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Linda Arndt ~ Canine Nutritional Consultant
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Blackwatch Feed Program for OCD Repair

 

Introduction to OCD Repair

This program offers suggestions for nutritional support and assistance for OCD (Osteochronditis Dissecans) repair Feed Program for OCD Repair Kit#9

For assistance for HOD , Pano use this Feed Program and Kit# 5

For assistance with Carpel Flexural Deformity (Knuckling Over & Bowed Legs) use the HOD Feed Program and Kit#5

The Blackwatch Feed Programs have been used by many of the top breeders in the USA and overseas. This program has 25+ years of success and you must follow this program exactly because each component has a job to do - deleting one of these components compromises the integrity of this program. Do not add other foods or supplements to the program without discussing it with me first. Do NOT add your own raw meats, rice or calcium supplements, I will provide you with quality raw options that are balanced in their calcium and phosphorus ratio, later in this article. This programis not to be considered "in lieu of" veterinarian diagnosis, advice or treatment.


THE CAUSE:

Often you hear the cause of OCD - Osteochondritis Dissecans is genetics, but I have seen OCD repaired with diet alone, if the dog is young and you catch it in time. So it's not always genetic and in fact I feel most of it is strictly diet!.

Some OCD's can be due to an early injury as well, but those dogs diets were always compromised and therefore the dog could not withstand some trauma during developmental stages. I always recommend x-raying all leg joints if diagnosed with OCD - if it is only in one spot, then you will know it is due to an injury, trauma etc. to that joint area.

OCD is generally caused by a poor quality diet with unusable minerals or high calcium levels (watch grainfreed diets- I do not recommend them for growth for this reason) or one lacking in important trace minerals necessary to lay down cartilage to make bone. The important thing is if you catch OCD early you can often repair it with a good diet and the Feed Program for OCD Repair Kit#9. I always recommend shots of Adequen as well while working through this nutritionally - ask your vet about these shots.



I always recommend acupuncture and chiropractic work for orthopedic cases. I have used it on my dogs with very good results. To locate a vet practitioner in your area click here for a directory.

American Holistic Veterinary Site

http://www.ahvma.org/referral/index.html


Click Here: New Help for Paralysis and Wobblers Syndrome




The Basics Program

This program is a comprehensive and consists of several components which can be purchased separately or in a Kit format at a discount.
Orthopedic/Joint Support Kit#9 - All breed

1. Dog Food - Natural/Holistic Super Premium - kibble and canned
 
2. Filling N The Wholes - probiotics, digestive enzyme, joint, heart support
 
3. Microlactin - a natural anti-inflammatory
 
4. Nzymes Granular - Dietary enzymes - anti-inflammatory- antioxidants
 
5. Glucosamine and Hyaluronic Acid - liquid joint support
 
Variety - canned meats - raw options - fruits and vegetable

Where To Purchase Products

1. DOG FOOD - Precise and Precise Plus line of holistic foods as a basis

2. FILLING N THE WHOLES - beneficial bacteria, digestive enzymes, Vitamin C & Barley Grass with added joint, heart and immune support

3. Microlactin - is a milk protein-based supplement shown in published clinical trials to significantly decrease temporary joint pain and stiffness by breaking the cycle of inflammation and significantly improving mobility and range of motion.

4. NZYMES - dietary enzymes - in chewable Pet Treat or Granular (goes further) www.nzymes.com

5. Glucosamine/HA - a liquid joint support supplement (glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM Hyaluronic Acid and herbs)

FOR VARIETY ADD - fruits & veggies & Preicse or other Holistic canned meats www.eaglepack.com

For a safe, balanced raw option use Honest Kitchen dehydrated raw - info below.


Natural Ways To Manage Pain:

Remember pain is natures way of saying slow down, rest and relax. Most dogs are very stoic and even in pain will try to do what you want them to do even if it means it will hurt them, so use common sense. I do not like to completely mask the pain because they may over do it, yet I want them comfortable. I do not suggest crate rest as often suggested, I simply do not let the dogs out together, or with kids or when I know the neighborhood is active so they do not feel the need to be "the watch dog". I am very concerned about loss of muscle mass - atrophy - if a dog is crated too long during Pano (developmental stages). So common sense is the key.

This is my preference for handling pain through the use of a natural product like the two listed below. I would start with the Microlactin, which is included in the Orthopedic/Joint Support Kit#9 then if that does not do the trick, you can purchase online the Recovery SA for more serious pain issues. Use common sense when it comes to exercise - use free exercise alone in your back yard - no kids no dogs - and not during the time of the day when there might be traffic, kids returing from school or delivers where the dog goes into a barking frenzy. Normal house rest, if you are home and crate rest if you are away, is for me, a more reasonable way to handle it. If the dog lives in a crate all the time they will become anxious, depressed and slow the healing process. Imagine you hurt your leg and then someone locked you in the bathroom all day long - no fun = no heal fast.

Microlactin - this is a natural anti-inflammatory and I had great success with this only for my older female that had a lame shoulder from playing too rough. It takes 1-2 weeks to load the system, double dose, before you see much help but in was a great help to my female and totally corrected her problem(bruise/inflammation), and because she is 6 I leave her on a normal maintanence dose daily for added insurence.

RecoverySA - For more pain I would use this product -http://www.recoverysa.com/

If your pet is not in great pain, you do not have to use this part of the program, it is an option to use instead of drugs like Deramaxx or Rimadyl which compromise the liver or can kill in short order! If they have a reaction to these drugs (which were pulled from the human market and their names were change for the pet industry) the reaction can be swift and deadly.




Description of Supplements

Food - Kibble and Canned - Use one of the Precise or Precise Plus foods


A Word About Lite or Low Protein Diets
Healthy older dogs or growing puppies should NEVER be placed on a lite diet with restricted fats and proteins. The only time an animal should be fed a restricted protein or fat diet is due to a specific disease. For weight loss, cut back the amount you feed rather than switch to a lower protein and lower fat. They need the nutrients and their brains, organ functions and coats will suffer dramatically. For weight loss or diet for elderly dogs see feed programs. For puppies with orthopedic or growth problems (HOD, OCD, Pano) see Puppy Feed Program .

Product Descriptions

Dietary Enzymes

Nzymes - is Dietary Enzyme, not digestive enzyme and it simply puts back the "living component" to a cooked, processed, stored dog food. As owners we must put dietary enzymes back into the diet, in order to maintain good antioxidant levels, detoxify the body and not deplete the body of this important enzyme. This can be done by the addition to your diet with a product called Nzymes, a chewable pet treat, or granular form which can be sprinkled on the food to replace what is lost. In other words, Nzymes provide the body with the right nutrients to allow the body to make the chemicals necessary to detoxify (clean out) the body and repair itself.

Nzymes helps with the following:

  • Allergic reactions
  • Natural anti-inflammatory ~ so you can avoid risky medicines like Rimadyl or Deramaxx
  • Arthritis
  • Orthopedic problems ~ HOD, OCO, Pano, Wobblers, Hip Dysplasia, ACL
  • Epilepsy and Seizures - due to vaccine reactions
  • Vaccine reaction prevention
  • Cleanses residual toxins from medicines, flea and parasite preparations.
  • Boosting the immune system
  • Reduces shedding
  • Itchy ears
  • Yeast infections
  • Bladder infections
  • Hotspots
  • Reduces healing time from injury, surgery (cropping/bloat/c-sections)
  • Reduces recovery time from anesthesia.

Nzymes are from sprouts (food) so they do not conflict with diet or any medications. I have used the Nzymes for 25 years for my animals and I take the human product and have seen remarkable changes our health.

Website to order : http://www.nzymes.com/ - 877- 816- 6500 - 8:00-6:00 PST

MICROLACTIN™ is a milk protein-based supplement shown in published clinical trials to significantly decrease temporary joint pain and stiffness by breaking the cycle of inflammation and significantly improving mobility and range of motion. This results in better feeling joints, increased flexibility and quicker joint recovery. In feed trials significant improvement in joint health was observed in just 1-2 weeks. Many owners report benefits in the first few days of use. www.firstchoicenaturals.com

 

Glucosamine & HA (Hyaluronic Acid) liquid joint formula is the first Regenasure Glucosamine and Hyaluronic Acid combination of its kind, and is supported by many nutrients associated with joint health. 100% Vegetarian- contains no shellfish or beef
Less expensive, and a better value than other HA formulas that are lacking nutrients such as MSM, Vitamin C, Grape Seed Extract, Manganese, Boron and Omega Essential Fatty Acids www.firstchoicenaturals.com

Filling N The Wholes - basic vitamin/mineral supplement that should fill in the holes in your pet’s daily diet through usable “functional” foods. This unique product provides vitamin, minerals, trace minerals, probiotics, digestive enzymes, dietary enzymes, l-carnitine,"first milking" colostrum, phytonutrients, antioxidants, amino acids, and omegas. The addition of Filling N The Wholes* replicates the living components found in diets in the wild and helps to support digestive, heart, joint and immune function. www.firstchoicenaturals.com


Options: For Variety - Meats - Fruits - Vegetable

I use Precise or a good holistic canned dog foods* for variety (beef, chicken, liver, lamb, duck, fish, puppy). I mix a couple of tablespoons of canned meat with tepid temperature water and make a gravy. Then I top dress with one of the HONEST KITCHEN - an organic dehydrated raw meat /fruit/veggie mixe. I use about 10% of this in combination with my Eagle kibble.

*Do NOT use grocery store brand of canned food they are full of preservatives and 4D meats (dead, diseased dying and disabled) and they give the dogs stinky gas and are full of unhealthy fillers. NO homemade concoctions of meat/rice combinations that you make up at home, they are very unbalanced in their calcium and phosphorus levels and can cause growth problems.

The Honest Kitchen dehydrated raw dog food is what I use to provide a 10% raw component to my dogs Eagle kibble. It is balanced in calcium and phosphorus ratios which are very important in growing and elderly dogs!

I like the EMBARK which has a raw organic turkey, fruits and veggies and sometimes I will use PREFERENCE, which is strictly fruits/veggies and herbs.

EMBARK 29% protein - 16% fat - Organic Turkey, Flaxseed, Potatoes, Celery, Spinach, Carrots, Coconut, Apples, Kelp, Eggs, Sesame Seeds, Bananas, Cranberries, Rosemary.

PREFERENCE
: 12% protein 5 % fat - Alfalfa, sweet potatoes, cabbage, celery, apples, spinach, organic kelp, coconut, bananas, zucchini, and honey.

One- 4 lb bag will make up to 17 lbs of moist meat/fruits and veggies and if used to top dress your kibble you can see it goes a long way. The Honest Kitchen dog food and Eagle Pet Foods are endorsed by the Whole Dog Journal.

To order call 765-287-8288 ~ and to order online go to www.firstchoicenaturals.com

Amounts I use of Honest Kitchen :

8-10- weeks - 1 Tablespoon each meal
11-16 weeks - 4-Tablespoons divided AM and PM meal
5 - 6 mo - 1/4 cup AM and PM
7 - 8 mo 1/4 - 1/3 cup l AM and PM meal
9 mo - Adults - 1/2 daily - 1 cup Divided AM and PM


IF you want to do your own fruits and veggies here are some suggestions

FRUITS &VEGETABLE: This is a list of recommended foods to use in moderation:

yogurt, buttermilk berries melons, apples, banana, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, oranges, squash, sweet potato, green beans, zucchini - minced/diced/raw/cooked - they love frozen berries and melon balls!! Pulverized fresh veggies are best for digestion. NO raw onions, grapes or raisins, macadamia nuts.

Linda's Very Veggie Soup - 2 large cans of chicken or beef broth - (low sodium for heart or elderly dogs- or homemade). Add LOTS of veggies - carrots, green beans, wax beans, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower and couple cloves of garlic. The idea is to use this as the filler so you want it to be hearty and filling.


HOW I MIX MY DOG FOOD -

When introducing these to your adult dog, add each thing 2 days apart to make sure they are used to it before you add the next thing. Then you can add all in AM or divide between AM and PM meals.

I make gravy of tepid temp water and a little canned meat or top dress with Honest Kitchen mixture (at least with one meal a day) or your own fruits and veggies.

WATER ON KIBBLE - 1/4 - 1/3 cup water + 3-4 tablespoons canned meat. You want the food moist but not floating and sloppy (this is for large/giant breeds, reduce amount for smaller breeds accordingly).

Do not microwave, soak or use hot or very warm water on your kibble. It will destroy the integrity of the friendly yogurt type cultures and the fragile vitamins/minerals and amino acids on the food.

.

Drinking Water:
It is very important to
NEVER withhold water from your dog. This can lead to over consumption and bladder infections. Use common sense, do not let them drink excessively after exercise or dinner. Like a horse, let them cool down and then drink. I have found if I have water available in several places, they never overdo it since they know it is available to them when they need it. That way they drink less amounts of water, but more frequently.Withholding water for fear of bloat is a myth. Stress is the cause and bloat/torsion is the response. It is much more complicated that simply saying water is the cause of bloat.


Nutritional Support For Special Needs

Vaccine Reactions:

To help prevent this problem in all stages/ages, make sure they are on 4 in 1 Probiotics or Filling N The Wholes
and Nzymes.

Anesthethesia / Surgery:
This is important information about anesthetics and giant breeds. Print out for your vet. Also for any elective surgery, i.e., spay, neuter or emergency surgery such as bloat/torsion. I use Nzymes to detoxify and help with fast healing.
|
Heart Problems:
If you own a giant breed or one prone to heart problems it is recommended that you use the highest quality protein food and supplement with these components. These are nutritional substances from food sources and do not conflict with medications or each other and are good to use for heart disease. Supplements for Heart Disease.
2) Taurine and L- Carnitine - Two amino Acids are critical to strengthen the heart -
You can get these from the health food store. Make sure you select a very good brand so they are usable by the body.

Taurine 100 mg a day
L-Carnitine 100 - 200 mg a day

These dosages are taken from the newest textbook Small Animal Clinical Nutrition and would be increased if the dog had been diagnosed with actual cardiomyopathy.
3) Colostrum - this amazing product will regenerate and rejuvenate the immune function as well as heart muscle. It is highly recommended for dogs with cardio.
I order mine from www.firstchoicenaturals.com

Section C - Support Information - HOMEWORK

Read this: Does My Vet Understand Nutrition?

Vaccines

There are several articles and photos of vaccine reactions at this website. You need to know how to prevent vaccine reactions, because vaccine reactions in some breeds will kill your dog in a slow agonizing death known as Immune Mediated Response, which is always misdiagnosed as HOD. So, here is info:


Special Alert - Antibiotic Reactions in Great Danes and Other Breeds.

Sulfonamide Antibiotics
Based on information gained from the National Bone Survey, I do not recommend using Sulfonamide* antibiotics to my puppy buyers because these drugs can cause serious side-effects like sloughing of skin and internal bleeding and HOD-like symptoms including;
fever, aching joints, swollen joints, lack of mobility, depression and anorexia. The following antibiotics are sulfonamides.
    • Ditrim
    • Primor
    • Tribrissin
    • Bactrim
    • TMZ
    • TMP/SDZ
Another commonly used, potentially troublesome antibiotics is Cephalexin (Keflex, Cefa-Tabs). This can also produces the same symptoms as HOD (fever,swollen/hot joints, immobility, anorexia) even in adult dogs. I will use Chephalexin, but with a watchful eye and if the dog starts acting lethargic and achy, we stop the antibiotic, since they are sensitive to it. Call the vet for an alternative antibiotic and make sure you are using a good Probiotic product to keep the digestive tract functioning properly.
I will not use Sulfonamides drugs on my dogs. A reaction can happen from 24 hours - 2 weeks of being on an antibiotic. If there is a reaction, my vet recommends Dexamethsone/Azium and discontinue use or antibiotic.

Fleas - Heartworm

I use Interceptor as a heartworm preventative - I will not use Ivemection/Heart Guard on Great Danes as they are genetically a sighthound.

For flea and tick problems I use a topical product- either Frontline Plus or Advantage, Advantix or Frontline products. I do rotate a different one each year. If you want to use all natural products, I like the Liquid Net® for Pets, fleas and ticks spray.

ALL NATURAL - No harmful chemicals like pyrethrins and pyrethoids which can cause neurological problems, seizures and death in many dogs and cats. Great sprayer too!


I feel a bit better about using them and because the dogs/cats and myself are also on Nzymes, which detoxifies the body.


Special Alert - Other Breeds:

For Collie/Sheltie/Aussie and Sighthound Owners (can effect some Great Danes)

For those people who own Collies, Shelties, Sighthounds, Aussies, Border Collies, any breeds with Collie background or mixed breeds with any of these dogs in them, it is critical that you know there are certain medications your dogs CAN'T take. Do not leave it up to your vet to know this..YOU must print this out and know it - it is a matter of life or death.

These dogs have a sensitivity to Ivermectin (Heartguard Heartworm medication. Only use Interceptor heart worm preventative. Other related drugs you can not use on these breeds or there will be neurological damage.

Other related drugs you can NOT use:

Metronidazole (which is used for diarrhea and giardia)
Flagyl

Torbutol
Butorphanol
Morphine
Acepromazine
Ivermectin - Heart Guard

There are many different types of drugs that have been reported to cause problems in Collies, ranging from over-the-counter antidiarrheal agents like Imodium® to antiparasitic and chemotherapy agents. It is likely this list will grow to include more drugs as our research progresses.

Drugs that have been documented, or are strongly suspected to cause problems in dogs with the MDR1 mutation:
Ivermectin (antiparasitic agent)
Loperamide (Imodium®; over-the-counter antidiarrheal agent)
Doxorubicin (anticancer agent)
Vincristine (anticancer agent)
Vinblastine (anticancer agent)
Cyclosporin (immunosuppressive agent)
Digoxin (heart drug)
Acepromazine (tranquilizer)
Butorphanol (pain control)
Potential Problem Drugs
The following drugs may potentially cause problems when given to dogs that have the mutation. Biochemical studies have shown that this gene has the potential to act on over 50 different drugs.
Ondansetron
Domperidone
Paclitaxel
Mitoxantrone
Etoposide
Rifampicin
Quinidine

Morphine
Washington State University College of Veterinary Medicine
Veterinary Clinical Pharmacology Laboratory
PO Box 2280
Pullman, WA 99165-2280
(Phone/FAX 509-335-3745)
VCPL@vetmed.wsu.edu

Additional Support For The Adult Dog:
Go here for Spay and Neuter information
Go here for leaky bladder information
Go here for anal gland problems
Go here: For other articles that pertain to Adult Dog Care


 

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