Diet for arthritis and sensitive stomach

 Wow, that could almost be my dog!  He had arthritis and joint problems and has a stomach that requires just a certain mix of ingredients to be happy.  I've had a ton of good response by putting him on a homecooked meal plan.  I had a consult with a veterinary nutritionist and she developed one that is balanced so that he gets all that he needs but it's also tailored to his stomach issues and his joint issues.  If cost isn't an issue, that might be your best approach.  If you can find a teaching veterinary university, the nutrition department might be willing to do a consult for you.  It cost me $100 to do a consult with mine and she got info from his treating vets first to be sure she had all info needed.

His diet consists of instant oatmeal, pureed peas and carrots, and canned salmon along with supplemental vitamins to balance it and supplements such as a liquid glucosamine mix, turmeric and ginger for the inflammation and joint problems.  My dog requires a bunch of additional fiber to combat his chronic diarrhea so he also gets psyllium husks and Fiber One cereal, but that's just because we discovered what works for him.

If you don't have access to a vet university, your veterinarian might be able to refer  you to a holistic vet that might work with you.  I'm sure others will be along to recommend some online nutritionists.  I prefer to work with vets but some have had good response to the diets these online sources have developed for around the same price.  I also prefer to go with homecooked because of all the recalls and the changes in ingredients and formulations that happens with commercial food.  A change in ingredients can really throw both of my dogs for a loop and I prefer to be the one in control.  It doesn't take that long to make up their meals and their health really shows the benefits!

Good luck! 

For an online nutritionist, you can check out www.betterdogcare.com.

I would say that a special homecooked diet would be best, but if that isn't an option I would try to find a higher protein kibble. I have a dog with arthritis and going on Orijen really helped him stretch out his acupuncture visits. Is Nutra Joint a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement? I would definitely be giving gluco/chon along with the fish oil. As for the kibble, one option that would be easy on the stomach is California Natural, but it isn't that high in protein. If you try the grain free route, I would stay away from EVO, as that is too rich for many dogs. When you say there are stomach problems, do you mean vomiting or diarrhea, or what?

Emma also has terrible arthritis, and has had it from a very young age. At 4 1/2, she moves better than she did at 2. Acupuncture was the answer, for her. Not using inflammatory foods is good, too, but if he can't eat it, it won't do him any good.

I do use Ark Naturals venison and rice "Sea Mobility" treats. Emma, at 20 lbs, eats one of the strips every day. It's a simple formula that works fine for her sensitive belly. The dose on the bag is a strip per 50 lbs, but since she has issues, I feel like she needs more than a maintenance dose. 

Feeding fresh foods made a big difference, for her, but that depends on whether you're able to do it and he's able to tolerate it. Emma gets very few grains (actually.... just the rice in her joint treats, and a smidge of table scraps), and her vegetable matter is focused on anti-inflammatory stuff like ginger and yucca. She gets some greens, a few berries for antioxidants, and that's about it. Lots of fresh meat, fish oil, vit e... She's looking pretty incredible.

Folks with arthritis may tend to avoid gluten, not just grains. Rice is a gluten-free grain, along with quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat, millet, cornmeal, and tapioca. 

Cheryl 

 BUT high carb diets are inflammatory, more for some individuals than others. High carbs doesn't seem to bother me. I thrive on it. Emma, however, gets quite inflamed if her carbs get too high. It varies from individual to individual. Emma's arthritis is significantly more advanced than mine, so.... I'm sure that makes a difference.

DanielleNY

Is Nutra Joint a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement? I would definitely be giving gluco/chon along with the fish oil.

NutraJoint is mostly cartilage and calcium (it's gelatin and calcium) -- there is one variety that comes with glucosamine/chondroitin but I haven't found it all that helpful (I've had rheumatoid since I was a kid -- I've had MANY arthritic animals so yep I understand!!)

Glucosamine/chondroitin is a hydrator.  That means it takes whatever cartilage is there and it "plumps" it up (like Adequan or Cosequin do as pharmaceuticals).  BUT in order to do that there has to be SOME joint tissue there.  And it can only 'plump up' so much. 

NutraJoint actually helps the body re-build cartilage.  It's not fast - usually takes about 3 months for it to work.  It simply puts the basic ingredients at the body's disposal so it actually begins to rebuild cartilage.

I'm not knocking G/C at all -- it's just sometimes there isn't enough cartilage there TO work with. 

Now to answer the original question here:

I'm not going to say high protein.  That would be an individual call.  My concern is high protein is going to give the dog SO much energy that it needs to burn off and may not be able to. It can be like giving a dog rocket fuel with no where to go.  And with an arthritic dog, no WAY to burn it off.  That could make a grumpy dog. 

I home cook (in fact I home cook for three, soon to be four, dogs and some have different needs).  But I'll tell you -- it's the best way to help a dog like this.  Soooo put just a bit of the food as a topper on the others kibble.  You don't have to feed them ALL home cooked.

 I cook ONCE a week.  Then portion it out. 

You can do awesome things with homecooked - even stuff like yucca can help SO much (it's a natural steroid -- you don't want to over-do it but it sure can help.)  There are things that are good and things that are bad.  You DO NOT want to use stuff like spinach, mustard greens (high in oxalic acid) -- in fact you'll want to use a sweet potato base rather than a white potato base (because again -- white potato actually has a lot of oxalic acid and that makes arthritis worse).

But there are things, like bok choy, that are super for arthritis. 

Even just such a simple thing as chamomile tea -- steep a cup of chamomile strong -- and add it to supper.  Tear open the bag and add the wet herbs.  It will help settle the tummy while it helps as a mild nsaid. 

Try to ditch the classic nsaids -- they are heck on the liver, and you can do better with naturals without the side effects.  Eventually you're going to trash the liver and stomach with the pharmaceutical nsaids -- but you won't with most of the herbs and such.  If you are giving nsaids like Rimadyl, deramaxx, etc. -- then you need to be giving gonzo doses of milk thistle just to help the body cope and detox.

If you give a relaxant - something like valerian or St. John's Wort WITH the nsaid, you can cut the amount of nsaid in half.  Because the relaxant will help the nsaid be more effective with less tension.  (when you hurt you tense up -- then bone rubs on bone MORE and hurts more and does more damage)

Not all herbs are risk-free -- things like white willow bark are pretty serious nsaids, BUT they also cause the same stomach bleeding that all the big guns nsaids do. 

Slippery elm will help the stomach -- it will help calm down the inflammation so the stomach can heal.    doesn't taste bad -- can be added to food.  Aloe too (liquid aloe) is also a super good addition to the diet to help heal the stomach.

I've got a recipe for a "slippery elm cocktail" my holistic vet prescribes when she suspects a dog may have a stomach irritated by nsaids or even an ulcer:

2 -- add 1 rounded tsp. of ground slippery elm (stir in well - it likes to glop)

3 -- let cool totally

4 -- add 1/8 c. + 2 tablespoons of aloe juice

5 -- add 10 drops of chlorophyll

6 -- Add 2-3 capsules (open the caps) of acidolpholus

Use a baby syringe and give a full syringe half hour before meals.  This stuff helps a sore tummy SOOOOO MUCH.

I've got a whole arthritis article -- email me (I can't pm it -- it's in a word document) and I'll send it to you.

Please don't discount acupuncture and massage -- they can be your best friend!!

calliecritturs

My concern is high protein is going to give the dog SO much energy that it needs to burn off and may not be able to. It can be like giving a dog rocket fuel with no where to go. 

I see you say this a lot, and I'm not saying you're wrong, but that has not been my experience at all. Cherokee and Jaz are both on higher-protein kibble (Core..I think it's 32% protein?) with added meat, and neither is more hyper or grumpy than when they were on a low-protein kibble (California Natural, 21%). Cherokee's eaten 42% protein kibble with absolutely no ill effects (Jaz gets diarrhea). They both have much better muscle mass and usually have less body fat on a high-protein diet, with no change in the amount of exercise done.

You are right to be concerned.  Inflammation of the joints and gastrointestinal irritation can be closely related.  I had a similar puzzlement with my pup Lynn, plus her age (still growing), and the fact that her growth patterns are that of a giant breed, as best I can tell.

I decided to consult with Mordanna and I've been really pleased with the result.  It was nice to let someone else do the research for once - this is a very busy time and I could just relax and know Mordanna was doing it right.  I got my recipe, which I had requested to be as simple as possible, and off we went!

She gave me foods that were beneficial to help heal her touchy tummy, and we used raw meaty bones and meats that are easier to digest.  Plus she stayed within the bounds of what I could obtain easily.  She also recommended a couple of supplements.

I'd highly recommend a "whole health" nutrition expert like her, or Monica Segal (I'm reading her latest book right now - slowly, I've got a ton on my plate ATM!). 

Two bags of a premium dog food right now is going to run you $50 or more.  Let's say that's a month's worth of food for the average medium sized dog.  I've calculated the cost of doing it myself at about the same or less.  You have to figure in the cost of the consult but if you amortize it over 12 months, you're looking at less than $10 a month extra.  Then in the future it's paying for itself.  The cost of dog food rises faster than fresh people foods, especially if you can get bulk meats like cases of beef heart or chickie feets.

And the cost in savings in vet bills - well, at today's prices, there's no comparison.  This year Ben avoided his annual "crash" during allergy season, which alone saved us about $700.  As I was just saying to someone tonight, I wish I had consulted with a holistic care expert years ago, someone who easily sees the big picture and would have picked up on his particular combination of issues, and avoid a lot of the trial and error it took me and my conventional vets to figure it out. 

why would high protein diet cause high energy?  high carb diets are much more likely to cause hyper behavior.

I don't understand why the presence of other dogs in the home should factor into the decision to switch to raw or not. Surely you feed them separately now? they don't have to be crated, just fed out of different bowls. If you're free-feeding kibble you should re-consider; one of the most important ways you can help an arthritic dog is by keeping the dog very lean which rarely happens in free-feeding households.

I *know* many on here don't agree with me, but this is largely experiential with me -- and you have to remember, I DO *****NOT***** FEED KIBBLE!!!  So less protein does *not* mean more carbs.  I would never tell someone to simply feed a higher carb kibble -- but I would tell them they could decrease the protein using veggies (and perhaps, as I said above, using veggies that can really help the situation in addition).

I've had several *very* geriatric dogs (like 19 to 21 years), and many more arthritic pets - it's more than just less protein = more carbs.  That's not how it should be.

Much of it has to do with how much protein the dog USES ... things like urinalysis results and preventing protein in the urine and kidney problems that can result. 

In my experience higher protein hasn't equaled "rocket fuel". The oldest is more playful, he used to just mope before. He can run with the others, but none of them are bouncing off the walls. They are locked up for 8 hrs a day, and aren't overly active when I get home. Just normal behavior. Even on the weekend I don't notice any exorbitant energy levels. I'm just saying it's helped my oldest seem like a playful middle-aged dog instead of a lazy old dog.

I'm not going to say high protein.  That would be an individual call.  My concern is high protein is going to give the dog SO much energy that it needs to burn off and may not be able to. It can be like giving a dog rocket fuel with no where to go.  And with an arthritic dog, no WAY to burn it off.  That could make a grumpy dog. 

I would definitely feed an arthritic dog a very high protein diet. It doesn't "give energy"- energy comes from carbs first, fat second, and protein a distant third; what protein does is build muscle. Which arthritic dogs, and older dogs, and well, all dogs, NEED. Swimming is a really good way to exercise a structurally compromised dog.....

I have to go with the higher protein advocates on this one.

1. A dog needs protein to build lean muscle which supports degenerating joints.
2. A well-conditioned dog will stay active and participate in low impact exercise, which is important for mild to moderate joint problems
   
3. Protein is NOT "Rocket fuel" - this notion has long, long been debunked both by peer review study and through the experience of handlers of dogs that really do need "rocket fuel."  Hard working dogs do best on diets high in fat and carbs - with a macronutrient profile of around 30-20-45.  Very hard working dogs - sled dogs being the prime example, eat diets that are very fat heavy.  For winter conditioning, many stockdog handers borrow products from the sledding world to provide energy for their dogs, and the favorites are glucose and fat supplements.

high carb diets are inflammatory, more for some individuals than others.

 
Yep yep, because when simple sugars (processed carbs, as in kibble) are broken down, they eventually become AGEs, or advanced glycosylatred end-products. These aren't a big deal in small to moderate proportions, because the body can generally do an all right job of clearing them. However, in large amounts (i.e. feeding low-protein, high carb kibble every day for years and years) they are very prone to both buildup in tissue and joints over time, and contributing the stimulating an slow-burn, long inflammatory response.

But again, you need to balance protein intake with how well the dog can excrete it. Not all kidneys are created equal. High protein diets do not *cause* renal problems, but they will exacerbate renal problems *that already exist*. So just something to keep in mind. Overall though, I go with the high protein crowd.