May 7th, 2017, 12:41 PM
rhynes rhynes is offline
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Going to try this one more time. Stop throwing so much at the dog. One thing at a time, wait for results. Discuss this with your vet - I have done so.

If you're dealing with a real food allergy - which is rare in dogs by the way -- then you should see a near immediate reaction to specific foods. My pup is allergic to wheat, he eats bread or anything - milkbone etc, he starts to sneeze, reverse sneeze and water at the eyes. There are time where it looks like he is crying, and a sneeze sprays tears everywhere. That is allergy.

If you're dealing with anything food related - chronic intolerance is more likely due to years of buildup from eating kibble. Your dogs pancreas is either stressed or damaged or both, and it's probably not the only organ. Either way, it needs time to heal - and that isn't going to happen overnight.

Food trial needs single protein - period, end of sentence - for a period of at least 2 weeks, more is better. One meat protein, nothing else. No squash protein, no vegetable protein, no fruit protein - nothing. No sugars, no carbs - guess what, the pancreas doesn't need to do much at this point, and a pancreas that's not at work will heal.

Throughout the first couple of weeks, your dog likely will scratch, they will go through a detox period while trying to flush the old proteins and anything affecting them out of the system. How do we know this? Many dogs that are considered allergenic to humans actually become not so allergenic when switched to raw. You see, humans are not allergic to the "dog" -- they are allergic to the "proteins" the dog is shedding - through the skin and through saliva etc. Changing to a strict raw diet puts fewer numbers of proteins in the dog - that they need to shed in some way.

Lets look at the gut - or better yet gut health. Your dogs gut isn't healthy, that's a given. Every living animal on the face of the planet that has a gut and it's not just for digestion. A healthy gut is going to protects us. From what you ask? All the germs, bacteria, viruses etc that live on us - and in us. When your gut is off - what viruses, bacteria etc are allowed to cross the barrier and invade your body. Common sense right?


If I was in your position, here's what I would do.

Stop all meds, metacam is only buttering over your dogs symptoms, putting them to sleep so to speak and creating it's own immune condition. So you're really not going to know if what you're trying is effective or not because the body isn't going to react properly. Anti inflammatory - what does that mean?

I would put the dog on a strict chicken only diet, stay away from commercial diets.

That means go to the grocery store, go to a farm if need be and buy chicken - ask if said chicken has been plumped with saline. If it has, steer clear, you don't want added salt. Not just any chicken, but boneless and skinless chicken breast. Pick any fat off the chicken, just a nice lean chicken breast. Weigh it out, 2% of your dogs weight for a single day - and feed your dog as 4 meals - so the dog isn't digesting too much at one time. First day, meat only - wait for results. The dog will likely have a softer stool, hopefully not the runs. It will take time for the dog to clear the kibble out of the gut.

Second day, remove some of the chicken breast, and add chicken necks to 10% of the meal - even backs or ribs, that will be your bone content and there's not alot of marrow in the vertebrae or back. Here's the kicker with chicken necks - you'll likely get a little bit of seepage of T4 from the thyroid gland. This is not a bad thing - according to your blood results, a little extra T4 won't hurt the dog - and it just might help.

Chicken and bone only as meals, no organs - no treats. I would definitely suggest adding supplemental enzymes - you can get these in a powder form. The idea behind supplemental enzymes is to take the load - at least temporarily - off the dogs pancreas and other organs. The whole idea here is to let the dogs organs - and gut - heal up. Until these organs actually do some healing, you're on a merry go round and you're not getting off.

Do keep a daily diary - and do fill it in with as many details as possible. You will need a reference point to go back to in case anything happens.


That's just my 2 cents.

Last edited by rhynes; May 7th, 2017 at 12:52 PM.
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  #33  
Old May 7th, 2017, 02:18 PM
Shazanne Shazanne is offline
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Hi MaxiLisa.
Thank you for being the first person to actually say that my dog cannot eat raw. I have felt that for such a long time but am constantly being told by many people that she will adjust, she can tolerate it given time, its her natural diet, all her issues will vanish if she eats raw....etc, etc.
If Millie could eat raw and it would help her then of course she'd be getting it - but the little mite cannot handle it. I don't know if that makes her 'unique' or 'odd' but, whatever it is, it's a fact and nothing can change that. I would like it to be different as it would simplify things enormously, but I can't knowingly make her sick or try to address one issue by aggravating another.

I agree that her home cooked diet was somewhat lacking in everything she needed. One of my reasons for going to the new integrative vet was to address this and get proper nutritional advice, as well as trying to determine what it causing the issues she has and how to best address them. When the vet was trying to convince me to do the novel protein raw diet, and we (my hubby was with me) were explaining that she had had problems with raw in the past, I emphasised that my ultimate aim was a balanced, safe (for Millie) home cooked diet with an option for variation that I could use if we moved our dogs back to Europe. My thinking was that I will not be able to continue any diet available in Canada if we move, so I wanted to ensure continuity.
But the vet insisted on the diet we tried - said rabbit was low fat, digestible and that novel veg/fruit, coconut oil and the pro-biotic were also essential.
We sat outside the pet store that evening and both agreed that what we were going to try was a risk - we should have listened to our instincts and our vow to never give her raw again after her previous illness that saw her hospitalised. That was raw chicken on that occasion, which is what rhynes kindly suggested above but the vet dismissed as not being novel.

When Millie was initially very sick last week I contacted the vet who advised me to put her back on her original diet for a few days and then switch back to the raw rabbit again. My response (via e-mail as the vet is not in clinic on Fridays) was that she will not be getting the raw diet and I enquired again about a balanced home cooked diet recipe that cannot do any harm to a dog with a number of varied issues - most of which have never been properly diagnosed. If I draw a blank on that (which I feel is quite possible) I think my next step may be a canine nutritionist. I had considered this before but when I can only give symptoms and no diagnosis, I am unsure if it will be helpful???

You enquired about her fur. Millie (who is a terrier mix) has a beautiful, thick shiny coat. She sheds quite a bit (normal?) and is greying around her muzzle (also normal?). The fur on her muzzle has thinned a lot - in fact the mark from a biopsy taken from her nose 6+ months ago has never gone away. Her ears are the main problem area - she has had 'growths' (like warts and nodules) removed from them, they are scaly and the skin has thickened on them and the fur is pretty much gone from her outer ears. Her inner ears are also dry and scaly, but no yeast was detected and she tested negative for vasculitis. Fur is not particularly thin in the area you mentioned but she has black areas on all four legs where fur is also now gone and her underbelly has blackened areas and thickened skin. She occasionally has mucous in her stool (not regularly) and her breath is horrendous, despite a dental in October 2015. Ironically, her breath is not too bad when she licks or is up close to me, but when she barks it can be smelled across the room, almost as though it's coming from inside her - think the vets thought I was a bit crazy when I said this but its a fact and has always led me to suggest that she primarily has digestive issues. Her back is certainly sore - whether more or less is impossible to say. I have cut her Metacam down by half to one .5mg a day and am giving her traumeel (holistic) which a view to getting her off that drug - right or wrong, I don't know anymore.

Millie has been poked and prodded so much by both her regular vet and the new integrative vet (although she loved the osteopathy session!!) without any diagnosis that I am growing more and more reluctant to subject to any more of it. I don't think (and I pray I'm right) that there is anything seriously wrong with her as it would surely have been picked up by now?? Her numerous blood tests are all pretty normal, ultrasound showed no issues, x-rays picked up on her back issue - what more can I do in that regard? But her diet/digestion is (I believe)not right and hasn't been for some time. I don't know if she doesn't absorb her food properly, if her pancreas is not functioning properly, if she has IBD or leaky gut - and vets don't seem concerned/interested in finding out - unless one considers the suggestion of the elimination raw diet as a step in that direction? When I hear from this vet I will know if that may be her aim.

I am so sorry for this very long post - which I know is largely repetitive. I genuinely feel as though I'm hitting my head against a wall in my efforts to help Millie and she is the one who is suffering most - I feel at present that all the 'big' thinks have been checked out and eliminated (thankfully) but the simple things like her diet/digestion/gut have never been given attention and that this may be the root of her issues. I know people feel that I try too hard and that I am way too tuned into Millie and that I should ease up a bit (even my husband has said this occasions) Perhaps they're right in thinking this, but I feel I owe it to her to keep her healthy and happy and, at present, I don't feel I'm doing a very good job of it as I don't know what to do.
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  #34  
Old May 7th, 2017, 07:56 PM
rhynes rhynes is offline
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I'm going to bow out of this conversation. Putting your dog on a complete raw rabbit meal - commercial no less, was a food hardy move by the vet. It's set up to fail.

You're scared of raw now, and as you said above, you're looking for people to agree with you. Be careful of cooked fat in the diet - it's mostly the cooked and processed fats in the dog food that cause pancreatitis over long term. if you don't believe that, research it for the sake of your dog.

Whatever you do, take the load off the dogs organs in order to give time to heal - and good luck. You're beating your head against the wall - you're on that merry go round - and you're not going to get off.

Rob.
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  #35  
Old May 7th, 2017, 11:32 PM
MaxaLisa MaxaLisa is offline
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Shazanne, I had a dog that battled chronic pancreatitis most of her 13 years of life, so I understand a lot about how difficult that is. In the holistic field, there is a lot of dogma about feeding raw and you have to treat the dog, not the philosophy. For about 10 years I fed cooked lean pork with green beans and, all things considered, she did great on that. However, I couldn't even add things like fish oil or she would flair (the only fatty acids she could tolerate were fresh ground flaxseeds). The only raw that she would get an occassional marrow bone to clean her teeth, but she needed extra digestive enzymes to digest the fat (she did get daily digestive enzymes since her pancreas was not functioning correctly).

So the key will be finding out what works for Millie For Jazz here, the dermatologist had her on lean pork and steamed turnips, which worked well until, well, I guess she could only tolerate so much of turnips (who can blame her???). Now I alternate with the tripe with stella and chewy's lamb, and a homemade portion consisting of pork and organic sauerkraut. I think that's a weird diet, but it happens to be working.

This is the nutritionist that I've used off and on: http://www.betterdogcare.com/ There are a number of nutrients involved in hair growth - biotin, zinc, omega-6 fatty acids (I use grapeseed oil here), vit E, etc., and it's possible that lacking a single important nutrient can impeded healing. I found when I finally had my dog's diet first analyzed, when I had my GSD, that it was potassium deficient, and that was kinda a big deal because it helped him when I added it. There are groups like K9Kitchen on facebook and yahoo groups that can help you learn how to balance. With that said, I personally believe that we don't know the optimum level of nutrients needed for optimal health, but I like the idea of getting a solid base of balance before tipping towards mega-nutrients. For example, Huskies tend to genetically need more zinc and they have a classic set of symptoms that show in their fur and their nose when they are deficient. I think that a lot of us have genetic makeups that require more of certain nutrients.

I have seen a lot of chicken sensitivities, and I've never had a dog that could tolerate much of it.

It's really hard to stand up to the pressure of a vet and I hope that you will be able to continue working with this vet if you think she is pretty good. It's really hard to learn to stand up to your vet too. There is a holistic vet in town that I can't go to because I fight with her - she is very obstinate and dogmatic (no pun intended), that she often forgets about the actual dog. But it's nice to have a holistic ally. I have a very conventional internal medicine vet, a holistic vet, and a chiropractor vet for jazz and I use each one for different things.

I think you probably have more than one thing going on...

It's hard to say about the abdomen licking. I asked about the back because the abdomen is "the front of the back" and licking in that area could be digestive, but it could also be back pain. (Which makes me wonder if your holistic vet does anything like acupuncture....) I also wonder if you have your dog on any joint supplements.

You will have to judge, through careful trial, if the coconut oil is tolerated. I absolutely believe that a good probiotic is essential, and it might take you a few trials to find out which one will work best.

There are some similarities between jazz and millie in terms of fur issues, though with jazz we seem to have made more progress. We did initially treat for staph, which I'm sure your vet did a scraping to see if there was a bacteria issue (the dermatologist used a piece of tape ). So, like jazz, it seems to me that there is something genetic or hormonal. Jazz's was on her ears, belly and legs, and only a little bit on the flank. In fact, we didn't notice the flank issue until she started growing more hair and we saw how it was supposed to be.

It's very possible that there is nothing "serious" causing the hair loss, but there are issues with the gut, which you smell, and maybe that is also an infected skin issue. I saw a handful of vets that NEVER diagnosed jazz's staph infection until we finally saw the dermatologist. I have no idea how something like that can be missed. But the breath issues mean you have joint issues and gut issues at minimum.

I spent some time last night reading about seasonal flank alopecia in dogs. The pattern of loss doesn't quite match jazz or millie, but I'm fascinated by the thought that jazz's fur growth might be due to the addition of her vitamin D after we tested for it. The seasonal alopecia, they speculate, is from long periods of darkness and lack of sunlight. That sure sounds like a vit D deficiency to me. I don't know if a topical would work, but it might be worth getting some topical vit D and using it on the ears, or maybe alternating it with liquid vit E (Solaray makes a good product). If it helps some, then I would for surely run the vit D test. This is the vit D/K2 product my vet recommended for jazz (the k2 for helping vit d absorb): https://www.amazon.com/Vitamin-Absor.../dp/B014K3H73A (made by Live Wise Naturals). No clue if it will work. The other things might be to look at the treatment for alopecia, of alopecia x in dogs, which would include lignans from flaxseed and melatonin.

Okay, now my turn to apologize for the very long post. I best post this and be done!

Last edited by MaxaLisa; May 8th, 2017 at 12:09 AM.
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  #36  
Old May 8th, 2017, 06:28 PM
Longblades Longblades is offline
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Shazanne, you may remember I told you about my dog, who has Lymphangiectasia. It also requires a low fat diet. I found a Facebook group about it and you may find some information there. It deals with IBD as well.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/lymphiedogs/

FWIW, when we first went to our new Holistic/Integrative Vet she put my dog on a diet of a novel protein and novel carb, cooked. COOKEd, not raw, not for several months. She was not at all in favour of feeding raw to a dog with obviously upset and poorly functioning innards while he was sick. Not till we were sure he was recovering.

My dog got sick again and now eats Raynes Low Fat Kangaroo Maintenance, the kibble. WE were hoping to go back to raw, it's been two years since he recovered from his second bout with L. But it appears he still has some immune system disorder going, though all blood work has been good for a year. But because of the supposed immune system disorder we will stay with kibble, maybe a raw meal once or twice a week. WE are limited in our protein options as his Nutriscan shows an intolerance for turkey and whitefish, wiping out two low fat proteins.

Poor little Millie, poor little you, I'm so sorry this is so hard to fix.
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  #37  
Old May 8th, 2017, 06:41 PM
Shazanne Shazanne is offline
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Thank you for such a detailed and caring response MaxiLisa - I greatly appreciate it.
I am happy to hear that your trials and efforts have paid off with Jazz and that you have made progress.
To be honest, I am really scared of making any changes with Millie at the moment, although I know she needs them. I am just so worried about causing her more problems - she is still not 100% right after the raw trial and if I did anything else to cause additional problems for her I would be devastated.
The holistic vet did not reply to my e-mail today - I have no idea if she got it or even if she's working today. Perhaps, because of my emphatic refusal to follow her advice on returning to the raw rabbit has resulted in her deciding not to deal with me any further - who knows?
If so, I'm pretty much on my own again with no idea where to turn. As I said previously, any of the qualified nutritionists I have come across on line with a view to formulating a balanced diet ask for a health history/report - I can't supply it as I don't know what is wrong with Millie, I only know her symptoms and I don't know if this is enough.
Her regular vet is very black and white - lab tests, x-rays etc. Gut or digestive issues have never been investigated and the answer to dietary concerns is to give a Royal Canin gastro diet and a Fortiflora pro-biotic and I don't want either of those for Millie. I reckon if I started asking him about specific vitamin deficiencies he would simply tell me that Royal Canin has everything she needs!
Are there specific tests for leaky-gut, IBD or any other digestive issues - or are they diagnosed based on symptoms only? Is it something a conventional vet will address (I have only experienced one in Canada and am much more familiar with the system in Ireland, although not for an issue like this) or is it more in the realm of a holistic vet? A dermatologist consultation is almost an impossibility in the city where I live as there is an approx. 8 month waiting list for the only board certified one practicing.
I feel so totally inadequate at this stage - and I feel like a fool as I'm running and jumping from one possibility or solution to another and getting nowhere and I have never been in a position like this before. And the one that is suffering most is Millie due to my inability to find her the help she needs.
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  #38  
Old May 8th, 2017, 06:47 PM
Shazanne Shazanne is offline
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Originally Posted by Longblades View Post
Shazanne, you may remember I told you about my dog, who has Lymphangiectasia. It also requires a low fat diet. I found a Facebook group about it and you may find some information there. It deals with IBD as well.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/lymphiedogs/

FWIW, when we first went to our new Holistic/Integrative Vet she put my dog on a diet of a novel protein and novel carb, cooked. COOKEd, not raw, not for several months. She was not at all in favour of feeding raw to a dog with obviously upset and poorly functioning innards while he was sick. Not till we were sure he was recovering.

My dog got sick again and now eats Raynes Low Fat Kangaroo Maintenance, the kibble. WE were hoping to go back to raw, it's been two years since he recovered from his second bout with L. But it appears he still has some immune system disorder going, though all blood work has been good for a year. But because of the supposed immune system disorder we will stay with kibble, maybe a raw meal once or twice a week. WE are limited in our protein options as his Nutriscan shows an intolerance for turkey and whitefish, wiping out two low fat proteins.

Poor little Millie, poor little you, I'm so sorry this is so hard to fix.
I will check this out - thank you!
You did the NutriScan? Did you find it good and reliable? I was castigated on Facebook for even considering it!! But I have ordered it and am awaiting its arrival - I have great faith in Dr Dodds.
Yes - poor little Millie, she's the one suffering through all this. I just wish I could find the right way to go about fixing it for her.
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  #39  
Old May 8th, 2017, 08:47 PM
Longblades Longblades is offline
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A lot of people I know personally put a lot of stock in Dr. Jean Dodds. The only thing I know to recommend her personally, myself, is she has responded quickly to a question on vaccination. And she went to the same University as me, but the Vet College, and some time before me. But I believe the University of Guelph Vet College is pretty well respected. As for whether the information obtained on the Nutriscan is reliable, the only way I have to test it is to feed the foods with the high intolerance levels, and I'm sure as heck not going to do that. My VEt is keen on her too.

Oh, now wait. Dr. Dodds also responded to my query on the turkey, which was one of the highest intolerance foods. Turkey was the novel protein my new Vet put my dog on. How could that be? Dr. Dodds explained that intolerance is accummulative and my dog would probably, eventually, have a problem with it. She also explained that raw is not the miracle some raw feeding groups contend. Dogs will often be able to handle the food raw that they react to in kibble but the food still has the antigens in it. It's just that raw has far fewer of them than kibble. So the accummulative effect will take longer.
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  #40  
Old May 8th, 2017, 08:59 PM
Longblades Longblades is offline
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You asked MaxaLisa about blood tests. My boy had low albumin, as I mentionned above. ON the Lymphangiectasia FB it seems this is common with many with this disease. At least one test I think you could take a look at. It's so hard, they can all vary so much. I would have said my boy had a cast iron stomach. My Vet, the first one, said low albumin is usually discovered when the dog is brought in for testing to see why it's having one or any of many symptoms of low albumin; gas, loss of weight, energy, coat, appetite. My dog had none of those. He seemed exceptionally healthy and energetic. The only other clue, in hindsight, always a mildly poor, dry, harsh coat. EFAs cured that, and guess what they are? Fats, mostly, just what he has to eat little of now. And then he got itchy, another clue, in hindsight.
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  #41  
Old May 11th, 2017, 08:54 AM
Longblades Longblades is offline
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Shazanne, hope you see this, might be of interest to you.

http://archive.aweber.com/awlist4060...s_Facebook.htm

It's a live discussion on Leaky Gut on FB today, Wednesday, May 11, 2017 at 4:00 ET.
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  #42  
Old May 11th, 2017, 03:59 PM
Shazanne Shazanne is offline
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Originally Posted by Longblades View Post
Shazanne, hope you see this, might be of interest to you.

http://archive.aweber.com/awlist4060...s_Facebook.htm

It's a live discussion on Leaky Gut on FB today, Wednesday, May 11, 2017 at 4:00 ET.
Just saw this now. Am going to check the FB page now and see what I can find on it. Thank you so much.

I'm taking Millie back to the holistic vet on Monday 29th May to discuss her digestive issues primarily. I think there has been too much emphasis on trying to diagnose her skin problems and her digestive system has been overlooked.
I will post an update after that appointment.
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  #43  
Old May 11th, 2017, 06:37 PM
Longblades Longblades is offline
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I missed the live one, just watched it now. Very worthwhile for me, if a lot of it review for me, given we know my dog has Lymphangiectasia.

All the signs that might be a clue to this, to Leaky Gut, several Millie seems to have, my dog had none. He did, once diagnosed, have the faecal implant.

Well, that's not true, he did have signs. But so mild. A bit of dry skin and coat but then the awful itching he had, but still, only in summer.
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  #44  
Old May 12th, 2017, 03:56 PM
Shazanne Shazanne is offline
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All the signs that might be a clue to this, to Leaky Gut, several Millie seems to have, my dog had none. He did, once diagnosed, have the faecal implant.

Wow - what a coincidence!! The faecal implant was suggested to me two days ago!! I had never heard of it and the holistic vet has sent me some information on it. I can see why it could be effective and was going to ask on here but wasn't sure how it would be received - it's a pretty unusual approach and I was worried I'd get a ton of negative comments on it

But I am intrigued by it. How did it go and did you see the improvements that the information I read suggests? I am so happy to have someone to ask about this!!!

In other news - took Fonzie for a check up yesterday and had his bloods done as it has been quite some time since they were checked. Vet said today that he has seldom seen such a healthy blood panel!! Everything, absolutely everything, is in normal, healthy range!! I actually felt like crying with sheer happiness - I am so used to Millie being tested and tested without any definitive diagnosis that it's become the norm at the vets. What I wouldn't give to get a blood panel like that for her
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Old May 12th, 2017, 05:40 PM
Longblades Longblades is offline
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If you google faecal implant, it's becoming more well known. For people too. Oban's donor dog was a dog at the clinic and that dog had to have complete blood work done which I paid for. Then, the longer my dog went without pooping himself the better. They were very pleased he didn't get the urge till many hours later in the afternoon. It was done in the morning and he was fasted as he had to be anaesthetized. Then I couldn't feed him at all for some hours, in case what I fed pushed the donor poop out if he pooped. We think it was a major factor in getting his gut back in order, to introduce those good bacteria that he did not have enough of. It was just a steady upswing for the better after that but he also neeed some B12, some liver work, some expensive probiotic, and then they put him on the novel ingredient, limited ingredient kibble. If you watch the video, Diana is very pro raw food, but not for leaky gut.
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  #46  
Old May 12th, 2017, 06:51 PM
Shazanne Shazanne is offline
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Hi. I just watched that video and, yes, I can see exactly why you recommended it.
I see a lot of Millie in it, although she has never had to take antibiotics ( 2- 3 times ever maybe) but she has been vaccinated as per veterinary 'protocol' and that's a lot of vaccines in her lifetime She takes Metacam, so there's another factor.
I am awaiting delivery of the NutriScan at the moment and, although I expect if to come back with her being intolerant to almost everything (which is what seems to happen with this test) I think I will find it interesting.
I am certainly going to do a lot of reading on the faecal transplant. The vet she is going to (holistic) uses her own dog or another of the clinic vets dog, so there was no mention of paying for bloodwork etc. I gather the procedure is approx. $150 (apart from 'add on's!).
I was reassured to learn that feeding raw to a dog with digestive issues is not advisable as Millie has always reacted badly to raw and people regularly tried to tell me that was almost impossible!! I found Diana's comment that 'there is no one diet suitable for all dogs' an echo of what I have always felt - I'm just sorry that I tried her on raw again and she became so sick (again) as I should have known better and spared her that.
Thank you for your amazing help - you really get where I'm coming from at this point. Please stay in touch - I am only at the beginning of this long road!!
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  #47  
Old May 13th, 2017, 07:24 AM
Longblades Longblades is offline
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I am awaiting delivery of the NutriScan at the moment and, although I expect if to come back with her being intolerant to almost everything (which is what seems to happen with this test) I think I will find it interesting.
Only a very few intolerances came back on my dog's test.
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  #48  
Old May 13th, 2017, 10:38 AM
Shazanne Shazanne is offline
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That is so good to hear.
I am hoping there will be a good possibility for a healthy and balanced diet for her - with some options to switch it up on a reasonably regular basis so she can have variety and doesn't get bored with the food, as she is inclined to do. I don't ask much, do I????

How did you arrive at your diagnosis - was it a conventional or holistic vet? It must feel great to be able to know you are taking pro-active action that is the right action to take.
I am at the point where I fear that everything I do or give to Millie could be the wrong thing and that I am consistently doing more harm that good. I look forward to the day when I know for sure (in as far as possible) that I am finally doing the right thing and that she is happier, healthier and getting the proper care.
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Old May 14th, 2017, 07:57 AM
Longblades Longblades is offline
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It was a co-incidence my boy was diagnosed. We were going to a distant Vet for ortho rehab and they took a blood draw which showed ever lower albumin levels. As if to collaborate with them my dog started another bout of diarrhoea. This was after seemingly having recovered from his first extremely scary first bout of diarrhoea and moving, successfully we thought, to a completely raw diet which he he'd been going very well on for 5 months. Longer if you in the long transition period.

His own Vet, by then the new one, the Holistic/Integrative one, was very upset she had not discovered this herself but he'd been slated for blood work in a few months and it's just a quirk the rehab people jumped the gun and did it first. A lucky quirk for us. We were at the ortho rehab in the first place due to her recommendation so it was nice for me that the two Vet clinics co-operated with each other.

Now that I have found that Lymphangiectasia FB I posted for you earlier it is apparent to me that we have been incredibly lucky. My boy seems to be one of the few who has been able to resume a fairly normal life, regular diet and not too many meds, which for him are TCM.


I subscribe to Dogs Naturally Magazine (which I take with a grain of salt) and receive regular emails from them, as well as the magazine. This came in an email today. I don't why they call it a workbook; it's just information, nothing for you to work through. But it is interesting and it is free. The emails are free too.

I was going to give you the link but I have already downloaded mine so the link doesn't go to the same place it should for you. If you google Dogs Naturally Magazine Leaky Gut Workbook I hope it comes up.
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  #50  
Old July 4th, 2017, 02:53 AM
Shazanne Shazanne is offline
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Just a brief update on where I am with Millie at the present time. Everyone here was so very good, understanding and helpful that I feel you'd like an update - at least I hope so!
She is doing quite well. Still no diagnosis but she is making progress with her current regime.
I did what I had been considering doing for a long time and engaged the services of a canine nutritionist who, using her symptoms/blood work/pancreatitis history and her Nutriscan results, formulated a cooked diet for her. I am using all fresh top quality organic ingredients and the supplements specifically recommended for her - and she's doing better than I have seen her in a very long time. She had a glitch in the early stages when we established that lamb (although flagged as safe on Nurtiscan) does agree with her, so it was eliminated and she is now eating happily.
When she is completely settled on her diet there will be a number of herbs added to further assist her
Her eyes are brighter, her energy and interest in general have noticeably improved, she is not licking her vulva except on one occasion, she is showing signs of regrowth of the hair on her ears and the insides of her ears are not dry and scaly.
She is continuing to get osteopathy on her back and has three holistic tinctures that she takes daily. Her conventional medication is reduced to half its original dose and will be reduced even further once she is fully established on her diet.
I am not jumping up and down with excitement just yet - I have learned the hard way that getting too optimistic too soon can end in tears. But I am very happy with her progress and the now regular glimpses of my 'old' Millie as she was before all this started with her.
As I said a long time ago, I genuinely believe that good nutrition is the key to good health and I pray I am being proven right on this.
Incidentally, I also got a diet formulated for my other healthy 6 years old dog who has a tendency to be overweight. He is doing extremely well on it and is shedding the extra weight and looking so much better - and he adores his new diet!!
Yes, it's a lot of work and commitment to cook two separate diets from scratch for two dogs, but it sure beats trips to the vet that involve several tests that result in no positive answers on how to help their health.
I could be back on here with further issues but I really hope I'm not. But, if I am, I know I will get lots of excellent advice and help from you all and I am so grateful to all who took the time and interest to help me when I honestly saw no light at the end of the tunnel.
I will keep you posted on Millie's journey and maybe my experience will prove helpful to others. Thank you all again.
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Old July 4th, 2017, 07:36 AM
Longblades Longblades is offline
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Thank you for updating. It's so nice to read a good report.
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  #52  
Old July 4th, 2017, 10:42 AM
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hazelrunpack hazelrunpack is offline
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What a hopeful update! Hurray! So glad things are looking up for you and Millie!
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  #53  
Old July 4th, 2017, 09:52 PM
Shazanne Shazanne is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hazelrunpack View Post
What a hopeful update! Hurray! So glad things are looking up for you and Millie!
Fingers crossed!!! At least I feel I'm doing something that is bring some positive results. I spend full days (on weekends as I work during the week) cooking for both of my dogs, but I honestly don't mind. I would cook all night rather than have to see Millie tested and tested in a vet clinic with no clear diagnosis. She's been though enough of all that - if anything was seriously wrong I'd surely know by now???
I plan to continue with her diet/supplements/herbs for as long as they are giving her a greater sense of well-being. But, if I begin to see a downwards trend in how she is I will pursue it through the vet - holistically if at all possible.
I hope that won't be for a very long time!
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  #54  
Old July 4th, 2017, 10:06 PM
Shazanne Shazanne is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Longblades View Post
Thank you for updating. It's so nice to read a good report.
Keep Millie in your thoughts. I am hoping she continues to do well and that she finally gets a break from all the veterinary testing.
I want her to have quality and freedom to be happy - not undergoing day longs trips to the vet for tests 'just in case' she has a particular.
She will always be known as 'Mysterious Millie' in the clinic - so many symptoms and no definite causes. There is nothing left unchecked at this point that I can think of - but still her symptoms continued.
A customised diet and holistic tinctures seem to have done more that any of the 'trial drugs' the vet suggested might help her. I am happy I never agreed to giving some of the drugs that were suggested for illnesses she 'might' have and that 'might' help.
She could have been on thyroid meds, Apoquel, steroids, Atopica, antibiotics etc but I never agreed as I didn't want to give her drugs unless I knew she needed them. Something inside me always resisted these drugs and I'm happy it did. Had she needed them it goes without saying that she'd be on them and I don't know what the future hold in that regard - but for now she is much better than she has been in a very long time and I pray it lasts.
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