Feed Program for Dog Seizure Support

There are several reasons a dog can have problems with seizures; genetic, injury, nutritional, environmental, vaccines, toxins, exposure chemicals etc. I have found some very definite things that can help with this issue. The most prevalent problem that I have found, is the body is full of toxins and when cleansed with antioxidants, it can make a remarkable change. These are things I find beneficial if I owned a dog with seizures.

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It's Not The End of The World

If your dog is on a seizure drug, these supplements will not conflict with the meds. What some people do is start on the program and then after a couple months on it, they start to decrease the meds the dogs are on, under the direction of a veterinarian. Many have reported terrific success and been able to go off seizure medication as long as they remain on the program.

If you do have a dog on any seizure medication like Phenobarbital, or others, it is highly recommended that you use Milk Thistle or SAMe supplement to detoxify the liver. You can get this online or at the health food store.

• Thyroid Test- have your dogs thyroid tested and for an accurate reading it should be 2 months after any vaccines or the results are not valid, and have a T3 and T4 done. The best thyroid testing is done by Dr. Jean Dodds at www.hemopet.com contact them for instructions on how to do this and then take it to your vet.

Here is an example of a human situation you will find interesting:

http://www.nzymes.com/TestimonialsHuman/josie-f-cerebral-palsy-epilepsy-seizures-speech-impaired.htm

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HOW TO USE THIS PROGRAM

This feed program is used by many of the top breeders in the USA and overseas. This program has 20 years of success and you must follow this program exactly because each component has a job to do - deleting one of these components compromises the integrity of this program. Do not add other foods or supplements to the program without discussing it with me first. Do NOT add your own raw meats, calcium supplements, I will provide raw options that are safe from pathogenic bacteria and parasites and balanced in their calcium and phosphorus ratio.

This program will be divided into 3 parts:

Section A. - supplements, and where to purchase

Section B. - description of supplements - what they do

Section C. - support information

Please print out for future reference and provide a copy for your veterinarian, if they have any questions they can contact me personally for assistance. Please note, a veterinarian, I have used these supplements in my feed programs for many years as well as in feed trials. I have done laboratory tests to check quality and analysis and also done my own long term feed trials on many litters. I do not recommend companies that are unethical in their business practices so that is why some of the foods you see on the market are not on my list of better foods. Just because it is listed in Whole Dog Journal, does not mean it is a good product. They ONLY read labels and a label only gives you 50% of the true picture when it comes to pet foods. This information is not to be used in lieu of veterinarian advice, diagnoses or treatment.

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Section A.

This complete program listed below can now be purchased in a Kit format - purchase the Kit # 6 Seizure Support from www.FirstChoiceNaturals.com .

1. Dog Food - Natural/Holistic Super Premium - kibble and canned

2. Filling N The Wholes - whole food multi-vit, probiotic, digestive enzymes

3. Nzymes - cleans body of toxins - natural anti-inflammatory

4. Spark of Life/Water for Life - rehydrates cells / supports metabolic function

5. DMG-L - known to be beneficial for seizures

Optional Level 5000 joint support supplement - can purchase at same source as the kit.

Optional Variety - canned meats - raw options - fruits and vegetable

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Click Here for: DAY TO DAY CARE -ears, eyes, teeth, skin, healthy treats, fleas etc.

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1. DOG FOOD - Eagle Holistic Line or Eagle Super Premium Line of Pet Foods - locate retailer at this website www.eaglepack.com

2. FOUR-IN-ONE PROBIOTICS - beneficial bacteria, digestive enzymes, Vitamin C & Barley Grass www.firstchoicenaturals.com

3. NZYMES - dietary enzymes - in chewable Pet Treat or Granular (goes further) to detoxify the body www.nzymes.com or 877-816-6500

4. SPARK OF LIFE and WATER FOR LIFE - are companion products - Water for Life rehydrates at a cellular level making the body more receptive to the Spark of Life trace/micro minerals needed to the body's electrical/metabolism system. Both can be purchased online at First Choice Naturals or by phone: 800-937-1104

5. DMG-L - shown to help seizures and autism in children - www.firstchoicenaturals.com or 800-937-1104

Optional - joint support supplement (glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM and herbs). www.Flexicose com or Level 5000 Joint Support also available at www.firstchoicenaturals.com

FOR VARIETY ADD - fruits & veggies & Eagle Holistic canned meats www.eaglepack.com For a safe, balanced raw option use Honest Kitchen dehydrated raw - info below.

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Section B.

My preference is the Natural/Holistic Eagle Pack line of Pet Foods which I have used for 20 years. Choose one of the following or you can rotate flavors on adults. Do not mix any foods or brands of food 50/50 for any length of time, other than transitioning over to a new diet which should only take 3 days on Eagle.. Mixing foods can cause nutritional imbalance. Here are Eagle choices:

If your dog is not a puppy then I suggest using the Eagle Holistic Anchovy/Salmon/Sardine - 23% protein/12% fat - as the first choice for a food for a dog with seizures. This is recommended by the company and the Eagle veterinarian. If this is not available here is a list of other options below:

• Eagle Holistic Large/Giant Breed ADULT formula 24% protein - 14% fat
• Eagle Natural - 23% protein 12% fat - a great basic diet
• Eagle Holistic Chicken - 24% protein 14% fat - active adults
• Eagle Holistic Duck/Oatmeal - 23% protein 13% fat - allergies
• Eagle Holistic Senior - 26% protein 12% fat - seniors or weight loss
• Eagle Holistic Lamb/Rice 22% protein 15% fat - sensitive digestion
• Eagle Original 25% protein 15% fat - working/active dogs

I have provided a list of better food and my criteria for selection, located at this website - if you live somewhere where you can not locate Eagle.

For large and giant breed puppies, after 10 months of age you can safely switch to :

Eagle Large/Giant Adult Formula 24% protein 14% fat
Eagle Original 25%protein 15% fat
Eagle Holistic Chicken 24% protein 14% fat.

I choose Eagle because all products are made with human grade/organic ingredients,a multi-protein source, not grain based, yogurt cultures (probiotics) digestive enzymes, prebiotics, glucosamine HCL for joint support, high quality sequestered minerals which are critical for proper growth and no bone diseases, no ethoxiquin, no BHA,BHT, only naturally preservative, vitamin C and yucca and balanced Omega 6:3 fatty acids. This is the ONLY dog foods ever tested on giant breeds and it was done on several litters before it became available to the public. It has the longest track record for giant breeds of any food on the market. I directed the feed trials on this food 18 years ago as well as the Large and Giant Puppy food feed trials in 2002 so I know these foods work. Eagle owns their own USDA/Aphis approved plant.

To purchase Eagle Dog Foods:

• Go to their website http://www.eaglepack.com
• On the Eagle Home page click on Retailers or Purchase Online or International sales
• Call Eagle - 800-255-5959 - they ship directly to you as well

DO NOT SOAK KIBBLE AND LET SET, OR USE HOT WATER ON YOUR KIBBLE IT WILL DESTROY THE INTEGRITY OF THE NUTRIENTS AND PROBIOTICS - YOGURT LIKE CULTURES ON THE FOOD.

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2. Probiotics and Digestive Enzymes

Filling N The Wholes - a unique whole food vitamin/mineral supplement to fill in the wholes in your pet's diet. So often seizures are due to missing nutrients in a diet, this product helps to replenish those support nutrients that might be missing. This product has probitoics/digestive enzymes, metabolic enzymes, omegas, heart, immune and joint support in it.

To order: 800-937-1104 | Website: ~ http://www.firstchoicenaturals.com

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3. Dietary Enzymes - in pet treats or granular (multiple pets)

Nzymes - are critical to a diet when a pet has seizures, because it is a powerful antioxidant that detoxifies the body of toxins, which are often a cause of seizures.

Dietary Enzyme in a chewable healthy pet treat or in granular form. Nzymes put the "living component" back into a cooked, processed, stored dog food. Enzymes are heat sensitive and lost in processing/cooking of all commercial foods or making home cooked diets. As owners we must put dietary enzymes back into the diet, in order to maintain proper wellness and not deplete the body of this important resource. This can be done by the addition to your diet with a product called Nzymes, a chewable pet treat, or granular form which can be sprinkled on the food to replace what is lost. In other words, Nzymes provide the body with the right nutrients to allow the body to make the chemicals necessary to detoxify (clean out) the body and repair itself.

Nzymes helps with the following:

• Allergic reactions
• Natural anti-inflammatory ~ so you can avoid risky medicines like Rimadyl
• Arthritis
• Orthopedic problems ~ HOD, OCO, Pano, Wobblers, Hip Dysplasia, ACL
• Epilepsy and Seizures - due to vaccine reactions
• Vaccine reaction prevention
• Cleanses residual toxins from medicines, flea and parasite preparations.
• Boosting the immune system
• Reduces shedding
• Itchy ears
• Yeast infections
• Bladder infections
• Hotspots
• Reduces healing time from injury, surgery (cropping/bloat/c-sections)
• Reduces recovery time from anesthesia.

Nzymes are from sprouts (food) so they do not conflict with diet or any medications. I have used the Nzymes for 20 years for my animals and I take the human product and have seen remarkable changes our health. By incorporating Nzymes into the diet, you are putting back the "living component" into the modern processed and cooked diets. This gives the body the tools it needs for repair and good health.

Website to order : http://www.nzymes.com/ - 877- 816- 6500 - 8:00-6:00 PST

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4. SPARK OF LIFE / WATER FOR LIFE

Water of Life is a companion product to the Spark of Life, and it rehydrateds at a cellular level to prepare the cells for the reception of Spark of Life trace minerals.

Some seizures can be caused by an interruption in electrical impluses in the brain, caused by a lack of minor /trace minerals in a diet. The body’s metabolic, electrical and chemicals systems need usable trace minerals to run properly. Our soils are depleted of these essential trace minerals, therefore our foods are depleted of these naturally occuring* nutrients, and most pet foods are totally lacking in trace nutrients. Even some of the better foods on the market have overlooked the need for trace minerals in a diet. Now you can restore organic trace minerals to the body's immune and metabolic systems, as well as they help keep toxins from accumulating in the body, and help keep the pH of the body in balance. Spark of Life Trace Minerals are free from insecticide, bacteria, mold or yeast contaminates.

Purchase online at www.firstchoicenaturals.com - Spark of Life | Water For Life
or by phone - 800-937-1104

*naturally occurring means they will not conflict with any diet you are on, if the body does not need them it disposes of them naturally in the pet's stool.

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5. DMG - L

DMG also known as pangamic acid, or B15 is a rather sweet-tasting substance that was described in a recent article in the Journal of Laboratory and Clinical Medicine (1990, 481-86) as a "natural, simple compound with no known undesirable side effects."

The article described an experiment in which DMG was used to try to enhance the function of the immune system of laboratory rabbits and the immune systems of the animals given DMG showed 300% to 1,000% better response to infection than the controls. I have personally found DMG-L to be very beneficial to helping animals with seizures. There is much research that shows it's benefits in children with autism and seizures .

My preference is Dr. Wagner's DMG - www.firstchoicenaturals.com or 800-937-1104

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6. Optional -Joint Supplementation

I have used Flexicose joint supplementation with great success on my dogs. It is particularly noticeable when you introduce it to an elderly dog diet - they respond very well to joint nutritional supplementation. The amount of glucosamine in better dog foods is barely a maintenance level dosage, which is why I supplement my dogs.

If you are purchasing the Seizure Kit#6 from FirstChoiceNaturals.com - you can order another joint support supplement from the same place called Level 5000 Liquid Joint Support. 8 oz, 32 oz

SHIPPING OVERSEAS - Canada, Mexico, France, Spain, Germany, Italy, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom - more added daily so check with the company to see if they ship to your country.

For more complete information and ordering go to this website: Flexicose

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Options: For Variety - Meats - Fruits - Vegetable

I use Eagle Holistic canned dog foods* for variety (beef, chicken, liver, lamb, duck, fish, puppy). I mix a couple of tablespoons of canned meat with tepid temperature water and make a gravy. Then I top dress with one of the HONEST KITCHEN - an organic dehydrated raw meat /fruit/veggie mixe. I use about 10% of this in combination with my Eagle kibble.

*Do NOT use grocery store brand of canned food they are full of preservatives and 4D meats (dead, diseased dying and disabled) and they give the dogs stinky gas and are full of unhealthy fillers. NO homemade concoctions of meat/rice combinations that you make up at home, they are very unbalanced in their calcium and phosphorus levels and can cause growth problems.

The Honest Kitchen dehydrated raw dog food is what I use to provide a 10% raw component to my dogs Eagle kibble. It is balanced in calcium and phosphorus ratios which are very important in growing and elderly dogs!

I use the EMBARK which has a raw organic turkey, fruits and veggies and sometimes I will use PREFERENCE, which is strictly fruits/veggies and herbs.

EMBARK 29% protein - 16% fat - Organic Turkey, Flaxseed, Potatoes, Celery, Spinach, Carrots, Coconut, Apples, Kelp, Eggs, Sesame Seeds, Bananas, Cranberries, Rosemary.

PREFERENCE: 12% protein 5 % fat - Alfalfa, sweet potatoes, cabbage, celery, apples, spinach, organic kelp, coconut, bananas, zucchini, and honey.

One- 4 lb bag will make up to 17 lbs of moist meat/fruits and veggies and if used to top dress your kibble you can see it goes a long way. The Honest Kitchen dog food and Eagle Pet Foods are endorsed by the Whole Dog Journal.

To order call 800-937-1104 ~ and to order online go to www.firstchoicenaturals.com

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IF you want to do your own fruits and veggies here are some suggestions

FRUITS &VEGETABLE: This is a list of recommended foods to use in moderation:

yogurt, buttermilk berries melons, apples, banana, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, oranges, squash, sweet potato, green beans, zucchini - minced/diced/raw/cooked - they love frozen berries and melon balls!! Pulverized fresh veggies are best for digestion. NO raw onions, grapes or raisins, macadamia nuts.

Linda's Very Veggie Soup - 2 large cans of chicken or beef broth - (low sodium for heart or elderly dogs- or homemade). Add LOTS of veggies - carrots, green beans, wax beans, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and couple cloves of garlic. The idea is to use this as the filler so you want it to be hearty and filling.

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HOW I MIX MY DOG FOOD -

When introducing these to your adult dog, add each thing 3 days apart to make sure they are used to it before you add the next thing.

• Put Eagle kibble in a bowl -
• add Nzymes (dietary enzyme) - divided AM and PM
• add Filling N The Wholes - AM
• add Joint Support Supplement - divided AM PM
• add any other - just divide up.

I make gravy of tepid temp water and Eagle canned meat and add the Ox-E-Drops, DMG-L, Water for Life and Spark of life to this mixture.

Top dress with Honest Kitchen mixture (at least with one meal a day) or your own fruits and veggies.

WATER ON KIBBLE - 1/4- 1/2 cup water + 3-4 tablespoons canned meat. You want the food moist but not floating and sloppy (this is for large/giant breeds, reduce amount for smaller breeds accordingly).

Do not microwave, soak or use hot or very warm water on your kibble. It will destroy the integrity of the friendly yogurt type cultures and the fragile vitamins/minerals and amino acids on the food.

Water On Food:
Commercial foods need to be fed with moisture so dogs don't over consume water after a meal, and so the kibble does not pull moisture from the dogs system in order to break down properly. Use "tepid" temperature water never hot or warm and never soak your food as it breaks down and destroys nutrients. Mix up and feed immediately. I use approximately 1 to 1-1/2 cups of water for adults per each meal. Adjust accordingly for puppies. If they have loose stools, you may be using too much meat or water than necessary. Adjust that before you panic and think they are sick.

Drinking Water:
It is very important to NEVER withhold water from your dog. This can lead to over consumption and bladder infections. Use common sense, do not let them drink excessively after exercise or dinner. Like a horse, let them cool down and then drink. I have found if I have water available in several places, they never overdo it since they know it is available to them when they need it. That way they drink less amounts of water, but more frequently.

Withholding water for fear of bloat is a myth. Stress is the cause and bloat/torsion is the response. It is much more complicated that simply saying water is the cause of bloat.

(See my article on Bloat and Torsion for details) (See On My Soapbox)

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Section C - Support Information - Required Reading

Read this: Does My Vet Understand Nutrition?

Vaccines

There are several articles and photos of vaccine reactions at this website. You need to know how to prevent vaccine reactions, because vaccine reactions in some breeds will kill your dog in a slow agonizing death known as Immune Mediated Response, which is always misdiagnosed as HOD. So, here is info:

Prevention of Vaccine Reactions

The AAHA recommended schedule for vaccination

Dr. Jean Dodd's Vaccine Protocols

Vaccine Reaction Photographs

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Special Alert - Antibiotic Reactions in Great Danes and Other Breeds.

Sulfonamide Antibiotics
Based on information gained from the National Bone Survey, I do not recommend using Sulfonamide* antibiotics to my puppy buyers because these drugs can cause serious side-effects like sloughing of skin and internal bleeding and HOD-like symptoms including;fever, aching joints, swollen joints, lack of mobility, depression and anorexia. The following antibiotics are sulfonamides.

• Ditrim
• Primor
• Tribrissin
• Bactrim
• TMZ
• TMP/SDZ

Another commonly used, potentially troublesome antibiotics is Cephalexin (Keflex, Cefa-Tabs). This can also produces the same symptoms as HOD (fever,swollen/hot joints, immobility, anorexia) even in adult dogs. I will use Chephalexin, but with a watchful eye and if the dog starts acting lethargic and achy, we stop the antibiotic, since they are sensitive to it. Call the vet for an alternative antibiotic and make sure you are using a good Probiotic product to keep the digestive tract functioning properly.

I will not use Sulfonamides drugs on my dogs. A reaction can happen from 24 hours - 2 weeks of being on an antibiotic. If there is a reaction, my vet recommends Dexamethsone/Azium and discontinue use or antibiotic.

* Research references on Sulfonamides

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Fleas - Heartworm

People ask me what I use for these problems. I use Interceptor as a heartworm preventative and for flea and tick problems I use a topical product- either Frontline Plus or Advantage, Advantix or Frontline products. I do rotate a different one each year. Because these are not systemic products, I feel a bit better about using them and because the dogs/cats and my self are also on Nzymes, which detoxifies the body, I am comfortable with using these products.