Five questions for the price of one?

[Jennifer and Jack]

Sorry I know I should probably find spots for these questions in each section but the same people are most likely to answer 

As you know I switched vets and am much happier with his care. This vet does not use Heart Guard they don't even carry it. THey said Tri- Heart Plus is just about the same... It is a few dollars cheaper and as you know for me with Jack that isn't even an issue.  Is this drug safe. I tried to google it but I am sick right now to say the least so I am not comprehending much... It is made by Merck. also do you know is it safe to give with Frontline?

Ear infections.. We have come to the conclusion Jack is EXTREMELY sensitive to any even the slightest amount of yeast in his ears.. He has been scratching like crazy.. His canals look good but on smear he had a TINY bit of yeast... They gave me yet another antibiotic to treat him bi-laterally but she offered me a steroid spray for his ears? Anyone hear of that?   I am so tired of Jack being on antibiotics for his ear and the Vet saying they barely see anything yet he seems so bothered by it.. I do weekly washes on his ears and I also use ear dryer after a bath...   So much for my big fat idea of raw food solving his ears.... eye roll..

Weight...... WOW.... I had no idea that Jack needed to lose as much weight as he really did... I feed raw because IT IS WAY BETTER THEN ANY CRAP YOU FEED YOUR DOG. Just kidding... LOL you know I am just kidding... I feed raw because I was removing the starch as much as possible because he is on steroids and he gained weight.  Here is the thing. He was almost 20 pounds in June and now he is just under 17 pounds....  He lost this weight because I MEASURE his food and weigh it exactly and because I ride a stupid scooter around my neighborhood and he walks at least a mile and half or more a day.. not for any other reason...... The vet today after taking his stitches out for a cyst he had removed said she is happy he lost weight but keep going????  

Jack is 16.9 pounds now and she wants a least another pound.. My mom and I both are willing to do that because we know it is best to be a little under then over but how fast is it safe for a dog to lose weight??? I mean he is a little guy and I don't know what is acceptable time frame for him to lose weight in. 

The last thing is.. even at 20 pounds Jack still have a rather sharp tummy curve tuck in and didn't look overweight to me at all, I could still feel his ribs except on the sides I had to push in a bit... so it is rather stunning to me that a dog that had a good curve tummy tuck could have still been so overweight... Five pound for a dog his size is a lot..

[Jennifer and Jack]

Jack has been on strictly raw since June at least and he has yeast in his ears. I swear I was making a joke about raw ...but I already said that....jack isn't any more healthy on raw...really he is not...he is doing great...lots of energy.......but still has ear infections ....which he had before..he is losing weight because I am feeding him less ....I like Jack on raw and I am committed to it for now...however, jack sometimes gets a choice because my mom doesn't feed raw....he always wants the new food...what my mom has....

I understand we all have choices....honestly, I think the difference for us in raw is the moisture content..he is not constipated anymore...

This post was about my questions...yes, I ask a lot, I may sound crazy....I may be crazy but I just read two totally disturbing posts about dogs dying horrid deaths and abuse so that is why I ask a lot...

Tis isn't about raw vs kibble...I was just being funny or trying to be...though I do think having a dog food your dog does well on is great and that is why we are sticking with to raw for now

[Jennifer and Jack]

I thought I was done commenting on Raw but I am not.... I didn't bother to cite it here because I read it on a more holistic website called healthypets.mercola.com and it was by Dr Becker who is for sure more bent toward raw feeding but not totally..just a bend toward it... On her lecture Called Pet Nutrition and Animal Wellness she went through what her opinion is on the best and worst diets for a dog....

Remembering that she is bent toward raw feeding she ranked Unbalance Raw diet as THE WORST diet you can feed your dog, second above that was Unbalanced Home cooked meals... Then somewhere in between there were different types of kibbles etc... not the point .. 

My home nurse feeds strictly raw to her dogs.. The only thing this poor dog ever gets it turkey wings.. what the crap is that???  So I have watched a lot of her lectures and she ranks a balanced high quality kibble of an unbalanced raw diet any day and every day.

I respect her medical back round and I respect her thinking and she who again is a raw food advocate goes on to talk about how dangerous it is just to randomly home cook or feed raw because of the need to balance bone with meat, and also the need for vegetables  and some fruits.....  

She said the calcium to phosphorous rate has to be 1:1 .. It is a great responsibility to feed raw or home cooked and much easier to feed a high quality kibble where you can be sure your dog is getting all the required nutrients.. or you can buy a commercial raw diet that is COMPLETE, not just meat and bones..... 

I dont' think everyone has to agree one what they are feeding but I do think it is important everyone is feeding a complete diet that meets ALL the standards that a dog requires.

You will never hear a peep out of me either way as long as I know the dog is getting the proper nutrition not that we think they need but that is proven they need...