Let me just say I am not a veterinarian but an advocate for loveable fur babies everywhere, and this is my dog’s story.
About three months ago, my Dashund Roco began kicking his paws intensely, scratching and biting himself until he bled. Convinced it was a gut problem, I put him on a pre/prohibotic medication. While the medication did help some, it wasn’t enough. The symptoms lingered. The playful dog I loved was quickly disappearing.
Consult you vet people would say but the vet was of no help. After three months he had stopped playing with his toys, lost most of the hair on his back, his skin was literally flaking off to the second layer of red inflamed skin. I watched him closely and was prepared to watch him die.
Out of desperation, my husband and I walked into Petsense and talked to a young man. After listening to my story about Roco, he asked about his food. He said most likely he is allergic to either chicken or wheat in his food. Shocked that it could actually be his food, I questioned him further. The second thing he cautioned me on was additives. He, of course, then gave the usual line “consult your vet” because this could have severe effects.
I knew that God had put this young man in my path to save my dog. Under his advisement, I tried a different brand of dog food that contained no chicken and no wheat. Over a two week period, I could slowly see some improvement. He still had the symptoms, but they were not as aggressive.
This is one of the additives in the original food he was on: Carrageenan. This additive, as it turns out, can cause aggressive gastric disease and colon cancer. This is just one of a number of additives in dog food.
Now, four months out from the onset of this horror story, Roco’s has a new layer of skin that has healed to the point that he is now slowly growing hair back. He scratches and licks only occasionally now. This week, he grabbed his old toy and started playing again.
The moral to this story is to care enough about your pet to know what is in his food. Choose food that is at least 90% natural. Yes, it is more expensive, but you don’t want my story to be your story. Not only did my dog suffer, but I didn’t sleep for three months.
My dog is like my child, and I want only the best for him.
Have a great day!
Through My Eyes 