Please help me with the diet for my frechie !!

[Simba is King]

Hi everyone, I am so happy I found this site. I hope I will be able to get the info I need from everyone here and it seems I will be able to. I have a male french bulldog that is 20 months old that I bought when he was 1 year old from a breeder. I have been feeding him Science Diet food only because I really didnt know about all of these other kinds of diets.

My dog seems to be having some problems and I was hoping I can get help here to go about fixing the cause. I think the food is the source of the problems. He licks his paws non stop and doesnt leave them alone, it is getting worse and worse and more often day by day. He also scratches his ears a great amount. He is very gassy and sometimes throws up whole undigested food and sometimes throws up white foamy like liquid. I am really confused on all of these raw diets and supplements and really hope all of you can help explain and give me some suggestions. I have brought him to the vet and they checked his ears and feet and they said they are perfect that theres no infections or yeast and that it may be bad habbits or allergies. Alot of people told me allergies could be the cause. I was also recomended Kelp supplments for him. If someone can clear up what I should be doing and whats a real good diet and supplement plan for him I would really really appreciate it. I love him so much and just want him to be as comfortable and as happy as can be. I look forward to your replies. Thanks

[Olivier]

First, welcome to Bulldogworld :)

Yes, it sounds like food allergies - itchy paws is a common sign. Throwing up undigested food is another suggestion that his food doesn't agree well with him. So I would suggest that you change his food.

Science diet isn't the greatest food around. It has a lot of grains - including wheat and corn, which are very common allergens. Most varieties are also preserved with BHT/BHA which are carcinogens. So lots of reasons to try something different!

Choose a kibble that has at least two named meat protein sources in the top five ingredients (chicken meal, lamb meal, fish meal etc) and doesn't contain any wheat, corn of any description or beet pulp as these seem to be the worst for allergic dogs (if it's not possible to find anything without those grains, then they should be as far down the ingredient list as possible). Also, choose something with naturally occuring preservative (tocopherols), not chemical preservatives such as BHT, BHA or ethoxyquin.

If you want suggestions, try: Canidae, Wellness, Royal Canin, Chicken Soup, Natural Balance, Innova. Or you could take a look at this website, which (although it doesn't rate every food out there) gives some useful information on how to choose a good food yourself: http://animalark.eapps.com/animal/PetFoods.nsf

Feeding raw is a great option, and can really help with allergic dogs - but you should do plenty of research so you know what you're doing before you start. A good book for beginners is "Give Your Dog A Bone" by Dr Ian Billinghurst. There's also lots of information on bulldogworld's sister site, Boxerworld: http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=45

Good luck! :)

Olly (with some help from Gwyneth who moderates at Boxerworld)

[Simba is King]

First, welcome to Bulldogworld :)

Yes, it sounds like food allergies - itchy paws is a common sign. Throwing up undigested food is another suggestion that his food doesn't agree well with him. So I would suggest that you change his food.

Science diet isn't the greatest food around. It has a lot of grains - including wheat and corn, which are very common allergens. Most varieties are also preserved with BHT/BHA which are carcinogens. So lots of reasons to try something different!

Choose a kibble that has at least two named meat protein sources in the top five ingredients (chicken meal, lamb meal, fish meal etc) and doesn't contain any wheat, corn of any description or beet pulp as these seem to be the worst for allergic dogs (if it's not possible to find anything without those grains, then they should be as far down the ingredient list as possible). Also, choose something with naturally occuring preservative (tocopherols), not chemical preservatives such as BHT, BHA or ethoxyquin.

If you want suggestions, try: Canidae, Wellness, Royal Canin, Chicken Soup, Natural Balance, Innova. Or you could take a look at this website, which (although it doesn't rate every food out there) gives some useful information on how to choose a good food yourself: http://animalark.eapps.com/animal/PetFoods.nsf

Feeding raw is a great option, and can really help with allergic dogs - but you should do plenty of research so you know what you're doing before you start. A good book for beginners is "Give Your Dog A Bone" by Dr Ian Billinghurst. There's also lots of information on bulldogworld's sister site, Boxerworld: http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=45

Good luck! :)

Olly (with some help from Gwyneth who moderates at Boxerworld)


SO you dont think I have to go with a raw diet? I am very very confused if you were in my position what would you do? Switch over to one of those kibbles you reccomended? What about kelp whats your opinion on adding that?

[Olivier]

Personally I am a firm believer in raw feeding, and I think it is the best choice you can make for your dog. BUT it is something that you need to be comfortable doing, and to research before you jump on in.

You do need something in the meantime though - and it is quite possible that a change to a better quality kibble will clear things up for your dog. So even if, after researching it, you decide you want to go with the raw diet, it is still worth while changing to a better quality kibble right away. If the new kibble works - well you don't have to go raw (but you might decide to anyway after doing a bit of research ;) ). If it doesn't, you haven't lost anything, because you needed to spend the time researching a raw diet before starting to feed it. Make sense?

[Simba is King]

Personally I am a firm believer in raw feeding, and I think it is the best choice you can make for your dog. BUT it is something that you need to be comfortable doing, and to research before you jump on in.

You do need something in the meantime though - and it is quite possible that a change to a better quality kibble will clear things up for your dog. So even if, after researching it, you decide you want to go with the raw diet, it is still worth while changing to a better quality kibble right away. If the new kibble works - well you don't have to go raw (but you might decide to anyway after doing a bit of research ;) ). If it doesn't, you haven't lost anything, because you needed to spend the time researching a raw diet before starting to feed it. Make sense?


Thats what i was thinking also. What do you this is the best possible kibble I can buy, I dont care about price I just want him to feel perfect as can be. Also do I need to mix new food with old food for a while to get him used to it? And what is your opinion on a kelp supplement to help with everything?

[Olivier]

Well, the thing with kibbles is that there isn't really a single "best-food" that is going to suit every single dog. What some do great on, another might not... Based on the ingredient list and anecdotal evidence (I feed raw myself...) I would suggest that you try Canidae. That seems to work for a great many dogs, and the ingredient list (which I'll post at the end) is excellent.

In saying that, it does kind of depend on what it is that your dog is allergic too. If it's the nasty grains like corn and wheat - then Canidae should be a good choice. But if it's something like chicken or lamb, then you'd be better off choosing something like Natural Balance's duck & potato formula, or Wellness' venison and rice. Any one of the three is a very good quality kibble though.

Oh - and yes, if your dog has even a slighly sensitive stomach, then mixing foods so that you can make a gradual switch is a good idea.

Canidae ingredients:
Chicken Meal, Turkey Meal, Brown Rice, White Rice, Lamb Meal, Chicken Fat, (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Ascorbic Acid), Menhaden Fish Meal, Flax Seed, Sun Cured Alfalfa Meal, Sunflower Oil, Lecithin, Brewers Yeast, Natural Flavors, Monosodium Phosphate, Choline, Linoleic Acid, Rosemary Extract, Sage Extract, Ferrous Sulfate, Mixed Tocopherols (Source of Vitamin E) Zinc Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Manganous Oxide, Riboflavin Supplement (Source of B2), Yeast Culture, Dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Extract, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Streptococcus Faecium Fermentation product, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Niacin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, D- Biotin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Calcium, Iodate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid, Papain, Bacillus Subtilis, Aspergillus Niger, Yucca Schidigera Extract.

[franp]

I agree that Raw is really the best. Dogs are not meant to eat grain; look in thier mouths. NO MOLARS!! they do not even have the tools to eat grain..

A little over a year ago I switched my dog to raw.The change was amazing..
As far as I am concerned ,no matter how expensive, there is no good kibble because they are all made with grain.

Are you in the US? If so , go to www.bravorawdiet.com or Omaspride.com. These are two excellent pre made raw diets. Retailers are listed. and both will explain the idea behind the diet.

FYI, many of the dogs that come in Frenchbulldogrescue have terrible allergy and stomach problems.We have 2 Vets that work with us; one is alliopathic and the other is homeopathic.Both recommend a Raw diet. Each and every dog with problems is changed and all have shown great improvement.

My suggestion; change to raw, If after 3months your dog has not shown great improvement; then look to kibble. But I am willing to bet , your dog will be allot better.

[Simba is King]

I agree that Raw is really the best. Dogs are not meant to eat grain; look in thier mouths. NO MOLARS!! they do not even have the tools to eat grain..

A little over a year ago I switched my dog to raw.The change was amazing..
As far as I am concerned ,no matter how expensive, there is no good kibble because they are all made with grain.

Are you in the US? If so , go to www.bravorawdiet.com or Omaspride.com. These are two excellent pre made raw diets. Retailers are listed. and both will explain the idea behind the diet.

FYI, many of the dogs that come in Frenchbulldogrescue have terrible allergy and stomach problems.We have 2 Vets that work with us; one is alliopathic and the other is homeopathic.Both recommend a Raw diet. Each and every dog with problems is changed and all have shown great improvement.

My suggestion; change to raw, If after 3months your dog has not shown great improvement; then look to kibble. But I am willing to bet , your dog will be allot better.

Is is that easy to switch to raw? Say I go to that bravo site I just order one of the pre made meals? If you look in this thread the other replier said to reseacrh itgreatly before switching. I am confused on the raw, if you were me what would you order from bravo and how does the diet work?

[franp]

Research to make yourself comfortable..

It took me a long time to get comfortable.and then I found out that I could get it premade.. If I got another dog, I would start from day one. Everyone has a different level of comfort.
many of my friends are breeders and wean pups on raw..

If you do switch, I recommend a slow transition. It took 2 weeks for my dog to make the change from WET dog food to raw..Otherwise you risk diarhea..

Do not jump into anything.. Read first..But for me; RAW is the best and only way to feed my dog.
fran

[Olivier]

Simba: just go to http://www.boxerworld.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=5
There are 6,872 messages posted only about barf there. You can read messages from people new at barf too.

[Borgan]

Raw! Raw! Raw!

We started Luna on kibble that she came with, and aside from the fact that her coat was very dander-ful, she did not like it. So we switched to the BARF diet and found it okay for awhile. Then Luna started to gain a pile of weight and look like a tub 'o lard, plus it was messy & time consuming (and we have a small freezer). She even got sick from a bad batch and was throwing up all over the place. Our final solution was to go with the more expensive, pre-packaged frozen raw diet, and we love it! The bag tells you exactly how much to give your pet (it's great for cats too), and each patty contains hormone-free meat, eggs, veggies & minerals. We just pop it in the microwave until it's thawed and we're done. We also give her a teaspoon of omega oils wih garlic with each meal (we feed twice a day). It makes her coat shiny & dander-free.

If you can't find such a diet at your local pet store, try ordering it online, or make a once-a-month trip to a neighbouring city that does have it.

Hope that helps!

Here is our brand:
http://www.naturesvariety.com

[franp]

Please do not put the food in the microwave; that is cooking it..
I leave it out for a while or in the refrigorator overnight..
if you have the BARF with bones and put it in the micro, that can be very dangerous for your dog.
fran

[Borgan]

Let me clarify - we microwave on defrost...the food is still raw, just not frozen.

But, yes, cooked bones are dangerous, as most of us know.

[Simba is King]

Raw! Raw! Raw!

We started Luna on kibble that she came with, and aside from the fact that her coat was very dander-ful, she did not like it. So we switched to the BARF diet and found it okay for awhile. Then Luna started to gain a pile of weight and look like a tub 'o lard, plus it was messy & time consuming (and we have a small freezer). She even got sick from a bad batch and was throwing up all over the place. Our final solution was to go with the more expensive, pre-packaged frozen raw diet, and we love it! The bag tells you exactly how much to give your pet (it's great for cats too), and each patty contains hormone-free meat, eggs, veggies & minerals. We just pop it in the microwave until it's thawed and we're done. We also give her a teaspoon of omega oils wih garlic with each meal (we feed twice a day). It makes her coat shiny & dander-free.

If you can't find such a diet at your local pet store, try ordering it online, or make a once-a-month trip to a neighbouring city that does have it.

Hope that helps!

Here is our brand:
http://www.naturesvariety.com

I was recomended their kibble as well, i am confused about the raw diet, i see raw bones and raw treats, what is the actual meal? I am confused if you can explain what the diet and the meals consist of?Thanks for your help.

[franp]

I was recomended their kibble as well, i am confused about the raw diet, i see raw bones and raw treats, what is the actual meal? I am confused if you can explain what the diet and the meals consist of?Thanks for your help.
The actual "meal" is raw meat and bones. Some people give just that :raw bones with meat attached. Some people grind the bones and meat .
Some, like me buy it already ground.You can have it with bones in or not; veggies added or not. I like it with both.
There is an excellent book called "The Ultimate Diet" ; it is an easy read explaining raw feeding. The theory is feeding our dogs as they ate like they did when they were wolves..
Go to www.bravorawdiet.com. This is the company that I get Dari's food from and the site is very informative.It will give you a very good understanding of raw feeding.
Dari's food looks like chopped meat.She gets NO kibble ever...
There are many different kinds of raw diets. Some add veggies and some do not. Some feel that the meat should not be ground etc. It is all a matter of personal choice. But from my experience; dogs with health issues almost always benefit..

[Borgan]

The actual meal for the brand we use is a big bag of frozen medallions. We give 7 medallions a day: 4 for breakfast and 3 for dinner to maintain her 23lb body weight. Within each medallion is ground raw meat, eggs, minerals, vegetables & oils.

Like Fran said, if you are not using a pre-packaged raw diet, you can give your dog meat on a bone: raw chicken necks or backs or a buffalo bone, with lightly cooked and ground vegetables, plus a mineral like kelp powder and omega oil, as an example.

Read the book Fran recommended if you are interested in the 'ol DIY. Another one is "The BARF Diet" by Ian Billinghurst. The do-it-yourself raw diet is definately a cheaper approach, but I found I could never get the portions right, I was forever going out of my way to get meat at the butcher, chopping up vegetables, etc. One batch of chicken was contaminated (I'm sure it was that sketchy butcher, Save-On-Meats. The name alone should have tipped me off). The dog also liked to drag the pieces of raw chicken around the kitchen, which totally grossed me out.

Anywho, I barely have time to cook for myself - as if I'm going to cook for the dog! I would rather take that time to get her out for a run. But that's just me. It works for a lot of people who have more time, like Martha Stewart.

Treats are a separate thing; these don't have to be raw...they can be anything from a baby carrot to a piece of dried buffalo liver. I feel that these have to be given in moderation, as I've noticed that my Frenchie puts on weight fairly easily. Just like people, calories-in have to equal calories-out or we start looking squishy.

I really hope you find a good solution to your diet issue! It can be so aggrevating trying to get it right with all the options floating around out there.

Cheers,
Brooke.

[behsci]

Please answer this question, guys:

To save on $$$, can I feed my Frenchie on a good, wholesome diet such as what's on www.naturesvariety.com when it's a puppy during it's formative, growing years. Then, when it's older, switch to something like Eukanuba or Iam's food? I'd like to know what you think about this. Thanks!