[NAGDU] {Spam?} Re: Is it safe to give our dogs extra fiber?

Mon Mar 14 21:18:16 UTC 2016

Hi, Chaim.

I'm sure your vet has thought of this, but if not, have him check whether or 
not Yahtzee's anal glands need expressing.  Some dogs can get full glands 
and not do the obvious scooting or other indications that their glands are 
full.  The only indication may be excessive defecation or constipation.

My last dog had an issue where her glands filled within a matter of weeks, 
so rather than having her glands expressed every two or three weeks as 
needed, I gave her high fiber foods like raw green beans.  The extra fiber 
kept her stools hard and kept the glands expressed enough so that she didn't 
have issues with them getting impacted.

Before the addition of extra fiber, Katy would do a small number two at 
every single relieving time and even during walks, though she'd at least 
pull over first.  I even had a few incidents of her going in the house, but 
after determining the issue was very full anal glands, I didn't pursue any 
kind of behavior modification for it.

She was on Iams adult large  chunks, or some variant of the Iams/Eucanuba 
line, and she was doing great in all other ways, no allergies, upset 
stomach, etc., so I tried the green beans.  They add fiber without putting 
on extra calories, especially if you use fresh or frozen.  As long as their 
green beans with nothing additional on them you should be fine.

I gave them like treats to Katy once or twice a day, but if you travel it 
might be a problem.

I've heard of people giving their dogs unsweetened bran flakes, or I 
suppose, as you figured out, plain ole uncooked oats would also work.

First, though, I'd try to figure out if it's a lack of fiber or some other 
physical problem.  The only option besides extra fiber my vet could think of 
was removing the anal glands.  This could result in incontinence and it 
would have been the end of Katy's working life, so I went with the extra 
fiber.

Lisa Belville
missktlab1217 at frontier.com

In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth... After that, 
everything else was Made in China.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Chaim B. Segal via NAGDU" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
To: <seeing-eye at googlegroups.com>
Cc: "Chaim B. Segal" <chaimsegal1968 at gmail.com>; <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, March 14, 2016 3:28 PM
Subject: [NAGDU] Is it safe to give our dogs extra fiber?

> Hi All on both lists:
>
> I have been having a strange issue with Yahtzee these past few weeks with 
> regard to his relieving. The problem is a bit compounded by the fact that 
> he had, and possibly still has, an infection on the pad of his left hine 
> paw which my vet says was caused by allergy. I thought the infection was 
> healed, but discovered the other day that it isn't, which is one reason 
> why Yahtzee has taken to balking when we are walking outside. He is not 
> balking inside, but seems to be getting a little disoriented and 
> distracted more frequently inside. I had an instructor from Seeing Eye out 
> here before the skin infection, who could not figure out what the balking 
> issue is originally from. However, I isolated the problem myself.
>
> On several of my walks these past few weeks, Yahtzee has stopped moving 
> rather abruptly, and seems to indicate that he needs to park. So, I take 
> off his harness and let him do his business, ETC. But, sometimes, he seems 
> extremely constipated, and keeps moving around in a circle without being 
> able to force the waste out. Sometimes, he gives up and starts sniffing, 
> and after scolding him, I put the harness back on him and make him get 
> back to work. When this first started happening, use of a gentle leader 
> got him to stay on task. Now, even that is not always working. This 
> routine is wasting a lot of my time, and I have taken to just plain old 
> healing him in familiar areas until we have walked a sufficient enough 
> distance so that it should be easier for him to do what he needs to. 
> Sadly, sometimes, if I take the harness off altogether, and just  heel him 
> and use my cane, he walks fine. Again, I mainly seem to be having this 
> problem outside.
>
> There was a space of about two days last week when he did not poop. I 
> began to grow concerned, as I could tell he made many attempts to do so. I 
> am currently feeding him Pro Plan Chicken And Rice. My vet has informed me 
> that he feeds that to his own dogs, and the problems with Purina do not 
> effect that line of food. Yahtzee  was doing fine on this food for quite a 
> while, so I don't understand what's up now.
>
> Okay. Last Friday, he pooped three times  within a four hour segment. It 
> seems his schedule is normalizing again, but his stools this morning were 
> extremely hard. I am wondering if dogs, like some of us, can suffer 
> diberticulitis and irratable bowel syndrome?
>
> Okay. So, flash back to around 5 years ago. Hava and I were living in our 
> previous town house, and unexpectedly, a container of raw cooking oats 
> fell off the kitchen table on to the floor. With the lid of the container 
> being rather weak, the container opened up, and most of the remaining oats 
> therein got scattered all over the immediate area of the kitchen floor. 
> Unexpectedly, but on cue like a sports player, Keeper, my current guide at 
> the time, (same breeds as Yahtzee), rushed in and gobbled down the entire 
> mess of oats. (Both dogs are back-cross Black Lab/Golden Retriever.) I was 
> momentarily shocked, and tried to stop him due as a means of enforcing 
> proper etiquette. However, there was no stopping Keeper, who was happily 
> sucking in the oats as if they were a prized treat. I figured, "Oh well, I 
> guess they won't harm him." My theory turned out to be correct.
>
> I'm trying to get my vet on the phone to schedule a follow-up appointment 
> concerning the infection on his paw, but the line is eternally busy. I was 
> going to ask him this question as well, but I thought why not ask my 
> fellow users. Would there be any harm in adding some raw oats to Yahtzee's 
> diet in order to enhance his fiber? I would really hate to change his food 
> at this point, as it seems the other quality foods out there give him 
> loose tools, and seem to cause itching. No vets have proven it, but I am 
> beginning to suspect that Yahtzee may have a problem with wheat-based dog 
> foods. Has anyone else ever given raw oats to their dogs? I understand 
> that many dog foods are made with oats. Or, is there a better fiber 
> supplement that I should consider?
>
> Once again, I am backlogged on list messages, so please be sure to send a 
> carbon copy of any responses to the list to me as well.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Chaim
>
> Chaim B. Segal
> Contact Marketing Representative
> Sinclair College
> Dayton, Ohio
>
> Please check out my web site for more information regarding Part One of my 
> first published work:
> http://www.dvorkin.com/chaimsegal
>
> Every man, woman, every boy and girl,
> Let your Love Light Shine, make a better world.
> Daryl Hall & John Oates
>
> Sent from my Hinms Braille Sense U2 Mini
>
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