In 2015, I rescued my dog Loki. Early on I noticed he was very lethargic (strange for a puppy) and was prone to episodes of diarrhea and vomiting. We were making trips to the vet and ER several times a month for a good 3-4 years. From 2017-2021, he went to his primary vet 80 times (and this isn’t including ER visits). The veterinary office recognized my voice over the phone, and I was on a first name basis with most of the staff. Jokes aside, this was a scary period - I was incredibly concerned with Loki’s health. During one particularly bad stint, Loki dropped from 72lbs to 57lbs. For the first time in my life I was considering pet insurance!
Loki enjoying the view during a hike in California
Loki’s vet performed all the major tests available to figure out why Loki was having these extreme GI Issues. The only thing left was a biopsy to detect possible cancer in his GI tract - however, the doctor did not recommend this because Loki was young, healthy, and his blood work/X-rays/ultrasounds had come up normal in the past. Finally, Loki was given a food allergy test. The test showed Loki was allergic to salmon, duck, beef, corn, soy, oat, rice, and peas. Could this be the answer to Loki’s GI issues? The vet recommended a home-cooked diet which had me cooking batches of food for him every week. His diet was bland, consisting of cottage cheese, pumpkin, pasta, turkey, and chicken along with supplements. Loki was doing well with his new diet, but occasionally, his diarrhea would come back in full force and we would find ourselves back at the vet’s office.
Around this time, I requested Loki be seen by a GI specialist. We tried everything and this seemed like the only thing left to do. After performing more tests and looking at Loki’s history of having struvite crystals, chronic diarrhea/vomiting, she diagnosed Loki with chronic GI disorder. The specialist told us Loki’s digestive tract didn’t digest animal proteins well and he was low on vitamin B12. The animal protein was causing him inflammation in his GI tract and episodes of explosive diarrhea. The specialist recommended an alternative diet, but made it clear that dogs with chronic GI disorders will have on and off again episodes, even if they have been eating a diet that works for them. She mentioned cricket protein and a lightbulb went off in my head!
Loki looking for crickets 😋
A couple weeks earlier I spoke with a friend who was in veterinary school. She was trying to help me solve the mystery of Loki’s GI problems (Loki’s GI issues were clearly dominating every corner of my life). She told me cricket protein was becoming popular in Europe, wondering aloud if there was a company in the US that makes insect based dog food. We did some online research and discovered Jiminy’s. When the specialist mentioned cricket protein, I quickly brought up Jiminy’s and asked if I should buy a bag. The specialist said yes, but first to make sure the company meets AAFCO standards. Lucky for me, Jiminy’s not only meets AAFCO standards but EXCEEDS them!
When I got home I looked up Jiminy’s on social media. I contacted them asking what kind of insect protein (they have grub and cricket based kibble) they’d recommend for Loki.
They suggested I try cricket protein and to let them know how it works out. To ease Loki into the new diet, I mixed Jiminy’s in with his current home-cooked food. I was nervous he would have the runs that day and watched him like a hawk to see if he needed to go out. To my surprise, Loki was doing fine. And guess what?! The very next morning Loki had a rock solid poop!
Before Jiminys, Loki would never have a solid BM. At the very best it would be toothpaste consistency. I was ecstatic and couldn’t wait to share the news with his vet and GI specialist! Although a kibble diet did cause Loki to have struvite crystals in the past, the specialist stated having some crystals is fine as long as there is no blockage.
Loki with his bag of Cricket Crave, his favorite recipe!
I can honestly say Jiminys saved me financially! Since the first day Loki switched to Jiminy’s, he has not experienced any urinary blockage or had a GI episode. We haven’t been to his primary vet for any GI issues since then! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve cleaned up accidents on my carpet, or the countless ER visits in the middle of the night. This was the norm of my daily life with Loki. I was at my wit’s end till we found Jiminys! Not only did Jiminy’s change my life, but Loki’s as well. Loki is now thriving and enjoying being a crazy dog that loves to go on adventures. We both could not be happier!
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"Thank you so much Susan, we are thrilled that Jiminy’s was able to help Loki! I’m glad that you reached out to us - we’re always happy to answer questions and discuss our products with pet owners. It makes my day when I hear that our product has helped a dog with food allergies or sensitivities 💚" Anne, Jiminy's Founder & CEO.