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There has been a lot of debate on this forum about what to feed your dog. I think if you own a dog you need to take a look at this as it might just open your eyes. And if you are dealing with cancer in your dog please watch this as putting them on a ketogenic diet might give you more quality time with them. You can also check out the Keto Pet Sanctuary and see what the ketogenic diet has done for dogs with advanced cancers.
I haven't watched the entire video yet, but saw the first few minutes and was already impressed. Rodney mentioned 'one world' health...research and health that benefits both animals and humans, a topic that interests me greatly (this too, is something that Britain's Professor Noel Fitzpatrick has been promoting for many years).
And my dog has had minor digestive problems off and on from the time he was a small pup, so I'm eager to watch the rest of this. Thanks very much for sharing!
*And an embarrassing aside...I'm Canadian, yet never heard of Rodney Habib...and as it turns out, he is from my home town. Guess I have to catch up on things!
This should be required watching for every dog owner.
Rodney Habib's website Planet Paws is a wonderful resource for all things diet related: https://www.planetpaws.ca
I am a huge proponent of raw diets and/or diets made with real whole foods. Even the best kibble is not optimal. Do some dogs do well on kibble? Yes, of course, but it isn't a biologically appropriate diet and is difficult for dogs to digest. So people are willing to feed a product (kibble) day in and day out that is highly processed and stresses the digestive and endocrine system, but they balk at feeding the species appropriate raw diet that dogs evolved on for millennia. Go figure.
I find it extremely perplexing that people who presumably love and cherish their dogs are not interested in (or are not open to) learning more about what constitutes a healthy canine diet.
Last edited by twelvepaw; 10-09-2017 at 11:15 AM..
I went to look at just the very beginning of this video and ended up watching the whole thing.
Thank-you for posting this. This is quite timely for me.
I’ve been feeding raw to my dogs since 2012 and, lately, have been reviewing the latest information from Dr. Karen Becker to see if I can improve/tweak their diets for optimal balance.
My local Training Club has had an unusual large number of the member’s Goldens that have recently been diagnosed/died of cancer. Because of this, we had a request to have the club’s water tested!
At my urging, we denied the request. Our response back was that concerned owners can bring their own water in for themselves and their pets - they are to use their own water dishes anyway.
Although it’s not well water, I don’t like the taste and bring my own – with all the other stuff you are lugging in, a few water bottles are not a big deal and gives me peace of mind.
I wonder what these GR owners are feeding their pets.
It is truly amazing how many carbs are in kibble that alone should be an eye opener to those that feed kibble. It amazes me with human food too when someone holds up a bag of sugar to show you how much is really in a food product your mouth just drops open as it is a lot!
I do recall years ago trying to buy a lower carb dog food but noticing carbs were not even listed, did not know the simple formula to figure it out back then I ended up using honest kitchen dehydrated food as I figured it would be less carbs.
Standards13 if the member of your club with Goldens dealing with cancer have not checked into doing a ketogenic diet please have them check on line with the Ketopet Sanctuary as they will send info to tell you how to feed a ketogenic diet. The sanctuary has had some amazing results even with the very deadly hemangiosarcoma . Sadly many regular vets were taught that feeding raw is wrong and being the ketogenic diet is a raw based diet and high fat at that, regular vets will not endorse it at this time but if my dog had cancer that is the first thing I would do. I already have all the info from them in my files being I have lost dogs to cancer in the past.
My oldest sister had a collie that lived to be 16 and she basically had to have him put down as he could no longer get up as his back legs were too weak. She did feed him grocery store kibble; however she also put some of her veggies and if she had chicken for dinner that too, he also got to lick her plates and I saw Rodney in a different video saying just adding some fresh veggies to kibble can make a big difference. He got a lot of exercise too as it did not matter if it was pouring rain or freezing they went walking twice a day every day on long walks. So any one reading this that is feeding kibble and says I will continue to do so at least supplement it with some fresh whole foods.
I did the quick check to see how many carbs are in my dog's food. Not sure if what I calculated is accurate as ash wasn't listed on either bag (I feed my dog two different foods). However, what I got without calculating ash was 50% for his Taste of the Wild food (high) and 12% for his Freshpet Select (low, I'm presuming).
Because my dog has always had digestive issues - I've tried him on various foods and nothing seems to make a difference...he wavers between normal poops and extremely soft to diarrhea - I'm looking into the homemade diet to see if it will make a difference, and to see if I would be consistent enough to make his food for him. He's also extremely fussy; I could not convince him to eat raw food at all when I tried switching him and my other dog a few years ago (Kaya, no problem, but Izzy absolutely refused to eat), so I'll most likely wind up lightly cooking his meals. At any rate, it'll be interesting to see the results down the road.
There is a balance tho. Some people get weirdly self-righteous or agonize over dog food from swinging too far in the other direction. It is important to remember these animals evolved by eating our "garbage" (though its sort of ironic that many commercial pet foods are less healthy than garbage).
It is important to feed a quality food but agonizing over grams of carbs is silly. My dogs eat a mixture of a raw diet with bones, or a dehydrated whole foods diet from the Honest Kitchen. I am very happy with the Honest Kitchen as a commercial food, even though it is not grain free.
As for cancer, while diet certainly plays a role we are talking about a disease that frequently has a genetic component and animals (in the case of purebreds) who are incredibly inbred. For example, Golden Retrievers are genetically disposed to cancer, specifically lymphomas and a few other kinds. A great diet my help delay canver, but for many dogs it will not over come what is literally coded into their genetics.
Also, I wanted to add with regards to ketogenic diets, it is important to talk to your vet or a animal nutritionist before just jumping in. There are potential dangers to a true ketogenic diet in addition to many benefits. Dogs with diabetes or those with kidney problems (or breeds prone to both of those) should not just start a no carb diet without talking to someone expert in animal nutrition.
I did the quick check to see how many carbs are in my dog's food. Not sure if what I calculated is accurate as ash wasn't listed on either bag (I feed my dog two different foods). However, what I got without calculating ash was 50% for his Taste of the Wild food (high) and 12% for his Freshpet Select (low, I'm presuming).
Because my dog has always had digestive issues - I've tried him on various foods and nothing seems to make a difference...he wavers between normal poops and extremely soft to diarrhea - I'm looking into the homemade diet to see if it will make a difference, and to see if I would be consistent enough to make his food for him. He's also extremely fussy; I could not convince him to eat raw food at all when I tried switching him and my other dog a few years ago (Kaya, no problem, but Izzy absolutely refused to eat), so I'll most likely wind up lightly cooking his meals. At any rate, it'll be interesting to see the results down the road.
Have you tried regularly adding pumpkin to his diet? Its a no-no for no carb diets but it uniquely both firms up the poo, and promotes regularity.
Have you tried regularly adding pumpkin to his diet? Its a no-no for no carb diets but it uniquely both firms up the poo, and promotes regularity.
Yes, I have to give it to him on a semi-regular basis. I always have cubed pure pumpkin handy in the freezer for just that purpose.
Unfortunately, while the pumpkin does help to curb the soft stool to some degree, it doesn't resolve the problem. It's possible he has a food allergy issue, so I'm hoping that a gradual change to a different type of diet may do something. After trying different dry foods on him as a pup, he finally did well on Taste of the Wild. That lasted for quite some time, but every so often would still have a hint of soft stool. And now it's becoming worse again. So, time to go back to the drawing board on Izzy's food.
There is a balance tho. Some people get weirdly self-righteous or agonize over dog food from swinging too far in the other direction. It is important to remember these animals evolved by eating our "garbage" (though its sort of ironic that many commercial pet foods are less healthy than garbage).
It is important to feed a quality food but agonizing over grams of carbs is silly. My dogs eat a mixture of a raw diet with bones, or a dehydrated whole foods diet from the Honest Kitchen. I am very happy with the Honest Kitchen as a commercial food, even though it is not grain free.
As for cancer, while diet certainly plays a role we are talking about a disease that frequently has a genetic component and animals (in the case of purebreds) who are incredibly inbred. For example, Golden Retrievers are genetically disposed to cancer, specifically lymphomas and a few other kinds. A great diet my help delay canver, but for many dogs it will not over come what is literally coded into their genetics.
Also, I wanted to add with regards to ketogenic diets, it is important to talk to your vet or a animal nutritionist before just jumping in. There are potential dangers to a true ketogenic diet in addition to many benefits. Dogs with diabetes or those with kidney problems (or breeds prone to both of those) should not just start a no carb diet without talking to someone expert in animal nutrition.
The video came from conference about human cancer, they invited some speakers to talk about canine cancer.If I Recall it is believed only about 10 % of cancers are considered genetic.They are finding cancers may have a relationship to insulin .Sugars ie carbs may be one of the things that are turning on those cancer cells and causing them to reproduce.If I had a breed that is prone to cancer, I would be very careful with carbs in the diet as it might be what is flipping that switch .I also feel the average vet will say no to ketogenic diet for two reasons it is raw and most vets were taught raw is wrong and many hear the word ketogenic and think you are talking diabetic keto acidosis which is not what it is it is a nutritional ketosis.As I said Keto pets will send you the necessary information to do it and they are vets that are doing research on cancer so not just some Joe blow.
I myself have been on a ketogenic diet and know diabetics that have type 2 diabetes that have gone on it and gotten off of meds by following a ketogenic diet. Ketones are a fuel source just as glucose .Fasting is another way to get a body to burn ketones as once the glucose is used up in a fast you use ketones.
Sorry but too many vets still believe that dogs and cats should just eat kibble and in the mean time we are in an epidemic of pet cancers, diabetes and other chronic diseases. I think the newer generation of vets will get it and you will see a switch in how most dogs and cats are fed. The fact that Cats can not use carbs as they lack an enzyme to break down carbs yet we feed them kibible that bombards them with way too many useless carbs then wonder why our cats are dieing from diabetes and kidney failure really blows my mind.Vets will even prescribe a prescription kibble diet for themKibble has to have starches to get the Ingredients to stick together so we are not talking grains as even grain free kibble often have a ton of carbs as without them a kibble type food is impossible.I took in my dad's diabetic cat years ago and if dealing with a young vet that got the no kibble for cats this was eye opening , yet the other vets at the same clinic did not all get it carbs do matter.
On October 17th the dog cancer series begins, it is a free online event where they will be talking to all the experts and hoping it will open the eyes of not only pet owners but vets.I love my vet but he does not believe in feeding raw yet for years keeps asking me how come my dogs appear to be younger then they are and have such healthy skin and glossy coats... maybe it is what they are eating doc!
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It amazes me with human food too when someone holds up a bag of sugar to show you how much is really in a food product your mouth just drops open as it is a lot! 
I ended up using honest kitchen dehydrated food as I figured it would be less carbs.
Kibble has to have starches to get the Ingredients to stick together so we are not talking grains as even grain free kibble often have a ton of carbs as without them a kibble type food is impossible.I took in my dad's diabetic cat years ago and if dealing with a young vet that got the no kibble for cats this was eye opening , yet the other vets at the same clinic did not all get it carbs do matter. 
