Puppy nutrition

[AmelieH]

Hello, it's me again with my Flat Coated Retriever puppy (13 weeks). Unfortunately I haven't started with BARF yet, I still need an appointment with a nutritionist. At the moment my dog gets canned meat (either pure meat or puppy mixes with minerals), along with cooked vegetables (potato, sweet potato, fennel) and in between as a snack melon, cucumber, banana. Unfortunately, my dog has indigestion and often has to fart. Is there anything I could change that might make it a little more optimal until I barf? Do I need to puree the raw vegetables?
Also, I wanted to ask if I should give a mineral supplement with every meal if I'm not giving extra puppy food? Haven't found an answer in the sources on your site yet.
Yesterday a salesperson recommended the following supplements for my puppy: Pernaturam junior powder: sunflower lecithin (non-GMO), spirulina, brewer's yeast, ground bee pollen, seaweed flour, moringa leaf powder, algae lime, quinoa sprouts, agrimonia, rosehip peel. Mangrove algae, paradise nuts.
And this powder for healthy growth from Pernaturam: 60% green-lipped South Sea mussel (Perna canaliculus), plus gelatine, rosehip and cod liver oil with vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids.
Do you think this is good for my dog or not?
Thank you and best regards, Amelie

 

[Dr. Christina]

You really do not need a nutritionist, Amelie. Feeding meat from your local farm, or grocer would be much better than feeding meat from a can (who knows where it came from). and yes, please puree the vegetables and fruit. If that does not stop the gas, try elimination, feeding one vegetable for a few days, then another as maybe one of them is triggering the gas.
either supplement is fine, but not both.

Please read here - Nutrition - Holistic Actions!

A few quotes from it may help you right now -

• Fresh food is alive (cellularly vital) food, whereas processed foods, especially protein-based ones, are not.
• Ideally, the meat you feed your pets should be hormone free and the vegetables you feed your pets should be pesticide free (organic). Even if you live in a place where these are hard to obtain, what you buy for yourself is going to be far superior to anything you’ll find in a can or a bag.
• Variety is also an important aspect of feeding nutrient-dense food. When you mix up your pet’s diet (just like your own) to include a wide variety of vital foods, there’s no need to worry about their diet being imbalanced. Conventional nutritionists stress the importance of variety as feeding your pet the same processed food day after day can lead to imbalances, especially on the micronutrient or toxin level. Switching from a processed food to a thoughtful variety of fresh food will improve balance.
• Calcium / phosphorus balance is the biggest cause of unbalanced home prepared diets. Vet nutritionists see nutritional imbalances because people don’t pay enough attention to it, and feed too much meat and not enough bone. If your pet is not eating a diet containing bone, add 1,000 mg of calcium carbonate or calcium citrate (finely ground eggshells can also be used) should be added to each pound of boneless meat.
• When your pet is already being fed a variety of vital organic food and their system is in balance, supplements are often unnecessary since their nutrient needs are adequately met by their diet.

supplements are a very debatable topic since much of our soils are compromised, there are a lot of toxins in the environment, etc. I like to match your level of supplements for your pup to what you feel is best for yourself. If you regularly take anti-oxidants, or omegas, mushrooms, digestive enzymes, probiotics, etc...then try one for him. Especially with the gas (which could be from the canned food or the whole vegetables), a probiotic, prebiotic or digestive enzyme could be useful. Check out all the talks on probiotics and supplements for more on that.
Dr. Christina

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Fantastic work Amelie with doing research to decide what's healthiest for your puppy!

Thanks for the great informational post Dr. Christina!??

My two cents is that It would be super helpful to have an open-minded vet on your team to help with nutrition decisions and to help you minimize (or not use) vaccines, do exams and diagnostic tests if needed, etc.

My own philosophy about supplements is less is more. Maybe just use 1 food food-based supplement.

Like:

New Puppy and Kitten Pet Wellness Supplement Kits

For young dogs and cats, the early days are a critical development time. It’s important to start building optimal health with a pet wellness plan.

www.standardprocess.com

 

[AmelieH]

Fantastic work Amelie with doing research to decide what's healthiest for your puppy!

Thanks for the great informational post Dr. Christina!??

My two cents is that It would be super helpful to have an open-minded vet on your team to help with nutrition decisions and to help you minimize (or not use) vaccines, do exams and diagnostic tests if needed, etc.

My own philosophy about supplements is less is more. Maybe just use 1 food food-based supplement.

Like:

New Puppy and Kitten Pet Wellness Supplement Kits

For young dogs and cats, the early days are a critical development time. It’s important to start building optimal health with a pet wellness plan.

www.standardprocess.com

Many thanks dr. Jeff! I'm currently in the process of contacting holistic vets and hoping to get lucky with one ?

 

[AmelieH]

You really do not need a nutritionist, Amelie. Feeding meat from your local farm, or grocer would be much better than feeding meat from a can (who knows where it came from). and yes, please puree the vegetables and fruit. If that does not stop the gas, try elimination, feeding one vegetable for a few days, then another as maybe one of them is triggering the gas.
either supplement is fine, but not both.

Please read here - Nutrition - Holistic Actions!

A few quotes from it may help you right now -

• Fresh food is alive (cellularly vital) food, whereas processed foods, especially protein-based ones, are not.
• Ideally, the meat you feed your pets should be hormone free and the vegetables you feed your pets should be pesticide free (organic). Even if you live in a place where these are hard to obtain, what you buy for yourself is going to be far superior to anything you’ll find in a can or a bag.
• Variety is also an important aspect of feeding nutrient-dense food. When you mix up your pet’s diet (just like your own) to include a wide variety of vital foods, there’s no need to worry about their diet being imbalanced. Conventional nutritionists stress the importance of variety as feeding your pet the same processed food day after day can lead to imbalances, especially on the micronutrient or toxin level. Switching from a processed food to a thoughtful variety of fresh food will improve balance.
• Calcium / phosphorus balance is the biggest cause of unbalanced home prepared diets. Vet nutritionists see nutritional imbalances because people don’t pay enough attention to it, and feed too much meat and not enough bone. If your pet is not eating a diet containing bone, add 1,000 mg of calcium carbonate or calcium citrate (finely ground eggshells can also be used) should be added to each pound of boneless meat.
• When your pet is already being fed a variety of vital organic food and their system is in balance, supplements are often unnecessary since their nutrient needs are adequately met by their diet.

supplements are a very debatable topic since much of our soils are compromised, there are a lot of toxins in the environment, etc. I like to match your level of supplements for your pup to what you feel is best for yourself. If you regularly take anti-oxidants, or omegas, mushrooms, digestive enzymes, probiotics, etc...then try one for him. Especially with the gas (which could be from the canned food or the whole vegetables), a probiotic, prebiotic or digestive enzyme could be useful. Check out all the talks on probiotics and supplements for more on that.
Dr. Christina

Thank you very much Dr. Christina, that helps a lot! I should probably just start raw feeding! I'll try to implement all the tips right away! Luckily I pay attention to organic

 

[GinnyW]

Yes, just start! Maybe a chicken frame, or a neck. If you feed a variety of things OVER TIME, lots of time, you will not need all the supplements. Wait until you're all settled in with the food, and then figure out if there's a need first before plunging in. Real food is the best supplement You can make it rocket science, but you certainly don't have to.