[chris]

Hello again,

Recently a family member of mine had decided to adopt a Old English Bulldog. Now I’ve tried helping them a ton of the matter of what he should be fed and how to keep a healthy weight amongst so many other things. However, they can’t decide on a basis dry food for him. They apparently researched online on several sites that are about and for English Bulldogs and have read that Diamond or Blue is the best and proper food for Bulldogs. I have argued this statement only because yes they might be good foods (opinions very) However that does not mean it is the proper food for any species of dog.

I gave them several of the top 5 star brands that I am sure would probably be great far as Orijen, Acana, Natures Variety, Merrick’s, Wellness Core. Though they seem to can’t afford those type of foods, so they’re looking for more of a cheaper route to go. Especially since this is not the only dog they have. They have 5 dogs total to feed.

Also for canned food they were feeding Pedigree and Gravy Train very very cheap foods that almost made me cry inside after hearing about it. I finally got them to switch to Tractor supplys brand 4 health which is still cheap but way better then most cheap canned foods.

Any help or recommendations to let them aware of would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Luisa P]

Wow, that baby is beautiful. Kudos to you for rescuing this baby. Now there is a wonderful dog DNA test that I did on my adopted dog. The test I did with the best reviews is the Wisdom Panel DNA, it was awesome!! As for the food, the more I read the more I read the more I don’t care for dry kibble, especially because of having a Dalmatian who has very special dietary needs. I was feeding a food high in protein to my bigger dogs since they are more active and was giving the same to my little dogs and after a few months it gave them (all the little guys) horrible breath, they literally all started to smell as if they were eating dog poop (which I know they didn’t). So, I have decided to make my own food using rice, healthy veggies, and gluten free pasta. I also make home made bone broth. I am currently using half the amount of kibble then before and the rest home made food. I also make sure my kibble is grain free, have had too many allergy problems with a previous dog and don’t care to have any of my other babies suffer like that.

[chris]

Red has given many great suggestions towards taking steps on helping you provide better care. I have a beagle as well and you can check my thread out I had made a few months back as my beagle was abused and also has very bad stomach issues with constipation.

Suggestions I found that worked the best is definitely finding a great substance and well balanced food. I have been feeding Merrick’s Back Country for the past 4 months (basically since they came out with it) and he enjoys it. The thing that helps the most is what you give him with it. I have my beagle on a schedule of different things to help with his constipation. I also feed him about 2 cups of canned food on top of his dry food.

1 TBS Coconut Oil twice a week
1 TBS pumpkin organic, or sweet potato once a day
2 TBS Kefir, cottage cheese, plain yogurt every few days

The coconut oil will help with allergies, skin issues, and constipation.
Pumpkin and Sweet potato have several health benefits, vitamins and are high in fiber
Kefir, yogurt, both bave natural prebiotics and probiotics for the stomach

Other things I give him once in a while are:
Sardines or any fish cooked
swanson soil based organisms
Cheese cut up into bite size pieces
Canned Green Tripe

Now far as the legal issues go, I do agree with red that you might want to look into that as something could be done. Especially since the fireman himself was speeding. Hope this helps though and keep us updated on how things work out for ya!

[Chuck]

I couldn’t find a search function on this site that worked to see if this topic had been answered.

Basically I have been feeding my Brittany Darwin’s for almost her whole life (she is 2.5), however the cost has gone up astronomically since I first started using them and I know they changed their formula not too long ago and the fat content went up.

She currently gets a Darwin pack in the morning and a pack a night with a little Orijen dry mixed into the night feeding. She has consistently maintained a weight of about 34.

Aside from making the food myself (my wife would rather not) what is the best company that I can switch to for food? I was never really impressed with Bravo or Primal, but it has been years. Also saw this Big Dog Natural company, if anyone has any ideas I would appreciate it.

[Kim D]

Any suggestions, ideas will be much appreciated!
Fostering dog for 2 weeks, he was on food from rescue Diamond Naturals, I didn’t like amount and way poop looked and he was extremely thin, but no itchies. Also he came from a mostly concrete environment to country life…aka lots of grass.
I switched to Earthborn Holistic (because I had no idea the WHOLE other premium dog food market even existed before 2 weeks ago)
He started chewing at his paws, then legs, then all over itchy.
Now hots spots on legs from chewing, massive hair loss (which I know for AKitas happens 2x/year).
Diarrhea last Friday – Sunday. Fed only rice water, rice and chicken…still itchy.
Back on Earthborn and started Vitahound introduction.
Being a rescue, I am sure his prior food was not the best quality. BUT he did NOT have these sores. Could it actually be seasonal allergies that would take 2 weeks to show up or is it change in food?
I would love any recommendations for a dry kibble that could help with skin problems and help him gain healthy weight. I just feel like there is still way too much information to digest!!!! Thank you in advance!

[InkedMarie]

I wouldn’t feed that food. Maybe the vet wants him on it but you, as the owner, makes the choice. I would NOT feed a dry food. A dog with crystals needs moisture. It’s best that you feed a wet food (canned, raw etc) but if you must feed dry, add canned & water.

[Sarah N]

My boyfriend and I have a one year old french bulldog boston terrier mix. We bought blue buffalo puppy food (lamb and oatmeal, and chicken and brown rice) for her because we thought it would provide her with the best health benefits. We fed her this from September (when we got her) up until a few days ago. About a month ago she started throwing up almost everyday. We thought it was the Nylabone, but once that was taken away the vomit continued. It got to the point where none of the food was even digesting and coming up in the vomit with clear mucus. Then things got really bad. She had constipation, then diarrhea, followed by excessive drooling (like a waterfall), started shaking, and kept trying to vomit. We took her to the vet immediately the vet insisted it was the food we were giving her. The vet said her entire body was affected- especially her major organs. We put her on a beef, quinoa, and veggie diet. Her vomiting completely stopped and her bowels are regulated again. Feeding her this diet is extremely expensive and we want to get her on a dry dog food diet again (or at least partly for one meal a day). What do we buy? We already thought we bought the best and have no idea where to turn now. Any advice would be great. We just want our little girl to be healthy and active.

• This topic was modified 10 years, 8 months ago by Sarah N.

[Susan]

Hi, after Patch finished his triple therapy antibiotics Metronidazole, Amoxicillin & Zantac last December for his Helicobacter-Pylori 2-3 days after stopping his meds, I saw a tape worm on his black bum, I looked & thought is that a tape worm then the next afternoon the same another tapeworm, they look like rice but cause it was Christmas eve the vet was closed that sells his Milbemax all wormer, Patch can’t take any other all-wormers they make him ill, vomiting & pooing blood, I rung the 24 hr vets & they didn’t have the Milbemax they had another all-wormer, so I had to wait till the holidays were over to worm him…I told his vet at the time & he said, yes he often see’s tapeworms in dogs after they have been on antibiotics but he didn’t say why, he just said tapeworms won’t hurt him, I’d prefer no worms…. so the next time he had too take the Metronidazole again, I wormed him first then started the Metronidazole the next day & when he was finished taking the Metronidazole, I kept looking at his bum after he’d poo to see if I could see any more tape worms & I couldn’t….the thing is Patch doesn’t have fleas, the fleas don’t stay on him & jump back off him, the cat did have fleas at the time & Patch doesn’t kill wild prey mice, rats, rabbits, etc…

There’s several species of Tapeworms Dipylidium Caninum from fleas & Teania & Echinococcus species from mice, rats, rabbits, squirrels, deer & sheep…you have to wash all bedding everything he sleeps on.. Does Doc eat wild prey?

I was giving Patch probiotics Protexin Soluble but it was expensive $60 for 1 month, so I found another dog probiotic Vetafarm at the pet shop with the same ingredients for $20 but I don’t think the Vetafarm was as good as the Protexin & I stopped giving probiotics to him then about 3 months ago I saw a Animal Naturopath cause I wanted to put Patch on a raw diet & she sent out human live probiotic capsules that were dairy & gluten free, I had to open the capsule & put only half a capsule on the raw meal, Patches itchy smelly skin & red paws all went away within 3 days of being on the raw diet, the only problem he was regurgitating the raw, water was coming up into his mouth about 3 hours after eating the raw & he hadn’t drank any water after breakfast & he was swallowing & swallowing it, this water came out of his mouth one day while we were shopping & went all down my shopping bag, that’s when I seen it was water & a few little bits of blended veggies thru the water, I think the enzymes were breaking down the raw meat too quickly, so I had to stop the raw cause he was getting acid reflux & a sore throat but I was shattered & so was Patch, he loved his raw Kangaroo, so I started to cook extra lean beef mince & the same, he was regurgitating the cooked meal as well….. the thing is he doesn’t regurgitate wet tin food if its chunky or soaked kibble put thru a blender, so I started looking for wet tin foods but I couldn’t find a low fat, low fiber wet tin food in the Pet Shops, Wellness has their Core grain free reduced fat but the fiber is 3%, so that will be too high when converted to dry matter, so I tried the Hills & Royal Canine low fat vet diets but they all have boiled rice & boiled rice goes thru Patch (diarrhea) the corn or something in the vet wet diets was making him itch & smell again, so about 2 weeks ago I went to the Supermarket & I started to read all the ingredients, fat & fiber in all the wet tin foods & I bought a 700g tin of Purina Supercoat Homestyle casserole Lamb Veggies & Pasta, the Purina seemed to have the best ingredients fish oil, vitamins & minerals, the fat was 4%, fiber-1%max, I also bought another brand that was duck the smaller foiled wet tin food, it had only 2% fat, we tried the duck first at night his last feed he loved it but poo wasn’t as good as they are now on the Lamb Casserole…. I would need 10-12 small foil tins of the duck a day & it works out too expensive to feed…
I also started him on the Royal Canine Intestinal low fat kibble about 2 weeks before, cause when I went to buy his regular Hypoallergenic, gluten, dairy, sugar & potato free kibble “Salmon & Sardines with brown rice & green veggies” it had a Gold sticker saying “New Improved Omega 3,6, & 9 formula” so I looked & all the ingredients were still the same, so I bought the bag of kibble but the new kibbles were smaller & black & felt real greasy, even when I soaked the kibble in water, I could feel the greasiness & Patch was getting his real bad acid reflux again, so I stopped the Meals For Mutts kibble & I gave the R/C low fat Kibble ago… but he has spewed up the R/C Low Fat kibble a few times that’s then I thought I’ll give the wet tin food a go again, I’m feeding the Purina Lamb Casserole for breakfast, for lunch & dinner the R/C low fat kibble & the Purina Lamb Casserole for his last small dinner & he doing the best poos ever.. so today I’m going to just try feeding the Purina Casserole all day & see how he goes & see if he start to get his yeasty smell again, I take out the beans & wholemeal pasta & throw it away & I’ve been adding a little bit of boiled sweet potatos & some boiled chicken, I have a freezer full of cooked foods for him that he regurgitates when feed by themselves, so I’m going to add them with the Lamb casserole tin food & see how he goes… I really think the kibble is causing all his problems with Helicobacter, S.I.B.O, acid reflux & nausea..

With soluble & insoluble fibers you need to work out how Doc goes, if you have ever tried the Hills Z/d kibble, Hills I/d Gastro or the Hills W/d all these kibbles have more insoluble fiber, the Hills Z/d was making Patch do 1 big cow paddy poo in the morning, his poo was just slop & he started to smell real bad with yeast on the Hills Z/d kibble probably the Corn Starch, so Patch doesn’t do well on insoluble fiber, he does better poos on soluble fiber but soluble fiber sits in the stomach longer, where insoluble fiber passes the stomach into the small bowel, so I don’t know is that a good thing for S.I.B.O probably not…

If you can try & get Doc on wet food or raw is the best, a lean protein, like Rabbit, Chicken, Turkey, Kangaroo these are all low in fat… I never added any bone in the begining, the Naturopath said no bone or organ meat yet cause of his IBD… maybe give him his kibble for dinner & try the wet tin or raw for breakfast but I never mixed the 2 together Raw & kibble or wet tin & kibble…. I thought it will just sit in his stomach & something will happen, it always does with him lol… another thing try 1 new thing at a time so if anything happens you will know what is causing what..

[Ezequiel B]

Hi,

I’m sure this has been asked. I searched but only found “best puppy wet food” and the puppy foods on the editors list are all dry.

I have a 4 month old German Shepard and we’ve been feeding her Wellness Core Grain Free Puppy Formula (Wet) but it’s getting harder to find at Petco and petsmart, not sure why.

Can someone suggest alternatives?

Thanks!

[David H]

I have 2 young, healthy basset hounds who love their treats. I am well versed on the best dry and canned dog foods, but could use some suggestions on the top treats when it comes to taste and healthy ingredients.

[Cindy S]

We have a 3 y/o male retired racing greyhound who is a fussy eater. He also gets easily bored with the same food, which means I have to switch things up every few weeks. This is a problem b/c I have to transition him off one brand and on to another very slowly due to the breed’s sensitive digestive system and tendency for very loose stools. They typically do best on dry kibble; however, I have tried many (many!) brands and flavors and he won’t eat the dry food unless I add something to it. That “something” right now is the canned Tripett (original formula) by PetKind, which he loves. I do think, though, that the canned foods contribute to his runny BMs. I am wondering if others who have this breed have had success with particular brands of dry and canned foods … ?

[Randal O]

Hello!

What soft, easy to eat, dry food is recommended for small, older dogs?

We have two small rescue dogs. One was a badly cared for Puppy Mill dog who lost all of his teeth (Pomeranian mix) and about 10 lbs.
The other might be part Pikingese and Spaniel and is about 15 lbs.

Thanks!

Randal

[Gracie’s Mom]

I get what you’re saying. I have been feeding Gracie dehydrated and freeze-dried raw, having not been successful with frozen, but I need more options in rotation so that she doesn’t get tired of any one food after a few weeks. Also, the expense of straight-up, prepared raw is very high. And, lastly, there’s the sometimes quite high fat content that is of concern (e.g., K9 Natural) in the dried raw foods. So, I’ve been on the hunt for several high quality kibbles and canned options to mix with dried raw, both to lower the overall cost and to put the fat in better balance. Does that make sense? I am willing to concede that allowing in some starches is going to be inevitable with this plan.

Here’s what I’ve come up with that could work for Gracie. The fat percentages are approximates based on the flavor that Mike reviewed.

Base Mix
Honest Kitchen Preference

Canned
Against the Grain (20% fat/protein ratio)
Chicken (but does contain potato starch)
Beef (but does contain potato starch)

Addiction (53% fat/protein ratio)
Hunter’s Venison
Herbed Duck Confit

Tripett (58% fat/protein ratio)
Green Bison Tripe
Original Green Beef Tripe
Green Beef Tripe and Venison
New Zealand Green Lamb Tripe
Green Beef Tripe, Duck and Salmon

ZiwiPeak (71% fat/protein ratio)
Beef
Lamb
Venison
Venison and Fish
Tripe, Lamb, and Venison

Dry Kibble:

Nulo Freestyle (48% fat/protein ratio)
Turkey and Sweet Potato
Salmon and Peas
Lamb and Chickpeas

Nulo Medal (51% fat/protein ratio)
Lamb and Lentils
Chicken and Peas
Salmon and Sweet Potato

Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient (68% fat/protein ratio)
Turkey
Lamb
Duck

Acana Singles (56% fat/protein ratio)
Pork and Butternut Squash
Duck and Bartlett Pear
Lamb and Okanagan Apple

Wysong Epigen 90 (25% fat/protein ratio)
Chicken

Freeze Dried, Air Dried, or Dehydrated Raw:

K9 Natural (90%+ fat/protein ratio)
Venison (but does contain eggs, a borderline allergen)
Lamb (but does contain eggs, a borderline allergen)

Fresh Is Best (50% fat/protein ratio)
Chicken
Beef

Vital Essentials (79% fat/protein ratio)
Tripe
Beef
Chicken
Turkey

ZiwiPeak (79% fat/protein ratio)
Venison
Venison and Fish
Lamb
Beef

[Blane F]

My 2yr mini schnauzer has been on Newman’s Organics Adult (dry) her entire life and she is one happy little girl. Her coat is smooth and her poop is very normal if you know what normal is. I looked at a lot of 4-5 star foods and they are very good but I just didn’t trust them as much as I do Newman’s. Someone complained their bag of Newman’s was rancid. You need to watch the date on the bag. The food has a 10 month shelve life and will go rancid because it’s all natural (no preservatives). It’s always best to buy as close to the 10 months as possible. I actually found bags of Newman’s with expired dates at Hannaford’s food store here in the Northeast. I removed from shelve and showed the manager. I recommend Newman’s.

[Pitlove]

Jonathan- Very understandable to be concerned about the quality of the ingredients and the integrity of the company. Most of us here feel the exact same way! Orijen is argued as the best dry kibble out on the market. Champion Pet Foods are an award winning Canadian company with an excellent track record and regional sourced ingredients. Very solid choice of food. Fromm same thing. Family owned and operated out of Wisconson for over 100 years, locally sourced ingredients including their vitamin pack (according to a rep). Fromm makes a grain-free Lamb and Lentils recipe so that could be something to look into. Orijen does have lamb I believe in their Tundra formula, but that is also along with many other proteins as well, most a little more on the novel side. Orijen Puppy, Adult and Senior is chicken based and grain-free, where as Fromm’s chicken based foods as far as I’m aware are grain-inclusive.

Hi Lisa- While ToTW has not had recent recalls the manufacturer of the food (Diamond) is notorious for their recalls. That is something important to keep in mind while feeding TotW. Best to keep other choices avaiable to you and your dogs in CASE they do have another recall under Diamond.

[Raquel M]

Hi. i got a new puppy. The sweetest thing ever. I want to give him a good dry food. A friend told me that Orijen is the best. What do you think?

He’s only 5k now and won’t grow up much, so I don’t mind to expend some money. What I don’t have is time, so the raw food is out of the question.

Any recommendations??

[C4D]

Let me preface this comment with the fact that I feed a variety of foods, including some kibble, canned, fresh cooked and commercial raw food. I have had no problems with my dogs or my family, including infants in the home on a regular basis. If you are an immune compromised person, I would definitely suggest a home cooked diet with a premix raw (these are only vegetables and vitamins) added as opposed to raw meat. Salmonella, listeria, and other bacterias are in many raw foods, including the ones we cook on a daily basis for our families. They can be present on the counters and sinks of our very own kitchen surfaces unless you clean and disinfect correctly. The bacteria can be present in treats, chews and dry dog food as well. Listeria is within the soil and water.

I also foster dogs and have had my share of dogs with Giardia, ringworm, demodex (not know to be infectious) and hookworms and have managed to not have any other person, child or dog infested with any of these problems. I am very proactive in testing my own dogs to ensure that they have not become infested with the various parasites that enter my home with the fosters.

There seems to be a bit of hysteria in the traditional veterinarian community. My own vet does accept the raw feeding of dogs as well as many of the more natural products, including the balanceit program, while also carrying some of the “therapeutic diets” for those that choose that route.

The problem with salmonella, is that it can also be linked to dry dog food:

CDC link:
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/dog-food-05-12/

CDC Salmonella General Info:

http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/general/index.html

Skeptvet, in your regard to your links, the first one was someone’s blog, which of course, everyone has an opinion. I see this as the contrary to a holistic or natural feeder/vet’s blog.

The 2nd link, was a study of 442 salmonella isolates over a 58 year period. It doesn’t even state the point of the study! So what’s the point of this link in reference to a raw diet as there is no reference to a raw diet anywhere in the link? Yes, dogs can get salmonella, but they can also get cancer, arthritis, kidney disease and a host of other things.

The 3rd link was a study of 10 dogs being fed a homemade raw diet. Really? That’s not a very large study. Certainly not one that even the study could conclude was enough to draw any real conclusions, only a suggestion that infants and immune compromised people shouldn’t feed raw and perhaps a larger study should be done.
Did you also note that even though 80% (8 of the diets) of the raw diet tested positive for salmonella before fed, only 30% (3 dogs) of the dog’s had salmonella in their stool sample? An interesting note is that one of the 3 dogs that tested positive for salmonella was NOT fed a raw diet that had salmonella. So where did he get the salmonella from? And what did the other 6 dog’s digestive system do with the salmonella?

I do believe that if you feed raw, you have to be realistic and clean effectively and take precaution if there are small children in the household. If there are immune or cleanliness issues, then a balanced, fresh cooked diet would be the next best choice.

[Susan]

Hi Michelle, I’ve been going through the same thing for about 1 year now, finally had a Endoscope & Biopsies done, I thought Patch had an ulcer but thru biopsies they found Helicobacter-Pylori infection & IBD (Food Intolerances).. Patch was treated with antibiotics Metronidazole Amoxicillin & Zantac for 3 weeks, The Helicobacter is very hard to get rid of & Patch suffers bad acid reflux when the Helicobacter come back. I’m picking up a script today for Losec (omeprazole) cause the Zantac isn’t working anymore…

Low fat diet makes a big difference…You need to find a low fat foods….Fat makes the acid reflux worse, if you can feed a cooked diet is best…try & stay away from kibbles, I found kibbles can make the acid reflux worse so what I do cause I can’t find a real low fat wet tin food with 2% fat & under, I soak his limited ingredient low fat-10% kibble in water then when the kibble is swollen, I drain the water very well then I put thru a blender mini processor & the kibble comes like wet tin food & I have the low 10% fat & I’ve been cooking, I buy Extra lean beef ground mince & add blended broccoli, celery, carrot with the mince then bake in the oven, I make mini meat loaves or rissoles..you get to know the good low fat grounded mince hardly any fat will come out while the meat loaf or rissoles are baking..
About 2 months ago I went thru a animal Naturopath & she said Patch needs to heal his stomach & get the stomach pH back at 1%… Patch was put on a low fat raw Kangaroo mince & blended broccoli celery, carrot & apple, 2 spoons to 1 cup of the kangaroo mince + Digestive Enzymes + Probiotic, the raw worked excellent then he started regurgitating the raw, water kept coming up into his mouth causing real sore throat from the acid coming up into his mouth… he also regurgitates the cooked meat if its real dry sometimes.. soaked kibble seems to work the best for Patch….also I give liquid Mylanta 3mls when I see him swallowing & uncomfortable with his acid reflux the Mylanta helps straight away…

Good-Luck, I hope lowing the fat works for your boy, my boy is a rescue & I’d say he was left untreated for tooo long, I got him at the age of 4..

Have a looked at the “Canine Caviar Special Needs” the fat is 9%min the protein is low but you can add your own meat toppers if the kibble works.. another good one is the “California Natural Lamb & Rice” it has just 4 ingredients fat is about 11%..you may know another low fat limited ingredient kibble but less ingredients are best, less food to cause the acid reflux… with Patch we are finding he has food sensitivities as well that irritate the stomach then the bowel…The Taste of wild wet & dry is too high in fat % the lowest I found was 15%min fat so max % would be around 17%.. I always email the kibble company & asked what is the max% with the fat & they normally email me back….

Try a new lower fat diet first & ant acid meds then if new diet and ant acid meds don’t work, have the endoscope & biopsies done, that’s what I did…

[Robert W]

I have 20 year old miniature dachshund that has lived a very full and happy life; now he has lost all but one tooth and can’t eat dry food, so I have switched to canned food. My question is what is the best “wet” food that I can give him? he still is very active and run’s around the house like a 4 year old, but, does like to sleep a little more time now. Any advice would be very helpful. Thank you!

[Ysabella J]

We have fed a variety of high quality canned food, kibble, and premade raw to our Golden Retriever for her entire life. I’ve recently done research and am just trying to get some more opinions/options. So, in your opinion what is the best canned food out there? Personally, I think Orijen/Acana are top notch when it comes to dry, Stella & Chewy’s or Primal for raw, but haven’t found a personal favorite for canned food.

Which also brings me to.. Does anyone know a high quality canned food that uses chemical free packaging? I wish the brands I listed above had canned foods as well.. Lol. Thanks in advance you guys!

[Pitlove]

Christie- I’ve worked at a store that carried both products (Petco) and so I made a point to look into both brands for when customers had questions about them. Merrick GF has 12% more protein than WEF. WEF is 26%(29 dry matter) and Merrick is 38%(43 dry matter). Therefore WEF will be a little higher in carbs than Merrick. WEF is also lower in fat than Merrick, which helps. However, for it’s price I believe that WEF is one of the best foods in that price point. It’s very close to Purina products price wise and we would often recommend it at my old job for customers who were looking to transistion to natural foods. The price wasn’t as scary, but they are still feeding a far better food than Purina or the like. One thing I’d like to point out (as I’m currently going through this with my pitbull) that Bulldog’s are prone to yeast and yeast loves starchy carbs like potatoes. Since Merrick does a lot with potatoes and sweet potatoes make sure you are cleaning his folds (if he has some) and his ears very regularly. If you start to smell a yeasty smell consider a food without potatoes and other starchy carbs like peas.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 9 months ago by Pitlove.

[sharon b]

I have one 80 pound husky and a 80 pound Newfoundland puppy that I am considering switching to raw food. I have been adding raw to their dry food mostly as we have been training and this makes the puppy eat his food and makes his bowel movements predictable and training now finally is established. They both seem to love the commercial raw I have been buying but I just can’t seem to find a good food for a decent price that suits them both. Grain free products gave the puppy diarrhea, and I refuse to give him anything with rice that has arsenic in it. I read several other post’s, one that there was a NH dealer that deliver’s a good raw for a $10 fee, need to research that further, also one that said that feeding raw requires less overall food and even better less overall waste (poops). Let me tell you this puppy is going to be about 165 pounds, and right now eats about 8-9 cups of dry and poops are giant. So any info on what is best to give them, neither is huge on activity, although the puppy will do some swimming but typically Newf’s are laid back, and the husky is 8, and her activity is fighting back the puppy. I am disabled with neck and shoulder issues so mixing this stuff myself is not what I want to do, but I can handle a little of that if needed. Any info is great.

[tal g]

hi…
my name is Tal, sorry abount my english ahead!
i raise a sweet pomeranian and he is 6 month old, i wannt to buy the best food for him.
there are recommendetions?!

[theBCnut]

If you could take some to the vet and get Revolution for all of them, that would probably be best and easiest, not easy, just easiest. Otherwise, I would probably try mixing strongid into canned food and hope that they eat enough, about 2 cc per kitty. Strongid is OTC and found at most feed stores. You can give it directly into the mouth, if they won’t claw you up. Of all the oral wormers, it’s the only one that doesn’t taste foul(guess how I know). It won’t kill everything, but it would be a starting place. Getting a fresh fecal would be best, so you know what you are trying to kill.

If you already feed some canned food, do you add diatomatious earth to their canned food? That would be a good idea going forward.

My cats always get thinner in this heat, so you also want to evaluate hair quality. Do they seem dry and patchy, or thin coated? Are they dull?

[J S]

I would do some research on struvite crystals to make sure your doc is giving you the right info. From my understanding having a high pH (non-acid) in the urine with an infection is the environment in which struvite crystals form. The battle is two-fold. First you want to increase water to flush the uti out of her system which also means frequent and low stress times outside to empty the bladder entirely each time. We take our Saluki/Husky rescue outside every four hours and have her kibble swimming in water so she has to drink that before eating (she’s never been a big water drinker). Sometimes we drip an ice cube in the water bowl to make it more interesting. I’ve also just started adding some colloidal silver to the water bowl as that helps with all infections and is supposed to help deter tooth plaque (I used CS when I had a UTI and didn’t have to take an antibiotic). We also put cranberry urinary plus powder in her kibble, but it did not stop another infection so I don’t know if we’ll continue using it in the future. We also use a powder called Biotic-pH from Wysong. The main ingredient in it is the same as in the Royal Canine food used to keep the pH lower. Our bodies have their own systems of regulating pH, but what we eat does make a difference. Increasing meats would increase an acidic environment. We’ll be switching to a non-grain kibble next to see how that works. Royal Canine is a lot of chicken fat and our girl does plump up on that somewhat. Best of all would be to get off the dry kibble completely but we haven’t been able to break that habit yet. She does get wet food, chicken leftovers, canned premium dog food, etc. along with her kibble and water stew. If we could keep her from digging in the dirt (which I think is what’s giving her the UTIs) then maybe we’d have a chance to end this cycle, but as part Husky that would be asking a lot! Best of luck as you find out what works best for your pooch.

[Caitlin R]

Hey all. My eight(ish) year old terrier/schnauzer mix recently had jaw surgery and I’ve had to transition her from dry food (she was eating Authority grain-free small breed kibble before that) to canned food, and we’ve had a heck of a time with digestion problems. Before all this she NEVER had digestion troubles (even when she gets into things she shouldn’t be eating). My vet isn’t entirely sure what’s causing them now because she’s had so many shocks to her system all at once. For one, she’s taking pain medicine (3 week course) and antibiotics (6 week course), and she’s also had a sudden change in food (from kibble to canned) which I know can also mess up her system. But, I’m having trouble finding a wet food she can tolerate. We’ve tried Wellness Core, Eagle Pack, and Whole Earth Farms. Right now, she throws up everything we try about six hours after she eats it.

To help, my vet prescribed a round of metronidazole and Hill’s i/d until she’s finished with this new prescription. She’s keeping the i/d down with no problems, and I have enough of the i/d left to transition her to a new food gradually. Do any of you have suggestions for high quality foods that are also highly digestible? The only extra qualification is that it needs to be a ground type food, not a stew or food with chunks.

Thanks for any help!

[Chrys H]

For digestive problems I started with Apawthocary tincture, but similar ingredients are found in Veterinary’s Best Stomach Digest now called Gas Busters, tablets well received by both Maltipoos.
Other things in my dog resource bag are Vitalogic Stomache Digest -for humans but same ingredients in dry cap as we’re the Apawthocary product, open cap add 1/2 to dry food made wet (or your food) has plaintain, slippery elm, marshmallow, soothing stomachs aids that we humans take on occasionally as well. Probiotics, Holly Hill Health has a capsule that doesn’t require refrig & is designed to work in intestinal tract, once again human grade, open xap sprinkle on dig food for added boost especially after taking a Heartworm treatment or getting vacc or exposure to extra stress. I found that many times after my dogs as puppies or young dogs after previously mentioned known body stressors or eating muscellanouses (one’s they are too quick & you don’t believe it to be toxic just an irritant help prevent diarrhea or small dog hypoglycemia vomiting from empty stomach too long.

My 8+ yr old female Maltipoo came to us as a pup that even Vet believed to just have kennel cough. Turned out to be Parvo, survived that but due to isolation unit with high level of chlorine in air developed pneumonia as well. Today 8+ yrs old is very healthy but is very sensitive. Human Little Tummies Gripe Water and Little Tummies Colic are part of my first aid kit too.

[John O]

My 2.5 year old lab, border, pit bull mix has consistent bouts of loose stool and some impressive gas. We have been feeding him Taste of the Wild High Prairie (which he likes a lot) but after ruling out any treats or other items he ingests, we are concerned that it may be the TOTW.
Any recommendations or suggestions?

[Jeaneene S]

I really wanted to put this in the “Struvite Crystals” thread – but for some reason that particular page always shows me as *not* logged in, even when I log in from within that thread.

Anyway, I could use some help. I have a 10 1/2 year old male Siberian Husky who has – his entire life – been on Beneful dry dog food and never had any health problems AT ALL. At one point I tried to change to the Blue Wilderness (thinking it might be better for them), but he and my 10 1/2 year old female Husky had the worst diarrhea I’ve ever seen, so it was back to the Beneful kibble. (I’ve always heard dry kibble is best for dental health, which is why that’s all I’ve ever used)

Now, this past February my big boy had what appeared to be an awful UTI. So the next day, I got a good urine catch (looked super cloudy, but just yellow) and took it and him to the vet. Vet found no crystals but lots of blood (at the microscopic level) in his urine, and did an xray, but didn’t find anything wrong. She put him on antibiotics and it was gone.

On May 1 we moved to a new house, and got a new vet – had all the dogs’ files brought to the new vet (I brought them myself so I knew they wouldn’t get lost). Then, on Memorial Day, I noticed he looked like he was having a hard time urinating again and to my horror it looked as if he was even peeing blood. Immediately called the new vet and explained what it *appeared* to be; she said that even though they were closed, she would call in an rx for Amoxicillin for him. No more than a few days of being off the antibiotics, and we started having problems AGAIN (thankfully not peeing blood this time). So, hubby took him to the Vet this past Monday and with a different kind of xray, she found 1 stone the size of a quarter, 3 stones the size of a nickel, and about 15 smaller ones. Needless to say my big boy went in for surgery yesterday morning (I am picking him up today).

Now the vet is telling me that I have to put him on the Royal Canin SO food (which she has already said he’s been turning his nose up at the vet’s), and the only treats he can have is if I take the Royal Canin SO canned food, cut it up in to squares and bake them into “treats”. We’re talking about a dog who is used to his mommy throwing a steak on the grill to mix in with his food (well, him and the other 3 girl dogs in the house) … getting bell peppers, apples and other fruits/veggies as treats, having watered-down applesauce popsicles, etc. Now she’s saying he can never have any of this ever again AND I have to give him this food that appears to me to be very poor quality and that he doesn’t like?! I’m having a very hard time accepting this.

I asked the vet at the Petsmart (where I am having to get the food) for a second opinion – and oddly enough – he seconded that opinion. How do I tell his regular vet that I don’t approve of this dog food, and that I’d LIKE to try a more vitamin-based/holistic approach as well as make his food for him which I feel would be better quality – not to mention cheaper – and where I can add the necessary added vitamins and minerals and would still prevent any further bladder stone issues.

Should trust both his new vet and the Banfield vet at Petsmart (his previous vet – when I called her last week also said he may have to go on a special diet for the remainder of his life too, so that makes three)? I’m willing to make his food, give him the supplements, test his urine … ANYTHING! Or am I just being unreasonable? And would it be “wrong” to go against the vet and do what I *think* is right?

• This topic was modified 10 years, 9 months ago by Jeaneene S.

[Patricia B]

Mine is more a question than a nomination. Well, more than one question actually. Out of the following 3, which is the best choice?

1. Fromm 4 Star beef
2. Wellness TruFood (small breed)
3. Farmina Pet Food’s N&D

My dogs have tried both the Fromm and the N&D, I have no complaints. Haven’t yet tried the new Wellness.

What would you folks recommend for a Standard Poodle with gastroenteritis. Was on Wellness Complete Turkey & Potato dry, then the dreaded Prescription i/d dry, then Wellness Simple Turkey and Potato dry and now Wellness Simple Lamb & Rice wet & dry.
Last 2 questions…in general, which is better Raw (store bought) or Dry?
Any feedback is very welcome. The Poodle is a Seizure Alert Dog of a client of mine and the company they got him through keeps insisting on the Wellness brand (probably getting a kickback). The other questions would be more for my own 2 dogs but for the Poodle too.
Thank you in advance.

[Pitlove]

Thanks C4C! I work myself into anxiety over making sure he’s getting the best (the cat too of course). I feel a lot better about feeding a lower protein dry now that I know I can supplement with the high protein in the canned food. Didnt think about it like that before!

I have so many foods for him right now its really nice. 4Health and Pure Balance canned. Fromm Four Star GF, Pure Balance and some samples of Precise Holisitic Complete for dry and THK dehydrated raw. He had THK this morning and really liked it. He also got a sample of raw food from this store we went to yesterday and had that mixed in with his canned last night with no dry! he LOVED it! and great poops this morning too 😀

[Pitlove]

I agree with whoever told you they are detoxing. Its very common (from what i’ve heard) for animals suddenly being fed a much better diet to have diaherra. Not sure how long it should last, someone else would have to weigh in on that. If you (like me and others) have fed the occassional by-product food or “low end” food I can imagine that now on raw they have much more to detox from their body. OR even more so if they were on dry kibble and not human grade canned.

Best suggestion I can give you is call a holistic vet in your area, someone who will understand tranisitioning to raw for felines and ask if what you’re experiencing is typical or atypical and if they feel your kitties should be seen by a vet. I would keep trying the raw. I think their bodies are just in shock from a healthy diet.

[SUE A]

My bichon is not yet a year old – weighs about 7-8 pounds. I’ve been feeding her 1/4c dry twice a day. She goes #2 4 or 5 times a day – seems more comes out that goes in. Does anyone know of a good tiny dog food that she will absorb more and not create so much waste?

[Edward B]

PitLove,

Sorry that’s kind of funny though as I’m transitioning my dogs to Merrick dry from Blue Buffalo. Researching dog food can be a nightmare in itself but i realized something in the process. Not every dog is the same, what works well for my dog might not do so well with yours. You kind of have to tone some of the discussion out and know your dogs well and see what they do best on. All the higher end dog foods still have their own issues and you still have to keep an eye out for things that aren’t acceptable to you as a pet owner. I completely agree that you not only have to know the food but the company and their practices as well.

[Carol V]

Dear Mike and DogFoodAdvisor.com staff & friends, thank you for this highly informative and easy-to-use website. It is a relief – and yes, a thrill! – to find current and accurate dog food info that I trust. Our two dogs have both experienced significant problems with dog food. One time was when Wellness tweaked one of the ingredients in their dry dog food and another time was when I gave each of our dogs ONE chicken jerky strip (probably from China). Now that I have found your website I am confident that I can make dog food decisions that are based on sound, unbiased information vs. marketing hype. Thank you for all the time and effort that you put into this outstanding website.

I also appreciate this community in which dog lovers share their experiences, raise questions, and have discussions about dog food and related issues. And kudos on your policies on not accepting ads and on requiring civil discourse. This website is absolutely wonderful and I am so glad I found it!

Best regards,
Carol

[Naturella]

Chris (and pitlove), although I would agree that Orijen is one of the best dry foods out there (personal opinion), it is also not for everyone. It may be too rich for some dogs, so it is good to always just get a small bag, or a few trial sizes at first (for small dogs, but I think for a beagle a small bag will do), and use that for a couple of weeks first to make sure it would work for your dog.

I have fed trial sizes of the more prominent Canadian companies and my Bruno enjoys their products. I would definitely feed Orijen, Acana, GO and NOW! Fresh in rotations, if I continue to feed kibble in the future. Also, NVI Instinct and a few other kibbles. I would try to transition to raw sometime next year though.

But yeah, just keep in mind that even the “best” does not always work for everyone, and what is the best for your dog is what works well for him/her and keeps them happy and healthy.

[Jordan L]

I don’t think he is suffering or most of the time even bothered by it beyond the 20 second scratch every 30 minutes or so. But he is crated while we are at work, gets bored, and we can not curb his scratching. he has scratched his lips until he blisters or his underarms until they open and scab. Once his underarm became infected and we had to take him to the vet because there was so much yellow pus (most likely because he was bored and licked). We never let him come inside wet, we always wipe his paws and underarms if it is dewy or damp out to avoid moisture buildup. I do not think yeast is an issue, I think it is just dryness. His ears I do not know what is going on. He has been treated twice for an ear infection. We get rid of it, and a few weeks later it comes back. I am hoping this is just a symptom of his food or environmental allergy. We do our best to keep them cleaned and check them regularly for major issues, but they seem to be what bother him the most.

He does not have tummy issues beyond the normal boxer gas (every single boxer I have ever known has had this issue, regardless of their diet). He rarely gets an upset stomach, girggly tummy, or BM issues.

I am going to invest in some better medicated shampoo. We used to wash him in PhytoVet P Anti-Itch but I believe it was drying his skin out even more, so we switched to a generic oatmeal and it seems to relieve but only lasts so long.

I am leaning towards switching his kibble to a LI fish or other protein than chicken (his usual protein of choice).

[chris]

I have a Beagle that is 5 years old and recently ended up with a stomach issues. I Had to him to vets many of times the past few months and they can’t seem to find anything wrong but think he may have a hernia on his right side. For now just to keep an eye on him and they told me to feed him better food and also give him 1 cup of canned food every day. So long story short I started him on Merrick’s Dry Grain Free Dry food and been buying him different 5-star dog foods through out each week. However I use to give him pig ears every once in a blue moon and same with Bully sticks. However, with the recent changes I was curious what others would recommend that would be good chews but would be very easy to digest but also last a long time.

I’ve been using this site for the past year or so and love it and I never signed up but was always on the forums reading things and learning more and more. Thanks!

[Susan]

Hi, change his diet read the ingredients to his Science Diet, corn, gluten corn etc look for a limited ingredient kibble that’s low in starchy/carbs so NO potatoes, no peas etc ……..sounds like he has yeasty itchy skin & ears…join this face book group called “Dog Allergy International Group” (link at the end) & look in their files there’s links to limited ingredient kibbles wet & raw diets also foods that are starchy & what foods to avoid….If you can feed raw, raw is the best as it has no carbs.. carbs are needed in kibbles to bind them, no good for itchy dogs but you can find a better kibble then Science Diet also sardines, buy the tin sardines in spring water & add some with the kibble or as a treat..
Shampoo…..I use Malaseb medicated shampoo it kills any bacteria on the skin but does not dry their skin out, leaving them feeling beautiful & soft….
When I rescued my boy he was in very bad condition, a change of diet & weekly baths in Malaseb within 1 month his hair started to grow back & he was itch & smell free…
https://www.facebook.com/groups/dogallergyinternationalgroup/

[Pitlove]

I cant really diagnois what the issue would be, however i think making a change to his food is a really good start. You’re paying a premium price (50$ at Petco for the largest bag of the Large Breed Light) for corn, rice and by-products. I certainly think you could find a better food for that price or perhaps a little more that has better ingredients.

Not sure what your bugdet is so it would be hard to recommend a food for you.

/dog-food-reviews/hills-science-diet-dog-food-adult-dry/

The Large Breed Light falls under this rating.

A lot of people believe that their dog has a “sensitive stomach”. What a sensitive stomach actually is, is a lack of healthy bacteria in the gut which allow the dog to change brands and proteins frequently without digestive upset. Just like a human a dog should be able to eat any type of dog food (unless they have a known allergy to a certain protein or carb etc) and not have digestive upset at all.
The stomach becoming unable to adjust to diet change, is due to eating the same food for many years or even months.
My dog used to be the same way. If i did have to change his food and did it too fast, he would get diaherra for a few days. Since adding digestive supplements to his diet and a probiotic (i use kefir, you can use plain yogurt too) I have been able to switch what brand he eats every bag without blending his food and he has no diaherra at all. Quite a few people on this site are actually able to do that with their dogs too.

Just because you see no reason to change the dogs food, it doesnt mean your dog wouldnt enjoy variety in his diet. I highly doubt you would be happy eating chicken and rice for every meal of every day for the rest of your life. Your dog isnt happy doing that either.

Companies will tell you not to change your dogs diet. However its not because its in the best interest of your dogs health, its because they will keep you spending your money with their company. My dog eats a different brand every bag of kibble and a different canned food as well each meal. If i could afford to buy X amount of bags of kibble and change that every day I would do that too.

L M gave you some good advice about determining what the root cause of the itching and hair loss etc is, but diet is the foundation of good health, so starting there never hurts!

GL, keep us updated!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 10 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 10 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 10 months ago by Pitlove.

[zuponicafe]

I just wanted to give a big shout out to this sites awesomeness! The price for the editors choice was well worth it, although even w/out it there are great things to be learned about dog food. Especially for folks like myself who thought all dog foods were the same. I’m glad I looked into things before we got our guy Loki back in Feb.
My experience feeding him different foods has been a positive one. He is a mixture of lab/shep/husky/newfie and I was unsure what his grown up size would be, so I was trying to keep things on the lower calcium side, but some of the best foods were outlandishly priced. Knowing the ratings of various foods has enabled me to feed him food that has been marked down for whatever reason and still feel like a good dog mommy & not a cheapskate.
He is now 6 months old & while exactly not the biggest dog (his puppy paws were deceiving! LOL) he is a healthy & fit 60 pounds of fun.
Occasionally too much fun~he’s prone to climbing & hopping. He’s the bounciest big dog I’ve ever met!
That said, the foods (dry) that I’ve been swapping around have included: Whole Earth Farms puppy, Castor & Pollocks Organix. Wellness Core (which is NEVER marked down!)
Nutro Max & lately Zignature Turkey. He really likes the Zignature, as do I as it’s relatively affordable.
The canned food I’ve used (I call ‘unders’ as I put it on the bottom of his bowl.) Are very varied. There are a lot different pet stores near me, so I get whatever decent brand catches my eye & is on sale.
I must say, the one can I bought of Trippetts went into the trash as I couldn’t stand the smell of it.
So there’s my long winded tale of rotation feeding.
In our case it’s been great!

[Anonymous]

Hello
I am soon to be a weimaraner owner. Like every owner I with for my puppy to eat very best I plan to cook dog food when I can, but i need also dry food from time to time. Reviews on this site are very helpful but there is not many european brands. For reviewed food my choice is Acana Large breed. But there is few more brands for which I wish to hear opinion from experts. I listed links only to puppy food.

Cibau – Recomended by breader
(http://www.farmina.com/?q=en/node/100)

Brit – Recomended by breader and vet
(http://www.brit-petfood.com/products/dogs3/premium8/dry7/junior-l1111/)

Sams field – My choice because it contains 65% of meat and 30% cheaper than Acana
(http://www.samsfield.com/junior-large)

Looks promising and affordable:
Nutrivet – 80% meat grain free (http://www.new-instinct.com/dog-food/nutrivet/instinct/growth-nutrients)

Optima nova – 65% of meat (http://www.optimanova.eu/en/products/view/puppy-large-chicken-rice)

mac’s soft – 65% meat herman only (http://www.macs-tiernahrung.de/Macs-Soft/Huenchen/MACs_Soft_Puppy/MACs-Soft-Puppy-Huhn-15kg)

Simpsons – 80% of meat (http://www.simpsonspremium.com/puppy-dog-food?product_id=95)

Lower quality brands :
Meradog – (http://www.meradog.com/en/products/high-premium-puppy/sort-overview/junior2.html)

Josera – (http://www.josera-dog.com/premium/junior/)

[InkedMarie]

I recommend you stop feeding a dry food…dogs with these issues need moisture. Canned, raw or dehydrated are your best bet.

[Catherine M]

Thank you, crazy4cats. You’re a doll for answering my post!
Yeah, with my husband sudden passing, my sons and I had a lot on our plates to figure out and take care of, so we just did the easiest thing. That meant whatever was sold at Sam’s Club, such as Pedigree. Since then, things have settled down, and I am back to being my “what’s best” instead of “what’s easiest” -self.
In looking over the list here in this site, I decided to try all four dogs on Nature’s Recipe dry dog food. We chose the grain-free chicken, sweet potato, and pumpkin, because I know all four dogs like those foods, and chicken is easier on the liver. So far, the last day or so, since we started them on it, it has been easy to feed, and they are getting the nutrition they need.
We have two dachshunds and two papillons. One of the dachshunds is pure white deaf and blind, and he is so picky that we have been adding some of the canned Nature’s Recipe as a topper to help him eat better and gain a little weight. The dachshund with the liver problems seems to love the Nature’s Recipe, and I hope it will be kinder to her liver than anything else she’s eaten.
Anyone else who has experience with dogs and liver problems, please feel free to comment! Many thanks in advance!
Cathy

[Pitlove]

Grain free is typically best Jamie. HOWEVER, grain free doesn’t always mean carb free. So be very careful about just trusting a bag of food to be species appropriate because it doesnt have grains in it. Dr. Mike has the dry matter basis carbs on each of the reviews on this site which is very helpful for selecting one that is low in carbs. usually when the protein goes up the carbs go down, but again making sure that the first three ingredients are whole meats or meat meals. That will mean that the majority of the protein is coming from animal protein and not plant protein.

jakes mom- thanks! i think im gonna try out the Winn Dixie near me today and see if they have it. I’d love to get my dog and kitten started on it

• This reply was modified 10 years, 10 months ago by Pitlove.

[Catherine M]

Hi everyone!
I have an 8 year old long-haired mini-doxie named Sweet-Pea. She was recently diagnosed with fatty liver disease when tested at a visit for glaucoma. I am feeding raw meats (various kinds) mixed with rice and sweet potato. She had been off of the raw diet for several months, eating dry pedigree food since I had lost my husband and just taking care of things was overwhelming to me. But I went back to the raw after he diagnosis, and also am giving supplement of milk thistle for her liver. She has voracious hunger and thirst, and pees an ocean, sometimes not making it outside. I know this water drinking and peeing are related to the liver disease.

So what do you recommend to feed her? Red meat is not the best for her, although I feed other meats when I can, and doing the raw diet seems to be too much work for my 4 dogs, including her. I’m looking for something easy to digest, easy on the liver (low ammonia-producing), and easy on the budget and to feed.

Thanks for any suggestions you have!
Cathy

[idunnowhat2callmyself]

Okay, I’m just going to throw this out here because I’ve found this to be a remarkably useful website, and if there’s anyplace I might productively ask my question, it’d be here. I apologize in advance for the length of it.

My family’s got four dogs currently: One small, one medium, one medium-large, and one large. It’s a nice range. I try to order higher-quality kibble brands to offset the lower-quality ones sometimes brought home by other people. A month or two ago, I had a two-hour phone conversation with my aunt, who’s got one small dog on a raw diet (with wet canned stuff in the mornings.) I’d hoped to simply be able to follow her precise regimen, adjusted for our pack…and got a half-page worth of notes during that convo in Microsoft Word. I should’ve figured it wouldn’t be simple, and I suppose I could start ordering some whole rabbits or tripe or turkey necks and supplements or any of the other various things I jotted down from the site she mentioned…but the whole thing still seems so overly, excessively complicated and worrisome. She said that she hadn’t even told her vet about the switch, but had been at it for about a year now.

A few benefits stood out: Cleaner teeth naturally, because no matter how much toothpaste or how many correct-ingredient-inclusive wipes I use, nothing removes the ‘icky’ stuff (which is worst on the oldest dog.) My aunt also noted that cleaning up after them is much easier thanks to the raw–and since that job typically falls to me, I’d really appreciate that. AND potential weight loss/healthy-weight management, as well…I almost always opt for the low-fat variety of everything to be on the safe side. Fortunately the hefty Brittany did recently move down to a smaller dosage of heartworm med, and can suddenly fit behind the sofa again–so I guess it finally paid off.

I’ve given the pooches everything from the raw-coated kibbles to Stella & Chewy patties to Fresh Pet to Honest Kitchen “green slop” (we’ve had that huge box for over a year now), to dozens of kibble brands that all seem essentially identical–and so on and so forth. When I try to look up which kibble or commercial raw food to try (assuming that cans would disappear far too quickly to be worthwhile), I am instantly overwhelmed and confused–I see loads and loads of brand names and packaging and shapes, but all of the food and flavors appear to be the same. I have no idea how to even tell which to buy. The sizes and portions and pricing baffle me–how am I to tell what will feed multiple dogs of various sizes and breeds for more than a couple days? We usually get a new big kibble bag about twice a month. I simply cannot tell what the raw equivalent would be…and even for dry food, I’m now kinda stumped. Every time I’m asked to order another bag, I freeze. How to choose?!?! My list’s grown so long, and we’ve tried so many…now I usually go with whichever has the best price per pound at the time, and a decent rating/reviews. I wish I could just find the perfect brand to consistently turn to, and continuously rotate through their flavors and treats. (Deciding which treat to pick up becomes a whole other can of worms, and I’m just like, “Gods, why, why, why must this be so bamboozling?! Why the hundreds of redundant choices? The dogs don’t even care, they just want our stuff!”)

Only one of the four dogs eats neatly (my Saluki, who has a snood. 😉 The other three are slobs, knocking the bowls around and splashing before they even touch the floor. The little Beagle frequently flat-out refuses to eat from a bowl, insisting that the food be spilled onto the floor for him. Also, my mom’s a clean freak–and I’m a bit of one myself at times. For these reasons, I knew that any attempt to transition would be tough and drawn-out, if not impossible. I knew I’d have to discover the cleanest, neatest, easiest, least odiferous method.

Now, before I got older and started performing more research into these areas, my parents…well all right, let me just put it this way. The two Beagles we had at the time I was born ate cheap supermarket kibble and human leftovers, lived in the backyard, never once to my knowledge had their teeth brushed (the one had green teeth and rancid breath) or nails trimmed or even saw the vet…yet both lived happily & health-problem-free for 16-18+ years (we can’t be exactly certain because they were adopted from a shelter.) Thus it can be very difficult for me to convince these guys, no matter how many times I reiterate what the healthy-food brochures say, to go out of their way for “special frou-frou dog food” or anything they’re unused to.

WHEW. Ever so sorry to unload all that frustration here. Any advice, recommendations, or assistance that anybody ever feels like dropping would, of course, be most appreciated.

[Lisa O]

Hi. Just wondering if anyone has figured out which brands of good dry dog food have the best price tag? I use Acana, but wondering if there are comparible foods at a better price? Thanks

[Anonymous]

It depends on the specific problems of the individual dog. Remember supplements and food are not medication, so at best, it’s hit or miss. They don’t have to be regulated by the FDA

I like to add fish oil and glucosamine to my old guy’s water soaked kibble because he shows signs of arthritis and has dry skin, potassium citrate, because he has a history of bladder stones.

To get specific advice and dose recommendations, I would consult a homeopathic vet.
Otherwise, it’s just a guessing game, or see a veterinarian that specializes in geriatric issues, there may be prescription medication that can keep your seniors comfortable.

PS: I have never given milk thistle to my pets, I took it myself once years ago, I forget why…but I think it made me sick…

[Pitlove]

There is literally nothing breed specific or species appropriate about any Royal Canin food. Most people who know me know that I believe that Royal Canin are the MASTERMINDS of marketing. Since pet parents often rely far too much on the front of the bag to tell them what food is best for their dog, be it that it has their breed of dog on the cover, has “real meat” and “veggies” on the cover, says small breed, large breed, adult, large breed adult, etc they often miss the ingredients which is where all the important stuff is. Oh and the GA (guarenteed anyalsis). I took the time to compare all the RC breed specific lines and found that aside from very slight protein and fat differences all the food was exactly the same, rotating the same first species innapropriate ingredients (whole ground corn, by-product meal, brewers rice, brown rice, corn gluten meal).

I would absolutely get her on a 5 star food. High in ANIMAL not plant protein moderate in fat and low in carbs. I’ve seen far too many overweight dachshunds and I know how easy it is for them to gain weight. As long as you know that she is healthy and has no known medical needs at this time this diet is fit for every breed of dog. Also PLEASE do not get hung up on the front of a bag. Worrying about if something says small breed or not or puppy or adult. As long as the nutrient profile is correct those things are not of much value. I have been feeding both my cat and dog adult and they are still a puppy and kitten and they havent had any issues. Also the small breed formulas are just smaller kibble sizes so you can go that route if u find that she is having trouble eating a larger kibble, just wanted to make you aware that small breed doesn’t mean its formulated differently for a small dog its just small kibble pieces. I also add a probiotic to their food to help with maintaining healthy bacteria in their gut to process the food better. I use Perfect Form made by the Honest Kitchen.

One thing the breeder did right was the suggestion of adding wet food to the diet. When on an all dry kibble diet dogs can live in a state of constant minor dehydration and later in life can face organ damage. So restoring some of the moisture to their diet is always a good thing. Soaking the kibble like you have been doing works too. We did that for our American Staffordshire Terrier when he was young. Seemed to help him be motivated to eat as well as digest the food. I believe there is a couple people on this site who use Kirklands wet food and seem to have no issues with it. Personally I do Whole Earth Farms stews, Wellness Core and I’ve tried 4health and will be trying other brands as well.

Another good thing to do is to find several brands that will work for her and rotate between them giving your dog variety and also different protein sources as to avoid building an allergy to one as dogs are not born with allergies, they get them through overexposure.

I wish you luck with your new baby! Feel free to ask questions here. There are tons of knowledgeable people that frequent these forums who have years of experience with dog nutrition and managing their dogs diets including fosters. And they are more than happy to offer help and answer questions.