Have you done any research about small intestine bacterial overgrowths?

SIBO is something my GSD had on and off for the first 3.5 years of her life. Vets never could fit it together until I demanded that she be tested for this and also for exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI).

Here is some great reading info for you on these and other digestion issues:

http://www.dogaware.com/health/digestive.html#sibo

Scroll up on that page for colitis info. Also take note of the mention of stool color...

Anyhow, after years of trial and error, switching foods, extreme weight loss, and so on...I discovered that my girl has mild EPI (meaning she shows symptoms, however she is actually in the grey area of the scale) and she was suffering from SIBO (which took TWO straight months of Flagyl to clear up).

What works for her:
Raw diet with ground raw meaty bones(eliminated EPI symptoms and never had a re-occurrence of SIBO again when we switched)
B-Naturals Immune Blend
B-Natural Digestion Blend
Probiotics (not all the time, only when her gas kicks up...trust me, you can tell that the bacteria needs some balance!)
Fish Oil/Vit. E

Oh, and I feed raw for cheaper than a quality kibble...even though I pay more for ground RMBs.

Now if I could only get her to quit being a lumpy, bumpy girl and take care of her equivalent of diaper rash...she is a challenge, but overall, at almost 9, she is doing wonderfully.

Good luck...I absolutely know how incredibly frustrating this is!

Melissa, great post, and GREAT recommendation to read Mary Straus (DogAware). (And from the supplements you mentioned, you also read the other great nutrition writer, Lew Olson.)

You really did a wonderful job for your girl. I know how frustrating it is.

A small practical point: I found that if I call ahead and give them a couple of days' notice so they can fit it in during their slow times (since grinding poultry requires that they take apart the grinder and clean it before using it again), the butcher at the natural food store I use will "chili"-grind the legs of the Smart Chickens I buy for no charge. (I leave the other end of the bird un-ground.) In fact, they will even toss in the liver if I want for the dog who leaves it in the bowl otherwise.

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

 Quote: Julie Sloan

And she likes raw. ....

Also, about the meat-based treats: There are some very good ones sold here:

http://leerburg.com/869-2.htm

http://leerburg.com/bravotreats.htm

http://leerburg.com/1225.htm

http://leerburg.com/1226.htm

http://leerburg.com/1869.htm

Did you particularly want to make your own? I microwave skinless white chicken bits (either crisp or chewy -- depends on microwave time) and keep them in the freezer. I also cook a thin sheet of egg white in a skillet and the cut it into spaghetti-like strands or into strands and then across for small dot-size treats (any size is easy -- just use scissors).

And http://leerburg.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Board=134&Number=310072&Searchpage=1&Main=28547&Words=flax&topic=0&Search=true#Post310072

Connie, what store are you shopping at that doesn't ingect their chicken with the salt solution? Local small grocer?

I have limited my own chicken purchases to Tyson and Perdue if I can't go organic, which I can't afford at the moment, but that after reading an article on chickens being routinely fed aresenic to make their skin pinker. Those two companies are the only two who have voluntarily pulled the aresenic food, while our wonderful FDA sits on their hands about passing any laws about it. Add a poison for cosmetic appearances. Geez.

In relation to dogs, figure if you eat chicken once or twice a week as oppsed to the dog eating it most days. I was actually going to ask this question in another thread before I made the raw plunge. That is actually one of the reasons for choosing Orijen, in the hopes that maybe they were not the same as many of our USA chickens. ANd I love the USA, don't get me wrong, but our FDA is a joke.

 Quote: Julie Sloan

Connie, what store are you shopping at that doesn't ingect their chicken with the salt solution? Local small grocer?

Julie, I can't speak for Connie, but I get some of my chicken and turkey from two relatively local farms...conveniently owned by brothers lol. They are at a local farmers market every weekend and I buy by the case. They are hormone/anti-biotic free, nothing injected, and almost free range (conditions are much better than traditional sources). It is very affordable at .85 for chicken and 1.15 for turkey. Maybe you have a similar source in your area?

 Quote: Connie Sutherland

You really did a wonderful job for your girl. I know how frustrating it is.

Thank you! She has taught me so much in the process...I am a long way from those past Pedigree feeding days I cannot speak highly enough of feeding raw as an excellent starting point for maintaining a healthy, happy dog!