We are health scientists and medical/Public Health professors who carefully review nutrition-related evidence. Our vet on Vancouver Island introduced us to West Coast Canine Life last year--a product that she also feeds her GI-sensitive dogs. This nutrition has been life-changing for our 1-year-old Westie. We have used your pre-mix for many months to make our puppy's food and have been delighted with the improvement in her health and energy levels. The preparation is easy, pleasant, and quick and Sophie wolfs down her herbal-scented "muffin" three times a day with a dollop of organic plain yogurt. After experimenting with many other types of non-grain, good-quality, expensive canine foods, we are delighted to find that West Coast Canine Life pre-mix is economical, safe, and, most important, agrees with our Westie's digestive system--no more vomiting, loose stools, discomfort, and energy level swings. Now, she likes to be the leader on 5k trail runs (her idea--with regular breaks for water and sniffing smelly things) when I am training for distance races. We also think that Sophie eats better-balanced meals than we do!
Thanks, Joanne,
Drs. Barbara and David Low
Nanoose Bay, BC
The morning of April 28, 2012, Ruthie, my loyal friend and then 5 year old cocker spaniel, woke up with the same energy, enthusiasm, playfulness and mischievousness as she had every morning since she came to live with me when she was six weeks old. Nothing in this world was too big for her to conquer. That evening we found ourselves on a new journey, a journey for survival. The afternoon of April 28th, Ruthie ingested a sego palm seed, and unfortunately I had no idea of the toxicity of the plant and that its affect damages the liver and more than likely leads to death.
After a little time Ruthie seemed to improve, however, her vet told me that she was not out of the woods because the toxins could continue to cause further liver damage. Then four (4) months later, on August 10th,Ruthie became very ill again, started having seizures, temporarily lost her sight and went downhill fast. Her liver levels (ALT) were very high and a MRI confirmed cirrhosis of her liver and that the major portion of her liver had been damaged.
My concern became Ruthie’s food intake because everything I had read indicated how important the diet is when treating liver damage and my quest then became finding a diet that would support Ruthie’s liver. Ruthie suffered from allergies and had always been on a prescribed hypoallergenic food. Unfortunately, it was not a product designed specifically for supporting a damaged liver. I tried making her food which was not received well by Ruthie. My quest to find a liver friendly diet became futile and I was losing hope. Then on Friday, October 26, 2012, I learned of West Coast Canine Life and emailed Joanne that evening. Joanne responded the very next morning and by the end of that weekend, Joanne, Suzi and Dina had a diet and supplement plan in place for Ruthie and I had a renewed hope.
I immediately started Ruthie on the supplements recommended by Suzi and anxiously awaited the arrival of the West Coast Canine Life Pre-Mix so I could start Ruthie on her new diet. I was concerned that Ruthie would not eat her “muffins” prepared from the Pre-Mix since her appetite was little to none at that time. The Pre-Mix arrived and she not only loved helping me make her “muffins” but she also loved eating them. Amen!!! Cooking/baking is not my favorite thing to do, however, Ruthie and I spent many a morning, afternoon or evening in the kitchen together baking muffins and/or treats and I enjoyed every moment as did she, as she waited by the oven for the next batch to come out.
On November 5th Ruthie ate, or should I say inhaled, her first “muffin” and her appetite was again in full Ruthie form. Immediately after Ruthie started her new diet/supplement plan she began gaining more energy, showing great improvements and becoming more like Ruthie as I knew her before she ingested the sego palm nut. Even her allergies became more manageable and eventfully non-existent. On December 12, 2012, Ruthie’s liver levels were almost normal and then on January 25, 2013, they finally reached the normal range. Amen!!! My prayer was that we would then go on living happily ever after.
I am brokenhearted to say Ruthie took a turn for the worse and on June 2, 2013 we lost the battle for survival, but before losing that battle I was blessed with an additional 13 months with Ruthie which by all accounts I should not have had and every moment spent with her will remain imprinted on my heart.
My prayer now is that Ruthie’s story can help to educate others about the danger of sego palms to not only to dogs but also to children and to share the benefits of a West Coast Canine Life whole food diet for your dog, whether he or she have specific health issues or not.. Suzi wrote me, “Our dogs teach us so much. There are no would haves, could haves, or should haves for our dogs”. That statement is so healing to my soul, however, I cannot help but wonder had Ruthie been eating “muffins” from day one would her body have been better equipped to have fought off the toxins. I truly believe it would have.
I am forever thankful to West Coast Canine Life for providing a food that brought nourishment and healing to Ruthie and to Joanne, Suzi, and Dina for always making themselves available to share their product, expertise and many words of wisdom and encouragement. You were truly answers to my desperate prayers.
Forever Thankful,
Eldean and Ruthie
Bakersfield, Ca.
Juliette, a Standard Poodle, now healthy and happy
on a special Gastro Canine Life cooked diet
Juliette is our 8 year old Standard Poodle, and our dream girl. She twice suffered hideously painful episodes of pancreatitis. A good friend told me about WCCL. We switched Juliette to the gastro recipe of muffins and have never looked back. Gone is the intermittent diarrhea which I now realize was a sign of her ongoing alimentary distress. A healthy gut, a healthy girl!
Juliette’s baby “sister”, also a Standard Poodle and a highly finicky eater, loves the muffins as well!
I love making the muffins and our girls love eating them. Not a day goes by without my deep and abiding gratitude for these muffins, to Suzi and Joanne. WCCL has magically changed our lives. It is truly marvelous. All my thanks, always.
Helen M.
Texas, USA
Fleece is my 4 year old Blue Merle Sheltie. At a young age, food and environmental allergies surfaced, and he had several gastro and skin incidents related to his allergies.
Food became a real issue, as most commercial diets, hypoallergenic or not, caused his skin to erupt and for him to scratch and bite on himself endlessly. The one kibble he seemed able to tolerate left his coat, and him, listless and dull.
Rather than outgrowing his gastro problems, they increased in severity, to the point where I thought I might lose him.
Allergy testing revealed a wide variety of allergens to avoid, and based on these findings, a special blend of WCCL was created just for Fleece. That was 15 months ago now, and the results have been nothing short of amazing! His coat is beautiful, and his energy level is off the charts! I love how he bounces around the agility courses we run! He has his special sparkle back, and he LOVES his muffins.
I will confess, "baker" is not a word ever associated with me; but I make the muffins faithfully, and even quite enjoy it! And Fleece supervises every detail, to be sure I get it right.
He watches intently as the ingredients are added and mixed, hovers anxiously while the muffins bake, and is my faithful bodyguard as we make the perilous journey from kitchen to back room freezer with our precious treasure!
While I joke about him now being too healthy and full of himself, I am so grateful to have my Fleece back!
And although I said this was about Fleece, I have to at least mention the fussy little Papillion who now digs into his muffins with the same unbridled enthusiasm as his brothers, the elderly American Eskimo/Sheltie cross who sings for his muffins, and the mini Dachshund-cross who, since being on WCCL no longer suffers from seasonal pattern baldness!
Thank you Joanne and WCCL!!
As a hobby dog breeder, I started feeding my Pembroke Welsh Corgis West Coast Canine Life in Summer of 2010. I originally found the company when I was up at a local Health-Nutrition-Food fair on Vancouver Island, BC and my male Corgi, Nigel, dragged me over to this booth with the muffins . He stood up on his hind legs and tried to pull the muffins from the top of the table. I had to look to see what had him so excited. I was sent home with 2 free muffins to try. I then purchased a trial pack of the Pre-Mix.
My dogs went crazy when I made the first batch and could not wait to get at the muffins. I was looking for something to help with my dog's chronic bladder infections, and I was also having a hard time keeping the dogs at an ideal weight. My dog Nigel was diagnosed with large bladder stones and surgery was suggested as the recommended treatment which would eliminate all of the stones immediately, with the alternative of trying the veterinary Struvite/Oxalate stone diet first to see if this may help reduce the size of the stones.
I opted to begin feeding the WCCL Pre-Mix using a recipe from WCCL that is suggested for dogs with Kidney problems, including stones and crystals. I started all my dogs on the WCCL Regular Pre-Mix full time, and followed the Kidney Diet recipe for Nigel. A few weeks later ALL of the stones had completely dissolved and he has had NO bladder infections or re-occurrence of the stones since!
I can make a double batch of muffins in about 45 minutes for my dogs. All of my show dogs and companion dogs are now on the WCCL diet and their coats are fabulous, their colours are deep, and their whites virtually sparkle. When they shed, they shed quickly and uniformly. They don't blow as much coat as they used to on kibble and they grow their coat back faster. Their energy levels are excellent and they have virtually no excess body fat. I like knowing what is in my dog's food and I know that WCCL will never be part of a recall as all the ingredients in the Pre-Mix is human quality and organic. I add in all my own fresh local free range eggs, fresh vegetables/fruits, virgin olive oil and pure cranberry juice. I have beautiful bones on my adult dogs and very clean teeth and pleasant breath.
My puppies have been weaned onto the Puppy Pre-Mix formulation and a recipe specifically for growing puppies - and they loved it. It is interesting that their ears stood up very well very early on with no taping needed. They did not like the kibble alternative I offered them for a comparison test. They got very loose stools on the kibble, no matter how slowly I introduced it or what I mixed it with. When I put them back on WCCL, their stools firmed up immediately in the next bowel movement.
I also like to see my dogs mature slowly, so that they reach their peak slowly and therefore, are slow to decline in their veteran years. This food is ideal for the breeder who wants slow, steady and even maturation and growth. That way, the puppies do not become overdone in bone too early or too heavy too early from artificially high levels of supplements, which only causes the body to break down earlier.
I have referred several puppy buyers and friends to this food and their dogs have entered into an incredible state of health and coat quality. With more and more pet foods being recalled, I hope more people will turn to WCCL and begin home cooking with this completely balanced diet. I have tried many different major brands of dog foods over 20 years of showing Purebred dogs, and this is the first time I have not had to keep running to the vet for bladder infections or phantom body issues!
Erin Moore
RAVINEL Pembroke Welsh Corgis (CKC Reg'd)
Ontario, Canada
Erin - A Breeder's Testimonial
Struvite Stones and West Coast Canine Life's Kidney Diet Formulation
Donna & Maggie - Gastrointestinal Issues & Ongoing Pet Food Recall Concerns
We brought Maggie, a Pembroke Welsh Corgi, into our lives in August of 2011. November, 2011, my vet decided it was time to investigate the cause of her inability to maintain a healthy gastrointestinal system. Upon findings from laboratory tests, Maggie was diagnosed with Clostridium Perfringens.
I contacted West Coast Canine Life with this information, and they were extremely helpful in guiding me to the appropriate ingredients and possible supplements. Hesitantly, I began Maggie’s new diet, not expecting to discover how quickly Maggie’s progress would be. Maggie used to be a dog who turned up her nose up at almost any food, was an extremely picky eater, and when she did eat it was always a very small amount. Now, when I pull the muffins from the refrigerator, Maggie performs her “happy dance”: barking, jumping onto the counter, and running around the kitchen while I am preparing her meals. She eats quickly, she eats all her meals, and she will often beg for “just one more”. Her gastrointestinal issues are completely under control and it is very apparent in her overall behavior.
After a couple of weeks, my older two Corgi’s, Spirit and Arabella, began begging for the muffins. I decided they, too, should be on this diet and now with this horrible continuation of pet food recalls, I am so glad I did! They absolutely love the muffins and I have seen a nice change in the coats: shedding has been minimized, the white on their coats is whiter, and all three have luxurious coats.
I enjoy making the muffins for them, as I know I am providing my dogs with a healthy diet and one that is perfect for a demanding performance schedule. All my dogs compete in Agility and I have always been extremely concerned with providing them the proper nutrition for this demanding sport. All three love baking muffins; the kitchen is full as they do not go far from the oven, and will wait until the muffins have cooled. I purchased a food processor, have the recipe memorized, and I can make several batches of muffins in very little time. They freeze very well, and I have also been able to take frozen muffins to dog shows for an entire weekend with only ice in a cooler.
I am very impressed with the quick turn-around in ordering the Canine Life Pre-Mix, as well. Usually, within 2 days upon my order, the Pre-Mix is delivered. Joanne, the owner of West Coast Canine Life continues to inquire on Maggie’s progress which is a true testament to her overall concern for the dog. WCCL is a such a blessing in the lives of all of my dogs.
Donna Kroack
Pennsylvania, USA
Carol & Dani - Muffin Magic
I began the journey down the whole food diet path in response to an osteosarcoma diagnosis in ourfourteen month old Dani. Longtime friend, Judy Word, connected me with Suzi Beber (Smiling Blue Skies Cancer Fund). Suzi offered more than just an ear. She offered a plan to boost Dani’s immune system so that she could fight and improve the quality of life that remained. At the core of the plan wasa whole food diet. West Coast Canine Life produced the premix to create the muffins that would sustain Dani through the next seven months.
Since I no longer enjoy cooking, it was quite a commitment on my part, but I found comfort in battling the monster that was stealing our baby, so I baked and so did my mom. We found that we could whip up a week’s worth of magic in no time and Dani thrived on the diet. Her coat grew thicker and glossier and she did not suffer the customary weight loss until the final two weeks.
Until the time we chose to let her go, she insisted on playing with the other dogs and though the cancer eventually spread to her lungs making breathing difficult, her zest for life remained undaunted. Even though I became single-minded in my focus to help Dani fight this disease, it dawned on me that adding muffins to the other dogs’ diet might extend their lives. I am pleased with the results. Coats, stools and zest for eating all improved.
Starting young with West Coast Canine Life whole foods diet
I continued the whole food journey with the litter I whelped in December. At three weeks of age, their stools became pasty and hard to clean up. Following a negative stool check, my vet recommended
that they begin eating gruel in an effort to alleviate the problem so I made these magic muffins for the babies, crumbled them up and soaked them in a mixture of warm goat’s milk and water. Almost overnight, their stools became solid again. As they matured, we were able to feed them crumbled muffins without the goat’s milk and water. At their seven week vet exam, their stools were negative and they were pronounced healthy and were certified to make the 2000 mile journey to their new homes.
I travelled with muffins and mix from West Texas to Iowa and then back to East Texas to deliver two of these babies to their new families. While with the families, we made and froze double batches of muffins so they could concentrate on bonding rather than baking the first couple of weeks. To date, the litter of three continues to eat muffins three times per day. Two of them are with new families committed to trying the whole food approach. Both families have prior experience with Goldens and are aware of the health concerns related to cancer and allergies and are willing to continue this feeding plan. I will continue the muffin diet with my little Derby also because I could not be happier with the
eating plan and the health of this litter.
I included the wonderful West Coast Canine Life family in my weekly updates and will continue to do so. Feel free to follow the journey of these muffin-fed babies by contacting me directly atRycroft@suddenlink.net or indirectly at info@WestCoastCanineLife.com.
Carol Abernathy
Sweetwater, Texas
www.rycroftgoldens.com
Watch Carol's testomonial video
A huge thank you West Coast Canine Life. A few months ago I noticed my 5 year old American cocker was getting brown staining around her eyes and mouth. She was also starting to have ear problems.
I was so upset because my other cocker had major ear and skin problems that we battled for years and could never clear up. Watching and dealing with two other dogs with allergies wasn't fun for them or my pocket book. It would have been worse with Baylee because she is such a “princess”. With my other two, there were lots of visits to the vets, always changing food, lots of baths because of the odour, always cleaning their ears which they hated, then there was the chronic scratching, and bleeding, followed by me having to continually put topical products on them. It went on and on. I hate to see an animal suffer and they certainly do when they live with allergies. That’s why I was so excited when I began to see a difference in Baylee after just a few weeks on her new diet.
A friend was feeding her dog West Coast Canine Life so I got in touch with Joanne, the owner of the company via email.
Within a month on her new West Coast Canine Life diet, the stains and ear problems were gone. Her groomer and vet continue to be blown away by the results. Making, baking and freezing the muffins is simple too!
Baylee also has a very sensitive stomach and has always thrown up a lot. Since putting her on this diet this has not happened at all (other than if she gets into something she is not supposed to have)!
I can't say enough about this wonderful product.
Thank you Joanne for your help, knowledge, quick replies to my e-mails and making Baylee an awesome healthy dog.
Donna Pierce
Campbell River, B.C.
Donna & Baylee - Help with Eye and Ear Problems
Price is battling Valley Fever - an infectious disease.
On October 18, 2010, after several weeks of testing and misdiagnosis, my five year old Coton De Tulear, Price, was diagnosed with disseminated Coccidiomycosis (more commonly known as Valley Fever). This is an infectious disease caused by inhalation of fungal spores found in the soil.
Valley Fever begins in the lungs, but can disseminate to all other organs of the body, including the central nervous system. The disseminated form of the disease is the most dangerous and hardest to treat.
After two months on oral Fluconazole (antifungal) treatment, the disease still managed to penetrate Price’s central nervous system and enter his brain, causing sudden onset of severe neurological symptoms (seizures, loss of vision, and uncontrollable vocalizations).
Once stabilized, Price was immediately started on Amphotericin B three days a week along with his oral Fluconazole therapy. This treatment can cause extreme kidney toxicity resulting in acute kidney failure, and is often not even recommended depending on the dog's otherwise overall health and age. Luckily, Price is young, in otherwise excellent health and was a prime candidate. Each day before receiving treatment, Price receives a urinalysis to check his kidney function, and once a week receives a full blood kidney and liver panel. If his urine or blood work are not clean (meaning signs of kidney damage are present) he cannot continue with this treatment. When he began, his doctor said the ultimate goal would be 4 to 6 weeks of treatment if his kidneys could tolerate the medication that long, six weeks being the longest it is usually tolerated before the risk of permanent kidney damage becomes too great (many dogs show some signs of kidney distress prior to the 4 to 6 week mark, but not enough to risk stopping treatment).
Price is now half way through his 6th week of treatment on the Amphotericin B, and has switched from Fluconazole to oral Posaconazole (both of which can cause liver damage) and, to his doctors’ amazement, has shown absolutely NO signs of any kidney or liver distress. I am happy to report that the lesion in Price’s brain has significantly decreased, his neurological symptoms have all but disappeared, and most excitingly, his prognosis has gone from grim to “guardedly optimistic."
Here’s Price, dancing for muffins almost 2 years after his diagnosis
of Valley Fever – “Priceless”.
Price has been eating West Coast Canine Life since I brought him home as a 12 week old puppy. I fully believe this wholesome diet is the reason for his ability not only to receive such toxic and aggressive treatments in the first place (by ensuring that his otherwise overall health was excellent before the onset of this disease), but also to continue on these treatments without damage to his kidneys or other organs longer than any other dog his specialist has treated.
One common side effect of this disease and its treatment, is loss of appetite. Many dogs with such a severe case of Valley Fever require hand feeding or even a feeding tube to ensure they are getting adequate nutrition. I’m happy to say this is one side effect Price has not experienced; he still looks forward to meal time and eagerly gobbles his muffins, without fail!
In addition to this wonderful diet, Joanne and her team at West Coast Canine Life have provided invaluable nutritional knowledge and support throughout this process, suggesting different formulations and supplements to help keep Price in amazing fighting shape!
I am happy to share additional information about this disease and details of my personal experiences so far to anyone else who might be facing this terrible diagnosis, and strongly recommend West Coast Canine Life as an aide in your fight.
Kassandra Branson,
Ventura CA,USA
Our foster puppy Millie was one of many puppies suffering from severe mange who were part of a large rescue effort in Vancouver in which 23 dogs were seized. Millie is thriving on the West Coast Canine Life puppy muffins. She absolutely devours them, as does our other dog. In just 3 short weeks her hair has come in on her face and is beginning to grow on the rest of her body. I am sure that this whole foods diet, in combination with TLC, and ivermectin have greatly contributed to her new lease on life!
In addition, our resident dog who has tummy problems has not refused a single meal and has regular, normal bowl movements now. This is after trying every high end commercial allergy food for over 3 years with minimal results.
Thanks again for your great customer service and info.
Heather
Victoria,BC
Millie, just 3 weeks later.
Rescue Puppy Millie with Mange – Getting Better Every Day!
Millie, the day after she arrived.
My husband and I have two wonderful Border Collies, Nicky and Belle, now 8 and 7 years old. We have always been active in agility and herding, but several years ago Belle started to develop mysterious digestive issues that came on suddenly and would last for days. Nicky always had a very sensitive stomach too, and was a very picky eater.
During our first visit to the vet with Belle's digestive issue, her stomach x-rays revealed an issue with a degenerative disc in her back. As a result, our vet recommended that we retire her from agility. The following two years we had her back x-rayed each year to check the disc condition, and it was mildly progressing. In the meantime, we had bouts with the digestive issues and tried a number of premium dog foods with no success.
Finally, I started home cooking for both my dogs. They did much better on the home-cooked diet, but I was concerned about being able to provide the proper nutrition for such active working dogs and the correct amount of calcium for Belle's disc issue. I tried some add-in dog vitamins for home cooked meals, but my dogs would not eat it.
I started asking around and one of my co-workers introduced me to West Coast Canine Life. He gave me some sample muffins and my dogs loved them. I have been feeding my dogs West Coast Canine Life for about a year. Nicky and Belle's digestive issues are gone, and they both love their muffins and the treats I make using the mix.
Just last week we had Belle's back x-rayed again for her annual check up and learned some wonderful and unexpected news - her degenerative disc has not progressed at all this last year. I have to contribute this to the fresh, wholesome, nutritious West Coast Canine Life muffins we are feeding them, and the pure prescription-strength calcium in the mix.
Joanne has been incredibly helpful to me with my many, many questions. My vet recently commented on how knowledgeable Joanne is and how truly caring she is for her customers and their doggies.
I highly recommend West Coast Canine Life.
Sincerely,
Mike and Julie Belote
Nick-a-Roo and Blazin' Bellerina
Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
Nicky & Belle - Mysterious Digestive Issues
Testimonial for Beau - Thriving on Canine Life
Beau came to us just over 2 years ago when he was 11 weeks old. Circumstances led us on an unexpected journey that resulted in Beau coming into our lives...at a time when we desperately needed him.
Here is Beau waiting for his liver treats to be made with WCCL.
I became familiar with Joanne and West Coast Canine Life after dealing with a variety of tummy issues with a puppy we had before Beau and had amazing results with the Canine Life food. So, without a second thought, I knew that I would continue to feed this food to Beau. Beau did not have any health issues whatsoever...he was the picture of health and happiness...and has continued to be since the day we brought him home. He is a WCCL dog through and through. I receive compliments on his coat and teeth all the time. People are always amazed at how silky and shiny his coat is and how his teeth are so clean. Fortunately, I have not had to deal with hot spots, ear or skin issues with Beau as I did with my first Golden boy, Dakota.
Making muffins is also a breeze now. It doesn't take me much time at all to whip up a few batched of muffins. I often mix all the wet ingredients and freeze in freezer bags. When I need a batch of muffins I just simply thaw, add the pre mix and bake.
I can't say enough about the service I receive from Joanne as well. She has been wonderful to me throughout the past 3 years and I cannot thank her enough for convincing me to use WCCL, and for helping us find our way to Beau. If you are reading this testimonial and are on the fence as to whether to try WCCL, please do your pet a favor and just try it. You will be amazed and thrilled. It is an investment in your pets health and with a bit of practice making the muffins becomes a breeze.
Brandi
Kitimat, BC
My clinic specializes in Pre-and Post-Operative Rehabilitation, Sports Medicine, Acupuncture and Holistic Healing, along with Geriatric Fitness and Mobility. Along with these services I recommend WEST COAST CANINE LIFE to my patients, and I have it available in my clinic.
We have been breeding and competing with working Retrievers for 25 years. Our goal has been to produce well balanced dogs that are competitive in shows, field and obedience. We travel extensively and are always looking for products to ensure optimal health and well-being of our “canine athletes”. When we found WEST COAST CANINE LIFE, we knew this would be a perfect food for our dogs.
Our dogs thrive on WEST COAST CANINE LIFE, and in particular Ricky, our versatility Labrador. From a Veterinarian’s point of view, this 100% human quality and organic food is balanced and meets the National Research Councils standards for a dog's daily nutritional requirements. Ricky loves the muffins and won’t eat anything else when we have females coming into season, or when he stresses while traveling away from home to compete in the field. The muffins keep the weight on, and his energy level up, while meeting all of his health needs. They're easy to bake, pack and feed. We also have a Boston Terrier, who had gastro issues as a puppy. This turned around immediately when she went onto WEST COAST CANINE LIFE. “Piggy” lives for her muffins! Our pregnant and lactating labs love the muffins, as do the puppies. When we’re traveling or hunting with our dogs, even the fussiest will eat the muffins.
We also make high protein energy bars from the Pre-Mix too. Recipes for really simple and nutritious biscuits are included in each bag of Pre-Mix. Believe me, I’m no baker, but even I can make WEST COAST CANINE LIFE muffins!
Tracey Griffin, DVM - Pacific Animal Wellness Services
Yellowpoint, BC, Canada
Cedarbrae Labradors - A Vet's Endorsement
Kidney Failure - I found a miracle, with thanks
Cody is one of my beloved Golden Retrievers. Seven years ago when his mother Courtney gave birth to him, she just carried him over to me and dropped him in my lap. Ironically, it was my birthday! What an amazing gift he has been!!!!
Cody, my "Wonder Dog" thrives in spite of having faced some life threatening situations. He was the first born of nine pups, but sadly his mom suffered complications and Cody was the only pup that survived. I almost lost him to parvo when he was a young pup despite being vaccinated for it. Kidney disease has been his most recent nemesis.
He has always been prone to terrible hot spots, ear infections and his eyes teared constantly. In May of 2008 I took him in for his annual physical and the vet found nothing wrong. In December of 2008 his immune system crashed. He was lethargic, lost almost all his fur, his body swelled from retention of fluids, he had a terrible skin infection and he stopped eating.
The diagnosis was kidney failure and an improperly functioning thyroid
gland. I was told that the humane thing to do was to euthanize him -
advice I quickly rejected! I was not ready to give up on my "Wonder Dog".
Sadly, his Mom “Courtney” was battling cancer at the same time, and the thought of potentially loosing both of them crushed me. In desperation, I turned to the internet and blindly searched for a miracle. My miracle came in the form West Coast Canine Life and the owner of the company, Joanne Fraser.
I have always tried to be responsible and provide the best care for my Golden's. We made annual visits to the vet and I purchased the best commercial food for them that I could find. My greatest regret is that I did not find West Coast Canine Life sooner! We started on the cancer diet, however by then it was far too late, my Courtney lost her battle with cancer on February 4, 2009. She really enjoyed her muffins though, and they provided her with some much needed nutrition during her final weeks. She was 14, and we miss her very much! She is survived by Cody, her son and Indy, her mate.
I am happy to report that my Cody shows continued progress in his recovery! We monitor him closely, and visit the vet regularly. Over the past few months, we have been able to begin reducing some of his medications. Joanne Fraser told me this may happen, once commercial food has been eliminated, and he was being fed a whole foods diet. My vet is cautiously optimistic with the positive progress he has made! I am thrilled!! The quality of my Cody's life has improved immensely since December. Looking at him and watching him in action you'd be hard pressed to know that a mere 8 months ago he was given a death sentence!!
I credit Joanne and West Coast Canine in large part for his continued positive progress. Both he and Indy love the muffins that I make for them using West Coast Canine Life Pre-Mixes, combined with the recommended fresh ingredients! I also make crunchy dog biscuits for them using the provided recipes. Feeding them whole fresh real food that I prepare in my home gives me great piece of mind! Obviously, it is not as convenient as feeding them a commercially produced food but I no longer have to worry about what they're eating! I don't have to worry about inferior ingredients or product recalls! The incredible reward for the small amount of effort out weighs any inconvenience!!
I prepare two weeks worth of muffins at a time (about 112 muffins – as they eat 4 muffins a day each.) It takes me about three hours to complete from start to finish. I vacuum seal the muffins to ensure freshness and keep them in the refrigerator. Works great!! Ziplock bags can also be used. I would prepare more at once if I could, but storage is my issue. I plan on purchasing a stand alone freezer to satisfy my storage needs in the future.
The biscuits are even easier to prepare! It takes me less than an hour to prepare 80 biscuits. Roughly a two to three week supply for us. I store them in a wicker basket lined with a towel. I try to keep a variety of flavors on hand for them. Peanut butter/Banana, Salmon, Tuna, Liver, Blueberry. The dogs love them!
It's funny because now when I visit the vet and the assistants try to
give my guys a commercial dog treat they sniff it and just turn away. (Wise dogs) They show no interest at all in eating the commercially prepared treats. Everyone loves to tease me about baking for my dogs. My sister calls me "Muffin Man" and "Biscuit Boy" and I don't mind a bit. I am just thrilled with the amazing transformation in my dogs!!
It has been eight months since I started using West Coast Canine Life, and my guys have never looked more beautiful!! They are healthier, happier and have more energy than ever. Cody's tearing eye issues have completely disappeared! I get compliments all the time on how shinny their coats are. Now, I can say with confidence that I am doing everything possible to ensure the health and well being of my beloved companions!
Joanne, I could never thank you enough for your warmth, your care, your guidance and your amazing products!! You've help me save my Cody's life!!!!
Lee Waller
Tucson, Arizona, USA
Jacqueline & Newman - Geriatric Kidney Problems
Just over 2 years ago, Newman, my Terrier/Poodle X went in for his geriatric blood panel, something I did every year prior to his teeth cleaning. This time the results were different. He was diagnosed with kidney disease. He was 14 years old. I asked what that meant and was told *the beginning of the end... that maybe he would be with us for 3-6 months and if we were lucky a year. Only 15-20% of his kidneys were working*. I was devastated.
I followed the recommended diet but Newman refused to eat without much coaching and added meats to the diet. Sometimes he would not eat at all. I then decided to cook for him following suggested recipes from scratch and supplement him myself. It was extremely stressful and there was much debate as to how much of this or that should he have. The science of cooking for him never seemed quite right or efficient. At one point with the commercial diet and home cooking from scratch, he ended up in the hospital for 3 days on fluids because he simply refuse to eat. There was no medical explanation for his condition and all his blood work and tests came back looking fine. He did recover. He continued to what one would say *get old*... he lost major muscle mass and became weaker. I too thought it was finally time to give into his age.
In the meantime we decided to add to our family. Our golden retriever, Griffin was born. Years before, my husband had a golden retriever that passed way before his time at the age of 8 from cancer. He vowed with his next golden he would *do it right* by cooking for him. Starting off we followed the commercial diets that were advised to us: from vet brands to high end pet store foods. Our plan was always to eventually cook for him but put it off because it was so overwhelming. I was extremely reluctant to take on home cooking for a puppy and a geriatric dog...both needing just the right balance of nutrients.
When Griffin began to develop skin and ear irritations I began again researching and inquiring about home cooked foods. I found WCCL...and finally was in the right direction. I spoke with Joanne on the phone and have never looked back! We discussed in length Newman’s needs and his history. Joanne assisted me on tweaking and supplementing Newman’s diet so that he could reach and maintain optimum health. After just one week of being on WCCL, Newman had an increase in energy appetite and basically seemed more alive! Griffin’s irritations disappeared. As you can see by the photos, I now have 2 very healthy, happy, energetic *loving their food* dogs.
Look how frisky Newman and Griffin are now!
I truly believe that WCCL has given Newman his quality of life back and that without it he would not be here today! He has more muscle tone and strength, he has warts but they no longer are oozing or growing, his teeth are cleaner, his breath is better, his nose is dark again, he again stretches and he again runs and has spring in his step. Also for the first time in YEARS he can stand on his hind legs! His fatty bumps on his body have shrunk. Newman is now 16 ½ years old. I know he is now getting the best nutrition possible and it shows. Baking is easy and stress free! I am always thrilled to pick up my bags of mix. It is so empowering to know that we are *doing it right* by providing Newman and Griffin with the very best balanced nutrition possible!
Thank you West Coast Canine Life ... for giving life!
Jacqueline Schultze
Colwood, BC
Our Bloodhounds and English Mastiffs are trained therapy dogs, and volunteer with Pat-a-Pup based out of Cloverdale and Langley in BC. Shown below are Tabatha and Chew, our English Mastiffs.
About 1 1/2 months after we began feeding Canine Life, some friends noticed their fur coats looked thicker and shiny. If someone else notices then, you know you're doing something right. One of our dogs has skin problems and eye allergies to grass and pollen; this has improved as well, and I attribute this to his new diet.
For Tabatha (our English Mastiff, black brindel color), the shine on her fur is unbelievable. She is a rescue dog fro Washington English Mastiff Club Rescue. She just turned 2 and her eyes sparkle and twinkle now. All this comes from good food and happiness.
With the cost of commercial dog food going up, and the amount you feed giant dogs, including treats, it can get very expensive, no matter what you buy. But with commercial food, there are so many additives and unknown ingredients, that you have no idea what you're getting. When I'm feeding Canine Life I know exactly what is going into my dogs. I feel really great that I am home cooking for them.
B.J. Fleetman
Surrey, BC
Feeding Giant Breeds - Skin Problems and Allergies
Shelby and Debbie - Cancer in the Senior Years
My name is Shelby. I'm a 16 year old border collie/sheltie cross. I have lived with my human since I was 8 weeks old and have always been a very healthy, extremely active girl, but in the summer of 2007 we were told I had abscessed molars and a small lump on my chest was diagnosed as a very invasive type of cancer that would likely spread very quickly. The vet said there was a chance I might not survive surgery for my teeth, but with the cancer diagnosis I only had weeks to live, so my human decided to take me home as she was told to enjoy every minute that was left with me.
My poor human was broken hearted. Every morning for a while my poor human would open the door where I slept in the morning with apprehension, not knowing whether I would be alive or not. I had gotten to the point where some mornings it took a little jostling to wake me up and I moved very slowly once I was mobile. My breathing was not good either, and it was taking us 30 to 45 minutes to walk around the block in my beloved town of Sidney.
Later that summer in July my human went to the Organic Islands festival at Glendale Gardens and visited the West Coast Canine Life booth. She spoke to Joanne and Dina and came away with a small bag of the Canine Life Pre-Mix to try. We wouldn't have been able to afford the thousands of dollars for surgery, but here was something we could afford to try. I was also eating very little and almost everything I was eating I was throwing up. My human started me on the Pre-Mix, and the rest is history.
My coat is glossy and beautiful, the lump is gone, my breath no longer smells horrible (and boy! was it bad) and I run and jump like a 5 year old again. I never throw up unless I am fed other dog food (which I usually turn my nose up at anyway!) and I still love a piece of raw carrot or a treat once in a while. You can see from the photograph what a beautiful girl I am and nobody that meets me believes my age; they usually guess about 5 or 6. I now go for at least 2 walks every day and even an hour each time is not enough for me, I have so much energy. I used to turn my nose up at anything that wasn't human food and now I am begging for my breakfast at 7:00 am and the delicious muffins are gone in just a minute or two. Humans really could eat them!
Thank you West Coast Canine Life for giving me my health back and giving my human back her beautiful girl and best friend. I love her soooooo much!
“Shelby” and Debbie Todd
in beautiful Sidney by the Sea, BC
Mason is pictured here as a 6.5 year old Boxer. Over the years we have tried him on a number of different diets including raw. To keep weight on him we had to feed him about twice as much raw food as was suggested.
Mason's hair loss was extensive.
At 5 years of age, Mason started losing his hair on both sides of his body. After numerous allergy tests to try and determine what was wrong there was still no definitive answer. The diagnosis he was given was Alopecia (which means “hair loss”). This was very frustrating as we knew he had lost his hair, but we wanted to find out the cause! Mason had also gone from an active healthy fellow to a Boxer who was now sluggish and overweight.
Mason's hair loss was remedied after only 6 months on a Canine Life gluten free whole foods diet.
We had heard about West Coast Canine Life and contacted the owner of the company. We took Mason to see Joanne who happened to live close by. She suggested we switch him to the Pre-Mix, and asked us to make his muffins using only white fish as the protein, with only green beans an squash as the vegetable choices. In the past, Mason had also suffered from some mild bouts of pancreatitis. This was no longer a problem once we started feeding him the Gluten Free muffins made with white fish. You will see from the photos that it only took 6 months for Mason’s skin problems to clear up completely. It’s hard to believe this is the same dog! Within a month of starting on the West Coast Canine Life diet he was full of energy again. I just bought my husband a Kitchen Aid Mixer so he can make Mason’s muffins even faster now!
Scott and Nicole Rankin
Victoria, BC. Canada
Scott, Nicole & Mason - Help for Hair Loss & Pancreatitis
Over the past 20 years, I have fed a number of commercially prepared dog foods and prescription diets to my Shelties. But over the past few years, I have questioned the ingredients and additives that are in these foods. My dogs were just not doing as well as I would like. Specifically, I had difficulty keeping weight on the very fussy eaters, and weight off the ones who tended to carry additional weight. Their coats lacked the luster that they should have had.
I began my quest for a new food to feed. I wanted a well balanced, food that would fit all of my dogs’ needs, without having to feed several different kinds of food as I have puppies, adults and senior dogs. I liked the thought of a home made diet where I controlled everything that went into the food, but worried about meeting their nutritional requirements. I also needed something that would interest my fussy shelties!
After looking at many different types of food and talking to many people, I decided the best thing to try was West Coast Canine Life (WCCL). Joanne, the owner of the company, helped me tailor fit the diets to each one of my dog’s needs. I was off and running, once I got into a routine - the baking was easy. I bake up several batches at a time and keep it in the freezer. My dogs love it (even my two very very fussy dogs love it!).
After I started feeding WCCL, my dog’s coat started to improve, those that were overweight started to slim down (after years of fighting the weight battle) and those that were underweight put weight on! I lead a very active life with my dogs. I teach and compete in numerous dog sports including obedience, agility, herding and Rally O. They have to be fit and healthy as performance dogs, and on WCCL they are!
Kristen Thomson, Breeder
Cobble Hill, BCC
Kristen & Her Shelties -
From a Breeder of Performance Dogs
We have two rescue dogs. Sadie 7, a cattle dog cross, came to us when she was about 9 months old, and Gus 14, a Dalmatian, came to live with us at 12. Both of our beloved dogs have been diagnosed with cancer.
Sadie has an inoperable brain tumor. Before being diagnosed, she was literally screaming in pain and walking into walls. Our vet thought that perhaps she had a pinched nerve; however an MRI diagnosed a large mass in her brain. It was suggested we should put her down immediately, because there was no treatment for her. We decided to give her prednisone to reduce swelling, and prepare a home cooked diet for her. I had been feeding her a commercial food, but was happy to cook for her; however, I found the recipes overwhelming and time intensive, and wasn't sure they were doing enough to target the cancer.
I was looking for cancer diets on the internet one day, and found West Coast Canine Life. They said they had a diet specifically developed for dogs living with cancer. Because there already was a nutritional analysis done, I felt like I could feed this food and not worry, as it was already balanced and complete. All I had to do was follow the recipe. Shortly after beginning this diet, Sadie’s energy level came back, she’s getting into trouble again and full of mischief. Her tail is wagging again – it’s absolutely remarkable. We don’t know how long we’ll have her, but she’s certainly enjoying a good quality of life!
Gus has a rectal tumor, an adenoma, many lymphomas and "fatty" tumors, and a tumor on his lung. The vet suggested we remove his rectal tumor which had been growing since diagnosis. A couple of months after starting on the cancer diet, we took Gus into the Vet to have it removed. Later on that day, he called to say he had good news – he was not going to remove it as it had stopped growing! We don’t know why, but it is suspected that there is healthy tissue growing around the tumor, which has stopped the growth, and will hopefully cause it to begin shrinking. I’m sure that the West Coast Canine Life cancer diet has played a role in this. We know his days are numbered, but he sure likes his West Coast Canine Life muffins!
It really helps us emotionally when we know we can help our sick dogs. Cancer is such a horrible disease and anything we can do to enhance their precious days here with us – we will!
We will continue to rescue after these two special dogs have gone, and any new dogs that come into our home will be brought up on West Coast Canine Life.
With thanks,
Carl Brittain and Bob Mead
Seattle, Wa. USA
Carl, Bob, Sadie & Gus -
WCCL Special Cancer Diet and Our Two Dogs
I have been using West Coast Canine Life since I brought home my first Coton de Tulear puppy, “Price”, in August 2005. I had his first batch of muffins baked before he even came through the door! I became aware of the product through my sister who had used it successfully to help put some weight on a finicky, malnourished rescue Vizsla she adopted.
With my previous dogs, I had experienced some severe skin allergies with even “high end” store bought foods, and so I was looking for a healthier alternative for my new puppy. By home cooking with WCCL, I know I’m feeding a well balanced human grade diet made from only the highest quality ingredients. Given the recent pet food recalls and resulting deaths of so many animals, knowing exactly what goes into the food I’m feeding is very important to me.
We decided to add a second Coton to our family last year, and “Blue” also came home to fresh baked muffins. I can report that both my boys are happy and healthy and have a couple of the most amazing coats I’ve ever seen on a Coton. I attribute all of this to their wonderful diet. I have recommended WCCL to several other Coton owners who are also using it successfully, and I continue to recommend it to any dog owner who comments on my beautiful boys.
Thanks for this wonderful product.
Kassandra Branson
Ventura, CA
Kassie, Price & Blue - Starting Puppies on Canine Life
Pattie, Bannag &Cuilti - Extra Energy for Elderly Dogs
Joanne, President of West Coast Canine Life, used to call Bannag the Energizer Bunny.
Bannag the Cairn Terror spent the last five of his 17 years as a WCCL dog. He never had any health problems, but when I retired him from agility at the age of 12, I just didn't feel he had the energy and enthusiasm he should have, given what good shape he was in.
I decided to give him an extended trial on WCCL. After three months, I was hooked. Bannag had his energy back, and I felt great about what I was feeding my best pal. WCCL is a natural fit with my "eat locally grown real food" philosophy, and the research that went into West Coast Canine Life took all the worry out of making sure that what Bannag ate was properly balanced and contained all the necessary nutrients in the appropriate quantities. I loved making his muffins with vegetables straight out of the garden.
Bannag went on to get his Tracking Dog title at nearly 14, and continued tracking for another year. When his "little brother" Cuilti arrived, Bannag was 15 and still walking a mile a day on rugged Highlands trails. He eventually got too old to go for walks, but always managed to bounce to his eating place for his muffin - which he started demanding two or three hours before mealtime.
Other than arthritis, for which he got chiro but rarely needed medication, and Cushing's disease which was controlled with minimal medication, Bannag's health was excellent right up until he developed lymphoma a few months before he died, well into his 18th year. I have no doubt that WCCL contributed to his longevity and vitality.
Of course, I've fed Cuilti WCCL since the day he came. After my experience with Bannag, I would be crazy not to. He's a bright, surefooted little speed demon, and I expect he'll be every bit the athlete Bannag was in his day - maybe even more so, with WCCL to power him!
Pattie Whitehouse
Highlands, BC (Victoria area)
This is our good Golden pal, Gus, who had surgery for mast cell carcinoma in the spring of 2003, and is now recovering from surgery (June 2006) that removed a spindle cell sarcoma mass.
His treatments have involved Dr. Wen's Chinese herbal medicine, and now he is additionally eating Canine Life muffins made with the cancer diet recipe. As you can see, Gus loves his muffins so much, that he insists on licking Mom's muffin tins clean as well!
Mary Jane and Gus - Special Formula for Cancer
The following story was sent to West Coast Canine Life from
Gus' owner Mary Jane - What a lucky boy Gus is!
[ed. note - We are sad to say that Mary Jane died shortly after she sent us this testimonal
- she will be greatly missed.]
Stripper – aka Mimicker’s A Gypsy Rose Lee – 14 years
7 years ago my girl Stripper was diagnosed with an aggressive mammary cancer. She had surgery to remove one teat but within a month the next one on the chain seemed to be involved. So all teats on one side were removed. It was a rigorous, hard surgery, the toughest one I have ever had a dog have to recover from in all my years of breeding Miniature Schnauzers.
But she was strong and stoic and over the next several months recovered slowly. During these months and many conversations with Joanne Fraser of West Coast Canine Life and Suzi Beber of Smiling Blue Skies, I switched her to the WCCL Cancer Diet. Careful instructions as to ingredients, measurement and amounts, vegetables and supplements were offered and I am happy to say that I truly believe that the WCCL Cancer Diet and the eastern supplements from Suzi Beber saved my girl and allowed her to live many more healthy years. She stayed on the cancer diet, it is not hard to make, not terribly time consuming but so worth all the effort to see the health benefits to her
Later in life she developed some kidney stones and we switched to the urinary diet. I truly believe that this diet kept the stones at bay and allowed her to live another 2 years in good health. With the two health issues she had in her life, WCCL played such large part of her recovery, general good health, and longevit
I thank both Joanne and Suzi for all their e mails, conversations, help and direction for my girl. And............she loved her muffins.
Sandi Malcolm, Breeder
Mimicker Miniature Schnauzers,
Nanaiimo, BC
Puppy Rosie's Dream Team
We have had Golden Retrievers for the past 20 years and last summer Rosie joined the family. I was introduced to West Coast Canine Life from a dear friend who said this product would be wonderful for our new dog. She helped me make my first batch the week before the puppy arrived.
Rosie was on the puppy premix until she was 6 months and then transitioned onto the “big girl blend” – the Pre-Mix formulated for Adult dogs. She is a healthy and fit puppy. Her coat is so beautiful and shiny & she doesn’t “smell” like a dog either. Her bowel movements are consistent too. When we had to board her for a long weekend I sent the food and the kennel was impressed. Once again, thank you for the great product.
We are pleased to have West Coast Canine be part of Rosie’s Dream Team!
Norman Kline & Allison Abbott-Kline
San Jose, CA
Sophie's Choice
Dear West Coast Canine Life.
Thank you so very much for giving Spike the gift
of good nutrition over the past 4 years.
We truly wish we would have found you sooner! Because of your
wonderful Pre-Mix and the kidney/liver diet recipe, Spike enjoyed 4 extra years of life. At 12 years old the Vet thought he wouldn't live much longer. Then we found you, and no one could believe how Spike perked up.
Unfortunately Spike left us yesterday at 16 years old. We believe his kidneys were failing as he got sick very quickly. There are no words to thank you for your gift of health through healthy eating. (Something we all need to learn). You have all been so wonderful and caring and we appreciate you all very much. I know if Spike could thank you he would.
With sincere gratitude,
Ina and Paul Marcus
Spike Marcus
Chip and His Bowl
This is chip looking for more WCCL at the bottom of his bowl. Will he find it?
A Fresh Whole Foods Diet
for Your Dog's Optimum Health
