[dabrat76]

Hi,

After losing a 2nd dog (not yorkies) today to kidney failure in less than a month, I have decided that we will be changing food, water and treats. I think we're just unlucky and it has nothing to do with food (we free fed Nutro Natural Choice Lamb and Rice), but the vet mentioned it was possible after all the recalls. I think that with Jager (keeshond) that it was chronic renal failure and with Tequila (sharpei) it was amyloidosis or kidney failure as a complication of Sharpei Fever or FSF.

Nonetheless, the thought of losing little SoCo right now terrifies me. So we will be getting insurance for him so that money won't be an issue (not that it was with either Tequila or Jager, but dialysis and transplants were way out our budget). And I want to make sure that even with all I know about dogs (a fair amount) that I know the right things to feed and treat yorkies.

So, any advice? I've been thinking of either home cooking or raw. I looked at raw 6 years ago before we got Tequila, but it seemed quite expensive and time consuming. I work from home now so time won't be an issue, but raw in such a little body scares me! Also, do they handle the rmb well? I would guess it would have to be chicken or turkey bones (small enough for their mouths). Also, if you feed raw, what do you treat with? I've seen alot of people recommend Yorkie Yummies or something like that (little liver bites), but everything I've read about raw says don't mix cooked with raw as it can lead to bloat.

I'm sorry to write a novel, it just seems like all the research and care I put into my dogs was wasted and I'm so scared of losing SoCo young. I'm doubting everything I've ever learned and done! So any advice would be so helpful!

Thank you,

Tara