WATCHWORD "VEGETABLE SOUP"

WATCHWORD "VEGETABLE SOUP"
by Linda Arndt

...this article is dedicated to my first dane Neige who I lost to bloat at 12 months of age in 1973

Well, this one is gonna be a long one, so take your phone off the hook, send the kids to the neighbors, get a glass of lemonade, find a comfortable chair and take notes. Here we go again.....Much of the information in this article is the foundation for my presentation at the National in October 1993, but first I need to clear up a reoccurring question regarding H.O.D. as previously discussed in my "Bone Survey Update".

The bone survey is now in its seventh year and involves over 5200 cases of veterinarian diagnosed bone diseases in which people have responded to my survey. However, the whole issue of hypertrophic osteodystrophy seems to be most confusing, so at the risk of "beating a dead horse", I have decided to represent this discussion in a different manner.

I get phone calls daily from dog owners asking me what my opinion is regarding the cause of H.O.D. (Hypertrophic Osteodystrophy). This is a very confusing disease because there are other things that can cause the animal to appear to have H.O.D. or H.O.D.-like symptoms.

First, it is my opinion (based on personal investigation only), that true H.O.D. is caused by an excessive intake of calories in relation to the amount of energy expended by the animal. It is simply intake versus output. If you keep that in mind you will then understand why all dog food brands and all protein levels can present a problem. But, we are talking about cases of true H.O.D.. Also, keep in mind when radiographing for diagnosis of H.O.D., there are several other things that cause "H.O.D.-like symptoms" and these appear the same on the radiography regardless of the problem--there are polyarthritis and inflammation of the growth plate areas. This is why the diagnosis of true H.O.D. is so confusing and it must be done with consideration of many factors including breeding (inbreeding/tight line breeding), exercise versus hours confirmed daily, medications (antibiotics) and inoculation patterns. All of these can be factors in diagnosing and treating H.O.D.

Symptoms: H.O.D. usually effects the large and giant breeds between 12 weeks and 7 months of age, but can occur in puppies as young as 6 weeks. First indications show a swelling in the front joint area or the wrist which is the growth plate. This is often hot and tender to the touch. This is then followed by a very close or pinched rear movement because of an arthritic soreness in the stifle/knee and hock/ankle. As the disease progresses there is a dropping in the front patterns/wrist, splayed feet (toes spread or flattened in front and/or back). The topline is often curvy (roached or curved like a greyhound) and the rear legs are tucked under making mobility often strained and making the body look deformed. The rear legs may appear to be very cow-hocked or close behind when moving away from you and a "bowing in" in the front limbs.

In advanced stages, there is a high fever 104-106 degrees, anorexia (refusal to eat) and polyarthritis (aching joints). The animal is in extreme pain and often unable to get up, potty, eat or drink. This disease can seem to come on overnight, although the early stages were there but often went unnoticed.

This is a list of things that can cause true "H.O.D." or "H.O.D.-like symptoms".

1) High protein/calorie dense foods consumed in a larger amount than is actually needed by the puppy. These foods tend to be puppy foods or even some maintenance foods. We have found these puppies do best on a high quality, lower protein food (20-24% max) simply because their tummy feels full before they over consume too many calories.

2) Additions of people food can raise the protein/calorie level or imbalance the calcium and phosphorus ratio, particularly protein sources such as meats, eggs, cheeses, and rice. If you want to add things use fruits, nuts, herbs, vegetables, cereal grass powder or tablets or a small amount of canned, fresh and frozen meat. There are things we can add to enhance their diet, to "fill in the holes" without the fear of upping your calorie count that greatly. I will add an updated (1994) feed program for your next generation, at the end of this article.

3) The addition of vitamins is a problem when the vitamins are from a synthetic form as opposed to a natural form or from whole foods. 99% of vitamins on the human market are synthetics.

4) An allergic reaction to antibiotics, particularly the sulfonamide drugs (Tribrissin, Ditrim, TMZ and TMP/SDZ) and on occasion an allergic reaction to the antibiotic reflex (CEFA-tabs, C-tabs, Cephalexin). Note: Primor is also sulfa based so use it but keep an eye on the puppies and stop if you see a problem. I have not had a problem reported and I have used it on a puppy.

5) Post-vaccine syndrome, a reaction to inoculations. Yes, this will frequently throw them into a H.O.D.-like symptom. This is another area often over looked. (The use of Phyto-Sprout Plus can help in this area. (1-800-937-1104).

6) Is the animal inbred or tightly line bred? These animals tend to have more of a problem because it seems they are often more sensitive to antibiotics and inoculations. I know you did not want to hear that and I have avoided discussing this in other articles. But the fact is that we need to start opening up some of these pedigrees in order to get some vigor back into some of these lines. It is affecting the immune systems, reproduction and longevity...but that is a topic for another article.

7) Septicemia (blood poisoning) or septicarthritis due to a bacterial infection of blood from a puncture or from tapping a joint. Tapping a joint should be avoided. It can actually cause more damage in the long run and it is a decision never to be taken lightly. It is a very last resort effort. In over 5200 cases reported to the survey only 2 were from blood poisoning.

Most of the time the H.O.D. cases reported to me are due to feeding a high protein/calorie dense commercial dog food (puppy foods, stress foods or performance foods...26%-32% protein) in amounts greater than the animal needs. Actually, it is not the protein level that is the problem, it is the processing of foods at high temperatures, which causes biochemical changes. The body metabolizes the foods differently and canines in the wild eat 32%-37% protein, regardless of age. But the diet is totally raw, whole, uncooked and unprocessed. It is the processing that alters the food and causes problems. Also keep in mind that youngsters in the wild get the least amount of food in a pack. They are actually very lean and get less protein because they are left with the scraps and bones because the dominant adults doing the hunting and females having the new pups to feed, get the best part of the killed prey. But what do we do? We take these puppies past 8 weeks of age and feed them "high powered" diets so they will grow big and strong because we have been told puppy foods are needed for reaching their growth potential. There are enough studies done on animals, mice and humans proving an underfed animal actually lives longer than one that is heavy. I am certainly not recommending keeping your puppies underfed. But keeping them well fleshed but not fat is extremely important. I am also not recommending to feed a low fat diet for growth because fat is needed for energy and making brain cells. But again, a high quality, moderate protein/fat and moderate calorie diet seems to work the best for the giant breeds.

I am frequently asked, "Which specific brands of commercial dog food cause H.O.D. in growing puppies?" The answer to this question is this: large and giant breeds can develop H.O.D. when fed any brand name and/or type (senior, maintenance, puppy, stress) of commercial dog food, regardless of quality and protein content of the food.

A true case of H.O.D. is caused by consuming too many calories in relation to the amount of expended energy or free exercise afforded an animal. I know this is confusing, but the higher protein and fat foods are consequently higher in calories. This is no different in people. The more calories you consume, like that extra chocolate donut, the more you need to exercise to make sure that donut does not become a permanent fixture on your hips. It is my experience the higher protein/calorie dense commercial diets (usually over 24%) tend to cause growth pattern problems when fed to growing large and giant breeds. The reason for this is because the puppies will consume more calories per cup of food than if fed a lower protein/lower calorie maintenance type diet where the calories are less per cup.

For the purpose of illustration only, let's pretend for a moment we are using a food from the "Yummy Tummy" dog food company. This company makes several different types of food based on a broad range of protein, fat and caloric content. In this example I will show you how your dog can develop true H.O.D. using any brand or type of dog food.

Do not use these figures for the purpose of calculating the amount of feed or caloric intake for your animals. These numbers are only an example and done for the purpose of illustration.

· Let's pretend I have a 4 month old, 60# puppy

· Let's pretend it needs to eat 2,175 calories a day for growth

Now let's look at all of the types of foods that the "Yummy Tummy" company makes and compare the different levels of protein, fat and calories which will result in different amounts of calories per cup of food, ranging from 500 calories per cup to 332 calories per cup.

I suppose by now you are thinking...well, I have never seen any reference to the amount of calories per cup written on the side of the dog food bag. Nor have I ever seen any reference as to how many calories are needed daily for a dog to grow, or maintain or perform. You can get this information from each individual dog food company depending on the type and brand of food used, if they will provide it.

The following chart shows the differences in calories per cups, amounts recommended to be fed on a daily basis. Please note that they are all equal to the same total calorie intake per day. In other words, if you are wanting to consume 2,175 per day for growth, it can be achieved by consuming any of the foods on this chart simply by adjusting the amount you are feeding per day.

TYPE OF DIET	PROTEIN %	FAT %	CALORIES PER CUP	AMOUNT OF FOOD	TOTAL CALORIES
Stress	30%	20%	500	4 1/4 cups	2,175
Puppy	28%	18%	480	4 1/2 cups	2,175
Show	26%	15%	460	4 2/3 cups	2,175
Maintenance A	23%	12%	445	4 3/4 cups	2,175
Maintenance B	20%	12%	393	5 1/2 cups	2,175
Senior	18%	8%	334	6 1/2 cups	2,175

*You can achieve the same number of calories in each food simply by altering the number of cups fed based on the calories per cup. When I visited different research facilities for feed trials, they seemed to have no problems with any nutritionally caused H.O.D. when feeding stress or puppy foods. It is my observation this is because they have the facilities to weigh every two or three days and adjust their amount of food and calories consumed, based on their weight and exercise.

NOTE: You can have a calorie intake of 2,175 by feeding 5 1/2 cups a day of a 23% food or you can have a calorie intake of 2,175 by feeding 4 1/4 cups a day of feeding a 30% food. Both feeds will get you to the same point-growth, but why is it the 30% food is more apt to cause H.O.D? The reason is, we do not monitor closely the amount of caloric intake and cups of foods consumed on a daily basis, in relation to their current weight on the puppy.

The quantity of food to feed a puppy should be guided by the information on the package. You will notice there is an approximate recommendation for feeding these animals. This guideline is based on the premise that you will weigh your dog every 2-3 days and feed according to the recommended schedule. From the breeder’s standpoint, after a certain weight and size, weighing these giant puppies with any frequency is just not realistic.

To complicate matters, owners want to make sure "Bubba" grows to reach his full genetic potential and therefore "think" this means eating lots of good food and, of course, purchasing a giant feed pan. If I dump half of the daily ration in a 5 quart pan (holds 20 cups), a common size pan to be used by Great Dane owners, the dog and I are both convinced he is going to starve. So what do owners normally do remedy this situation? Dump more feed in the pan and dog and owner are both satisfied. Then over a period of time, due to excessive caloric intake, your little Bubba comes down with H.O.D. and I start getting phone calls for help.

The problem with all commercial feeds, particularly the "premium" foods is they are "designed" to be calorie dense which means, a little goes a long way. But this minuscule amount of kibble in the bottom of a large pan has a psychological impact on the owner--kind of like your new diet program--when you weigh and measure your food and realize 1 oz. of everything is practically nothing. This is the reason puppy foods and higher protein maintenance type foods get us into trouble. Because they are calorie dense and we overfeed 99% of the time when feeding a commercial food. These animals do better fed a lower protein food because the portions are more normal in amount and the dogs fill up before they over consume in calories.

Any animal can come down with H.O.D. even when fed a senior type food if the animal is fed more calories than it can burn off daily/weekly. Likewise, one can feed a puppy food or stress food provided the animals are weighed 3-4 times a week, exercised and fed a restricted diet. It is difficult for the average owner and breeder to strike the correct balance in nutritional intake and amount of energy expended, when using these commercial foods. This is why the lower and moderate calorie/protein foods work better for the giant breeds in the management of nutritionally caused bone diseases such as H.O.D. and Pano. As for O.C.D. that is a different story. I am convinced O.C.D. has to do with poor quality and crude form micronutrients (minerals) put back on the food lost after processing. These forms are not available to the animal in correct forms so they are usable. Oh yes, in the lab tests they are present as stated on the bag, but quality and form are critical to prevention of O.C.D. It is odd that almost all of the O.C.D. cases reported to the survey are animals fed the same two specific commercial brands. Also they always list minimum amounts of calcium not maximum, so who knows what they are getting.

Animals in the wild eat higher protein foods. But remember, they are whole, fresh raw and natural and the system uses these types of food differently than the processed killed commercial foods with synthetic vitamins and poor quality minerals added back to the diet.

It is also important to keep in mind when we talk about intake versus expended energy there is even more of a problem with puppies burning up calories when they are confined to a crate for 6-10 or more hours a day.

It is very critical to note that not every brand of low protein food is appropriate to feed growing animals. Poor quality generic or grocery store brands are a bad choice for numerous reasons. There are only a few brands on the market that I am interested in recommending and if you send a self-addressed, stamped business sized envelope I will be glad to include brand names and the feeding program I give to my puppy buyers. Here are some important questions you can ask the dog food companies in your search for a quality commercial feed. This information is not on the bag so you must communicate directly with the dog food company and ask very specific questions. Make a list.

Questions to ask:

1. (Protein): What kind, grade and quantity of meat sources are used. Ask if they use the "4-D meats" (dead, diseased, disabled, dying) or do they use organically raised or human grade meat sources. Meat meals should be your primary source of protein in a food and listed as the first two ingredients.

I want to share with you a horrifying excerpt from a 1992 article by staff writer John Eckhouse, San Francisco Chronicle, who was involved in a two-part expose entitled "Pet-food labels baffle consumers" and "How dogs and cats get recycled into pet foods." He writes:

"Each year millions of dead American dogs and cats are processed along with billions of pounds of other animal materials and road kill by companies known as renderers. The finished products-tallow and meat meals-serve as raw materials of thousands of items including cosmetics and pet foods". The article goes on to state "There were the usual denials by pet food executives. Yet federal and state agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration and medical groups such as the American Veterinary Medical Association and the California Veterinary Medical Association confirm that pets, on a routine basis, are rendered after they die in animal shelters or are disposed of by health authorities and the end products find their way into commercial pet foods."

Now, I have had first hand knowledge of this happening right here in our town of Muncie, Indiana where a truck from a major dog food company has come to the local shelter and loaded the dead animals on a truck and headed to the out of state rendering plant to make more dog food! Once I got over the initial emotional shock and disgust of the idea of pets consuming other dead pets, I tried to be objective. After all, protein is protein. So why should this matter? But the fact is it does matter. Barring the whole idea is "pretty darn yucky". The real problem is the fact that the toxic chemicals used to euthanize animals "survives the rendering process without undergoing degradation". In other words, they don't break down and remain in the meat meal!

It is the cumulative effects of these intact toxins that are the going into dog foods and they have a lasting effect on our living pets in terms of disease, longevity, reproduction, etc. I have never been convinced all these so called "food" allergies are due to actual foods. I believe they are due to the "toxins" in the foods themselves. This is why, in most cases, when we switch to a homemade diet or a natural diet the animals clear up. There are only a small handful of dog food companies I can ever recommend to people and this is one of the main reasons why I am so adamant about using only a few foods on the market.

2. (Carbohydrates); What kinds and grade of grains - are they whole grains or fractionated (grade 1 or 2 grains are human grade). Are grains used as a protein source instead of meat?

3. (Vitamins): Are they born (from the actual ingredient) and do they use additional vitamins put on after processing. Are the natural vitamins from whole food concentrates or synthetic vitamins. Yes, recent studies indicate there is a major difference between synthetics versus natural. (An example: beta carotene (Vitamin A) will convert to vitamin A if the body needs it. Beta carotene is a natural source of vitamin A. Most vitamin labels state vitamin A which is synthetic unless stated as beta carotene. It is easy to overdose on vitamin A whereas beta carotene is only converted to vitamin A by the body if needed.)

4. (Minerals): Are the minerals crude forms or forms that are a usable form such as chelated or sequestered. Yes, there is an important difference again. I will address this importance in my Bloat article.

5. (Preservatives): Do they use ethoxyquin preservative? If it is not listed on the bag is it still in the fats they choose to use? If the fats are purchased from another source other than the dog food company they do not have to list ethoxyquin on the dog food bag. How do they preserve their foods and what is their stand on the use of ethoxyquin?

6. (Vitamin C): What is their stand on vitamin C as a nutrient. Is it in the food in ample amounts? If so, how much per cup of food? This question will "separate the men from the boys" so to speak. I have never talked to a breeder that did not use and believe in vitamin C with the exception of a handful of dog food companies. Most think it is not important and totally unnecessary, but practical experience tells us vitamin C is extremely essential in their diet.

7. (Probiotics*): Definition: Probiotics are "friendly". Living organisms - good bacteria. Yogurt has "friendly living" organisms in it but there are others too.

Good bacteria are needed for major bodily functions, i.e.:

· to fight off bad bacteria levels (pathogenic bacteria)

· to boost the immune system

· to aid digestion and helps prevent bloat or stop bloat in the process

· to help to make an environment conducive to reproduction

Yes, you read that right. Bacteria should be present in normal levels in the reproductive system of the male and female.

Probiotics or good bacteria is normally found in the tripe/guts of the prey animal in the wild.

But my point here is: re-establishing good bacteria into our diets has been overlooked by all but a couple of dog food companies. Chances are most companies won't have a clue as to what you are talking about.

8. (Digestive Enzymes* Bioguard (Dismutase) or (Biopet/N'zymes) ): Ask them if they use digestive enzymes in their foods. How do they replace the enzymes that are killed during processing? Digestive enzymes are normally made by the pancreas and this is a drain on the body when we are not getting help with digestive enzymes from whole fresh raw foods. Things they would normally eat in the wild are missing from most commercial foods.

*The use of Probiotics and digestive enzymes Bioguard (Dismutase) or (Biopet/N'zymes) will be the focus of my talk in October at the National. These two items are normally lost due to the heat and processing of commercial foods. I will be talking about the need to reintroduce these two elements into the dog’s diets and how probiotics and digestives can help in the management of bloat and in torsion prevention.

9. (Other Enhancers): Ask them if there is any additional salt, sugar, food coloring or synthetic flavor enhancers in the food.

10. (SOY): Is soy in the food? If there is, then is it whole soy or only fractionated or parts of the soy? (Whole soy is not a problem if processed properly, but to my knowledge there is only one company that can process soy and use it in the proper context). Is it considered a protein source?

11. (Philosophy): Ask what sets their dog food apart from all the other dog foods. Don't fall for that "small" stools line, because small stools are not an indication of a highly digestible diet and quality nutrition. The whole idea and sales pitch of a small stool is a marketing tool.

I hope this helps clarify the question of true H.O.D. and gives you some questions to help in the selection of a better quality food. Now I would like to discuss ways in which we can enhance our animal diets without disrupting the balance.

Heat and processing of "food stuffs" can kill or alter the effectiveness of valuable nutrients, probiotic cultures (friendly bacteria) and enzymes normally found intact in fresh whole raw foods. Therefore, dog food companies spray vitamins and minerals back onto the dog foods before bagging. Most of the vitamins are synthetics and the minerals are in such crude forms the animals cannot use them. Then there is the greater issue of getting each of these nutrients from separate sources mixing them together and thinking they will work together like they do when found in a natural state--wrong! This is why nutrients found in whole raw foods are better for all of us. They work in concert with each other. Probiotic (friendly bacteria cultures), digestive enzymes, other enzymes and antioxidant enzymes have been virtually ignored by the majority of physicians, veterinarians and health experts. We are now just starting to hear about the importance of these nutrients. These are not just important to your animals' diets. These components are very important to our diets too.

The Reintroduction of Whole Living Foods to the Diet

These past two years I have worked to incorporate whole living foods back into my animals diets without disrupting the commercial foods. My lifestyle is such that I am unwilling to feed my dogs as if they were living in the wild. This means incorporating other things into the commercial diets in order to put back whole living food without significantly changing the protein/calorie content or disrupting the balance of the food by adding more synthetic vitamin and crude forms of minerals.

I have found ways to reintroduce whole living foods into the diet in the form of:

· Vitamin C (non acid type)

· Fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts

· Cereal grasses (barley and wheat)

· Enzymes (facilitators of body chemistry and digestion)

· Digestive enzymes and dietary enzymes Bioguard (Dismutase)or (Biopet/N'zymes)

· Probiotics (friendly yogurt type culture)

· Herbs

I would like to briefly discuss each of these food stuffs and give a number for further information or to place an order. Understand I do not sell any of these products. I only investigate the research information, use the products, and then report my findings to other breeders for their further investigation and possible usage.

In previous articles I have discussed the fact that heat and processing kills the "living" elements normally found in foods such as enzymes, vitamins and minerals. Therefore, to replace what has been destroyed, the companies "add back" vitamins and minerals of a cheaper synthetic quality. These are not normally derived from a whole food source but from a form of vitamins made in the laboratory which are chemically supposed to be the same except, in my opinion, they are not! When we extract the part from the whole it is not the same. All the chemicals that make up corn can be made in a laboratory, yet corn made in the laboratory wouldn't grow. It is all there except the most important part, the part that is "living". Likewise the same is true for vitamins which are not derived from whole food sources or minerals that are in crude forms and unusable by the animal or human digestive tract.

This is how an animal would normally get these whole living foods if it hunted and scavenged. Let's say our dog hunts and kills an animal. He would then set about to gut it and consume the innards where nutrients and minerals are concentrated in the organs (pancreas+digestive enzymes, liver stores vitamin C). He would consume the pre-digested vegetable matter from the stomach (fruits and veggies) and intestines (tripe), home of intestinal flora and other enzymes. This is all followed by consuming larger muscle mass and then the bones. Naturally some hide, fur or feathers (fiber) would be consumed in the process. This chart helps to show you how we can incorporate whole living food back into the diet in a suitable compromise using commercial dog foods.

FROM THE KILLED PREY	THINGS EQUIVALENT WE CAN FEED
Pre-digested vegetables/fruits (Biopet/N’zymes)	Cereal grasses, herbs, enzymes, Bioguard (Dismutase) (800-926-5100) or non-acid vitamin C, fresh fruits, chopped vegetables
Carbohydrates in pre-digested grains/nuts	Nuts
Enzymes/friendly bacteria (probiotics) found in innards-tripe	Probiotic or yogurt-type friendly cultures and enzymes-digestive enzymes Bioguard (Dismutase) (800-926-5100) or (Biopet/N’zymes)
Blood and organs where vitamin C and minerals are concentrated	Non-acid vitamin C, trace minerals, Coenzyme Q-10, cereal grasses such as barley or wheat grass. A micronutrient product “Source”.
Protein (meats) amino acids for muscle mass	Reintroduce small amounts of raw meats into diet (see diet at end of article)
Bones (calcium/phosphorus)	Generally ample amounts in commercial foods and ratio, type and amounts regulated by law. Can give uncooked knuckle or shank bone for natural way to keep teeth in good shape.
Fur/feather and hide is the natural fiber source	Provided in dog foods, in any fruit and veggies given

Each of the whole living foods listed above can be added back to the commercial diets in an effort to "fill in the holes" from what is missing in the processed foods. Yes, I know the manufacturer tells us these diets are 100% nutritionally complete. But the fact is, nutrition is a relatively new science and no one knows 100% about nutrition, let alone what is a 100% nutritionally complete diet.

What we have in the commercial dog food diets are subsistence levels of nutrients. Since I am looking for optimum health, quality of life and longevity for my dogs, I am interested in whole food concentrates that can be added to the diets and not disrupt the balance or increase the calories or protein significantly. Whole food concentrates are natural substances and what the body does not need it expels in the stool and urine.

There is now a product available on the market called Daily Greens Plus, a simple way to combine all of these nutrients into one package, eliminating opening up four different containers. The combination of these items will not alter the caloric or protein properties nor will they disrupt the balance of the dog foods. Remember when you introduce anything new to a diet go slowly and if a loose stool occurs, back off and reintroduce gradually.

I use Daily Greens Plus on dogs from weaning age to adulthood and it is suitable for all breeds of dogs or cats. Dosage: 1-2 scoops A.M. feeding and in times of stress I use again in the evening feeding.

To order Daily Greens Plus call: Healthy Tek, Inc. 1-800-937-1104

I'd like to discuss in more detail the benefits of each of the components in this product because I know a lot of breeders already incorporate these items into their feeding programs.

Vitamin C: Only a few commercial dog foods companies feel vitamin C is important enough to use in their diets for nutritional purposes and not just as a preservative. More and more we are realizing the extreme importance of the role of vitamin C in the production of collagen for the prevention of hip dysplasia, development of good pads and ear leathers as well as boosting the immune system.

The use of non-acid vitamin C is very important for mom and puppies during gestation, at the very first day of birth and at all growth stages and throughout the life of the animal. I have found an excellent source for a non-acid vitamin C with collagen drops for newborn puppies and powdered non-acid vitamin C for older puppies and adults. The non-acid vitamin C is pH balanced for the system and I use the liquid vitamin C with collagen drops from the first day of birth through weaning and then switch to a powdered product. I suggest the use of some vitamin C even if you are feeding one of the few foods that choose to add it to their commercial product. I want to know the form I am using is being "used" by the animal. The vitamin component in Daily Greens Plus is non-acid.

To order liquid non-acid vitamin C drops and powder:

Orthomolecular Specialties, P.O. Box 32232, San Jose, CA 95152-2232 Phone: (408)227-9334

Cereal grasses (wheat grass/barley grass) are both nutritionally the same and using either of these in a powder or tablet form is the best way to get your and your animals daily dose of dark green veggies (pre-digested vegetation). 3-10 tablets or 1/4-1 teaspoon of powder daily will do the trick. The cereal grasses are the best way to add lots of living enzymes Bioguard (Dismutase) or (Biopet/N'zymes), micronutrients and the healing benefits of chlorophyll. Much research has been done on the blood building, immune boosting, detoxifying healing effects of chlorophyll. One of my fellow colleagues at the University has been researching boosting immune systems with the use of cereal grasses. He found that within a short time of daily use, blood tests showed an increase in the immune system. I have recommended its use for demodectic mange cases since it is effective in boosting the immune system rather rapidly. It is well worth investing in this product for our puppies and adults and it will not affect the balance of the dog foods. For more information, there is an excellent book which compiles much of the latest research on the topic. This book, Cereal grass, what is in it for you! and the product can be purchased at: Pines International 1-800-642-7463 (ask for Phil). I have used this myself for the past 4 years. I use 6-8 tablets daily and have reduced the number of yearly colds and respiratory infections to practically nothing. I give it to the dogs in the form of the Daily Greens Plus.

Enzymes - Dietary and Digestive

Enzymes are present in all living matter and they are necessary for proper digestion. For our pets to obtain proper digestion, they need enzymes which are normally made by the pancreas (digestive enzymes Bioguard (Dismutase) or (Biopet/N'zymes)) and should be found in the things they would normally eat (dietary enzymes). I say should because the enzymes Bioguard (Dismutase) or (Biopet/N'zymes) used to be in the food stuff before the manufacturers heated and processed the food which destroys 100% of the enzymes. This forces the animals' body to depend entirely on its own pancreatic output of digestive enzymes for digestion of the food. This is stressful on the system over a long period of time. Dietary enzymes such as the product Prozyme are extracted out of plant sources for the purpose of adding all of the lost food enzymes back into the food. Prozyme is not a drug but classified as a food supplement and is normally sold by veterinarians. This product consists of four basic digestive enzymes: proteases, which breaks down protein; lipases, which breaks down fats or lipids; amylases, which breaks down carbohydrates (principally starch and sugars); and cellulases, which breaks down vegetable matter, including fiber.

The object of "breakdown" is to improve digestion by increasing the availability of nutrients. A faster breakdown of food means the animal can process the food much quicker so it is not laying in their stomach possibly starting to ferment (one of the problems I think is related to this bloat issue). The canine digestive system has a short intestine for the digestion of a raw meat based diet. Therefore, it is important for the food to move on through and not linger in the stomach which cereal based foods tend to do. Again, I incorporate digestive enzymes into my dog’s diet through the use of Daily Greens Plus.

It is my opinion digestive enzymes Bioguard (Dismutase) or (Biopet/N'zymes) in combination with probiotics (friendly yogurt-type bacteria) may well be the key to reducing or eliminating the possibility of bloat and gastric torsion. These two extremely important elements are missing in the vast majority of commercial dog foods.

There are only a few commercial food companies who believe digestive enzymes Bioguard (Dismutase) or (Biopet/N'zymes) and probiotics are crucial to an animal's diets and choose to put these items back on to the food after it is processed. This is an important step in the right direction. But I add additional digestives and probiotics to all my animal's diets, in small amounts, on a daily basis, as an added measure of insurance. This is no guarantee, but it is certainly more help than we have had so far in this struggle to control bloat and gastric torsion.

There are numerous other enzymes and if you are interested in reading more about them I suggest a book called Enzyme Nutrition by Dr. Edward Howell. There are two dietary enzymes I am particularly interested in that I have studied and written about in previous G.D.R. articles. I have had great success with the use of these two enzymes and they are well worth trying.

OTHER DIETARY ENZYMES (ANTIOXIDANTS)

The first enzyme I will talk about is called superoxide dismutase and it is one of the antioxidants. These antioxidant enzymes are necessary to neutralize toxic by-products of oxygen metabolism called "free radicals". The older we get the less we are able to produce our own adequate level of these antioxidant enzymes. Therefore, one way to provide these enzymes is through a whole food antioxidant supplement called (Phytosprout Plus). This is an organically grown "special" leguminous sprout that comes in a capsule or granular form. Some of the uses associated with this product is its ability to favorable enhance vitality in the animal in relation to arthritis, hip dysplasia, muscle-skeletal decline, wobblers, gastric torsion, and cancer to name a few. One of my first experiences with this product was on a severely arthritic dane who I was going to have euthanized because she could not get up and potty herself. Within days of using the (Phytosprout Plus) enzyme, she was walking, playing and it extended her life by 4 years. Today I have my three 10 year old Danes on this enzyme and they are in outstanding shape and extremely active. I attribute their health, vitality and lack of arthritis to the use of the (Phytosprout plus) enzyme. I personally use 6 capsules a day for me and 1 teaspoon a day per animal sprinkled over their food. In addition, (Phytosprout Plus) is extremely useful because it has properties that help flush liver toxins and with our continual use of heartworm preventatives, I have found this particular product extremely important because of its potential cleansing properties.

A note about reproduction problems. I know several breeders that have managed to regulate their bitches seasons and get males with a low sperm count and poor motility back on track through the use of the Phyto-Sprout Plus product. So before you resort to drastic measures and you have one of these problems, you may want to talk with me about this product.

We noticed when we put our puppies on the (Phytosprout Plus) before cropping, during inoculations and any surgery, they come out of the anesthetic faster and they heal so much quicker! I think the (Phytosprout Plus) product is a must for animals going through major surgery, particularly after torsion surgery. I use this product myself and I can't tell you the number of Dane breeders that are using the (Phytosprout Plus) for themselves and their dogs with arthritis and having amazing results. Once again, if we and the dogs ate a more varied, natural, raw, whole food, we would be getting these important components in our diets.

For more information and to order: Phyosprouts Plus or (Biopet/N'zymes) enzymatic product click: (Biopet/N'zymes)

COENZYME Q-10
Another enzyme derived from a whole food source is one called Coenzyme Q-10 or CoQ-10. This enzyme is proving to be one of the most exciting discoveries in nutritional science. There is a considerable amount of information available regarding the 32 years of scientific research on the enzyme CoQ-10 and it is now viewed as a breakthrough in health and nutrition and instrumental in helping the body produce energy. Specifically, CoQ-10 has been found to have profound and lasting effects in the following areas:

· boost energy levels, increase stamina and endurance

· strengthening and protecting the heart against cardiovascular disorders and heart disease

· improve the effectiveness of the immune system

· reversing periodontal disease (teeth and gums)

· normalize blood pressure

· acting as an antioxidant by protecting against free radicals

I have used this on my ancient whippet and have noticed a tremendous improvement in his periodontal disease, and one elderly bitch who was diagnosed with the beginnings of heart disease at eight years of age. After being on CoQ-10 for 3 months it reversed and retarded the deterioration process and she is now 12 years old and going strong. For those dane owners with elderly animals I highly recommend the CoQ-10 enzyme as well as the Phyto-Sprout Plus. They have made a major difference in the quality of life for my elderly animals.

To purchase CoQ-10 call Healthy Tek Inc. 1-800-937-1104

PROBIOTICS
This particular discussion regarding probiotics is of utmost importance to anyone owning breeds who have a tendency toward bloat and gastric torsion.

Probiotics (pro-life) are microorganisms and probiotics are the opposite of antibiotics (anti-life). Over time man and microbes have reached an intricate state of coexistence through mutual adaption. In fact, all warm-blooded animals are profoundly dependent on the microbial world. Despite the inclination to regard microorganisms as the enemy, the essential truth is that the majority of these life forms favor cohabitation and cooperation--not conflict. While some microorganisms represent villains and are pathogenic bacteria, other microorganisms called probiotics (good or friendly bacteria) play a very beneficial role in maintaining health (particularly in the digestive tract), boosting the immune system, inhibiting pathogenic bacteria growth, and decreasing disease recovery time.
Some examples of common microbes found to enhance nutrition and health:

· Lactobacillus acidophilus

· Lactobacillus lactis

· Bifidobacterium bifidum

· Streptococcus faecium

Probiotics, commonly called friendly bacteria or intestinal flora, are found in the digestive tract. But stress, seen or unseen, kills off the good intestinal bacteria because stress alters the pH balance of the system causing bad bacterial to flourish.

Stress can be caused by:

· sudden food changes, use of antibiotics, emotional trauma, psychological stress, ingestion of chemicals in food or water (chlorine, preservatives, sulfites, nitrites, etc.)

· pollution, excessive noise, travel, sudden change in environment, continual artificial light, shipping, showing, family upheaval, boarding to name a few.

Like people, some animals are able to handle stressful situations while others show outward signs of stress. It is the animals who internalize their stress that are the primary candidates for bloat and torsion.

Many breeds as a whole do not handle stress well. That is why using these nutrients are important as well as using our head about the selection of stable breeding stock for each succeeding generation.

It is my opinion that it is critical to supply these animals with a daily dose of probiotic cultures and digestive enzymes to help keep the pH balance where it should be and reduce your chances of bloat. Daily doses of probiotics will help re-establish that which is lost in normal daily activity and stress. I will be discussing this at length at the National and for those who do not attend I will give you my daily feeding program. If you have a dog that has bloated and not torsed and you catch this in the early stages, we have found if you tube a dog and pour probiotic and digestive enzyme powder (2-4 tablespoons) mixed in cool water down the tube, the stomach will go down. If there is excessive foam dump a cup of grapefruit juice down first to break up the foam followed by your probiotic mixture. This will at least buy you time and hopefully ward off the torsion. Yes, you heard me right, nothing breaks up foam like grapefruit juice. We always keep canned grapefruit juice on hand and in the dog show bloat kit. Fortunately in 22 years we have never had to use it on our own dogs.

I recently came home after 5 days to notice my dog sitter had fed my elderly dogs the wrong brand of food. I had a different food in for feed trials and she just reached into the wrong container. My 10 year-olds were in bad shape and one was trying to bloat for 2 days. But we stabilized him by feeding him 3-4 tablespoons of probiotic/digestive enzyme powder mixed in 1/3 cup yogurt and spooning it down him. I repeated this 4 times a day and used injectable and tablets of reglan according to my veterinarians instruction. This animal had not gone into full bloat and there was no torsion so we were able to reverse the process in a couple of days and it survived for months and died of old age.

This is what I use on a daily basis for my dogs:

· 23% protein 12% fat dry food with no preservatives. This particular food has probiotic cultures and digestive enzymes sprayed on it already. However, I have come to learn this breed needs more.

· In A.M. I use 2 scoops of the Daily Greens Plus (which gives them vitamin C (2800mg), veggies, fruit, probiotics and digestive enzymes).

· A couple tablespoons of a canned meat (with no preservatives) mixed with room temperature water for a gravy

If they are under stress, i.e. travel, boarding, on the road showing, breeding seasons I use:

· Additional plain probiotics/digestive mixture called Probiotic Power Pack on the evening meal. This mixture comes in two forms. I use powder on the food and paste to take ringside and keep in the grooming bag. Power Pack Probiotics - Powder (friendly cultures and digestive enzymes). To purchase call: Healthy Tek, Inc. 1-800-937-1104

Another similar product, Fastrack Probiotics (Paste) can be purchased at The Farmacy: 1-800-733-4981.

I have found a remarkable probiotic product for newborns and I cannot impress upon you enough the importance of using this on your newborn puppies to establish intestinal flora and fight E. coli bacteria and the potential for fading puppies. The product is called Pet Inoculant. It is a liquid probiotic and enzyme in a pump container. The shelf life is short so keep it cool and order about 14 days before your bitch is due to whelp. Instructions come with this product. No breeder should be without this product. Once the pups are weaned you can switch to Daily Greens Plus. (To purchase Pet Inoculant call: Wysong Corporation 1-900-748-0188.)

The last issue I want to present is how to go about feeding new puppies a modified natural diet that fits our modern life style. I have been looking for a way to incorporate a high quality commercial food and fresh raw whole foods. Now, what I am going to tell you will be totally different from what we have been told by the dog food companies and veterinarians. But keep in mind, the growth of the commercial dog food industry was followed by increased health problems and the need for more small animal practitioners.

Therefore, I think it is time we take another approach to feeding these animals. I am not switching my feeding program on my 10 year old adults because frankly they are old and I do not want to introduce something drastically different into their diets for fear of bloat. It is my newest generation, the great-great grandchildren and our May litter, into whose diet I am incorporating fresh fruits, veggies and raw meats in small amounts.

Basic Blackwatch Feeding Program

1. Dry Food - high quality, moderate protein, meat protein based dry food naturally preserved. Weaning - 10 months 23% protein. Adults (10 months +) 25% protein while showing only.

2. Canned Meat - 2-3 tablespoons water (enough for gravy).

3. Daily Greens Plus Powder - 1-2 scoops

· for probiotics-yogurt

· digestive enzymes - aids in digestion

· non-acid Vitamin C (fruits) 1400mg per scoop

· cereal grasses (veggies)

4. Purified or filtered water (if possible) plus 1 tablespoon cider vinegar per bucket of drinking water.

5. Daily exercise and sunshine

6. Fresh Raw Foods Daily - any fresh fruits, veggies and nuts they enjoy, 1 teaspoon - 1/4 cup finely diced. Each animal will be different - try different things to see what kind and amount agrees with them. I try to feed a little daily. Examples: carrots, tomatoes, green beans, peas, spinach, garlic, herbs, apples, grapes, melons, bananas, oranges (Try your juicer to make your own V-8 juice), raw cashews, pecans, walnuts, peanuts, hickory nuts (not salted or cooked in oil), alfalfa grass, seed sprouts and real yogurt to name a few.

7. Fresh meats and organs - small amount - 2-3 chunks (don't over do it under 10 months) 2-3 times per week. Lean beef, lamb or muscle meat, hamburger, beef or chicken organs and giblets. Each animal will be different, try different things to see what kind and amount agrees with them. I try to feed a little daily.

8. Knuckle bone - for chewing on. Note: no chocolate, Rawhide chewies, budda bones or cow hoof chewies. These can become lodged in the throat, puncture intestines and worse--they lie in the intestines and ferment due to bacteria. Some are treated with lye which kills the good intestinal flora and promotes bad bacteria growth. A knuckle bone is the most natural way to clean teeth and satisfy teething puppies. An uncooked knuckle or shank bone will not splinter.

If you are interested in incorporating more fresh meat in your program, Dr. Wysong suggests the following schedule:

"Fresh meats should be about 25% of the size of the dry food you are feeding and when feeding liver it should be 10% of the fresh meats."

Remember to feed meats at a separate meal and not with kibble. It is too difficult for the dog to digest raw and processed food at the same time.

I strongly believe we would not have the heart problems or shortened life expectancy in this breed if we fed more raw meats and organs because of many living substances, amino acids, and enzymes that are important to the development of the heart muscle. The Coenzyme Q-10, which I addressed earlier, is extremely beneficial in the treatment of cardiovascular disease. It is of the specific enzymes found in abundance in raw meats and an important enzyme missing in today's commercial diets.

Let me remind you again, I do not recommend trying to move your adults over to a more natural diet. If you have not been feeding real raw fruits and vegetables and raw meats already, I think it is best to start your next generation on this new approach rather than stress their digestive system. NEVER USE HOT/WARM WATER OR BROTH OVER COMMERCIAL FOODS. IT CAUSES LOSS OF MANY NUTRIENTS. It also kills the enzymes and probiotic cultures you may add to the food as well as ruin many of the amino acids, vitamins and other nutrients in the food. Likewise, DOG FOODS SHOULD NEVER BE MICROWAVED. You can do serious nutritional harm to weaning puppies when using hot water on their food to break it down into a mush. You are better off to run it through a blender first to get a dry powder then mix it with tepid water. Never, never let your dog food set soaking for over 20 minutes. This can start to break down nutrients. Bacteria can also form particularly, on those that are cereal based, cheaper quality foods. These foods are meant to be digested inside the dog through the process of digestive juices.

This business of soaking the food to prevent swelling and thus preventing the production of bloat, is outdated. Years ago the cereal based foods, particularly the ones with lots of "fast fermenting soy" that was not processed properly, were notorious for causing bloat. You see, when farm animals bloat, it is because the nitrogen and sulphur levels get out of whack. Isn't it interesting that meat is high in sulphur, and grains when fermenting produce nitrogen. So your diets with little meat sources for nutrition are more apt to ferment faster causing foam then the ones that are meat based. This is not to say meat based foods do not cause bloat because they can. But keep in mind, there was very little bloat, and bone diseases I might add, overseas until commercial foods started to be imported from this country and breeders started using less and less raw muscle and organ meats as the main part of their diets.

You can do more harm by soaking your food through loss of nutrients and early fermentation outside in the air, as opposed to internal digestion. This is also where the use of probiotics and digestive enzymes is crucial in aiding the quick digestion and moving the dog foods through to the final stage--"doo doo."

I realize this goes against everything we have been taught. Taught? That is the wrong word because no one is taught about canine nutrition. The veterinarians are in the dark as much as we are since their main source of information comes from the companies making the commercial food. So we are out here alone and we are going to have to use common sense in feeding these animals. Fruits and veggies are not going to disrupt your calcium and phosphorus balance. I have found I must introduce slowly from a very early age these nature foods and keep track of stools because each puppy is different. I understand this program sounds pretty foreign--fresh fruits and vegetables! I was surprised the number of breeders that remarked their dogs loved this stuff but they felt odd about feeding it to them because we have been told they only need the supposed 100% complete and balanced commercial dog food. As you read this article there are ads on television telling us dogs need the same food day after day.

We would no more think of feeding a child the same breakfast cereal three times a day every day of their lives. Yet we somehow think dumping the same thing in their bowl day after day is an adequate feeding program. I currently have two puppies on this program and they seem to be doing great. Time will tell, and if any of you embark on this new feeding program please keep me posted on your observations. Likewise if you have any problems.

"On My Soapbox"

Those breeders involved in Great Danes or any large or giant breeds for many years realize we know nothing more about bloat and torsion today than we did 20 years ago, in spite of the large amounts of money invested in research. We, as breeders, have more information and more practical experience with bloat and torsion than any academic or research institution. I have been a university professor for 21 years and I understand the politics, competition for grant monies and the arrogance of the research community. In short, I feel most research done on bloat and torsion has operated in an unrealistic vacuum of laboratories and classrooms. It is beyond me why individuals receiving research grants do not utilize the knowledge and true life experience from professional breeders who are a wealth of resource information. Instead, they seem to embark on some lofty hypothesis about the cause of bloat and torsion, then set out to prove their theory without the input from professional breeders.

Jeanette Pickette and I had worked frantically to get breeder input into the early stages of current bloat research. We offered information and names of intelligent, articulate, common sense oriented professionals in our breed. These individuals were willing, at their own expense, to travel and discuss their experiences. Initially, there seemed to be great interest by the research people, but then when I had the opportunity to meet with one of them to make arrangements for this meeting of the minds, it was like talking to a brick wall. I have never been treated in such a condescending manner in my life.

Of course, it wasn't until a fellow breeder pointed out, this man was responding to my suggestions as a dog breeder, not as a professional from the academic community. I was furious! He was prejudiced from the start because we were "just dog breeders". What could we have to offer his research project? So it was very obvious to us from the onset, the research people were not interested in working with breeders. And to make matters worse, they had already developed a "theory" which they were currently in the process of trying to prove. They had already decided the cause of bloat/torsion has to do with certain chest measurements. They were going about the task of taking chest measurements of dogs that survived bloat and torsion surgery. This way breeders would know how to alter their breeding programs in the selection of animals, to make sure their dogs do not have specific "bloat prone" chest measurements. (Of course that doesn't take into account bloat in the toy breeds, or bassets or any of the medium breeds either... guess they don't count.)

I went to hear a lecture on the "new" bloat research at the Morris Foundation conference in Indianapolis. At this lecture we were able to witness the unveiling of a "revolutionary wooden measuring device" (resembling that of a large wrench), and when I say unveiled, I do mean unveiled. It was plucked from a velvet wrap, to a standing room only audience, applauding as if someone had just unveiled a great masterpiece. I remember looking at a fellow breeder thinking "this is the last time I'm donating to a memorial where proceeds go to the bloat fund"…what a waste of valuable resources.

Now am I feeble or what? Am I not getting the big picture here, or is this the most asinine theory you have ever heard? I think we can do better for this breed by taking charge and working on this problem ourselves. We should start by sharing information and ideas and gathering our own data and we can involve "enlightened" research people who have nothing financial to gain.

This breed is very fortunate to have intelligent and informed, breeders like Jane Chopson, Carolyn Mobely, Paul Hardiman, Margaret Shappard, Betty Lewis, Laura Kiaulenas, and Jeannette Pickette, to name only a few. These people have a wealth of information and they are willing to contribute for the sake of the breed's welfare. But the parent club has to be instrumental in organizing its efforts in a constructive direction. What is it going to take to get this done? The passing of old guard? Or is it simply a new enlightened 90's attitude and focus on important issues besides power, politics and policies. If waiting is what it takes, then there are several of us young enough to wait it out. The real question is, can the Great Dane breed as a whole, wait for the winds of change to occur. In the meantime, I'll head down my own path looking for answers. If you care to join me come on along. I learned a long time ago, when I lost my first Dane to bloat, if I want answers, I will probably have to find them myself. I hope this information is helpful and although it is no guarantee of not having an animal bloat or torse, it is more than we have up to this point--it is a step in the right direction.

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