Joined
·
5,009 Posts
I got my first dog, a Beagle (Max) when i was younger and uneducated on pet nutrition, and unfortunately he got the short end of the stick over it. For the first ten years of his life he was on Pedigree. His vet recommended it. (knowing what I know now, that should have been my first clue) I was in high school, and he between my ignorance and the price agreeing with my then $9/ hour job, I didn't give it much thought. At age four he was diagnosed with epilepsy. :frown:It got worse and worse every year. By age seven, he was on Primidone three times a day to keep his seizures "Under control", but still had about two or three a week.
of course, I never considered my "vet-recommended" food could be the cause, or even a factor.
When Max was ten, I started working with dogs in a doggy daycare/boarding facility and boutique. They only carried premium foods, and that's when I started educating myself and could not BELIEVE that I was feeding my dog what I was.
I tried a few grain-free foods (Evo, Orijin, and Core) and they were too much of a protien overload for him. (though I am a huge fan of grain-free) Long story short, he ended up on California Natural and has been on it for about two years. It agrees with him incredibley well. Solid stools. No more goopey eyes. And even more impressive, he is curently off of his medication entirely. He has not had a single seizire in eighteen months, and in the months prior to that one, they were few and far between. I don't know that I can say his previous food was the sole cause of his epilepsy, but I know it was a catalyst in the onset of seizures.
I'm definately spending more on dog food, but none on medication, and he's much happier and healthier.
Max is thirteen now, and he acts and looks much younger than he did at nine and ten.:biggrin:
of course, I never considered my "vet-recommended" food could be the cause, or even a factor.
When Max was ten, I started working with dogs in a doggy daycare/boarding facility and boutique. They only carried premium foods, and that's when I started educating myself and could not BELIEVE that I was feeding my dog what I was.
I tried a few grain-free foods (Evo, Orijin, and Core) and they were too much of a protien overload for him. (though I am a huge fan of grain-free) Long story short, he ended up on California Natural and has been on it for about two years. It agrees with him incredibley well. Solid stools. No more goopey eyes. And even more impressive, he is curently off of his medication entirely. He has not had a single seizire in eighteen months, and in the months prior to that one, they were few and far between. I don't know that I can say his previous food was the sole cause of his epilepsy, but I know it was a catalyst in the onset of seizures.
I'm definately spending more on dog food, but none on medication, and he's much happier and healthier.
Max is thirteen now, and he acts and looks much younger than he did at nine and ten.:biggrin: