[theBCnut]

A lot of us live in rural areas and order online.

[Georgia Rescue Mom]

Yall are awesome! Thank you 🙂 Where do you find these foods? I usually shop Petsmart.. I have found a very reasonable one that is 3 stars, Lassie Natural Way.. the puppy was rated 4 but now all down to 3.. I would still like to look at these others and will google. I have heard (and seen by ratings) that Costco’s is very good food too.. but I”m not currently amember.. Thank you again!

[Hound Dog Mom]

Some that weren’t mentioned: Pro Pac, Eagle Pack (available in 50 lb. breeder bags), Pure Balance (available at Walmart), Healthwise, Native Performance. All rated 3.5 – 5 stars and all <$1.25 per lb.

[Hound Dog Mom]

If you’re on a budget and are just using raw to supplement a balanced kibble it’d be much cheaper to just add fresh meat at a rate of 20% or less of the total meal. Freeze-dried foods are very expensive. My grocery store almost always has beef heart, beef liver, chicken hearts, chicken gizzards and chicken livers – all of these items are very reasonably priced and could boost the protein of the kibble and provide your dogs with some of the benefits of a raw diet without the hefty price tag. If freeze-dried is the route you want to go and are open to switching foods – all of Nature’s Variety’s foods are coated in freeze-dried raw and they have a new food called “Raw Boost” with chunks of freeze-dried raw, Great Life is coated in freeze-dried raw and Wysong has two kibbles (Optimal Performance and Nurture) that contain chunks of freeze-dried raw. It may be cheaper to buy a kibble with the freeze-dried raw already incorporated rather than supplementing separately.

[kcarter137]

I am new to this site and find it so thankful that I found it. Hopefully I won’t sound crazy but here it goes. I have had a really hard time finding food that work for my dogs. Everytime I think I have found a food it or they seem to have problems. They were all on California Natual or Innova and doing great until I changed them in October due to news that P&G bought them.

I have four dogs. Here is the breakdown:
13 year old golden female. Years ago the vet reccomended their Iams fish and potato diet which worked fine but due to budget reasons we switched her to California Natural Herring and Sweet Potato. She did wonderful for many years on that. We tried Taste of the Wild’s fish formula and immeditetly she started itching. Now she is on Tuscan Natural Lamb Formula. She is doing fine with her allergies on it (aka no itching) but after reading reviews I feel like I am feeding her an imcomplete food.
5 year old golden (no problem). Also eating Tuscan Natual Lamb Formula.
2 year old great dane mix (crazy sensitive GI tract). Eating Tuscan Natural Turkey and Chicken.
1 year old 13 lb mix (has major skin issues). She’s eating Orijen Adult – so far the only food that hasn’t triggered her demodex.

Here is the real question. Supplementing their diets with a freeze-dried raw food make since or should I switch their kibble? I am on a budget – but I can get Tuscan Natual at wholesale price which is about $35 a bag. I feed about 11 cups of food daily between all the dogs.

• This topic was modified 12 years, 7 months ago by kcarter137.

[Mom2Cavs]

Yes, I’m sorry, I would say that Simply Nourish, Nutrisource and Earthborn are more expensive than the rest of the list I gave you. Good luck, I understand your need. 🙂

[Georgia Rescue Mom]

THANK YOU, Patty 🙂

[theBCnut]

I think it’s this one
/dog-food-reviews/sportmix-wholesomes-dog-food/

[Georgia Rescue Mom]

Mom2Cavs, what is the Sportmix food? I haven’t heard of this brand before. Thank you

[Georgia Rescue Mom]

Thank you both so much!!! I love Nutrisource and I am using Simply Nourish right now.. honestly, they are almost too much for my budget though, I have to buy 3 to 4 bags a month but there’s some I haven’t tried.. THANK YOU 🙂

[Mom2Cavs]

In my opinion, the top budget friendly foods in my area (Cincinnati):
1. Whole Earth Farms
2. Fromm Classics
3. Earthborn
4. Nutrisource
5. 4Health
6. Sportmix’s new food
7. Rachel Ray’s new grain free food
8. Simply Nourish at Petsmart
9. Authority’s grain free at Petsmart
10. last on my list because it’s…well…Diamond – Diamond’s new grain free

There may be more than this but it’s all I can think of.

[pugmomsandy]

I’ve heard that Victor and Earthborn are budget friendly. I’ve used Nutrisource which is mid-priced ($45-$50) for a large bag in my area and it has a higher calorie count so I do use less. Also Nature’s Select has competitive prices as well and they discount for rescues.

[Georgia Rescue Mom]

Hi!
I help with rescues and have several dogs and cats. I have been researching this website and dog food for awhile (I love this site!).. I understand that better quality food can mean that you feed less, but I was just wondering what others’ opinions are of some of the best foods at the best prices?? I am on a budget but want to do the best I can for my babies. Thank you!

[weimlove]

Nectarmom-
I’m so sorry to hear that your baby is still sick 🙁 shadow has fully recovered and his appetite is back. For now, I purchased natures variety instinct with raw boost. It’s a grain free kibble with added bits of freeze dried raw. He is still having some runny poop but it’s a lot better than the liquid poop he was having. I was also thinking about Darwin’s, but I’m going to continue researching. I wish I could feed raw but sometimes it just dosent work for our babies. I feel like a failure but his health is my top priority

HDM- I will definitely keep that in mind, but the pre-mix and that kind of meat Woukd be way out of my budget. In trying to spend no more than $100 a month on food.

Thank you all for all the help and advice you have given me.

[Saireah]

I posted earlier in this thread regarding our new foster puppy (then failed foster puppy) Riggs… he’s now six months old and doing great. I have been feeding him Fromm’s Large Breed Puppy Gold. He’s been flourishing on it and it’s a great price in my area ($49 for a 33lb bag). It took me a bit to swallow that it’s only a 4 star food because it is grain inclusive, but my 2 year old lab/vizsla mix has been doing so much better since I took her off of grain-free food. I have her on the Adult Gold and chose the Large Breed Puppy Gold so I could do Fromm’s buy-12-get-13th-free This is strange, I know, and I’m in no way advocating switching to grain-inclusive – it just seemed as if grain-free was too rich for her.

I wanted to throw the option of Fromm’s Large Breed Puppy Gold out there to everyone as an alternative if you’re a bit concerned about budget. What was interesting to me is that it has less calcium than Fromm’s GF Game Bird Recipe. It does have a bit less protein, but I think it looks pretty good when I did my original research on it. Feel free to correct me, though. 🙂

And their Large Breed Puppy Gold bags currently have incorrect feeding guidelines on them due to some regulatory issues, but if you e-mail Fromm’s customer service, they will send you a document with the proper guidelines.

I should note that, once Riggs turns a year old, I am going to try and transition them both to a grain-free Fromm’s 4 Star line and see how Quinn does again. But, for the year in which he is literally inhaling his food, I had to be a bit budget-minded. 🙂

[BlueDog]

Yay Cyndi! I have also recently (as in yesterday) started researching a raw food diet for my 50lb ACD. I found a page (and forgot to bookmark) that helped me decide that with his weight range, I should give him about 1000 Cal/day, or about 1.25lb each day of food, including boneless meat and raw meaty bones. HDM’s suggestions are great, and I went today all around town to local butchers, grocery stores, and even a vet that has knowledge and that supports raw food diets. I made a list of what each place had to offer based on who had better prices on things, especially harder to find things like beef hearts and turkey necks. Ended up buying 3 fryer chickens that were on sale for $0.77 a lb, and some other stuff on sale. My plan is to establish my budget that I can devote to this, price everything up, and start saving. And also to buy meat when I see it for a great price. We are lucky in my area to have access to a local butcher, several grocery stores (HEB has had the best selection of doggy type meats for decent prices) and also a natural/organic food store that has a ton of the great supplements that I have seen mentioned. Check the “Transitioning to raw” thread on this section of the forum, it has a lot of great info and I think a sample recipe from HDM. There’s also a thread “Suggested raw dog food menus” that has several recipes that HDM and others have posted.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Cyndi –

It’s wonderful that you’re considering a raw diet for your dog!

Owning three large and active dogs, I can sympathize with you on wanting to keep things cheap. My tips for keeping raw feeding budget friendly would be:

1. Rely on chicken, turkey, pork and beef as your primary protein sources – they’re the cheapest per pound.

2. Rather than feeding boneless meat and supplementing with calcium, incorporate raw meaty bones (chicken necks, turkey necks, etc.) as the calcium source. RMB’s are much cheaper per pound than boneless meat.

3. Rely on hearts and gizzards as your primary source of muscle meat in the diet. While boneless skinless chicken breast might be more appealing to a person, there’s no reason dogs need to eat these expensive cuts of meat.

4. Add things like eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt or kefir to stretch the meal a bit with some cheap but high quality animal-based protein.

5. Avoid pre-ground meats, they’re generally more expensive. Feed meat in chunks or dice it yourself.

6. Buy bulk – try to locate a wholesale supplier. Shop the manager’s specials at the grocery store.

7. Use supplements made for humans rather than for dogs, believe it or not they’re generally much cheaper. I order from Swanson Vitamins (cheap, high quality, big variety).

[BlueDog]

Thanks for the great response! The reason I ask is mainly because I would really like to start feeding a raw diet, but I don’t have a large budget or a lot of storage space. Do you have any suggestions that can help minimize expenditures? I know I need to find someone in town that I can joint order with, but do you have any other ideas?

[NectarMom]

•Natural Selections™ Meals
– Free-Range Meat and Organic Vegetables
The highest quality USDA-approved ingredients, free of antibiotics, hormones or chemical pesticides.
•ZooLogics™ Meals
– Human-Quality, USDA-approved Ingredients
The same complete formula but with conventionally-raised, human-quality ingredients. It’s the most economical way to feed fresh food to your dog. Great for those on a tight budget or with several large dogs.

What is the difference and is Organic really that much better and I know there are different levels of organic quality and the price difference does make a difference when you are feeding 4 dogs Raw but at the same time I want my 4dogs to get the best that they can get. Right now we are getting the Organic but I am also wondering about the Zoologics and how many of you feed this over the Organic and vise vera if so? I do plan to contact Darwin’s to ask them the difference to see what they say but I would also like your opinions to compare? Is Organic all it is cracked out to be?

Also I am feeding the turkey but if I decided to switch to another Darwin’s protein meat should I mix or not?

[DogFoodie]

Ordering online is safe and convenient. And, the best part is that the UPS or FedEx guy gets to lug your giant bag of dog food to your front door! All it costs you are some home baked cookies at Christmas. : )

You know, I have to mention also that NutriSource is one of my favorite budget friendly foods. I just priced it on Petflow.com and you can get a 40 pound bag of Performance Chicken & Rice for $55.99. You can pick up a 30 pound bag of grain free food for either $49.99 or $50.99. Or, you could grab a 33 pound bag of Adult Chicken & Rice for $47.99. You might be able to pick it up locally somewhere near you. They have a nice loyalty reward program as well, buy 12, get the 13th bag free. I’d contact the manufacturer and ask if the program is available for online purchases. It’s a four star food on DFA. It’s made by Tuffy’s and I have faith in the company. In my opinion, it’s an outstanding value.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi turtlemom –

Large breed dogs don’t need anything different than any other sized dog once they’re adults. In fact, most “large breed” specific foods are reduced protein and fat and contain less meat than the non-large breed foods – not a good thing! Just look for a quality budget friendly food. Some budget friendly grain-free foods: Earthborn, Victor, NutriSource, Dr. Tim’s. Some budget friendly grain-inclusive formulas: Victor, Native Performance, Healthwise, Pro Pac, Eagle Pack, Whole Earth Farms, NutriSource, Dr. Tim’s. All of these foods are rated at least 4 stars. Native Performance, Dr. Tim’s, Pro Pac, Victor (Hi-Pro formulas) and NutriSource (performance formulas) are pretty calorie-dense. Also keep in mind bag size and calorie content when comparing. Some performance formulas have around 600 kcal. per cup and are much cheaper to feed than most foods even if the cost per pound is similar.

[turtlemom]

I have a couple Great Danes. I am always researching food and comparing dry kibble labels. They were on Blue Buffalo but my local store went up on the price to 65 bucks a bag I had to re evaluate my budget for dog food. I went to a crap food and they are eating twice as much so the search is on for a good food again. I loved Blue Buffalo but is there a better dry food out there????

I’d love a high calorie food so they don’t have to eat as much (less poo)
I’d love glucosamine and Chondroitin and Omega’s

What is a great dog food for Danes? I’d love to eventually do a raw natural diet….. but that is for another research day 🙂

Oh and sorry if this is already answered … I tried to search but only found large breed puppy info.

Thanks !

[BryanV21]

Taste of the Wild is not what I’d call a “meat based” food. TOTW is a fine food, don’t get me wrong, but at around 40% carbs it’s certainly not the most ideal diet out there. For a few bucks more there’s Merrick’s grain frees, which are around 30% carbs.

[Bikos Buddy]

Bryan, I previously had been feeding Taste of the Wild, so I think the quality then wasn’t an issue but now what a world of difference with his digestive trac and low protein/phosphorus foods. I’m assuming he is doing okay on that gawd awfull Hill k/d, but it sure is messy cleaning up after him. Presently in the process of changing him over to Natures Select Ultra-Lite, but was told the company is phasing that blend out of there brand line. Where I go next I’ll have to research a bit more.

[BryanV21]

If a low protein food is a must then I’d point to Solid Gold Holistique Blendz. However, most of the time the problem is not the QUANTITY of protein, but the QUALITY of the protein. Not knowing what you’ve been feeding makes it difficult to determine if that’s the issue, but if you’ve been feeding a food whose protein comes mainly from fruits and/or vegetables, going with a food with more animal-based protein (aka “meat”) may do the trick.

[Bikos Buddy]

Excellent resource, has anyone tried doing this in regards to low protein/low phosphorus foods? My Biko, was diagnosed with kidney failure 3 months ago and I’m having a heck of a time trying to find a compatible dog food that comes out the exit in normal fashion.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Dolphina13 –

Oftentimes when dogs are having issues on low quality foods (such as Pedigree, Beneful, ‘Ol Roy, etc.), simply switching to a food free of corn, wheat, soy and dyes can solve the problem. I’m not sure exactly what you’re “budget” is but the cheapest options I know of would be Pure Balance (sold at Walmart) the chicken variety is $31.88 for 30 lbs. and the lamb variety is is $39.88 for 30 lbs and 4Health (sold at Tractor Supply) runs between $31.99 and $36.99 for a 35 lb. bag. I know a lot of people that have had success with lamb and rice based foods for sensitive dogs. But, like Melissa said, it’s trial and error – every dog is different.

[DogFoodie]

I agree with Patty on this. This past summer, I needed to switch my new Golden pup off of the Purina Pro Plan the breeder had him on and I was able to make a cold turkey switch to Nutri Source Adult Chicken & Rice. I’ve become a big fan of their products and regularly use several of their kibbled and canned formulas in our rotation. It’s a budget friendly food and they have a loyalty rewards program ~ buy 12 get the 13th free. I convinced a co-worker to switch from Pedigree to Nutri Source and she pointed out that it’ll actually cost less because she’s able to feed less of the Nutri Source than the Pedigree.

[Dolphina13]

Hello
I have a 2 years old lab/australian cattle dog mix and lately he’s been vomitting and having diarrhea quite a lot lately. He’s been fine on Pedigree puppy and adult up until now. I am some sort of on a budget and I can’t afford vet brand dog food so I was wondering a good pet store name brand for gastro diet dry food anyone would recommand.
Thanks for your help :o)

[Jackie B]

A DFA fan made this spreadsheet a while back. Probably a little out of date now but it should be helpful as a starting place. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmNw5KB82-n_dGtyOEpVVXhPQ2tfeU1FUGdEdjVnTkE&hl=en#gid=1

I order online, from doggiefood.com mostly. The food is so much cheaper than at PetSmart– and for the same or better product.

[lisabethholly]

I need to switch my dogs to a budget friendlier food. I have an 85 lb lab who needs grain free food & a 105 lb rottie with hip dysplasia (13 months old). They’ve been on Blue Buffalo Wilderness Large Breed formula but I just changed jobs & took a huge pay but (but even bigger happiness raise) so I need to find something more affordable.
Does anyone have any recommendations?

Thank you!
Holly, Brody (the rottasaurus) & Faith (the golden child)

[Hound Dog Mom]

I’m aware of the fact that starch is necessary to “bind” a kibble – that (along with the fact that it’s overproduced and devoid of moisture and enzymes) is precisely why my dogs don’t eat kibble. For a kibble that actually had corn as a “minor” component, I don’t think it would be a huge deal. However, the majority of corn-inclusive kibbles are too low in protein – meaning too low in meat. Bil Jac is only 27% protein – that is definitely not a food high in meat. My dogs’ meals average about 50% protein and if feeding kibble I wouldn’t even consider a kibble that was under 30% protein and I’d prefer a food with at least 35% protein. If I were to feed a kibble having no budget constraints, I’d go with a grain-free formula as the majority of the highest protein kibbles are grain-free. However, if I were on a budget there are some corn-inclusive foods that I believe are of reasonable price and quality that I wouldn’t hesitate to use. I’ve used Eagle Pack and Pro Pac in the past with good results.

[Hound Dog Mom]

DoggieDoc22 –

Most of what you posted is accurate, however you’re leaving out a lot of relevant information.

1) 85% of corn grown in the United States is genetically modified.
2) Corn has a very low biologic value, as opposed to ingredients of animal origin.
3) Corn is at a very high risk of developing mycotoxins.
4) Corn does not have sufficient levels of amino acids – it’s deficient in cystine and methionine.
5) Corn has a very unbalanced ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 fatty acids.

Corn isn’t horrible, per se, granted it’s free of mycotoxins, organic/non-GMO and paired with other appropriate ingredients to create a complete amino acid profile, however it’s a low cost ingredient used to replace meat which is expensive – period. Arguments exist for why corn is acceptable – such as the arguments you presented and they are valid points, however there is no valid argument that can be made to demonstrate that corn is in any way superior to meat. Therefore, the only conclusion that can be made is that, because corn is an inferior product, manufacturers include it merely as a means of keeping costs down. This is fine for those on a budget, but I’m not cutting costs for my dogs. They get meat, not low cost alternatives.

[Mom2Cavs]

gebo, I’m glad Bil-Jac is working for your dog but I did do my research and don’t want to feed it to mine because of the ingredients. I also remember when I worked at a pet specialty store that carried Bil-Jac it, along with Purina products, were the foods that got “buggy” most often, so that alone will keep me from using it. I’m not saying other foods can’t get bugs in them, of course they can, but this happened often at our store and we were very careful about storing things correctly. Also, you don’t have to be rich to feed a good food. Merrick has Whole Earth Farms that is cheaper than Iams in a lot of places. Tractor Supply, and many feed stores, carries foods that are very budget friendly and have decent ratings and ingredients. I choose to feed Acana (the formulas with oats, so not grain free) and I also choose to use freeze dried raw along with some highly rated canned food. Now these foods are more expensive than alot of others, but thank God I can afford them right now. If that ever changes, I have done research on cheaper foods that are still better quality…you never know in this world what life might bring. My point is, you should feed the best food you can possibly feed within your budget that works for your dog. It is okay to read rating sites and forums for other people’s opinions but you should do your own research in the end.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Janet –

If you’re sure the “scooting” is not due to anal gland issues I would bring a stool sample to the vet to check for parasites just in case (certain worms – such as tapeworms – can cause “scooting”).

To help with the stools and the transition to a new food I would add a spoonful of plain canned pumpkin to each meal and supplement with probiotics and digestive enzymes (there’s no need to buy a “pet” supplement, something from the health section for at the grocery store with suffice and likely be cheaper). You can continue the pumpkin and supplements permanently if need be.

Grain-free foods are, unfortunately, pricier than grain-inclusive foods. Earthborn is probably one of the most budget-friendly grain-free foods available. Some other options would be Nutrisource, Taste of the Wild, The Source, Victor, Authority and 4Health (note: Taste of the Wild and 4Health are manufactured by Diamond). NutriSource, Taste of the Wild and Source run about the same price as Earthborn while Victor, Authority and 4Health are slightly cheaper. Authority Grain-Free is available exclusively at Petsmart. The Source and 4Health are available exclusively at Tractor Supply. Earthborn, Taste of the Wild and Nutrisource can be found at most high end pet specialty stores and online. Victor will likely be the most difficult food to locate – I haven’t been able to find an online retailer and it’s not sold in my area but if you can find it, it looks like a fantastic food and it a great bargain.

You’re correct that dry food doesn’t really clean teeth, that’s a myth. I wish it wasn’t though – I’d eat potato chips and cookies all day and use the excuse that it’s for my dental health lol. 🙂 Canned food is actually healthier and more species appropriate (higher moisture content and higher protein levels) so if you can afford to occasionally buy some quality canned food (4Health has some grain-free varieties that are a bargain at only $0.99 per can) that would be great for your dog. Healthy “people food” is good to add to kibble too – eggs, tinned sardines, leftover lean meat, plain yogurt, cottage cheese, low glycemic veggies, etc.

I think raw bones are best for dental health. My dogs eat a raw diet and get raw bones daily – beef ribs, pork necks, turkey necks, chicken backs, etc. If you’re going to buy something from the store I’d go for “natural” chews (make sure they’re made in the US) such as dried tracheas, bully sticks and pig ears – these are species-appropriate (high protein, grain-free) and great for dental health. As far as “treats,” I’d go with high protein meaty treats such as jerky (made in the US of course), grain-free biscuits or freeze-dried raw foods. I’m a big fan of Nature’s Variety Instinct dog biscuits, EVO biscuits and Darford Zero-G biscuits (although I’m not sure if the Darford biscuits are being made anymore 🙁 ). I also feed freeze-dried raw (such as NV Instinct and Stella & Chewy’s) as treats.

[Rllshamrock]

Hi, I’m new to this website, and I would greatly appreciate some advice. We have an almost 6 year old female, half black lab/half pit bull, she weighs between 50 and 60 pounds. We had been feeding her Taste of the Wild for years, and it seemed to agree quite well with her, and the price was within our budget. We took her off of it as a precaution after a bunch of it was recalled (I learned recently the recall was not in our area…). We had to put her on what we could then afford at the time, which was not great, and it seems to be giving her skin issues now (thankfully, she has no other major medical issues). She has only been on this particular food for a few months, thankfully, and I’d like to get her switched over to something actually good for her ASAP! I was just wondering if anyone could tell me their top recommendations for a grain-free dry dog food, and what I could expect the price to be. Would it be safe to put her back on Taste of the Wild? I have had someone recommend Innova or Orijen, but I think those might be a bit out of our affordability range. Thank you in advance for anything you can tell me!

[Hound Dog Mom]

A balanced raw diet would be best, canned would be second best, dry would be worst (granted they all have the same rating). Pick something that’s convenient (some people don’t have the time to prepare or properly research a raw diet) and affordable (raw and canned foods are much more expensive than dry foods) to you. If you go with kibble for convenience and budget reasons (which is understandable), I’d recommend picking a 4 or 5 star kibble and, when possible, topping the kibble with a quality canned food and/or healthy fresh cooked or raw leftovers (lean meat, eggs, cottage cheese, yogurt, tinned sardines, low glycemic veggies, etc.).

[Anonymous]

I am by no means a canine nutritionist, merely someone who has put a bit of thought into what I feed mine. My knowledge is not specific to the medical condition and sensitivity of your dog. The guidelines that I found with a superficial online search for cardiac diet were:
– Provide your pet a high-quality natural meat-based diet with at least 25-30% protein (DM basis)
– Make sure your pet LIKES the food so that (s)he consumes enough calories to maintain BMI
– Mild to moderate sodium restriction (severe restriction in advanced cases)
– Supplements: omega 3 fatty acids, taurine, carnitine, B vitamins and Magnesium.
http://www.1800petmeds.com/education/diet-tips-pet-heart-disease-32.htm

I am going to assume that you are looking for a dry kibble based on your previous food choice. I feel that the top of the line dry kibble RIGHT NOW is Orijen. However, it does retail for $80/35lb. As I feed about 400 lb of dog, the budgetary compromise at my house is Merrick Grain Free at roughly $50/35lb.

Prior to Merrick Grain Free, I was feeding Taste of the Wild, but have decided that I prefer Merrick for not entirely nutrition-based reasons. While the protein content is slightly higher and the starch from sweet potato (rather than white), they are reasonably equivalent foods (in nutrition and price). However, Merrick uses all US-sourced ingredients (nothing from China). This is a political issue and safety concern of mine. The larger scale pet recall in 2007 due to melamine contamination was traced to Chinese product, and the more recent Petco recall of stainless steel bowls manufactured with radioactive Cobalt-60 scrap was most likely (while never publicly disclosed) of Chinese origin. Merrick also happens to be manufactured in Texas, where I live. Those variables may not factor into your decision at all, but are important to me.

I could not find a cardiac specific diet offered by Hill’s in their Science Diet or Prescription Diet lines and based my quick comparison on the Adult Advanced Fitness formula. The Advanced Mobility contained more Omega 3’s and Magnesium, but was lower in protein and higher in sodium. Orijen appears to be the best choice, but may not be an option for you dependent on your personal budget. Merrick Grain Free is my compromise, but is based on a few tertiary considerations that may not matter to you. I will be interested to hear what other posters have to contribute. (The following information was retrieved from those companies’ official website product pages and is as vague or detailed as they provided.) The summary comparison is this:

Hill’s Merrick Orijen
Protein 24.2 38 38
Fat 16.4 17 17
Carbohydrate 51.5 ? 25
Sodium 0.32 ? 0.4
Omega-3 Fatty Acids 0.67 0.4 1.1
Omega-6 Fatty Acids 3.33 4.8 3.0
Taurine (yes) ? 0.35
Carnitine ? ? ?
B Vitamins
B1 – Thiamine (yes) (yes) 0.9 mg/kg or 50 mg/kg?
B2 – Riboflavin ? (yes) 45 mg/kg
B3 – Niacin (yes) (yes) 450 mg/kg
B5 – Pantothenic Acid ? (yes) 50 mg/kg
B6 – Pyridoxine ? (yes) 38 mg/kg
B7 – Biotin ? (yes) 1 mg/kg
B9 – Folic Acid (yes) (yes) 5.2 mg/kg
B12 – Cobalamins (yes) (yes) 50 mg/kg
Magnesium 0.099 ? 0.1

Since the foods that I mentioned are simply those that I am familiar with and not anything that I originally researched with cardiac issues in mind, I would recommend that you use this as a springboard for your own research. Maybe there is a better option in Innova EVO, Artemis, etc. Finish out a chart similar to that above on each of the brands that this website lists as top-tier choices. Feel free to call companies like Merrick or Hill’s to ask about specific quantities of items on their ingredients list, but not in their analysis (like B vitamins).

You might also want to consult with a veterinarian that specializes in cardiac issues regarding dietary recommendations and possible supplements. Maybe it is more cost-effective or bioavailable to top-dress your pets dinner with certain vitamins (L-carnitine perhaps). As wonderful as your veterinarian my be, my experience is that the time constraints of their day-to-day rigamarole does not allow time for general practitioners to be current and thorough on more specific issues. Reading journal articles falls to the wayside. Specialist consultation and personal research are important any time you have a specific veterinary/medical diagnosis of concern. Your vet has to have a working knowledge of EVERYTHING. You can concentrate on the single issue that is of prominent importance for your pet.

Good Luck

[Cavalierluvr]

Wow…thank you both. I have been thinking of trying either Earthborn Holistic or Taste of the Wild as they are a little more in my budget range. I do a slow transition (usually close to 10 days) whenever I’ve tried a new food….and the transition has always gone well. Jasper is almost 4 and had mostly been on a Chicken based diet. He was on Fromm Gold for a while and Canidae Chicken when it got to the point he was eating grass and throwing up almost daily. I have used pumpkin on him but he’s not a big fan of it, unless I offer only a really small amount. I have tried InClover OptaGest Digestive Aid but that didn’t seem to make much of a difference over time. He is currently on the Lamb formula and seems to be doing ok, but he still seems to scratch his ears or shake his head, not constantly, but enough that I wonder if it is the grain in his food. I do think you may be right HoundDogMom that not all grain-free foods will be the same for him. And once the weather breaks I’ll have to try the new food where I can really monitor him to make sure stools are fine. Maybe it was just a fluke the abscess happened. He only goes to a groomer 3-4 times a year and I did ask her to pay close attention to that. My sister has a Maltipoo and his glands always seem to be swollen…I would not say that is the case with Jasper. He’s a larger Cavalier and I would really not consider him a toy dog!

[InkedMarie]

I saved that link, HDM. I’m one of the budget conscious people.
How do you know how much of a human probiotic to give dogs? I have two that are 30lbs each and the other is 24lbs

[Hound Dog Mom]

On the topic of probiotics. Was just looking through some supplements and came across this: http://www.swansonvitamins.com/swanson-probiotics-dr-stephen-langers-ultimate-15-strain-probiotic-fos-60-veg-caps . It’s a 15-strain probiotic with pre-biotics marketed for humans. I know Mercola’s probiotic is considered by many to be the gold standard – this has one more strain and is a whole lot cheaper. $0.12 per dose for a large dog versus $0.90 per dose for a large dog of the Mercola. I personally haven’t tried it out (yet, I might) but it would be worth a try for those that are more budget conscious.

[Mom2Cavs]

I agree with Marie. Pedigree may donate food, and while that is a good thing, it doesn’t make it a good food. There are lots of budget friendly foods that have better ingredients. I feel that if you can afford the supplement you can afford a better food. mlp576, your post wasn’t clear about why you were using Pedigree and you made it sound like you were very knowledgable about dog nutrition, so I was just wondering why someone who is knowledgable would feed Pedigree and then use a supplement like the one you mentioned. I did look it up and it sounds interesting. I’m glad you’re learning. We all started somewhere.

[InkedMarie]

no, we are not pit bulls here but we do love them. I think it’s great that Pedigree does alot for animals but their food is not a good food. The ingredients are not good. If you are on a budget, we can certainly give you ideas for budget friendly dog foods with good ingredients.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi sharyorkie –

I’m not sure what your budget is – but raw, homemade, fresh cooked (like Fresh Pet), dehydrated (like The Honest Kitchen), freeze-dried raw, air-dried (like Ziwi Peak) and canned foods all seem to appeal to picky dogs more than kibble. They are all more expensive to feed than kibble, but also healthier and more species-appropriate.

If you need to stick with kibble, I’d recommend trying something like Tripett (canned green tripe) – you can add just a spoonful or so to some warm water, mash it up to make some gravy and then completely coat the kibble. I’ve never heard of a dog that didn’t love green tripe. I’d try this trick with any of the 4 or 5 star kibbles.

[sisu]

I have a 7 year old who is a spinal walking paraplegic. He has no feeling from the waist down. He can walk due to muscle memory which 10-15% of dogs maintain. There is limited bladder and bowel control. Although the conditions are different our goals in waste management may be the same.

Grain inclusive foods result in big fluffy poop. Grain free with the highest meat content and lowest carbs give the best results when feeding kibble. With a balanced raw diet there is barely any waste. Therefore, the poop is very small, ring finger to little finger size. If Prey Model Raw (PMR) is not an option consider premade raw with the highest meat content. After 5 years of trial and error I have found that EVO Herring and Salmon kibble works very well. As almost a contradiction to my high meat, low carb, low fiber rule Blue Buffalo Wilderness Salmon also results in small size poop. I suspect it may be due to the digestibility of the menhaden fish meal. Of the two brands EVO poop is smaller. Some companies will send free samples. Use the contact link on their websites to make the request.

I feed as close to 6 am and 6 pm as possible. There are very few treats given. Rewards are enthusiastic chin scratches and lots of happy, verbal praise. By restricting the frequency of food going in I can predict that poop will happen an hour to and hour and a half after each meal. Exercise will cause him to poop sooner rather than later. Anal stimulation either by lightly touching around the outside of the anus or using a KY jelly lubricated thermometer inserted into the rectum with some slight movement will cause him to poop a couple of hours sooner than expected. Although I have rarely used either of these methods they are useful for getting things back on schedule. If used frequently poop on demand becomes the schedule rather than allowing his natural digestion to establish a schedule.

Below is a list of meat protein in various brands of kibble that I have collected from the ‘net. I have not fed these brands. Although I trust the sources of the information I cannot guarantee it.

Dr. Tim’s Momentum 35/25, 96%
Native Level 4, 35/25, 93%
Diamond Extreme Athlete, 93%
Inukshuk 32/32, 95%
Annamet should be 90+%. Specific amt. is not known.
Orijen 82%
Horizon Legacy 80%
Instinct 70%.
Merrick grain free 70%

I am unsure if the constant leg movement your boy has are muscle spasms. If so, daily muscle massage of the legs and along the spine similar to Tellington Touch, gentle repetitive bicycle movement, and flexing the leg joints and toes may help. All is done slowly. Stop if there is a spasm. Resume when the muscles relax. After 2 years of daily massage/flexing therapy Connor has no spasms.

If your dog is being treated by a general vet I would suggest a visit to a veterinary neurologist or neurosurgeon. Not for surgery but to evaluate and treat the current condition. For example, there is medication that can help with muscle spasms. Also, if it is in the budget, professional physical therapy can help with lingering issues. If the carts were not professionally fitted a neurologist or physical therapist may be able to resolve the current problems.

If interested in raw feeding:
http://preymodelraw.com/how-to-get-started/
http://puppybutt.weebly.com/uploads/7/6/9/2/7692088/beginners_guide_to_prey_model_raw_rv.4.1.pdf

The Paralysis: Neurological and IVDD forum is very helpful and informative.
http://www.handicappedpet.net/helppets/

I hope some of this helps.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi DrYattz –

You really can’t give a healthy dog too much protein. Most of the Solid Gold formulas (aside from Barking at the Moon) are actually low in protein, so I doubt that was the issue. My dogs eat a raw diet with 45%-55% protein at each meal – about twice as much protein as is in most kibbles. As far as worrying about availability I’d recommend you get your dogs used to rotating foods. Switching between brands and protein sources is MUCH healthier than feeding the same food day in and day out. Once you get your dogs used to it you shouldn’t even have to transition between foods. Before I switched to raw when my oldest was on kibble I got a new brand of food with a new protein source every 2-3 weeks and a rotated canned food toppers daily – he had no digestive issues. All three of my dogs now eat raw and get something different at each meal – no issues here either. The Ol Roy Pure Balance looks like a decent budget friendly food, it’s low in protein and fat though so it’s a good thing you’re adding the chicken.

[kpndltn]

Thank you all for your responses. Pugmomsandy, unfortunately, I have been giving my dogs crappy grocery store kibble. I thought that mixing it with a “premium” soft food like Bil-Jac frozen would give added nutrition. Sadly, I have learned this is not the case as Bil-Jac has very low ratings on this and other websites. Yes, I have practically been poisoning my dogs for the past three years. 🙁

I imagine I will need to follow Melissa’s advice and adjust serving sizes using trial and error. After doing some research, I think Taste of the Wild will probably fit best for our needs and budget.
I was worried that my older dog would feel deprived but according to the food calculator, she can have 3.5 cups of food per day, which is pretty close to what she had been getting with the old mix. I just hope she enjoys the taste of Taste of the Wild without the need for tasty toppers.

The good news is both dogs are at their ideal weights right now so we just need to maintain.

Thanks for your help. This forum is a great resource!

[LabsRawesome]

Hi panda, Go for grain free food. Some good ones I use, that are pretty budget friendly are Hi-tek Naturals Grain free. Earthborn grain free. Kirkland Nature’s Domain grain free(Costco). And Costco’s canned grain free is Kirkland cuts in gravy. My 2 do great on these foods. All are 4 or 5 star foods. 🙂

[Safe4pups]

Make sure your dogs aren’t using smoked or cooked bones – raw is what you want. 🙂
As for your budget, I have found that I can buy premium food online at MUCH better prices – including free shipping and NO tax! I have 3 dogs and 2 cats – 2 dogs on Nutrisca and the cats and 1 dog on Orijen and I pay about 23% less online.

[oceandog]

Ok, I think I get it now. Of the proteins on those sites, I believe I can find Rabbit and fish treats, so they would be the best protein sources to choose, so he has treats too. Then after the trial of 2-3 months, add 1 and only 1 ingredient at a time and monitor.

I will look into the probiotic supplements as well. I did read the thread about detoxifying and I do understand the difficulties. I have celiac disease and am intolerant of dairy. So I have experienced the extreme discomfort these things cause. I avoid processed foods or pay the price. Short story.

As far as vaccines, I had Addisons dogs prior to Brody, so I didn’t vaccinate like most do. I do not plan on yearly vaccinations for Brody either. He has had his puppy shots and that is that. I suppose since he had had 1 shot already when I got him that could explain the chewing on his legs and feet.

For now, I will get in an order of rabbit or fish (so I can find treats) and give it some time and see what happens over the next few months. I do know my local pet store has some crunchy fish skin treats that he loves, so that maybe a good direction. Thank you again, I will keep updated with his progress.

He means the world to me, I lost my mother from cancer in July and 12 days later my Boston, Bosco. So Brody has literally put life in my life again. I want more than the best for him. His food budget is greater than my own!