I have had a 45 pound small frame very young GSD in rescue with bilateral grade 4 HD, and I now have a lean 95 pound older dog with no fat with brilliant hips (but he has DM). <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> Depends on the dog but extra weight, especially when developping, is of course a bad idea.
VC - Dr. Clemmons is the DM "guru" and he recommends a supplement cocktail as well as home cooked meals including tofu and pork or if one is using kibble he recommends the Vegetarian Formula of dog food (Nature's Recipe).
http://drnancysplace.com/myelopathy.html
"Basic diet: (based upon 1 serving size for 30-50 pounds body weight)
2 oz Boneless Pork Center Loin Chop (boiled, baked or fried in olive oil)
4 oz Tofu (soybean curd)
8 oz Long Grain Brown Rice (3 oz cooked in 6 oz water)
2 tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
¼ cup Molasses
2 Whole Carrots (boiled and then cut up)
1 cup Spinach (cooked)
4 Tbs Green Bell Pepper (chopped and steamed)
4 Broccoli Spears (boiled and then cut up)
This diet (1 serving for 30-50 pounds body weight) provides approximately 1160-1460 calories per serving. You can substitute poultry meats, beef and lamb for the pork chop. This will alter the composition slightly, mainly by added additional fat. The weight of meat is based upon boneless weight. Most of the items can be prepared in a microwave. Based upon your dogs body weight, you will need to make more or less. For example, if your dog weighs 80 pounds, multiply all the ingredients by 1.5 (can be as high as 2.5 times, though), keeping their relative proportions. This is a starting point. You can also make this portion of the diet in advance, aliquot it into appropriate quantities and freeze it for later use. Just before feeding time, remove the diet from the freezer and thaw in hot (or boiling) water or microwave to defrost. To complete the diet, add (amount per serving) before serving:
1 tsp Dry Ground Ginger
2 Raw Garlic Cloves (crushed)
½ tsp Dry Mustard
1 tsp Bone Meal
Using the above diet, approximately 1 serving equals 1 can of commercial dog food. The exact requirements for your dog can be approximated by substituting the diet on that basis. You should weigh your dog each week, if losing weight, increase the amount of the diet given. If gaining weight, cut back on the amount given. Eventually, the correct amount will be clear. The reason why the amount has such a broad range in that ideas about the daily caloric requirements vary. Since many German Shepherds have sensitive stomachs, it may be wise to phase in the new diet by mixing it with their existing food until they have adapted. Start by mixing the diet with their existing food in equal amounts. After 1 week increase the diet to 75% of their food. After another week, switch completely over to the diet. This diet is balanced and high in most of the vitamins and minerals which your dog will need. Any shortcomings will be corrected with the supplements given below as part of the treatment.
Note: The general purpose of the diet is to provide excellent quality of ingredients with protein coming from Soybean curd (tofu). Tofu contains many valuable flavonoids and other ingredients which promote health. If you decide to use a commercial food, you may want to use a Soybean Concentrate which contains these ingredients, but lacks the extra protein. Alternatively, you can add tofu to the diet (5-6 oz/day) and add honey or molasses to it (¼ cup) to make it taste better. Reduce the commercial diet by 25-33% and monitor your dogs weight, reducing or increasing the commercial diet accordingly. The addition of raw garlic is to provide garlic's anti-inflammatory action and (since it is raw) to provide an antibiotic action. Raw garlic is anti-bacterial and anti-fungal. This action is lost when garlic is cooked or dried. Dry ginger is also a good anti-inflammatory. Together with garlic, dry ginger can replace the need for aspirin-like (NSAID) drugs. Fresh ginger or pickled ginger are also good anti-emetic compounds, calming the stomach. Mustard provides ingredients which support improve digestion and bowel function. So, raw garlic, dry ginger (occasionally using fresh or pickled ginger) and dry mustard should be added to the food, even if it is commercial. These will not unbalance the commercial food, providing important drug properties without the side-effects of "non-natural" drugs. Using the vegetables, the diet also provides many nutrient and vitamins which are not found in commercial dog food. If commercial dog food is given, giving extra Soy Concentrate, Soy Lecithin and Beta-Carotene to the diet will improve the commercial food. They are not needed, if you feed the above diet. The diet provides a balanced, moderate protein and fat diet which is high in many essential nutrients. The only commercial food which fulfills many of the goals is Nature's Recipe Canine Vegetarian Diet, available from many specialty pet supply stores. "
Kind of off topic, but if anyone is following Dr. Clemmons routine pls PM me. Thanks.
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