# Maltese and Protein



## paolacastro1974 (Mar 13, 2013)

Hello Everyone!
I have an 11 month abt 11 lbs Maltese boy. I feed him raw, from Darwin's and a Blue Ridge Beef, I give him abt 2.5 to 3 oz per meal.... (Twice a day) He gets a duck neck bone once a week or a marrow bone. 
I do leave a bowl of kibble for him to eat if he is hungry, in case I'm late coming back home or something like that, for the most part he barely touches it. I've been doing a mix of royal canin and blue buffalo, I am running out of the blue buffalo so I got some orijen 6 fish, he tried it last night and omg he LOVED it! So I'm going to mix it with the royal canin and once I go low on the royal canin I'll add Fromm gold... So then I'll be doing Fromm and orijen only for kibble, but like I said he only nibbles on it every now and then.... So that should last me a while.
I have been reading about protein..... And orijen does have 37% or so, I believe Fromm is much lower.... 
What is the main reason for not giving a Maltese high protein? 
Some people say their babies get soft stools and upset tummy, other say it can damage their liver.... Does anyone have more info on this?
I tried to do a search but I couldn't figure it out.... Sorry
Thank you in advance !!


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## paolacastro1974 (Mar 13, 2013)

Anyone? 


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

Foods that go grain free tend to make softer poo, there is just not much a manufacturer can do about it. Higher protein is not good if the source is bad. Personally I have no problem with the dog foods you have mentioned saved the Royal Canin. 

The main reason for not giving ANY dog high protein has always been that the protein sources in most foods in the past have been of low quality. High protein is also much easier to digest when a diet is higher in liquid (like canned or the raw you feed).


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## paolacastro1974 (Mar 13, 2013)

Oh I see! It makes sense!  great! I just want to make sure my I'm doing the right thing for my puppy boy! 
THANK YOU!!


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## pammy4501 (Aug 8, 2007)

It's not so much that higher protein can damage the liver. Many of our dogs have mild to moderate MVD which makes them less able to tolerate higher protein diets. The best way to gauge this is to have your dogs labs drawn, and even perhaps a BAT to see how his liver is tolerating the diet you are feeding.


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

Exactly Pam! I do intend to have Lisi tested after we finish this grain-free & venison exclusion diet. My feeling is she is pressing her head more because of the higher than normal protein for her (she had higher BATS & probable MVD). She is also scratching her ears more---so I am thinking even w/dumbing it down w/potatoes & carrots for her it may still be too high. I can only know the answer to that after we do a complete panel on her. I disagree Shelly that ANY dog can eat a higher protein no matter how good it is---it depends on the dog & it's medical limitations.


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## paolacastro1974 (Mar 13, 2013)

Pam, if he was t tolerating it would there be signs I should watch for on the only way is with blood work. Sorry what is mvd and bat?
Thank u


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## pammy4501 (Aug 8, 2007)

paolacastro1974 said:


> Pam, if he was t tolerating it would there be signs I should watch for on the only way is with blood work. Sorry what is mvd and bat?
> Thank u


Microvascular dysplasia (MVD) is a congenital defect of the livers blood flow system. It is not a "liver shunt" although it can cause shunting due to abnormally small vascular connections between microscopic blood vessels. 

BAT is Bile Acid Testing. BAT is done per and post feeding and measures how the liver functions and performs as opposed to an enzyme level reading, that can indicate degree of inflammation or damage.

Unfortunately this can be a silent problem that you might not be aware of until it becomes quite severe. Some dogs can develop hepatic encephalopathy. However most dogs with MVD can be fairly easily controlled with diet. 

I personally prefer to feed Maltese dogs a lower protein diet because so many don't tolerate high protein diets very well.


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## paolacastro1974 (Mar 13, 2013)

pammy4501 said:


> Microvascular dysplasia (MVD) is a congenital defect of the livers blood flow system. It is not a "liver shunt" although it can cause shunting due to abnormally small vascular connections between microscopic blood vessels.
> 
> BAT is Bile Acid Testing. BAT is done per and post feeding and measures how the liver functions and performs as opposed to an enzyme level reading, that can indicate degree of inflammation or damage.
> 
> ...



I'll talk to the vet about getting these done. Thank you!


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## paolacastro1974 (Mar 13, 2013)

I just talked to the vet and the bloodwork they did when he got neutered shows his ALT are normal, s I guess we are clear for now. I am planning on doing blood work every year or so so ill keep an eye


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

You also need to have the BAT as a base line in the event his ALT would climb at any point. The ALT does not show what the BAT shows---it can help if the BAT is an issue. Please schedule at BAT w. your vet---take the pup fasting---they will draw blood & then feed the pup & wait an hour & do another draw. You will need to know the value of both of these blood draws. Keep a record. Most probably things will be fine, but it is good to have for later, and gives you peace of mind. Lots & lots of maltese have higher than average BAT results---one of mine doesn't and one does---they are half siblings.


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## CrystalAndZoe (Jul 11, 2006)

edelweiss said:


> You also need to have the BAT as a base line in the event his ALT would climb at any point. The ALT does not show what the BAT shows---it can help if the BAT is an issue. Please schedule at BAT w. your vet---take the pup fasting---they will draw blood & then feed the pup & wait an hour & do another draw. You will need to know the value of both of these blood draws. Keep a record. Most probably things will be fine, but it is good to have for later, and gives you peace of mind. Lots & lots of maltese have higher than average BAT results---one of mine doesn't and one does---they are half siblings.


Just to make this a tiny bit clearer....your dog could have an elevated BA (bile acid) even though his ALT and AST's are in the normal range. It's been recommended that you get a BAT when they are still young (under a year) to have as a baseline so that in the future, if your dog ever becomes sick, it will help to aid in diagnosing if you already know his BA's are high.

On a side note, the higher the protein level in a dry kibble, the harder it is on the kidneys.


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## Ann Mother (Dec 18, 2013)

So what percent of the protein in dog food is safe for the maltese?


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## paolacastro1974 (Mar 13, 2013)

I will do that. Thanks 


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## eiksaa (Jun 8, 2012)

Ann Mother said:


> So what percent of the protein in dog food is safe for the maltese?
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App



I aim for 22-28% on an average. 


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## Ann Mother (Dec 18, 2013)

Thanks


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## CrystalAndZoe (Jul 11, 2006)

Ann Mother said:


> So what percent of the protein in dog food is safe for the maltese?
> 
> 
> Sent from Petguide.com Free App


For a dry kibble? Canned? Dehydrated/Freeze Dried? Or raw? 

And I don't think there is a certain number that is a one size fits all really. Some will do better on lower protein and others will do better on a higher protein. If you have a dog that does agility on a regular basis, then you would want a little higher protein level. And then of course certain health issues will also dictate correct protein levels. But if feeding a dry kibble, I would not go more than 32% on a regular basis. I think anywhere between 26-30% is a moderate protein amount in a dry kibble. And I always recommend soaking it in warm water to add much needed moisture to the food to help spare the kidneys.


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## Lacie's Mom (Oct 11, 2006)

For Dry Kibble, I also look at around 25-30%. With canned or fresh (Vital Fresh, etc.) I look for less than 9%. None of my girls have MVD or liver issues, but I still tend to caution on the lower side.


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

I try to stay around 22% as Lisi is probable MVD & I keep them both on the same diet. Kitzi would be ok a bit higher, but she steals!


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