[GSDsForever]

Joann,

I would work *with* your vet to select a food that your dog will do well on. You need to have open, two way dialogue, and discuss your concerns and questions.

I think that it’s wise that your vet recommended avoiding high legume/potato foods in light of DCM concerns and ongoing research. My vets recommended similarly. It’s just an unnecessary risk for most dogs at this time.

Ditto foods with the most unusual/exotic proteins, like kangaroo or rabbit. (Lamb, either lamb & rice or lamb & legumes, especially low meat protein and high ash or fiber, also are riskier.) All of this is especially true in foods from sketchier companies, ones with less safe long term history for their formulas and/or less nutritional expertise in formulating.

Dogs need nutrients. Dogs DON’T need to eat any *particular* food ingredient, whether legumes (like peas or lentils) or potatoes or a grain like corn or any particular meat. So they lose nothing by ditching one or more of these ingredients and choosing an alternative at this time.

Yes, you can find a number of foods without chicken, dairy, or eggs. I’ve been feeding grain inclusive and free of all 7 top dog food allergens (which include chicken, dairy, eggs ), following a food allergy diet elimination trial. Currently, I’m feeding fish based foods. You can look through these forums for chicken-free foods, especially under DCM threads, and then check to see if they include eggs. (Dairy is far less common an ingredient in dog foods.)

How well do you know your vet? I think that if you don’t trust your vet, have confidence in your vet, that’s a problem. In that case, you need to either find a different vet or work on building your relationship with your vet in order to have good discussions, which you then can feel good about, trust in. Talk things through with your vet. Express your concerns. My vet and I discuss everything and reach decisions together.

On the other hand, I wouldn’t just go see ANY vet or blindly trust what any vet says just because he is a DVM. There are good and bad vets out there, and ones with more and less experience/knowledge and passion.

p.s. Looking toward the long term, I would talk to your vet about issues you believe your dog to have with chicken, eggs, dairy in foods. Do a strict diet elimination trial and re-challenge at some point, using a prescription food or homemade, to confirm that you must avoid these foods. It will make your life easier.

• This reply was modified 6 years ago by GSDsForever.