Off to the vet with Bennie again:(

[Vikinggirl]

Hi Petra. You could also try either home cooking his food with limited ingredients, or buying freeze dried. To boost his immune system, use Probiotics, you can buy probiotics in pill form, or use other sources such as plain yogurt, which a great source, Greek yogurt, which is the next best, or Kefir which has the highest amount of probiotics, but is more expensive. Adding ACV to either the drinking water or his kibble will also boost his immune system. Coconut Oil has many health benefits as well, and I have just started adding Kelp to their kibble as well. Rinsing his fur with vinegar and warm water will also help with many skin issues, it will condition the skin, but it is a natural antiseptic and will kill many bugs, parasites and bacterias.

 

[Petra]

Hi Petra. You could also try either home cooking his food with limited ingredients, or buying freeze dried. To boost his immune system, use Probiotics, you can buy probiotics in pill form, or use other sources such as plain yogurt, which a great source, Greek yogurt, which is the next best, or Kefir which has the highest amount of probiotics, but is more expensive. Adding ACV to either the drinking water or his kibble will also boost his immune system. Coconut Oil has many health benefits as well, and I have just started adding Kelp to their kibble as well. Rinsing his fur with vinegar and warm water will also help with many skin issues, it will condition the skin, but it is a natural antiseptic and will kill many bugs, parasites and bacterias.

Thank you I already use coconut oil and yogurt when I have... but I buy greek yogurt, I will remember to get normal plain next time and I will have to make sure I always have at home. I bought ACV yesterday to use to rinse him in but since the bumps are gone I can use it to put in the water so long. How much ACV in the water?

 

[Vikinggirl]

I use 1/2 warm water and 1/2 plain vinegar. ( you don't need to use apple cider vinegar for bathing, as it's too expensive, and plain vinegar is a good antibacterial to use as a bath rinse. Save the ACV for internal use, in either the food or the drinking water ). Rinse Bennie with the vinegar and water as a final rinse after shampooing. You can either rinse it off or you can leave it on. Have you ever tried to make your own yogurt at home?

 

[Petra]

I use 1/2 warm water and 1/2 plain vinegar. ( you don't need to use apple cider vinegar for bathing, as it's too expensive, and plain vinegar is a good antibacterial to use as a bath rinse. Save the ACV for internal use, in either the food or the drinking water ). Rinse Bennie with the vinegar and water as a final rinse after shampooing. You can either rinse it off or you can leave it on. Have you ever tried to make your own yogurt at home?

Ok that's good, I use normal vinegar to clean with so that I always have at home

I've never tried to make my own yogurt... if it's not to hard I'd like to try How do I do?

And how much ACV do I put in the drinking water?

 

[2BullyMama]

Thank you @Vikinggirl, will definitely try Rose Geranium Essential oil, it would be awesome if it's that simple





It is but I'm pretty sure the bleeding wound have nothing to do with the bumps. The wound was identified as staph, that a bird around here carries, and if a dogs immune system is low it can break out and since he had a bad reaction to a tick bite last year the bumps might come from that... I think the solution to the problem is to get his immune system stronger, but since he's SO sensitive changing foods have been a nightmare and we always end up going back to the original food.

We will go to the butcher this weekend and ask them if they can help us out, I want to try to feed him raw, or at least part raw with his original food. I think though he is sensitive to chicken... so we'll go for beef for him even though we don't eat it ourselves, he's a lucky bugger, I might have to steal some of his food

I'm gonna soak up some info from raw feeding threads first, I don't know anything about it

Best of luck with all this... staph is so hard to get rid of. Nitshcke used to get it and it would be weeks of a strong antibiotic before it would be gone. Unfortunately, I did mot have EBN to help with how to boost the immune system so drugs were my only course of action. Sending hugs and positive thoughts to you that you can work something out with the raw feeding.

 

[Petra]

Best of luck with all this... staph is so hard to get rid of. Nitshcke used to get it and it would be weeks of a strong antibiotic before it would be gone. Unfortunately, I did mot have EBN to help with how to boost the immune system so drugs were my only course of action. Sending hugs and positive thoughts to you that you can work something out with the raw feeding.

Thank you Luckily it only shows up on Bennie on rare occasions and it has never been more than one spot that's the size of a thumbnail. It's just strange that he gets it an none of the other 6 which I'm very thankful for of course. I've never had to treat him with antibiotics, the special shampoo has been enough, it's SUPER expensive but it's worth it not having to go to the vet and give him medicine.

 

[Vikinggirl]

Hi Petra, you can either make your own yogurt, I'll post a couple of recipes for you, or you can use a yogurt maker. I don't know if you can buy one in Africa. I have one made by Cuisinart. For the ACV in the water, I add 1 Tbsp in their water dish everyday, or sometimes I don't measure anymore, I just pour a " glub" in. My guys have add this since they were 10 weeks old, so they don't know anything else and don't mind the taste or smell. You may find Bennie won't drink the water because he doesn't like the smell of the vinegar, if this happens, you can add it to his kibble. Just don't put in the kibble with the yogurt, as the vinegar will sour and curdle the yogurt. Add the yogurt to the morning kibble, and the ACV to the evening kibble. It's okay to put ACV and coconut oil or other oil like salmon oil together, so both these can be added to the evening kibble.


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Make Your Own Yogurt


Tuesday March 19, 2013 in RECIPES




Making your own yogurt is not only cheap, it guarantees you know what's going into your body. Give it a try!




Milk to Yogurt in 10 Easy Steps


Step One: To make yogurt, you need yogurt. This is considered live culture. You don't need a lot. Make sure your culture is made from only milk and active bacteria.


Step Two: Find a suitable container. Glass jars are nice and old yogurt containers work too. Make sure your container is super clean.


Step Three: Bring 4 cups of milk to a boil in the microwave or on the stove. If using the stove, keep an eye on the pot and stir regularly so it doesn't burn. Once your milk has boiled, remove it from the heat (or microwave).


Step Four: Let your milk cool on your counter to a lukewarm temperature. You should be able to hold a clean finger in it for twenty seconds. If you have a candy thermometer aim for 100 degrees F.


Step Five: Put 1 tablespoon of your live culture into your container. Slowly pour lukewarm milk into the container and gently stir. Seal your container (lightly) with the lid.


Step Six: Gently place your yogurt into an incubation contraption. You can line a loaf pan with tea towels and stand your container in it, then wrap it nicely with the towels. If you have a tea cozy that would work well too. The key here is to keep the temp of your yogurt as consistent as possible so it can set. Wrap it up nice a snug and don't jostle it too much!


Step Seven: Place your yogurt (gently!) in your oven and turn the oven light on. Again, this will help to keep the temp of your yogurt more consistent during the setting phase.


Step Eight: Be patient and let your yogurt incubate for at least four hours. The longer you leave it the tangier and more acidic it will become. You'll notice more whey (liquid) separate the longer it is left to set.


Step Nine: Remove your jar from the incubator (you'll be able to tell right away if your yogurt has set properly), seal the container tightly and put it into the fridge to cool.


Step 10: Enjoy! And, remember... you can now use the yogurt you made as live culture for your next homemade batch. Jazz up your homemade creation with fruit, honey, or eat it straight up!

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Yogurt. Who knew it was so easy to make at home? Not me. Every time I read a recipe for making yogurt it always required special equipment that I didn’t have. Until now. And you know what? It is so easy and yummy. And, so much cheaper (by at least half)! Plus you can make regular or Greek yogurt depending on what you fancy that week.


We go through a lot of yogurt. We enjoy it in fruit bottom yogurt, smoothies, muesli, cooking, baking, desserts, popsicles and parfaits. We especially love Greek yogurt, but it’s so expensive and all they really do is drain out the whey for you. After trying this recipe, I’m converted. It’s so simple, I’m hoping you will be to.


All you do is heat up milk, let it cool a bit, stir in 2 teaspoons of prepared yogurt, tuck it into your oven for night and in the morning you wake up to homemade yogurt. See? Easy peasy. Get on this!


EASY HOMEMADE YOGURT (& GREEK YOGURT)



Greek yogurt is thicker and less tart then regular yogurt, and is made by simply straining out the whey. You can decide which way you like it.
Makes: 7 cups Reguar Yogurt | 4 cups Greek Yogurt



INGREDIENTS


2 quarts milk (your desired %)
2 teaspoons yogurt (with live cultures)



INSTRUCTIONS


Warm the milk in a medium-sized saucepan, stirring often, until the temperature reaches between 175-180ºF. Allow milk to cool, stirring occasionally, until the temperature reaches between 100-115ºF. Whisk in the yogurt and pour mixture into a large ceramic or glass bowl, or round casserole dish.


Starting with a cold oven, turn on the heat for one minute just to take the chill off. Cover the bowl of milk/yogurt with plastic wrap or a lid; wrap with a couple kitchen towels and place in the oven, with the oven light on (to keep it warm). Let inoculate for 8-12 hours or until thickened into yogurt. Stir and store in the fridge for regular unsweetened yogurt or strain out the whey for Greek yogurt.



To make Greek yogurt


Line a fine mesh sieve with cheesecloth, a clean dish cloth, or coffee filters. Set this over a large bowl. Pour yogurt into the cloth-lined sieve. Allow to strain for about an hour or until the consistency you like (that’s the best part about homemade yogurt, you can make it how you like!). If you are not straining it immediately after you make it, or you will be leaving the house, you can put it in the fridge, it will take a little longer to drain but that’s no biggy. Once drained, pour into a storage container and whisk to smooth it out. Store, covered, in the fridge.
Will keep for at least one week in the fridge.



GOOD TO KNOW


If your homemade yogurt is fresh enough you can use it as the starter next time. To do this easily, without feeling like you constantly need to be making a fresh batch of yogurt, you can freeze a tablespoon of your fresh homemade yogurt to save as a starter so you can have it on hand to make it when it works best for you.
If you make Greek yogurt you can either discard the whey or put it to use with these smart ideas.