Interview with Betsy Olson from Manitowoc's Silver Lake Country Store & Garden Center. Contact information to follow at the end of the interview.
Porschea our perfect puppy had an difficulty with a nasty bladder infection. When I took her to the vet they put her on antibiotic and told me she had crystals in her bladder. And that is not good. She had accidents in the house--this was NOT like her. Also she needed to go to the bathroom constantly. We could tell that Porschea was miserable and we hoped that the antibiotic would work a miracle. One week later I was told that our options were-- from what the vet shared --to have her operated on or continue with antibiotic. But the crystals hadn't decreased and the infection was still going strong. I opted to have one more week of antibiotic and prayer.
I was low on dog kibble and where I buy her food is nearer to where I work. But we had a snow day and the roads were a mess ...as they can be in the middle of winter in Wisconsin. Vanessa , one of our daughters, still had to go to work and she would be near Silver Lake Country Store, so I asked her to pick up a bag of dog food for me.
This turned out to be the biggest blessing. Vanessa talked to Betsy Olson,who is the manager at this country store. She told Betsy about Porschea's bladder problem and how she had crystals...that's when Betsy told her about what I'll share with you today. In less then a week Betsy's suggestion saved my dog from being operated on and from suffering an ongoing condition.
After her suggestion about changing food worked for a lengthy time-period of over a year, I called Betsy and I asked to interview her about this important topic. She was gracious and allowed me to ask these questions that I wanted to share with you. I learned a lot and I'm glad for her expertise and knowledge. Somehow, I think you'll appreciate reading this information also! Here we go...take it away Betsy...
1) I was impressed that the information you shared with my daughter, Vanessa, helped my dog, Porschea, so quickly. How did you learn about the effects of larger amounts of protein in a canine's diet?
I learned a lot of information from speaking with veterinarians in the area. Some dogs who are prone to bladder or kidney problems can develop crystals and or infections when they eat kibble with high levels of protein. Not all dogs are effected by the higher protein levels, so this doesn't bother the general population.
2) When did the push for high protein in dog kibble start?
Around eight years ago when grain free became popular. Working dogs can handle higher protein choices and benefit from them.
3) What brands of dog kibble do you suggest?
Exclusive, Fromm - which is a WI made brand, Chicken Soup - holistic, Taste of the Wild are some excellent kibble that come to mind. These tend to be pretty safe, and lower in protein.
4) What about can dog foods? Do we have to worry about protein levels with any can foods?
These tend to be low in protein (9%) Even the lower quality brands contain safe amounts of protein for the sensitive canine.
5) What type of treats do you recommend for canines?
If you want to stay away from wheat then avoid biscuits altogether. Be careful with how many treats you offer your dog, these can cause obesity in both dogs and cats. Betsy's personal preferences for her dog are freeze dried-raw meat or dried sweet potatoes. Those are just a couple of examples for healthy treats. Frozen bananas and yogurt are wonderful also.
6) What is the difference between cheaper brands and expensive brands of dog kibble? (Does it really matter?) Low end brands of kibble use everything chicken bi-product flavors use everything from beaks, feathers, talons and other non- eatable parts of the chicken bi-product meal for protein. They don't taste as good so to entice the canine to eat their brand they add sugar and for the end process they spray the food with a fat solution, which is not healthy.
7) Can you recommend a reliable source for information where our readers can listen to or read up on currant food issues?
Dr. Mercola's WEB page, http://www.mercola.com/, has a pet section where Dr. Kim Becker offers excellent advice on pet and human natural food information.
Thank you Betsy for this information. It was eyeopening for me and I'm sure others will appreciate the information you shared with us.
For anyone wishing to contact Betsy Olson or the Silver Lake Country Store & Garden Center visit her website - www.tristatefeed.com They are located at 5814 Calumet Ave., Manitowoc, WI 54220. Office phone is (920) 682-3388 and email is slcs@lakefield.net
Thank you for dropping by, I'll interview Betsy again...she has some new product that I'm interested in inquiring about for my perfect puppy.
