Our story begins back in 2001 when we brought home a little bundle of joy named Willow—a seven week old German Shepherd puppy. Immediately we noticed that she had a terrible case of diarrhea and seemed lethargic. We took her to our veterinarian and she immediately fell asleep on the table during her exam. Our vet was concerned and immediately started lab tests. Willow was diagnosed with giardia and coccidia. She was started on antibiotics and we were instructed to put her on a bland diet of chicken and rice.
Over the next few weeks, we saw some minor improvements, but the diarrhea never fully cleared up. We were given additional doses of antibiotics, but the problem still continued. Further lab tests were done and Willow was diagnosed with campylobacter. Even more antibiotics were prescribed.
We tried dozens of different dog foods and various supplements to no avail. We paid hundreds of dollars for numerous lab tests. Nothing seemed to work. As any animal lover knows, it is heartbreaking when you watch your pet suffer and can offer no relief. I found myself searching the internet and reading any available literature. I learned that there is a wonderful, caring dog community out there and that people are eager to share their knowledge and success stories and I was willing to try almost anything.
In all this time, Willow had difficulty gaining weight. Her coat was dull and shed profusely. Finally, as a last resort, our veterinarian suggested exploratory surgery. Before we approved the surgery, we were discussing the problem with our dog trainer and she suggested trying a raw diet. She had had some success with feeding a raw diet to her dogs. We immediately tried her recipe, and…..
THE DIARRHEA CLEARED UP IN 48 HOURS!
After months of trying everything possible, this was unbelievable. Willow gradually began to gain weight. Her coat and muscle tone improved dramatically. Willow went on to live a happy, healthy life for many more years. I truly believe we would have lost her if not for this diet.
We began feeding this diet to all our dogs and saw a decrease in seasonal allergy symptoms…no more scratching and flaking! Feeding a raw diet is by no means a miracle cure for all dogs; however, many people have had great success with this approach.
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