All of this has made us start talking about putting Tanka on raw. The origen has gone up in price a lot since the last time we bought it. it is so convenient to feed it, he eats about 5 times a day. And when he is away with us, it travels so easy. it is hard to give up the convenience. But in talking to Mom about all this, it brought it up again and we are talking and thinking about it.

Tanka is your dog, right? Not the stone-forming dog?

I feed raw (surprise surprise) and have no problems traveling with a THK/raw combo. I accustomed them to THK (NOT Preference ..... but a THK that can be a stand-alone), and chicken backs generally come with us, depending on the circumstances. They might come in a cooler, starting frozen, or just a couple of days' worth might, in a car trip, with plans to pick up more RMBs at groceries, etc., as needed.

THK can support all kinds of add-ins, and can even suffice as a complete stand-alone if necessary. (It is a balanced food; it's just that most dogs want and do better with RMBs or meat added in, per the instructions.) At home I use some thin THK as a "gravy" now and then for variety over their full-on raw, and this assures me that they will never suddenly say on a trip "What the heck is THIS."

I have even stopped at a Trader Joe's for a bag of hard-boiled eggs as add-ins.

Tanka is the rottie. Not undo-able. it's something we will have to give some thought to, and make a decision.

Ok, so Bentley only ate a little bit one day and has mostly been refusing to eat since then. As I typed this, she called and said he was nibbling a little . she did get him to eat some plain chicken. She also was convinced to buy a can of Merrick Thanksgiving dinner when she was at the store buying some spray for his itching. I told her not to feed it unless it was ok'd and I wouldn't anyway unless she intended to continue to feed it. I think it has way too many vitamin minerals for my limited knowledge of what is ok and what us not.

This is the ingredients: Deboned Turkey, Turkey Broth, Chicken, Sweet Potato, Carrots, Green Beans, Apples, Peas, Potato, Dried Egg Product, Natural Chicken Flavor, Carrageenan, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Vitamins (Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Niacin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Folic Acid, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate), Guar Gum, Salt, Sodium Phosphate, Cassia Gum, Canola Oil, Olive Oil, Flax Oil, Minerals (Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Copper Amino Acid Complex, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Glucoheptonate, Sodium Selenite), Thyme, Sage, Rosemary, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Lecithin.

I told her stick to Lew's diet for now. Question though. Is the dogaware website diet and bladder stone info all ok? I sent that to her and she is also pulling info ftom that on what is ok and what is not and using that to change up the sample diet. He hated the cauliflower. J

"Ok, so Bentley only ate a little bit one day and has mostly been refusing to eat since then. As I typed this, she called and said he was nibbling a little ."


This suggests something wrong more than anything else.

Is he lethargic? Drinking and peeing? Poops OK? Hydrated?

Has she tried the other of the sample diets Lew lists?

"Question though. Is the dogaware website diet and bladder stone info all ok? "

Not unless she (your mother) is sticking carefully to calcium oxalate stones. They are VERY DIFFERENT from other stones and crystals.

So just "bladder stone info" is not what she wants. It MUST be calcium oxalate stone info.



Cauliflower is of course not necessary. What is, is no-oxalate substitutes with similar nutrients.

She also was convinced to buy a can of Merrick Thanksgiving dinner when she was at the store buying some spray for his itching.

By whom?

This is the bulk of the ingredients: Deboned Turkey, Turkey Broth, Chicken, Sweet Potato, Carrots, Green Beans, Apples, Peas, Potato ....

White potatoes are high-oxalate. Sweet potato is high. Carrots are moderate to moderately high. Green beans are moderately high.



While foods like spinach, beet greens, and rhubarb are off the charts with hundreds of milligrams of oxalates per half cup, “HIGH” starts at about 10 mg per per 100 grams.

To be counted as "low" in oxalates, a food typically needs to contain less than 5 milligrams per 3.5-ounce serving, so at about 40, sweet potatoes are not acceptable for an oxalate-stone former.



I would really urge that the researched detailed diets be followed.

It worries me that this food was purchased based on a store clerk's recommendation, and is loaded with oxalates. I totally understand that neither your mother nor the clerk has (or should be expected to have) knowledge of oxalate-rich and low-oxalate foods, but the people who do have this knowledge have carefully formulated recipes that incorporate the right foods and also provide a diet balanced in nutrients.



I'm concerned that the dog is not eating for other reasons. That's why I mentioned lethargy, etc.

The dog ate the food before: "Well Mom started Bentley on Lew's sample diet and amazingly after a day he tried it. He wouldn't eat the cauliflower but a great start!" And unless something else is factoring in here, like pain, illness, etc., he won't starve himself.

All JMO.

BTW, has there been a chance to do the white sheet test?

I know a lot is going on in your mother's life, so maybe not yet.

As soon as it's doable, a lot can be done at home to hep with his itch-misery.

The dog aware diet I printed out for her is for calcium oxalate stones. I said stones just to simplify because I was trying to be short because I am trying to help Mom on top of being in an extraordinarily busy time of my business that can't be put off.

Mom was talking to someone at the store and she would buy a can of good before telling them they don't know what they are talking about. What I can do for Mom is find her the info, send it to her, stress how important it is, answer questions and ask how he is going. And the rest is up to Mom. I am extraordinarily frustrated with most things I try to help her with from across the country. This is going the best of most things. She is doing what I say, I think. If I'm not there, I can't be sure she is not confused.

I will talk to her again tomorrow afternoon. Aside from scratching, she did not say that he was acting different in any way. Last time I asked specifically, he was drinking well and peeing often. Not lethargic until she gives him Benadryl. If I had to guess, I would say he is getting a few treats and with that and a little chicken, he is getting enough to keep him from giving in. I will question her further tomorrow.

I do see on the diet that sweet potatoes for example are on the moderate category. I told her to stick with Lew's for now or exchange am ingredient for a low food.