[nagdu] Allergies and Dog Foods Dog

Sat Jun 13 02:03:09 UTC 2015

Sandra,
The gimmick here is processed food of any kind. The kind of food you
are talking about that is measured out in cups and comes in bags with
ingredient lists is not the food I suggest anyone feed their dog. I
agree that slapping all-natural or 100% natural on something doesn't
make it healthy. Heck, it doesn't make it natural.
The food I suggest people feed their dogs is whole food with one
ingredient--whole chicken, whole rabbit, pork shoulder roast, mutton
pieces, organ meats, and whole animal parts. That is the natural food
I am talking about. Something you can find in nature and have to kill
or harvest. Food that has not been crafted in a laboratory and loaded
with synthetic nutrients and additives that your dog's body only
processes as foreign substances. Food that comes with fur, feathers,
skin, dirt, and blood in the package.
Also, complete and balanced is a gimmick. There is not ever any meal
you could eat that is complete and balanced in one serving. Balance is
something that happens over time. Just think, when you feed yourself
or other people, do you mess around with calculations of this and that
nutrient? Or, do you simply strive to feed a healthy meal, and eat a
diet wide in variety? The ladder choice is how you achieve balance.
The bags of kibble do not even contain servings that are complete and
balanced. How would that be possible? How can they know that each
serving contains x mgs of this vitamin and this many grams of protein
and so on? They can't. They just mix that stuff up, cook it, package
it, and call it good.
And a calorie is not a calorie across the board. A calorie of protein
is different from a calorie of sugar is different from a calorie of
fat. Caloric content is nowhere nearly as important as nutritional
content. A food can be high in calories, but the real question should
be "Where are those calories coming from?", not "how many are there?"
And your vet will not tell you this unless they practice alternative
medicine. Unfortunately, conventional veterinarians are pumped with
falsified educational material, brought to you by Hills, Mars, or
insert big time dog food company here. In addition, vets and medical
doctors are not educated in nutrition. These people are trained in the
business of marketing and treating and preventing illness. Throw this
packaged food or this prescription at this condition. So long as these
junk dog food companies are providing scholarships, complimentary
vacations, and financial support for practices, the majority of vets
in this country will be sorely miseducated about proper nutrition, and
pass there miseducation onto desperate, vulnerable, and unsuspecting
pet owners..
But I will not blame the vets. Our health and our dogs' health are our
responsibility. And it is our responsibility  to educate ourselves. No
matter what you feed your dog or yourself, you should be confident in
that choice, and believe that that food is the best food for your
dog's health. Research everything you put into and use on your and
your dog's body. I beg everyone to educate themselves so they do not
fall victim to the insanity of dealing with allergies, behavioral
issues, or any other chronic condition which results from a systemic
imbalance.
Everything on the internet isn't true. There are a million different
sources saying a million different things. But always ask yourself:
What makes sense to me? What makes the most logical sense?
What makes the most sense to me is that the healthiest food is whole
food. No one in a laboratory or factory can make food that's healthier
for my dog than my local farmer who feeds his animals grasses and
let's them roam the pasture and get exposed to fresh air and sunshine.
What makes sense to me is that we all have an immune system, and the
wellness of my dog's immune system dictates the overall wellness
of his body.
What makes the most sense to me is that I don't need a degree to feed
myself or anyone else, so I don't need a degree to feed my dog. I have
learned that dogs are canines, canines are carnivores, and therefore,
dogs are carnivores. Carnivores eat raw flesh, bone, and organs, and
so that is the best possible food for my dog.
I am not condemning anyone. I was there at one time. I fed kibble
because that was all I knew to do. It is not wrong to do the only
thing you know. What is wrong is that people are not being taught to
question everything and to educate themselves. Research, research,
research! I don't expect everyone to live the way I live, or feed
their dogs the way I feed mine. But I want to encourage everyone to
learn about their dog food. Learn about where it comes from, how it
was made, what ingredients were included, where those ingredients came
from, who made it, and what was their agenda. Can you call them and
talk to them and ask them questions and get honest answers about the
food? Can you drop in and see the place where the food is made? Can
you verify their sources of ingredients? Do they believe that the food
is the healthiest, most immune-supporting food for a dog?
I can call the farmers who raise and kill my dog's food. I know what
those animals eat, about their living conditions, and whether or not
they are exposed to antibiotics, hormones, or GMO feed.
I don't fault anyone for following their veterinarians advice. But
there must come a point where you realize that your dog's health is
not improving, and so the vet's approach is not the right one.
My vet ridiculed and judged me up the wall when I told  her that I
decided to naturally-rear my golden. But when I asked her: "Where were
all these opinions when my dog was sick?" She had nothing to say.
These people think they have all the answers when you're doing
something they disagree with. But when I was in and out of that vet's
office, feeding the packaged cereal, rubbing on the pesticides, and
giving the lethal injections, they wanted to say well try this med and
this med and this med, and it's just environmental allergies, or food
allergies, or whatever the new excuse was that week. But I could not
get a straight answer out of the three different vets I consulted.
Because they didn't know. They don't know how to promote health. If
they did, the insanity of allergies, auto-immune diseases, cancers,
and organ malfunctions would not be the widespread problem it is
today. The new pandemic is disease itself, and everyone is accepting
that this is okay and normal, and it's just the environment, so take
this med and deal with it.
I propose an experiment to everyone to ask their vets "how do I
promote health?" Their answer shouldn't include anything about
preventing disease or sickness, because if you promote health, you
don't have to worry about all the different things that can go wrong.
If you focus on health, there is no need to worry about disease.
-- 
Raven
You are valuable because of your potential, not because of what you
have or what you do.

Naturally-reared guide dogs
https://groups.google.com/d/forum/nrguidedogs

On 6/12/15, Marsha Drenth via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> At this point, there was a civil conversation happening. Next time, Rebecca,
> add comments that would enhance the topic, not create drama.
> Thank you!
>
> Marsha drenth, Nagdu List Moderator
> email: marsha.drenth at gmail.com
> Sent with my IPhone
> Please note that this email communication has been sent using my iPhone. As
> such, I may have used dictation and had made attempts to mitigate errors.
> Please do not be hesitant to ask for clarification as necessary.
>
>> On Jun 12, 2015, at 8:09 PM, Star Gazer via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>> wrote:
>>
>>                I was just being silly ladies. I'm sorry.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of S L Johnson
>> via
>> nagdu
>> Sent: Friday, June 12, 2015 7:56 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Cc: S L Johnson
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Allergies and Dog Foods Dog
>>
>> I said we would have to agree to disagree.  I am sure there are many
>> other
>> opinions.  I was just telling you what my vet said and what I think.  I
>> don't want to start a fight.  I  thought we could have an open honest
>> discussion that will help everyone.  .
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Star Gazer via nagdu
>> Sent: Friday, June 12, 2015 7:29 PM
>> To: 'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'
>> Cc: Star Gazer
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Allergies and Dog Foods Dog
>>
>> Fight! Fight! Sandra V. Raven!
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of S L Johnson
>> via
>> nagdu
>> Sent: Friday, June 12, 2015 7:10 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Cc: S L Johnson
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Allergies and Dog Foods Dog
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> As my vet said, the inaccurate unfounded ravings of a health nut.  This
>> natural so called healthy stuff is just an advertising gimmick to try and
>> con people into purchasing higher priced items for themselves and their
>> pets.  My vet said she has compared the food labels and found many of the
>> so
>> called healthier choices to be nutritionally incomplete or unbalanced.
>> She
>> also said that many of them had a calorie count per cup of twice the
>> standard foods.  She's seen far too many fat unhealthy dogs whose owners
>> were feeding the so called healthier foods.  Remember, just because you
>> read
>> it on the internet or in a magazine, that doesn't make it true or
>> accurate.
>> I know I will continue to trust the veterinarians because they have many
>> years of education and experience to back them up.    I have discussed
>> this
>> with many vets in my forty years of working a guide dog and I know my vet
>> is
>> totally correct in what she has told me.  I have complete confidence that
>> she will do what is best for Eva.  Both vets in the office agree with my
>> food and treat choices and Eva's treatment plan.  They treat their own
>> allergic dogs the same as they are treating Eva.  Obviously everyone has
>> to
>> make their own decisions but, you health nuts please stop condemning the
>> rest of us normal folks.  We love our dogs as much as you do and are
>> doing
>> what we think is best.  I guess this is one subject where we will have to
>> agree to disagree.
>>
>> Sandra and Eva
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Raven Tolliver via nagdu
>> Sent: Friday, June 12, 2015 5:24 PM
>> To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
>> Cc: Raven Tolliver
>> Subject: Re: [nagdu] Allergies and Dog Foods Dog
>>
>> the real reason allergies and auto-immune conditions have run rampid in
>> both
>> people and their pets is because we have strayed from the foundation of
>> health, which is diet. A good diet creates good health.
>> We are not unhealthy because of a medication deficiency. We are unhealthy
>> because of a nutrient deficiency and an increase in unhealthy substances.
>> The majority of your immune system is in your gut. Nothing has power over
>> your gut health like your diet. There is an increasing amount of research
>> on
>> how the gut microbiome effects the body's overall health.
>> The microorganisms in your gut effect your skin health, brain health,
>> heart
>> health, and every area of the body. Your gut controls what substances are
>> foreign and must be eliminated or isolated, which nutrients should be
>> absorbed, and determines what your body can and cannot handle internally.
>> Allergies are a sign that something is being put into the body that the
>> body
>> cannot absorb. The allergic reaction is your body attempting to fight off
>> whatever assailant has arrived on the seen. This could be a virus, a
>> toxic
>> chemical you've inhaled, or a food you've ingested.
>> The best way to get rid of allergies is to avoid those factors which
>> trigger
>> the allergic response.
>> Unfortunately, people don't recognize what these factors are. This is how
>> we
>> get doctors and vets blaming environmental issues, when really it is the
>> food you eat, the soap you use on your skin, and the chemicals you clean
>> with. We have set up our bodies to be allergic organisms because we don't
>> support our guts, or our immune systems.
>> Life would be easier if we didn't have to concern ourselves with what we
>> put
>> in and on our bodies. But those are the things that make the most
>> difference.
>> The best ways to support the immune system are to eat a diet free of
>> processed foods, to only use skin care products that you can eat, and to
>> clean with nontoxic chemicals. If you eat or use anything processed,
>> containing additives, preservatives, and synthetic nutrients, fragrances,
>> and flavorings, you are consuming products that are contributing to ill
>> health.
>> Does it cost more to live a healthier lifestyle. Not always, but
>> typically,
>> yes. But when you don't pay for quality food, you are paying for poor
>> health. This is not a moral judgment, this is factual.
>> It would be easier to blame the environment and to believe you don't need
>> to
>> make such drastic lifestyle changes. It would be nice to rely on a pill or
>> a
>> quick fix for all your health problems. But the quick fix is a Band-Aid
>> over
>> the wound, and like Band-aids, they only cover up the problem, they don't
>> promote healing.
>>
>> As someone who has experienced the insanity of a highly allergic dog, I
>> can
>> empathize with everyone going through this experience. My golden use to
>> be
>> constantly itching, he had a chronic ear infection, and his anal glands
>> needed to be expressed every 4-6 weeks. He would scratch himself so much,
>> he
>> had scabs in his fur.
>> I wanted so badly to follow my vet's advice. But I couldn't keep going to
>> the vet, keep dropping random crap in my dog's ears with no results, keep
>> feeding food that was not helping my dog's body heal itself, keep
>> watching
>> my dog suffer. So I quit. I quit kibble, quit using toxic pesticides, and
>> quit following the vet's advice. If they really knew what they were
>> talking
>> about, my dog would not have experienced his symptoms for over a year and
>> a
>> half.
>> Instead, I took my dog's health into my own hands. I don't need a degree
>> to
>> know that what the vets were doing was not working. I don't need to be
>> certified in anything to understand that Mother Nature knows best, and if
>> She doesn't get it wrong, I can't go wrong by doing what She does. So yes,
>> I
>> went gung-ho,  all-natural. And it worked.
>> That is all I can tell anyone is that my dog is a living testimony to the
>> benefits of natural-rearing. You cannot imagine what a relief it is that
>> I
>> don't have to express my dog's anal glands every other month, that he
>> doesn't deal with any itchiness, and I only have to clean his ears about
>> once a month, if that.
>> If you've read this far, I want you to know that health is achieved
>> through
>> promoting a healthy immune system, not by preventing and treating
>> symptoms.
>> If you promote health by properly supporting the immune system, those
>> external factors from the environment that you cannot control will have
>> little to no impact on your internal health.
>> We must understand that allergies are not normal. Common, yes. Normal,
>> absolutely not. Do not fall into the trap of believing that it's the
>> external environment. Understand that by eating healthy foods and using
>> nontoxic body care and household products, you can eliminate or mitigate
>> the
>> allergies you experience each year, along with other chronic health
>> conditions. Anyone who tells you differently has not learned about how to
>> create a healthy body.
>> --
>> Raven
>> You are valuable because of your potential, not because of what you have
>> or
>> what you do.
>>
>> Naturally-reared guide dogs
>> https://groups.google.com/d/forum/nrguidedogs
>>
>>> On 6/12/15, Daryl Marie via nagdu <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>>> Sandra,
>>> Thanks for the info! I switched Jenny to a grain-free food because she
>>> was getting pimple-like growths on her face. I never did get them
>>> checked out by the vet because by the time I could get in, they would
>>> accidentally pop. I had contemplated switching her food for a while
>>> but when she kept getting the pimples, I figured it couldn't hurt...
>>> since the switch, no more pimples!
>>>
>>> Jenny thankfully doesn't seem to have the itching in the ears/eyes
>>> themselves, but more on the skin, particularly the face. Whether
>>> allergies are the cause or the result of the yeast, I'm not sure, but
>>> she's pretty uncomfortable.
>>>
>>> I figured I would send the list a link to the Omega 3s I am giving
>>> her, in case anyone would like them. I like them because based on her
>>> size, even on a therapeutic dose, it's 1 tablet once a day; on a
>>> maintenance dose it's 1 tablet twice a week... no more complicated
>>> math! This bottle would last six months on the therapeutic dose, and
>>> much longer on the maintenance dose :)
>> http://www.amazon.com/Trusted-Nutrients-Omega-Fishoil-Supplement/dp/B00GMPBT
>> Z2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1434135974&sr=8-1&keywords=Trusted?????
>>>
>>> I think at the end of the day, the important thing is to do what you
>>> can, research research research, question EVERYTHING, and find out
>>> what works for you.
>>> And as for allergy symptoms, here it's so dry that it's hard to tell
>>> where allergies end and just plain dry skin begins!
>>>
>>> Daryl
>>> ----- Original Message ----- From: S L Johnson via nagdu
>>> <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
>>> To: nagdu at nfbnet.org Cc: S L Johnson <SLJohnson25 at comcast.net> Sent:
>>> Fri,
>>> 12
>>> Jun 2015 12:57:00 -0600 (MDT) Subject: [nagdu] Allergies and Dog Foods
>>> Dog
>>> Hello: Yesterday we were discussing allergies. I said Eva would be
>>> seeing the vet again today. Her yeast infection in both ears looks
>>> better but the ears are still a bit red and irritated. She will be
>>> getting the ear drops for another ten days. She is also getting eye
>>> drops twice a day. The vet could see some irritation in the eyes. She
>>> noticed missing hair around the eyes from Eva rubbing them. Eva will
>>> still take antihistamines twice a day.
>>> She will continue to take daily omega 3 capsules. The vet said their
>>> practice is seeing a lot of allergies this year. She said it is the
>>> reality of living in hot humid central Indiana where all the dogs and
>>> humans are suffering from allergies. I asked the vet about a regular
>>> diet verses a grain free diet. The vet said that the grain free trend
>>> has not been scientifically proven to be effective for pets anymore
>>> then it has for humans. She said it is just the latest craze with no
>>> real benefits to your dogb?Ts health. The vet said any good quality
>>> commercial dry food is fine.
>>> The
>>> only time to consider grain free is if the dog has digestive issues
>>> due to the foods.  She said that changing the diet really doesnb?Tt
>>> effect seasonal allergies. With seasonal allergies the dog is reacting
>>> to things in the environment, not what it is eating. She went on to
>>> say that there is a lot of hype and misinformation about pet diets
>>> just as there is for human diets.
>>> There is a lot of discussion on this list about foods and supplements.
>>> I read posts about not using omega 3s sold in stores but insisting on
>>> all natural. Ib?Tve read that only natural dog foods should be used. I
>>> am not knocking those of you who choose to feed very expensive foods
>>> or raw diets that claim to be better for your dog. However, I do want
>>> to reassure those who cannot afford this that their dogs will do fine
>>> on any of the name brand supplements and dog foods sold in grocery,
>>> department or pet stores.
>>> Sometimes people try to make us feel that we are not taking care of
>>> our dogs if we feed commercial dog foods. The reality is, many of us
>>> are on very low incomes and cannot afford the fancy trendy foods that
>>> are two to three times more expensive. A guide dog is an expensive
>>> responsibility without putting the guilt trip on those with limited
>>> incomes. If commercial foods are approved by the guide dog schools and
>>> most vets, then I feel confident to feed them to my dog. I canb?Tt
>>> afford it and , I donb?Tt jump on the health food craze for humans and
>>> I donb?Tt intend on doing it for my dog. It is just the current trend
>>> and not medically proven to be beneficial. Sandra and Eva
>>> _______________________________________________
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>>> om
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