[anonymous]

Another previous post:

What you describe sounds like environmental allergies, food would have little impact, if any, on this condition.
I would continue to work with your veterinarian, however, for best results, I would go to a specialist, a veterinary dermatologist.
Have you tried the search engine here? This subject comes up frequently.
Example: /forums/topic/irritated-skin-food-allergy/
/forums/topic/dog-chewing-nails-till-they-bleed/
“Food allergies are rare. Food sensitivities tend to result in GI disturbances such as vomiting and diarrhea. Environmental allergies tend to show up as pruritus, ear infections and such”.
“You could try a limited ingredient grain free food. My dog does well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea. Wipe down her feet with water and gently dry when she comes in from outdoors”.
“Bathe her using a gentle shampoo, I use Malaseb (see chewy dot com).
I tried all kinds of things times 1 year (including going back and forth to the veterinarian), but, did not get results till I took her to a dermatologist for testing. Allergen specific immunotherapy worked in her case”.
Unfortunately, steroids and such are often necessary (for brief periods) to stop the suffering and prevent infection.
Allergen specific immunotherapy is the most natural treatment.
Also, I have heard that some dogs do well on apoquel, you may want to consider staying with that, talk to your vet.

[Danielle B]

Hello, I am new to this forum and am hoping to find answers. We recently brought home our new puppy. The breeder was feeding Blue Buffalo fish and oatmeal “adult breed” with royal can in puppy mousse. After coming home we stuck with the exact same regimen and changed nothing. Our puppy developed horrible diarrhea for about 3 weeks. After putting him on a prescription diet, vet recommended along with a digestive supplement, cooking for him and adding pumpkin, it seems that his gut has normalized. It is now time to slowly get him off of the prescription diet however I am still overwhelmed by the choices here. I am looking for a dry kibble in the medium price range. I went into this thinking Blue Buffalo was a decent brand but after reading this website it doesn’t seem to be the best choice. Any suggestions on where to start my bulldog. Being a breed prone to health issues, skin irritations, joint issues, etc,, I would like to get a jump on feeding him properly now before things get out of control. I am looking for any and all suggestions on food, suggested supplements, additives, routines, etc… I also am not clear as to why the breeder feeds his puppies adult food instead of puppy food, any thoughts on this. Also, are english bulldogs considered large breed or medium breed on this website? Thank you for any and all help.

[Meagan T]

Our almost 9 year old yellow lab has IBD. Our vet switched him to prescription Hills z/d when he was diagnosed because it’s a hydrolyzed protein and he has done great on it. He’s been off of all antibiotics for 5 months and off his prednisone for 3 months and he’s still doing fantastic. We’ve been talking with our vet about switching him to a different dry dog food because it’s very expensive to continue Hill’s z/d for a dog his size. Zignature Kangaroo Formula has been discussed as an option because it’s a novel protein (we know he’s had chicken, lamb, fish, and beef before, probably some duck in treats). He’s never had any specific allergy testing done. Any suggestions on a dry dog food? We’d love to lower the cost of his food but we definitely don’t want to have him flare again. He’s also on Fortiflora, Metamucil, and vitamin B12 for the IBD.

[Tessa R]

I have a 5 month old APBT. He recently began eating his feces (gross.) I was advised by a vet tech, not a vet, to put him in a vitamin supplement. They stated that majority of puppies that do this are lacking certain vitamins in their diet. I researched the best foods, and amazingly I already feed him 4.5 star rated food. He eats Taste of the Wild puppy, with a mix of 4health puppy formula, both dry food. I’m not sure what could possibly be missing from his diet, but need something to help with the problem. We clean it up ASAP, but we have half an acre (open to range,) 1 senior dog, and the new puppy so sometimes it’s harder to keep up with. Just wondering what suggestions I can get. Thank you to anyone willing to help!!

[Stephanie W]

Nesil,
You’re most welcome. I’m glad I could help. Between the hose two brands I like open farm a bit more. They are both good but the synthetic vitamins in weruva are sulfates, proteinates are better and that is what open farm uses.

If you want to do a combination of dry food and home cooked I highly suggest the book “Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet,” by Steve Brown. ($9 used on Amazon) his book specifically covers that option. The first half is for people that want to do a combo of kibble and cooking and the best way to go about that.
Each recipe is broken down to show what nutrients are in it and to show that they meet NRC guidelines.

[Jeannine M]

I just contacted Victor and this was their reply, although it doesn’t say max %.

Greetings Jeannie,
Thanks for your growing interest in Victor Super Premium Pet Foods.

FORMULA
CALCIUM
PHOS

GF Yukon
1.2%
0.9%
GF chicken
1.6%
1.1%
GF Ultra Pro
1.8%
1.2%
GF Hero
1.6%
1.1%
GF Active dog
1.6%
1.1%
GF Lamb
1.9%
1.2%
Ocean fish
1.2%
0.9%
Lamb meal
1.2%
0.9%
Chicken meal
1.1%
0.8%
Beef Meal
1.5%
0.9%
Senior
1.3%
0.9%
Nutra Pro
1.3%
1.3%
Hi-Pro
1.4%
1.0%
Performance
1.4%
1.0%
Professional
1.4%
1.0%
High Energy
1.4%
1.0%
Multi Pro
1.3%
0.8%

Best Regards,
The Victor Support Team
1-888-428-7544

Untitled-1 copy

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Victor® is manufactured in our own modern Texas based facility.
Several formulas rated 4 and 5 Star by dogfoodadvisor.com and exceed AAFCO Nutritional Guidelines.
All Victor® dry dog food formulas are:
Free from Corn, Wheat, Soy, or Gluten!
Enhanced with Zinpro Performance Minerals, which are the most bio-available complex trace minerals on the market.
Infused with SEL-PLEX organic selenium to improve cellular health by fighting free radicals.
Enriched with multiple Probiotics for building a healthier immune system with improved gut health.

From: Victor Pet Food [mailto:Contactus@victorpetfood.com]
Sent: Saturday, January 21, 2017 5:13 PM
To: Victor Pet Food <info@victordogfood.com>
Subject: Contact Us – New Contact Us Request

Contact Us

Topic
Product Question

Question or Comments
I am looking for a Large breed puppy food and was wondering if your active dog and puppy or any of your all life stages have the correct ratio of calcium to phosphorous ratio recommended for large breed puppies? I believe the recommendations are-
1.2 to 1.8% calcium
1.0 to 1.6% phosphorus
Calcium-to-phosphorus ratio 1:1 to 1.8:114
However, for some higher calorie foods, the above guidelines may not apply.
Thank you,
Jeannine Moore
Page: http://victorpetfood.com/contact-us/
Unique ID: #1335
Date: January 21, 2017
Time: 5:12 pm

[elaine c]

the best dog food I know, in a category by itself, and what I feed my two pits is Answers Pet food. It is raw and fermented. Dry dog food is only going to be so good because it is processed. So all the goodness is cooked out of it… then they put in synthetic vitamins and research has shown that long term this is not good for the dogs.. Check it out on dogfood advisor.com. Good luck.

[David P]

Help! I have a Newfoundland, 170 pounds, 10 years old. Need food suggestion please 🙂

Over the past few months he whimpers a bit while getting up after he’s been lying down for a few hours.
I’ve been on this website for several hours and I’m having a difficult time navigating and searching for an ideal food for him. Fyi – no allergies.
His name is Dewey. I love him with all my heart. I know and I knew when we brought him into our family that his breed does not have a very long life longevity. I want to feed him the best food I can afford and to make his last few years as comfortable and happy as possible for him. I don’t know why am having so much difficulty filtering through the reviews of the dry dog foods to find a 4.5 or 5.0 dry food for him, but I haven’t been able to do so. I’d greatly appreciate any help 🙂 😓

[anonymous]

Unless the dog has a specific medical condition that requires him to be on a soft diet. Such as having a sensitive stomach, being endentulous, and some seniors, etc.
If the veterinarian that has examined the dog recommends a soft diet. Then by all means, soak away! Otherwise, dry food as a base with a topper and a splash of water works best, in my experience.
Healthy dogs don’t need supplements……IMO
You really should consult your vet for specific concerns pertinent to your dog.
PS: What is wrong with your dog that you are so worried?

[zcRiley]

The red is tears on the face and saliva from licking the feet. The red color can be produced by yeasts and bacteria that live in the damp fur. It’s a red yeast infection. It is food related a lot of the time.

Switch to high quality grain free kibble for allergy prone dogs. Zignature formulas are the best.

Rub peroxide on white fur, vinegar on other colors. Or trim off the stains carefully. Have an Aquis towel handy to blot dry fur as needed throughout the day.

[Mary N]

@Cannoli

Thank you for a very long reply 😀

That is a very smart thing you did, checking the yelp reviews.

However I didn’t ask about mine or yours veterinarian, my question was generally about veterinarians across the country.

But I see what you are saying. There will always be people (not just vets lol) that are looking to dry your wallet and give a bad service in return. So the wisest thing you can do is check how their previous work did before.

@InkMarie That is exactly what I was talking about. Why are certain formulas “magical” ? If their ingredients are nothing special and are found in other foods as well.

@goldenstar I am so sad to hear that 🙁 I am sure you and your vet did your best to save your doggie..

@Susan My vet didn’t recommend me dog food for a medical condition but for general food consumption.. My dog currently thanks to god has no health problems and I hope it will stay that way forever

[Susan]

HI Jan,
since being on the TOTW are his poos the best they have been since they were good when eating the raw?? I would keep him on the TOTW for a bit longer 2-3months, if you don’t want to try a vet diet, let his bowel heal & adjust to eating a kibble, remember his stomach & bowel was use to eating a raw diet & they do less poos & nice small poos…..he’s only been on the TOTW kibble 1 week also have you tried stopping the enzyme just for 2 days & see are the poos smaller & better, does it make a difference?…..
My Patch was put on a vet diet for 9-12 months, I didn’t want him on a vet diet, also Patches vet is into feeding more natural diets not kibbles, she explained we need the stomach & bowel to rest & heal & not work hard digesting his food, I said OK how long do I feed this vet diet look it has corn grits, she said just for 1 yr to let the stomach & bowel heal….I nillly had a heart attack, 1 yr but she was right in the end, 9 months later I started looking at other kibbles but I still knew I had the vet diet to fall back on just in case the new kibble wasn’t working out….
We tried Royal Canin Gastrointestinal but Patch started to itch, scratch & smell real yeasty, he has food sensitivities & in the end the vet Diet “Eukanuba Intestinal” a low residue kibble worked & there’s also “Intestinal Plus” it has more fiber, he was doing just 2 small poos a day at the same time everyday but sometimes his poos were very soft to pick up & yellow but vet said as long as when the poo is coming out it’s formed, its OK, I look back & I think the Eukanuba Intestinal may have been too low in fiber for Patch, it was 1.7% crude fiber…

Iams also has their Intestinal Plus Low Residue Puppy, Iams KO Oats & Kangaroo & beet pulp, its for Skin & Coat has better ingredients, there’s no corn, no gluten corn meal in the Iams KO & it does have the Beet pulp, Beet pulp makes poos smaller & firmer, a lot of cheap kibbles & vet diets use beet pulp cause people judge a dog food by the way a dog poos & when poos are small & firm they think the food is good but its just the added beet pulp…

Also look at the Hills Vet Diet, Hills I/d Digestive Care, remember all the vet diets are guaranteed money back so until you find one that works you don’t pay for all this kibble that doesn’t work for the dog…
http://www.hillspet.com/en/us/products/pd-canine-id-dry,
the Hills I/d kibble has the digestive enzymes, electrolytes, vitamin B what is needed to gain weight, omega 3-6 fatty acids, prebiotic fiber (Beet Pulp) everything needed to heal the stomach & bowel, I know vet diets have awful ingredients for dogs with intestinal problems like corn, maize, gluten corn meal but they seem to help their stomach & gut heal, I don’t know why but when you find the right vet diet they do work…
Just remember in the back of your head this is temporary it’s just for 6-9 months …

In Australia we have better ingredients in our vet diets or they are not allowed in Australia, I don’t know why Hills & Royal Canin don’t make the ingredient list the same for the American pets as well….probably where they make more money….

Here’s the Iams site to compare ingredients with the Hills & Royal Canin vet diets, Iams KO has just Oat Flour & Kangaroo & has the Beet pulp…. the “Eukanuba Intestinal” also has a puppy formula made for puppies, puppies need more fat in their diet….
http://www.iams.com/dog-food/veterinary-formula
It’s just a thought if nothing is working after a couple of months..
I really hope he starts to improve then when he’s older & better he can go back to a raw diet & a nice raw meaty bone..

[anonymous]

What you describe sounds like environmental allergies, food would have little impact, if any, on this condition.
I would continue to work with your veterinarian, however, for best results, I would go to a specialist, a veterinary dermatologist.
Have you tried the search engine here? This subject comes up frequently.
Example: /forums/topic/irritated-skin-food-allergy/

/forums/topic/dog-chewing-nails-till-they-bleed/
“Food allergies are rare. Food sensitivities tend to result in GI disturbances such as vomiting and diarrhea. Environmental allergies tend to show up as pruritus, ear infections and such”.
“You could try a limited ingredient grain free food. My dog does well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea. Wipe down her feet with water and gently dry when she comes in from outdoors”.
“Bathe her using a gentle shampoo, I use Malaseb (see chewy dot com).
I tried all kinds of things times 1 year (including going back and forth to the veterinarian), but, did not get results till I took her to a dermatologist for testing. Allergen specific immunotherapy worked in her case”.

Unfortunately, steroids and such are often necessary (for brief periods) to stop the suffering and prevent infection.
Allergen specific immunotherapy is the most natural treatment.
Also, I have heard that some dogs do well on apoquel, you may want to consider staying with that, talk to your vet.

[Susan]

Hi Paul,
as we get older we don’t make as much hydrochloric acid to digest our food & its harder to digest food so the food sits in our stomach, Google “Hypochlorhydria” is low stomach acid
it may just be a coincidence the glucosamine has cause this, I prefer to give my 8yrs old Omega 3 supplements or feed foods high in omega 3 fatty acid for his joints, skin etc, I’ve been very lucky with Patch he doesn’t have any joint problems yet, he is walked 3 times a day cause I live in a unit & he’s kept lean…but my boy does have IBD mainly stomach problems & skin allergies & was vomiting undigested food a year ago, I had to make his gut strong & healthy. Dog probiotic like Purina Fortiflora is good, they tested 10 dog probiotics & found only 3 of them had live cultures & Purina Fortiflora was voted number 1, I give Yukalt it’s a probiotic drink in the fridge section at supermarket, I drink 1/2 & Patch gets the other 1/2 there’s 5 small pink drinks, he has stoped his vomiting & eating grass every morning, so the Yakult drinks have probably fixed his bacteria in his gut & bowel & made it healthy again..
https://www.chewy.com/purina-pro-plan-veterinary-diets/dp/50000
I feed lean white meats, I buy lean pork grounded mince 1kg (2lb), add 1 whisk egg, a few chopped up small broccoli heads broken off the broccoli, 1 teaspoon chopped up parsley, some kale chopped up just 1 leaf, or you can use 1 spinach leaf or another veggie, I was grating 1 small carrot, I suppose start with less is best then the next batch of rissoles add another finally chopped up veggie….. mix all together & make 1 cup size rissole, (it makes about 8-9 x 1 cup size rissoles) & bake in oven on a foiled covered baking tray, when they’re 1/2 cooked take out tray of rissole & drain any excess water & fat there’s normally hardly any fat, then turn over the rissoles & bake, don’t over cook the rissoles as soon as there’s no blood they’re ready, I also peel & cut up sweet potato & boil, I do not boil rice, rice ferments in the stomach, it’s no good, the new thing is to cook either potato or sweet potato…. Hamburger mince is very high in fat it’s not recommended anymore…. I also boil some pumkin & freeze you can also freeze the rissoles, I only add about 1/3 to 1/2 a cup of sweet potatoes or potatoes & a small piece of pumkin to 1 rissole, mix altogether & cut up rissole finally so it’s easier to digest…
Do not give a raw feed dog any dry kibble, kibble is harder to digest even when water is added, vet hasn’t prescribe any kibble, fed a wet tin food if vet advises a vet prescription diet…but a cooked diet is heaps better then any vet diets….cook foods that are easy to digest & white lean meats for now, beef is a stronger more rich meat like Kangaroo, I didn’t know this lol poor Patch he loved his beef & kangaroo rissole but his stomach didn’t it came back up undigested…
also cook some home made healthy doggy treat biscuits there’s a few recipes online… I have a few if needed.. he may need a 10 day course of Metronidazole it’s an antibiotic for stomach & bowel.. also feed 3-4 smaller meals a day.

[Fran C]

Hi Michelle, I have a Shepherd mix with skin problems, and 2 other dogs who are not affected with allergies. My dog started having her skin problems at 2-years old. Two weeks ago I didn’t make it on time to Petco before it closed to buy my dogs’ their dry kibble so I was forced to go to Target and pick out what I thought would suffice until the next day. I was not surprised to find that some of the lower rated dry dog foods were actually “catching up” with the highly rated dog food brands with their farm fresh natural ingredients, grain free (not for my dogs though), etc. and Made in the USA! It was a toss up between Purina’s Beyond and Rachel Ray’s Nutrish dog food… I chose Rachel. The ingredients were good and the majority of her dog food has over 1,000 5-star reviews on Target’s website alone. The best part is two of my “picky” dog eaters (Shih Tzu and Beagle) are now willing to eat without wet food mixed into their kibble. I have always fed my dog’s 5-star dog foods and have tried practically every brand throughout the years… hoping Rachel Ray Nutrish is a keeper. You may also want to consider taking your dog to your vet for an exam and if necessary, a skin scrape test and/or a blood test for fungal/bacterial infection. It could be as simple as the flea control you’re using or it could be environmental. There are low cost veterinary clinics that will not up sell you. My shepherd unfortunately suffers from serious skin allergies in the Spring and Fall so we have to pay a visit to the vet twice a year to try and stay on top of her allergies to control her skin from getting worse. The vet prescribed Simplicef (generic brand is Cephalexin) and she has to have frequent baths with medicated shampoo (about $11 from the vet). I hope your dog’s allergies are not as serious as my dog’s and wish you the best of luck.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Krista-
There are probably millions of dogs that are fed dry only and are doing just fine. However, I prefer to feed a budget friendly kibble so I can afford to add meal mixers or toppers to it. I’m not sure if it will make them live longer, but it makes me feel better. Lol! Costco, Tractor Supply, and Walmart all carry inexpensive five star canned food that I add a 1/4 can to their kibble in the mornings. Eggs, sardines and leftovers are also fairly cheap to add.

I personally don’t think those extremely expensive kibbles are a good value unless it is being fed due to a health condition. They’re still kibble.

Also, I know supplements can be very expensive as well. Are you sure they are needed? I know how feeding our furries can be so overwhelming! I think you are doing great. Just do what you can do. If feeding them dry only works for you and her, then so be it. Make sure she has plenty of water available. Your dog is in good hands. Best wishes to you!

• This reply was modified 9 years, 3 months ago by crazy4cats.

[Susan]

Hi Robert,
Why he tolerates the Hills W/D is it’s very high in Insoluble Fiber & Crude Fiber.
Crude Fiber-16.8%
Insoluble Fiber-28.8%
Soluble Fiber-1.5%
Protein is low at 18.9%
Fat is low at 9.1%
Carbs are 50.7%,
there is NO WAY you will find any dog dry kibble sold online or at a pet shop with those high fiber percentages, pet shop kibbles are for healthy dogs without any health problems……
Start looking at other vet diets like Purina contact or email Purina & other prescription vet diet companies & ask do they make a formula like the Hills W/D for diabetes/weight loss & write all the Insoluble, soluble & crude fiber percentages down, they normally ring you back to talk to you & you get free vet nutrition advice, then later look up their formulas online & see if ingredients are a bit better & see if it’s a bit cheaper..
If your vet ask why do you want to try another vet diet kibble (cause you need a prescription in America, we don’t need script in Australia, we can buy all vet diets on line) just say he’s getting sick of eating the Hills W/d & it’s getting too expensive for a large breed & I’d like to try such & such kibble it’s cheaper something like that, the Purina vet diets are very similar to the Hills vet diets & Purina is cheaper, also the protein % may be higher then the Hills W/D formula is.. then you introduce the new vet diet if he does well then start rotating between the vet diets making your boys gut stronger, 70% of our immune system is in the intestinal tract also are you giving the Purina FortiFlora Probiotic?? I know Purina has a bad name but their FortiFlora was tested with 10 other dog probiotics & Purina was one of the best of 3 that had active good bacteria the rest of probiotics were a waste of money.. I know you want cheaper kibble but all next year 2017 your going to make your boys gut healthy & strong again & the only way to do this is slowly introduce healthy whole foods that are high in omega 3 fatty acids, vitamins etc veggies high in insoluble fibers & introduce a new vet diet & look at introducing a weight management kibbles, I’ve written about weight management kibbles the 2nd last paragraph.
My boy has IBD & skin allergies, all I’ve done is research, join IBD groups trying to make him better & fix his stomach & bowel, looking for kibbles that work, introducing healthy foods in his diet that are high in Omega 3 very slowly, you start off just giving say 2-3 small pieces of peeled apple as a treat & some almonds, I bite 1/2 the almond & make Patch chew the other 1/2 of the almond he loves them & his coat has become so shinny but they can only have about 3 whole almonds a day, almonds can cause sloppy poos when given too many, when you introduce a fresh healthy food, do it same time every day, this way you know when he poos what poos are firm or a bit sloppy was that when he ate the new fresh foods ??

I started feeding a small cooked meal it was just turkey mince made into little balls baked in oven & I added some sweet potatoes, a very small meal for breakfast 7am & he still ate his vet diet at 8-9am, if your boy is thin then don’t take away any of the vet kibble if he is prefect weight then take away about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of the vet diet when adding fresh foods..

Google, vegetables that are high in Insoluble fiber & lower in soluble fiber, soluble fiber veggies ferment in the stomach, Insoluble fiber bulks up the stool, 1 serving of Sweet Potato contains 2.2 grams of insoluble fiber, I just got that online when I googled “Is Sweet Potatoes a soluble fiber” it takes time but in 1-2yrs I bet you’ll have a list of foods he can eat & be added to his kibble to make it more healthy..

Weight management kibbles are high in fiber look for weight management kibbles that are the highest in the crude fiber, you’ll find only crude fiber % on kibble bag or their internet site, you won’t find a kibble with 16% crude fiber but maybe you’ll find 10-12% crude fiber then contact that kibble company & I always send an email & write, something like, My boy has IBD & I want to try your name of kibble, my boy needs a high insoluble & low soluble diet can I please have the percentages to the soluble, insoluble & crude fiber please, get a book & start writing this all down cause later on as he gets better & older what didn’t work a few yrs ago might work later & you try again & I always go to pet shops so I can take back the kibbles when they’re money back guaranteed if they cause diarrhea…
Have you tried the Diamond Naturals Light kibble? its a weight management kibble over the yrs I’ve read a few people who have dogs with diarrhea problems do really well on the Diamond Naturals Light, I know its made by Diamond & they have a bad name but after paying triple price for a Hills vet diet what could be worse? if you find a kibble that you could even mix 1/2 vet diet & 1/2 normal kibble & poos are good who cares what brand name it is, like Taste Of The Wild, people on this site say this & that about TOTW kibbles but when I see my boy doing nice firm poos & he’s happy that’s all that matters, Contact Diamond & ask for the insoluble fiber % & the Soluble fiber % it may be close to the Hills W/d formula & this way your adding another protein to his diet which is lamb meal & this will strengthen the stomach & bowel, my boy needs a lower fiber diet he gets bad acid reflux & stomach problems when fiber is high…

Start google & find out which grains & veggies have more insoluble fiber with less soluble fiber.. Lentils are higher in insoluble fibers so look for weight management kibbles highest in the crude fibers then email the companies if he doesn’t do well on the Diamond Natural Light kibble.
It takes time but when you do find that kibble that works its like winning the lottery & when you get them OFF a vet diet its feels excellent but you still know that that vet diet will fix any diarrhea problems just for a while until you find that right kibble.

Look at Purina EN Gastroenteric Fiber Balance Canine Formula
https://www.proplanveterinarydiets.com/products/#for-dogs

Here’s the Diamond Light Naturals
http://www.diamondpet.com/our-brands/diamond-naturals/light-adult-dog/

List of high fiber foods soluble & insoluble
http://www.healthhype.com/list-of-high-fiber-foods-soluble-and-insoluble-fiber-chart.htmlesn

[Susan]

Hi, Brady, we learn as we go along & your doing your best, have a look at “Wellness” & “Holistic Select” range, the Wellness has their Small breed formulas & Toy breed formulas wet & dry…. Holistic Select also has the small breed formulas wet & dry well…
Wellness- http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/dog-wellness.aspx
Holistic Select- http://www.holisticselect.com/

[crazy4cats]

Yeah, I just mix it in my dogs food. But, I always add a little water and usually some canned or other type of topper that makes it easier to mix in their food. Start with about half of the recommended amount or less. It has a pretty strong smell that your pup might not like at first. I have two lab mixes and they will eat pretty much anything! I could see making it into a gel if you only feed dry food in order for it to mix in and stick to the kibble better.

Best of luck. I really hope it works for you.

[Kevin C]

What is the best choice for a small dog (yorkie) dry food. I have been feeding solid gold wee bits and I want to know if there is something healthier.

[mary s]

pitluv, Holy cow, now I am confused. What does the calculator work off of, if not as fed, or dry matter??? I understand getting the max numbers, but they are given as either “as fed max, or dry matter max”, at least that is my experience in checking with the companies. And, I am sure I remember reading somewhere in this thread that it doesn’t matter which one you use (as fed or dry matter) as long as you are consistent with the Ca and P measurements.

Anyway, Raido, I am having good results with Fromm LBP food, the Heartland Gold. I have an Irish Setter, and at least for the setters, the Orijen must be too rich…..they get loose poop from that food.

Best of luck,

[Ryan K]

I have no information at all about the mass this vet felt other then her telling me it doesn’t appear to be related to the anal glands. She said anal glands can abscess and get cancerous but this seems to be along the rectal wall above or around that general area. She didn’t say anything was an emergency or that I should rush to get an x Ray or treatment ASAP. She just said that when I bring him in for his next anal gland expresssing that she will feel it to see if it has gotten larger. She said to watch for irritation and if he shows signs of struggling to defecate or continues to scoot his butt then I should possibly run him in sooner for the biopsy which would involve putting him under and prolapsing the anus to use a needle and aspirate the mass for a sample. I am wondering if this could be a hernia? His diet has been massively changed since his slipped disc issue as well. He’s had a life of strict grain free- high quality dog food but since he has been on tramadol, Prevacox and gabapentin his appetite is pretty much destroyed. He’s been living off peanut butter (I hide his pills in it), canned chicken and tuna fish and some raw hide chews which he only eats the coating off of and leaves the actual rawhide. So, I don’t know if this is dietary related? I ordered some Glandex to see if that helps his anal glands in the meantime. I doubt he will eat them though. He’s seriously so uninterested in dry kibble or even most scraps. Should I just stop giving him tuna, bones and treats and force him to only eat kibble? This is so frustrating. This whole experience has truly shown me that I don’t think I can handle another dog again. It’s so much emotional and financial stress and trauma. I love my dog though so I’m trying my best for him.

[Susan]

Hi, are you 100% sure its not Environment allergies as well??
My boy has both, he has seasonal allergies worse in the summer months, fine in the winter months as long as he doesn’t eat any foods he’s sensitive too, then he starts to smell real yeasty & itches… When they’re sensitive to certain food they start to itch & smell real yeasty…
Summer is about to start in Australia & I always rotate Patches kibbles Winter he eats limited ingredient kibble, Lamb as the protein & Summer a Fish kibble you, need too increase the Omega 3 in his diet & always read the Omega 3 & 6 on kibble packet or look on their internet page or email the kibble company & ask what is the omega 3 & 6 % Please.
There’s a lot of kibbles that are tooo high in omega 6 & too low in omega 3 causing skin problems, omega 3 should be around 1/2 of what the omega 6 says..
I’m starting to introduce “Holistic Select” Salmon, Anchovy & Sardine Adult/Puppy grain free formula, it’s only 32% carbs or look at “Earthborn Holistic” Coastal Catch it’s 29% carbs & the omega 3 & 6 is balanced properly in both these kibbles.
Raw is the best as it has no carbs, I feed Patch 1 meal cooked, lean pork mince made into rissoles & add sweet potato, this way he’s not eating heaps of dry kibble.
Baths, make sure your bathing weekly too wash off any allergens & pollens & yeast on the skin Malaseb relieves their itch making them heaps more comfortable…

Have you seen a Dermatologist ? & tested to see if ur dog isn’t allergic to dust mites or other allergens around the house.??

[marilyn s]

As I wrote above: After the last one, we tried the Royal Canin prescription canned food, and she hated it. She is not much of a meat eater. So the vet recommended Hill’s prescription diet c/d Urinary Care, dry dog food. I switched to that about 3 months ago. But I just noticed the Hill’s prescription diet c/d Urinary Care, dry dog food is not recommmended on this site. And it didn’t seem to prevent her from getting the stones again. The antibiotics seem to work the best and I think keeping her genitals clean will help. I didn’t know that Royal Canin had a dry food for this problem…I will try to see if it has a better rating than the Hill’s prescription diet c/d Urinary Care, dry dog food.

[Susan]

Hi TS, go & see a Dermatologist, as they specialize in in dogs skin….
Yeast can be from Food Sensitivities & Environment Allergies, my boy has both 🙁
I would be feeding a raw diet, go back to a natural diet, what a dogs body is meant to be digesting, dogs have a short intestinal tract, made to digest a raw diet, not a dry kibble, you can buy the dearest kibble BUT it’s still a dry high carb/fiber kibble, most grain free diets are high in carbs & fiber, the grain kibbles that have wheat, corn, maize, rice, oats, barley etc, my boy starts to smell yeasty, itch, get red smelly paws, within 2 days when he eats a kibble with oats, barley, corn, wheat & tapioca which is most of Hills, Royal Canine, Iams & Eukanuba kibbles ingredients…. but your dog may not be sensitive to these ingredients & some dogs do really well & don’t itch & smell yeasty..

If you can afford to feed a home made raw diet then that’s the best or look at the premade raw diets or maybe feed just 1 meal raw with blended greens & the other meal a limited ingredient kibble like “Canidae” Pure Sea very high in omega 3 what is needed for the skin or look for those loaf style rolls in the fridge section, read ingredients first, there are some really good rolls around, I live Australia & we have Crocodile & Tapioca, Kangaroo & Pumkin, Lamb & Rosemary, Kangaroo & Potato specially made for dogs with IBS, IBD & Skin/food sensitivities…
Baths: you need a medicated shampoo like “Malaseb” medicated shampoo, the Malaseb kills the bacteria on their skin & it doesn’t dry out the skin, Malaseb can be used daily & helps put the moisture back into their skin & paws…It’s excellent for yeasty stinky dogs I bath weekly in the Summer months sometimes twice a week it relieves their itch as well..

Omega 3: Omega 3 is needed, some kibbles are not balanced properly & are too high in omega 6 & too low in omega 3 causing skin problems, read kibble packet or on their internet site or email & ask the kibble companies what is the omega 3% & 6% in what ever kibble your looking at feeding, the omega 3 should be 1/2 of what the omega 6% is, so if it says 3.96%-omega 6, the omega 3 should be around 1.80% these percentages were taken from the new Hills prescription diet called Hills “Derm Defense” for dogs with Environment Allergies, Hills is money back guaranteed you could give it a go if your not going to feed a balanced raw diet, the Hills Derm Defense wet tin has Ok ingredients or start with an Elimination diet, but sounds like your boy has environment allergies as well

You need to work out does your dog have food sensitivities to certain foods or does he have environment allergies, it has taken me 2-3 yrs to work out what foods my boy can’t eat & he has seasonal allergies, his vet made me keep a diary & she said you will start to see a pattern with Seasonal Environment Allergies & we did every spring right thru to Autumn then Patch & I get a break thru Winter, Patch is fine thru the winter months as long as he’s not eating foods he’s sensitive too then when spring comes he starts to itch, smell, get hive like lumps all over the white fur sections head stomach red paws, I use Hydrocortisone 1% cream on his paws but first I wash them in the Malseb medicated shampoo then a night when he goes to bed I check out his paws, head & see where’s red & put the Hydrocortisone 1% cream in between his toes with a cotton tip, around his bottom lip mouth gets red above his eye where fur is white the fur starts to thinning out & is real pink, I apply the cream I also use “Sudocrem” sometimes, it’s also excellent as well Sudocrem is sold supermarket & chemist excellent for eczema, dermatitis, rashes, pressure sore.
You both have a big journey ahead, there’s no magic drug Oh there’s Apoquel but its fairly new so please try baths shampoos, raw diet & natural things, also Apoquel doesn’t help if you have a yeast….

Canidae Pure Sea excellent for dogs with skin problems look for a fish kibble when it comes to skin problems but rotate when the season change so your dog isn’t just eating 1 protein, Pork, Lamb, Kangaroo, Salmon/fish – http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

Hills Derm Defense or Skin/Food Sensitivities d/d only cause the omega 3 is high in these foods http://www.hillspet.com/en/us/products/pd-canine-dd-salmon-canned

[Kelly K]

I am so happy to have found this post but so sad to need it. My dog, Tucker, is such a trooper. About 2 weeks ago my boy started with a cough, just the odd cough here and there. In a couple of days I decided to take him to the vet, just before we left he coughed up blood and that was the first sign it was serious. Our vet took blood work and did x-rays and our vet was stymied by the results but didn’t think he had much of a chance but to be euthanized. He seemed perfectly healthy! She said we could try taking him to a veterinary hospital in the city staffed by specialists and surgeons and we drove there that night. Like Lyndzy’s and Carol’s dogs, he was diagnosed with Lung Lobe Torsion. If it was a primary condition and he made it through the night, he was given good odds with the surgery. There was no other option, that or euthanasia and so we went ahead with hope and love in our hearts (…and don’t forget the wallets). He pulled through the surgery really well, was getting the best care and it looked like he was going to come home early, when after 2 days the fluid draining from his chest tube turned from a clear pink to a strawberry milkshake colour and increased from 20-30 mls to over 100. It was chyle. I understand that the situation can resolve on its own sometimes and we are hoping. They took the chest tube out after a few days and sent him home anyway – his recovery is amazing considering he just had a lung removed! But at the first visit back an ultrasound showed the chyle is still building up.

He goes back tomorrow to get the staples removed and assess the situation. I am hoping against hope that it is resolved on its own but I am afraid they will recommend the surgery for it but the results don’t seem to be great, he is still recovering and I’m not sure that my wallet can handle anymore. It is eating me up inside. Everything else is going so well but there is a distinct lack of good information out there.

I was so sad to read about Lisa’s dog – but it gives me hope that yours is doing ok after 3 years, Carol. Lindsay, is your dog doing ok?

Right now he is on the Royal Canin Low-fat gastro wet diet. However this alone is going to bankrupt me at $50/6 days from my vet. I have to find a good, low-fat dry kibble to mix with it at the very least or figure out a healthy low-fat recipe that I can cook. My real problem with this is that he is also allergic to chicken which is a fundamental ingredient in most foods. Prior to this he was on the Holistic Select Salmon, Anchovy and Sardine diet. Very healthy but higher in fat.

My vet said if it says “hydrollised” chicken protein that it is digestible even with an allergy but at this point I don’t want to take the risk. The other brand she suggested is vegetarian with soy as the main protein – I have a lot of misgivings about that due to the protein loss that can accompany chylothorax. He is a very skinny Royal Standard Poodle – 31″ at the shoulder and honestly can’t afford much weight loss. If anyone has any healthy non-chicken low-fat diet recipes they would like to share, I would certainly appreciate it.

I will take the advice on here to heart when I go see the vet tomorrow – as well as any other suggestions, feedback, etc., that you all have. My heart is breaking for my big guy.

[Susan]

Hi Steve, do you know the fat % in wet tin food isn’t like the fat % in a dry kibble, If it says 5%min fat in a wet tin food when converted to dry matter (dry kibble) 5% fat wet is about 22%-26% fat, it depends on the company, some wet tin foods have more fat then others….With Wellness wet tin foods you have to send Wellness an email & ask for the fat % in wet tin foods as dry matter fat %, have a look at Wellness TruFood, Wellness Stews, Core Chuncky Centers, look for wet tin foods around 2% fat also it will say min email company & ask for max fat % in the formulas you like & want to try & the dry matter converted fat %.
My boy gets Pancreatitis & he does the same just stares at me while I’m sleeping & paws at me to rub his stomach & pancreas area…
May I ask when you did cook a low fat meal what did you cook? cause my boy can not eat boiled rice, he gets diarrhea, he can have rice in a kibbles cause it has been grounded down & there’s no boiled cooked rice to irritate his bowel, try boiling potato & sweet potatoes, pumkin, I boil some pumkin & sweet potato then freeze boil sweet potato & pumkin in sections… Cooking is the best, you know what he’s eating & it works out cheaper, I cook once a fortnight, I buy 1kg lean Pork mince or 1kg lean beef mince & make rissoles that I bake in the oven, so any excess fat comes out. I make 1 cup size rissoles, whisk 1 egg, then I cut up some broccoli, parsley, kale, grate 1 small carrot & mix all together & I use scales & make 130gms = 1 cup rissoles, freeze then take 1 rissole out & 1 piece of boiled sweet potatoe or 1 piece of pumkin, sometimes I add both sweet potato & a little piece of pumkin, take out the afternoon before & thaw in fridge for the next day. I feed 1 cut up cooked rissole & sweet potato about 1/3 of a cup sweet potato for breakfast & I’ve just started feeding for lunch & dinner “Canidae” Life Stages Platinum kibble, the Platinum formula is real easy to digest the kibbles are real small so if they don’t chew all the kibbles they are so easy to digest. Patch eats 4 small meals a day.
Patch was real ill about 1 month ago my grandson gave him a Fruit stick, he was put on Hills I/d vet diet he seem to be doing OK but after 1-2 weeks he had his pain again right side, so I took back the Hills vet diet got my $75 back & went & bought some Canidae Life Stages Platinum kibble & Patch is doing real well & sleeping thru the night Canidae Life Stages Platinum also makes wet tin food the fat is 4.5%min you’d have to email Caniidae & ask what it the fat % when converted to dry matter max %, it will be around 20% max fat, so I’ve never bought Platinum wet tin…

[elaine c]

dry dog food in general is not the best, if that is what you are looking for. WHY? because it is so cooked that there are no enzymes or other beneficial things that actually help a dog. Have you ever asked yourself, if we are told not to eat processed foods because they are not good for us, WHY would you start a puppy on processed foods and give it to them their whole life?? dry dog food is convenient for YOU that is all.

[Bullwrinkle]

Frani V.,

Hello, all. I finally registered but have sought all your great for a long time. As for Frani V’s question on Atopica, I can only tell you my personal experience and what I know of others I’ve spoken with and what I learned from my vet, that also applies to APOQUEL (I will note the similarities, and try to locate the link which I do have).

Atopica was suggested by by vet #1 to my English Bulldog. She had severe allergies, food and environmental, among other medical issues. My precious special needs baby girl. She was a spayed at 6 mos, so this was some time after. It was suggested that we start out 7x/week administering Atopica. The idea was to get it built up in her system then back off to 2 or 3x/week max as is recommended. She was ~47 lbs, she was prescribed the 100mg Atopica. Checking in every 2 weeks, since I was paying $170 a pop, I was told to keep it up for a few months. Forget that. I started to skip one day a week, then 2 days a week. Of course she had flares so idiot vet said back to everyday. I was still dealing with her other maladies during this time, plus 5 aging cats with their issues ranging from failing kidneys, asthma, hypertrophic cardiomyothapy, a tortoise with a collapsing pyramid shell, the usual, so time escaped me too quickly. I ended up finding a good vet because of a botched knee surgery from idiot’s referral. Blessing in disguise.

My baby started having seizures. It was sounds or over excited that set it off. I realized she had been on Atopica at 100mg every single day for a solid year. Seizures tend to be more prevalent in smaller dogs but they do happen and were documented. It has happened to all kinds of dogs. But, it has worked for many others as well although, I was not privy to those dogs histories. This was some, maybe 7 yrs ago now, at least. I pulled her off everything except for any allergy pills and only when she needed them. She had 4 seizures, when I stopped all meds and supplements, no more seizures. After a few weeks, I added her fish oil and joint supplement back one at a time and a month apart. No seizure. Atopica was the seizure producer. I lit up the idiot about it, told her she really needs to more careful or at least more informed. Told I would do the same as I was leaving her practice.

The good vet, as he described Atopica to me, and is similar to what I’ve found and read about Apoquel. It shuts off immune receptors. And when you have an immune compromised dog, or cat, to begin with the last thing you want to do is shut off receptors because you don’t know what else is being shut off or being compromised. Immunosuppressive have their place, don’t get me wrong, and I relied on the occasional 5mg prednisone in lieu of giving my girl a fistful of benadryl that would only work for a few hours when she was really bad. But only after I’d tried everything else. Pred was a last resort. So do I believe in their use? Yes. But ever so carefully and not on a regular basis like Atopica and Apoquel.

I can’t get the link to hyperlink but this has some interesting info. http://vitalanimal.com/apoquel-dog-1/

Sorry this was such a long post, but I get anxious when I see questions about Atopica. I had to let my baby go, it’ll be 2 yrs in Dec. She was only 8yrs 4mos. She taught me so much, she endured too much, her kidneys took it in the end. I became quite educated but even our own dogs are so different from each other. I still feel I didn’t learn fast enough for her. Please, please do your research thoroughly on Atopica and Apoquel. Apoquel is still relatively new. You know your pet best!

[Acroyali]

Just a few of my own thoughts:

When I was in the transitional stages, one of my cats choked…on kibble. He was excessively hungry, and I was removing the 24 hour a day buffet in order to get them acclimated to meal times. He was OK, but any living thing can choke on anything. Bones can be scary, and if someone isn’t comfortable feeding bones I never would suggest it dissuades them from feeding a healthier diet than they’re already feeding. Hare Today offers boneless grinds (meat only) as well as boneless chunks of meat. I believe chicken and turkey both come this way, check the product description to be sure.

I’ve used boneless chunks as “reminders” to chew. I never give an excessively hungry dog anything bone-in; bones come after the main meal, which is mostly muscle meats and organs. It works for us, hopefully it can and will work for others.

I have and do brush teeth on a few of my dogs as a precaution. The issue I have is getting more brushed than the stuff we see at first glance. Getting the gumline on the inside part of the back molars with a toothbrush is next to impossible. Your dogs’ teeth may look wonderful when you lift their lip up. But if they yawn or pant and you get a glimpse of gross stuff on the INSIDE of the teeth, chewing is their best bet to get their teeth cleaned up.

I used to be a huge fan of recreational bones until a recent tooth fracture on one of my larger dogs. Now I know why some owners call them “wreck” bones 😉

I have never had the unfortunate experiences described here by some from puncturing or choking to death, and hope I never do. I know of one person who had a boxer choke on an ox tail and the dog died on the way to the vet. I’m SUPER weird about choosing large things for my dogs to chew on for this reason; even if they don’t totally consume the whole thing at once. There’s no doubt in my mind that dogs have suffered and even died from consuming raw bones, but there’s also no doubt in my mind that dogs have suffered and even died from consuming tainted, moldy, spoiled “safe” dry food (covered in salmonella, BTW), or have suffered greatly from eating a poor choice of food *for them* and have had the symptoms suppressed with drugs.

JMO.

[marie d]

Hi, im trying to get some advice for taking my boy off kibble and putting him onto raw please. Im so nervous to get it wrong and cause him any harm so would really your help. A little background on him, he is a 9 1/2 year labrador that has been on kibble his whole life. I stupidly thought that as we were getting him the expensive kibble we were feeding him the best. He has been on royal canin gastro for the past 2 years due to him having gastro issues sll his life. The vet came to the conclusion he has an intolerance to fat so needs to be on the low fat diet which has worked for him as we havent had any gastro issues for 2 yr now whilst on this food. Whst he has though is cancer now twice in the past 18 months, both mast cell tumours which led us to start looking into whats in his food. We really want to get him off kibblebas strongly feel that this has contributed to him getting cancer. Ive red so much conflicting info on how to change from dry to raw and am so confused as to what will be best for him. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for the long post 🙁

[zcRiley]

For those who don’t home cook or do raw, I accidentally came across this site while researching new “brands” of grain free dry dog foods. It’s about ingredients and what they REALLY are or mean (as if we weren’t paranoid enough LOL). Great for analyzing a brand’s quality vs. its cost if you’re not an expert yet. Yes, even high quality kibble use words as smoke ‘n mirrors. Enjoy reading!

http://www.naturalnews.com/Report_pet_food_ingredients_8.html

Table of Contents:
1. Introduction
2. Why nutrition matters for your pets
3. Pet food ingredients listed by best to worst (part 1 of 2)
4. Pet food ingredients listed by best to worst (part 2 of 2)
5. Pet food ingredients listed by frequency of use in products (part 1 of 2)
6. Pet food ingredients listed by frequency of use in products (part 2 of 2)
7. Pet food ingredients listed alphabetically (part 1 of 2)
8. Pet food ingredients listed alphabetically (part 2 of 2)
9. Worst pet food ingredients

[Susan]

Hi Peter, I have the same problem with my dog Patch that has IBD & food/skin allergies, tooo many big poo’s on certain kibbles…..Look at the Protein % as well, too much protein can also make poos bigger & softer, when my IBD boy eats a kibble with 30% & over in protein, he does 4-5 poos a day & when he eats kibbles with fillers like corn, gluten meal, barley, oats, millet, he gets itchy smelly skin & does big sloppy poos.. when I feed a kibble with under 30% protein around 26% protein & grain free with limited ingredients, my boy does only 2 poos a day…Taste Of The Wild, Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb seems to suit him the best out of all the kibbles I have tried & Canidae Pure Land, he does 1-2 small poos a day. Both these kibbles have limited ingredients…

Just keep rotating different brands of kibble until you work out which brands your pup does the best on, then rotate between them, never just feed the same brand for years & years also start adding some fresh whole foods to his kibble as well…

Finally people are telling these pet food industries, we’ve had enough, we love our pets & we want the best for them & don’t want to feed a kibble with maize, corn gluten meal, beet pulp, tallow, by-product meats, preservatives, food colouring etc…..
Back in the 1940-1980 dogs were feed table scraps & those dogs were much more healthier, they were not feed processed kibbles with maize/corn, gluten meal & by-product meats, they ate what we ate…then in the 90’s Hills & a few other pet food companies started saying, Don’t feed foods we eat, it’s not good for your dog, your dog needs a well balanced diet dry KIBBLE & people followed like sheep & still to this day, there’s still some un educated people who say “Oh no, you can’t feed your dogs & cats foods we eat”…..
50 yrs later finally people like Rodney Habib (someone you should follow on F/B) is saying enough is enough to these pet food companies & educating people to feed fresh meats, fresh fruits, fresh veggies again like our parents did…..Back in the 50’s 60’s & 70’s, dogs didn’t get cancer & have all these food & skin allergies, dogs didn’t have as many health problems as they do today, why??
Watch a video Rodney Habib put together called “Maggies Story the Oldest Dog in the World” Maggie was a kelpie X Cattle dog that lived on a dairy farm, Victoria Australia, she wasn’t over vaccinated, she only had her puppy vaccinations, she wasn’t desexed until she was 14yr old cause a dairy worker brought his dog with him & Maggie fell pregnant, she lived till she was 30yrs old & just passed away in her sleep this year…she wasn’t feed kibble, you have to watch the video to see what she ate & drank…

Your on the right track, you’ve know about ingredients in kibbles, now start looking at healthy foods to add to the kibble, they did a study & found dogs that were feed 1 tablespoon of fresh foods added to kibble just 3 times a week reduced their chances of getting cancer, the post is on Rodney Habib F/B page, there’s lots of excellent info on Rodney F/B page https://www.facebook.com/rodneyhabib/?pnref=story

Have you tried Ziwi Peak Air dried raw?, I use the Ziwi Peak as treats when I don’t have any fruit like apple, water melon or raw almonds & I have just started my 5 month kitten on the cat Ziwi Peak & then when she loses her teeth I will be giving her a chicken wing once a week to clean her teeth, look after your pups teeth, small breeds are prone to teeth problems, give a raw chicken wing once/twice a week for breakfast, peel off the skin so there’s less fat…also email kibble companies & ask for samples..Ziwi Peak sends out samples http://www.ziwipeak.com Good-Luck

[jakes mom]

The best idea would be to switch to raw foods, little to no carbs. For dry, I like Wellness Core.

[Bag of Opals]

I’m calling her Opal, and will be bringing her home this weekend. She’s a toy breed mix and the cutest little thing. Opal is going to be fed raw during the day and some Ivory Coat (an Australian dry food) at night. I’ve read about rotation feeding and agree this is a good idea. However, there’s already going to be a lot of variety in the food, so should I leave everything as is or still try to find something new to swap in every now and then? This is what I am seeking suggestions on. I’ve lived with pups, but not actually raised one myself.

The raw food is possible thanks to my parents. They make it for their Sheltie and Irish Wolfhound (the latter managed to steal a chicken wing last night!) with some extra to give to me, so I’m not exactly in a position to dictate what ingredients go into the mix. It’s ground up and contains:

-Lamb mince, liver and heart
-Pork tongue
-Sardines
-Chicken wings
-Crushed eggshell
-Peas and carrots

Very nice, but is there still a risk of developing food sensitivities because these proteins are all being fed at once? I’ve considered purchasing something like the Ziwipeak beef and venison canned formulas, but they’re not cheap and I’d like to avoid that expense if it’s not necessary.

As for Ivory Coat, their puppy formula is chicken-based. I plan to rotate among the other formulas in the brand when Opal’s grown up. I know a lot of folks here advocate rotating between brands as well as flavours, but I want to support an Aussie company, plus this seems to be the only dry food here with a protein % in the 30s. That’s not to say we don’t have good imported choices, but they just don’t compare.

Reactions to chicken are probably as common as they are because so many puppy foods use it… The only non-chicken food specifically for puppies that I know of and is available over here is TOTW Pacific Stream. Diamond, gah. Opal should be fine with just Ivory Coat, but I’m a paranoid lady and want the best for her.

[Jason R]

My Golden Retriever just turned 10yrs old and he is about 12-15lbs heavier than the vet would like. He was diagnosed about three months ago with Cushing’s disease. I’ve been waiting until we found the right medication/dosage to treat the Cushing’s before I made any dietary changes.

For the last few years, he has been eating Blue FREEDOM ‘Healthy Weight’ dry food. He also has been getting 1/3 can of wet BLUE Freedom Senior Chicken as a topper. The more I learn about BLUE, the less I like them. Their food is also overpriced when there are foods of similar or better quality available for less.

We finally got the Cushing’s medication to the necessary level a few weeks ago. At that point, I had researched a lot of foods and decided to switch to NUTRO. In particular, I’m feeding him NUTRO Lite Chicken flavor dry food and NUTRO Large Breed Adult Weight Management canned food (again, as a topper). I also supplement his food with green beans, green peas and sometimes half of a sweet potato as a treat.

I’m curious if anyone else here uses NUTRO and, if so, what is their opinion of it?

[Logan W]

For those new or novice to homemade dog food, it does take some research and a little bit of trial and error to see what your dog will eat. I’ve been doing homemade 100% for about 7 or 8 years now and I would highly recommend it. It does require some initial time and research but it’s all well worth it. I first started with several dogs and wasn’t convinced, like many here, that anything available on the market was as nutritionally dense as homemade. I started when I first adopted several dogs and they loved eating anything I bought, but the food certainly never agreed with them and they were sick all around my house. I think the last food, both dry and soft, they ever ate from the pet store was Blue Buffalo way back when. I would give them rice and chicken till they got better then slowly start working commercial food back into their diet. Every time… they got sick. That’s when I started out on the quest for something that I could rest assured was wholesome and nutritional… from my own hands.

People are right here when they warn you of feeding your dog homemade food without understanding your dogs nutritional needs. We all know our dogs will eat just about anything and you’d hate to learn the hard way that you are malnourishing your dog. I started by searching the web for a canine version of a daily nutritional requirements list that includes not only the macro nutrients (proteins, fiber, fat, carbohydrates, etc.) but also details all the micro nutrients (different amino acids, minerals, vitamins, etc.). The lists are out there if you search. It will be a long, long list of about 30-40 nutrients.

Once I found this list, I did some calculations based on my dogs activity level and size, multiples really. Then I created an Excel spreadsheet of all the target daily nutritional requirements. From there I started searching the web for natural sources of each nutrient and cross referencing them again sites to make sure they weren’t toxic to dogs. You’d be surprised to find that much of the normal fresh meats and vegetables at the store have just what your dog needs. I created a list of ideal food ingredients and Googled each ingredient’s full nutritional profile and built a tab for each ingredient in Excel listing out its nutrients per 1 gram or other serving size. Then I would build other worksheets modeling possible combinations of natural ingredients and seeing how the resulting nutrional profile compares to the target. You’ll find, just like with any animal, that you’ll never get it perfect. You may figure out that adding sweet potatoes helps you fill one nutrient you were targeting only to provide an exceeding amount of another. This is inevitable but just make sure that you aren’t creating a recipe that has far too little of one nutrient that is very important, or even far too much of another that can cause problems if ingested in large quantities like Vitamin A, etc. Its really a process or trial and error modeling a recipe that is really close. I got a few recipes and then went for it. But I do give my dog a multivitamin once a day too just to be a little safer.

The recipes I’ve been using for some time is muscle meat and some organ meat like ground beef and beef livers or kidneys, or chicken breasts and chicken livers. Organ meat is very nutritionally dense and its what dogs go for first when they find a animal in the wild. Muscle meat is a thing we humans prioritize for some reason so remember that you dog IS NOT BEST SERVED WITH FILET MIGNONS OR CHICKEN TENDERS. For veggies, I use about 3-5 different vegetables and switch them up every once in a while. My favorites are sweet potatoes, carrots, spinach, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, squash and zucchini. For fiber and carbohydrates, I pick between a rice (white or brown) or beans (dry pinto or black beans). There’s other things I do too, like I use quite a few eggs and I boil the eggshells to sterilize them. Then I grind the dried shells into a powder for their high calcium needs. I also add some ground flax seed and olive oil to every batch. That’s really it about ingredients… now the PREPARATION METHOD becomes vitally important.

If your dog is like any of mine, they probably don’t care to eat vegetables raw or their own flavor. Also, how you cook the vegetables and beans/grains can either retain most of the nutrients or deplete most of them. Dogs have very short digestive tracts compared to humans and that means that just because they can eat a raw carrot…. it doesn’t mean there digestive tract can break it all down fast enough before it passes. Pressure cookers are great for dog food vegetables. Pressure cookers apply high heat for a very short period of time that not only softens the vegetables so they are more digestible, but it helps retain the nutrients in the vegetables much better than, let’s say, boiling them. One could simply use a steamer, but the trick I use is adding some chicken broth to the pressure cooker so that it injects a tasty flavor in all the vegetables. I chop all my vegetables and pile them into the pressure cooker and add a couple cups of real chicken broth and set it for 10 minutes, done. I pull out the finished veggies and set aside. Then I do the same flavor-injection with the beans or rice by using the pressure cooker too. I take out the beans or rice when finished and mix it into the cooked vegetables I set aside.

Next I chop up a cook the meats/organs either in a large pan or also in the pressure cooker (depends on the meat). I add a generous amount of olive oil and pour in the eggs and ground eggshells + ground flax seed. When this is all done I mix it all together with the already completed parts I set aside. A little salt and its done. I divide the food up into glass, airtight containers that hold enough for no more than 5 days of food. I keep one in the fridge and the others in the freezer. After the first container is nearing empty, I start thawing the second container. I give me 20-30 lbs guys about 1 cup of the food nuked for about a minute, morning and night.

How’s it working? Wonderful coats, plenty of energy, no skin problems EVER, all vet checkups clear and I’ve had their blood tested drawn at different times of their metabolic cycles to test for nutrients in their bloodstream (a whole lot of expensive testing just to reassure me that what I was doing was good) and not a single thing ever wrong with them. Since their food is not very hard or dry, you do need to brush their teeth or make sure they get plenty of dental chews. Their stool should be nice and loose, but not huge and frequent. Once or twice a day is normal. Their digestives tracts are using more of the food mass than was being used when feeding commercial food filled with corn and other grains. So their stool gets smaller. You can go online and find paid recipes backed by vets, but I’ve yet to see one that is truly all homemade. They typically create recipes that require using some overly priced supplement powder they distribute or co-advertise for. Don’t waste your time on them.

You may find that your dog devours the food right away or plays the hold-put game for something better. Mine play both games depending on their mood. They usually don’t eat the food right away cause it’s just been reheated and they know not to try. So they usually meander around for a while before eating it later. But when they finally eat… they eat it all… every last piece of vegetable, bean and rice, etc.

So there’s my experience and I hope it inspires you to give it a go and stick with it. I have an electric pressure cooker only for the dog food… best investment ever. It costs me about 50 cents to feed 1 lbs dog for a week. So that’s $10 a week for one 20 lbs dog. I consider that a much better ROI than commercial dog food. Since I only have one freezer, I only make food every 2 weeks and spend about 2 hours when I do. But you get used to it and you learn the process inside and out. I’d never go back. Now if only I would eat as good as these damned dogs do!! 😉

[Lila]

I have a 10yr old hound/pit mix. She has always had a sensitive stomach. I’ve tried various quality dog foods and she has done well on Merrick Limited Incrediant Turkey flavor. Now that Purina has bought them out I need to change foods. I’d like to stay in the same price range as the Merrick if possible. You all seem very knowledgable soooo, any suggestions?

[Shawna]

Hi onapap1,

Unfortunately there is no over the counter dog food that is like Prescription ZD (assuming it’s ZD not XD). There’s two main reasons for this — 1. the starch used is just starch not the whole food “corn starch” – very specific. 2. The protein “hydrolyzed chicken” used in the food has been “hydrolyzed” or broken down into amino acids. Chicken is often an allergy culprit but hydrolyzing process is what makes it non-allergenic.

It would be EXTREMELY rare (although likely not unheard of) to have a dog that is allergic to “meat” as it is specific proteins that cause allergies and proteins are in almost all foods. Therefore almost any food can cause an allergy or allergy type symptom. Lots of folks here on DFA have dogs that react to the protein in specific grains (wheat or corn as an example) but also to the protein in potatoes, peas and legumes.

The best thing to do, if you don’t want to feed prescription, is to do an elimination diet — or feed a food with only one protein and one starch. These over the counter limited ingredient diets are not hydrolyzed so your pup could still react if the specific protein (be it from the meat or the starch) is a trigger for him. If so, then try another limited ingredient diet with a different protein and starch. Some examples of limited ingredient over the counter diets are some like Natural Balance (which have many options to chose from) https://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dog-formulas/dry/limited-ingredient-diets or Nature’s Variety also has a limited ingredient line (they have a few options) http://www.instinctpetfood.com/instinct-limited-ingredient-diets-kibble-for-dogs

Others can probably give you additional options for limited ingredient diets if you want to try that route.

Edit to include — below is a list of all the foods in the Natural Balance Vegetarian diet that include protein that could be a problem. “brown rice, oatmeal, cracked pearled barley, peas, potato “protein”, potatoes, tomatoes, flaxseed and possibly kelp. It takes time for the histamine etc to clear the body after experiencing an allergic reaction. It’s not uncommon to see symptoms months after the problem protein was removed but you should see steady improvements. Also consider that multiple foods can cause problems — I have one that reacts to beef, goat and barley as an example.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 8 months ago by Shawna.

[wendi s]

Hi. What is the best dry dog food for a dog with allergies? We are currently feeding our pug Acana Pacifica but he is gaining weight on it. He has bad knees so the extra weight is really bad for him not to mention other things it causes. He is only getting a 1/4 cup twice a day. I don’t want to cut back because it is such a small amount as it is. He is very active. When it isn’t too hot out< I walk him 2 miles a day. In the summer it is a mile a day.

[Kenneth A]

Hound Dog Mom: Thank you for all of the advice regarding food choices for large breeds. I purchased my English Style Lab from a Vet, Breeder and competitor of show quality dogs. My wife and I just wanted a family companion, couch potato to replace our Lab we lost at 9.5 years to cancer. The breeder fed all of her dogs Pro Plan and we have kept Earl on Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy. He is currently 6 months old and shows no negative symptoms. However, I am not happy to learn this site (which I joined because I want to be informed) rates Pro Plan at 2.5 stars.

A small Pet Store Chain just opened a branch store a couple of miles away from where we live. The sell many of the foods that are rated 4+ Stars on this site so I will be changing Earl’s Food Soon.

Since Earl is not experiencing any problems with his current food what should I look for in determining the best food to switch him to? I know I will need to blend the new food with the old for a few days. He currently does not scratch, has no ear infections and has relatively small stools. So, I want to change to a higher rated food but I don’t want to create any issues for Earl.

Please express advice and opinions. I am leaning toward Fromm Dry Foods!

Thanks,

Ken

[Melinda L]

I need help in finding a lower price dog food. I have 5 dogs “ALL RESCUES” 1 has severe chicken allergies. Right now I am feeding all of them, Blue Buffalo Turkey and potato grain free limited ingredients. My allergy dog is doing great on this but it is breaking the bank.

[Kyle E]

My good Labrador friend is getting old and beginning to have problems with her joints and energy level. She’s also not eating very much of her food anymore, even though I buy her the expensive Taste of the Wild dry food. I want to switch to wet canned food to see if that improves her appetite. Does anyone have information on a quality, healthy, and tasty canned food that is formulated for all the problems senior dogs have, especially aching joints?

[robert a]

Hello,

Would really appreciate it if y’all would help guide me in finding out what would be the best food for my diabetic husky. He is about 7 years old, and I’m constantly on the defensive when it comes to his skin.

Not knowing any better and being a bit too trusting, he was eating Pedigree. After his diagnosis I’ve moved on to the Wellness brand. The one I buy is marketed as being good for skin and having fish in it(Which I just learned wasn’t included in the Editors Choice). His skin has improved a bit after changing to it, but he can’t stand the taste of it.

I’ve decided to look elsewhere in hopes that there might be a better dry food out there for him. Especially because there are times where he just won’t want to eat it, forcing me to change his insulin dose way too often.

Would really appreciate your help, thank you so much for your time!

[CircaRigel]

It’s been a while, and I thought I’d provide an update on Galen, now 19 months old, technically an adolescent for a giant breed (Shiloh Shepherd), but no longer a puppy. However, I did go through a number of adjustments to his diet as he grew up, and thought I’d discuss them. I’ll first discuss kibbles, since that is generally the area where improper calcium and phosphorus content causes problems. Brands discussed include Eukanuba, Holistic Select (and other WellPet brands), Canidae, Taste of the Wild, Fromms, Tripett, and my absolute favorite and the most impressive, nutritionally… Darwin’s Natural Selections. I will also briefly touch on treats. Every choice I’ve made for Galen has come about via extensive research, wanting only the very best for Galen’s growth and health, for he is training as my service dog. My first responsibility is to him, even before looking after myself, for it is his responsibility to always be looking after me. Besides… I consider him family on equal par to my most beloved family members. I have linked the Dog Food Advisor pages for Galen’s finalized diet at the bottom of this post.

Galen’s breeder weaned her litter on Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy diet. After his adoption, I transitioned him to Fromm’s, which is what his breeder now weans her puppies on, but his stools were often quite soft. There was a brief period when I tried Holistic Select Large breed puppy, but rapidly transitioned away from it when Galen became ill. As it happens, ALL kibble foods made by WellPet (Wellness, Holistic Select, Old Mother Hubbard, Eagle Pack) contain green tea extract. While the very small amounts are probably not harmful to most dogs, particularly since it’s being taken with food, I found a number of studies that were halted because of dogs dying after being given green tea extract on an empty stomach. There is no way I can know for certain, but I suspect Galen is somehow particularly susceptible to toxic effects from it, even in small doses. So I began researching foods, and I liked the nutrition profile for some of the Canidae varieties, and while they were not specifically puppy or large breed diets, I contacted Canidae to make sure I chose a variety with the proper calcium and phosphorus ratios for proper bone growth (Canidae has recently been shifting their manufacturing away from Diamond pet foods, with a new processing plant in California). He did well on this, but didn’t like it much. Since he’s rather thin (but not so much as to be unhealthy, according to his vets at Alameda East, the same hospital where Animal Planet’s “Emergency Vets” was filmed, as it’s closest to where I live), I decided to change things up again when he was about a year old. Since he now was at an age where his calcium metabolism was properly established (generally puppies older than 8 months old can properly metabolize calcium, without the need to limit it so much), it broadened the choices of available foods for him. So, I made a list of grain free foods on Dog Food Advisor with 4+ ratings, focusing especially on 5 star rated foods, and ordered a bunch of sample packs for him to try from K9Cuisine. Of all of the foods he tried, he preferred the 5 star rated varieties of Taste of the Wild best. While I’m not fond of the record of Diamond pet foods, I trust the ratings of Dog Food Advisor (except the high ratings of kibbles by WellPet brands, for the previously mentioned Green Tea toxicity risk). Anyway, to keep things interesting for his palate, I now transition between the three 5 star rated varieties of TOTW for dry food.

Canned foods: From very early on, I had Galen eating Tripett green beef tripe as his wet food. I chose this because green tripe contains the nutrients of what the cow ate as well as the nutritional value and digestive enzymes that are naturally inherent to tripe. I have tried other varieties of canned foods, but Galen usually turns his nose up at them after a few days, when the novelty wears off. There has been a single exception, though, which I also supplement his diet with. That is Darwin’s Natural Selections raw foods. Back when I was letting Galen choose from among the samples I got for him, I also got the $15 introductory sample of the Darwin’s food (10 lbs variety pack), which included free shipping on dry ice. Their foods are raw, made from free-range, organic animal sources and organic vegetables. They come in easy to open plastic packets. Dog Food Advisor not only rates it 5 stars, but enthusiastically recommends the foods. They have never had a recall. I was quite surprised to find that the food was packaged and frozen just a few days before it shipped to me. Now, Once you have had the trial and go to their subscription plan, the cost is far higher, plus shipping on dry ice. It’s too high for me to feed to Galen exclusively or even as half his diet, so I subscribe to it as a supplement to his regular diet, feeding him 2 lbs a week. I get him all varieties, which include chicken, turkey, duck, beef, and bison. Of all of the foods I’ve ever fed a dog, This has been by far of the highest quality I’ve encountered.

Galen is incredibly picky even with treats, generally preferring single-ingredient, meat based treats. These have included Simply Lamb (freeze dried lamb), PureBites freeze dried chicken breast, PureBites freeze dried duck liver, and Primal freeze dried Nuggets (lamb), although the nuggets I use more as an occasional supplement rather than a treat. Galen turns his nose up at most other treats, even jerky treats. That’s fine by me. I rather like seeing only one ingredient listed, which leaves me zero doubts of there being anything in it that is unnecessary to his health (i.e. preservatives).

On a final note, around holidays I like to make a turkey stock from the leftovers and carcass (bones removed, of course, after cooking so that nutrients specific to the bones leach into the stock, like the marrow). That turkey stock is for Galen, as a special treat supplementing his food.

So… Galen’s final adult diet:
Taste of the Wild (wetlands, High Prairie, and Canyon varieties)
Tripett Green Beef Tripe
Darwin’s Natural Selections raw (beef, bison, chicken, turkey, and duck)

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

[Ellen C]

Which grain free dry food is best for a 9 year old lab?

[Brooke R]

I have a white pit she scratches her belly non stop. The vet said she has sensitive skin and allergies. I recently got her a new shampoo from EarthsBest and I’m going to give her a bath with it today to see if that will help, I also give her Benadryl.

I read it could be her food or maybe a yeast infection?! I feed her Nature select cold water press, says its grain free….Does anyopne have any suggestions or know what it may be? She is consistently scratching her belly.

[harp31]

Thank you for the response. You are probably right about using the Rx food short term to help with healing, the ingredient list is hard for me to get past though. I was actually looking at Pure Vita today at a pet supply store (but they only had 20 lb bags and I need to start w/ 5 lbs or so in case they don’t like it) and they also recommended Dr. Gary’s Best Breed Grain Free Dry food. I may try the Pure Vita Turkey. I really appreciate the suggestions.

[Scared D]

This is an older thread but Abady’s granular foods are the best ‘dry’ foods you can buy. 9/10 stores that carry these foods, the staff and owners of the store use them.

They are incredibly simple foods and not really processed at all except for mixing.

They just need to be mixed every so often and its best to keep them in a cool location.

Very few stores carry the large boxes, they need to be ordered but in my area if you call on a Monday, the food is delivered by an Abady truck by Wednesday. The food is generally only a week old when you get it.

You will notice in two weeks. Tiny stools, better coat and cleaner teeth. You will also notice how comfortable the dogs are eating the food and after they finish. The mass they eat is much less and the food is granular so it digests much more efficiently. There is no plant fiber in the food. The stools look like coyote of fox scat.

It is also the only company that will work with your vet and actually review blood work if needed. There is a Vet on staff at the company. I highly recommend the Classic version. I haven’t done the calculation but I suspect the calories from carbs is 10-12%, and just white rice.

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

[Joe W]

Ok, this thread has obviously deteriorated into a childish playground argument (thanks for that janus), let’s stay on topic and stop arguing like crazy biatc#s with PMT.

Anyone not intelligent enough to research opinions on a forum and come to a balanced decision based on opinion and fact (which I may add HAS to be linked and referenced otherwise only a retard would blindly belive it), is not responsible, intelligent or mature enough to be responsibly owning a dog in the first place.

Just look in the ingredients, it’s the best way to tell….. anything that lists cereals or animal derivatives at the top of it’s contents is in my opinion AND supported by a huge ammount of fact (research it yourself as I’m not doing it for you lazy asses) not good for your pet and will only lead to a bad coat and other annoying issues.

The only dry food I trust is from an independent local supplier who is passionate about going against the big brand’s horrible ingredients and makes his dry food from vegetables and only natural antioxidants, it’s ingredients starting ‘CHICKEN MEAL, MAIZE, RICE, OATS, CHICKEN FAT, PRAIRIE MEAL, CHICKEN LIVER, BEETROOT PULP, SALMON OIL….. you get the picture.

If you’re wondering what to treat your dog with that’s not harmful? Then stop shopping in a business and make your own, frozen chicken liver chunks, or just cook a whole chicken (they are mega cheap) and shred up the meat, freeze it and use as treats. Remember that research suggests (yes anus, sorry ‘janus’ damn my typos) that smaller treats are better for training than larger ones, so just a taste will do.

The only manufactured treat I trust and use are natures menu ones, my golden retriever Nico LOVES them so much that his teeth chatter as you train him with them! He can’t get enough, and they are 95% meat so they are most and each small treat easily breaks into 6 or more smaller rewards, he loves the chicken best but other flavours are avaliable.

My experience? I have owned dogs, only ever had pedigree dogs from show dog families so the breeders have been crazy into health and coat care, nutrition ect. and have given me a wealth of knowledge….. this plus conversing regularly with a very good vet when I have a question I can’t find the answer to myself (yes janus, by researching different opinions of other dog owners which I VALUE and RESPECT more than, well more than you), has given me what I think a balanced view on what is best for myself and my dog…… But hey, that’s just my opinion right?…. Oh wait sorry, that was ‘In My Honest Opinion’

If any of my spelling was off there, I apologise, I’m using my phone and this forum isn’t too mobile friendly with it’s format.

Joe
Retired British Army Infantry Sniper….. Hence why any haters or immature children that want to reply with something idiotic will be ignored, I don’t have time to waste on keyboard warriors with arrogant ‘black or white’ ‘my way or I cry like a child’ opinions…… Life is one big grey area, engage your brain, adapt, overcome, and deal with it.