Bulldogs World

Did you have to have the dog sedated for this procedure?  Maggie will be getting treated for dystichia in the near future, but they want to put her out for it and freeze off the eyelashes.  If yours was only one eyelash, that may be the difference as she has several in one eye.  Of course, the thought of the sedation makes me nervous - but we'll get her spayed at the same time. Just curious.

I'm glad that you were persistent with the vet, and that they discovered the eyelash problem! I can relate to the sigh about the medicated ointment. One of my dogs is being treated for an eye condition right now, and it's a little heartbreaking each time I approach him with the little tube of medication, because he runs from me like I'm wielding a spiked flail. Regarding the ear, face, and paw-licking issues, I'm no expert on raw feeding, but I'm also someone who has been in the process of transitioning my dogs, so I've been doing a ton of reading. In this process, I've come across some information about a "detox" period that often occurs when switching a kibble dog to raw (and someone here may have already mentioned this in response to one of your earlier posts, so bear with me if I'm repeating old information). During this detox (which can last for a few weeks), dogs are often itchier, redder, more foot-licky, and more weepy-eyed than they may normally be before it all clears up. So, I guess the phenomenon of things sometimes briefly getting worse before they get better may apply here (although I do think experimenting with the different proteins is a good idea). Both of my guys, who have terrible allergies, have been doing very well on Nature's Variety (one's horrible rashy tummy is finally beautiful, pink, and blemish-free, and the other's persistent folliculitis is going away - thank goodness, as I'd forgotten what he looked like with hair on his forehead). I hope things continue to look up for your girl, and please do continue updating about her progress, because it's so nice to read about someone else's experience during this transition. Finally, of all the unlikely places to find canned pumpkin, you may consider calling or checking in person at your local small pet supply store. I haven't found any in the supermarket (apparently, there's been a pumpkin famine this year, due to too much rain derailing harvests), but I did inexplicably encounter cans at my pet store while browsing for other things. Go figure!

at Target next to the green beans and corn and peas.  Super Target the one with full groceries.  We have been following Matilda's story because I am so curious about the raw foodies. 

<3

I'm going to try to respond to everything here but bear with me as I can tend to ramble...in case you didn't already note that. :)

The beef Nature's Variety seems to be working well but it seems like the more beef I add she gets gas. So on next swap, we'll try a different protein, probably rabbit. I know she has eaten bison and beef (which cause some intense fragrance. wow.) but I don't think we've seen how she would do on the remaining venison, lamb, and rabbit varieties. However, I am amazed that she was able to do this cold turkey (ha!) without any huge difficulties. 

Eye boogers improved markedly. No more than was usual (2 days since treatment) and as some have said may continue to improve. Her feet are a bit better now, I notice they are still a bit redder than they should be but the greyish white stuff she accumulates overnight seems to be decreasing. She does not get as pissed off at me when I try to look in between her back toes. 

As with the other time she had an ear infection, the moment the meds went in she started leaving it alone. It looks much less swollen but still smells corn-chippy.

Her chin looks good. She used to get zits and one of them looked like an adult human with small purple 'cystic' acne. I cleaned it and applied creams but it is actually gone now.

Her eyes are starting to brighten again, which is good. They look clearer and are cleaner. The infected wrinkle is healing.

She hasn't lost the 'droop' in her lower lids, but the vet said that she's dropped so much in weight that it could be that. When I adopted her she was 72 pounds and now weighs about 53 or so. The last two or three pounds she's lost have been since the food change. I will try to get feedback from others on here as to what to add if I feel like she's getting too skinny. I could switch her yogurt to 1% or something, for instance. 

She only had one or two tiny lashes. What my vet did was hold her down with a special bulldog-shaped muzzle, applied some topical numbing cream, and plucked them. As far as danger, there was very little. She said that should they, or more of them, return (and the chances are they will but I haven't read up on the costs, risks, etc of the treatments) that what they would likely do involves a laser. Much like laser hair removal. At least I think that's what she said. I think the dog would be 'twilight sedated?' meaning it wasn't under general anesthesia. Or something. I haven't entirely processed the whole eye thing yet, this is new.

She is still shedding. I can't tell if it is less. I hope it will be less someday; things weren't always this way.

But I have to say that her fur in general is very soft and almost reflectively shiny. 

a raw fed dog is not going to poop like a kibble fed dog, Audrey does NOT go every day! Unless your dog is really struggling or poops white chalky stuff, it may just be she doesn't have much waste to eliminate, and giving the pumpkin is only doing exactly that, giving her body some undigestible matter to eliminate. That you have to pick up.

If she is truly struggling and can't go, you can try more skin/fat, or even a bit of liver to help.

their is one in hadley mass...they have chemical free food....they have goats milk which i give as a treat on friday nites .....i wish i could freeze it and make pops for them....your doing good on your diet....dont add to many things.....i was not able to see how much bone your adding....that would stop the loose stools...increase the bone content....use a couple of lamb ribs....one a day till the stool is  firm...then back off....

beans will casue loose stools....remember dogs eat meat as a primary food....veggies should never be more than 5% or less of the diet....