All Natural Raw Diet - Page 6

"Keith seems very reluctant to even consider the possibility that the dogs here that are super healthy eating raw are that way because of their diets."

Keith fed raw.

"if you don't believe that commercially prepared diets can cause issues, then what causes some GSD's to have such incredibly bad allergies?"

Commercially prepared diets can absolutely cause issues, especially if you buy crap food at WalMart that is mostly corn or wheat, the primary causes of food related allergies in dogs.

"What's causing all the health problems? Is it the vaccines?"

I think vaccines cause some health problems, yes, specifically auto immune system issues.

"I'd guess you'll say no to that, too, because you probably think that vaccines are wonderful things, too."

You should try to avoid painting the world with such a broad brush or are you suggesting that all vaccinations are bad?  Can feeding raw prevent parvo or rabies?  I believe that vaccinations are necessary but that the annual vaccination protocol we've used in the past is fundamentally flawed.  Unlike most people, however, who only paid the issue lip service, I put my money where my mouth is and set out to prove it by having all of my dogs titered for everything except for rabies, which is required by law, and evaluated by Cornell...for years...never had one come back that any dog needed a booster.  It's because of people like me who were willing to spend more on titers than the shots would have cost that enough data was able to be collected to change the vaccination protocol to what it is now...still not perfect but it's closer than it was. 

I don't know why people jump so hard on Keith, she is just presenting different opinion, I think when people research into how to best feed their dogs is important to listen to both sites rather than just one. So people lets try to be little bit open minded here. I am a RAW feeder but I used to feed dry, I have one dog that dose not care what you give her, it could be garbage and she will strive on it, and other than dose better on raw, so I don't think that one formula fits all. Recently there been great improvement in commercial food, less and less garbage is put into it, I just choose not to trust big companies that's all. Give keith a brake, she is presenting just opinion, and she didn't try to force her opinion on any one. Originally she stated that more research needs to be done. And I agree with her, I ask my self same every time if what I feed to my dogs is realy that much better for them, and there are times where I am on the fence. But till Raw continues to work on my dogs I am not going back to commerciall foods that's it. So lets stay little bit open minded what do you say? 

Keith, my vet said that in her office (which has several vets), no dog that got the puppy series and then the one-year booster ever failed the titer test! So I'm with you on that one. I don't have the nerve to leave them completely unvaccinated, even though I do believe the damn things cause immune issues. There are ways to improve the immune system later. Not a perfect system, but I don't want my dogs to die of freaking parvo or lepto, which are prevalent in my area. Awful.

Snaj, I'm pretty sure Keith is a DUDE!

Right you are, VonM, I am definitely male.

I don't believe that we have a high incidence of lepto here so I've never vaccinated against it but having seen in shelters how fast it can kill, am a freak about parvo!  Even so, parvo requires an environment in which there is rapid cell division like in the growing digestive tract of a young pup so an otherwise healthy but unimmunized adult dog might get diarrhea and an upset stomach if exposed but probably won't die from it.

"Keith, I admire your posts, they contain a vast knowledge, and we should strive to learn from the "oldtimers", many benefits coming from them."
 
Easy there, Ulli, I don't think I'm ready to be called an old timer just yet and there are lots of people far more knowledgable about dogs in general and virtually all aspects of GSD's than I am.

Aber danke sowieso...

I'm glad that vaccines were brought up.  I don't  believe in over immuninzation of my dogs.   I remember as a kid getting shots for something, I don't remember what.  Polio maybe?  I never got another vaccine for it again.  I also have my dogs titered.  I do rabies because I have too, but do I need to redo parvo, distemper, etc. every year or every 3 years?  I don't think so.  Half of a vets income comes from shots, we all need to make a living but not on giving my dogs shots.  So, I do the titers.  Everytime my vet tells me my dog  needs shots I ask "When were your vaccines last updated?"  I always get a look and an ok. 

I'd be interested in hearing what other peoples vaccine schedules are with their dogs. I do all of the puppy shots then a booster at a year or what ever age it's needed.  I don't like vaccinating adult dogs over and over, JMO. 

Jim

My state requires dog be vaccinated against rabies every 3 years.  With my male, I did the puppy series then the boosters at 1 year,  My vet recommends vaccines be given every 3 years, but save for rabies, I will also be doing titer testing rather than automatically vaccinating him.

I know of a HUGE kennel where parvo came in w/a few pups from another country. The unvaccinated pups got very, very sick but recovered in about 3 days. The vaccinated pups lingered for the better part of a week, some got better slowly, but most died. I do NOT vaccinate for parvo for this reason. Lepto is another one that they don't tell you their shot only covers about 3 strains...there are literally hundreds of strains of Lepto, so statistically, you're screwed. Lepto shots also have one of the highest incidences of reactions. Another one I will never do.

I did my own little experiment w/my animals..my totally unvaccinated animals are the healthiest animals I know. The ones who are vaccinated vary in health, and yes, I'd say the most vaccinated (rescues) are definitely the ones w/the most nagging little issues. Lots of folks might not make the connection, but I do think there is one. JMO.

I am bad owner I only vac through the first year ;) than I do rabies every 3 years but I usually stop after the first one lol ;) I usually have new dog by that time so I swap the rabies certification and register my older dog with the younger one rabies certificate any ways ;) I am gonig get in trouble ;). If my dog needs a vet visit after 3 years for any reason I might re do rabies while i am there.

"I know of a HUGE kennel where parvo came in w/a few pups from another country. The unvaccinated pups got very, very sick but recovered in about 3 days. The vaccinated pups lingered for the better part of a week, some got better slowly, but most died."

The situation you describe is certainly possible if a) the unvaccinated group of pups had not yet completely lost the passive immunity inherited from their mother, and b) the vaccinated pups had not yet lost that immunity when they were vaccinated but did so subsequently.

When puppies are first born, they inherit passive immunity through their mothers' colostrum, the first 24 hours of milk flow following birth.  Unlike active immunity which is self perpetuating, passive immunity is not and eventually wears off.  When it wears off is different for every dog but vaccinations given while it is still active are ineffective which is precisely why we give pups a series of vaccinations...to insure they are protected.  If the unvaccinated pups had been exposed to the virus a couple of weeks later when their inhereted immunity was gone, they may well have died.

This example is not a good reason to not vaccinate your pups against parvo.