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I've always trusted science diet because that is what my vet said to use, but since the purchase of my lab I'm re thinking the whole science diet for all my pets.
Most vets get very little education on nutrition while in vet school. The courses they do get are sponsored by Hill's, the makers of Science Diet.
When choosing a food it is important to read the ingredients. Ingredients are listed with the most content first and the least content last. The first 5 are the most important as that is the bulk of what you are feeding. The first ingredient should be a meat, and a meat meal would be best. By-products should be avoided. By definition by-products are things not fit for human consumption and can include cancerous tissue. Dogs can not digest corn, it is a cheap filler.
ZSP ~ I just read about Giardia and the symptoms do not discribe him or his bowels at all, Thank God because that sounds horrible!! What exactly is a probiotic? I guess I can look that up as well and I guess I will need to look up Fastrack and Forti Flora. Those are things I've never heard of. I do have him on Brewers and a multivitamin as well. I hope that isn't whats causing his tummy to be so upset.
Thank you everyone for the advice you have given me and I'll continue to check my page to see if there are any more advice given that I could use and I will also keep you all updated on he he is doing on Wellness for puppys dog food!! **crossing my fingers** Take Care
Racelady ~ I don't mean to pry, but do you work with a lot of animals such as with a Vet or something of that nature? Just curious, I had no idea that Vets would not be educated on nutrition seems to me that would be one of many important things they would need to learn in caring for the animals/pets that use their services. Anyway ~ Thank you for your opinion, very much appreciated
Racelady ~ I don't mean to pry, but do you work with a lot of animals such as with a Vet or something of that nature? Just curious, I had no idea that Vets would not be educated on nutrition seems to me that would be one of many important things they would need to learn in caring for the animals/pets that use their services. Anyway ~ Thank you for your opinion, very much appreciated
Nutrition is an elective in vet school, meaning they don't necessarily have to take it. Those that do, take a course sponsored by Hill's, maker of Science Diet. Vets are medical professionals, not nutritionists. Next time you go, note the prescription food in the lobby...almost always it will be either Science Diet or Royal Canin. Vets, like human docs, get kickbacks and incentives to push this stuff. I see firsthand the incentives they get and if you offered me a free trip to Hawaii, I'd probably tell you it was a good food too!
Also, not sure if this has been mentioned, but I'd have the vet check for parvo...it's pretty common in pups, especially that young.
Hi Mak ~ That was first my question to my Vet about parvo and just because I insisted they checked him and he was negetive ~ He told me parvo doesn't hang on for that long without killing the pup ~ So I feel confident he does not have parvo, He's full of energy, very playful, loving and cuddly. He's actually a very smart little guy, he's being trained to be a therapy dog considering when I go in for chemo, I see so many long term patients that have no one and just know in my heart that visiting with a loving lab would make their day if only for a short time, He would put a smile on their faces and in their hearts. He'll be tested when he's a year to see if he passes the therapy test or not. He's already mastered greet, sit, stay, shake, down and hault. Our vet said he's way ahead of most pups his age. He's only 12 wks old. His diarrhea isn't out of control and it's more like mush than anything ~ It's just very soft and not formed and he's on a regular schedule as to when he goes, so it's not like a rush out the door gotta go gotta go type thing, Just very concerned that his stools aren't formed yet. The vet told me once I put him on hard dog food only that it would be formed and that has never happened. I thought maybe at first it was because he is cutting teeth and may have the same symptoms as a infant with the whole tummy ache and feeling yucky in general??? I've raised dogs all my life and have never dealt with this in all my years, but then again maybe I'm just worried that something is going to happen to him since I lost my last lab to cancer less than a year ago and he also was a therapy dog and his cancer was a surprise and once we found out he didn't live much longer. I know his bowels/stools are not normal or consitant with what they should be, but then again maybe it was the bad start with the science diet and the worms he had when I purchased him, which he was treated for and is clean of all worms now. I don't know ~ He goes to see our vet tomorrow afternoon and he will check him out and if all goes well he will get his 12 wk vaccines. Socrates has a great appetite so I know he's eating and drinking plenty, I just wish his stools would level out and become normal and formed.
I needed to add something to my last post ~ When I was breeding, I always made sure they had their first shots and also dewormed before I would ever even consider allowing them to be purchased and also had my ***** dewormed before giving birth as a little extra insurance for the puppys health before they were born and I never had a sick puppy from any of my litters nor did they ever have worms so this whole worm things was a new thing to me and a big shock when I seen them in his stools and I must say I will never eat spaghetti again in my life! So now I'm on regular poop examination detail to make sure there are not parasites making a home in Socrates intestines. I seriously appreciate all the great advice I've been given and would appreciate the great advice to keep rolling in.
Racelady ~ I don't mean to pry, but do you work with a lot of animals such as with a Vet or something of that nature? Just curious, I had no idea that Vets would not be educated on nutrition seems to me that would be one of many important things they would need to learn in caring for the animals/pets that use their services. Anyway ~ Thank you for your opinion, very much appreciated
I have spent my entire life working with animals. Mostly show horses, dogs, and cats but there have been quite a variety of other critters along the way. I have worked with both large and small animal vets.
Most of the nutritional knowledge I have has come in the last few years. Shadow, my dog, has multiple dietary concerns that have made me aware of food quality and contents.
Another benefit of feeding a good food is that there is less poop without all the corn. I use to feed my dogs Beneful before I joined this forum and learned a lot of these good folks. I know it is hard to believe that Science Diet is not a good food for the price they charge it should be severed on a gold platter. I did try it for one of my dogs when he was overweight. He didn't loose any weight on that but he did once I switched to a no corn dog food.
We do require pictures though if you want to post here.. Just kidding but we do love our pictures.
Just got back from the vet and I told him I switched Socrates to Wellness and he said, great choice thats what I feed my pets also. He weighs 30 lbs and is 12 wks old and said he is very healthy and that I should have no worries or concerns about the way he looks and to continue doing what I've been doing!!
How do I get pictures of Socrates on here??
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Just kidding but we do love our pictures.
