How often do we see dogs with dry flaking skin, thinning coats, runny eyes, chronic inflammation, excessive foot licking, hot spots, chronic diarrhea, and hyperactivity, the inability to gain weight, have mood swings and go through other changes? To fix these issues, we try different dog foods; make multiple visits…

While I have written on this topic numerous times, this health condition still raises the most questions on the K9Nutrition Facebook page and in private consults. IBD generally starts with the dog having diarrhea. Then it occurs more frequently and sometimes with urgency. Occasionally vomiting occurs and eventually weight loss…

Vaccinations Information and technology has come a long way in regard to vaccinations. Some years ago, all vaccinations were killed viruses and needed a series of repeat shots to give good immunity. With the advent of modified live vaccinations, immune response can be achieved with one or two vaccinations and…

I have attempted to write this article several times, but stopped. This is partly because in many cases, the causes of epilepsy cannot be determined and the treatment options available are not very good. It is probable that most causes of epilepsy are genetic, however to date; no genetic tests…

I started breeding dogs in the late 1980’s and I have shown dogs in AKC conformation and performance since 1974. I did not get real interested in breeding dogs until I had learned a lot more about my breed at the time, which was Rottweilers. At that time, I was…

  Lew has been writing monthly newsletters that contain valuable information on natural diets for dogs and canine nutrition for many years. She has also written the book Raw and Natural Nutrition for Dogs that takes a common sense approach to feeding your dog a natural diet with easy to…

With the vast array of supplements available on the market today, it isn’t difficult to get overwhelmed and confused as to which supplements are best for your dog. With all the vitamins, oils, herbs and digestion aids to choose from, which will provide the best results? There are magazine articles with provocative headlines that make the most tried and true supplements sound deadly and we are bombarded with advertisements for exotic oils and herbs that promise to cure cancer, viruses, bacteria and every ailment that medical research has somehow missed. We read on the Internet on how a single nutrient helped someone’s dog recover from cancer, renal disease, and parvovirus and liver problems with just a few doses. The information is so overwhelming, yet also so convincing, that we find ourselves dosing our dogs with 10-20 different supplements each day, hoping we have found just the right combination to cure their health issue or to keep one from happening.

Animal-based fats are essential for dogs. They are what your dogs need and crave the most! Fats offer a good source of calories and are needed for energy, to absorb fat soluble vitamins (vitamins E, A and D), to protect nerve fibers and to keep dogs warm during the winter months. Additionally, they offer the flavor to the foods your dog loves! Unlike us, dogs do not respond to fats the way our bodies do. They do not get ‘hardenings of the arteries’ and they do not have to worry about cholesterol clogging their arteries. Dogs are carnivores and their systems are uniquely designed to digest and utilize fats.

The topic of purine issues is of particular interest to me because I have a new puppy that suffers from purine stone issues. This means I need to avoid foods that contain high amounts of purine to avoid purine crystals and stones from developing and still be able to provide enough high quality protein for proper growth and good health.