Max the presa canario
Many of the dogs that come to us for help are smaller dogs. Liver problems seem to be more rampant in smaller dogs. Poor nutrition and toxic exposure seems to affect a smaller dog faster or more severely than larger dogs. Liver problems in small breed dogs are almost an epidemic.
Large dogs can also have the same problems, however, and we are seeing more and more of these same problems in large dogs also. We have worked with Labs, Retrievers, Coonhounds, Setters, Dobermans etc. Below is a story of an unusual large breed that came to us as a small puppy. Many owner’s with large breed puppies wonder how our nutritional approach will affect the growth and development of their dog. This story will give some answers and reassurances. I’ll let Frank tell you the details:
Max is a Presa Canario. The Perro de Presa Canario is a mastiff breed from the Canary Islands. He is a powerful dog with a massive head, heavy rectangular body, and a short coat in brindle, black, fawn, or any combination of those colors. A full grown Presa will be anywhere from 90 to 110 lbs or more. I have always had protection breeds my whole life since being a new born. I have had GSD's and Rottweillers. I wanted something similar, and have been researching this breed for a couple years. The more you learn about them the more you see how unique they are.
I was very excited to finally get Max. He was purchased as a puppy at 7 weeks old for a significant sum. I first found out he had problems when I was giving him a bath with some flea/tick shampoo shortly after getting him. He started having Hepatic Encephalopathy symptoms – walking like he was drunk, staring into space and very lethargic. But he snapped out of this in a couple days. I started feeding him lot of animal protein – mostly chicken - mixed with rice. This only made him worse and I now know that this was the opposite of what he needed.
Max’s problems led me to one vet after another. I became really frustrated with what was going on. In total he was seen by 4 different vets which resulted in about $2,000 worth of bills. One vet thought he had been dropped on his head and thus the neurological symptoms. One vet was at Michigan State University – considered in the upper Midwest to be one of the top Vet Schools. This vet told me he had a liver shunt and that surgery would be roughly $5,000. The other option they gave me was to keep him on Hills prescription dog food and heavy duty medications for the rest of his life. They said there wasn’t any hope for him without either of these options, and without taking one of these paths it would be best to put him down.
I was in shock. None of these options seemed like the right thing to do. I actually got depressed about it and started praying about what to do. I started researching on the internet and found www.doglivershunt.com. Previous to this trouble with Max, I had never heard of a liver shunt before. None of my previous dogs ever had major problems. But taking a holistic route to better health has worked for my own health so I was happy to find this type of nutritional approach for my dog.
I got started with Rick’s help. It required some work initially but it was totally doable. I followed the protocol to the letter. When we first started Max was having symptoms most of the time and was pretty messed up, but he started to improve almost immediately. Right away his symptoms started to be less severe and less frequent.
Fairly soon he was sick only 5 out of 7 days. Soon he was having more good days than bad days. Gradually his symptoms just faded away and after 3 months all symptoms stopped altogether. He is now 10 months old and doing great with zero symptoms.
A lot of people wonder how an illness like this effects a puppy’s development. Max was 15 lbs at 7 weeks when I got him and he was 20 lbs at 9 weeks when he started being sick. He was 23 lbs when he started on this nutritional approach. Now at 10 months he is 90 lbs. He looks great; his coat is really soft and silky and he’s very muscular. Rick said that it may take some time initially after starting for him to gain weight and it took a bit for him to fill out but then he started sprouting like a weed and now he is still gaining weight. Max is very strong and very healthy. He even pushes bigger female dogs around at obedience school. He is showing some intelligence because he leaves the bigger males alone!
I am so thankful to Rick & Cindy for guiding Max and I on this path to better health for him. I just can’t imagine what I would have done without their help. From being totally frustrated and depressed to now seeing a long and healthy life ahead for Max has been a complete turnaround. The standard options we were given for a liver shunt were like a death sentence. Either very risky surgery with no guarantees, or a lifetime of drugs likely leading to a shortened lifespan, or the permanent choice of euthanizing him. Thank God that I found you and your website. I believe it was a true Godsend in our time of need.
Max is becoming the dog that I envisioned when I first got him. Thank you so much for making this possible, not only for him but for many other dogs as well.
September 2014 UPDATE: Sadly, not every case we work with is successful for the long term. While we have a success rate over 95%, some dogs have problems that are too great to overcome. Here is Frank again:
At 9 weeks of age I was told Max didn't have long to live. Max defied all the odds and made to 16 months old. Most of those months you would never know he had such a serious health issue. I did everything possible to give him a good life. On Sunday Sept 14th Max became sick and as the week progressed his liver went into failure and I had to end his life on Friday the 19th. He was the sweetest and most loving dog I could have asked for. He brought so much happiness into my life during his short life. He will be greatly missed !!!
I just wanted to say thanks for all your help. The Vets were amazed Max lived as long as he did.
Frank Jasinski
Grand Rapids, MI
Large dogs can also have the same problems, however, and we are seeing more and more of these same problems in large dogs also. We have worked with Labs, Retrievers, Coonhounds, Setters, Dobermans etc. Below is a story of an unusual large breed that came to us as a small puppy. Many owner’s with large breed puppies wonder how our nutritional approach will affect the growth and development of their dog. This story will give some answers and reassurances. I’ll let Frank tell you the details:
Max is a Presa Canario. The Perro de Presa Canario is a mastiff breed from the Canary Islands. He is a powerful dog with a massive head, heavy rectangular body, and a short coat in brindle, black, fawn, or any combination of those colors. A full grown Presa will be anywhere from 90 to 110 lbs or more. I have always had protection breeds my whole life since being a new born. I have had GSD's and Rottweillers. I wanted something similar, and have been researching this breed for a couple years. The more you learn about them the more you see how unique they are.
I was very excited to finally get Max. He was purchased as a puppy at 7 weeks old for a significant sum. I first found out he had problems when I was giving him a bath with some flea/tick shampoo shortly after getting him. He started having Hepatic Encephalopathy symptoms – walking like he was drunk, staring into space and very lethargic. But he snapped out of this in a couple days. I started feeding him lot of animal protein – mostly chicken - mixed with rice. This only made him worse and I now know that this was the opposite of what he needed.
Max’s problems led me to one vet after another. I became really frustrated with what was going on. In total he was seen by 4 different vets which resulted in about $2,000 worth of bills. One vet thought he had been dropped on his head and thus the neurological symptoms. One vet was at Michigan State University – considered in the upper Midwest to be one of the top Vet Schools. This vet told me he had a liver shunt and that surgery would be roughly $5,000. The other option they gave me was to keep him on Hills prescription dog food and heavy duty medications for the rest of his life. They said there wasn’t any hope for him without either of these options, and without taking one of these paths it would be best to put him down.
I was in shock. None of these options seemed like the right thing to do. I actually got depressed about it and started praying about what to do. I started researching on the internet and found www.doglivershunt.com. Previous to this trouble with Max, I had never heard of a liver shunt before. None of my previous dogs ever had major problems. But taking a holistic route to better health has worked for my own health so I was happy to find this type of nutritional approach for my dog.
I got started with Rick’s help. It required some work initially but it was totally doable. I followed the protocol to the letter. When we first started Max was having symptoms most of the time and was pretty messed up, but he started to improve almost immediately. Right away his symptoms started to be less severe and less frequent.
Fairly soon he was sick only 5 out of 7 days. Soon he was having more good days than bad days. Gradually his symptoms just faded away and after 3 months all symptoms stopped altogether. He is now 10 months old and doing great with zero symptoms.
A lot of people wonder how an illness like this effects a puppy’s development. Max was 15 lbs at 7 weeks when I got him and he was 20 lbs at 9 weeks when he started being sick. He was 23 lbs when he started on this nutritional approach. Now at 10 months he is 90 lbs. He looks great; his coat is really soft and silky and he’s very muscular. Rick said that it may take some time initially after starting for him to gain weight and it took a bit for him to fill out but then he started sprouting like a weed and now he is still gaining weight. Max is very strong and very healthy. He even pushes bigger female dogs around at obedience school. He is showing some intelligence because he leaves the bigger males alone!
I am so thankful to Rick & Cindy for guiding Max and I on this path to better health for him. I just can’t imagine what I would have done without their help. From being totally frustrated and depressed to now seeing a long and healthy life ahead for Max has been a complete turnaround. The standard options we were given for a liver shunt were like a death sentence. Either very risky surgery with no guarantees, or a lifetime of drugs likely leading to a shortened lifespan, or the permanent choice of euthanizing him. Thank God that I found you and your website. I believe it was a true Godsend in our time of need.
Max is becoming the dog that I envisioned when I first got him. Thank you so much for making this possible, not only for him but for many other dogs as well.
September 2014 UPDATE: Sadly, not every case we work with is successful for the long term. While we have a success rate over 95%, some dogs have problems that are too great to overcome. Here is Frank again:
At 9 weeks of age I was told Max didn't have long to live. Max defied all the odds and made to 16 months old. Most of those months you would never know he had such a serious health issue. I did everything possible to give him a good life. On Sunday Sept 14th Max became sick and as the week progressed his liver went into failure and I had to end his life on Friday the 19th. He was the sweetest and most loving dog I could have asked for. He brought so much happiness into my life during his short life. He will be greatly missed !!!
I just wanted to say thanks for all your help. The Vets were amazed Max lived as long as he did.
Frank Jasinski
Grand Rapids, MI
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