Stressful visit to vets

[Clodagh]

Just took new puppy for her first jabs. I really don't like this new vets practice, but my horse vets is so far away we thought we would go local.
Anyway, puppy will apparently fail to thrive if I don't feed her purina. Coincidentally it is also the main line they stock.
I asked if I could give her goats milk or lactofree, fair enough vet said why did I want to give milk and I said all our pups in the past had cows milk and weetabix and did fine on it, I accept that is no longer how it is done but I would like to wet her puppy food with milk sometimes. Vet said 'Just give her whatever, but it will all give her the runs'. Not a very helpful answer! Any advice here?
Also - eggs - we have hens and dogs have a lot of eggs. Vet said feeding a raw egg is no better than feeding McDonalds to children...Eh!?
Also, I will be very neglectful if she isn't treated monthly with advocate. I am all for regular worming but why flood them with chemicals for fleas and mange when they don't have either? I worm the adult dogs twice a year (accept 3 x would be better) but they are never treated for fleas and they never get them.
So, I am very out of touch or was it hard sell?
Gratutious photo of puppy...

(Following Sash the lurcher, who hates her with a passion).

 

[Aru]

the advocate is monthly for lungworm prevention to be fair... ..the rest was hard sell or disinterest depending on how you look at the nutrition advise..I would keep looking personally.you pay vets enough thay you should go with one that gives you confidence.

 

[PorkChop]

Tbh milk and weetabix isn't something I would be feeding a puppy. I presume you are feeding a kibble diet? It shouldn't need supplementing, if you want to soften it then just use hot water.

Gorgeous pup, the look on Sash's face is hilarious!

 

[fankino04]

I would say that that is a vets I wouldn't be using again. Fair enough if he explained the science behind why these things are not good for your puppy but it sounds more like when you said you wouldn't be buying purina he wasnt interested anymore and just turned plain rude, so definitely not anyone I would be giving money to in the future. Your pup looks lovely and I know many dogs that eat raw eggs on farms - just try stopping the little beggars, and they have all been fine. I had lots of rescue dogs in the house I grew up in and their stomachs needed a minimum of 2 feeds a day so my mum always gave them porridge with milk in the morning as it was cheap and they all thrived too. Nothing wrong with old school methods sometimes and hey if it aint broke dont fix it.

 

[lurcherlu]

Tbh milk and weetabix isn't something I would be feeding a puppy. I presume you are feeding a kibble diet? It shouldn't need supplementing, if you want to soften it then just use hot water.

Gorgeous pup, the look on Sash's face is hilarious!

Thisis the face oli will be using with our pup soon

Change vets if you're not happy , you pay the money, but agree with the wheatabix thing ......

Eggs are fine if I remember correctly

 

[Clodagh]

I wouldn't feed weetabix now but we have walked loads of hound puppies who generally had weetabix and milk and eggs for breakfast, followed by possibly flesh for luinch, followed by somethnig like valu mix for supper, and all went on to have good, sound careers.

Is lungworm a big problem? Our dogs do walk on footpaths, but never go to a park or anything.

Pup is on a complete puppy food - Masters Eclipse? It is a bag recommended and supplied by the breeder so I can change it gradually but wasn't convinced of the need. It has no wheat in but its meat is all meal. She has tripe for her lunch and complete food for the other three meals.

Sash is hoping if she ignores it it will go away. It did try tormenting her but soon learned that was a no no. Luckily it has Brandy to play with.

Working labrador and working labrador to be!

 

[I*HM]

If you're feeding a kibble diet that is advertised as "balanced and complete" (if it is balanced and complete it should be written on the label, if not then assume it's not balanced) it should be compete without having to add anything to it, the more you add, the more you upset the balance. If you want to add anything to it, then perhaps it's worth chatting to a (different) vet or nutritionist? I know it seems like a bit of a hassle and faff but for a growing puppy, a balanced diet is key - overloading on the protein can lead to your pup growing too fast, which leads to problems down the line.
As for feeding eggs, if I remember correctly (maybe I should dig out my notes!), it's not recommended as raw eggs contain an enzyme that greatly decreases the pup's ability to absorb biotin (vitamin B). Plus there's a risk of salmonella!

 

[Clodagh]

Thanks IHM. Yes the diet is a complete food but I just adding things! All I have added so far is chicken stock (home made) instead of water, and she has had a raw egg on her tripe. I will restrict myself!!

 

[springtime1331]

My lab x puppy did very well on nature diet.

 

[Umbongo]

I would agree I think the advocate was for the lungworm prevention. I have seen 2 cases in young dogs in the South East, and it is not something I want to witness again. One died, one survived but is suffering from on-going effects. They can get it from eating infected slugs/snails.

The milk/weetabix thing. Doesn't really have any nutritional benefit. If your pup is on a good, complete diet then what purpose does adding milk have? My dad feeds it to my dog out of habit (despite my protests) and he does suffer from the odd tummy upset. Also good point above re: a balanced puppy diet...you could be tipping the balance or potentially setting yourself up for ending up with a fussy dog (probably not the case with a lab!)

If you are not happy at that vets then do change. You should be able to have a good relationship and trust your vet.

Pup is CUUUUTE!

 

[Polonaise]

Vet should have explained their reasoning. A complete puppy food is just that, adding things upsets the balance and adding "nice" things like stock can become a habit which is hard to break. When your older dog needs a salt restricted diet it'll be all the more difficult if they're used to nicer food! Now some foods are better then others, avoid bright colours and multi-shapes, avoid high salt and fat, otherwise pick a brand you like and stick with it.
Advocate and all anti-parasitic products depend on the risk in your area and lifestyle. I would recommend very regular worming of young dogs but older non-farm dogs probably don't need doing very often, active ratters may need doing monthly for life.

 

[Clodagh]

Interesting about the advocate and I may well use it now, at least for this summer.
Thank you all for your thoughts.

 

[Jay89]

The advocate is a really good product, if you look at their website it basically covers everything but tapeworm. It's easier to prevent fleas than it is to get rid of them too!!

Good luck with your new pup, looks lovely.

 

[Cyrus]

My malamute girl has always had eggs from a pup she was weaned onto and his still fed the BARF diet and egg and it's shell are part of it (good for the coat) breeder has researched and written many papers on this type of feeding so I would pretty much trust her judgement.

 

[EAST KENT]

We feed our Lab babies on minced tripe/head meat and later on raw chicken carcases, the perfect lab meal!

 

[SusieT]

I would say you're a bad owner tbh if you think cows milk and weetabix is a good idea for pups and basically don't want to pay for preventative treatment.
Yes, choose your own dry food.
Putting milk on her food will be completely useless and give her the runs. If not cause her to be unwell with diarrhoea.
Fleas carry worms. Pups that aren't wormed can have permanent gut damage-worming them is vital. Adult dogs should be wormed regularly too.
If she gets fleas, it will be more expensive to treat than it will have been to prevent. It's not exaclty 'flooding with chemicals'.. it's not like putting bleach on.

 

[SusieT]

ps why do you want to feed eggs on top of dry food?

 

[Cahill]

clodagh is not a bad owner we understand more about feeding now but years ago many dog were fed this way and lived to ripe old ages.

I have changed my vet because when they asked me last time if I was insured(I`m not,i have savings) they were quite disinterested in me.aslo tried to examine my dog with a rabbit in the room!

 

[Clodagh]

I would not feed weetabix and milk to puppies nowadays. Please read my posts! I said we used to years ago. Yes i am shouting but the forum got rid of my caps. FGS, I wish I hadn't asked!