[Tracy]

I'm looking for some help for my friend's dog. He's a 2 year old Bassett Hound who's been diagnosed with celiac's disease. She's currently feeding him white rice, cooked chicken and cooked veg. He has bad ears, is always itchy and smells badly too. She couldn't/wouldn't feed raw, so I was wondering if anyone else has a dog with this condition and wondering what you feed. She's currently treating ear infections and giving him oils to help his skin, but I think a better form of diet would be more benefitial. Money will be an issue too I think, so would very much appreciate any help/suggestions for poor Barney. Thanks.:smile:

 

[Tracy]

As far as I'm aware, celiacs is an intolerance to wheat and gluten. Can anyone help with a homecooked diet for this poor boy.

Thanks.

 

[Roo]

My cousin has celiacs disease, and I am pre celiacs (tested with high gluten antibodies, but no damage to the gut lining), so I try to avoid wheat and gluten in my diet. With celiacs disease the intolerance to gluten leads to damage in the gut lining of the intestines, which eventually can lead to malabsorption of nutrients, and ultimately death if a person who has the condition does not stop eating all gluten. Every time they have a reaction from eating gluten it contributes to the gut damage, some of which is repairable over time and avoidance and some of which isn't.

It's not just the common things labeled with wheat and gluten, gluten is in a lot of non baked goods and processed foods, so labels have to be read very carefully. Another thing that unfortunately affects people with the disease is cross contamination, if a food is made or processed where gluten/wheat products are produced it could cause a reaction.

It's too bad your friend won't consider raw, it might help to heal the gut, ear infections, and be easier on the digestive system. With the diet, she'll have to be careful that all the supplements, and foods used are gluten free, best to buy brands that actually state that on the package to avoid cross contamination with manufacturing processes. With the ear and skin problems, which may have came as a result of the gut being so off balance due to the celiacs, I would avoid any sugars/carbohydrates (grains, starchy vegetables, and fruits).

As far as home cooking recipes, with such specific health and diet needs, your friend may want to seek advice from an animal (canine) nutritionist.

I did find three home cooked recipes online that you could look into and see if they would be nutritionally sound to use. . .

You may want to check out Lew Olson's home cooked recipe, and substitute accordingly if need be, her recipes do recommend her vitamins that she sells.
Cooked Diet | B-Naturals.Com Newsletter

Monica Segal, a pet nutritionist, who has written a few books on dog nutrition/recipes also has a home cooked recipe you could look at and possibly make food substitutions if needed for the ear infections and celiacs. Monica I think also offers diet/nutrition consultations for owners with dogs with specific medical dietary needs.
monicasegal.com - Archive - Recipes For Dogs

Vet Dr. Greg Martinez has a crock pot recipe (I'm not sure how easily the bones cook down, and if you would have to add any more supplements that aren't listed, but it may be worth a quick read through.
http://landofpuregold.com/CanineCrockPotCuisine.pdf

 

[Tracy]

Thank you so much. I'll have a look at those links. She is feeding white rice, chicken and veg at the moment, and he still frequently is very ill. The vet had recommended this diet for him.

 

[twoisplenty]

How was the dog diagnosed with this condition? What testing was done or is this just the vets opinion?

 

[Tracy]

Not sure to be honest. I think it would probably be the vets opinion, as I don't recall my friend mentioning any tests.

 

[Tracy]

I just checked with her, and yes, it was just the vets opinion.

 

[Celt]

would canned food be a doable solution for them? I know that the evangers, green cow, and trippet that I buy don't seem to have any of the "trigger" foods. And I was given some Signature kibble samples that don't seem to have any "grains" in them.

 

[Tracy]

Yes, I think she would depending on price. We're in the UK, so we may have different names over here. I've fed Nature Diet to mine in the past, and I still use it if we're away on trips. It's in a tray, but I'm not sure if this is even within her budget. It costs about £1 a tray. I've did a little research tonight, and it looks like if she could find a can or tray with everything in it, it might be easier for her, but it will be price dependant. She wants to cook for him, but seems stuck on this rice, chicken and veg thing because the vet said. Do celiac dogs do ok on brown rice? I know celiac people can eat it. I'm asking because this is a big chunk of his diet. Getting her to not feed rice would be a difficult one.
Thanks for the responses.

 

[twoisplenty]

I would ask for blood work and also a biopsy of the intestine to confirm diagnoses. This dog could be suffering from IBS or Pancreatitis, the symptoms are the exact same.

 

[Tracy]

I agree with you. She is in the same vet practice as me and I know the vet she saw. I'll find out more about how the vet managed to rule out the other things you mentioned, without even taking bloods.
I do think his diet is rubbish though, and he needs to be on something more nutrient based, which is not going to upset him. How can vets tell people to just feed rice, chicken and veg? It's not just a temporary thing either, this is supposed to be a life long diet.
I feed raw, and if he was mine, this is how he would be fed, but I do respect that it's not an option for her.

 

[Herzo]

Yes that is what I would feed also. When my basset had horrible ears I got a hold of Lew Olsen and she is the one that told me I had to take her off of all carbs so I did. Not sure what to tell you to get your friend to change. But maybe try and see if she would put in more veggies and less rice. Find a good vitamin supplement.

I do the chicken cooked in the crock pot for my 2 that eat kibble and home cooked and it takes me 20 hours to get the chicken bones soft, but it does work and she can put the veggies in, I don't usually do it but I have.

I found the recipe on here in the dog food recipes thread so look there too. The one thing I can tell you to tell her is she better get those ears cleared up. Turtle had yeast and a very hard form of bacteria that was very hard to kill by the time I took her in. I was going to get it cleared up myself but I couldn't. It took me 2 1/2 years and it ended up costing me big time. So if cost is an issue she needs to think about the vet costs and spend a little more on food.

Just my opinion but that's because I have lived it and it did cost me.

Good luck and I hope she gets her poor boy back on track, keep us posted.

 

[Tracy]

Thanks for that. I'll have a look on the dog recipes thread. I feel like I'm going round in circles with her. She's loves her dog to pieces and does want to do the right thing for him, but she's hell bent on feeding him lots and lots of rice. He's a lot better since stopping the kibble, as in he's put on a bit of weight, his coat's a little better than it was and he's not having as many tummy upsets, so she's made some improvements, although his ears are never really clearing up. I suggested trying him with grain free anything and she says she's going to see how he does with brown rice as apposed to white rice first.

 

[Herzo]

Well at least she is trying to do something about it. Most people just can't wrap there minds around feeding raw so I just don't worry about that so much. I think if she is home cooking it still is sooooooooooooo much better than just straight kibble.

And I also think that variety still is the key so maybe she will look into different recipes and try some potatoes for something different. And start putting in more vegetables into it. Anyway that is what I would do, and see she is changing, she is now going to do brown rice so that's another step up.

Has she been to the vets to find out if it is just yeast or does he have bacteria along with it. If she has not she had better just to make sure. I did get the yeast killed but I could not kill the bacteria.

I have to tell you I even tried vaginal yeast cream not sure what killed the yeast maybe that did it, hahaahh.

 

[Tracy]

Ha ha. I'll mention to her to get his ears checked out properly. I think she mentioned trying to clean his ears with olive oil, although I'm not sure if this was in the past or recently.

 

[Tracy]

Had a look at the crock pot thread. That looks great and I would think it's something she could well manage. I'm going to try with my slow cooker and see how the bones turn out before I mention it to her. Thanks for that.

 

[LilasMom]

Why is the dog eating rice? I don't think that is beneficial at all. I don't think it would be wise long-term to just feed chicken, veggies, and rice. If feeding BARF you have to make sure you get the right amount vitamins and minerals since most of it is cooked out.

 

[Tracy]

Her vet told her to feed rice. I agree with you about the diet long term.
I feed raw and raw is not an option for her, so I'm looking for alternatives which will be acceptable for her to feed.

 

[Adkinspack]

Could your friend just simply cut out the rice and add the supplements? Maybe possibly adding the eggs with shells? At least for a few weeks to see how the dog starts to react and look. I did try the bone stock my self and my Achilles did not react well to it. He became very constipated and sick. I went to my Dr Billinghurst book to problem shoot and He states that All cooked bones MUST always be avoided because they were notorious for causing blockages. I originally thought it was just whole cooked bones that were a problem. Maybe I gave him too much but I was pretty convinced at the time that all cooked bones were not good for my dog. This was just my personal experience.

 

[Adkinspack]

Oops sorry I just saw where your friend wouldn't budge on the rice thing. I was always told that white rice was better than brown when pertaining to dogs because of their short digestive track. But would it be possible that you could just suggest she cut the rice out with the understanding that she would just be trying it for a while. Maybe give her the ol' " Is what you are currently doing working for you?" Maybe she would be just willing to "Try It"