[aimee]

Hi Patricia,

I apologize that I presented the math in a way that wasn’t easy to understand. I often don’t relay my thought processes well. I certainly can try to explain further if you can help me to do so my asking me specific questions.

Hmm… well if the food is labeled as meeting AAFCO through a feeding trial then the food does not have to meet an AAFCO profile. For myself, I want to see that a food meets the profile in addition to passing a feeding trial and not that the use of a feeding trial appeared to be a way to get around the profile, if that makes sense.

Before posting, I did check labeling as found on Chewy and the label said it met AAFCO through formulation, which their online profile does not appear to do. What does the label of the food you have in hand state? Your question though prompts me to wonder, when doing a feeding trial, is the amount fed based on the feeding guidelines ?

Good customer service is something I try and evaluate because if I suspect an adverse event from a diet, I’d want prompt attention. However, it is also an area where, esp. now, when everyone is struggling with labor, is an area where I might give a little slack. But if you left three messages and no follow up from the company, I’d be giving that a bit of a sidesways glance. Just my opinion. Do they have a dedicated veterinary line? Some companies have a vet only customer service line where you can kinda “skip to the front” of the line by getting your vet involved. Then their vet can talk to their vet directly if they have one. I’ve found that companies that make therapeutic diets offer this.

People hold different feeding philosophies; I personally would choose something else but if you are making an informed choice and it meets your criteria than you may make a different decision.

Regarding Smallbatch, I found similar concerns regarding the appearance of not meeting AAFCO based on the nutrient profiles they sent to me. It has been over a week since I posed my concerns and they apparently have not acknowledged or followed up to my most recent inquiry which was made several days ago. They did offer a phone call early in the conversation, but I asked to please address by e mail because for me having it in writing would allow me to best process their answer.

When I first questioned one nutrient level, customer service reported the level met AAFCO main. and it did, but the concern was the diet was labeled for all life stages. Next, as I recall, they said that the profile they sent was an average from testing many batches over many years and there will be batch to batch variation. I think I replied something like I found that even more concerning since the average was so low and that it appears they have not corrected the problem over many years. For me i would choose something else but others many arrive do a different conclusion.

I haven’t looked a Natures Variety for years but at the time I did I didn’t find anything that would cause me to eliminate their products from what I’d consider.