08/17/11 - In a previous post (Phytoestrogens in dog food), I talked about some of the struggles I've had in trying to find a food I felt comfortable feeding Reo. Since her liver failure, she had been eating a combination of her normal Orijen Regional Red kibble, and Merrick Grammy's Pot Pie. Both of these formulas are very low in phytoestrogenic ingredients, but both are commercial diets. I don't want to feed either long-term (especially canned foods with concerns about BPA leaching), so I started hunting around for what to feed.
Unfortunately, Reo doesn't like my cooking for her as much as I do! She will accept cooked protein (any type), but she does not like the veggies that I cook for her. As a result, I wanted to find a "complete" food that I could feed Reo (and Leigh) and feel good about it. I have heard that immune-compromised dogs shouldn't be switched to a true raw diet, and I didn't feel ready to do "real" raw, anyway.
Tula and Leigh had been eating The Honest Kitchen raw dehydrated food. I was rotating between Thrive, Keen, and Embark. But, when I started looking at feeding Reo this food, I noticed that all of their formulas had phytoestrogenic ingredients. Their grain-free foods in particular are very high in flaxseed (which seems to me to be a filler, but also very high in phytoestrogens). I knew I didn't want to feed this to Reo.
One thing that is amazing about The Honest Kitchen is their great customer service and nutrition consultations. I wrote to let them know about my concerns with phytoestrogens, and one of their employees responded the next day to let me know to watch out for a new food toward the end of the year. So, I am curious! In the meantime, my search continued.
After a lot of research, I came up with 5 different options for Reo's food. I do like to rotate every couple of months for variety, so I'm happy to have found so many choices. I wanted to find something that was chicken or turkey free if possible. I am wary of fish-dominant recipes, due to concerns about toxins. I'll probably rotate between the below every so often to mix it up a bit. I'll also supplement with some cooked food as appropriate.
Grain-free, low phytoestrogenic, healthy foods for Reo:
1) Addiction raw dehydrated, the following recipes: Fig'licious Venison Feast, Outback Kangaroo Feast, Perfect Summer Brushtail
2) ZiwiPeak air-dried cuisine, Venison or Lamb recipe
3) K9 Natural freeze-dried raw, Lamb recipe - maybe beef too, if Reo will tolerate it (I think she should be fine - I have cooked ground beef/organ meat for her and she had no problems)
4) Stella & Chewy's freeze-dried patties, Duck Duck Goose, Dandy Lamb recipes, - maybe Stella's Super Beef if Reo can tolerate beef
5) Nature's Variety Instinct freeze-dried raw, Venison, Lamb, or Beef recipes
Between all of these options, I feel good that Reo will have some tasty options ahead of her (and that she will be eating very well!). Most of these recipes are expensive - I'm glad that Reo and Leigh are under 10 lbs each. If Tula had to be on this diet, we'd be in the poor house! ;) Tula will keep eating The Honest Kitchen, and Reo and Leigh will eat one of the above foods.
For treats, I stick to Natural Balance LIT Potato and Duck treats, and any freeze-dried raw or all-meat treats from hormone-free/natural sources and also made in the USA (you would be surprised at how many dog treats come from China - I am NOT a fan of this at all!), like Stella & Chewy's, K9 Natural, Only Natural Pet, etc.
Reo (and Leigh too!) is currently eating Addiction Fig'licious Venison Feast, and she is loving it!!
In March 2011, our Miniature Pinscher, Reo, suddenly went blind and was diagnosed with SARDS (Sudden Acquired Retinal Degeneration Syndrome). We were given no hope for vision recovery, but through research, perseverance, love, tears, and a lot of luck, we brought our dog back from a serious illness, and restored some functional vision in about 5 months! This is our story, our journey...and we hope that by sharing our story, we can help other dogs diagnosed with SARDS!
BLOG DISCLAIMER
**DISCLAIMER** Please note: I am not a veterinarian, and the purpose of this blog is solely to educate, provide resources, and share Reo's story. In this blog, I will present research and information on the theories of SARDS to which I subscribe, along with my own narrative. If you think your dog may have SARDS, or adrenal exhaustion/Plechner Syndrome, please seek veterinary care right away!
If you are just beginning your SARDS education, I suggest you start with the blog post from August 22, 2011 entitled "SARDS Resources". If you'd like to know our trials, tribulations, and joys from the beginning, start with "But first...Reo!" and click chronologically on from there.
If you would like to read my suggestions as to how I would approach treatment for a newly-diagnosed dog, check the November 16, 2011 post "If I had another SARDS dog" (and then read my blog more fully for appropriate context).
Though we have decided to suspend Reo's retinal protection supplements in September 2012 (see September 16, 2012 post "Decision for Reo") due to the fact that she had very little remaining vision, I am still strongly supportive of our treatment approach, and know that it changed Reo's health and longevity in a positive way. Feel free to comment and ask me any questions - I am happy to help if I can!
Update: Reo became an angel on October 21, 2014. She had a profound kidney infection, causing acute kidney failure, and she was unable to recover. The contributing factors to her decline are covered in my February 16, 2015 blog post "Farewell to Reo".
Though I do not regularly update this blog any longer, much of the information is still relevant (though some of the links may be out of date). Feel free to join the conversation at "SARDS Dogs United" on Facebook.
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