We seem to have this conversation multiple times, and in many different ways. Due to the fact that I am a Service Dog handler (I have a disability, Cerebral Palsy, where a dog can mitigate multiple issues for me) I talk to many other handlers. This conversation is not limited to Service Dogs, or dogs from one part of the country, nor is it breed specific. I’ve spoken about this issue with mechanics, financial advisors, educators, and many others, from the Northeast, to the Mid-west.

The conversation starts because well, a Dane walking next to you is a pretty good conversation starter.  I used to be surprised by how often I talk about bowel movements; not it bothers me in the least but I do wonder what makes people randomly ask me about feces. Maybe that’s why they call impromptu conversations “shooting the schat”? (Yes I changed the term for the purposes of a broader “audience)”.

I was going to put this (brown?) paper together simply so I could get my perspective down in a somewhat concise manner, and be able to share it with those that ask. I have hesitated to share it on the blog because I don’t want any part of what I share to be misinterpreted as being ungrateful, derogatory or any other word or phrase you’d come up with. Then I considered that what I’m talking about has nothing at all to do with the organization that gifted my dog to me, and almost everything to do with the general care of our canine companions. So with that in mind, why shouldn’t I share what I’ve learned so far?

I am going to have to give you site links in this post because the research is not my own. I’ve found I’m better at telling you the story, then making this a copy/paste exercise, so while I set out to do the later I ended up with the former. Maybe the company should give us stock options for the amount of traffic I silently send their way, but in a way I guess this is just a long form Thank You. So let’s get to it shall we?

I already mentioned the first symptom, or maybe it should be number two – Loose stool (sorry had to).

There are many symptoms so I’ll talk about what I’ve personally seen in my Service Dog and in our family pet. (Here is a link to a checklist https://www.nzymes.com/dog-symptoms-checklist/ )

1. Acne/Hives
2. Excessive shedding
3. Skin irritation
4. Excessive licking
5. Face rubbing/scratching
6. Ear scratching/excessive wax/black discharge/inflamed ears
7. Grass sensitivities
8. “allergies”
9. Anxiety
10. Loose/malformed stool
11. Reverse sneezing
12. Eye discharge

Okay, I just gave you twelve symptoms between two dogs! When I have visited Veterinarians, and yes that’s purposely plural. The general answer was that they needed blood tests and long-term food trials where we buy (very) limited ingredient food, then we add and subtract components of various food and do repeated tests to see what may or may not happen. This sounds very logical and scientific. I like both of these things, however I also didn’t forget to ask how much this would cost, and how long it would take to find the answers we seek. The responses I received were, “Typically several thousand dollars, and about a year, sometimes longer” Now I know that being a Dane dad is expensive, and he WAS clearly uncomfortable, true. My mind spun through the process and I asked the next question in my mind. Well, if we’re adding and subtracting ingredients (and medications, according to one guy I distrusted from moment one) It stands that we’ll likely add things that really cause adverse reactions, and some not so much so, right? They answered, Yes, That’s likely. Next question: What happens on a “bad” cycle? Answer: “Your dog could have diarrhea, be lethargic, or … “OK wait – I looked down and said, you do SEE the service vest, right? I can’t have my boy with a rear facing sprinkler, in public or too tired and sick to work while you trial and error your way to a solution, AND I pay you to do it.” Thanks, but No Thanks!

We took to treating the symptoms that were presenting at the time, ear infection, inflamed skin and excessive acne. The symptoms cleared, while we researched. We found this all seems like yeast/ringworm/candida

Here is a link that relates to skin/coat issues:

https://www.nzymes.com/dog-skin-problems-types-treatments/

My overarching recommendations are to

1. Get away from the big animal food and treat producers (companies are bought and sold constantly and only really care about the bottom line).
2. Feed grain free
3. Be mindful of the grains, sugars, starch and proteins in a product, and where they fall on the ingredient list.
   1. Ingredients like potato/sweet potato & rice/brewers rice are negatives

4. Start including plain yogurt and puree pumpkin in each meal
   1. Plain yogurt promotes good bacteria. Be sure it is plain only! Flavors contain sugars and other “negative” ingredients.
   2. Pumpkin only – NOT pie mix!! Pie mix has spices and other ingredients that can be FATAL!!
   3. If the pup has loose stool the pumpkin helps to firm things up.
   4. Amounts per meal – 2x/day
      1. Pumpkin – about 1/3 of a can for a large breed (if loose stools)
      2. Yogurt – about a single human serving

You can feed less as you see improvement but we find the dogs love it, so we don’t omit entirely.

5. In general, raw diets sound good but are an added expense and execution pitfall that leads me to reject the practice. (Not to mention my focus is on a dog who goes everywhere with me. How do we feed raw correctly on a road trip in an SUV with a family of four?)
6. Don’t let other people treat or feed your dog – you must know what and when they eat.

Finding the right food is a combination of price, availability and what your dog will eat. I will share with you what we feed but I’ll share a link of a list we reference.

https://www.nzymes.com/Ref/healthy_pet_foods_recommended_by_nzymes.html

Casper (and his little sister) eat NUTRISOURCE GRAIN-FREE: Chicken & Pea formula & Seafood Select. Switching proteins is also a good practice (nobody wants ham & cheese every day, for every meal). Their treats are Trudog (freeze-dried raw) https://trudog.com/

It takes time to see positive results. What you are doing is clearing yeast/candida from your dog’s gut. This means clearing “bad” bacteria and promoting “good”. Symptoms even have a tendency to get worse before they get better. If you’re choosing a course of action stick with it long term.

If you choose nzymes as we did, follow their suggestions to the letter. The process works for us. I’ve even seen a difference when I’ve run out and forgotten to re-order.

There are also times of the year when symptoms are worse, for us in the mid-west, spring is tough and our veterinarian helps us with supplemental products and treatments. This advice is just that, and I’d always suggest consulting your trusted professionals.