adding stuff to the dog's diet, wanted to hear your thoughts

[finn's mom]

Ok, I just wanted to see if anyone else had ever heard of this or if anyone else fed their dogs this nutritional support. I just found it at the grocery store I work at, and we bought it for the three dogs. The brand is Udo's Choice and it's called Pet Essentials for Dogs (an all-vegetarian nutritional support for pets with EFAs, Fiber, Enzymes & Phytonutrients). It comes in powder form and I put it in once a day in their nightly meals.

Here's the guaranteed analysis: not less than 25% crude protein, not less than 15% crude fat, and not more than 8% crude fiber and not more than 10% moisture.

Here are the ingredients:

Each 16oz contains a proprietary blend of: Udo's Seed Cake (flax seed*, defatted flax seed*, sunflower seed*, defatted sunflower seed*, sesame seed*, defatted sesame seed*, rice germ, rice bran, oat germ, oat bran), rice bran, carrot, whole golden flaxseed*, tomato, ginger, sprouted soybean, barley grass*, beet, chrysanthemum, Digestive Enzyme Blend (protease, lipase, amylase, cellulase, maltase, glucoamylase, invertase, pectinase, phytase, lactase), lemon grass, parsley, alfalfa*, artichoke, broccoli, burdoc, hawthorn berry, kale, kelp*, milk thistle, red clover yucca schidigera extract, dandelion root, dandelion leaf, oat grass, rosemary, sage, thyme, rye grass*, bee pollen, chlorella, dulse.

*certified organic

This is what it says on one side of the bottle:

Udo's Choice Pet Essentials for Dogs is rich in certified organic seeds, whole foods, herbs, greens, trace minerals and phytonutrients in their unaltered, natural state to give your pet optimum nutrition for maintaining an active, energetic lifestyle. Fiber and enzymes help maintain regularity and support the digestive system. Organic flax seeds support the cardiovascular system, help maintain good muscle tone, and promote a healthy skin and glossy coat. Greens are rich in chlorophyll, minerals and trace elements. Pet Essentials contains no fillers, binders, or other non-nutrient ingredients. It has no preservatives or additives and is nitrogen-packed to ensure freshness.

Finn, as most of you know, eats a raw diet, consisting primarily of chicken leg quarters. He gets raw beef and pork as well. Freckles and Dudley eat a high quality kibble called Pinnacle. I usually throw them all what's left of fruit and veggies that I've eaten (like apple cores) or fruit and veggies I won't eat (like a bruised up banana that I would use in banana bread but that I wouldn't eat by itself). Lately, I've been throwing everything we don't eat (fruits and vegetables and their peelings and rinds, stale bread, etc) into a food processor and blending it all up with yogurt for all three dogs. It makes a good base to add that new powdered supplement to. And, I feel better that I'm not wasting food (they're like having a pig around, now, hahaha...or a compost pile). So, if celery gets a little too rubbery for our palate, it goes into the processor. I won't put anything in there with mold, but I have been throwing banana peels and cantalope rinds and orange peels in there, which are things that they typically wouldn't eat. Now, they do!

Anyway, I know there are certain things they shouldn't eat, like onions and grapes and chocolate of course. Any others I should know about? I'm going to do a search, too, because I know there are already threads covering that. But, I actually posted this thread to see what you all thought about the new supplement I got for them and about the new way I'm feeding them fruits and veggies. I like to get feedback when I make changes, just in case.

This new supplement I have is manufactured by Flora and their website is www.florahealth.com. The other site is www.udoerasmus.com (I haven't visited either, yet, but I will!).

Thanks if you actually read this!

[borzoimom]

Well I see two ingredients that raise an eyebrow- flax, and beet. However- the flax appears to be cooked in a cake- thats okay. The beet is so far down, and other things in there are a good addition- with tomato before the beet, and kale and kelp following . Also Rosemary, and hawthorn berry are good for the immune system as well. I also see no indication of a presevative that would be alarming. And stated as organic means the ingredients can not be treated prior to processing either. The digestive enzyme mix looks good as well.
Looks pretty good to me- let me know how it works out.. Picked out a good one to me!

[finn's mom]

What's wrong with flax? Everything I've ever read about it says it's a great addition to any animal's diet, including people. My mother-in-law just about adds it to anything she's baking. Not doubting what you know, just curious.

[borzoimom]

What's wrong with flax? Everything I've ever read about it says it's a great addition to any animal's diet, including people. My mother-in-law just about adds it to anything she's baking. Not doubting what you know, just curious.

Raw or fermented flax will make gas in the intestine. However- since its in a combination like the others, and states cake, its been cooked to some degree. When ingredients are listed in a chain in (....) that means they were combined, and " cake" means baked of some sort.
It really does look good. I am NOT easy to impress ( as you all know.. ) and so let me know how it goes. Galina soon will be bred, and she may need an additive. You got me interested- and I love the fact you do raw so that is more on the same plane of what I do to see if there is any changes.. The product I was considering for Galina was called " Structure" but yours looks like a broader base immune system support- and I like your choice better.

[finn's mom]

Raw or fermented flax will make gas in the intestine.

Ah, gotcha. I sent this information to my vet, too, to get her thoughts. She feeds raw to all of her pets, too and was the person who initially told me about the raw diet. I'll let you know what she says, too and ask her what her thoughts on flax are.

I will let you know how the dogs do with this new supplement.

[borzoimom]

Ah, gotcha. I sent this information to my vet, too, to get her thoughts. She feeds raw to all of her pets, too and was the person who initially told me about the diet. I'll let you know what she says, too and ask her what her thoughts on flax are.

I will let you know how the dogs do with this new supplement.

Please do me a favor- since your vet feeds this and knows the supplement- as well as feed raw ( my vets feed raw too but may not know this supplement like your vet does)- would you please ask your vet if she feels this would also be a good addition to a bitch in whelp. She may see something in it I cant.. pm me what she says.. ( and I posting this question here because others might have a bitch in whelp as well to know to check all supplements during this time..) BTW- Galina is in excellent health and weight etc.

[ramanth]

I've never heard of that before but it sounds pretty good.

I add this to Kia and Chipper's diet.


Seameal Powder w/ Flaxseed Meal

Product Description
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Seameal contains 60 trace minerals, 12 vitamins, 22 amino acids, digestive enzymes, and flaxseed meal. We recommend using Seameal with all our foods.

Protein, Min. 9%
Fat, Min. 10%
Fiber, Max. 13%
Moisture, Max. 12.2%


Ingredients
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Dried Seaweed Meal | Flaxseed Meal | Dehydrated Lemon Powder | Carotene | Chlorophyll | Vitamin B12 Supplement | Dried Asparagus Oryzae Fermentation Product | Dried Asperigillus Niger Fermentation Product | Pineapple | Lactose |

[Kfamr]

Sounds okay to me.

No worries about the flaxseed - it is completely fine. Whole, raw, flaxseeds are sort of like corn - they come out the same way they went in. But since this is in a powdered form, it is a great source of Omega-3 oils. Beet is okay too but often used as a filler. It's a quality fiber.

[sandragonfly]

quoted by kfmar
But since this is in a powdered form, it is a great source of Omega-3 oils.

yeah. omega-oil (cod liver, fish oil) is what I love about raw. as same to flaxseed. they even have flaxseed oil if you want. perfect skin & coat. especially he has annually allergies. I think it sooths crayola's tummy sometimes too.

[Kfamr]

quoted by kfmar
But since this is in a powdered form, it is a great source of Omega-3 oils.

yeah. omega-oil (cod liver, fish oil) is what I love about raw. as same to flaxseed. they even have flaxseed oil if you want. perfect skin & coat. especially he has annually allergies. I think it sooths crayola's tummy sometimes too.

Yep. The only problem with flaxseed is that it's from a plant and they cannot digest it. So, we've got to break the cell walls (ground, grinde, crush, etc.) for them to get the nutrients.

Both flaxseed and beet are often misunderstood by some.

[borzoimom]

Yep. The only problem with flaxseed is that it's from a plant and they cannot digest it. So, we've got to break the cell walls (ground, grinde, crush, etc.) for them to get the nutrients. .

That is exactly why I said only ground- not whole. .. look on page 1.

[Kfamr]

That is exactly why I said only ground- not whole. .. look on page 1.

Okay.. and your point?

I was just stating my opinion on the subject and the ingredients that "raise an eyebrow" for you.

[borzoimom]

Yep. The only problem with flaxseed is that it's from a plant and they cannot digest it. So, we've got to break the cell walls (ground, grinde, crush, etc.) for them to get the nutrients.

Both flaxseed and beet are often misunderstood by some.

If something is not digestable, it will cause gas in the gut. In a large breed dog, this can put too much gas in the intestine- one of the leading factors of bloat. Beet is also dangerious- unless the sugar is removed or it is in a cooked type combination.
I have been studying dog foods for over 20 years. .. .. .. ...

[Kfamr]

If something is not digestable, it will cause gas in the gut. In a large breed dog, this can put too much gas in the intestine- one of the leading factors of bloat. Beet is also dangerious- unless the sugar is removed or it is in a cooked type combination.
I have been studying dog foods for over 20 years. .. .. .. ...

Congratulations on studying dogs foods for over 20 years!

But, I do no see where you are going here. I stated that it was not digestable if whole.
I would imagine that, coming in a powedered form, it was cooked/processed somehow as it obviously doesn't come that way naturally.


If you're looking to argue, go eslewhere. We basically stated the same opinion, however, the way you've worded it is making it seem like someone's dog is going to keal over and die if fed beet or flaxseed (and you've made it sound that way in other threads.) When used in correct amount they are very beneficial to a dog.

She asked for people's opinions on the product, I was giving mine, and there's absolutely nothing wrong with it.

[lizbud]

If something is not digestable, it will cause gas in the gut. In a large breed dog, this can put too much gas in the intestine- one of the leading factors of bloat. Beet is also dangerious- unless the sugar is removed or it is in a cooked type combination.
I have been studying dog foods for over 20 years. .. .. .. ...

Is gas in the gut the same as a person being full of hot air?