[Bobby dog]

Hi Jillian:
Yes, I agree with Freddy w a visit with your Vet is a good place to start. My dog was diagnosed with a yeast overgrowth several years ago, it’s quite a distinct odor. Food has nothing to do with Malassezia Dermatitis. If your dog is diagnosed with a yeast infection of the skin here are some sites I often refer to for information:
http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/blog/2015/9/8/facts-myths-about-yeast-dermatitis-in-dogs?rq=yeast

http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=466&S=0&EVetID=3001644

Check out the resources and blog for more info:
http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/home

Here’s a great article written by Dr. Sagman about choosing pet foods:/choosing-dog-food/brand-guidelines/

If you would like some suggestions for food post what the budget would be and where you plan on shopping, pet stores, on-line, price club, feed/hardware stores, grocery etc.

Edit: My dog eats a variety of foods without issue homecooked, commercial raw, kibble, canned, grain inclusive, grain free, you name it. Bathing him a few times a month, more if needed, I believe is most helpful for him. He has been symptom free for a few years. There is light at the end of the tunnel!!

[Raffy W]

most of the Pet insurance providers won’t insure any pre-existing conditions your pet has. On most policies, routine treatments such as vaccination and neutering won’t be covered. Reviewing and comparing pet insurance plans lets you find the one that best fits your needs and your budget.

[DieselJunki]

For an 18 month old I wouldn’t worry about having to feed him a specific large breed dog food. When he was a puppy feeding a food specified for large breed puppies would have been best but don’t panic if you didn’t. It’s just due to the fact that large breed dogs supposedly have slightly different nutritional requirements in their early growth stages. Now you can feed just about whatever you’d like.

Orijen is top of the line but extremely expensive, especially when you’re feeding 4 cups a day like I do for my big guy so I just can’t swing that type of price for a 26-28lb bag.

You mentioned you were a member of the Editors Choice here. There are loads of brands to look into there and they even have a Budget Friendly list. For my 100lb Ambull I feed Dr. Tims, Victor, and Wellness Core so far. I buy their biggest bag which is usually anywhere from 26-30lbs and change to the next protein source within that brand or change brands completely after each bag. I also top the kibble with some canned food every so often (when budget allows) and do fish oil on the kibble as well.

[DieselJunki]

If budget is an issue for you and Orijen is too expensive (as it is for me at the moment, trust me, wish I could feed it!) there are a few budget friendly dog foods out there like Victor, which I just ordered their Ultra Pro 42 Grain Free but they do have a puppy and active dog bag. Dr. Tims is another brand, one highly spoken of here although they don’t specifically have a puppy formula they do have an All Life Stages one.

All these can be found on the Chewy website. I live in CA, ordered Thursday and the food was here today even though it said it may be here Tuesday of next week. Very impressed with that.

I add fish oil to my dogs food everyday. Occasionally I’ll top my dogs food with an egg, a decent 4-5 star wet food with the gravy in it, or some raw meat if it’s gotten a little freezer burned in my freezer and I don’t care to eat it that way.

[DieselJunki]

I’ve never fed a weight management formula before but Dr. Tim’s seems to be a budget friendly brand that has a decent ingredient list on their weight management formula. If it was me, I would try cutting back on what you feed, and that means cutting back on scraps and treats as well or completely eliminating them!

*How many cups a day is your dog eating?
*What is your dogs ideal adult weight? (not what he weighs currently.)
*Have you looked at a dog body condition chart? Usually these charts are a better indication of whether a dog is over or under weight. I don’t ever weigh my dog, I just watch his body condition and put my hands on him to feel his ribs.

When looking at weight management brands the one thing you want to watch out for is how many carbs are in it. That’s the real killer, and like Susan K said, many weight management formulas have a lot of fillers, thus relating to a lot of carbs, and a lot of carbs = weight gain in non active dogs.

[crazy4cats]

Hi stacy 4-
I’m very familiar with soft mushy poop too! Lucky us. LOL! My dogs do better with a more moderate protein and higher fiber kibble. The one they do very best on is PureVita’s grain free turkey formula: http://purevitapetfoods.com/dog-recipes/grain-free/turkey-and-sweet-potato. I only buy it when I can find it on sale, however, due to it’s price.

They also do well on Whole Earth Farms, Nutrisource, 4Health and Victor which all have a little higher than average fiber and are much more budget friendly.

I also add toppers to some of their meals, which I think help as well such as tripe and frozen commercial raw.

Here is a link to a website which was very helpful when my dogs were going through that stage: http://www.dogaware.com/health/digestive.html

I used some of the supplements on that site, but am pretty much supplement free now, except for occasional probiotics.

Best of luck to you and your furries!

[DieselJunki]

I want to trust Diamond, I really do, but I just can’t after all that has happened over the years. They are a budget friendly food for sure and they get decent ratings but man all the stuff that happened and is still currently happening worries me.

[Anand V]

Hi there,

I’ve been feeding my 9 1/2 y/o Alaskan Malmaute a dehydrated raw diet….she was already on it when I adopted her 3 years ago. She eats Honest Kitchen Thrive – Chicken and Quinoa. It has done her well but she does have some skin issues and it was suggested I try a raw diet from Big Country Raw (BCR). They’re not too far away from me towards the Niagara region. I haven’t found any reviews that you have done on this product under your rating system. I have read some others mention that supplements may be needed. Any input you can provide would be greatly appreciated. It sounds like a great product and is also budget friendly versus Honest Kitchen. That’s not the main reason I want to switch…doing it more to help my dog have healthier skin and fur….that means more than the $$$ I spend on her food.

http://www.bigcountryraw.ca/index.php

Thanks.

[Anna H]

I am looking for suggestions on a high quality, budget-friendly food that will help reduce stool. I am not sure if “grain-free” is the way to go, or if there are any other criteria that would help. Any suggestions?

[Bobby dog]

Hi Kristen L:
I took a look at the food your pup likes, the consistency reminds me of some cat foods I feed. Not quite a stew IMO, a little thicker and more finely chopped than some foods I feed my dog.

Where do you shop? Do you have a budget you need to follow? I can check out my dog food spreadsheet and see if I’ve fed anything similar. I feed many different brands, recipes, and forms of wet food so I might have some suggestions for you.

[Linda H]

I agree. My dog really likes it. I try to get two different brands and use half of one brand and then use a different brand. A the moment I have vita pure. The cost of Taste of the Wild is easier on the budget.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Garry D-
Sorry to hear about your dog’s condition, but glad it is something that can heal over time. There are lots of great canned dog foods on the review side of this site. I’m not sure which would be best for a dog with your pup’s situation. I’d probably stick with the vet food until his throat is healed before transitioning to a new one.
I stick to budget friendly canned foods to use as toppers for my lab/retriever dogs. Mostly Costco’s Nature’s Domain canned, Tractor Supply’s 4 Health canned and Walmart’s Pure Balance canned food. Occasionally, I will buy the Variety Stew canned foods that are at Target and/or Walmart or others if on a good sale.
Fingers crossed for a fast recovery!! 🙂

[Pitlove]

Hi Scott-

Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy would be a good choice, but if you do not want to use that food and will be shopping on chewy.com here are some foods that meet your needs that are within your budget of less than 2$/lb.

http://www.chewy.com/dog/dr-tims-kinesis-all-life-stages/dp/52925

http://www.chewy.com/dog/fromm-gold-holistic-large-breed/dp/32616

http://www.chewy.com/dog/nutrisource-large-breed-puppy/dp/38141

http://www.chewy.com/dog/taste-wild-high-prairie-puppy/dp/34836

http://www.chewy.com/dog/taste-wild-pacific-stream-puppy/dp/34840

Just want to note though that these are not grain free (except for the last 2). Grain free is not so much the issue unless a grain allergy is already known. The bigger concern is the calcium/phosphorus and the calcium/calorie and these foods meet those requirements.

[Scott M]

I have two 6 month old mastiff brothers. They have been on Authority Large Breed Puppy, which I have always considered a pretty good mid grade dog food. We recently decided to switch foods for our dogs, which was actually sparked by my interest in getting signed up with Chewy for home delivery since I am at Petsmart just about every other day buying food.

I have done a lot of reading on here, including researching the lady’s list that had ratings and calcium content of grain free dog foods. After researching, I found that ALL of the foods on that list cost 2-3 times as much as the mid grade food we currently use.

Our breeder suggested feeding a mixture of Authority and Purina Pro Plan as that is what she feeds her dogs. She is a respected breeder, but after all I have been reading, I’m not sure that is the best.

Here’s what I’d like to find out. I’d like to bump of their food to a much better dog food, but I don’t want to pay $2 per pound (we currently pay 78 cents). We are capable of paying whatever is necessary, but just don’t want to go too high end on the food unless it really, truly is necessary.

Is there a budget friendly great dog food (we feed kibble now) that would be a great match for our mastiffs?

[EC P]

Hi I have an Aussie/Border mix. He is 16 and just had 2nd surgery for struvite bladder stones. The surgery is costly, but he comes through it quite easily (except for the cone) and has no surgery-related issues after a couple weeks. I fed Science Diet at $80 – 90 per 25 lb bag, which lasted as well as a lower cost food. He learned to eat it & admittedly I added stuff a couple times a week. Post 2nd surgery we are going with the Royal Canin, since the SD didn’t prevent reoccurance. I have not found a “cure” for stones . . . like in people they can & often will reoccur. My boy is happy and until he starts to strain, I notice no difference in his behavior – seemingly, no pain or discomfort, though thinking about it, he begins to lick his belly around the bladder area. . . hmm will watch for that now. Its the protein, magnesium and potassium that you’ve got to watch, so if you want to try it natural let me know how that works. I didn’t opt for the ph strips, but did insure that he got quite a bit more water. I’m a full-time graduate student, so I know what this food cost does to the budget. Good Luck!

[Pitlove]

My god what a horror story. That is unreal… You would think that someone, anyone in that town would have cared. The vet? You know?

Have you looked at NutriSource before? It’s far cheaper than NOW and it digests really well for their sensitive stomachs. They make a GF small breed chicken formula. Solid Gold also makes some grain and gluten free formulas that are also much cheaper than NOW. For Little One, avoid foods with rosemary. Some say they have seen a correlation between Rosemary and dogs who are prone to seizures. They say it can trigger one.

NOW seems like a good food, but that is way too much to pay on a budget. There’s lots more out there that are that good but cheaper. Any reason why you want grain free? That’s usually more expensive as well.

[Pitlove]

Hi Bill-

What a heartbreaking story about your new adoption. Thanks for taking her away from that criminal owner. Any animal cruelty charges against her? I hope so!

Couple questions to help narrow down a good food….what size bag do you need? Also how much per lb can you pay for food each month? I have some foods in mind, but I don’t know if they would fit in your budget.

[Jenn H]

Olga M that is a great story. However it proves nothing. 1 dog lived that long supposedly on a vegan diet. There is no consideration to the dog’s genetics or whether the dog did get meat proteins. How do we know that dog didn’t hunt and eat whatever it caught while running free (assuming it was allowed)? Maybe this was just luck. Maybe the human is full of it and only says she fed a strict vegan diet.

My point is that there is no scientific backing of this being good for dogs long term. It’s anecdotal. That’s not enough to convince me.

There are very necessary nutrients dogs must have to survive that can only be found in meat protein. If not fed meat they must get them from synthetic supplements. If you are fine with feeding them synthetic nutrients, then have at it.

I am vegetarian. But that is my choice. My dogs (while brilliant they are GSDs) don’t have the ability to give a crap about what or where their meat comes from. They just know they need it to survive. An animal’s one & only goal in life is to just survive the day.
I do have a choice to feed them the best food possible. Whether or not I would eat a human version of it doesn’t matter. I am feeding them what is best for them within my budget.
If an animal’s dietery needs go against your ethics then that is not the pet for you.

[crazy4cats]

Here is a link to the Earthborn Primitive review: /dog-food-reviews/earthborn-holistic-primitive-natural/

I’ve never seen an explanation on why a food is not on the list, only why they are on it. I’m guessing most likely due to avoiding a law suit. I believe it is on the budget friendly EC list though. I also have read many positive reviews on it from many different posters. If the food is working for your pup and your budget, do NOT worry about it not being on the list. Best of luck!

[crazy4cats]

Hi Kyle H-
A better food is in the eye of the beholder! Lol! My favorite kibble in that price range is Whole Earth Farms and Victor. If you sign up for Editor’s Choice, there is a list of recommended 4 and 5 star dry and wet budget friendly foods. Check it out!
I have fed both Taste of the Wild and Blue previously as well without issue. I now think Blue is over priced and rated.
Good luck with your pup!

[TAMMY C]

First, I have to comment on those who disagree with cooking and pureeing vegetables, not sure on fruit but I do puree anyway, I follow my Dogs stools, they are the first clue that there is something not right going on with your Beloveds. I tried both raw veggies and slightly steamed without pureeing them and what went in came right back out in their stools, their body cannot digest them. So, it is, well….waste, in all accounts.

My dilemma is this…..I use to rescue animals and I have a pack of canines. In the last year my Dobes came down with cancer, two died from the symptoms cancer creates in their body (histamine is nasty!) and two are cancer survivors. My Dobes have ALWAYS had skin problems, sparse coats and digestive issues, until I decided to try home cooked meals. My Dogs cannot handle raw meat or eggs, it creates havoc in their digestive systems, very sensitive. One would not believe how many times I have had to switch kibble, before moving in my area where I am limited to two brands of kibble (Sam’s and Kirkland), after awhile they start throwing up or their stools look poorly. Anyway, I have 9 Dog’s, ranging from 110 pounds (Dobes), medium size (around 45 pounds) and my 3 little ones 5 to 20 pounds. I found that all I accomplished all day was cooking their meals and washing their dishes and nothing else got done, I certainly do not have a life beyond this either (someday I would like to date again, ha). Before I started trying the homemade diet I was supplementing their kibble (Kirkland grain free Salmon and Sweet Potato) the best available to me in my area (sadly). Anyway, their coats flourished and skin not so itchy. What I have found in my research is there is a wide range of opinions about kibble, while I would LOVE to feed my Dogs only home cooked meals, it is not feasible budget wise on my retired income, nor time wise. I did find some AWESOME vitamins, the first post you may be interested in these, I researched and researched, bought in mistake after mistake and finally found a truer vitamin for helping my Dogs immune systems, NuVet Labs, and WOW what a difference they also made for my clan. I have bought just about every book on Amazon on home prepared meals, except the two mentioned I will look into them (thank you). Anyway, I got off topic of my kibble quibble, the wide range of opinions feeding kibble or not, I find there is a truer medium said to this and that is…..a good kibble does “not” cause cancer, cause havoc in their bodies…..what they do however is lack a “real” complete diet which this in itself creates the cancer and havoc in their bodies (except when there are food allergies involved of course my Dobes can’t handle grains). No matter what AAFCO has to say by placing their logo on the bags of Dog food stating they approve of the kibble (which Kirkland is one of them they place their logo “approved by AAFCO guidelines” what does this really mean?????), it “is” lacking. Although, I was happy Kirkland did have their stamp of approval but in research the kibble “is” lacking and my Dogs are proof of this, their immune systems were gone and couldn’t fight off cells mutating into cancer (talk about researching…Dog cancer…..I know way to much about it now). My Dogs are all of different breeds and mixed, yet they all have issues with the kibble used alone. Some, I did take off completely and won’t give them kibble, they just throw it up anyway and they are doing great on home cooked food coming from my kitchen.

Anyway, is there such a thing as being able to home prepare your Dog food for a pack without being wealthy and doing this all alone with no help (no partner just me and my clan). I appreciate your feedback in advance. Blessings to everyone!!!! Tammy.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 10 months ago by TAMMY C. Reason: To make more readible with flow of words

[Sadie’s Mom]

Well, Sadie cracked a tooth 🙁 She is having it pulled next week with antibiotics until then to prevent an infection. Also, she’s gained nearly a POUND(!!!!!!!!!) so we are testing her thyroid. Should have those results tomorrow/Thursday. Dr recommends wet food only from now on to assist with weight loss because of the lower carb count. So, recommendations on a good low-fat wet food? She pretty much eats anything if it’s canned lol. I can afford nicer food for the first month because I have a coupon to Chewey.com but after that I’ll need a budget food because wet is more expensive in the long run.

[Sadie’s Mom]

SB,

I recently read the Blue Wilderness will not release where their food is made. Also, I keep seeing reports of dogs getting sick on it. Sadie likes it well enough, but I cannot justify spending $25 on 4 pounds of dog food when I can get 12-15 pounds of a comparable brand for the same price. But I am on a strict budget, so that obviously alters my opinion on foods.

[crazy4cats]

How cute!!! Congratulations!

Here is an article on the review side of this site that has some info that may be helpful: /best-dog-foods/best-puppy-foods/

There are so many different opinions on the subject. Where do you plan on shopping for your new pup’s food? I have two large dogs and four cats. I tend to stay buy more budget friendly foods and try to watch coupons, specials and sales. Right now I’m feeding Whole Earth Farms kibble and mix in canned for their breakfasts and in the evening, I add fresh foods to their kibble. I also feed Victor kibble regularly and occasionally Taste of the Wild or Eagle Pack as well.

Do you still have kitties? If yes, I sure hope they welcome your new pup! Sometimes it can be a struggle and other times not too bad when introducing them to each other.

[Jim G]

I am really trying to like Life’s Abundance dog food but have a problem. My 4 month old lab has been on it since I picked her up from the breeder. Her stools have always been loose, and at times, she has a hard time holding it in. I switched started giving her cooked chicken and rice. Stools were perfect and no accidents. I slowly reintroduced Life’s Abundance and the loose, mucusy stools started again. I have heard that a raw diet could be the way to go, but I am on a budget. Has anyone’s dog had loose stools with Life’s Abundance and if so, were you able to find a quality dry food that worked.

I’m not knocking Life’s Abundance. I’m sure it is great for some dogs, just not mine.

Thank you.

[crazy4cats]

My favorite quality budget friendly kibble for my dogs are: Victor, Whole Earth Farms, Taste of the Wild and Eagle Pack. I however, also add a little canned or fresh food mixers to all their meals as well. If you decide to go this route, remember to feed a little less kibble to make up for the calories added.

Getting small bags or samples as Becky A mentioned is a great idea!

[Pitlove]

Hi Bobby D- My dog started showing symptoms of allergies at a young age. One vet said it was partly due to where we live in the south. Recently we started a food trial for him with guidence from his vet, to determine if his allergies were related to food, his enivornment or both. He was put on Royal Canin Hydrolyzed Protein and has to be on it for 2 months. Within just a few days of feeding the food, I noticed a huge improvement in a lot of his symptoms (he gets sores as well and they all dissapeared). However, I’ve noticed that my boy seems to react quickly to environment or diet change. I’m sure it is not like that for every dog.

If you want to rule out food allergies, I would highly recommend doing a true food trial with a prescription food. I think once we can get the money I will bring my boy to the dermatologist for further testing, but for the moment this was the easier thing to do on a budget and it’s really helping him find relief.

Best of luck!

[crazy4cats]

Hi A K-
Like others have said, Nature’s Variety is a very good brand. I have tried a few different varieties and flavors and my dogs have not done well on any. So, it’s hard to say how your dog will do until you give it a try. As long as it does not contain any of the ingredients that are causing your pup trouble, then it may be fine.
I prefer to use a more budget friendly, simple kibble and add fresher less processed ingredients to it such as eggs, sardines, canned, lean leftovers, and/or commercial raw.
Also, at only 10 months old, I’d still be concerned about the calcium levels in the food since she is a large breed pup and need to be aware of potential joint issues.
I hope you find a good fit for her!

[Pitlove]

http://www.chewy.com/dog/nutrisource-large-breed-puppy/dp/38141- $1.56 per/lb

http://www.chewy.com/dog/taste-wild-high-prairie-puppy/dp/34836- $1.19 per/lb

http://www.chewy.com/dog/whole-earth-farms-puppy-recipe-dry/dp/101864- $1.19 per/lb

These three foods are safe for large breed puppies and could fit within your budget. Chewy.com has great customer service and they ship fast. Many of us have used this site frequently.

[InkedMarie]

go to th diet and health issues forum, under this one. On top, in a yellow stickie, is a long thread on feeding large breed puppies. You may find a problem with your budget. With everything, actually. Large breeds will cost you more for food, supplements, grooming, some medicines, crate etc.

[Raven L]

Hi, everybody! Four-Five weeks ago I got a new puppy. She is an Anatolian Shepherd/Great Pyrenees mix. I am currently feeding her 4Health (tractor supply brand) puppy flood and would like to start to transition her to a new food since she’s almost completely out of food. The problem I am running into is the fact that I am a young college student on a very limited budget, but I still want her to have at least decent food. I live in a small farm town and the only place that sells dog food is Wal Mart and Tractor Supply, so those are my choices. I am willing to order some online as well, though.
I can only afford to pay about $1.35 a pound, which is about $40 for a 30lb bag. I have been looking into Fromm Large Breed Puppy food, but the least expensive I have found it is $48 for a 33lb bag online.
Any tips, advice, anything would be very helpful and appreciated! Thanks.

[Linda L]

While this is not a suggestion for a new food, what I think is important with regard to budget is not only quality, but feeding instructions. Higher quality food usually requires less cups to feed. With the big dog I have at 125#, this makes an incredible difference. Some of the foods on the list require 8 cups of food for him, while another requires 5. That’s a HUGE cost differential. HUGE! Thus, when I am looking at quality versus price, I have to take that into consideration. I call it the doggy serving size cost. Price per serving would be a great thing to include at some point.

[zcRiley]

Of course, anything that causes diarrhea stop feeding immediately (and to the vet if more than a few days). Your pup can’t have “too much protein” as the body excretes what’s not needed; however, it’s probably one or more of the other long long list of ingredients that’s causing an intolerance (gassy, loose stools). You can pick great food within your budget by reading ingredient lists, isolating proteins to see what helps, less is more and make sure it has vitamins/minerals.

We switched to Zignature Zssentials (4 stars) when they became diarrhetic to Orijen’s after the company tweaked their ingredients. It also states all the bad stuff it DOESN’T contain.

You can read all the ingredients for everything under the sun on Chewy.com. Fast and free shipping for $49 or more. I have not entered any pet store for anything since I discovered their website.

[ryuuhouse]

A new line of budget food has hit the market. I learned this is a product of the same people behind Wild Calling dog food. There is a new ‘budget’ food out there that I do not even see reviewed here. Zoic. The food is now being offered by my local specialty feed store – and I would love to see it reviewed.

They seem to have three main versions:
Magic Marsh with Alligator and turkey
Seven Seas with cod and herring
and
Farm Fair with turkey and chicken

[Bobby dog]

Nice post Aimee.

Hi Brenda:
When my dog was diagnosed with yeast overgrowth the only reason my Vet suggested a diet change was because she felt I was not feeding a healthy food; nothing to do with the food feeding yeast. She didn’t recommend outrageously priced food either, just some OTC foods that were available to me locally. I didn’t completely understand why that was the only reason for her recommendation because all the info I read on the Internet suggested eliminating carbs, mainly white potatoes. I went grain free and potato free anyway. It took close to a year to heal my dog. Bathing therapy was probably the most important part of the regimen. I have since done a 180 in regards to feeding my dog grain or potato free foods. I feed everything under the sun with no issues whatsoever.

Here are some more sites that IMO have good info pertaining to yeast conditions:
http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&A=466&S=0&EVetID=3001644
http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/blog/2015/9/8/facts-myths-about-yeast-dermatitis-in-dogs
peteducation dot com also has good info on yeast (malassezia) infections. The link won’t post here. Just use their search under “what’s the matter” to find info for dogs.

Check out this site’s resources and blog for other info too:
http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/

I understand having to stay within a budget. For shampoo I initially used Nolvalson skin and wound cleanser. When I ran out I started using Selsun Blue and it worked well for my dog. You don’t have to buy the name brand, just be sure the shampoo contains 1% selenium sulfide. Here’s an excerpt from the veterinarypartners site I posted a link to above, “Shampoos – While degreasing shampoos such as the benzoyl peroxide (OxyDex, Pyoben) and sulfur/salicylate (SebaLyt, Sebolux) shampoos will help remove the skin oils feeding the yeast, there are shampoos that are specifically anti-yeast. Some 4% chlorhexidine shampoos called ChlorhexiDerm Max or Malaseb shampoo strip skin oil and kill yeast; however, other anti-yeast products include Selsun Blue, Miconazole shampoo, Nizoral shampoo, Douxo shampoo and more. The pet must be bathed twice a week to start and the shampoo requires a 15 minute contact time (meaning do not rinse the lather for 15 minutes).”

[crazy4cats]

Good news, Suzanne. I hope she continues to improve. There are several quality brands posted on the Editor’s Choice budget friendly food list that you could consider switching to. I’ve fed Whole Earth Farms, Eagle Pack, Victor and Earthborn kibble to my pets.

I regularly feed Nature’s Domain (Costco), Pure Balance (Walmart), 4Health (Tractor Supply and Del’s) and Chicken Soup canned foods to them as well.

Adding canned to her diet would be a good idea. My cat with urinary tract problems mostly gets canned food. I know it’s more expensive and I would never be able to afford that for my dogs. But they get a few spoonfuls mixed in their kibble as well. I have two big lab mix males that are about 80ish pounds each!

Yes, please post her results next week and keep an eye on her when she’s peeing. I’m a litter box stalker now after our ordeal! LOL!

[Rebecca P]

I am new too and a little overwhelmed too. I have a lab mix that I have had for 11 years, and she had a tumor a few years ago that woke me up. I started giving her a grain free diet and have loved it. We adopted a 5 year old lab mix about 7 months ago and he is now on the grain free as well. I have given them Exclusive for the last two years. (older one longest). But I have only found it at PBS Animal Heath store and it’s about 30 minutes from me. My husbands job keeps us moving frequently so gearing up for another move I am looking for a good and healthy food for them that I can get at a name brand pet store that will likely be wherever we move. I just bought a bag of the Castor’s Grain free duck to start introducing to them and see how it goes. It has a 5 star rating on here.
Just look for what will work for you, your budget, and your Pups. 🙂 Good luck!

[zcRiley]

Zignature Zssentials is a budget friendly food that worked for all of my AmStaffs’ ailments for a year now. Nothing else was working due to their allergies, diarrhea, dandruff etc. It’s their main entre but I rotate their side dishes of dry & canned for nutrient variety. Read the ingredients on Chewy.com. They offer free fast delivery. Also, Aroma Paws Honeysuckle Jasmine all natural shampoo is specifically for dry skin & dandruff. I bathe once every 2 weeks.

[Amber C]

So I’m reaching out for a little advice… my 8 years old mutt (German Shephard, Collie, Lab mix) was on, please don’t all hate me since I didn’t know better, purina for 7 years. After getting lymes disease amongst a lot of other health problems including diarrhea on a weekly basis, we hit the Internet for answers and a better dog food. He has a thyroid problem and is on pills now that have taken the diarrhea away (thank goodness!). We switched him about a year ago to Taste of the Wild. He’s tried about all different flavors and we mixed in canned and dry kibble. His coat looked amazing and his life long dandruff disappeared! Overall health was much healthier, like a whole different dog. The vet said TOTW would lead to kidney problems and it wasn’t good for him, they recommended science diet. I read about TOTW and heard so many bad reviews, so after 7 months on it, I switched over to Whole Earth Farms, again mixing wet with dry. I found the stews mixed better than the pate recipes, but he does get both cycled in with the chicken turkey dry kibble and the red meat mix kibble. He loves the food, he’s not picky at all though, he’d eat anything in front of him short of the kitchen sink, but his dandruff that he had his whole life is back. I wanted to keep him on rotation, maybe 3 different brands switching every 4 months or so, and even though everyone seems so anti TOTW, it made him look and act healthier, but im nerrors about a bad batch! There’s no other problems with whole earth farms besides the dandruff coming back. Im a little at a loss. He weighs over 90lbs, not an ounce overweight, so he requires food… lots of food and budget is a consideration. TOTW was pricey for me, but doable if it was good for him. Anyone have any suggestions or thoughts? Anything would be of help, we’re about halfway through 2 different bags of WEF, so I just need to figure it out before we run out.

[Pitlove]

If it’s within your budget have a look at Orijen Senior. Chewy.com offers the frequent buyer program for Orijen even though its not advertised on their site and you get free shipping at 49$, plus they have excellent customer service as others mentioned.

[Carrie K]

Added Nutrisource and Horizon to the list to try, wanted to also try Eaglepack but sadly all of their formula’s contain chicken. Budget friendly foods without chicken is tough to find!

[crazy4cats]

Hi Allison-

Freeze dried foods are believed to be healthier because they are not processed at high temperatures, therefore retaining more of their nutrient value. They are more convenient than raw because they don’t need to be refrigerated or frozen. You should add a little water to reconstitute it.
My dogs really like it, but they like just about everything. I have the opposite problem, though, since I always mix fresh, canned, freeze dried in their kibble and if I don’t, they give me the stink eye!
I actually bought Merrick’s Back Country a few weeks ago because our feed store had a buy one get one free sale. Otherwise, way out of our budget. They have very nice bags with a Velcro closing. Haven’t seen that one before. I have two dogs and notice that their bowls would have uneven amounts of the bits in them. I have to even them out. I don’t really like the fact that some scoops would have some and some would not. I’d rather buy the freeze dried separate and add it to meals. Many companies sell freeze dried meal mixers.
I’m not sure if you have priced them, but they are really expensive. I usually stick to canned or fresh food toppers, such as eggs and healthy leftovers.
It’s hard to say if your dogs will like them. Do you add water to their meals? Try to buy at a store that would be willing to take it back if they won’t eat it. I agree with Marie that we can definitely make our dogs picky, but hopefully you can find something healthy that they like too.
No, I haven’t tried any freeze dried myself. I have, however, tried some fresh and dehydrated dog food myself as well. Lol!

[Carrie K]

My soon to be 6 month old GSD puppy has been on Orijen and while my adult male handles it fine she is just having pudding poo, I think it might be too rich for her.. she’s currently 42lbs and I’m feeding her 2 cups a day so I don’t think it’s that I’m overfeeding her. I’m trying her on a lower protein kibble now, pine forest TOTW.. I swear I’d never feed a diamond food but I’m not as much as a food snob as I used to be I guess lol. I’d prefer to feed raw but with some recent health issues I’ve had to move to a kibble/raw blend.. they get mostly kibble but with some raw added in for teeth cleaning along with raw eggs a few times a week, fish oil and probiotics/digestive enzymes.

I really like the taste of the wild lineup being able to rotate differing proteins along with the price point. Helps me be able to add more raw in! I know their reputation isn’t great though.. Is there a similar food? I’m on the editor’s choice list and don’t understand many of the foods on there as most of them I haven’t and wouldn’t chose to feed. I’m at a loss and so confused!

I like Acana and really like the look of their new products coming in 2016, it’s just so pricey.. I have 5 dogs! I’ve tried Victor and just didn’t like the results I got with that, both my GSD’s got really nasty dirty ears on that food even the fish and sweet potato one… their coats also weren’t as nice. So what I’m considering right now is TOTW, Fromm and Earthborn. My big issue is my male is allergic to a lot and seems to get most itchy on chicken and pork. He looks absolutely amazing on Orijen six fish but at almost $100 a bag it’s hard to justify long term. So just looking for foods similar to TOTW but with a better reputation and ingredient sourcing, I also have zero issues with grain inclusive foods as I don’t think they are any better than all the potatoes and lentils in grain free foods.

TIA!

[Shawna]

Hmmmmm? Creatinine is only a little high… Something doesn’t jive here. I’m sure there are exceptions to the rules but creatinine is a better indication of how well the kidneys are actually functioning (from everything I’ve ever read). Maybe newer data is suggesting different but data on this site, veterinary medicine dvm360, published in 2011 still agrees “A serum creatinine concentration is the most commonly used measure of severity of renal dysfunction and is the basis for staging chronic kidney disease (CKD) (Table 1). To optimize accurate staging of CKD, serum creatinine concentrations should be evaluated on two or more occasions when the patient is well-hydrated.” http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/laboratory-evaluation-kidney-disease?rel=canonical

Based on a BUN of 77 and a creatinine of 1.6, I personally wouldn’t do low protein but rather moderate amounts of “high quality” protein.

Does your girl have large amounts of very dilute urine? Was there any protein in the urine? Was any other tests done? Is there any other medical conditions? Did you get a second opinion? She doesn’t want to eat often but you said this is just her normal. Does she have any other symptoms such as vomiting, depression etc?

This may help… My Audrey was diagnosed when she was just 13 months old but had symptoms when she was just 6 weeks old. Within the first year of diagnosis I made dietary changes and then had her blood work done every three months. On December 18, 2007 (the second blood work done after the dietary changes) her BUN was 77 (6 to 25 normal) and her creatinine was 1.9 (0.5 to 1.6 are normal ranges for this lab). Audrey didn’t eat a lower protein diet for another almost 7 years.

They also now know that senior dogs actually require MORE protein than adult dogs because they are less efficient at digesting it. Even toy breed dogs – I had a 4 pound Chihuahua live to age 19 eating a HIGH protein diet.

Please take some time to read the articles on this website. http://www.dogaware.com/health/kidneyprotein.html

Okay……..YES – I would highly recommend starting her on Standard Process Canine Renal Support. It’s pricey up front but will last a long time for a four pound little girl. I’ve never used Five Leaf but others I’ve directly talked to felt it helped. The Primal Defense and Acacia Fiber will help lower BUN. I personally would look at feeding foods with higher quality and amounts of protein and getting rid of the cream of wheat and gravy. See if you can find canned tripe — a brand that is just tripe. There is one out with quinoa but I’m not sure how much phosphorus is in quinoa so not sure it is suitable? It may be, I just don’t know. Tripe itself is higher in protein with moderate amounts of phosphorus. Most dogs really really like it too. You can continue the goat milk (best if it’s raw in my opinion). Eggs are a good option but the yolk is higher in phosphorus so, recommendations vary depending on stage of the disease, you might want to feed more cooked whites then whole eggs (maybe a one to one ratio – one whole egg with one white only). I would also suggest against feeding homemade as it is really important to get the phosphorus to calcium ratios correct and to limit phosphorus to appropriate amounts for the stage of the disease (which is early stage based on the numbers you mentioned—unless your lab normals are way different than mine?). There are recipes online if you want to home prepare. Dr. Meg Smart has a recipe – you would want the one for “early to moderate stage” http://petnutritionbysmart.blogspot.com/2013/02/home-made-diets-and-renal-disese-in.html

There’s lots more you can do but you mentioned you have a budget so start with these and then if there’s more for other things you can add on as able–such as herbs that can be helpful.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Shawna.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Shawna.

[martha F]

It would be interesting to see where the bulk of the dog foods sales falls in the budget and quality recommended. I know that tons of 1/2/3 star feeds are sold at every livestock feed supplier per day. $1.00/$.60 It may not seem like a lot of $$ difference, only $.40 per pound…but when you feed 150 lbs per week, it really adds up. I do like the improvements in the food quality of dog feed; however, millions of dogs have been raised on 1 and 2 star varieties (ie. Purina Pet Chow) and perform successfully and live long and healthy lives. My feed is in the 3 star category, and the dogs are healthy and performing, I like to keep abreast of affordable improvement. With this trend away from grain based feeds, and claims of being so much better I wonder is there any research/reports showing correlation in the feeds/ingredients to “actual” performance and improved health figures?

[DogFoodie]

One that isn’t on the Google doc that I shared is Victor. It’s a great product that might be available at feed-type stores. I consider it budget friendly and high quality at about $1.00 per pound. .60 cents per pound is going to be pretty tricky, though.

[martha F]

Thank you for recognizing that we certainly have different perspectives on budget friendly. In the grand scheme of things, there is a range of prices on dry kibble, it would be helpful to know in what range recommendations fall. Food that is only available at pet stores, or online, do not fall into my “budget friendly” category, as I live in a rural area where we only have co-ops and livestock feed stores to choose from, shipping would not be affordable. The tons of feed being sold locally are marketed to hunters/working dog owners, feeding large numbers of dogs; they are looking for “budget friendly” products. (< $.60/lb).

[DogFoodie]

Budget friendly is a pretty subjective term. Personally, I would consider $65 for 44 pounds affordable. An expensive food, such as Orijen at $110 for 28 pounds would be a bit of a stretch and require a bit of sacrifice on my part. I don’t know if Dr. Mike had an actual dollar per pound price in mind when he defined budget friendly foods on his site.

I do have this older Google document (you’ll need to verify current prices and availability) that breaks down foods by rating and cost per pound, that might help shed some light on different brands for you.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmNw5KB82-n_dGtyOEpVVXhPQ2tfeU1FUGdEdjVnTkE&hl=en#gid=0

[martha F]

What is the price per pound that is considered budget friendly? I checked out the top pick and found it to be quite expensive. $65 for a 44 lb bag of dry kibble is not in my budget. So, why isn’t the price of the bag, or the price per pound included in the list….if it is in fact a budget friendly list?

[Bev A]

My 14 year old Teacup poodle has been having high BUN levels. The other day when they rechecked it was up to 77. I saw a post by Shawna that there was nitrogen trapping which sounds great. Bitty is 4 pounds and the pickiest eater you will ever come across. It has been a challenge her whole life to find food that she likes and then she will only eat it for so long and that is it. Now I have heard they won’t starve to death but I totally disagree. She was lonely after the loss of another poodle and refused to eat. She lost a whole pound and they were trying to prepare me for her death. It was only by accident that I found if there was another animal about she would eat. I am on a very limited budget but Bitty has been with me so long and I want her healthy. She doesn’t seem to be in pain and is still very active. So my question is if I do the nitrogen trapping how much of it do I give her. I have switched her diet to science diet KD and malt-o-meal with cream and turkey gravy. She is eating that fairly well but it has been 4 days so who knows how much longer that will last. She also has seizures which she has had for years but is very well controlled on Phenobarb twice a day.