The Benefits Of A Prey Model Diet

[kjc]

Sorry ... I can't resist:

Prey model for Yorkies ... Rats?

Someone posted that they don't feed anything a Yorkie couldn't catch in the wild?

I got a mental image of a herd of Yorkies chasing down a cow ... not that they wouldn't try...

[gzarr]

Okay, so Dozer had been doing so well on his probiotics. His ear was clear and all, minimal biting and itching. And then I forgot to give it to him for 2 days. Now he has a nasty ear infection again. I've been religious on giving him his pills (even 2 some days) and have been cleaning out the ear with the mix of alcohol/tea tree oil and it's taking a while to go away again. In fact, it hasn't yet and it's been a week.

The only other thing different is that he had a HUGE amount of venison one day when I forgot the pills (like 6 pounds- it was frozen and all I had to give and I couldn't break it up. I thought he would stop eating when full. Guess not). I don't know if that has anything to do with it or if it's coincidence?

Any words of encouragement or advice? He was doing so well...why the infection now?

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by gzarr

Okay, so Dozer had been doing so well on his probiotics. His ear was clear and all, minimal biting and itching. And then I forgot to give it to him for 2 days. Now he has a nasty ear infection again. I've been religious on giving him his pills (even 2 some days) and have been cleaning out the ear with the mix of alcohol/tea tree oil and it's taking a while to go away again. In fact, it hasn't yet and it's been a week.

The only other thing different is that he had a HUGE amount of venison one day when I forgot the pills (like 6 pounds- it was frozen and all I had to give and I couldn't break it up. I thought he would stop eating when full. Guess not). I don't know if that has anything to do with it or if it's coincidence?

Any words of encouragement or advice? He was doing so well...why the infection now?

Poor guy. Even though the probios were helping - you may have just been suppressing the infection, enough to see a decline in symptoms. I would definitely get a fungal culture (takes 10 days) as well as having a vet take an immediate look at a smear under scope. To me, this sounds like an infection and needs antibiotics and/or ear ointment.

[Titusboy]

Nadia~ I just wanted to ask you what type of heartworm preventative you use? I am afraid to give my new puppy this poison, but I also don't want her to get heartworms. Please advise

[gzarr]

Well, Dozer had a NASTY ear two days ago. It was solid black gunk and had been cleaned out two days before that. I found some Tresaderm in the fridge and dropped that in. It seemed to help so I'll continue that. I know you had suggested antibiotics, but he's been on everything and nothing seems to help anymore.

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by gzarr

Well, Dozer had a NASTY ear two days ago. It was solid black gunk and had been cleaned out two days before that. I found some Tresaderm in the fridge and dropped that in. It seemed to help so I'll continue that. I know you had suggested antibiotics, but he's been on everything and nothing seems to help anymore.

Has he had both a smear and a fungal culture? If not, you'll never know what it is that you're trying to treat....

[omega]

I've been feeding my girls prey model for 1-1/2 years now. For the most part things are great - my two larger girls eat everything and anything I put out for them... they are SO easy. They chomp those bones up in a matter of a minute or two. Little piggies.

Then there is my smallest who is about 4 lbs. She will snarf food one day and the next day I may feed the same thing and she will not eat. Period. She won't eat fish and doesn't eat pork most of the time. Sometimes she will turn her nose up at something that she has always eaten before.

When she doesn't eat a meal, I let her wait till the next meal time. There are times when she will sit by her uneaten bowl of food for a very long time, staring at me.

Because of her size, I get worried if she won't eat two meals in a row. Not too long ago she refused to eat for a couple of days so I used emergency measures... baby food meat. That time I tried everything I could think of first - canned dog food (meat only), cooked egg.... I think there were about 10 different things I tried.

I don't know why she doesn't eat at times or if I should even be concerned about it. Or is it a sign of something wrong????

Anyone have a dog that does this or any words of wisdom?

[gzarr]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

Has he had both a smear and a fungal culture? If not, you'll never know what it is that you're trying to treat....

No, he hasn't had a smear or culture, but when he goes in they check under the microscope and see yeast and bacteria. What else could they be looking for? What other type fungi could it be? And what does a smear do?

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by gzarr

No, he hasn't had a smear or culture, but when he goes in they check under the microscope and see yeast and bacteria. What else could they be looking for? What other type fungi could it be? And what does a smear do?

Hmmm...not sure I understand this. A quick smear of the ear (swab, and smear a slide) can show bacteria, but not which type, usually. If they see bacteria, you'd want an ear ointment w/ antibiotic in it. If they grow a culture and find yeast, then you need an ointment that is also specifically anti-fungal. Some ear ointments have both. If you suspect systemic yeast - then you also would need prescription anti-fungal, oral meds like Diflucan (given for 10-14 days, at least).

[Michmill]

Hi guys,
I am at a loss for words. I was at tears at the vets office. I CAN NOT believe me vet in Houston kept putting me off when I asked her what was wrong with chewies skin. She kept saying over and over just give him childrens benadryl to control the itching and he will be fine. I should have gotten a second opinion but hey, we think we can trust these guys.
Any way, whats done is done and now we are on the road to repairing it.
It seems Chewy had some type of allergy that went unchecked and has avalanched into...... OMG.......Inhalant alergy, flea alergy among others and has caused.....Demodectic Mange, Ringworm,Staff infection and a lowered immune system. Yeah. I was floored. I didnt think it was that bad. That is what I get for thinking. But... I have all the meds. A cortisone shot was given at the vets. He has to take three different pills twice a day and has a medicated shampoo and dip that is done weekly. He has taken a round of pills today and with the shot I have noticed the itching has stopped, but that is the cortisone working, which is great, we dont want him making anymore sores. So its not yeast but the vet did commend his diet of raw saying I did a good thing to eliminate the food alergy part if there was one and he didnt say what most vets would about it not being good for them. He was right on with me feeding him that way so thats awsome. I hope this works and he gets better soon. If this doesnt I dont know what else to do.

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by Michmill

Hi guys,
I am at a loss for words. I was at tears at the vets office. I CAN NOT believe me vet in Houston kept putting me off when I asked her what was wrong with chewies skin. She kept saying over and over just give him childrens benadryl to control the itching and he will be fine. I should have gotten a second opinion but hey, we think we can trust these guys.
Any way, whats done is done and now we are on the road to repairing it.
It seems Chewy had some type of allergy that went unchecked and has avalanched into...... OMG.......Inhalant alergy, flea alergy among others and has caused.....Demodectic Mange, Ringworm,Staff infection and a lowered immune system. Yeah. I was floored. I didnt think it was that bad. That is what I get for thinking. But... I have all the meds. A cortisone shot was given at the vets. He has to take three different pills twice a day and has a medicated shampoo and dip that is done weekly. He has taken a round of pills today and with the shot I have noticed the itching has stopped, but that is the cortisone working, which is great, we dont want him making anymore sores. So its not yeast but the vet did commend his diet of raw saying I did a good thing to eliminate the food alergy part if there was one and he didnt say what most vets would about it not being good for them. He was right on with me feeding him that way so thats awsome. I hope this works and he gets better soon. If this doesnt I dont know what else to do.

Wow! Hey, you now have a specific diagnosis and can heal your baby, so that is great! I totally know how frustrated you are, though, bc my Wylie was also misdiagnosed for months - I was told "it was nothing" -- well "nothing" turned out to be Pyoderma, Hypothyroid, and Cushing's Disease. So, I think it's great that you kept pushing for your baby until you got your diagnosis. What a great Mama!

This is another example that confirms to me, once again, no one should just blindly trust vets. They're human, miss things, and make mistakes. (and in some cases, a LOT of them )

[yoon714]

Hi i wanted to ask a question. I have heard that it high protein is not good for yorkies. I feed Mimi NV organic chicken medallions and was worried if she is having too much protein for her..

[Wylie's Mom]

Originally Posted by yoon714

Hi i wanted to ask a question. I have heard that it high protein is not good for yorkies. I feed Mimi NV organic chicken medallions and was worried if she is having too much protein for her..

Dogs are carnivores of the canidae family - so their diet should contain a good deal of protein, it is what their bodies are designed to eat. Their digestive system and dentition has not changed since descending from the wolf (except some dental crowding, which isn't all that surprising).

High protein is a problem if a dog has kidney, liver, or pancreas disease.

Otherwise, I view a balanced, high-protein diet as species appropriate.

[yoon714]

Originally Posted by Wylie's Mom

Dogs are carnivores of the canidae family - so their diet should contain a good deal of protein, it is what their bodies are designed to eat. Their digestive system and dentition has not changed since descending from the wolf (except some dental crowding, which isn't all that surprising).

High protein is a problem if a dog has kidney, liver, or pancreas disease.

Otherwise, I view a balanced, high-protein diet as species appropriate.

Thank you =D i am relieved now from worrying. i really love raw diet and didnt want to go back to kibbles hehe

[skywomanfrom]

How are tear stains on a raw prey diet? Anything I can add to help with this?