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A Word To The Wise:

Urinary problems are the results of an imbalance in the pH of the urine and then opportunistic bacteria sets in and causes an infection. With each re-infection, scar tissue develops and it makes it even more difficult when another infection occurs. This can be prevented, but NOT by using a prescription diet, but by using a diet that keeps the proper pH balance to begin with. I offer this diet in hopes this will take care of the problem. If you suspect a urinary infection then make sure your vet runs a "culture"on the urine so you know exactly which antibiotics are needed so you are not wasting time, money and the comfort for the animal, on meds that will not take care of the problems.

Remember when you use antibiotics - you must always use a probiotic so the good bacteria is not destroyed along with the bad. It is the good bacteria that keeps the pH in proper balance!

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This program is a comprehensive and consists of 6 major components and this is it in summary form. Detailed info to follow below.

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

2. 4 in 1 Probiotics & Digestive Enzymes - beneficial bacteria - Digestive enzymes

3. DIETARY ENZYMES - missing in all commercial foods - antioxidants

4. Ph BALANCER - help keep proper pH in the gut

5. Liquid Health Level 5000 - joint support supplement

6. Variety - canned meats - raw options - fruits and vegetable

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1. DOG FOOD - Precise Holistic Complete - something from this line up of foods is appropriate. www.precisepet.com

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Purchase one of the CORE 4 KITS which contain these 3 ingredients:

2. PROBIOTICS & DIGESTIVE ENZYMES - beneficial bacteria, digestive enzymes, Vitamin C & Barley Grass

3. DIETARY ENZYMES - to detoxify the body and help with the pH of the bladder.

4. OX-E-DROPS - antibacterial, antiviral, antifungus - keeps pH of the gut healthy

You can get the CORE 4 kits at www.firstchoicenaturals.com

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5. Liquid Health Level 5000 - this product has two jobs. First as a great joint support supplement (glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM and herbs) and for bladder support. Glucosamine is very good for the lining of the bladder and helps prevent bladder irratation which then turns in to an infection. www.firstchoicenaturals.com

6. Another excellant product for Bladder health is called Bladder Support - it is all natural and I have seen great results with it.

FOR VARIETY ADD - fruits & veggies & Precise canned meats or use Honest Kitchen dehydrated raw - info below.

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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 Precise.

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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HOW MUCH DO I FEED?

See chart below at bottom of this information or click on link and printout for future reference. AMOUNT TO FEED CHART

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For Variety - Meats - Fruits - Vegetables

MEATS: I use Precise canned dog foods for variety.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

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 Precice Pet Foods are endorsed by the Whole Dog Journal. To order call 765-284-8288

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.

Honest Kitchen Amounts for Puppies:

• 8-10 weeks - 1 Tablespoon
• 11-16 weeks 3-4-Tablespoons
• 4 - 6 mo 1/4 cup
• 7 - 8 mo 1/2
• 9 mo - adult 1/2 - 1 cup daily

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.