Senior canine vegan diet

[SheriS]

On Monday August 29th, Dr. Bob spoke about the benefits of a plant based diet for our furry friends. Some brands were listed as resources for embarking on this path. Can someone please provide some direction? We've been feeding our 14 year old Havanese a raw meat diet with lots of veggies and Dr. Dobias's supplements for years. Which brand(s) is(are) best and most complete. Natural flavor, nutritional yeast, coloring... are a no-go. Also, how best to integrate this? How do we know if it is serving the needs of our little one. The reason we are interested is her breath has gotten pretty bad since she's been on Primal Complete venison freeze-dried preparation. Any thoughts on this will be welcomed.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Wonderful questions Sheri!

The highest quality and highest vitality plant-base dog food is one formulated by Dr. Ryan Yamka when he helped co-found Guardian Pet Foods (and now at Farmer's Dog).

Archie (my pup) loves their vegan freeze-dried NoBL bar which would be great for you to try:

Adult Canine Food Bars: Vegan Recipe - CASE

Doggedly vegan! Your pup can do it--with the right nutrition. But sadly, studies have shown that many commercial vegan dog foods lack key nutrients. Until now. Our vegan bars are higher in protein than other brands and have higher quality protein too, all with fewer artificial and synthetic...

noblfoods.com

There are a few other more highly processed diets on the market that are also fine (but may also be lower in vitality/energy due to the way they're processed).

Here's one that is fresher and is delivered to your home:

Plant-Based Dog Food - Bramble Pets

Are you interested in plant-based dog food for dogs? Read on to find out how this choice can benefit your dog's health long-term.

bramblepets.com

Regarding your pup's breath tho, I wonder how his BEAM is and whether he's had any blood or urine tests i the past 6 months?

Also, consider using the NZ oral spray to help with his breath, gums and teeth.

New Zealand Deer Velvet and Manuka Oral Spray

Deer Velvet and Manuka Oral Spray has multiple ingredients which help to control the odor causing bacteria and helps to reduce gingival inflammation.

www.nzdeervelvetproducts.com

 

[Dr. Christina]

Very importantly when changing any diet, is to do a physical exam (BEAM, early warning signs, etc). Especially Energy. Record it in the journal.

Pay attention to her desire for the food. Record.

Weekly, do the physical again. If there is deterioration, you may want to go back, at least partially, to the meat diet.

Maybe, even, start with just one day a week on the new diet.

Dr. Christina

 

[SheriS]

Thank you Dr. Jeff and Dr. Christina. After looking through the links, It's apparent that any plant-based food that is "clean" actually has yeast additives. It is my understanding that yeast or nutritional yeast products are MSG. Please correct me if I've misunderstood.

 

[Dr. Jeff]

You're welcome Sheri!

Yes, yeast contains the amino acid glutamic acid (glutamate) that may be in a mono-sodium form (like MSG).

Glutamic acid - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Pets and people who are super sensitive to MSG may not tolerate yeast. However, it is the hyper-sensitivity to MSG, that is the primary problem IMHO. Not just the yeast.

As the August allergy speakers discussed, it is this imbalanced sensitivity (also called susceptibility) which is responsible for allergies and what needs treating.

As you probably know from Anthony (and elsewhere) there are some individuals who are so sensitive/susceptible to many triggers that they can't thrive in our world full of EMFs, VOCs, other toxins, etc.

That's what homeopathy and other energetic modalities treat.

What homeopaths call "morbid susceptibility".

So when it comes to yeast (or any allergen like MSG) and sensitivities IMHO it's fine, and even beneficial in some cases, to use a high quality nutritional yeast. But not a lower quality yeast byproduct (like yeast extract or Brewer's Yeast).

Nutritional yeast is a deactivated yeast, often a strain of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, that is sold commercially as a food product. It is sold in the form of yellow flakes, granules, or powder and can be found in the bulk aisle of most natural food stores. It is popular with vegans and vegetarians and may be used as an ingredient in recipes or as a condiment.[1]

It is a significant source of some B-complex vitamins and contains trace amounts of several other vitamins and minerals.[2] Sometimes nutritional yeast is fortified with vitamin B12, another reason why it is popular with vegans.

Nutritional yeast has a strong flavor that is described as nutty or cheesy, which makes it popular as an ingredient in cheese substitutes. It is often used by vegans in place of cheese,[3] in, for example, mashed and fried potatoes or scrambled tofu, or as a topping for popcorn.[4]

If your pup is sensitive to any food, supplement, etc. then use this as a clue to her energetic balance.

Perhaps see how she responds to any new high quality plant-based food that you use then decide what to do.

Is there a vet homeopath or other energetic practitioner on your vet care team?

How to Select an Integrative Holistic Veterinarian - Holistic Actions!

www.holisticactions.com

 

[SheriS]

Dr. Christina and Dr. Jeff, once again, thank you for this conversation. I liked the vegan dog food ideas you suggested. I'm concerned about the yeast still. I've done some research on Glutamate and because in its essence, it appears to be in neurotransmitters and IS crucial in the functioning of the human brain, I'm left to believe this is true of canines...? If this is true, It is also my understanding that too much of the excitatory effect it can have in unnatural doses, may not be a good thing. And how much is too much? Yes, I agree it depends on the BEAM, but I feel it may also not be great to manipulate the brain function more than what is completely natural. Fibi has some cognitive issues, and I want to be alert to all of the factors.
So, I'm thinking whole, fresh, organic foods out of our kitchen and clean supplementation. Unless, We can use a little of the Farmer's Dog or Bramble Pets in addition to the right amount of back-yard eggs ( I think raw only in moderation?) and/or shelled muscles along with vegetables, including Peter Dobias' Soul food, Green min, and some probiotic and enzymes in the proper amts for her weight, would this possibly be close to a balanced diet? Or supplementation you might recommend?
Do we even need the eggs and/or muscles? I read muscles are a good source of protein and these protein sources are cruelty-free, which is the reason we are searching for change. Currently, we feed Fibi Primal Freeze-Dried Nuggets, Venison formula w/ a fresh veg and some supplemental powders. Her breath has gotten pretty bad since feeding her this product.
We changed from an all raw venison/rabbit diet w/ veggies and powders. She seemed to be doing well (aside from ageing and the fall). We simply changed to make life a little easier.
After listening to Dr. Bob, we are once again convinced that cruelty-free is the best choice for us as long as Fibi will be healthy and well.
With much thanks!
Sheri & David Silver

 

[Dr. Jeff]

Thank *you* Sheri for the conversation.

And how much is too much?

Great question!! BEAM is a super sensitive way to know how much (if any).

rd eggs ( I think raw only in moderation?)

Raw, lightly cooked or any way that he loves them! Yes, always moderation!!

The ideal diet IMHO is Fresh food fed in Variety and

would this possibly be close to a balanced diet?

Farmer's Dog + Bramble + the supplements is fine. Ideally also integrate some raw meats.

we are once again convinced that cruelty-free is the best choice for us as long as Fibi will be healthy and well.

Absolutely!