Nutritionist in NYC

[aweitzm1]

Can anyone recommend a good dog nutritionist in the NYC area? I went online and didn't see any reputable ones. Most were upstate or in Long Island (not feasible with for someone without a car)

Boomer is not wanting to eat the prescription food and I can't afford the canned it would be close to $100 a month alone. I was thinking of home cooking but want to consult a nutritionist regarding what to feed him.

I saw on online nutritionist but they wanted roughly $300 for a consultation and that is too expensive for me right now.

[Buddylove86]

I think all of them are going to be a couple hundred dollars. You could try UC Davis or Balanceit.com for online consults they may be good. Have you tried chewy.com they have cheaper rx food prices. No rx food a yorkie should be that expensive a month. A bigger bag should last them like 3 months. What is the food they need?

[aweitzm1]

Originally Posted by Buddylove86

I think all of them are going to be a couple hundred dollars. You could try UC Davis or Balanceit.com for online consults they may be good. Have you tried chewy.com they have cheaper rx food prices. No rx food a yorkie should be that expensive a month. A bigger bag should last them like 3 months. What is the food they need?

Thanks those ones I found are around $300. I may just have to wait and save up. The issue is Boomer will not eat the dry food. I have tried everything, including different brands, making wet food myself. He seems to tolerate the cans but I would need to give him a 12 oz can a day and the cost is $35.00 for 12 pack. That would only last me 12 days hence the cost of wet food.

I tried mixing it with the dry food and he will just eat around it.

So frustrated. I even tried giving him his old food and now he won't even take that.

[aweitzm1]

If anyone can also recommend a good recipe book that would be helpful. I am trying to make sure he has no more than 5% phosphorus, which is what the doctor recommended. (Though he would prefer 2-3% if possible). The books I found don't give the nutritional values only says it is good for dogs with kidney disease.

[Buddylove86]

Yeah well keep trying to save then... i would request your vet to look for one too she has access to books with renal diets b/c they are common reasons to put patients on them

[aweitzm1]

Originally Posted by Buddylove86

Hills, Purina, and Royal Canin Renal diets all have the large 12 oz cans for like $33 on chewy.com with free shipping until you can get to the nutritionist. Don't buy the small cans get the larger ones. They should last like 2 meals then that will get you almost a month. If you buy 24 case it may be cheaper too. Buying them there will save you money not at the vet.

Thanks but the 12 0z will only last one day. My dog is 13 pounds and needs a whole can a day according to the vet. This may be what I need to do in the short term.

[Bamboo15]

I must have missed the first post that stated what medical issue he has. Is it a kidney issue? My boyfriend's mom's dog has a digestive issue and if that's the case I can maybe give you some tips she got from her nutritionist

[aweitzm1]

Originally Posted by Bamboo15

I must have missed the first post that stated what medical issue he has. Is it a kidney issue? My boyfriend's mom's dog has a digestive issue and if that's the case I can maybe give you some tips she got from her nutritionist

Yes he has kidney issues. I would appreciate any help.

I think part of the problem might be me as I hate to see him not eat so I have been trying many different things. Giving him food throughout the day to eat. I think I need to be more patient and just give him the food when he usually eats and try not to stress if he doesn't eat for a day or two. He is drinking plenty of water and hopefully eventually he will eat when he is hungry.

It's just so sad to see him not eat. If I give him table scraps he seems to like it but I know that is no good for him.

[Bamboo15]

Originally Posted by aweitzm1

Yes he has kidney issues. I would appreciate any help.

I think part of the problem might be me as I hate to see him not eat so I have been trying many different things. Giving him food throughout the day to eat. I think I need to be more patient and just give him the food when he usually eats and try not to stress if he doesn't eat for a day or two. He is drinking plenty of water and hopefully eventually he will eat when he is hungry.

It's just so sad to see him not eat. If I give him table scraps he seems to like it but I know that is no good for him.

I totally understand, I definitely hate to see mine not eating too. With my first yorkie he was very overweight and the vet gave me prescription diet food. He wouldn't eat it and he wouldn't eat any dog food so I would give him table scraps and then the vet told me when he gets hungry enough he will eat, he won't let himself starve. And she was right, I stopped with the table food and when he was hungry enough he ate the prescription and got back down the weight he was supposed to be.

As far as my boyfriend's mom's dog...the issue she took him to the nurtusitionist for was digestive so I'm not sure it will be much help but this is what they told her. She wanted to prepare her own food for him so they told her no red meat at all and too much chicken would also hurt his stomach. They told her she can boil some vegetables and also can give him quinoa for protein. But now the issue she's having is that he seems to be allergic to something (our guess is the quinoa) because he has hot spots. Also, when he sneezes quinoa goes everywhere.

As an alternative to the nurtisitiknist, can you ask your vet for advice? You might have to pay an office visit fee but I doubt it will be anywhere near $300 and I know my vet actually knows a lot about nutrition herself.

[aweitzm1]

Originally Posted by Bamboo15

I totally understand, I definitely hate to see mine not eating too. With my first yorkie he was very overweight and the vet gave me prescription diet food. He wouldn't eat it and he wouldn't eat any dog food so I would give him table scraps and then the vet told me when he gets hungry enough he will eat, he won't let himself starve. And she was right, I stopped with the table food and when he was hungry enough he ate the prescription and got back down the weight he was supposed to be.

As far as my boyfriend's mom's dog...the issue she took him to the nurtusitionist for was digestive so I'm not sure it will be much help but this is what they told her. She wanted to prepare her own food for him so they told her no red meat at all and too much chicken would also hurt his stomach. They told her she can boil some vegetables and also can give him quinoa for protein. But now the issue she's having is that he seems to be allergic to something (our guess is the quinoa) because he has hot spots. Also, when he sneezes quinoa goes everywhere.

As an alternative to the nurtisitiknist, can you ask your vet for advice? You might have to pay an office visit fee but I doubt it will be anywhere near $300 and I know my vet actually knows a lot about nutrition herself.

Thanks for the advice. I will be speaking to my vet at his next appointment, which is the week after Christmas. I agree with you, I need to be more patient. I keep telling myself I will only feed him twice today like usually but then in the morning when he just sniffs it and walks away I get sad and try again a few hours later by either adding more wet food or parmesan cheese to entice him to eat. What happens is he licks the dry food clean and then spits it out.

[Bamboo15]

My dogs are excellent at eating around to get the food they want too! Lol

I can't blame you though I'm the exact same way, it's hard to see them not eating

[aweitzm1]

Originally Posted by Bamboo15

My dogs are excellent at eating around to get the food they want too! Lol

I can't blame you though I'm the exact same way, it's hard to see them not eating

Totally agree

[Wylie's Mom]

Check out this thread: http://www.yorkietalk.com/forums/die...itionists.html

I have personally used Susan Blake Davis, and she was nothing short of amazing and worked miracles w/ my Marcel when he was a post-giardia puppy with 4mths of ongoing diarrhea which no vets could help.