Click here to start typing your text
I had been looking for a suitable natural food for the dachshunds and came across one called AvoDerm. It was called AvoDerm because it contained avocado. It was believed by some people that avocado was healthy for dogs because it was considered a good source of essential fatty acids.
Speckles had been transitioned onto AvoDerm before Marbles and Puddin were. By Monday 9/8/2008, Speckles was receiving 50% old food with 50% Avoderm. Speckles was receiving 1/4 cup twice a day. On Sunday 9/14/2008, Speckles was given 75% AvoDerm in the evening. The old food was Wellness for him. This is indicated in the log on 9/17/2008. By 9/22/2008, I was discussing the possibility of transitioning Marble and Puddin from R/D to AvoDerm. First they would have to be weighed and we would have to find out if AvoDerm had a "weight maintenance" or "weight control" formulation.
Fast Forward to Monday 12/22/2008. Marble and Puddin were both at Lakeside Animal Hospital that day and were weighed.
Fecal, Heartworm, Bordetella, and Parvo tests were done for each of them and all of the results were negative.
Weight of Marble = 18.14 lbs on that date.
and
Weight of Puddin = 17.80 lbs on that date.
Since it was mentioned that Puddin had been observed scooting, his anal sacs were expressed.
Puddins right anal sac was described as having a "chunky" and "full" feel to it, while his left anal sac was described as having a "pasty" feel to it and was observed to be half full.
And on that date....., Dr. Fernandez gave her approval to transfer Marble and Puddin on to AvoDerm.
Beginning Thursday 12/25/2008 Marble and Puddin were clear to be transitioned from R/D to AvoDerm.
The formulation was as follows:
Marble: For a total volume of 1 /2 cup, the first stage of the transition would be 3/4 R/D to 1/4 AvoDerm. Make up 1 cup
and place in a plastic baggie with a label with his name on it.
3/4 cup R/D and 1/4 cup AvoDerm. Mix throughly and use only 1/2 cup at a time.
Puddin: For a total volume of 3/4 cup. Make 1 1/2 cup using 3/4 R/D and 1/4 cup AvoDerm and then add to that 3/8 cup R/D and 1/8 AvoDerm. Mix thoroughly and use only 3/4 cup at a time.
By 1/9/2009 Marble and Puddin were at 50/50 levels in the food transition.
On Sunday 1/11/2009 @ 12:23 in the afternoon, Speckles kennel was cleaned after finding feces and urine in it.
At 12:44 that day, Marble and Puddin received pieces of sliced Macintosh apple.
At 3:13 pm of that day a soft diarrhea-like stool was found probably in the kitchen and was probably from Speckles. It was speculated that Speckles might have picked up an infectious agent from his "circle c" behavior.
At 9:26 pm, a soft diarrhea-like stool was found in the kitchen.
On Monday 6:07 am, it was reported in the log that Speckles had made diarrhea allover the kennel. He went out and did not produce anything.
At 8:34 am Marble and Puddin received Macintosh apple slices.
At 8:41 am, Speckles received a small dish of "Pepto-Bismol".
At 8:23 pm Marble and Puddin were fed and were now at the 75% AvoDerm level. Speckles received no food or water for 24 hours. The next evening he received 100% white rice.
On Wednesday 1/14/2009, at 7:31 pm all dogs were fed. Marble and Puddin were still @ 75% AvoDerm level and Speckles was given white rice with light chicken soup mixed into it. Prior to that at 12:27 in the afternoon, it was noted that Speckles' stool quality was improved but he did attempt "circle c" behavior. The plan was to keep him on white rice.
On Thursday 1/15/2009, @ 10:56 am, Speckles made feces in the kennel. At 4:42 pm that day, Speckles stool quality was still soft and with a drop of blood in it. The plan was to cntinue him on white rice.
That evening, Marble and Puddin were at 75% AvoDerm level and Speckles received white rice with chicken heated in the microwave for 25 seconds.
On Friday 1/16/2009, Speckles had a visit to Lakeside Animal Hospital. While there, his weight was recorded at 10lbs. 2 1/2 oz. ( is that correct?)
He was found to be negative for bacteria, his fecal was negative thereby indicating no intestinal parasites, and was negative for Giardia (a protozoal parasite that can be picked up by licking puddles of water in the backyard). Speckles was sent home with Flagyl, Sulfasalazine, and Cerenia.
On Friday, 1/23/2009 @ 10:46 am, when Seckles received the last Flagyl tablet he was then fed 1/2 cup of 100% AvoDerm puppy food.
On Saturday, @ 5:45pm, Puddin Peed in the kitchen in "plain sight". This began a pattern for Puddin of peeing in the house.
At 6:58 pm on Wednesday 1/28/2009, all dogs were fed. Marble and Puddin were at 75% AvoDerm level. There was an incident while preparing the food. Puddin and Speckles broke through the gate separating the hall leading to Mischas room and the kitchen. Speckles was observed coming out of Mischas' room while Puddin was trying to steal Mischas' solid food
So eventually all dogs were on 100% AvoDerm.
Fast Forward to Wednesday 12/30/2009. A note on that page states that the dogs are to be taken off AvoDerm and transitioned onto Blue (Blue Buffalo) weight-control (the yellow bag). Here's why: It is believed that Avocado contains a protein called Persin, a fungicidal toxin that can be harmful animals. Despite the fact that no ill effects were observed, a plan went into effect to switch the dogs to the new food which seems to be a well known, reputable, and up and coming natural pet food.
On that day, the food proportions were set up as follows:
For Marble:
To make up 3/4 cup--> add 1/2 cup AvoDerm and 1/4 cup Blue Buffalo
For Speckles:
To make up 1/4 cup--> add 1/8 cup AvoDerm and 1/8 cup Blue Buffalo.
For Puddin:
To make up 1 cup--> add 3/4 cup AvoDerm and 1/4 cup Blue Buffalo.
It must be noted that earlier in the day at approximately between 3 and 4 pm and certainly prior to 4:45 pm all 3 dogs attacked the jars of peanuts and bird food for the Indian ringneck parrot in the living room. This raid resulted in a mess in the living roomwhich had to be vacuumed. The deed probably went unpunished.
The transition from AvoDerm to Blue Buffalo was on a rushed schedule. The next phase of the food transition took place on Saturday 1/2/2010 and loked like this:
For Marble:
Volume required was 3/4 cup therefore:
Mix 2/4 cup Blue Buffalo with 1/4 cup AvoDerm.
For Speckles:
Volume required was 1/4 cup.
"Eyeball" slightly more Blue Buffalo than AvoDerm to make up 1/4 cup.
For Puddin:
Volume required was 1 cup.
Simply mix 1/2 cup Blue Buffalo with 1/2 cup AvoDerm.
Eventually all 3 dogs were on 100% "Blue Buffalo weight control", however the date that they were "jumped" to 100% of the new food appears to be missing from the log.
Here is a date in which the dogs were weighed at home:
Wednesday, 2/24/2010. I weighed myself at 150 lbs.
The weight of myself + Puddin = 174
The weight of myself + Marble = 177
The weight of myself + Speckles = 166.
Therefore:
weight of Puddin = 24 lbs.
weight of Marble = 27 lbs.
weight of Speckles = 16 lbs.
That is, if one trusts the scale at home.
Puddin continues his trend of urinating in the kitchen
which happens around the same time in the evening.
Puddin had a visit to Lakeside Animal Hospital on Tuesday 3/2/2010. His weight was reported to be 22.1 lbs.
His eyes appeared cloudy, suggesting the possibility of cataracts. He will have a senior profile which includes a blood chemistry.
On Thursday 3/4/2010, Marble and Speckles had a visit to Lakeside Animal Hospital. Their weights were recorded as follows:
Weight of Marble= 25.13 lbs.
Weight of Speckles= 11.12 lbs.
Puddins' blood chemistry results showed an extremely high concentration of alkaline phosphatase, (His reading was 742 as compared to < 150 which is normal) which indicates the possibility of Cushings disease. The next procedures will be to have him undergo an ACTH stimulation test to verify whether he in fact, does have the condition and if so,subsequently a Dex suppression test to find out whether the problem stems from the pituitary gland or the adrenal gland in order to know better how to treat it.
On the same day at the hospital, the issue of weight control and feeding came up. This as you know, is the central issue of this website.
Watch what happens next:
Marble is now considered clinically obese since he is putting his weight on his right hind leg. The condition is known as a patella luxation where the knee caps are in and out of joint.
Once again the pet foods must be compared. Blue Buffalo, while considered an excellent food, is 444 calories/cup
while R/D (solid or canned) is 220 calories/cup.
Let's take a closer look at the issue of calories from food.
