★★★★★
I posted elsewhere. Maybe better here. Feeding raw is reasonable, but is it always the best for my dogs? Recalls have been made even on raw foods for dogs.
In November we adopted 2 Bichons from humane society. Bonded pair, same litter. 3/20/25 they will be 15. They have issues, lumps, bumps, growths, warts, etc. They had 3 vacc. 1 week earlier. Not even for rabies. I felt it was very unnecessary. But done before we got them. One guy Teddy, had so much trouble, ear infections, and was on potent antibiotics, antifungals, etc. Lots of doctoring...The other, Bear, less so.
The first 2 months went well. We had their vet records for the 1 1/2 yrs at shelter. Owner died. No one in family wanted them, and no willing to take them due to age! But we wanted 2 dogs, lost both of our last 2 within 4 mths. Held out for 2 yrs. Did not seem right 2 us.
I fed a raw kibble I had fed before. Went ok, but they did not seem always wild about it. So in my zeal to give the best and longest life possible, a lady at the pet shop recommended another raw frozen kibble she fed her dogs. High dollar stuff. So we switched. Within a week, my little Teddy, never having had seizures before had 2 grand mals in one night! I thought maybe just an anomaly. But a week or 2 later, he had 4 very severe seizures within 14 hours!
Took him to vet, usual drugs, valium & Levetiracetam. I mentioned food, but she thought just a "coincidence". The last drug in researching it, said in 40% of cases seizures, got worse!! He had so many side effects, became very skittish, even got aggressive once with Bear, and the vomiting seemed worse, and diarrhea. So, I made the decision after 2 full days, to pull him off and see what happened. In a few days his brother began to vomit, or upchuck, and finally pass bloody diarrhea. Both wanted to graze on dead grass obsessively, having to be restrained from doing so. No hair balls, but grass wads!
The new food just seemed like a likely suspect. Years ago it had a recall, but so has so many other kinds of food. BUT--when we looked up the symptoms of salmonella poisoning it sounded more and more like it. SO--back to the vet again. $230 test for salmonella...drugs, probiotic (already a good one) with 2 vet visits we are down $1000! No good deed goes unpunished.....It is 2 weeks before we will know for sure, so I hate to point to the food brand.
So, here is my thoughts...I am no spring chicken either, & have had e. coli 2Xs due to low stomach acid. Could it be that little Teddy with a compromised gut anyway, and low acid, have been the first & strongest to react? After a longer time, little Bear began to suffer as well.
I am all for feeding good diet, but I have had to cook a bland diet with chicken or turkey & rice to try to deal with all of the diarrhea, vomiting, & keep them going. Teddy has lost 2 pounds so far. I am giving them chicken broth homemade to keep them hydrated. They fed Pedigree in shelter.
Now we are looking to just cook for them, as I feel due to their age and condition they just may not be able to handle raw. So, I will see what else I can come up with.
Hope this helps someone.
