Della’s Dinovite Challenge: The Conclusion

Where does the time go?  The pool will only be open for a few more weeks, we’ve already started another homeschool year, and Della has finished her 90 day Dinovite Challenge.   It’s actually been a little over the 90 days.  The first two weeks she wasn’t receiving full scoops as she got used to the taste and there were a few days that we missed giving it to her.  As you may recall there are 7 signs that your dog might need a supplement.

1. Itching & Scratching 
2. Dry, Flaky Skin 
3. Recurring Ear Infections
4. Paw Licking
5. Stinky smell 
6. Excessive Shedding
7. Lethargy

When we started, Della definitely had Itching & Scratching, Flaky Skin, and Excessive Shedding.  Perhaps the Lethargy too, but we’re not a very active family to begin with.  She’s never been prescribed anything for ear infections although she does scratch at them a lot.  The Paw Licking and Stink Smell were never really issues.

I mentioned my first post that Della liked the Dinovite.  I served it up with a little cream for her each day.  Turns out she really likes the cream.  One week I didn’t have any fresh milk from which to skim cream.  I tried mixing the Dinovite with raw, whole milk but Della wouldn’t have anything to do with it.  The Dinovite sat there soaking up the milk and swelling till it was like green Cream of Wheat in the bowl. 

Other things I noticed during our trial.  It appears Della’s lost a little weight (which she probably needed to do).  I wonder if the Dinovite was expanding in her stomach, making her feel full longer?  I can’t confirm she’s lost any weight until she goes back to the vet.  Second,  my husband has noticed that the spots where she does her business in the yard are actually greener than the surrounding grass.  In fact he’s actually had me direct her to new spots in the front lawn that look they they need a little pick me up.

Now onto the results.  The Itching & Scratching has not improved at all, in fact for a while it had gotten much worse.  She started a new habit of running her snout along our textured walls, the carpet, the upholstered furniture, etc. trying to get rid of what must have been a terrible itch.  I actually called Dinovite to see if she could be allergic to any of the ingredients.  The nutrition expert believed Della was dealing with yeast die off and referred me to several online articles.  Her snout rubbing has gotten better but it’s still part of her daily routine now.

The Dry, Flaky Skin is still there, especially noticeable when we use the Furminator on her which brings up our last main symptom.  The shedding is still as bad as ever.  I know that she’s part German Shepherd and therefore dealing with an undercoat but the Dinovite website still lead me to believe that the shedding should be limited to twice a year.

So overall, I’m disappointed with the results of our Dinovite challenge and when I went to ask for my refund I became disappointed with the Dinovite customer service.  I told the representative I wanted a refund and why.  He proceeded to say that the Dinovite was working, just at a slower rate than it should be because I had purchased the wrong sized box and wasn’t giving Della enough of the product.  The thing is I called them when I ordered it and told them how much she weighed.  They were the ones who told me which box to buy (and made a point of saying how much money I’d save by not needing the larger quantity).  Not only did they hem and haw over giving me my refund, they wanted me to spend more to buy a bigger box—one that I’d never get a refund for because I was no longer a new customer.

So I’m glad if Dinovite works for some people, but we won’t be buying any more.