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GREATDANELADY.COM Linda Arndt ~ Canine Nutritional Consultant Email:  |
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Feed Program For Pregnant and Lactating Bitches |
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It is important not to vaccinate your bitch during her heat cycle. Read more about this problem in Avoiding Vaccinations During Heat Cycles. How Do I Know She is Pregnant? I don't know if she is pregnant or not, but we choose not to use xrays or sonagrams to tell if she is pregnant. We save the xrays for when she is delivering, and if she runs into trouble. We do not xray just to go off and xray the bitch. We absolutely do not do a sonagram because it is our experience this ofen shows several puppies, then when they are due to whelp, there is only one or two or they have been reasorbed. We feel the sonagram often causes the puppies to detach and bitch to reabsorb the litter. We just choose to wait it out and only xray at the end of the whelping. Ususally we can tell by the 5th week if she is pregnant. You can always use and EPT test which you can get from the pharmacy. Tape a container to a yardstick and take out to potty, when she squats get a urine sample and test it with the EPT test. Wait until she is at least 3 weeks along in her pregnancy. If you are breeding a bitch purchase the book Dog Owners Home Veterinary Handbook by Carlson and Giffin. They have the best chapter on pregnancy, weaning and problems associated with this proccess. How To Use This Feed 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 - for your puppy 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. This information is not to be used in lieu of veterinarian advice, diagnoses or treatment. Section A. The
Basics Program
This program is a comprehensive and consists of 6 major components and this is it in summary form. Detailed info to follow below.
Click Here for: DAY TO DAY CARE -ears, eyes, teeth, skin, healthy treats, fleas etc. Where To Purchase Products 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 & DIGESTIVE ENZYMES - beneficial bacteria, digestive enzymes, Vitamin C & Barley Grass www.firstchoicenaturals.com 3. NZYMES - dietary enzymes - in chewable Pet Treat or Granular (goes further) www.nzymes.com 4. OX-E-DROPS - antibacterial, antiviral, antifungus - keeps pH of the gut healthy www.nzymes.com 5. FLEXICOSE - joint support supplement (glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM and herbs). www.Flexicose com 6. 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. 7. ULTIMATE PUPPY TRAINING KIT - Ideal for your new puppy buyers so they know how to deal with socialization and basic "good citizen" training. www.firstchoicenaturals.com Section B. Description of Supplements - Who - What - Why? 1. Food - Kibble and Canned
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:
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. 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:
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. HOW MUCH DO I FEED? Our bitches are normally on their normal amount of food for the first 30 days of the pregnancy, this is done for two reasons. One is, we do not want them to gain too much weight so they have an easy delivery. Secondly, if she is not pregnant we do not want her getting too heavy and confusing weight gain with being pregnant. During the second half of the pregnancy we increase the amount fed. This is based on Great Danes and using one of the Eagle Dog Foods. Week 5 - 7 - 71/2 cups a day divided in two feedings
NOTE: Do NOT supplement Calcium or feed raw meats during pregnancy! Also do not give raspberry leaves during pregnancy. Regardless of the old wives tale of how rasperberry leaves help with delivery, I know too many breeders that have lost litters or had them reabsorbe due to using raspberry leaves. This is one old wives tale that is a myth. 2. Dietary Enzymes - in pet treats or granular (multiple pets)
Nzymes - is 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:
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 3. Ox-E-Drops Ox-E-Drops is clear a safe liquid that will kill pathogens: bacteria, fungus and virus. When feeding raw meat it is particularly important to use Ox-E-Drops to help prevent problems with the pathogens in raw foods. An added benefit is that Ox-E-Drops Drops does not kill the good bacteria of the gut and helps to encourage the growth of friendly bacteria. I believe Ox-E-Drops is very important component to a diet in the possible prevention of bloat and systemic fungus infections, toxic and leaky gut syndrome, because if it's ability to help keep the proper pH balance in the gut which is important in breeds that have a tendency to bloat. Ox-E-Drops can be use diluted (1 cup of distilled water + 1 teaspoon of Oxy-Drops) for a solution to clean out ears, eyes, to spray on skin or use as a colonic. It is very beneficial in systemic yeast infections as well. Dosage - 1 drop per 20 lbs of body weight. Use daily on food, mix with a little water and your canned Eagle meat and use as a gravy. During times of illness - double this dosage. To order: www.Nzymes.com or 877-816-6500 4. Probiotics and Digestive Enzymes
4 in 1 Probiotics - This is a combination 4 friendly yogurt like good bacteria, 4 digestive enzymes, Vitamin C - in and Ester C form and Barley Grass. It fills the "holes in every diet", processed or raw. Do NOT add more Vitamin C to your dogs diet it is already this product. First Choice Naturals 4 in 1 Probiotics contains:
5. 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. Whereby it is beneficial for all breeds ages and sizes, the large and giant breeds are particularly vulnerable due to their size, rapid development as a puppy and later tendencies toward bone cancer - normally of the long bone or growth plate. I believe most of these cancers can be prevented with a comprehensive diet and joint support during development. If a dog has had HOD, OCD or Pano as a young dog, I feel it is very important to use the Nzymes product and other "functional foods" with anticancer properties as part of the daily diet, in the hopes of preventing bone cancer as they age. I start my puppies on joint supplementation at 10 - 12 weeks of age and continue throughout their adult life. With the large/giant breeds their joints have added stressed, so any thing that can help support them as they age, is a positive step in the right direction. 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 6. For Variety - Meats - Fruits - Vegetables MEATS: 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. Do NOT use grocery store brands 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.
FRUITS &VEGETABLES: I think it is important to incorporate some real foods into you dogs diet on a daily basis. Not only is this done for nutritional purposes, but because the dog gets bored eating the same thing day in, day out!! 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. OR 6. Variety - A Safe Balanced Raw Meat & Fruit/Veggie - OPTION If you want to introduce some raw meat, fruits and veggies to your dogs diet, the is is the best way to do it because it is balanced in it's calcium and phosphorus ratios and free from pathogenic bacteria and parasites. This is a freeze-dried dehydrated raw turkey or chicken diet, all you have to do is reconstitute with filtered water, let sit a few minutes and serve. Do not get lazy and simply sprinkle this on the top of their food, make sure you use it reconstituted with water first -so it does not draw all the water out of the dog's gut, causing the dog to want to drink water in excess. The food dehydration process takes place so the ingredient are still considered raw yet done at a temperature to kill any pathogenic bacteria. Enzymatic activity in dehydrated foods is simply suspended until the food is rehydrated with liquid.
The Honest Kitchen dehydrated raw dog food is available in two formulas: FORCE (21% protein - 14% fat) - Chicken, Flaxseed, Potatoes, Celery, Cabbage, Sweet Potatoes, Zucchini, Green Beans, Apples, Honey, Alfalfa, Kelp,Yogurt, Bananas, Papayas, Basil and Rosemary. EMBARK 29% protein - 16% fat - Turkey, Flaxseed, Potatoes, Celery, Spinach, Carrots, Coconut, Apples, Kelp, Eggs, Sesame Seeds, Bananas, Cranberries, Rosemary. The Honest Kitchen dog food and Eagle Pet Foods is endorsed by the Whole Dog Journal. To order call 858-483-5995 ~ www.thehonestkitchen.com Note: Since you are using this to top dress your dog's food for variety and not as the whole diet, you can use either one of these formulas even for Great Dane puppies. Just use in reasonable amounts so you are not adding too many calories during growth stages. HOW I MIX MY DOG FOOD
I add my supplements in the AM just because it is easier to do it all at once. I make gravy of tepid temp water and Eagle canned meat and add the Ox-E-Drops to this mixture.Top dress with a little fruit or veggie or the Honest Kitchen mixture at least with one meal a day. I tend to use my evening meal for the Honest Kitchen - just for variety. WATER ON KIBBLE - Puppies 8-10 weeks use 1/4 - 1/3 cup water + 1-2 tablespoons canned meat. You want the food moist but not floating and sloppy. For older puppies and adults I will use 1 cup of water per meal along with my Eagle canned meat. 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:
Drinking Water: 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.
Here is information on WEANING
YOUR LITTER. Nutritional Support For Special Needs Vaccine
Reactions: Anesthethesia
/ Surgery: Section C - Support Information for Puppies - 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:
Special Alert - Antibiotic Reactions in Great Danes and Other Breeds. Sulfonamide Antibiotics
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 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. Special Alert - Other Breeds: For Collie/Sheltie/Aussie and Sighthound Owners
(could effect some Great Danes)
For those people who own Collies, Shelties, Sighthounds, Aussies, Border Collies, any breeds with Collie background or mixed breeds with any of these dogs in them, it is critical that you know there are certain medications your dogs CAN'T take. Do not leave it up to your vet to know this..YOU must print this out and know it - it is a matter of life or death. These dogs have a sensitivity to Ivermectin (Heartguard
Heartworm medication. Only use Interceptor heart worm preventative.
Other related drugs you can not use on these breeds or there
will be neurological damage.
Other related drugs you can NOT use:
Metronidazole (which is used for diarrhea and giardia) There are many different types of drugs that have been reported to cause problems in Collies, ranging from over-the-counter antidiarrheal agents like Imodium® to antiparasitic and chemotherapy agents. It is likely this list will grow to include more drugs as our research progresses. Drugs that have been documented, or are strongly suspected to cause problems in dogs with the MDR1 mutation: Ivermectin (antiparasitic agent) The following drugs may potentially cause problems when given to dogs that have the mutation. Biochemical studies have shown that this gene has the potential to act on over 50 different drugs. Ondansetron Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Additional Support For The Adult Dog:
Go here for Spay
and Neuter information
Go here for leaky
bladder information
Go here for anal
gland problems
Go here: For other articles that pertain to Adult Dog Care
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