Diet and Nutrition Tips for your Lab

In This Section:

Feeding Your Lab

Recommended Dog Food:

Important Announcement!

We have previously been recommending Nutro Natural Lamb & Rice products, but for various reasons we are now using Bone Appétit® dog food products. Click here to learn more about Bone Appeétit® and why we decided to switch to their products.

If you ever have to switch dog foods, remember to blend the new to the old

Other High Quality Foods:

• Authority
• Beneful
• California Natural
• Canidae
• Chicken Soup For The Dog/Puppy Lover's Soul
• Diamond
• Eagle Pack
• Evolve
• Exceed
• Flint River Ranch

• IAMS
• IVD
• Innova
• Natural Balance
• Nature's Menu
• Old Mother Hubbard
• Royal Canin
• Solid Gold
• Wellness

Feeding Schedule

Early a.m. our dogs eat raw veggies, and 500mg vitamin C and NuVet. The remainder of the day they can "free-feed" or "nibble-da-kibble" from a 50lbs feeder (available at you local feed store) Being that the boring dry kibble is in a common feeder, we have NO food fights, and few over-eaters. At dusk, our dogs receive a 2nd 500mg dose of vitamin C.

Raw Food Diets

If you have the time to Feed "RAW," here's a recipe I found. The most natural and healthiest of diets if you have the time and patience. Remember, the dog needs to fast 1 day/week

Breakfast:

• 3/4 cups raw ground beef or ground turkey or chunks of beef mixed with about 1/2 cup of raw mashed veggies
• 1 tsp kelp powder
• 1 tsp alfalfa leaf
• 1 raw egg (once or twice a week)
• 1 500 mg Vitamin C capsule
• 1 400 IU Vitamin E capsule
• 1 Vitamin B-50 tablet
• 1 tsp cod liver oil 3x a week or 1 capsule salmon oil
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• pinch of minced garlic
• 1 tsp ground flax seed
• 2 Glucosomine caplets (if needed for arthritis)
• 1 Shark Cartilage capsule (if needed for arthritis)

Dinner:

• 2-3 raw chicken backs each with all the fat and skin removed
• or 6-7 raw chicken necks
• or 1-2 raw turkey backs (these are harder and take longer to chew)

Snacks:

• raw marrow bones every once in a while to gnaw on
• raw chunks of apples
• raw carrots
• raw banana
• raw celery
• ice cubes made from mashed fruit

Useful Websites for Lab Diet and Nutrition

• Dangerous Vegetables
• FuzzyFace Dogfood guide
• Kibble Ingredients
• Polluted Pet Food

Human Foods that Poison Pets

Chocolate toxicity

Chocolate contains theobromine, a compound that is a cardiac stimulant and a diuretic. When affected by an overdose of chocolate, a dog can become excited and hyperactive. Due to the diuretic effect, it may pass large volumes of urine and it will be unusually thirsty. Vomiting and diarrhoea are also common. The effect of theobromine on the heart is the most dangerous effect. Theobromine will either increase the dog’s heart rate or may cause the heart to beat irregularly. Death is quite possible, especially with exercise. After their pet has eaten a large quantity of chocolate, many pet owners assume their pet is unaffected. However, the signs of sickness may not be seen for several hours, with death following within twenty-four hours. Cocoa powder and cooking chocolate are the most toxic forms. A 10-kilogram dog can be seriously affected if it eats a quarter of a 250gm packet of cocoa powder or half of a 250gm block of cooking chocolate. These forms of chocolate contain ten times more theobromine than milk chocolate. Thus, a chocolate mud cake could be a real health risk for a small dog. Even licking a substantial part of the chocolate icing from a cake can make a dog unwell. Semi-sweet chocolate and dark chocolate are the next most dangerous forms, with milk chocolate being the least dangerous. A dog needs to eat more than a 250gm block of milk chocolate to be affected. Obviously, the smaller the dog, the less it needs to eat.

Onion and garlic poisoning

Onions and garlic are other dangerous food ingredients that cause sickness in dogs, cats and also livestock. Onions and garlic contain the toxic ingredient thiosulphate. Onions are more of a danger. Pets affected by onion toxicity will develop haemolytic anaemia, where the pet’s red blood cells burst while circulating in its body. At first, pets affected by onion poisoning show gastroenteritis with vomiting and diarrhoea. They will show no interest in food and will be dull and weak. The red pigment from the burst blood cells appears in an affected animal’s urine and it becomes breathless. The breathlessness occurs because the red blood cells that carry oxygen through the body are reduced in number. The poisoning occurs a few days after the pet has eaten the onion. All forms of onion can be a problem including dehydrated onions, raw onions, cooked onions and table scraps containing cooked onions and/or garlic. Left over pizza, Chinese dishes and commercial baby food containing onion, sometimes fed as a supplement to young pets, can cause illness. Onion poisoning can occur with a single ingestion of large quantities or with repeated meals containing small amounts of onion. A single meal of 600 to 800 grams of raw onion can be dangerous whereas a ten-kilogram dog, fed 150 grams of onion for several days, is also likely to develop anaemia. The condition improves once the dog is prevented from eating any further onion While garlic also contains the toxic ingredient thiosulphate, it seems that garlic is less toxic and large amounts would need to be eaten to cause illness.

The danger of macadamia nuts

Macadamia nuts are another concern. A recent paper written by Dr. Ross McKenzie, a Veterinary Pathologist with the Department of Primary Industries, points to the danger of raw and roasted macadamia nuts for pets. The toxic compound is unknown but the affect of macadamia nuts is to cause locomotory difficulties. Dogs develop a tremor of the skeletal muscles, and weakness or paralysis of the hindquarters. Affected dogs are often unable to rise and are distressed, usually panting. Some affected dogs have swollen limbs and show pain when the limbs are manipulated. Dogs have been affected by eating as few as six macadamia kernels (nuts without the shell) while others had eaten approximately forty kernels. Some dogs had also been given macadamia butter. Luckily, the muscle weakness, while painful, seems to be of short duration and all dogs recovered from the toxicity. All dogs were taken to their veterinary surgeon. Pets owners should not assume that human food is always safe for pets. When it comes to chocolate, onions, garlic and macadamia nuts, such foods should be given in only small quantities, or not at all. Be sure that your pets can’t get into your stash of chocolates, that food scraps are disposed of carefully to prevent onion and garlic toxicity and that your dog is prevented from picking up macadamia nuts if you have a tree in your garden.

Other potential dangers

• Pear pips, the kernels of plums, peaches and apricots, apple core pips (contain cyanogenic glycosides resulting in cyanide poisoning)
• Potato peelings and green looking potatoes
• Rhubarb leaves
• Moldy/spoiled foods
• Alcohol
• Yeast dough
• Coffee grounds, beans & tea (caffeine)
• Hops (used in home brewing)
• Tomato leaves & stems (green parts)
• Broccoli (in large amounts)
• Raisins and grapes
• Cigarettes, tobacco, cigars

Dr Cam Day BVSc BSc MACVSc is a veterinary surgeon, an animal behavior consultant and media presenter. In 1995 he qualified as a Member of the Australian College of Veterinary Scientists in the discipline of Animal Behavior and is one of only 15 veterinarians with this qualification in Australia. He works full time in animal behavior management in Queensland.

Dietary Supplements & Hygiene Products

Vitamin C Supplements for Your Lab

Our dogs receive daily Vitamin C from when the mother is first breed, until the end of days. First, the weaning pup is given "Neo-Life" powder on the semi-solid food, until it can swallow the pill form. "Neo-Life" is an all natural Vitamin C supplement. If it is unattainable, we suggest over-the-counter Vitamin C. 500mgs at early a.m. and 500mgs at sundown.

NuVet™ Multi-vitamin Herbal Supplement

We have found a supplement from NuVet Labs™ that we frimly believe in. Your puppy has been on NuVet™ since the mother was pregnant with him/her.

To get YOUR dog on the road to a HEALTHY life, CLICK HERE for the NuVet Labs™ Website.
Use Order Code # 32892 to get our price on orders

OxyFresh™ Pet Care Products

OxyFresh™ is another GREAT Product we have found. As with any products that REALLY work, to sell at a retail store, with EVERY middleman getting paid, it would be too expensive. These products are only available from an OxyFresh™ distributor.

Your pet's health – including their oral health – is the best reason to experience OxyFresh™ Pet products. OxyFresh™ Pet products help the animals you love to smell better, look better and even live longer. From non-toxic solutions that destroy odors to nutritional formulas that help your pets adapt to stress, OxyFresh™ Pet products are recommended by veterinarians, breeders, groomers, avian professionals, and pet lovers everywhere!

Primorye Pet

Your pets live in the same stressful world that you do. Fortunately, OxyFresh™ delivers a powerful, non-toxic anti-stress adaptogenic formula that works at the cellular level to protect your pet from the damaging effects of stress. It strengthens the body's natural defenses, normalizes cell functions and maximizes physical endurance. You can easily mix it into your pet's food.

Pet Oral Hygiene Solution

Pet bad breath can keep you from being close to the animals you love. But doggie breath can also be a symptom of a more serious problem. It is estimated that 80 percent of dogs and 70 percent of cats over the age of three suffer from periodontal disease — a serious deterioration of the gums and supporting bones of the teeth. Left unchecked, the resulting bacteria can enter the bloodstream, causing infection or damage to vital organs such as the kidneys, lungs, heart or liver. That's why this pet disease has been the called the "Silent Killer of Pets." Proper pet oral health may extend the life of your pet by two to five years. OxyFresh™ offers simple, effective oral hygiene for your pet, starting with Pet Oral Hygiene Solution. This tasteless, odorless solution is easily added to your pet's drinking water to promote healthy gums and eliminate bad breath odors.

Pet Gel

When your pets explore their world, they use their mouths. Depending on their environment, this can lead to bad breath, red or bleeding gums, tartar build-up or loose teeth. OxyFresh™ Pet Gel is a soothing blend of Oxygene® and Aloe Vera, formulated to heal, condition and deodorize your pet's mouth. It can also be used on open wounds and abrasions. You can use the gel as a pet toothpaste or simply rub it on to your pet's gum line.

Triple•Pet Toothbrush

Proper pet oral health may extend the life of your pet by two to five years. OxyFresh™ offers simple, effective oral care for your pet, including the triple-headed pet toothbrush to promote fresh breath and healthy gums. Triple-head design makes brushing quicker, easier and more effective and soft, nylon bristles are set at a 45-degree angle to massage gum tissue and remove debris at the gum line.

Pet Ear Cleaner

Do your pets hear you when you call? Dirt and wax accumulation in the outer ear and ear canal might be the problem. This kind of buildup can lead to infections and discomfort for your pet. If your pets are rubbing or scratching their ears regularly then get close to them and have a look. OxyFresh™ Pet Ear Cleaner will gently loosen dirt and wax from your pet's ear with a solution that is both soothing and deodorizing.

Pet Shampoo

For a beautiful coat and long-lasting clean, OxyFresh™ Pet Shampoo delivers a pH-balanced conditioning formula that cleans and deodorizes. Because there are no harsh chemicals, you can use this shampoo every day.

Pet Deodorizer

Rid yourself of pet odors completely – on or around your pets. OxyFresh™ Pet Deodorizer vaporizes odor-causing molecules on contact. Formulated with Oxygene® to help neutralize odors in and around your pet's environment. Non-toxic and safe enough to use directly on your pet.

Pet Antioxidant

Revitalize your pet's energy and mobility while you protect them from the effects of free-radical damage. This amazing wafer formula supports pets with suppressed immune systems, tissue injury, arthritis, joint inflammation and pets recovering from surgery.

"Mellow Out" Pet Relaxant

Because of "Mellow Out" Pet Relaxant, you can help your pet deal with the stress associated with trips to the veterinarian or groomer or the stress of being separated from you. This amazing product eases tension without harmful side effects and contains natural ingredients.