"Holistic" Dog thread!

[Crazy Maizie]

This is very interesting. I've read that dogs can have reactions to flea meds, and have only used DE since then. Seemed to work really well.
Also, just out or curiosity, what supplements do you feed them? I feed a mushroom powder mix, Chlorella, Hemp seed oil (to offset omega 6's in my homemade raw) and dried dandelion greens. I'm always interested to see what other owners feed. I love doing research like that.

I have recently been using Dogzymes "immunity" and "complete" lines (which include probiotics, prebiotics, digestive enzymes, green lipped mussel, etc). I also like Springtime supplements and use the "longevity" supplement that they offer.
I add a little acv and colostrum to their breakfast meal. Sometimes I add homemade yogurt and fresh eggs. One of my dogs get marshmallow root as she tends to belch and regurgitate. Since I started giving her marshmallow root, she rarely belches. For fleas and ticks, I've been using DE, garlic, and a natural spray made with essential oils. I make my own spray or use Wondercide or Flea Away. It's easier for my husband to remember to spray them before walks if there is a big bottle sitting in eye's view.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

I do! I feed Four Leaf Rover Immunity. Its an 8 (I think 8, maybe 7) mushroom blend made with freeze dried mushroom power. I use their brand for all of my dogs supplements unless they don't have it. They have really high quality products from what I can tell. Its Organic/all natural. They're also the only source I could find that had soil based probiotics.
Heres a link to the Immunity blend- https://fourleafrover.com/products/...cWrJ6rV2ZDiN1cWSTXIl6cWt4Twim0N4aAtnfEALw_wcB
It has a lot of really good reviews as well.

Great, I've been looking at that one!

 

[Crazy Maizie]

I feel ya! I think I know more about my dogs nutrition than my own. Isn't it funny how they get end up getting treated better than we treat ourselves? Its gotta be those puppy eyes....

Yes! Exactly. I barely use supplements.

 

[chickentrains]

Maybe not holistic, but I too did a lot of research.

My dog eats raw, but its branded. Its called darwins: https://www.darwinspet.com/

My next dog will be from a reputable breeder. I don't plan to alter him/her at all, or at least until they're older as I do plan to show.

I also do a lot of my own DIY enrichment

 

[Weeg]

I have recently been using Dogzymes "immunity" and "complete" lines (which include probiotics, prebiotics, digestive enzymes, green lipped mussel, etc). I also like Springtime supplements and use the "longevity" supplement that they offer.
I add a little acv and colostrum to their breakfast meal. Sometimes I add homemade yogurt and fresh eggs. One of my dogs get marshmallow root as she tends to belch and regurgitate. Since I started giving her marshmallow root, she rarely belches. For fleas and ticks, I've been using DE, garlic, and a natural spray made with essential oils. I make my own spray or use Wondercide or Flea Away. It's easier for my husband to remember to spray them before walks if there is a big bottle sitting in eye's view.

Neat! I've used colostrum, green lipped muscle, digestive supplements, and a flea and tick repellant spray in the summer. Usually from the Four Leaf Rover store. I've read that marshmallow root is a great supplement, really neat that it works for your dog.
Cool to see others that use the same products I've read so much about.

 

[RDchicken99]

I’m gonna hop on this thread! We raise meat rabbits and I would love to make Cash some rabbit raw food. Does anyone have any rabbit recipes? Our pup is fixed because we live in a rural area and if he was intact he would probably be gone looking for female coyotes haha. Although I do agree with not fixing in most cases. Excited to see what’s goes on in this thread!

 

[Weeg]

Maybe not holistic, but I too did a lot of research.

My dog eats raw, but its branded. Its called darwins: https://www.darwinspet.com/

My next dog will be from a reputable breeder. I don't plan to alter him/her at all, or at least until they're older as I do plan to show.

I also do a lot of my own DIY enrichment

I've heard really good things about Darwins. If I ever switched to pre made, I would probably consider them. I might add some plant material as a supplement since I do think theres a lot of nutrition their.
We get from our dogs from a reputable breeder. We've used the same one for years. She's very responsible, gets all the vet certifications etc. I feel bad about the shelter pets, but for our purposes I think purebreds are probably a better choice. We have bird dogs.
Thats so neat! I've considered showing, but I don't think its really for me. So cool that you might pursue that, how cool!

 

[Weeg]

I’m gonna hop on this thread! We raise meat rabbits and I would love to make Cash some rabbit raw food. Does anyone have any rabbit recipes? Our pup is fixed because we live in a rural area and if he was intact he would probably be gone looking for female coyotes haha. Although I do agree with not fixing in most cases. Excited to see what’s goes on in this thread!

If you go to DogsNatrauly.com you can sign up for recipes. You have to sign up for emails, but its mostly articles from their blog they send to your inbox rather than advertisements, so thats kind of neat. They have a rabbit recipe. I've looked into it but don't raise meat rabbits and I think it would be to expensive for me. I think its rabbit and beef.
I use them for my raw food recipes and I think they're a great source. All of them are approved by the FFDDAA, or what ever abbreviation approves dog food.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

There is a particular gene that causes dogs to have bad reactions to many common medications. (Ivermectin, commonly used to prevent or treat parasites, is one of the medicines that causes problems for such dogs.)

I found an article that talks about it, including a list of medicines to avoid.

https://todaysveterinarynurse.com/articles/mdr1-genetic-testing-what-you-need-to-know/

And for those who like more reputable sources, here's a study on the subject:
https://www.pnas.org/content/101/32/11725

If that is the problem with your dog, it could be confirmed by a genetic test, and then you would know which medicines are safe to use in future (because it is common enough, and has been studied enough, that many medicines have been checked for whether they are safe or not.)

Of course, if your dog's problem has a different cause, then my post here will be of no use to you.

I've actually never used ivermectin (or ivermectin products) on her. But, she has had reactions to veterinarian prescibed topicals as well as chewables. She's not a collie or an Australian shepherd (and no lineage that I know of), but I have read that same info in the past that genetics can play a part. Since her episodes got worse and she almost died at one point - literally I didn't think she would be coming home - I'm not going down that road again. I've done enough research at this point that I don't feel safe giving any of my dogs chemical flea preventatives.
Vets just look at you like you grew horns right in front of their eyes. Then claim that it couldn't be the vaccine or the flea preventative causing her issues. But, yet here we are 4 yrs after I stopped with the chemicals and only allow limited vaccinations, that she has not had one episode.
I appreciate you sharing this info though it reminded me that I did my research at the time. If she had continued to have issues going forward, I definitely would have had some genetic testing done.
Here's the funny thing, I have used ivermectin on my chickens. So I'm not totally natural in everything I do. There is a time and place for everything. Am I right?

 

[NatJ]

I’m gonna hop on this thread! We raise meat rabbits and I would love to make Cash some rabbit raw food. Does anyone have any rabbit recipes?

For people, most chicken recipes work fine with rabbit.

I have a raw-chicken recipe for a dog, that would probably work fine with rabbit too:
--kill chicken (or rabbit)
--remove most feathers (or fur)
--give to dog

(I remove feathers to avoid a mess where the dog eats. I've read that some dogs eat the feathers with no trouble, and other dogs pluck the feathers and leave them lying around-- but I do not like to have lots of feathers lying around! So I rip off most of the skin before giving the chicken to a dog, and I would do the same with a rabbit to avoid having lots of fur lying around afterward.)