=========================

 In light of all this, there are several things that you can do to make sure that the rescue you are considering is legitimate.

First, if the rescue claims to be a 501(c)(3), you can double check this using the Guidestar website. Guidestar can show you vital information such as the non-profit’s mission statement and recent 990 tax filings. The rescue’s 990 will show you even more information, such as how the organization is funded and how much the organization spends on administration and fundraising versus costs directly related to the animals’ care.

Second, a rescue claiming to be a non-profit may have additional state regulations and obligations. For instance, all Virginia non-profits must register with VDACS’s Department of Consumer Affairs to solicit as a charitable organization. You can check whether the rescue is registered to solicit using the Department of Consumer Affairs’ website.

Third, check to see if the rescue is complying with its state registration or reporting obligations. In Virginia, rescues must register and report data annually to VDACS and the Office of the State Veterinarian. VDACS maintains an online database that tells you which rescues are reporting, and gives data for each rescue for how many animals they take in per year, the source of those animals, and the disposition of the animals.Fourth, the rescue should have a written adoption contract that complies with all legal obligations. For instance, Virginia rescues must comply with Virginia Code Section 3.2-6574, which requires a written contract between the rescue and adopter in which the adopter agrees to neuter an intact dog or cat within 30 days of adoption or the date that the animal reaches six months of age.  Any decent rescue will likely also have a contractual provision that requires the adopter to return the animal to the rescue if the adopter can no longer care for the animal.

If you are checking out a rescue, here are some red flags to watch out for:

• The “rescue” claims to be a 501(c)(3), but you can find no information using Guidestar and state regulatory sites.
• The rescue uses a high percentage of funds for administrative costs, rather than costs directly related to care of the animals, such as veterinary care, food, training and boarding.
• The “rescue” does not have a contract. Or it has a contract, but the contract lacks key provisions, such as requiring the adopter to spay or neuter the animal, or return the animal to the rescue if the adopter can no longer care for the animal.
• The “rescue” cannot produce identifying information and veterinary records for their companion animals.
• The “rescue” charges high “adoption fees,” and has a website promising to sell you the perfect purebred or designer breed puppies or kittens. Take a look at the ASPCA’s website for more information on internet scams.

As with any company, don’t just rely on the rescue’s website. You should be able to call the rescue and speak with a live person. When you see a particular companion animal you are interested in, you should be able to meet the animal and the foster, and review the animal’s veterinary records, before you decide if the animal is right for you. If you already have a dog and you are looking to adopt a second dog, ask to set up a meet and greet for the dogs.  If the rescue is hesitant with any of these requests, think again before you adopt from them!As with any company, don’t just rely on the rescue’s website. You should be able to call the rescue and speak with a live person. When you see a particular companion animal you are interested in, you should be able to meet the animal and the foster, and review the animal’s veterinary records, before you decide if the animal is right for you. If you already have a dog and you are looking to adopt a second dog, ask to set up a meet and greet for the dogs.  If the rescue is hesitant with any of these requests, think again before you adopt from them!²


============

 Poor customer service.

Most rescue groups are run entirely by volunteers, so I do have to give them some slack. However, my experience with group after group is that they are slow to respond to emails (if they respond at all). They are slow to return phone calls (if they do at all), and they are quick to judge potential adopters. (You want to adopt a Boston terrier, but you also have kids? How dare you!)

 Yes, they’re important. I think you’re forgetting one of the reasons *why* those dogs ended up in a shelter to begin with — usually because it wasn’t a good match.

The home visit can be an excuse for some rescues to snoop and ensure there isn’t a ton of clutter, garbage, or skeletons in the closet. I use it as an opportunity to sit down with the family and answer any questions they might have about my foster, the rescue, the adoption process, and everything else under the sun. It’s a great opportunity to build a relationship with an adopter, earn their trust (because so many people are wary of “used” dogs), and see how my foster interacts with them/their dogs.

For rescues (not shelters), adopting out dogs is about finding a FOREVER home, not just a you’ll-do-for-now home. I would much rather put in the extra work to make sure every single one of my fosters ends up in their FINAL home than adopt out dozens out dogs and hope that everything works out for the best, and that we won’t see them in a shelter a year from now.



 attempted to adopt from a rescue organisation just recently and found the whole thing off putting. I am in the animal industry, quite well known in my local area for what I do, but to then rescue group it seems ( I even did something a few weeks early related to the group)……the particular dog I was interested in the original “story” on it was “oh the poor dog has had a hard life” the next communication it was apparent the dog actually had a great life just unfortunate circumstance meant the owner had to give it up.
I reluctantly agreed to the home inspection, the “interviewer” told me they had to to stop people getting bait dogs or fight dogs (I think thats just an excuse) and then I was advised the “dog they had chosen for me” was available for a meet n great at any time…..not the dog I was interested in, but the dog THEY had chosen for me (which was not the dog I had applied for).
Again, when they called to arrange the meet and great with a dog THEY had chosen for me, it again was not the one I was interested in.
And from what I have read sometimes the reasons behind not accepting an applicant, such as inadequate fencing, or the owner is not home all day etc, are not always valid because that applicant would most likley compensate for the inadequencies
I often read posts/blogs from resuces – they state it should be about rescuing the dog and we the adoptor should just take what we are given…….that may work for some people but most people need to feel a connection, after all when you go buy a house it has to have the right feeling, and it is the same with committing to an animal
The whole experience has put me off adopting through any rescue groups….

-------------------

They forgot to mention she was skittish and afraid of any noise even a pencil falling to the ground would cause the dog to run and try to seek shelter. After many months of trying to get her at ease and happy the dog wasn’t happy because they lived in a busy street area. The dog was miserable and needed a more peaceful place to be. They returned the dog to the shelter and explained their reasoning especially since one of the owners had gotten severely hurt when the dog pulled her to the ground one day when on a walk due to a car that passed by. Few months later they tried to adopt another dog, but they were told they didn’t place any dogs with any one who had given up a dog, and they previously had even volunteered in the rescue group. Obviously by being shut down by the rescue they decided to take in a dog from a family acquaintance who was no longer able to keep the dog.

--------------------------------------------

I think we strike a very fair balance in terms of rules/requirements and charge a reasonable amount considering the financial burden we as volunteers personally, and the organisation take on in rescuing.

I know of a rescue group (which is now just one woman because she scared away all her foster carer volunteers!) who houses up to 20 dogs at a time in her tiny townhouse and INSISTS that dogs go to a home with another dog, or that you adopt two. She is completely inflexible about a dog living alone while you are out, and is quite rude about it! I personally wouldn’t buy from her, but if her style suits some people, that’s their choice. On the other hand, if you are rejected – be reasonable! Either the group is a bit fanatical (aka townhouse woman) so you probably don’t want to adopt from them anyway, or the dog really wasn’t suitable for you and the foster carer actually just saved you a whole lot of hassle. I had one woman very disappointed that I rejected her because she loved our first foster, Sophie, but she had a tiny yard, hated getting up early and had never owned a dog. All not bad things in themselves, until you realise that Sophie was a working dog, woke up at 6am with bundles of energy and had a lot of anxiety issues. And a puppy. Most people will know if a dog isn’t right for them, no matter how lovely the dog is, but sometimes people can’t handle the ‘no’.

I really hope you can reconsider advocating for adopting from rescue groups, Lindsay. If the buyer does as much research and is as responsible as you encourage them to be when buying from a breeder, which I know you don’t have a problem with, then there really isn’t much difference.

 Rob Salter One example is where the

"rescued" animal finds itself in the

clutches of an "animal hoarder" about to

be revictimized! I wonder sometimes if

rescuers just should turn the animal

over to a Shelter?
April 26 at 11:39pm · Unlike · 1
Jackie Taylor If the rescue won't let

you come to their home but wants to meet

you in some parking lot to turn over the

dog (even if you're local). Won't offer

you any references from previous

adopters who've volunteered their

experince with that rescue. Also look

for overly long nails, brown streaks by

the eyes, dandruff, and that "kennel"

smell.
Yesterday at 7:32am · Unlike · 2
Wanda Bailie If the rescues are bred to

sell puppies. If they are adopted out at

at really high prices. If the rescue is

adopted out intact without a excellent

reason for not already spayed/neutered

and no contract requiring adopted to get

it done be xxx date. Rescue doesn't do

adopter home, vet and reference checks.

If rescue won't take in older or sick

dogs.


Christina Piazza Gosh this is awful there must be a county commissioner you can speak with about this that's where I would start

Angela Stell File a complaint with the state Attorney Generals office as well as the IRS. It is possible that a 501(c)3 could still be in pending status after 9 mos though, just an fyi.

Christina Piazza Can j ask what state and country I'll be glad to do a little digging and see what I van come up with

Christina Piazzawww.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f13909.pdf

Christina Piazza This is the irs complaint form to fill out

Christina Piazza Let me see if I can dig up some local stuff to.put them.out temporarily

Christina Piazzahttp://smallbusiness.chron.com/file-501c4-irs-complaint...

How to File a 501(c)(4) IRS Complaint

smallbusiness.chron.com

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) grants tax-exempt status to social welfare or... See More

Cascino J Anthony I don't think its public record. but I'm sure you can file a complaint and have the IRS look into it. because you are not part of the rescue and ur name isnt on the tax forms I don't think they can give you exact numbers or any at all but I'm sure you can sick some one on them.

Abbie Stipe I appreciate all the helpful advice and concerns, I'm stuck at this point I can't really broadcast who or what rescue over fb...inbox me for details ...

Christina PiazzaAbbie Stipe no need to apologize but please look up the county commissioner tomorrow and call them as well and run it by them to you may find some other avenues

Christina Piazza Heads up folks just found out we are dealing with a common wealth state no county commissioners in common wealth states Lisa Mecham any ideas you live in a common wealth state I would say at this point call the senator's office

Judy Cowling Guidestar.org maybe?

23 hours ago · Edited · Like · 1

Fernanda Oravec i wish I knew but I only foster

16 hours ago · Edited · Like · 1

Debbi Roberts Wouldn't you write to the local comptroller, that's waste and fraud department of the tax system?

12 hours ago · Like · 1

Debbi Roberts I saw this when I was showing horses, some clubs that claim to be 501c3's are just in it for themselves, they don't do any public service at all. I saw one with a bunch of safety violations and tried to write to them about it and they didn't do anything to the club, all I got was they are investigating. I had plenty of material showing they went and ran the club taking money from people for over ten years as a 501c3 without a license even but still they have done nothing.

11 hrs · Unlike · 3

Jennifer Aucoin As a 501c(3) you have to file with the clerk of courts in your town, the Attorney General and the IRS.

10 hrs · Unlike · 2

Debbi Roberts I wrote to the Attorney General with my complaint, they didn't do anything, maybe write to both them and the comptroller.

10 hrs · Unlike · 2

Beth A Moore-Weirich if you want one who is legit we are doing a fundraiser for one to get their 5013c. Paws for Hope and Faith. If you need and details message me, We are looking for help actually right now, They are out in CA doing a pardon and have already saved 68 dogs. They have also been asked to help do other pardons.

10 hrs · Like · 1

Judy CowlingAbbie, I have been following this post and although it's beginning to look like that these bad rescues are doing what they are doing because they know they can get away with it and really think that besides filing complaints with the proper governing offices that are suppose handle these matters that exposing them is another thing that needs to happen in attempt for all others to know... very sad that this is happening but there is more EVIL than good in the world we live in!!!! Still workinh on this though...

10 hrs · Edited · Like · 4

Abbie StipeJudy Cowling...you are very accurate!!!!! I'm still working on this as well...Jennifer Aucoin...I'm checking now to see if that has been completed

• Rita WeeksSome easy ones - "bad" rescues are ones to which any of the following apply: 1) do not do in person home checks of applicants; 2) do not fully vet dogs and treat their medical conditions before adopting the dogs out; 3) do not require dogs to be spayed/neutered prior to adoption, or even if that's not their official policy they have adopted out dogs who aren't fixed (sounds like a no brainer but you would be surprised); 4) do not require vet references and character references (and/or do not make sure to fully check them); 5) house rescue dogs in kennels instead of foster homes (I don't mean kennels that are part of a foster home, or appropriate kennels at a rescue ranch or sanctuary type environment where the dogs get personal attention and regular socialization with humans); and 6) do same day, on the spot adoptions (so no home checks, vetting of references, etc.).My comments are from the perspective of the best interests and well being of rescue dogs, just so that is clear.

Jani MartinI would say, due to following the Piper story, that a good rescue will make a solid attempt to find the owner of a stray. Scanning for a chip and following up on the info provided should be standard practice. There is a fine line between rescuing and "flipping" that some, thankfully few, rescues will cross. Screening thoroughly without discriminating against seniors, offering an equal chance for all who want to adopt.
Susan Patty PadroIf it's too easy and fast, something is not right. We always take the time to get to know each dog in our care and look for the home that best suits each dog. Dogs don't just go the applicant that applies, they go to the right home for them. Sometimes that means a great home has to wait for the dog that is right for them but we rarely have dogs come back We carefully go over every application, check personal and vet references, do phone interviews and home checks before any dog leaves us. Those things take time.
Donna Alabama BT Rescue I am not much help but I sure have learned a lot reading this thread... and I thank you for that.... I wonder how you can separate the good 5013c from the frauds and fakes? I work with Alabama Boston Terrier Rescue and know these folks... but I can see where there can be much fraud

Alysse Kinane Butler trainer

Hello Donna, I was hoping to discuss fostering... I have been fostering dogs in the Pacific Northwest for 10 years, all types of breeds. I found my first Boston trough the local county, and she was a mess.... Very fearful. She had to be "caught" by animal control with a rabies pole. She had to be kept in a kennel in a kennel at the shelter because she can jump a 6 foot fence. She is my only dog I have foster where I believe she was truly put into a position where she had to fight for her life. I have had Rook for 3.5 years... She is the best! With counter conditioning, free shaping and tons of love she has become a super star in doggy sports. She plays Flyball, agility and this weekend will try out dock diving. She even holds a "Top Dog in Breed" with the best Flyball time in UFLI!

What I am getting at, is I would love to help other BT's find forever homes. Rook has changed my life for the better and I would love to help other like her.

Please keep me in mind when dogs are in need. Thank you for your

Wonderful story Alysse thank you for sharing may I put your story and wonderful photos into an article on the network?   Are you in contact with a local BT rescue in your area?

Alysse Kinane Butler

2:46pm

Alysse Kinane Butler

Sure! I think I may have a few grammatical errors... Silly smart phone

I am not with a BT rescue. I don't believe there is one...

Alysse Kinane Butler

2:47pm

Alysse Kinane Butler

Here are a few of Rook running through the jumps. She is so fast!

Thank yon Alysse, I will help you find a rescue in you area if you like. but just to let you know we are a network and although our focus is on Rescue we have many friends from all walks of life learning and sharing together, Vets, Trainers, foster parents, rescue, transportation, owners, vet techs, world wide

The Wrong Way to Treat GI Inflammation

Wednesday, December 19, 2012

2:39 PM

By Dr. Becker

Today I’d like to discuss IBD – inflammatory bowel disease. IBD is a condition in which the intestines are inflamed, meaning there are high numbers of inflammatory cells present in the lining of the digestive tract.

This inflammation causes structural changes in the mucosal lining, which results in dysfunctional digestion and interferes with the body’s ability to break down and absorb nutrients from food.

The inflamed intestinal lining becomes injured and weakened, increasing permeability and allowing toxins such as partially digested proteins and allergens from the gut to leak into the bloodstream. This is a condition known as dysbiosis, also called leaky gut. If the inflammation isn’t resolved, in time it can create a host of other serious health problems for your dog or cat.

It’s important to note that inflammatory bowel disease is not the same thing as IBS, which is irritable bowel syndrome. Many people confuse the two and actually a lot of vets even use the terms interchangeably. The symptoms can be very similar, however, the central feature of IBD is inflammation.

A pet with IBS may or may not have inflammation in his GI tract, meaning that the symptoms are there, but the structural tissue changes have not yet occurred. Also, IBD is not associated with stress, but IBS is. For instance, a dog that’s engaging in competitive events is significantly more likely to have IBS than a dog that is not competing.

What Causes IBD?

There are thought to be several factors involved in the development of IBD, including diet, gut bacteria, a pet’s living environment, and overall immune system function.

To that list I’ll add a few other causes I’ve seen, including GI parasites like roundworms, hookworms, tapeworms, coccidia, and giardia, as well as antibiotic and steroid therapy. I see a lot of patients at my clinic who have had repeated doses of broad-spectrum dewormers, but they are still having digestive issues. When I check fecal samples, I often find the presence of coccidia or giardia.

The Wrong Way to Treat GI Inflammation

Broad-spectrum dewormers don’t take care of these particular parasites. A lot of people automatically deworm any pet with loose stools, which is a poor approach. Giardia causes intermittent diarrhea and chronic low-grade inflammation of the GI tract, and can be resistant to many of the dewormers veterinarians prescribe. I’m really opposed to automatically deworming animals on a routine basis without first determining what parasite is present, and then developing a correct treatment protocol based on those findings.

Another traditional veterinary response to GI inflammation is to prescribe antibiotics. Sadly, there are still many vets who assume there isn’t a condition out there that a couple rounds of antibiotics can’t fix.

The problem, of course, is that these medications wipe out all bacteria – both good and bad. As the animal’s body tries to replenish its own bacteria, an imbalance often occurs, because the underlying unhealthy environment isn’t addressed. There are too many unhealthy bacteria or yeast and not enough healthy bacteria. This imbalance sets the stage for a condition called leaky gut and, of course, more symptoms that often take the pet back to the veterinarian for further treatment.

When neither a broad-spectrum dewormer nor a broad-spectrum antibiotic fix the problem, frequently the next step a traditional veterinarian will take is to prescribe prednisone.

Prednisone is a steroid that suppresses inflammation and the immune system, turning it down or completely off. Once the immune response is muted, the symptoms can be temporarily resolved, and it appears the animal is cured. Of course, the condition has not been cured, because the symptoms have only been suppressed.

Think of it this way. It’s kind of like driving your car, and suddenly there’s this terrible sound under the hood. You pull over to the side of the road and shut the engine off. The terrible sound stops, but have you corrected the problem in your car? Of course not. You’ve just shut the engine off to prevent that terrible noise from happening.

The same principle applies when you treat symptoms of an illness without actually addressing the underlying root cause of the illness. Giving prednisone to resolve GI inflammation is the equivalent of shutting off your car to prevent a terrible noise from coming out from under the hood. The symptoms of GI inflammation will certainly return when the prednisone is stopped, just as the noise under the hood will return as soon as you restart the engine.

Symptoms of IBD

The most frequent and common signs of IBD are intermittent bouts of vomiting and diarrhea. Vomiting can contain undigested or partially digested food and sometimes a small amount of blood. But some pets simply vomit bile or even phlegm.

Lack of appetite and weight loss are common when the stomach is inflamed. If only the stomach is inflamed, the condition is called gastritis.

If the small intestine is inflamed, the condition is called enteritis. There can be vomiting, loss of appetite, a drop in weight, lethargy, and general malaise when enteritis is present.

The small intestine is where most of the nutrient absorption takes place. Inflammation in this area can result in malabsorption, a condition in which nutrients are not efficiently broken down and absorbed in the small intestine. The food ferments, which produces gas. When gas is produced, often bloating also occurs. There can also be abdominal pain and audible GI sounds like pinging and gurgling.

If the large intestine is inflamed, which is known as colitis, diarrhea will be the primary symptom. Often there is blood and mucus in the stool as well. Pets that only have colitis often have no other symptoms. They feel good, keep their appetites, and typically remain active.

Once the inflammation has progressed to the point of damaging the intestinal lining and creating a leaky gut, allergens in the bloodstream are being absorbed. They trigger a systemic immune system reaction, which means your pet’s body senses a foreign invader and mounts a really aggressive immune system response.

Usually, the result is allergies. But sometimes an autoimmune or immune-mediated disease develops. A simple explanation for this condition is that your pet’s body is basically attacking itself.

Complications of IBD

Unresolved inflammatory bowel disease can lead to secondary infections, organ degeneration, and nutritional deficiencies. It can even lead to GI cancer.

Secondary infections are very common in dogs and cats with IBD. This is a result of not having a balanced, healthy digestive system. Over half your pet’s immune function is located in his GI tract. If the intestines are inflamed and compromised, the immune system is compromised right along with it.

Secondary organ degeneration is common with IBD, especially in the kidneys and liver.

Nutritional deficiencies are also typical in IBD pets, because chronic low-grade inflammation disrupts normal absorption and processing of nutrients from the food.

With cats, there’s a correlation between lymphoma of the GI tract and chronic IBD.

Diagnosing IBD

There are two different diagnostic tests that are commonly done to detect IBD. One test is known as the “confirming test,” which is a biopsy. A biopsy is a little piece of tissue taken via endoscopy. Endoscopy is passing a camera or a scope through a pet’s mouth or colon to take a tiny piece of tissue, which is then sent to a pathology lab.

A pathologist assesses the characteristics common in the GI tracts of animals with inflammatory bowel disease. This is not my favorite test or even my first choice, because it’s expensive and it also involves putting pets under anesthesia.

The other test, which I do very commonly and routinely in my practice, is a functional gastrointestinal test using a blood sample. What I look for with this test are two types of B-vitamin absorption, the first of which involves folate.

Folate is a water-soluble B-vitamin that is not easily absorbed in the small intestines, unless it’s deconjugated there. If your pet’s small intestine can’t deconjugate folate, meaning it can’t break it down into an absorbable form, she can end up folate-deficient. In this case, her blood test will show low levels of folate. A low folate level means a pet’s assimilation and absorption of nutrients is poor, or her body is challenged by the deconjugation process, indicating disease or disorder in the small intestine.

If these bacteria bloom into an overgrowth, your pet can wind up with high folate levels, which is a condition known as SIBO – small intestinal bacterial overgrowth.

The second test I use to assess GI function involves another B-vitamin called cobalamin, which is bound to protein. Cobalamin is released from protein through a complex series of events that starts in the stomach and finishes in the small intestine. If cobalamin levels are low, we can assume this complex process is not occurring optimally. Cobalamin levels are a measure of digestion.

This is a lot of information, I know. But if you suspect your pet has IBD and you’re not interested in a biopsy right away, ask your vet to perform a functional GI test to help determine a diagnosis. In my practice, I also do two additional functional tests routinely – the TLI, and also a PLI. The PLI assesses pancreatic function.

Secondary pancreatitis is a very common condition in IBD patients.

Treating IBD



Most vets recommend a bland diet for pets with IBD who have vomiting or diarrhea. Bland diets are fed temporarily until symptoms improve.

The bland diet I recommend is cooked ground turkey and 100 percent canned pumpkin or cooked sweet potato. The old-school bland diet of beef and rice isn’t as effective, in my opinion, because the beef is high in fat, which can increase inflammation and promote pancreatitis. Rice is a complex carbohydrate that tends to ferment in the GI tract, causing gas, bloating, and additional GI irritation.

If your pet has been diagnosed with IBD and you’re feeding a bland diet, I recommend that you meet with your holistic veterinarian to plan what comes next. You’ll need to choose a novel protein source and a novel veggie or fiber source as well. Novel foods will give your pet’s GI tract and immune system a much-needed rest. And the anti-inflammatory nature of the diet will support healing of the GI tract.

You and your holistic vet should also discuss appropriate supplements, including a high-quality pet probiotic to help heal and reseed the gut with healthy bacteria.

There are numerous Chinese herbs and nutraceuticals I use regularly that are excellent in helping to reduce GI inflammation and address dysbiosis and leaky gut. Whether these supplements are introduced before a dietary change, after a dietary change, or during the dietary change depends on your pet’s particular situation. Transitioning too soon or incorrectly can actually lead to a worsening of your pet’s symptoms, hence the need for professional guidance in most chronic IBD cases.

Other environmental and lifestyle factors you should address with your vet are future vaccines (which I don’t recommend) and the use of future drug therapies, as well as any potential toxins in your pet’s environment or lifestyle that could be contributing to unaddressed inflammation.



 Irritable bowel syndrome in Dog

sSaturday, October 13, 2012

11:11 PM

Irritable bowel syndrome describes a diarrhea motility disorder often associated with stress. It tends to occur in high-strung, nervous dogs. Dogs with irritable bowel syndrome have frequent small stools, often mixed with mucus. The diagnosis is based on the exclusion of other causes of colitis.

Treatment: Treatment is directed toward the underlying condition, often an inflammatory bowel disease. Irritable bowel syndrome can be helped by a high-fiber diet (see Constipation). Bacterial causes of colitis, such as salmonella, campylobactor, and clostridium, will respond to appropriate antibiotics.

Source:WebMD Veterinary Reference from "Dog Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook"

Email responses on this subject:

"He poops 4-5 times a day.. HARD STOOLS. The vet did a fecal and an x-ray. Fecal was negative and the x-ray showed colitis:'

"I was feeding taste of the wild and my Boston was straining his guts out to poop. Changed to Canidae all life stages and no problems. Pumpkin is to help with diarrhea so I would leave it off. "

"Stay with the yogurt and pumpkin no matter what you decide to do because they are probiotics that help with the enzymes to do their job better =)

Put a little bit (teaspoon) of olive oil on whatever food you choose. Do it twice a week and you will have no problems with stool. I assume you have him on pedialite to? "

One email responded with "(I) used Bill Jac (the frozen Raw) along with Instinct canned duck or lamb (only a tablespoon of either mixed with about 1/4 cup of the bill Jac frozen raw with some good dry food and a little water . along with 1/4 teaspoon coconut oil (it is like premade satin ball recipe I found it at the training place by me. I think you may need to call or Google Bill Jac and see who carries it. the 5 lb bag is like $8.00 ( it only stays good for 1 week once defrosted ). it is " Doggie Crack "according to the trainer. That was fed to Doris (my foster) who was about 12 lbs when she arrived 12/17/11. She is now about 17 lbs after a month from eating that, in the beginning I fed her 3 smaller portions a day and now she is eating just 2x a day. It amazed me how quickly she put the weight on. This poor thing literally fell over twice when I got her off transport. She actually danced for me the other day --so needless to say it has also built her muscle strength up . I HIGHLY recommend this stuff! I use it for training treats for all my guys, they love it!. Don't overdo the instant cans or you will make him runny. It is grain free so it is high in fat content. (the duck &lamb one)this was what was recommended to me by the nutritionist at the training place. I was going to make the satin ball recipe and really I don't have time to do that!--never again since i found this stuff!--good luck!--BTW --my grimace use to poop like 4