Greatdane Approved » Health

BARF diet update

n8blls — Tue, 20 Apr 2010 03:39:32 +0000

After trying the BARF diet with my great danes for a couple of weeks I must share my findings. And, give some feed back as to how effective it was.

First I must say that the dogs loved the BARF diet but I did not. It took a lot of work and while I love my danes I find it difficult to dedicate the time necessary to carry out the BARF diet.

I have started feeding my great danes once a day because that is the only way I can successfully control their trips to the bathroom. For one this is also a weight control issue, for the other it doesn’t really matter how much he eats, he just stays skinny.

Breakfast time at the dane house was wild for awhile. As soon as the beast caught a whiff of whatever was being served up they went ballistic. I usually fed them some sort of raw meat, usually with bones. Sometimes it would be organ meat other times it would be chicken breast or something more traditional.

Eggs and yogurt where a very easy addition and they seemed to not even realize that they had been added. These food stuffs were just inhaled with the rest of the grub.

I added pureed fruit and veggies on occasion but this was less common simply because I feed the great danes before I drink my coffee and I don’t think far enough ahead to prepare in bulk.

My findings were simple. I saw some increase in energy and the coats of the dogs seemed to improve. This could have been my perception based on expectations but I am certain I saw the dane that has a hard time putting on weight add a little bit of muscle.

I also have absolutely no doubt that the danes absolutely loved the BARF diet. Dogs love meat, they are carnivores. My well trained dogs went from being able to sit while drooling for dry dog food to plowing me down in a mad furry to get to a bowl full of chicken liver and eggs.

Giving the dogs bones also seemed to be very effective at cleaning their teeth. I noticed less plaque on their teeth after a couple of long chewing sections. Problems with the bones though are that they are a mess. The dogs dragged them all over the house and my wife went nuts cleaning up bone fragments and blood. I also found that the dogs regurgitate undigestible bone fragments, which can be pretty disgusting.

The BARF diet seemed to interrupt the dogs regular doggie doo cycle and when you are dealing with 130 lbs beast this can be a fairly bad deal. Keeping it regular and keeping it outside is usually a good idea.

Feeding two dogs went from around $60 per month to a couple hundred per month. Great danes don’t eat as much as people originally expect based on their size and they already cost enough in other aspects so I really don’t see the benefit of feeding them like this on a regular basis. The benefits I saw from feeding the great danes the BARF diet were really not worth the expense or the effort, but I will give them raw treats from time to time.

Dog Ramps for the Great Dane

n8blls — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 05:47:06 +0000

It is not arguable that great danes are some of the best dogs out there. Anyone who has owned a great dane has absolutely no doubt that they have excellent temperament and fabulous personalities. They instantly become part of the family and before too long have usually convinced you that they belong on the furniture as much as you. If danes have a downfall it is their short life spans. Their large bodies unfortunately age faster than many other breeds so it is imperative that they be well taken care of.

Of the many things you can do to extend the life of a great dane such as proper diet and making sure they get plenty of exercise a dog ramp is also a fabulous option. While children often think that the big beast are perfect for ridding their backs are one of the most vulnerable points on a big dog like this. They have lots of weight pulling down in the middle and a long span to hold up. Because of their large size they commonly step up and down onto pretty large things which adds a high level of stress to the spine.

As big dogs age common things like getting up onto a bed or into a car can begin to be very difficult and painful. Hips and backs suffer the most and to extend life, improve quality of life, and avoid future problems it is imperative to use all of your options.

Aside from the benefits to the dog there are benefits to the owner as well. Lifting a large dog into a care can be a challenge and cause you to have back problems of your own. Possible injuries to your large pet are costly and traumatic, not to mention time consuming. Avoid these issues with dog ramp and see your pet into old age

Skin Allergies

n8blls — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 16:40:32 +0000

While a healthy Great Dane may remind you of a chiseled Olympic athlete Danes are not famous for their health. Their short hair is a blessing and a curse. It is easy to take care of, requires little maintenance, no cutting, does not hold dirt, but as a rule short haired dogs are more prone to skin allergies.

The most common of the allergies which I appropriately call bald butt, not sure about the scientific name, seems to appear during hotter weather or when a Great Dane is stressed. I have seen it happen with both of our adopted Danes the first year we had them and return only mildly in following years. The only remedy that I have found to work for any extended period of time is a steroid sot administered by the vet. This is not the cheapest option and you have to watch out for accidents afterwards but it is effective. Repeated bathing seems to make the problem worse.

Another common problem is the muzzle acne, which I have also seen in both Danes in their first years and is aggravated by similar circumstances. Acne is pretty gross and is characterized by pustules around the mouth and on the chin. Danes usually seem oblivious to pain but they seem to be bothered by this particular affliction. The steroid shot is temporarily effective for this outbreak but thankfully it is more easily treatable. A simple application of vinegar, usually just once or twice should clear this up no problem. I just wet a paper towel and wipe down the muzzle. The Great danes don’t appreciate this much but it does work like a charm.

Ingrown hairs are also fairly common and not easily diagnosed by someone unfamiliar with Danes. They most commonly occur on the hip (high friction areas) and appear as big growths, almost like a tumor. The best solution for these suckers is simple. Put on safety glasses and squeeze. The dog is usually oblivious and when it pops it is freakishly cool, blood, pus and hair pop out. Not for the faint of heart but a small price to pay for a Great Dane lover and sickenely addictive. After the eruption apply some antibacterial ointment and do it again in a few days. When the growth flattens out and softens to the touch quit with your sick addiction and let the poor beast grow some hair.