# Good intentions but I have made my dog very sick.



## I DClaire (Jul 31, 2011)

My 12 1/2 year old pug has as long as we've owned him battled food allergies. As a neglected, abused puppy he nearly starved and was almost eaten alive by fleas, ticks and internal parasites but we battled all that for awhile and eventually got his health under control and he has thrived in every way except food allergies. We've tried just about everything through the years to no real avail until 2-3 years ago I went back to cooking his food after a veterinarian convinced me to try several different prescription diets. With my homecooked food, Jimbo's allergies stopped! Where he had once scratched all the fur off his stomach, his coat was perfect. His weight stayed the same. Multiple lab tests over the last few years have been perfect...until about a month ago!

My intuition told me "Bo" wasn't well so we went to the veterinarian. Bo's labs were so perfect that the doctor said he was the healthiest 12 1/2 year old pug he'd ever seen! The doctor told us that while most dogs' cholesterol level is in the range of 500-600, Bo's was 55! Not one thing was out of normal range on those labs.

I still felt haunted - I know Bo too well not to recognize when something is wrong. So, we went back to the doctor who told me I had to accept that my dog was getting old, that what I was seeing was all age related.

A couple of weeks ago we had to get a new central heat/AC unit installed, a nightmarish day that had workers in our house for over 12 hours. Around noon, Jimbo started vomiting like nothing I've ever witnessed and shortly thereafter started having diarrhea. I had nothing to give him for relief and the veterinarian's office was closed. Miraculously, the vomiting and diarrhea stopped and we made it through the night. We were at the veterinarian's office when they opened the next day.

X-rays revealed Bo's gastro-intestinal system is sorely compromised. Why? He has not been getting enough *fat* in his diet! I've bought the leanest meat (ground turkey, lean beef and boiled chicken) not knowing dogs need a good bit of fat. Jimbo was put on steroids and Flagyl for three weeks with the possibility of more invasive tests and possibly exploratory surgery if the medications and another prescription diet don't make a dramatic improvement. So far, so good but I'm becoming fearful the digestional symptoms may be returning.

I thought I was feeding my dog the healthiest possible diet - lean meat, rice, fresh/frozen/canned vegetables, egg, and a supplement...but my good intentions have made him sick.


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## Octavia (Aug 1, 2011)

aaaawwww....poor little puggy. Can't you just start adding more fat to his homemade diet? Or is it more desperate than that?


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## Andros (Aug 26, 2009)

I DClaire said:


> My 12 1/2 year old pug has as long as we've owned him battled food allergies. As a neglected, abused puppy he nearly starved and was almost eaten alive by fleas, ticks and internal parasites but we battled all that for awhile and eventually got his health under control and he has thrived in every way except food allergies. We've tried just about everything through the years to no real avail until 2-3 years ago I went back to cooking his food after a veterinarian convinced me to try several different prescription diets. With my homecooked food, Jimbo's allergies stopped! Where he had once scratched all the fur off his stomach, his coat was perfect. His weight stayed the same. Multiple lab tests over the last few years have been perfect...until about a month ago!
> 
> My intuition told me "Bo" wasn't well so we went to the veterinarian. Bo's labs were so perfect that the doctor said he was the healthiest 12 1/2 year old pug he'd ever seen! The doctor told us that while most dogs' cholesterol level is in the range of 500-600, Bo's was 55! Not one thing was out of normal range on those labs.
> 
> ...


Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm; what did the vet say to do? I would opt for 1/2 tsp. of olive oil on his food once daily. Don't do anything unless you ask the vet though.

Poor little baby. But ya' know what? Bo knows how much his fur-mom loves him so he doesn't hold it agin' you!!!

And I don't blame you for being fearful. Our pets become integral parts of the family in a very big way.


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## I DClaire (Jul 31, 2011)

Octavia said:


> aaaawwww....poor little puggy. Can't you just start adding more fat to his homemade diet? Or is it more desperate than that?


It's been pretty desperate, Octavia. The doctor put Jimbo on Purina EN and I've got to say he loves the food and has not been sick anymore. Some days he seems slower and I imagine that probably is his age.

"Bo" has always been a dog who would not eat dry food and he loves the dry EN so much we're using it for treats!

Our veterinarian said the cheapest hamburger meat actually is more like what a dog's digestive system really needs. I thought lean meat would be the healthiest but I was wrong.


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