I changed my Jack Russell Milo diet about 10 days ago. He has been suffering with Anemia and been quite poorly. Last week his blood count had dropped again to 33, anyway this week it has shot up to 49 which is well up in the normal range where it hasn't been for months.
Vet was amazed as was I and we were both thrilled at this sudden turn around. Now I am wondering if its all been diet realated as he does suffer food intolerances and wonder if things in his previous food were stopping the absorption of vital nutrients, now he is on a food with nothing artificial at all he is getting what he needs.
It could just be coincidence but he has been ill for quite a few moths now and just seems strange when the diet changes he recovers.
We are going to leave him a fortnight now before his next blood test and hopefully it will have stayed at a good level.
Would be interested on your views as to whether you think diet could cause this or its just coincidence.
He has also stopped his obsession with eating dirt since the diet change.

You might have a point here. It's difficult to know without proper tests but if you feel the change in diet is benefiting him then stick with it.  Fantastic he is doing so well.

My dog suffered from or should I say I suffered from my dog's Coprophagia which stopped when I changed her food. I changed her food back again to check if it was the food that was making a difference and she started the Coprophagia again. :rolleyes: My dog's 'condition' wasn't as serious as Milo's so I was able to play about with the food.

The part that astonishes me is how big a change has been recorded in just over a week.  Unless you have a blood transfusion it can take a human 2 to 3 months to raise their haemoglobin levels back to normal from severe anaemia using diet and iron supplements.  I would be surprised if it was so very different for dogs.  I wonder if some error was made in the first reading. 

It wasn't just a first reading.  His blood has been being tested everyweek for the past 10 weeks and some has been sent off to labs as well as in house tests and all has been showing the same low levels.  I am just hoping yesterdays high normal reading wasn't a wrong reading now you say that.
I suppose the one in a fortnight will tell.  But it can't change the fact he has now stopped his obsessive dirt eating and seems so much brighter and livlier in himself.

I just want to say hopefully you have got it under control but whatever it is wonderful news that things are looking up.

whatever the reason you must be over the moon

I am so pleased to read that he has improved.

Great news Bev :) :) :)

I dont think it's a coincedence at all :) Many pet owners underestimate the power of food,and the long term damage poor nutrients can cause to their animals.
Soil eating is a classic side effect of poor mineral absorbtion,or poorly sourced minerals in cheap foods,so the dog tries to find these in soil which is mineral rich!

A good wholesome diet is the foundation of good health IMO,and without it,it is like building  a house on a poorly constructed foundation,the main frame will always be a bit shaky.

Bev can i ask what you were feeding Milo,and what you changed to? :)

Ktee,  Milo was being fed Wainwrights complete dry food which is wheat/gluten free as he is intolerant to wheat/gluten.  On paper it looks a pretty good quality dried food.
I have changed him onto Nature Diet which is devoid of any artificial additives on any description and this turnaround happened so quickly.  If his blood test results stay so good in the future then I will say it definatly has to be the food.
I want to put my big girl on it as well but she weighs over 30 kg more than Milo and I think it may prove rather expensive for her, But have decided if I give up smoking I can afford that for her too.  Now theres an incentive.

I prefer raw but my son-in-law studied the ingredients of Naturediet.   He saves all their own vegetable peelings to give variety, saves all the off cuts from their meat and fish during the week and buys whatever meat and fish Sainsbury's reduce to 50p at 9pm on a Wednesday evening! ;)  He minces all this stuff up and freezes it into portions for 3 dogs.  Then twice a week he cooks up a big pot of rice and keeps it in the fridge.  Each day he gets out a bag of meat or fish and mixes it with the rice.  He gives them a spoonful of SA37 a couple of times a week, which he calls his insurance in case he's misses anything.  It's not what I would do but I have to say that his dogs love it, they look brilliant, it really doesn't take much time once you're in the routine and it's very economical. :)

Hi Val,

What does your son do about giving calcium then, as no bones are mentioned..?

Just being nosey :D

I know that he minces egg shell and would give occasional cheese - so I assume that would cover calcium.  I don't know what SA 37 involves these days as I've not used it for 30 years! ;)  It's all about balancing over a long period, not daily.  :)

PS  I only have one daughter.  He's my son-in-law but I'm very lucky - she chose VERY wisely! :D

Sorry, missed the in-law bit :P

Was just wondering whether he used ground bone, as Naturediet do. Thought about using it myself a while back as my dog developed megaesophagus and I feed raw so wasn't sure how I was going to deal with the bone aspect of it as most megae dogs can't manage solid foods, but we've found what works for him and he's doing great. Was just being nosey really - could talk about feeding dogs all day long :D

Glad that your dog is sorted. :D  I know that he doesn't use ground bone.  Just a variety of 'normal' good plus the SA 37 to hopefully everything is covered.  Must say that I prefer this rather than using processed food long term, although I'm happy to use tinned Chappie when I'm travelling. ;)