The Importance of a Good Diet: A Cautionary Tale

sheshistory

Moderator
Jul 11, 2010
3,395
291
Vermont
Country
United States
Bulldog(s) Names
Bentley, Linus, Truman
This is a cautionary tale about the importance of keeping your bully on a STRICT high quality diet and carefully observing your bully and acting on anything you notice seems odd.

As most of you know, Linus suffered from chronic ear infections before I found this board and was educated about the importance of a good diet. After trying a number of different foods, Linus had great success on Natureā€™s Variety Instinct and currently eats NVI Limited Ingredient Formula ā€“ Lamb Flavor.

For Christmas, one of my dear friends got Linus and Truman peanut butter flavored snacks about the size of Wheat Thins. I noticed they were not grain free but I gave the bullies a few anyway. What hard could they cause? Other than wheat flour, they had very good ingredients and were fit for human consumption.

What a mistake.

About Ā¼ way through a 8 ounce bag, I noticed Linus getting an interdigital cyst. He hasnā€™t had one of those in years. Then I started to notice that I would startle Linus ā€“ almost like he didnā€™t hear me coming when he was resting. I didnā€™t think too much of it but then Linus started getting bad breath and something just seemed off. He was still eating and drinking fine and his ears didnā€™t look that bad so I let it go.

Another mistake.

Yesterday, when Linus tried to get up, he fell over. He walked around and seemed okay and then heā€™d try to get up on the couch and he fell over again. I tried to feed him a treat and he missed the treat and nipped my hand. I started to panic thinking he had a stroke or something horrible so I made a vet appointment and started researching. It soon became clear it was his ears.

Linus went to the vet this morning and had such a bad ear infection that his one ear was totally swollen shut and his equilibrium was thrown off (hence the stumbling) because the infection MAY have ruptured his ear drum and caused a middle ear infection. The vet could not tell yet because of the swelling.

Linus is on an antibiotic and an antifungal to clear up the infection as fast as possible and he continues to eat and drink well but Iā€™m trying to give him lots of rest. I hope he is better soon because, like all bully mamas, I hate seeing him sick.

All of this because of about a dozen, cracker sized treats that had wheat flour in them. I had really taken for granted the importance of feeding Linus the highest quality grain-free food. Learn from my mistake ā€“ those few ā€œbadā€ snacks can and do affect the over health of our bullies.
 

LisaMarie

New member
Community Veteran
Jan 13, 2011
1,184
96
Burlington, Vermont
Bulldog(s) Names
Mocha Bubbles
You are so right on. I really need to stop giving Mocha treats like that. She is on a great food ,grain free and limited ingredients but we dont think of the harm other treats can do. Thank you for reminding us!
 

karenben

New member
Apr 18, 2011
1,056
88
uk
Bulldog(s) Names
Hilda
poor linus,we love our dogs but we have to remember thats what they are DOGS ,some foods/treats are just not worth feeding ,its amazing just how quick a build up can happen in their systems with disasterous results,i hope linus is well soon,karen
 

cowsmom

..........
Apr 27, 2011
6,996
384
Virginia
Country
usa
Bulldog(s) Names
Sarah aka cow
oh my yes i so hope others read this and heed the warning. i watch all of sarahs food and treats as she has a yeast problem but it is so easy to forget about the harm something simple can do . thank you for posting this and i so hope that your bullys get better soon. :hug:
 

Biogirl71

Moderator
Nov 5, 2010
3,500
242
Cedar Rapids, IA
Bulldog(s) Names
Frank
Oh poor Linus! I hope he gets better soon...and thank you so much for reminding us the importance of every bit of food that goes into their mouths. We do so much research into their "main" food, then slack off when it comes to treats....my hubby and I are horribly guilty of this. Thank you for the wake-up call and I am so sorry that it came in the form of Linus getting a horrible ear infection. :(
 

KMARINO

I couldn't make this sh*t up if I tried!
Jul 21, 2010
7,219
728
Bradenton Fl.
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
VEGAS and REBEL
Poor Linus! as you know Vegas is on NVI too, but I am soooo guilty of giving him a "bite" of what I am eating. Not everytime but often enough. I need to quit giving him bites, and get him back to strickly his food and veggies/fruits only for his treats. I hope Linus heals quickly and thank you for reminding me that they are on this food for a reason.
 

2BullyMama

I'm not OCD....now who moved my bulldog?
Staff member
Community Veteran
Jul 28, 2011
48,581
3,673
Gilbertsville, PA
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Chelios (Frenchie), Nitschke (2004-2011) Banks (2005-2014) and Lambeau (2014-2024)
Thank you for sharing this important lesson.... it is one of the reasons I am so big on the allergy testing, this way you really know what could cause and issue and avoid it. I hope Linus heal sup quickly
 

Davidh

Head Pooper Scooper
Staff member
Mar 21, 2011
13,407
848
Katy, Texas
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
BeBe, Hazel, Lucy Lu, JLO, Hillary, Henri, & Katie
hope he recovers soon from his ear infection. Thanks for the reminder on the foods and treats we give them.
 

Alice Kable

New member
Community Veteran
Dec 17, 2010
4,423
281
Joseph, Oregon, United States
Bulldog(s) Names
Ruggles and Buster
Hopefully Linus is on his way to recovery. Thank you for sharing this lesson.
My husband poo-poos that I won't let Mack have treats with ingredients he's allergic to. Thanks to you and others he is on NVI Limited Ingredient Lamb; we are on the 3rd day transitioning him so he gets 1/2 cup with his version of bland diet (he can't have rice) morning and night. He is doing so well--no more rumble tummy!
 
OP
sheshistory

sheshistory

Moderator
Jul 11, 2010
3,395
291
Vermont
Country
United States
Bulldog(s) Names
Bentley, Linus, Truman
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #11
Thanks everybody!

[MENTION=1612]Alice Kable[/MENTION] Yeah, especially with all Mack's problems, I would talk to your husband ASAP! It doesn't take much.

Linus is in amoxicillan and ketoconazole for his ears. He is doing okay but still really off balance; it's so sad to watch. We're going for a follow up on Friday to see if the ear drum was ruptured and to make sure the infection is clearing up.
 

anatess

Well-known member
Jul 26, 2011
1,758
398
Country
US
Bulldog(s) Names
Bullie (RIP) & Angus (RIP)
Well wishes to Linus! This is such a great post.

Bullie mysteriously got let out of the house for almost 2 hours in which she might have ingested or just even touched something she is allergic to. It took us a week of medication to get her back to normal, both physically and psychologically. Yes, we are very vigilant with food and treats and even supplements and preventative meds. I was a basket case for a week!
 
L

Lucy-licious

Guest
Sending warm thoughts and hugs to Linus for a full recovery :hug:

Lucy has bits of her kibble as treats when she's a good girl and sometime just because, and she loves it :D it's the giving of the treat that's important not the treat itself. :hug: for Linus and you too xx
 

Saalwi

New member
Community Veteran
Jan 3, 2012
831
46
Cleveland, Ohio
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Schultz
I have a few people in my life...who refuse to adhere to my "don't feed my dogs anything but their approved food/treats" because they are allergic and will suffer from reactions to certain items. I get a lot of "a little taste won't hurt".... At this point I'm usually like, "so if I give you a little poison you'll be ok with swallowing it?" Thanks for reinforcing this zero-tolerance for known allergens...Hope your bully recovers quickly.
 

JeannieCO

Queenie
Mar 11, 2011
12,680
873
Tip of the Mitt, Michigan
Country
USA
Bulldog(s) Names
Emma, Charlie, Milo, Peekaboo and Jack
Poor Linus. I hope he gets well soon. One of the things I learned from here, and peeps like you that take the time to post your bully's experience that I may not have learned otherwise, is the importance of feeding quality snacks along with a quality food. It all made sense and now Wilson snacks strictly consist of a quality scooby snack or a kibble snack. Even the hubby has abided by this and he's the worst at wanting to give a side treat. :hug: to Linus!!
 

Most Reactions

šŸ“° Latest posts

Members online

No members online now.
Top