[Alice Adams]

I also have a dog and faced a similar situation with low protein dog food. Before taking any steps, I always prefer to discuss with my nearby vet Beyond Pets to make sure I’m choosing the best dry and wet options. You can also do the same — discuss with your nearby vet to find high-quality, kidney-friendly food that truly matches your dog’s needs.

[Anya Sleezer]

Hello, I planned to feed our new Pom puppy a fresh food, Raised Right Puppy food. It’s has 60% protein., 28%fat, 8% carbs. However, while shopping at an organic natural pet food store, an employee said this wasn’t as good of a choice for toy breeds because the protein level is so high. Something about it being hard on their stomachs or harder to digest. He recommended a food with lower protein. When I look on the dog food for Poms page, Raused Right is not included. There is only 1 fresh food and I noticed all of them have closer to 30% protein. I cannot find anywhere online where it mentions this issue with toy breeds. In fact, on veterinary dietician site I found that if a dog gets too much protein they simply break it down and eliminate it through urine. So, now I’m not sure what to believe and if this is a good food for a toy breed or if I should instead go with one of the brands recommended here: https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/best-dog-foods/pomeranians/. I prefer fresh food, maybe raw to dry or wet. Any advice? Have others with you breeds fed them Raised Right?

[Carly H]

Hello I know this is a few years old but can you possibly update it? My opinion is it’s the food! Science diet is poison and it’s killing dogs and has been! Big time. All the foods your vet will recommend – same.
Stella and chewy was bought out by a Chinese company last year and they have to crap too! Science diet is owned by I believe Nestle ! As in the candy company ! Mars as in Mars bars also own a lot of pet food companies and now a ton of vet offices are owned by them as well. They have no business being in pet food and anything related !
More recently though a ton of pet food brands are making dogs sick and exactly how your dog was/is sick is how these dogs are , same symptoms to the t! My exes moms dog recently was on science diet i/d like your dog and almost died on it . Same symptoms ! I told her to stop feeding SD and pray it didn’t do too much damage and her dog is recovering!
It’s likely a pesticide from an ingredient that all these different dog food companies use and outsource from the same source ! These companies will use the same sources for certain things.
None of them are agreeing to recall even though the cases are in high numbers and dogs are still getting sick and dying daily. They don’t care about our dogs and only about money . Candy bar companies shouldn’t be making dog food but even so there are a ton of other companies not owned by them that are making dogs sick right now. Purina , SD and Royal Canin being the top ones.
Stella and Chewys used to a great food until they were bought out, Acana and Orijen were also sold and bought by Mars and went to crap and there are many more!
Please if you haven’t already stop feeding these foods and best to stop kibble all together most of them use very high heat to cook the pathogens from the 4D meat they use in their foods meat that’s from other same spieces animal that the foods made for , and they have been euthanized! The proof is in the fact that dogs foods were testing high levels of phenobarbital in it something they obviously don’t put in dog food unless they are putting euthanized dogs in it since that’s one of the meds used in vets offices to put dogs down! Sick and diseased cattle are being used in dog food and finally plain old road kill! So i get why they heat up the kibble so high to kill all that comes with using this kind of meat source! However the high heat may kill all the pathogens but it also kills any nutrients in the meat and yes this kind of horrible meat does have some !
Once they kill it all they gotta add it back using synthetic vitamin mixes which they are fining to cause cancer and speaking of cancer the carcinogens caused by cooking the kibble to the point of burning it gives your pet a good dose of cancer causing carcinogens !
Don’t use kibble it’s so and as is but right now with this mystery issues going on that’s these pet Food companies are sweeping under the rug you can’t take the risk!
You mentioned your dogs doesn’t tolerate raw meat? Could you try a gently cooked premade ? Or possibly a synthetic free raw premade as opposed to raw from the store ? Keep in mind the detoxing period that there is with raw but after typically is all good. If your dog isn’t tolerating raw meat maybe it’s that particular protein that’s an allergy or too rich . Try rabbit meat it’s good for allergic and sensitive dogs . If you must use a “kibble” try an alternative like Carna4 though it may be a bit rich for your dog especially if it has pancreatic issues but if not carna is not kibble and it’s made safer . I use partial raw and a freeze dried raw called Simple Food Project and they make combo proteins and single protein formulas and my dog loves it. It can be rehydrated with water, raw goats milk or broth or eaten dry with a continuous water source available .
I hope this finds you and your pup living your best lives ever! If this isn’t applicable to your situation any longer I apologize and hope someone else on here can use the info!
Xoxo

[Jessica J]

Best Dry Cat Food For Sensitive Stomach 2023
https://catfoodandtoys.com/best-dry-cat-food-for-sensitive-stomach/

[Chip]

I’m confused about the rating system. Applaws Broth Pots leads the list of wet foods. I looked it up on Chewy as I intended to order some, but in reading the fine print, it’s considered a “natural cat food complement” meant to be used in conjunction with dry food for a “complete meal”. The list of ingredients is considered “limited” at 3 or 5, usually just the main protein source sometimes having carrots or green beans included. Why would this be considered a 5 star food when it lacks all of the supplements needed for it to be considered a balanced cat food (things like taurine)? Also, why purchase this when it would be much more cost effective to purchase a chicken, roast or boil it, shred it, and then make about 50 individual portions and freeze it? The recommended Applaws Broth Pots only contains chicken, chicken broth, rice, carrots, and green beans. Do cats even need the last three ingredients as obligate carnivores? If the main concern about preparing your own pet food is creating a well balanced meal, why are they fully recommending a “food complement” with 5 stars while Wellness Complete Heath meals receive 4 stars? It makes no sense and I now am questioning the integrity of the recommendations presented.

[Ramasubramaniam B]

Hi,
This is regarding your best dry dog food suggestion as per editor choice, the editor has mentioned Taste of wild which has DCM treat controversial, Purina brand which has many recalls history controversial, orijen which has DCM Treat controversial. Royal canine which has full of steriods.
Do you provide healthy suggestions or money minded suggestions which is favor to dog food manufacturing corporates? I followed your articles for about two years for growing my son (golden retriever) healthy. Once you suggested farmina N&D puppy grain free so we bought and using it. Due to the brewer yeast or too much yeast content my kid’s (puppy’s) spleen got swallow due to bloating issues. Spent a lot with tensions apart to make him normal. I hope you are earning through companies in the name of food advisor. Totally fake.

[aimee]

Hi M& C,

I think you’ve got it! The best way to compare foods is on a caloric basis. This takes into account water, fiber, ash and energy density. You’ll note on this site there is a table for each diet and that the macronutrients are given in an as fed. dry matter, and caloric basis.

AAFCO requires that for any diet over 4000 kcals/kg DM a conversion factor be applied. If the diet you are feeding is 5000 kcals/kg that conversion factor is simply 5000/4000 X the number in the table. So many times, I’ve found that companies overlook this. Recently, I got a nutrient analysis table for a diet labeled for ALS. The Ca content was listed as 1.3% DM and AAFCO’s min is 1.2%, so that looks good right? Well, they also reported the kcals as 5400/kg for that diet. Calculating through 5400/4000 X 1.2 = 1.6. The diet needs to have 1.6 % Ca to meet AAFCO min and they are reporting 1.3%. Got ‘ghosted” after inquiring about the apparent discrepancy.

AAFCO writes a model food law which most states adopt in some form, but they do not do any type of regulation. There is no oversite by AAFCO. Oversite is done by your state feed control official and the FDA. IMO for all practical purposes, oversite is nonexistent in most areas. It seems to me that areas that effect humans, like pathogens in food, are monitored via spot check cultures of foods. Some foods may be tested to see if they meet their GA.’s, but overall, no one is checking to verify information on a label is correct.

In regards to high bone content in foods, it could just be a reflection of what sourcing the company has access to and an acceptance of high fat and mineral content in the products available to them.

I didn’t see calorie content listed for the diet to see what mineral content is on a caloric basis. But I found their marketing very oft putting and reckless. They write “Turkey meat is one of the leanest proteins available making it a great option for pets that are sensitive to fat content, such as those with pancreatitis.” which can be true esp turkey breast. BUT their turkey diet is a whopping 35% as fed fat diet! Using their information and doing some rough calculation that would mean ~63% of the calories are coming from fat! This appears to be a very high fat diet being marketed as being appropriate for dogs with fat intolerance. For me that makes me see red and would earn them a spot on my not recommended list.

Just as an aside.. did you mention your dog is having seizures? I’m asking because you mentioned a 5000kcal/kg diet and to reach that high of caloric density fat has to be significant component of the diet. I might get my details wrong on this because it is awhile since I read the literature. But as I recall some dogs have low levels of tissue lipase. This results in prolonged clearance of fat from their blood and the outcome is high triglycerides. High triglyceride can trigger seizures.

A friend’s dog was having horrible cluster seizures several times a month, was seeing a vet neurologist and on 3 different drugs. Her reg. vet noticed that on each blood panel gotten back from the neurologist, the triglycerides were high, and the sample was always reported as “lipemic,” meaning visible fat in the blood. The reg vet called the neurologist and the neurologist said paraphrased “yeah they are high, but not high enough to cause seizures.” The reg vet told her there is no downside to trying a lower fat diet. So, the diet was changed, triglycerides returned to normal, and the dog went from having multiple cluster seizures a month to never again having another seizure. Apparently, the dog didn’t read the medical book.

[Jack L]

Raw Food Diet For Dogs Cost

Raw food diet for dogs cost varies depending on the source and quality of ingredients. There are also many freeze-dried raw options available at different price points. Commercial raw food costs between $12 per day and $353 per month. This cost can vary depending on the supplier. If you feed your homemade dog meals, the price will vary depending on what veterinary advice they need for their diet plan! These can be more expensive than traditional home-prepared meals but require less preparation time and effort. The cost could also depend on the pet’s size. Smaller breeds may require smaller portions, while larger breeds may need more food to meet their nutritional needs. Additionally, some raw diets are nutritionally balanced and contain all of the necessary vitamins and minerals that a dog needs for optimal health. This can result in higher costs than homemade meals or other diets that may include only some of the necessary nutrients. Regardless, a raw food diet is an excellent choice for many pet owners looking to give their furry friends the healthiest and most natural nutrition possible.

Overall, a raw food diet for dogs cost is worth it if you are looking for optimal nutrition and health benefits for your pet. The cost may vary depending on the source, quality of ingredients, and size of your pet, but it is still a great choice for many dog owners. With careful research and understanding of your pet’s specific nutritional needs, you can find the best raw food diet that will benefit your pup at an affordable price.

The Top 5 Raw Food Diets For Dogs

1. Instinct Raw Boost Mixers Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food Topper
Instinct Raw Boost Mixers Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food Topper is great food for kibble and dry food lovers. It is made with real meat, fruits, and vegetables and contains real nutrition of raw. Raw is natural, made from real meat & whole food ingredients, protein-packed & minimally processed high protein, plus real freeze-dried raw meat pieces with natural ingredients to support healthy digestion and skin & coat. . A great way to make sure your pup gets all of their necessary vitamins, minerals, and proteins in the meal. Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of the cost of a raw food diet for dogs cost. However, with careful research and understanding of your pet’s nutritional needs, you can select a high-quality option that will provide them with optimal nutrition at an affordable price.

Pros:
Grain-free, potato-free, corn-free, wheat-free, and soy free
Made in the USA with the finest ingredients from around the world.
Rich in antioxidants
High protein content to support muscle growth and weight management
Cons
May require more preparation time than traditional dog food.
Some dogs may not take to the new diet as easily as others.
Raw diets may contain bacteria that could make your pet sick if not properly handled.
Raw food diets for dogs cost can be expensive to feed on a regular basis.
May require more research and understanding of pet nutrition than traditional dog food.
Overall, a raw food diet for dogs is an investment that can be worth it if you are looking for optimal nutrition and health benefits for your pet. With careful research, selecting a quality product, and understanding your pet’s specific needs, you can provide them with the most natural nutrition possible at an affordable cost.

2. Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food Dinner Patties
Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food Dinner Patties is best for raw food diet for dogs because it is made with 95% beef, organs, and bone, such as beef tripe. Our grass-fed Beef recipe will delight your pup. It also includes organic fruits and vegetables and added live probiotics to support your pup’s immune system. Stella & Chewy’s freeze-dried raw dinner patties provide complete & balanced nutrition for all life stages without any fillers. All Stella & Chewy’s products are made in the USA and sourced from responsible farmers, ranchers, and suppliers.

Pros:
Raw food diets are high in protein and essential vitamins and minerals for your dog’s health.
It may be easier to digest than kibble, making it a great choice for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
Since the ingredients are more natural, there is no need to add fillers, artificial preservatives, flavours or colours.
Dogs fed raw food diets tend to have a glossy coats, brighter eyes, and healthier skin and teeth.
Cons:
Raw food diets for dogs can be more expensive than traditional kibble or canned food diets.
Raw diets may not meet all of your pup’s nutritional needs, as they lack certain vitamins and minerals found in kibble or canned diets.
Overall, Raw food diet for dogs cost is an investment, and you can provide natural nutrition possible at an affordable cost.
3. Primal Freeze Dried Dog Food Nuggets Chicken Formula
Primal Freeze Dried Dog Food Nuggets Chicken Formula is the best food for dog owners looking for a complete and balanced raw food diet. It is packed with protein and healthy fats, and this grain-free recipe is made with humanely raised chicken. The formula also contains natural source vitamins and minerals for optimal nutrition. This formula is a convenient way to provide your pet with top-quality nutrition, and the pre-portioned nuggets make it simple to tailor their diet for optimal health and happiness.

With Primal Freeze Dried Dog Food Nuggets Chicken Formula, you can give your pup all the benefits of a raw diet in an easy and cost-effective way. This grain-free formula is made with real, high-quality ingredients for optimal nutrition and flavor, and it’s crafted in the USA for added peace of mind. Feed your pup this convenient and delicious freeze-dried raw food and provide them with the best nutrition possible.

Pros:
High-quality ingredients and humanely raised chicken with no added hormones or antibiotics
Organic produce and botanicals for additional health benefits
Grain-free formula for those who need to avoid grains
Preportioned nuggets make it easy to tailor the diet to your pet’s needs
Made in the USA for added peace of mind
Cons:
May be more expensive than other types of pet food
4. Wellness CORE RawRev Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Wellness CORE RawRev Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is the best dog food. It includes natural ingredients and also freeze-dried raw meat. A grain-free diet provides protein and healthy fats to keep your pup’s energy levels up. This formula contains probiotics and prebiotics to promote digestive health. In addition, it has added omega fatty acids, flaxseed, and salmon oil to support healthy skin and coat. It does not contain by-products, corn, wheat, soy, or artificial preservatives. Whether you have a puppy or an adult dog, this recipe will give your furry friend optimal nutrition.

Pros:
Grain-free
High-quality ingredients
Contains freeze-dried raw meat for added flavour and nutrition
Probiotics and prebiotics to promote digestive health
Made in the USA without by-products, corn, wheat, soy or artificial preservatives
Cons:
May be more expensive than other types of dog food
Can be difficult to find in stores or online, so you may need to order it directly from the manufacturer.
Overall, this raw food diet for dogs cost is affordable, and this product is also best for your dog.
5. Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Freeze-Dried Raw Adult Grain-Free Dog Food
Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Freeze-Dried Raw Adult Grain-Free Dog Food is a delicious food. It includes Freeze-dried raw grain-free food with added protein and carbohydrates and is an excellent source of Omega-3 & Omega-6 fatty acids. The cost of raw food diets for dogs depends on the size and type of protein you choose. This is an affordable option for those looking for aliments your dog needs. This food is made with natural ingredients and contains no artificial preservatives, colors or flavors. Additionally, it is excellent for dogs with sensitive stomachs since it helps to reduce allergens in the diet.

Pros:
A fresh, natural, and nutritious diet for your dog.
Raw diets are generally high in protein and promote healthy digestion.
Can help reduce allergies and sensitivities to certain ingredients.
Cons:
Risk of infection from bacteria or parasites if

What Is a Raw Dog Diet?
A raw dog diet is a type of nutrition plan that includes feeding your pup fresh, uncooked ingredients such as muscle meat, organ meat, bone broth, and whole eggs. Raw diets typically eliminate grains and processed foods from the equation in favour of natural vitamins and minerals found in real food sources. The belief behind this form of nutrition centres around the idea that dogs are biologically designed to eat raw meat and other natural ingredients rather than commercially-processed foods. Raw diets have become increasingly popular over the last few years due to their ability to promote overall health, improve digestion, and reduce allergic reactions in some pets.

Raw diets also allow pet owners to control what goes into their pup’s food. By preparing meals at home, pet owners can make sure that their pup is getting all of the nutrition they need and avoid any ingredients that may be harmful to them. Additionally, raw diets are often more cost-effective than commercially available options since they require fewer additional supplements or ingredients.

Should You Feed Your Dog Raw Food?
Ultimately, the decision to feed your pup a raw food diet should be made after careful consideration and research. While raw diets can be beneficial for many pets, it’s important to ensure that you are providing them with the nutrients they need for optimal health. Additionally, some dogs may not adjust well to this kind of nutrition plan and could experience digestive issues or other adverse effects. It’s important to consult with a veterinarian before making any drastic changes to your pup’s diet.

10 Benefits of Raw food diet for dogs

1. Increased Digestibility:
The high moisture content and the lack of added fillers and preservatives in raw diets often make them easier to digest.

2. Improved Dental Health:
The chewing action required for a raw diet helps keep your pup’s teeth clean and free from plaque buildup.

3. Enhanced Nutrient Absorption:
Raw food diets are usually unprocessed and contain fewer additives and preservatives, allowing your pup to benefit from increased nutrient absorption.

4. Increased Energy:
The higher protein content in a raw diet helps keep your pup energized throughout the day.

5. Fewer Allergies:
By eliminating processed foods and fillers, you can help reduce the possibility of your pup having an allergic reaction to their food.

6. Natural Balance:
The natural balance of nutrients found in raw diets helps keep your pup healthy without the need for added supplements.

7. Better Weight Management:
Because raw diets are typically lower in carbohydrates, they can help keep your pup’s weight under control.

8. Healthier Skin And Coat:
The fatty acids found in a raw diet can help promote a healthy coat and skin for your pup.

9. Reduced Vet Costs:
By providing your pup with optimal nutrition, you can help reduce the likelihood of them having to visit the vet due to health issues.

10. More Variety:
With a raw diet, you can mix up the types of proteins your pup is eating and make mealtime more interesting for them.

10 disadvantages of Raw food diet for dogs

1. Potentially Dangerous Bacteria:
Raw diets can contain dangerous bacteria such as salmonella and e.coli, which can make your pup ill.

2. Lower Nutritional Value:
Due to the lack of processing and preservatives in raw dog food, some nutrients may not be able to be absorbed by the body due to improper cooking techniques.

Raw food diets can contain bacteria that can be harmful to your pup. It’s important to take extra precautions and practice safe food handling when preparing meals for your dog.

3. Risk Of Nutrient Deficiencies:
With raw diets, it’s important to ensure that you are providing your pup with the proper nutrients in the right amounts. If not, they may be at risk of nutrient deficiencies.

4. Time-Consuming:
Raw diets can take more time to prepare and require careful research to ensure that all nutritional needs are met.

5. Higher Cost:
Raw food diets can often be more expensive than commercially prepared dog foods.

6. Difficulty In Sourcing:
Finding the right ingredients for a raw diet can be difficult, depending on where you live.

7. Messy:
Raw diets can get quite messy and require more cleanup than other diets.

8. Intolerance To Specific Proteins:
Some pups may not be able to tolerate specific proteins in a raw diet, so it’s important to monitor your pup for any adverse reactions.

9. Difficulty Transitioning:
It can take time for pups to get used to a raw diet, and there may be issues with digestion or intolerance during the transition period.

10. Poor Palatability:
Some pups may not find raw diets as appetizing as other types of food, which can be an issue if they’re picky eaters,

Overall, a raw diet can be an excellent nutritional choice for your pup – but it comes with some risks and potential disadvantages. It’s important to research the benefits and risks associated with this type of diet before making the switch. Once you are sure that it is right for your pup, you’ll be able to enjoy the numerous benefits that a raw diet can offer.

Conclusion
A raw food diet for dogs can be an excellent nutritional choice, but it does come with some risks. It’s important to do your research and make sure you understand the potential benefits and disadvantages before making the switch. With careful planning and preparation, a raw diet can provide numerous health benefits for your pup and help them live a longer and healthier life.

[aimee]

Hi Patricia,

I think you have stumbled upon a stunning example of what I mentioned in the previous comment “Also, I’ve found numerous companies whose feeding recommendations if followed would also result in deficiencies. In my experience this has been with smaller companies and expensive diets like freeze dried and fresh.”

Like you I calculated an average of 230 kcals for a 6 lb dog with a range of 118-354. I suspect the chance that their feeding recommendation of 70 kcals would meet nutrient needs is abysmal. But for laughs and giggles I’ll walk you through looking at a few nutrients using NRC recommended amounts on a metabolic body weight basis. Metabolic body weight is weight in kg to the .75 power, for a 6 lb dog it is 2.12kg MBW

The company has told us that each chicken patty is 73 kcal and that there are 4.33 kcals/gram of food which means each patty weight would be ~17 grams

Their nutrient analysis is on a dry matter basis and not as fed. If we corrected for moisture content, the amount fed on a dry matter basis may be closer to 16 grams but let’s give them the best case scenario and say the DM basis is 17 grams .

Looking at a few nutrients: Vit B1: NRC rec amount is .074mg/kg MBW x 2.12 = .157 mg
Vital Essentials chicken fed as directed 0.00235mg/gram X 17 grams= 0.04mg

Vit B2: NRC rec amount is .171mg/kgMBW X 2.12 = 0.362mg
VE chicken fed as directed 0.0055mg/grams X 17 grams =0.09mg

I could go on, but I think you get the picture When using their information and when fed as they directed, you’d meet about 25% of NRC recommended nutrient amount

Looking further, let’s compare the nutrient analysis they gave us to AAFCO for the same nutrients AAFCO requires 2.25mg/kg DM of B1 and 5.2mg/kg DM B2
VE reports their diet has 2.35mg/kg DM B1 and 5.5 Mg/kg DM B2 So that looks good right?

Well, we need to correct for energy density. AAFCO requires this be done for any diet exceeding 4000kcals/kg DM VE reports as fed kcals are 4330 /kg and they report moisture max as 8%. Let’s go with 5% moisture instead to give VE a buffer 4330/.95= 4558kcals/kg DM. To correct for energy density the correction factor is 4558/4000= 1.14

Applying the correction factor of 1.14 X 2.25mg/kg = 2.56mg/kg so their diet at 2.35mg/kg, based on the information they provided seems to fall short of AAFCO min. Even if we went with their as fed kcal of 4330 it still falls short.

Looking at B2 1.14 x 5.2mg/kg = 5.93mg/kg and they report 5.5 mg/kg, and like B1 even if we used the as fed caloric level of 4330 it still falls short.

So for me, when a company does not appear to understand something as simple as setting a feeding recommendation to meet nutrient and caloric needs or how to assess if their diet meets the AAFCO profile It is not a company I’d ever feed. Rightly or wrongly if a company apparently can’t seem to grasp such simple nutritional concepts, then how can I trust that they would understand the complexities of food formulation and quality control.

[aimee]

Hi Patricia.

By writing “I agree that kibble should always have synthetic vitamins/minerals since Pet food manufacturers know their food is devoid of nutrition … so they add synthetic premixes. And pet owners know kibble isn’t as good as real food, so they add supplements.” in the post following my post, it makes it appear that you are agreeing with me.

I just want to clarify that I absolutely do not agree with the above statement. As I said, I believe such statements to be marketing spin.

It may interest you to know that in talking with multiple companies of freeze-dried products, I’ve found that some, including some of the companies you mentioned, have reported that after freeze drying the food, they heat and hold it at temps high enough to kill pathogens. Some companies shared they used conventional heat and others apparently by microwave. Yet they still market the food as “raw” which to me is odd since the times and temps they subject the food to are those used to cook food.

I do agree that the more you read the more confusing it can become. It is interesting to me to read publications put out by the pet industry. For example, food rotation is primarily recommended to guard against “out of stocks ” Shop keepers want to condition their customers to feel comfortable switching products so that if they are out of product A, they can sell you product B and keep the sale in house vs you going elsewhere for product A. Which brands they carry has to do with profit margin, availability and exclusivity. If /when a product enters new markets, making it easy for you to get it at other venues, shops will drop the line. Shops want you to have to return to them for purchase. Ditto for why some push frozen raw as “best”(it isn’t easily available online or in most larger stores). If someone else has exclusivity rights to a brand, a line within the brand or for brands that are widely available, shop owners may try to come up with reasons that sound plausible as to why they do not carry that product in an effort to try to switch you to a brand they can get. Shops offer sales contests, brands sponsor same. Get X number of people to switch to brand C (higher profit margin) and win a prize.
So yeah, it is confusing!

[Sarah K]

I need help- and a lot of it!
I have a 5 year old pomeranian, 10 pounds.
I rescued him when he was about two- I don’t know anything about his history.
Right when I adopted him I noticed strange eating patterns- gulping and not chewing his food, then regurgitating or gulping and swallowing his food again after eating.
I immediately started him on several small feedings a day instead of free eating, and I restrict physical activity before and after he eats. He eats at 5am, 8am, 12pm, 5pm, and 10pm. He eats using a slow feeder and I wet his food beforehand.
I feed him Farmina N&D chicken and pomegranate dry, along with Farmina wet food. I also always mix a variety of green beans, blueberries, raspberries, sweet potato, salmon oil, and pumpkin throughout all of his feedings, and the Honest Kitchen enzyme powder once a day.
He still has the regurgitation issues though. I an beginning to worry his esophagus is going to get damaged if I don’t figure this out. Any time after eating, he throws up the food and quickly swallows it back. Sometimes he actually throws up. I tried working with my vet on this but she refuses to do an endoscopy (strange) and tells me to switch him to Science diet for gastrointestinal, but something about all of those processed ingredients doesn’t sit right with me. I don’t believe her for some reason.
Can anyone that has a smaller dog with these issues offer some advice? Do I feed him dry? Cooked? Raw? Canned? I just want to do what’s best for my baby. I also understand he should be eating less protein and fat, and I want to incorporate bone broth and kefir.
Thanks guys!

[Stephane P]

My dog was diagnosed with Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia(IMHA) this past week, and I am looking for the best dry food dog kibble for her. Coupled with her disease that robs her of her red blood cells, she is also a tripod, so finding a food that can regulate her weight as well as immune support is also a necessity.

I have been using Victor dog food for the past year, but I found out one of the ingredients is “blood meal”, which based on research, gives me reason to go away from the brand itself, but it isn’t entirely discounted if I can’t find a proper alternative. I was recommended other products by specialists, Hill Science being one, but I noticed it was recalled in 2019. Royal Canin being another, but it was recalled due to vitamin D toxicity. Purina being the last, but I’m told it isn’t the most healthy dog food available.

This is a tough ask as I am nitpicking quite a bit, but I was wondering if you knew of dry dog food that would help her immune system, keep her weight in check, that is FDA and AAFCO approved, had no issues in the past and no controversial ingredients.

[Jthompsm]

My 12-year-old mixed breed rescue has suddenly developed some digestive issues. My vet suggested grain-free, chicken and beef-free formulas, with the caution that we use a dog food that does NOT have legumes (lentils, peas etc). There is confirmed research these ingredients can cause heart issues in dogs — on the increase since dog food producers have used legumes heavily in grain-free formulas. I noticed in your recent newsletter that the recommendations in “best dog food for allergies” almost all included legumes. Can you do a review article on best dog food for allergies that do NOT include legumes? Thanks.

[Chandra H]

Hi! I have a 1 year 9 month old lab. She is great, super active, good weight, strong and fun. However, she has NEVER had a solid poop in her life. I know she has a chicken and egg intolerance and probably several other allergies. She constantly licks her paws, itches, etc. However, the smelling, sopping wet poops are really hard to deal with. She goes about 4-5 times a day and they are a yellow-ish brown color. She has been tested for parasites, etc. so it isn’t that.

This is not new, this has been going on since she came home. I had her on probiotics for a while but it didn’t change anything. She has been on Life Abundance, Purina Pro Sensitive Skin and Stomach, Science Hill prescription, and Open Farm. In the past 1.5 years, we have tried grains and grain free. She is currently on Open Farm Turkey (wet and dry). I really feel like there is something going on with her stomach and I just don’t know where to go from here. She did best on the prescription diet, but it wasn’t firm then either. My vet thinks she just has a lot of allergies . Does anyone have any suggestions?

Oh, and we have tried Turkey, Chicken, Beef, and Salmon proteins and the only difference is that on Chicken she does very poorly. (She looses hair, diarrhea, etc). Thanks for any ideas that may help my sweet girl.

[Caroline Z]

My Golden Retriever has allergies to eggs, salmon, peas and legumes. I don’t know if anyone above mentioned Dr. Harvey’s Specialty Diet – Allergy – Turkey or Fish Recipe. Dehydrated food. Pleased with this and my dog is doing well on this. Expensive if only using this for the amount she needs. She was underweight and would like to add some decent dry kibbles to use as well. Get tired of reading labels, labels. Any suggestions? She does best with beef and turkey. Could handle some fish, but not salmon.

[MARCIA H]

Hi, First off, thank you for providing this forum and your recall system. That in particular is invaluable.

I have studied dog food, nutrition, and health as an admin on a popular dog food group for nine years but stepped down and away from the group in January. I’ve worked in the medical field my entire life.

I have problems with some of the foods you listed in your Top Dry Dog Foods. First up, Blue Buffalo. They have had several recalls in the past. Listed ingredients include: Deboned chicken, chicken meal, brown rice, barley, oatmeal, etc. First off, I noticed several foods, including Wellness Core, which you rate highly, use brown rice as a second or third ingredient. All U.S. rice, brown, white, or organic, is naturally contaminated with arsenic in the hulls, so I refuse to feed my dog anything with rice in it. Rice is only a cheap filler anyway, so you’re losing zero nutrition when you cut it out.

Also, you have many foods in your Top Dry Dog Foods that rely heavily on grains. Look at Blue above: Brown rice (see above), barley, oatmeal, and the list goes on. Our dogs don’t need grains. They’re carnivores, not chickens. There are many dog foods who use cheaper grains like corn (that would be moldy hog corn), soy, wheat, etc. NONE of these are good for your dogs. Grain-free foods are best.

Orijen and Acana were wonderful foods when they were all made in Canada. Since they built a factory in Kentucky, the food’s quality has greatly declined and, before I left the group I referenced above, I saw many. many dogs get very sick or worse from eating Acana, Orijen, Blue Buffalo, Wellness & Wellness Core, and several more of the foods you have listed in your Top Ten.

I’m not trying to cause trouble or be picky, I’m trying to share what I’ve learned about dog foods over the past nine years. Oh, and Diamond food and anything made by Diamond (like Taste of the Wild) — awful foods. Diamond has had several recalls and lots and lots of production issues. I wouldn’t recommend TOTW, Diamond, or anything else they produce.

I could go on and on but wanted to shed some light on what I’ve already read. I hope this information will help at least one person.

[Kate L]

Hi! I know this topic has been covered endlessly, but I wanted to share my experiences with allergies and maybe gain some insight on different kinds of food for my 7 year old staffy, Gumbo.

We adopted Gumbo when he was 2. He was missing hair, his coat was dull and rough, belly and paws were red and irritated, and he was constantly scratching. The only allergy we were informed of was chicken. He was immediately started on a prescription diet of Royal Canin Hydrolyzed Protein. It helped slightly, but still itchy and red.

After not seeing much of a difference with the prescription diet, I tried a few store bought foods. Zignature Kangaroo, Taste of the Wild (with fish) and Instinct (can not remember which we tried.) Nothing really helped and we put him back on the prescription diet, this time Royal Canin Ultamino. We do not feed any treats-just carrots and cucumbers.

Monthly cytopoint shots started two years after we got him which I would say brought him the most relief. He also got groomed monthly and bathed with oatmeal bath. Still not 100% but the best he had been. His nails were still red, raw and yeasty. I almost feel he has more of an environmental allergy at this point-different times of the year he seems better or worse.

Over the past few months I have noticed the cytopoint injections are not helping at all. I know it is dry in December where we reside, but his itch became unbearable. His breath was rotten. Coat looked terrible. Vet put him on antibiotics for a “skin infection.” The stink and extreme itch went away, but he was still uncomfortable.

Out of desperation I found an article online that said dehydrated beets had helped their dog considerably.
I immediately ordered and I can not even begin to explain the difference I’ve noticed in Gumbo this month. His nails are growing in completely white (which I have never seen before-they are always brown/red/streaky) his coat is gleaming and his energy is great. He is barely scratching himself. If anything he is still licking his paws, but we are trying to be diligent about wiping them down when wet and using medicated wipes and cream. Then we wrap him like a burrito so he can’t lick the cream off.

I know I shouldn’t mess with something that seems to be working-but I am also tempted to try another type of food with limited ingredients. At $100/month and our first baby on the way it would be great to find him a more cost-effective food and I just don’t love the idea of a kibble that is made in a lab. I’ve considered making his food-I just haven’t done enough research and want to make sure he’s getting the correct ratio of protein, vitamins and nutrients.

I just received a sample from Verus. I spoke with the operations manager and she recommended the menhaden fish formula. Gumbo loved it but it immediately gave him terrible gas..
“We truly believe that VeRUS could be the perfect fit for your furbaby. In addition to offering chelated and proteinated vitamins and minerals (where the body can absorb more efficiently than standard vitamins and minerals), we utilize wholesome ingredients without the use of synthetic chemical preservatives, fillers, or by products. Our cooking methods and standards of manufacturing are of the highest possible being that we are manufactured in an EU certified (European Union) facility. This mandates that each ingredient must be fit for human consumption with an increased level of testing to confirm only the best ingredients are trusted and safe to be used in our formulas. Reliability and transparency are the principles of VeRUS with dedication to nutrition being the guiding force.”

So I’m leaning towards trying a full bag of this food but wanted to see if anyone had any suggestions on what has worked for their pup. I always feel for anyone going through allergy troubles because it has been something we have been dealing with for years. We really do everything we can for our furbabies! Thank you for reading my novel and any insight you may have.

[Regina A]

Hi, our dog when we first rescued him also had a horrible allergies. we didn’t know why. he would lick, chew and scratch at his skin, 24/7. We suspected after many switches it was fish product related.
The only dry dog food we found after years of searching was Dr. Pol’s Healthy balance Chicken Recipe dog food. Based on your list above, I believe the only ingredient it has is flaxseed but perhaps if it’s the only item, even if he may have a slight reaction, it may still be a dramatic improvement over what he’s been having.
If you change dog foods just make sure to slowly add it to the current dog food and gradually increase the amount over at least a couple weeks before changing it completely so you don’t also upset your dog’s tummy and have diarrhea. And remember it can take a a couple months to really see the different it might make. I feel so strongly about it because our dog was really suffering. He’s a light tan shih tzu so we could see his skin was always red and inflamed, including his gums. and where ever he licked his coat was rust colored and felt like wire. Now he has no rust colored spots and his coat is so soft. I couldn’t believe that difference it made. I hope it will at least help. Best Wishes for you and your fur baby.

[Jane R]

UPDATE to my post from 3/3/21: My dog’s licking, gulping episodes. hacking, along with tummy noises have pretty much completely stopped. Over the last 5 months, she has had a couple of episodes that lasted a couple of minutes. At that point I would let her go outside as it’s better to let her eat grass than what she can find indoors. Otherwise she’s been doing great!

So along with trial and error, and results from GI/barium study…The KEY things that has helped her are: 1. feeding her 3 small meals a day (versus 2 larger ones before); 2. no more essential oils, scented candles, scented laundry detergent, etc. 3. strict diet of her dog food (Fromm’s dry Duck mixed with a spoon or two of Purina ONE SmartBlend Tender Cuts in Gravy Chicken & Brown Rice or Purina ONE SmartBlend Tender Cuts in Gravy Lamb & Brown Rice as they are low in fat content), plain cooked chicken breast, Old Mother Hubbard dog biscuits treats, or dry dog biscuit for treats.

I had a barium/GI study done on her at the vet’s and was able to rule out any issues with how her food traveled from mouth through her GI tract…everything was normal. So that’s when I tried the three things listed above and it has been key to stopping the licking, gulping, etc, episodes.

What I’ve learned that can trigger her episodes are numerous things: eating too much at once, eating too fast, any food with higher fat content including all oil related supplements (fish oil, coconut oil, etc), fragrances. I’m also leery of any supplements for her at this point.

Bland is BEST; LESS is more. It took alot of trial and error, online research, vet visits, trying acid reflux medications, and reading all the helpful posts here too. When she has to take antibiotics from the vet, they can upset her tummy so he puts her on a pre-biotic he has at his office along with the antibiotic and it works great!

[sophia A]

Did my own comparative analysis of meat grinder specifications, price, company longevity, number of units in circulation, performance, risk, warranty, reviews, and then made the decision based on best value for us. For about a month prior, we used lesser capacity, lesser capable food processor devices when starting to mess with raw food augmentation of dry food, then when we were comfortable with raw food preparation in its entirety, and we committed, the decision was made. After 6-7 months of complete raw food preparation, we are convinced we made the right choice
192.168 l 8.1.

[Thomas Carroll]

My dog currently eats the following Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, but I am going to switch to different dry dog food because he often does not eat this food:
https://www.chewy.com/taste-wild-high-prairie-grain-free/dp/181320
Can you please recommend a dry dog food that is best for preventing bloat?
Are there certain ingredients that are better for preventing bloat such as the types of meats/poultry/fish or a combination or a certain combination of them?
Are there any supplements/toppers/mix-ins that you would recommend to help prevent bloat?
I am willing to pay as much as about $150/month for the most premium dog food and any supplements to go along with it that in your opinion would be best to prevent bloat.

[Ryan K]

My dog has this issue and it’s been a combination of getting him on the right food as well as removing allergy triggers (air fresheners and wall plugins). Another huge help was getting him on prescription food. Ask your vet about Hills Low Fat ID. I tried that same Hills science diet food your dog is on for my dog and he had gulping fits on it. I think it’s too high in omega oils. If I put my dog on ANY other food he has an episode. Not sure what this food does for him but he has hardly had any episodes since getting on this dry food diet. If I give him anything high in omega oils he has a gulping fit. I have found that if he has a fit the best thing I can do is let him graze outside until he stops. This usually lasts 20-30 minutes of him just chomping grass or weeds and then he is ok. It’s better then him eating carpet and socks (he threw up multiple socks one day which was scary!) and hurting himself. This is a mystery Illness and it’s really trial and error in making them comfortable. 😕

[Susan]

Due you know in Australia & other countries around the world we had NO problems with Grain Free dog foods, its seem to just be USA?? & the amount of cases were low/
Have you read the latest whats was put out by FDA about DCM?? they do not have enough proof & G/F kibbles have gone back to using legumes again..

ROTATE your dry dog foods that your dogs do well on & if you want the best for your dogs look at feeding Air Dried & Freeze Dried Raw instead of Kibble, kibble is over processed cooked & cooked high temps with no real nutrients….or add fresh healthy ingredients to your dogs dry kibble.

also with Edie start walking him daily exercise, take away some of his kibble 1/4 cup & replace with beans veggies so weight drops, you don’t want an over weight senior, also put him on a good Krill Oil or Antinol for his his joints, brain, heart, skin, coat eyes, kidney health..

[Kourtney H]

While attending Veterinary Assisting school I had the opportunity of externing at a local clinic. About three weeks in, on the saturday after unfortunately having to say good bye to my husbands cat of 23 years, a lady came in with a gorgeous Blue Fawn Pitbull. She had said that he was wandering the highway with nothing but a bare red collar, he was friendly enough to get in her car and we were the closest animal care center she could find. We immediatly checked for a chip and upon doing so found two phone numbers attached to his. The first call we got an answer but just as soon as they picked up and we identified who we were the call was disconnected. With no information about this dog besides two phone numbers that no one was answering and the Saturday coming to a close, with noone to be coming in on Sunday because we were always closed that day…. Someone had to take this dog home and since everyone else had cats or a no pets allowed policy where they were living it was either me or animal control. I couldnt bare to see this beautiful boy whose demeanor was so relaxed and happy just waiting for what ever was coming next be sent to where they possibly were just going to euthanize him because of his breed. So when we were all cleaned up and ready to go, I grabbed a couple of blankets a bag of food and a leash and the newly nick named ” Doo Doo” and I were off. For two weeks we attempted to call the numbers associated with his chip to no avail. And the more time that passed the closer Doo Doo and Jacob got. We ended up discussing a more permanent name for him and decided that Uthred was a good fit. So as a dog named after a Northumbrian Elderman with a similar past as his, Uthred became JAcobs emotional support dog and best friend who helped combat his anxiety. As soon as He felt Jake begin to feel overwhlemed and worked up he would quite literally force himself into Jake’s lap and would just stare into his soul and like the flip of a switch Jake was calm, and anxiety free. It was a beautiful thing to see this relationship grow and see both of them benefit in such giant ways from one another. Now that you know the back story to our unique situation I would like to bring you up to speed on our unfortunate happenings as of the last four or five months.

Things have been pretty much the complete opposite of our first 4 months with him. One day after bathing Uthred I was drying him off with a towel and he was VERY anxious and obviously uncomfortable. Later that day he was laying down in his bed and I was cleaning the room when I came across his favorite blanket, as I went to hand it to him he quickly growled and lunged at me. Completely shocked and taken a back I stood there as his growl continued until my mind gathered everything that just occurred and took a step back. I was so confused and when Jake got home from from work he was in disbelief. We were thinking he possibly was abused in his last living situation and maybe my simple actions caused him an episode of PTSD. Well once this happened it only got worse. Soon enough I was no longer able to touch him, walk by him, or even look at him without him fiercely growling at me. This drastic turn in events not only took a toll on me but my marriage as well. As Jacob was still able to continue his relationship with Uthred. Soon I wasn’t even able to touch Jacob without this very powerful dog snapping at me. Which led me to believe maybe he is displaying possessive or territorial aggression. That was until he started displaying this behavior toward Jacob as well! To this date I have been bitten/ nipped at twice and while sitting on the ground he has out of nowhere lunged at my face, luckily Jacob’s quick actions caught him just before he would have got me. As for Jake, on three separate occasions he has been bitten three times with two out of the three drawing blood. Confused and distraught, we were unsure what to do next. We tried everything we could think of until we finally decided to take him to the Vet on May 27th 2021 for the aggression he was continuously displaying. They prescribed him with gabapentin and gave him his vaccinations and sent us on our way. While it seemed to ease his anxiety the side effects started to worry us as he just became more and more lethargic. Then we started noticing that he was losing weight. A lot of weight. His appetite was there but very little. The place we started noticing it most was in his head more specifically his chewing muscles. We looked up the symptoms of what we had been noticing like how he was no longer wanting to go for walks, play ball, or chew on any toys along with when he would try he would cry and spit what ever it was that he had out of his mouth.. that and many other things are what brought us to the conclusion that it was masticatory muscle myositis. I took him to the vet and they were shocked to see the rate at which his condition was declining. It was only two weeks from the vet visit where we got the Gaba and his vaccinations to the next appointment where he was just a completely different dog. The vet agreed with us as to what the diagnosis was and she prescribed prednisone. Day one he was great almost like he was going back to normal same with day two then day three he started declining again at a quicker rate… now we are to tonight June 16th he looks horrible is beginning to have a difficult time drinking water. I am at a loss and have no idea what to do. I am so overwhelmed by my own emotions not to mention the flood wall that I am absorbing from Jacob. I read a few things in a forum where people had the same thing occur a week after the rabies shot was administered. Im wondering if that has anything to do with this . also anyone know what kind of diet might help?

[John M]

Hello, love this site, but for some reason, DFA separates out “Best Food for Small Dogs” and then, includes 4 star dog foods. Why is that?
Wouldn’t small dogs also benefit from the 5 star dog foods listed in other catagories?
Very disappointing that so few WET dog foods are included in the Small Dog food list.
Also DFA lists that “……small dogs tend to benefit from food optimized for their higher rate of metabolism… and their smaller physical size.”

But DFA does not specify what are the criteria for nutritionallly supporting a “higher rate of metabolism”?

Is it the fat content is higher or lower? (the various dog foods in that list for of dog foods that sold as being “for small dogs” seem to have no consistency between fat content ? or any other ratio, not that i can tell. What IS it you see in those foods that helps make it best “for small dogs”?)
I would like to know, as i prefer WET foods for dogs but your list has almost all DRY dog foods for small dogs. If i knew what it was you see in the ingredient lists,
I could open up my options in choosing wet foods for small dogs.

Is it the calorie count is higher or lower?

Is it the protein content is higher?

What exactly in that list of dog foods labelled “small breed” dog foods is the thing DFA is looking for? Is it just the way the dog food is marketted? —Like, If these dog foods did not have bags labelled “for small dogs” would they have still made the list?

And so far as smaller size goes, wouldn’t feeding smaller amounts more frequently be how to feed a smaller dog?

I really LIKE the REgular list of “BEst Wet Dog Foods” because that list makes sense. All are 5 star dog foods, that list is consistent from one brand to another, all displaying similar ingredients and attributes.

I would really like it if anyone could share their knowledge with me on why the DFA’s regular list of “BEST DOG FOODS” would not be good for small dogs?
THANK YOU to anyone who can teach me
what it is
one sees in those bags labelled “for small dogs” that “supports higher metabolism”?

[Jessi S]

@Amanda V I can only speak from experience with my own sensitive dog. So far, I’ve had the best luck with Wellness. She did good on Core but I’ve found the Trufood line to work wonderfully for her. Nice small and firm stool. No more indigestion either.

/dog-food-reviews/ happy wheels wellness-dog-food-super-5-mix-dry/

[Michael H]

Surprised to see the selections of all ten dog foods for best dry grain free, have peas, beans, or nightshade potatoes in the top five ingredients. That is the best food? Yet Sport Dog Elite Series Working Dog Formula has no peas, no nightshade potatoes, no chickpeas, no grains, no flax, no legumes, no rice, and only given 4 1/2 stars. For one of only two kibbles I have found on your entire site that can make this same claim.

• This topic was modified 4 years, 8 months ago by Michael H.
• This topic was modified 4 years, 8 months ago by Michael H.

[crazy4cats]

I’ve made the 180 on dog food and now feed them either Purina Pro Plan or Purina One dry food along with a spoonful of wet food.

I tried feeding Iams dry at first after switching off of the grain free food we used to feed them. But, they like the Purina with the shredded pieces better and are doing great!

I do not know anything about Rayne. Best wishes on finding the best food for your new puppy. Make sure if it is a large breed puppy that you feed a puppy food specailly formulated for growing large breed pups.

[Hemmyngs K]

Hi, Hilla! you can consult your vet and he will recommend the best food for your cat. And if your cat likes it, then you will understand it. Besides, I found various articles with reviews of the best cat food for 2021 on Google, you can see them. I feed the cat Rachael Ray Nutrish super premium food for cats that is made with simple, natural ingredients with added vitamins and minerals. This high-quality product helps in maintaining healthy organs and muscles. It contains no ground corn, wheat, soy, poultry by-product meal, fillers, artificial flavors, or preservatives and that’s great! Also, the cat food contains B vitamins, proteins, Biotin, and Zinc, which help support healthy skin and coat and reduce shedding and dry skin. I sometimes feel like I feed my cat better than I feed myself. By the way, my vet said that I should do prevention from worms and parasites for my cat and advised me to order and add to cat food Diatomaceous Earth food grade to get rid of parasites and various pests. You can find the review here https://catademy.com/diatomaceous-earth-for-fleas/ . I hope this is a natural remedy that is safe for cats. If you know anything about this product, please let me know.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by Hemmyngs K.

[Steven R]

Hello,

I have a 4 year old, 103lb, Cane Corso named Odin. We are wondering what would be the best recommended food for him? He has a chicken allergy, which makes the hunt a bit difficult for us.

Here is some background:
He has been using Victor Hero dry food for a long time, which we know is fantastic, but possibly not specifically for large breeds. Last month he ended up having bloat (GDV). We have been aware of this possibility for years and have taken all the precautions. Luckily, we were able to notice the bloating just in time to get him to an emergency surgery in time for him to survive! The vet said that we had likely done nothing wrong, it seems to be bad luck. Since his surgery, however, we have noticed he burps a lot more often. We are wondering if the fat content of Victor might be a bit too much for him? We just want to make sure we avoid any foods that may cause bloat, and this website is by far the best and most thorough we have ever found. We appreciate any and all help you can provide. Thanks!

[Susan]

Hi my rescue boy suffers with IBD, vet said he was eating a POOR diet old owners probably kept feeding him a poor quality pet food that had ingredients he was sensitive too for the first 4yrs of his life before I rescued him.

If you can afford to see a Animal Nutritionist to make him a balance raw diet or cooked diet this will be the best….
Dogs Digestive Tract is short made to digest a raw diet.
Follow Dr Judy Morgan she has her Yin & Yang book, she has easy to make balanced recipes online. There’s a few people you can follow so your new pup has a healthy start to his life & your right kibble isn’t the best, kibble is processed & cooked at very high temps, all nutrients are killed & then they have to add synthetic vitamins that are from China & have killed thousands of dogs big recalls over the years. Hills just had a big recall too much Vitamin D in their pet foods.
If you want to feed 1 of the big 4 pet food companies then look at Royal Canin. You can also contact Royal Canin & speak with 1 of their Nutritionist they will help you work out whats best to feed your growing pup.

I have found a Grain Free potato diets have been best for my boy when he has diarrhea/sloppy poos etc when I first rescued him. The Potato firms up poos, soothes stomach, easy to digest & let his stomach & bowel heal.

If you are feeding a Dry kibble look for a limited ingredient kibble to start with, less is best, less to react too, get your puppy stable for 3-4 months, no sloppy poos, also put him on a good dog Probiotic unless the dog food “Wellness” has Probiotics in them .

“Wellness” – been making pet food over 100yrs-
https://www.wellnesspetfood.com/natural-dog-food/product-catalog/simple-limited-ingredient-turkey-potato-recipe

“Cana4” – does not use any Synthetic vitamin mixes, is made in Canada-

Our Story

“Instinct Original Grain-Free Dry” –
https://www.instinctpetfood.com/dogs/limited-ingredient-diet

[James P]

Mary, I applaud you in that you are trying to help your pups live a longer life through better nutrition!
I would suggest you do your own research and make your own decision as to what is the best food you can feed them.
Though we all hate to admit it, sometimes cost comes into that decision as well, and that is something each one of us has to decide.
I can tell you what my wife and I do for our 4 Miniature Schnauzers, 2 are 15, 1 is 11 and 1 is 9.
We feed 3 different foods mixed together. Schnauzers have issues with too much fat in their diet, so we mix together two low fat dry foods and top it with a fresh food, like Farmers Dog.
The reason we mix is because I do not trust pet food manufacturers and if we do get a product that has a serious problem, it will only be 1/3 of their diet and it should reduce the problems my dogs get from it. I also expect that some batches of dog foods that go out will be of more inferior quality than other batches of that same food. Mixing reduces the hit my dogs take on their nutritional intake.
Also, we change protein sources every couple of years. Chicken for a couple of years, then Turkey, etc. If any of our dogs have allergy issues to that protein source, then we change back until allergy issues subside and try a different protein source.
Good luck to you in your search!!!

[Chipy]

Good question, Mitch. When it comes to grain-free and/or pea-free diets, we need consider the overall quality of the food and the root cause of taurine deficiency.

The “grain-free” marketing term refers to processed dry food/kibble that is an extruded, highly processed product; whether it is full of grains or grain-free, it is not healthy.

The main ingredients in the grain-free diets are often peas, lentils, chickpeas and potatoes — carbohydrates typically intended to replace grains – rather than high-quality meat protein. This explains why some dogs became taurine deficient when fed these diets, as taurine (an essential amino acid that supports heart health) is naturally found in fresh meat and organs.

So it’s best to avoid most grains and starches (because they are not a natural part of a canine’s diet) and focus on increasing the amount of fresh meat and organs in your dog’s diet to naturally prevent DCM.

Dogs have much shorter digestive tracts than herbivores and can’t process high-carb foods like grains and starchy carbs very well. This often results in excessive food fermentation and gas.

You can replace starchy carbs with cooked squash or pumpkin, especially for dogs with digestive upset. Grains (including rice) in general can contribute to IBD. Arsenic toxicity in rice is also a serious problem.

https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/113943301-how-to-avoid-foods-high-in-arsenic-and-keep-your-dog-healthy

https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11014993-what-veggies-are-good-for-dogs

The best diet is as nature intends; fresh meat, organs and bones with some vegetables and leafy greens. A varied, species-appropriate diet, along with all-natural vitamins, minerals, omega-3’s and probiotics is the way to go.

It is very rare for a dog to have a taurine deficiency when consuming an unprocessed, fresh food diet because taurine is so readily available in meats and organs. It may need to be supplemented if your dog has been tested as deficient, but overall dogs get enough of this amino acid from fresh food, and from their ability to manufacture it in their own body.

If you are concerned, connect with your holistic or integrative vet to get your pup tested and you can discuss options together based on the results.

Here are some links to a quick & easy Natural Diet Course, and an online Recipe Maker that I hope you will find helpful if you want to learn more about alternatives to processed food. Your dog will love you for it! 🙂 Switching from kibble to fresh food was the best decision we made a few years ago to improve our pup’s health and reduce unnecessary vet bills.

https://peterdobias.com/pages/course-rawdiet

https://recipemaker.peterdobias.com/

Wishing you and your pup all the best 🙂

[Chipy]

Good question, John. It’s best to avoid meat meals but they are the primary ingredients in most dry dog food so the healthiest option is to switch to fresh foods like home-cooked or premade raw diets that are more nutritious for our pups.

Meat meals are made from taking slaughterhouse and fish processing factory remnants that are not edible for humans, and cooking them, processing them under high heat, and dehydrating them into a dry powdery substance that goes into kibble.

Like most other low-grade and highly processed ingredients in kibble and canned diets, meat meals contain little to no nutritional value to the dog being fed.

I use Dr. D’s recipe maker and natural whole-food based supplements to create healthy meals for my pup. It helps me build balanced recipes with the ingredients I have available and I love it; https://recipemaker.peterdobias.com

[Susan]

Hi Isabella,
there might be too much organ meats in the pre made raw your buying read ingredients, also too much bone, my boy cant have too much organ meats- liver, heart, kidney, or bone causes diarrhea with him or the fat is probably toooo HIGH in the raw you’re feeding …
The fat in raw diet, cooked meal & wet can foods & dog rolls hasn’t been converted to dry matter like a kibble has, so when you see say-5%min fat, I times the fat % by X 4 = 20%min-25%max fat you’ll get an ruff idea what the fat is, also it depends on the moisture %, if the moisture is 78% max & under the max fat will less, if the moisture is 79% or more then the max fat will be higher.
Or contact the Pet Food Company & ask them which raw formula has the lowest amount of fat you’d be looking for 3% 4% max fat to get around 10-16% fat, ask can you have the fat converted into dry matter.

Best to make your own premade raw diet my vet said cause most pre-made raw is high in fat, when you make your own raw you control ingredients, organ meats, & fat unless you find a local small business who makes pre-made raw with fresh human grade free range meats.

Turkey & Pork is really good lean white proteins when the fat is removed & buy green fresh vegetables – parsley, broccoli, celery, small spinach leaves, apple, peel de seed cut up apple & put veggies thru a blender, blend into a pulp & put veggies/fruit mix into ice cube trays – 1 spoon & cover ice cube trays, then freeze & take out night before put in fridge or use as needed, add 1-2 veggie/fruit mix spoons to 1 cup meat also buy tin Salmon drain the salmon & put in container & store in fridge, add 2 spoons salmon per meal to help balance diet & add Omega 3 to dogs diet.
Or look for Freeze Dried Raw or Air Dried Raw- Ziwi Peak has their Venison formula for Skin & bowel problems & has the lowest fat% but fat is still too high for my boy, in Australia we have Prime SKD rolls – Kangaroo & Pumkin, Wild Boar & Pumkin, Salmon & Tapioca, Duck & Sweet Potato, Crocodile & Tapioca, Kangaroo & Potato, Turkey & Flaxseed rolls, these rolls are really good for dogs who suffer with food sensitivies then you start an food elimination diet what you need to do.
I dont know if there’s same type of rolls you have in US??
So you’ll know what ingredients your dog is sensitive too?? as food sensitivities cause farts, sloppy poos, wind pains, yeasty ears, yeasty skin, rubbing bum on ground, anal problems, vomiting itchy skin,.
Food sensitivities can take 20mins for dog to react after eating a food, up to 6 weeks to react??
Id start a food elimination diet now Winter is coming best time as environment allergens are at their lowest so less chance confusing results.

“Sudocrem” is excellent its an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, healing cream for skin problems, Eczema, Dermatitis, itchy dry red skin, Sudocrem acts as a barrier & protects skin from Allergens normally dogs who get Hot spot suffer with Environment allergies & yeasty ears, skin paws can be from environment allergies & food sensitivities..my boy suffers with both..
Weekly Cool Baths in a medicated shampoo are the best you can do to wash & cool skin, if dog is really itchy then bath twice a week in medicated shampoo, I use Malaseb medicated shampoo, it kills the yeast & bacteria on skin, days you do not bath buy baby wipes that have aloe extract leaf & vitamin E, wipe the dog down after being outside wipe off allergens, before bed wipe dog down & apply the Sudocrem to stop any itchy skin & heal red itchy skin even ears I use cotton tip & lightly apply Sudocrem & before going outside apply Sudocrem it acts as a barrier to protect skin from allergens.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sudocrem-Antiseptic-Healing-Cream-125g/553023443

I like “Canidae Pure Fresh Pork -16% fat or Canidae Pure Fresh Duck & Sweet Potato 16-17% fat or Canidae Pure Fresh Salmon & Sweet Potato has highest fat% 18-20% fat a lot of dogs doing really well on Canidae Pure formula’s I buy the Canidae Pure Senior for my old boy.

You can also try “Gastro Elm” alot of people say its really good firm up sloppy poos acid reflux etc its Slippery Elm powder, Dandelion Root Powder and Marshmallow Root Powder.
https://www.gastroelm.com/

[crazy4cats]

We like Purina One in our family for a budget friendly dog food. They have a sensitive skin and stomach formula that might work for you: https://www.purina.com/purina-one/dogs/dry-dog-food/sensitive-systems-real-salmon.

Best of luck to you and your furry family.

[Sheila V]

No, she hasn’t always been on Freshpet. I have tried other dog foods, even the weight-loss ones but she seems to do the best on Freshpet….when she was on other foods (especially the dry food) she drank lots of water and was pooping 2-3 times every day, a couple of times she pooped in the house. On Freshpet she has one healthy bowel movement a day, usually on her morning walk.

[Susan]

Hi Joshua,
when a dog suffers with food sensitivities its the protein in the meat or plant matter the dog reacts too, fats don’t have any proteins in fat, so look for foods that use Canola oil, Sunflower oil, Chicken fat, Flaxseed, Hemp Oil, Coconut Oil & Vitamin E,
High Omega 3 in diet helps dogs skin, too much Omega 6 & not enough Omega 3 can cause skin problems, Omega 3 % should be 1/2 the Omega 6%.
Baths are best, bath your dog twice a week to wash off any allergens off skin, paws, head etc also use a shampoo that’s an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial shampoo kills the yeast & bacteria on smelly yeasty dog, also use baby wipes the days dog hasn’t had a bath, Cool baths relieve dogs itchy red skin…

Sudocrem sold Walmart online only is very good, protects & stops itchy red skin, paws , Sudocrem protects dogs skin & paws from allergens, it’s an anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, healing cream that stops yeast & bacteria.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sudocrem-Antiseptic-Cream-125G/182504923

Fish oils aren’t good when added to dry kibbles or pet foods as they go rancid very quickly, that’s why pet food companies started adding Fish Meal to replace the fish oil.

Look for a limited ingredient freeze dried food or a Kibble like Canidae Pure Wild Boar is good so is Canidae Pure Sky Duck & Sweet Potato kibble.

[Tabby W]

My 7 year old staffy bulldog mix (Boss) needs to lose some weight. He had a torn ACL and has gained weight. He was chunky when we rescued him but I want him to be fit. He is recovered now and his goal weight is 55 lbs from 70 lbs.

He is going to be exercising a lot more, BUT I am also switching his kibble because I don’t think he loves nutro that much, and I think the new kibbles I’ve selected are of better quality.

I would like to feed a mix of Earthborn Unrefined Rabbit and Perfectus Chicken. I love both of these foods for different reasons and have decided to try to go with the best of both worlds. He loved the samples, and his stomach did well. I initially was just going to mix them evenly (they are both 25 lb bags) but someone told me that the calories would be too high evenly mixed because Perfectus has higher kcal/cup.

SO, the advice I’m seeking is: in cups or ounces, how much of each food should get in a day? I can feed him once or twice, but he often skips breakfast, and eats later at night only.

Perfectus – 407 kcal/cup
25% protein
14%fat
5% fiber
12% moisture

Earthborn- 370 kcal/cup
23% Protein
15% fat
8% fiber
10% moisture
.10% taurine
Plus other great stuff

Thanks in advance, and Boss says thanks too! Lol

[Susan]

@ Wonderuspups,
A Colonoscopy is different to an Endoscope Stomach you just need a empty stomach, not empty bowel the camera can only go down esophagus & maybe small bowel only if the sphincter flap is open to enter small bowel for dogs.
Patch has IBD not IBS..
When Patch is having Endoscope + Biopsies, he eats his Dinner night before then no more food after 8pm, no water after 12am, next day he goes to vet 10am, his Endoscope app is at 11am, blood is taken for anesthetic check.
then I get a call from his vet nurse who’s looking after him after his procedure to tell me Patch has woken up come around 3pm to pick him up then he’s back home eating small meal 3-4pm & running around, there’s no pain with Endoscope/Biopsies, he stayed on his Acid Blocker meds weren’t stopped same with me.
I have Endoscope every 5 yrs, no food after 12am I’m at hospital 8am next day, back home 11am same day & I have to take my meds before I leave home that morning, when I was younger I was told to stop my ant acid medication 2 weeks before Endoscope & my god the pain I had bad acid reflux, when my scope/biopsies was finished & I woke up the Gastro Dr told me to take my ant acid medication as soon as I get home, cause my esophagus & stomach is red & inflamed..

Turmeric is hot spice, I cant take it & I’d never give to Patch as it would upset his stomach. Same as Apple Cider Vinegar makes acid reflux worse if dog or person is making too much Hydrochloric acid in their stomach, coconut oil can cause bad acid reflux as well its a hard fat, not a soluble fat.
You have to be very careful with animals as they cant talk & tell owner they’re in more pain after having natural herbs etc.. The only supplement I’ll use is Slippery Elm powder cause I’ve tried it & CBD oil, I always try things first..

@ Sienna.
I’d be trying medications before trying any holistic supplements, Turmeric can cause stomach upset, if your dog has Ulcer Turmeric will make pain worse.
Patch was eating Earthborn Holistic Ocean Fusion & the fish made his acid worse he cant eat any fish kibbles they’re higher in Omega Oils, also dogs who suffer with Pancreatitis have problems with oily fish + fish oils, they can cause a Pancreas flare, if you follow Dr Judy Morgan her old dog he’s since passed away, he kept having Pancreatic flare every month so Judy stopped everything in his diet & did Elimination Food diet & re introduced everything slowly & it was the Fish Oil causing his flares… look at Turkey & Potato kibbles, Pork & Potato kibbles
Here’s Canidae Pure Wild Boar but the fat is 15-16%???
https://www.canidae.com/dogs/canidae-pure-grain-free-dry-dog-food-wild-boar/

Patch does really well on the Canidae Pure Senior it has the lowest fat- 10.80%max are you 100% sure she cant have Chicken you’ve don’t a proper elimination diet?

There’s also 4Health Special Care Sensitive Stomach, there’s NO meat + kcals are low
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/4health-special-care-sensitive-stomach-formula-for-adult-dogs-8-lb-bag?cm_vc=-10011

4Health has Lamb & Rice Kcals are 328Kcals per cup easy to digest ingredients fat -12%min.

Sometimes we have to put aside our strong beliefs & do whats best for the dog, I’m feeding Patch Eukanuba Senior kibble Eukanuba made in Australia, ingredients are slightly different to USA Eukanuba, it has Corn & Wheat & Patch isn’t wanting his grass he normally wants after Dinner, I’m going back to what Patch was first put on when I rescued him 2012 + I know Eukanuba makes low residue kibbles easy to digest ingredients.

[Susan]

Hi Sienna,
Your girl sounds just like my Patch, who I rescued November- 2012. He was weeing blood when I got him & Ultra Scan showed Urinary Crystals he was put on Royal Canine S/O Urinary Wet & dry kibble for 6 weeks to dissolve the crystals & he was desexed, I adopted him cause I didnt see any health problems probably cause he was on the R/C Vet Diet as soon as the vet said his crystals have dissolved feed him what he was eating before this is when my nightmare begun & he was always STARVING HUNGRY eating cat poo… I kept thinking Pancreatitis, but all times we checked his Pancreas its good, he cries whinges after he eats, wet food is the worst if comes back up cause it digests quicker & cause his lower sphincter flap isn’t closing properly the food comes up his esophagus & throat causing acid reflux, a Acid Blocker- Pantoprazole-20mg given in morning really helps Patch even stopped his vomiting finally in 2018 Patches stories are thru DFA Forum section how I nilly put him to sleep 2018 he was 10yrs old but we have really good vets in Australia who wouldn’t put Patch to sleep till they worked out what was happening now.
Vet changed his PPI to 20mg-Pantoprozole it works heaps better then Omeprazole , I take Pantoprazole for my GERDS & asked my vet can we please change his PPI as they all work different till you find the right one for yourself & dogs would be the same + my gastro specialist told me Pantoprazole is best when Lower Esophageal Flap isnt closing properly.

Have you done Endoscope & Biopsies yet? you need the Biopsies so vet can diagnose properly. Or ask vet can you please try the triple therapy meds for Helicobacter all dogs have Helicobacter BUT when a dogs immune system is compromised the Helicobacter takes over the dog stomach also Patch suffers with Environment Allergies in Summer causing his immune system to crash by Autunm cause its been working overtime fighting his allergies this causing bad acid reflux as well, Patch does best on an easy to digest kibble.
Canidae Pure Senior, Wellness Core Large breed adult but they changed their recipe & added Lentils Patch cant eat Lentils he gets Diarrhea, he does really well on Potato & Sweet Potato kibbles.
Patch suffers with IBD, LES =Lower Esophageal Sphincter Flap doesn’t close properly in between his stomach & esophagus causing BAD Acid reflux, 1 yr after I rescued Patch I was told my boy has IBD I didnt believe vet so I asked can we do Endoscope & Biopsies, the Biopsies came back IBD, Helicobacter Pylori he was put on Triple therapy medications for 21 days, Metronidazole & Amoxicillin given every 12 hours with a meal & a PPI -Pantoprazole or Omeprazole-20mg given in the morning before breakfast, a gluten free, low fat diet is best, no high fiber diets, 8 yrs on he still has Pain stomach area, doesn’t eat poo no more as soon as we fixed his Helicobacter & kept him on a PPI the poo eating all stopped , your girl has Pain in stomach & food relieves her stomach pain, the Helicobacter lives in their stomach walls, food stops the pain BUT 20-30mins later they’re starving again how I know is I suffered with Helicobacter when I was younger, get her on the Metronidazole, Amoxicillin & a PPI will help her you’ll see results 5-7 days..then when medications are finished after 21 days continue with teh PPI or you’ll have to do the triple therapy meds over & over again I did research & Drs found when humans stayed on their PPI medication their Helicobacter didnt have the right environment in the stomach.
There’s a few of Patches post thru DFA Forum back 2015-2018..
I havent had time yet to read your posts, I have to feed Patch now its 7pm he’s waiting, he eats 5 smaller kibble meals a day 7am,-1/2 a cup kibble, 9am-1/2 cup kibble, 12pm he either gets 1/3 cup kibble or 1/2 boiled Sweet potato, 1/2 boiled white potato with his lean Pork rissoles but he prefers his kibble some days, 5pm 1/2 cup kibble, 7pm-1/3 cup kibble 9am a dry piece of Milk Arrowroot Biscuit then at 10pm he gets 1/2 his Quick Eze Rapid Chew ant acid lollie every single night they have also found Pepto Bismol kills off the Helicobacter
Hes doing well on his Eukanuba Senior kibble we have just started 3-4 weeks ago, I have to rotate his kibbles as soon as he starts showing he has his stomach pain I change his kibble.. also the Kcals in the kibble need to be under 360Kcals per cup or he gets his pain right side..
are you on Face Book??
join “Acid reflux in Dogs” https://www.facebook.com/groups/1635198406751056
I’m on there you can msg me on f/b if you want…You’ll see Patches photo hes a English Staffy & my name is Susan B

[WondrousPups]

Just bumping this question up to the top as I’m having the exact question, and would appreciate learning what other folks who mix dry kibbles with fresh food on a regular bases.

I’ve already followed the Acroyali’s link, and it recommends books such as “See Spot Live Longer the ABC Way” by Steve Brown and “Feed Your Best Friend Better: Easy, Nutritious Meals for Dogs” by Rick Woodford. I’ve read See Spot Live Longer the ABC way some time ago, and I’ve adapted weekly fresh food day as the author recommends (I’m only doing it more like monthly rather than weekly, though.)

Right now, I am more interested in Rick Woodford’s approach – using dry kibble as a base, and adding freshly prepared food as much as 50%. I haven’t read his whole book yet, but I agree with his analysis that commercial dog food is supplemented with 200% – 600% of essential vitamins and minerals that it is safe to add excess of 10%-limit (by calorie) of fresh food to each meal. Does anyone using this approach? How long have you been feeding this way, and what has been like for you and your fur babies? Thank you for your input!

[marv R]

Elizabeth R above—We have had Aussies for years in Portland OR. Our vet says Science Diet is the best. I am not so sure. ALL of our dogs prior to the two still living have died from cancer. Ours are now 13 years old but about 4 years ago we started giving then half dry science diet and half home made. Home made is 5 pounds of ground human grade turkey, 2 cups barley, 5 eggs, 2 tablespoons of olive oil (Im still not sure if that’s good or bad) a light amount of peas and carrots. Its boiled to get the barley cooked and eggs are added at last minute. These dogs are cancer free as far as we know. I don’t think the science diet is any better than all the other commercial foods that cost less but how to tell? We are all in the dark.

[Angelo C]

Hello!

My dog is 95 lbs, mix of Rottweiler, German Shepherd and Lab.
She’s currently on Taste of the Wild dry kibble. I’ve been wanting to get her on a mix of dry and wet.
I want to transition to a different kibble brand, Orijen brand dry kibble and Taste of the Wild wet canned food.

Is this safe/”smart” to do? I’m really attracted to the Orijen brand, unfortunately Orijen doesn’t offer any wet canned food and I want her to have a mix of wet food too.
Thank you in advance!

Best regards,

Angelo

[Patricia A]

There are different types of stones with different reasons for formations. However, hydration is a big key in all stones to prevent recurrence. Helpful article below for Calcium oxalate stones.
Nutritional management of Calcium Oxalate stones

While it can be difficult to completely prevent your dog developing calcium oxalate stones (particularly if they have a genetic predisposition to it), there are some things that you can do to decrease your dog’s chances of developing bladder stones, and to prevent them coming back in dogs who have previously had them.

Keeping your dog well hydrated is vital. This dilutes their urine, which in turn dilutes the levels of chemicals that promote stone formation, and so decreases the chance of your dog developing bladder stones.

You can help your dog drink more water by placing a few bowls of fresh water in different locations around the house. Always make sure the water is fresh and that you change it regularly.

In the ideal world we are aiming to maintain urine specific gravity <1.020. I always encourage my clients to buy a refractometer, which makes it very easy to measure your dog’s urine specific gravity.

The food your dog eats also impacts on the development of calcium oxalate stones.

To decrease the chances of your dog developing bladder stones, you should avoid feeding foods that contain high levels of oxalate such as spinach, sweet potatoes, organ meat and brown rice. Instead, include foods with lower oxalate levels like apples (peeled), wild rice and meats and fish in their diet. It’s also a good idea to boil vegetables and discharge the water before giving them to your dog – this helps to reduce the oxalate levels in them.

Restricting calcium is another strategy for reducing oxalate levels in the urine – a reduction in calcium should be accompanies by a similar reduction in oxalate levels. However calcium restriction should be done very carefully, as too much restriction can be damaging and may lead to health problems including osteoporosis.

Other dietary measures that can be taken to help prevent formation of calcium oxalate stones are reducing dietary sodium (salt) and avoiding excess vitamin D. This is because excess sodium and vitamin D promotes excessive urinary calcium excretion. Therefore moderately reduce dietary sodium, stay away from high sodium treats and do not supplement with vitamin D.

Vitamin C supplements are not recommended because when vitamin C is metabolised and broken down, it produces oxalate – therefore avoiding vitamin C supplements avoids an increase in oxalate levels.

Vitamin B supplements are water soluble and are excreted in the urine. Therefore in all cases of urinary tract stones it is prudent to give a vitamin B complex supplement.

There is still some debate surrounding magnesium and bladder stones. Some studies have shown that magnesium in the urine impairs formation of calcium oxalate stones. But other studies have shown that when given to healthy dogs, magnesium supplements resulted in an increase in urinary calcium levels. So because there is no definite consensus, restricting or supplementing magnesium is not recommended and so both should be avoided.

It’s important to note that not all of the oxalate in your dog’s body stems from their diet. Some is produced naturally by your dog’s body, mainly the liver. Nonetheless, avoiding incorporating foods with high levels of oxalate in your dog’s diet is an important preventative step against calcium oxalate stones.

Including fiber in the diet may reduce absorption of some minerals and so should be considered as part of any dietary changes being made. However, take care not to increase levels too much which can result in overfeeding.

Calcium oxalate stones cause the bladder to become inflamed by rubbing up against the bladder wall. To help reduce this inflammation, you can give your dog fish body oil supplements. However, avoid liver oil as this contains vitamin D which should be avoided (see above).

There are a few veterinary prescription diets designed to (theoretically) reduce the likelihood of calcium oxalate stone.

You can also prepare you dogs food at home using the same high quality ingredients that you eat. There are several health benefits of making your dogs food at home. By feeding your dog a home-prepared diet rather than a dry kibble diet, you can increase the amount of water they are drinking. And as mentioned above, increased water consumption makes urine more dilute and can help prevent stones forming.

A home-prepared diet is also the only way you can truly control what is going into your dog.

If you’d like to try cooking for your dog, the best way to ensure that the diet is meeting all of your dogs nutritional needs is to get your recipe from a qualified nutritionist. Dietary manipulation to address a health problem should be done by someone who will work with your dog.

[Karen H]

My 9 year old labrador used to have this every month. I felt so sorry for her and I can recommend the Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Sensitive Stomach Dry Dog Food i found here https://whydopets.com/best-dry-dog-foods/loose-stools/

[Karen H]

Hi

Sorry for bumping an old thread, but i’m looking for a low sodium diet for my labrador. She’s 9 and my vet asked me to change her diet. I have found https://whydopets.com/best-dry-dog-foods/low-sodium/ but it only shows where I can buy it in USA. Do someone have recommendations that ship to Europe?

Thanks
Karen

• This reply was modified 5 years, 6 months ago by Karen H.

[Chipy]

Hi Jake,

I am sorry to hear that you are going through this with your beloved pup, and understand that you would like to provide him with some immediate relief.

Allergies and skin problems are often the signals that the body is out of balance. Dr. Dobias has written several articles on the topics of allergies and paw licking that I have shared with you below. Many dog lovers are surprised to learn about the underlying cause of these common issues and the natural protocols that can be super helpful.

WHY ARE SKIN ALLERGIES IN DOGS OFTEN MISDIAGNOSED?
https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11014037-why-are-skin-allergies-in-dogs-often-misdiagnosed

WHY DOGS LICK THEIR PAWS – NATURAL APPROACH TO TREATMENT:
https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11015041-why-dogs-lick-their-paws-natural-approach-to-treatment

5-STEP HOLISTIC APPROACH TO PAW LICKING IN DOGS:
https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11014073-what-you-should-know-about-paw-licking-and-chewing-in-dogs

Apoquel can look like a miracle for dogs with allergies and their human companions watching them itch, however the negative effects of this drug are now well documented.

I recommend that you seek the guidance of a local holistic/integrative vet to help you with alternative treatment options and also have your dog’s spine checked by a chiropractor – as issues with spinal health are related to skin problems in dogs. I have included some links to help you find holistic practitioners in your area:

VetFinder – Find a Holistic Veterinarian

http://www.civtedu.org/directory/

Regarding diet, it’s best to avoid processed food (kibble and canned food) entirely and provide a fresh, raw or cooked diet for your dog. Dry dog food/kibble is is an extruded, highly processed product full of synthetic ingredients and starchy carbohydrates, which are very often the main cause of allergies. Every medical professional knows that fresh food is always healthier than processed food!

Fine tuning your dog’s body with a species appropriate diet and essential nutrients is the key to supporting his health and well-being. The best diet is as nature intends; fresh meat and bones with some vegetables and leafy greens, along with all natural vitamins, minerals, omega-3’s and probiotics;

Here is a link to a quick and easy Natural Diet Course which contains videos and articles full of information on this subject and an online Recipe Maker which will help you build healthy meals for your pup with the ingredients you have available:

https://peterdobias.com/pages/course-rawdiet

https://recipemaker.peterdobias.com

We switched to home-made meals many years ago and it was the best decision for our pup. I hope you will find these free resources helpful and wish you and your boy the best in good health.

Chipy

[Mike Sagman]

Hello Paul.

Thanks for your thoughtful question. I’m assuming you’re asking about 2 different lists. We publish a list of Best Puppy Foods and a separate list for Best Dry Puppy Foods.

Many times, we create a “best” list but find there are many more foods that are eligible… so we include some of them on other lists.

For a more detailed answer to your original question, “How are best lists made?”, please be sure to visit our Frequently Asked Questions page. You can click the “FAQ” link in the red navigation bar at the top of any page on our website. Then, choose the topic, “About Our Best Dog Foods Lists” to answer your question.

Hope this helps.

[Yumi Z]

I see that “Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Canned Dog Food” has been one of the Top 10 Best Wet Dog Foods by Dog Food Advisory Editor’s Choice…

That’s why we switched from Nutro Ultra Large Breed Adult Chunks in Gravy Canned Dog Food last Summer for our girls – 11 years old Australian Shepherd and 5.5 years old White German Shepherd…

We have been feeding couple scoops of canned food mixed with dried food.

However, we’ve noticed there is I or 2 cans out of a case seemed to be a BAD one as our girls have had a diarrhea and/or bad gas issue once in a while…

And it has been happening more frequent over last few months…

Then, this past week, our Aussie had worse than usual diarrhea and although she usually has a good appetite, she didn’t eat all her dinner, then the next morning, she just sat in front of her breakfast refused to eat…

That totally alarmed us… and when I took our WGS for a light jog in the morning, she had pretty gooey liquidy poop… then after returned home, she looked little sick… and I realized she must had some issue since the previous day as she had bad smelly gas 3 times which was unusual for her…

That’s when we realized that the canned food was bad AGAIN…

So, we fed just dry food with chicken stock last night & this morning, and they ate fine…

After I consulted with Chewy customer services, we decided to change to VICTOR Beef & Vegetables Stew Cuts in Gravy Grain-Free Canned Dog Food.

We hope this will work.

I thought to inform you about this as the Taste of the Wild Canned Food is listed at the top… and I didn’t want any other pups to get sick over it! 🙁