# Veterinarian-Recommended Canine Diet...?



## ClicketySnap (Jun 18, 2012)

I was forced to take my dog to a local vet today due to badly swollen and infected anal glands. I usually take him to a small-town vet two hours away, and I now have even more reason to. The city vet was over-priced, and pushed a lot of products on me that I definitely don't want. 

I was concerned, though, when the vet told me that one of the reasons my dog's anal glands were so swollen and so infected was because of the food I am feeding him. Jax (my dog) has been eating Orijen Regional Red for almost a month now, with normal stool and no weight gain. The vet was explaining that the protein content of Orijen is too high and causes weight gain, soft stool, and a dangerous amount of bad bacteria in my dog's digestive tract and intestines, which when all mixed together tend to cause swollen/infected anal glands. the staff then began to push The Hills veterinary diet on me, explaining how much better the ingredients are for my dog's digestive system. The pamphlet they gave me talks about all the "myths" of corn, by-products, and other grain-based proteins, and how these things actually a really effective method of giving my dog all the nutrients he needs. 

How much of what the vet said is true, and what is total bogus? Is he right about my dog's high-protein diet? The vet sent us home with a prescription of probiotics to ad to my dog's diet, and when those run out I intend to get over-the-counter probiotics to use on a regular basis. Good or bad idea?


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## KittyKat (Feb 11, 2011)

ClicketySnap said:


> I was forced to take my dog to a local vet today due to badly swollen and infected anal glands. I usually take him to a small-town vet two hours away, and I now have even more reason to. The city vet was over-priced, and pushed a lot of products on me that I definitely don't want.
> 
> I was concerned, though, when the vet told me that one of the reasons my dog's anal glands were so swollen and so infected was because of the food I am feeding him. Jax (my dog) has been eating Orijen Regional Red for almost a month now, with normal stool and no weight gain. The vet was explaining that the protein content of Orijen is too high and causes weight gain, soft stool, and a dangerous amount of bad bacteria in my dog's digestive tract and intestines, which when all mixed together tend to cause swollen/infected anal glands. the staff then began to push The Hills veterinary diet on me, explaining how much better the ingredients are for my dog's digestive system. The pamphlet they gave me talks about all the "myths" of corn, by-products, and other grain-based proteins, and how these things actually a really effective method of giving my dog all the nutrients he needs.
> 
> How much of what the vet said is true, and what is total bogus? Is he right about my dog's high-protein diet? The vet sent us home with a prescription of probiotics to ad to my dog's diet, and when those run out I intend to get over-the-counter probiotics to use on a regular basis. Good or bad idea?


Everything they told you is crap. I wouldn't go back there - they are no better then those snake oil salesmen of years past. It doesn't cause weight gain unless you stuff your dog full of food, stool should be fine unless you are feeding too much, bacteria is only found in contaminated foods (Orijen hasn't been recalled). They sound like half-wits.

The basis for anal glands is that if the poop is firm enough, they should naturally 'express' themselves. Sometimes people try and add fiber to the diet to this end but usually just feeding a higher quality food gives firmer stools. 

If the anal glands were infected - why didn't they give you antibiotics? Why would they just hand you probiotics....?


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## ClicketySnap (Jun 18, 2012)

That is kinda what I thought. I did a lot of research before choosing Orijen kibble, and since my dog is a healthy weight with normal stool and an amazingly healthy coat I was really ticked off that the vet wanted me to change his diet. I have no idea why Jax didn't get any antibiotics, I have two sets of de-worming pills and a 10-day regimen of probiotics from Purina to add to my dog's diet in hopes of clearing things up. I am also under instructions to eliminate all table scraps/ human food, soft treats, and to avoid the usual junk he stuffs in his mouth when outside. The vet was going to give me a topical antibiotic cream to help with the sores on Jax's bum from over-licking and scratching at the swollen glands, but when I told him I have been dutifully washing his bum with warm water and smoothing some infant Polysporin on the sores he decided to forego the antibiotic cream.


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## DaViking (Sep 27, 2011)

First of all, pushing the Hills veterinary diet on you without there being a history is not appropriate imo. Which diet was it btw?



> "Jax (my dog) has been eating Orijen Regional Red for almost a month now, with normal stool"


3 weeks on a new food is not a long time, specially if going from a classic type formula to a high protein grain free formula with various functional ingredients. I know, we are weird here, but can I ask you to describe the stool? lol :smile: I ask because I hear and read so many these days call formed, light colored, (smelly) and moist stools that easily looses it shape to the touch as normal. That should not be normal and is an indication something is far from optimal.



> "The vet was explaining that the protein content of Orijen is too high and causes weight gain, soft stool, and a dangerous amount of bad bacteria in my dog's digestive tract and intestines"


I don't buy the weight gain part but I think there is some merit to the soft stool and sub-optimal bacteria flora if too much flushing occur. Not as blanket statement though. If Jax is very active and burn a lot of energy the protein shouldn't be much of a problem. However if flushing occurs as a result of excess nitrogen going to the kidneys and unused proteins being burnt off and creates heat softer stools is usually the result. Some of the water not used to flush the kidneys will end up in the stool. It's like being on a constant mild laxative. The fiber source used can also be a source of less than good poops. Growth of dangerous bacteria can come from anything, not necessarily the kibble. If the prebiotic action of whatever food is fed never get a chance to function properly the result can be growth of pathogenic microbes. Prebiotics set the stage for probiotics.

Difficult to say what's right and what's wrong here but I don't think there is any need for Jax to be on a Hills Vet diet atm. If, and I emphasize if, the vet is right and it is food related, things can be resolved by finding a good appropriate formula not made by Hills.
Was there any tests done?


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## ClicketySnap (Jun 18, 2012)

Stool is not as dark as it was when he was little, but it is not light colored. Well-formed and does not fall apart easily. I have been using a stick to break his stool open to check for worms as well as consistency. I am not at all against adding pictures if you want. Occasionally when he is in a stressful situation (too long in a public setting with a lot of people and dogs milling around) he will suddenly have really watery, dark stool. He likes to eat his blanket and any other stringy material he can find so there is usually a few chunks of orange fluff in his stool (the blanket in his crate is orange). he does not strain to expel the stool, though in the last two months he has developed a habit of raising one leg when he goes poo. He is only 9.5 pounds, and tends to be weird about drinking water. He will consume half a pint in one go, and then nothing for up to five hours. I always make sure he has water available when he is in his crate. I feed him 1/4 cup of kibble twice per day, which he will eat completely in less than one minute each time.


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