[bluetry35722]

My dog has been diagnosed with an enlarged heart. His vet put him on Hill’s Science Diet and after reading the label and many reviews, I am no longer comfortable with feeding him this. My vet insists that this is a great dog food but I think she is upselling a product that her office carries. Can anyone please advise me on what to feed my guy. I’d prefer a 5 star reviewed dry kibble for dogs with heart issues.

[BryanV21]

Dump the Ol’ Roy. Corn is it’s main ingredient and corn is high on the glycemic index, meaning it can raise your dog’s blood sugar levels, which I’m sure you know is not good for a diabetic dog. Besides that there’s not a single ingredient in Ol Roy that makes me say “well that’s a good one”.

A popular dry food we recommend is Solid Gold Holistique Blendz, as it’s low protein/low fat food that isn’t full of corn, soy, by-product, or generically named meats/meals.

Some people believe that even a diabetic dog should have a high QUALITY protein diet, that is also low in carbs, but I’ll let our raw food feeders cover the benefits of that one since I’m not as familiar with the subject.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Betsy –

No, coconut oil wouldn’t be considered a significant source of linoleic acid. The best sources of linoleic acid would be: safflower oil, evening primrose oil, sunflower oil, hemp oil, wheat germ oil and walnut oil (all >50% LA).

Coconut oil did indeed used to have a very bad reputation. This was partially due to the fact that most of the studies done involving coconut oil’s effect on the body were done using partially hydrogenated coconut oil which is loaded with trans fatty acids, unlike virgin and extra virgin coconut oil. It also wasn’t recognized that not all saturated fats have a negative effect on health, so because coconut oil is comprised primarily of saturated fats many condemned it. Coconut oil is far superior to common vegetable oils (such as corn, soy, safflower, sunflower and canola oil). These vegetable oils are high in omega 6 fatty acids and the omega 6 to omega 3 ratios in the diet of most individuals is already skewed – so adding more omega 6’s merely raises the total amount of omega 6’s consumed further skewing the ratio. In addition, coconut oil is preferable for cooking because it’s highly stable under heat – most other oils oxidize when heated and oxidized fats cause a myriad of health issues.

[DogFoodie]

OK, so HDM, it sounds as though while coconut oil contains some linoleic acid, it’s not necessarily a good source of linoleic acid. Is that right? It obviously has a lot of great health benefits aside from that so, I’m definitely going to start giving it to my dogs again. I like to melt it and mix it into their food and recently, I’ve gotten lazy so I have been skipping that step altogether. So, rather than the krill for Bella, she’s going to get an egg lightly friend in coconut oil several times weekly. Sometimes a raw egg in her food seems to make it too sloppy for her preference.

When speaking of coconut oil for humans, ‘memba how it always used to get a bad rap? Would it be better to use coconut oil in cooking ~ better say than, vegetable oil? My dear old mom flipped when I told her I was giving the dogs coconut oil and I was trying to tell her (in layman’s terms) why it’s good for them. She was sure I was going to kill them.

Squid oil, huh? Sounds… interesting. : )

[Mom2Cavs]

Thanks, HDM! I’ll check into those suggestions. 🙂

[Hound Dog Mom]

Betsy – Coconut oil is more than 90% healthy saturated fats – with small amounts of monounsaturated fats in the form of oleic acid (~6%) and polyunsaturated fats in the form of linoleic acid (~2%). The saturated fat in coconut oil is in the form of medium chain triglycerides (“MCT’s”). The main component of the MCT’s found in coconut oil is lauric acid. The lauric acid is what gives coconut oil it’s anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal properties. I give my dogs at least a teaspoon per day (although doses of up to 1 tsp. per 10 lbs. are acceptable). I’m currently using Jarrow Formulas organic extra virgin coconut oil.

Jan – If your dogs don’t like “fishy” tasting oils maybe try squid oil. I haven’t tried it for my dogs yet, but I’ve been reading about it and I think I’m going to order some after they use up their current bottle of sardine/anchovy oil. It’s low in contaminants because squid have such a short lifespan and very high in DHA (higher than fish oil and krill oil). Supposedly it’s not as “fishy” but I haven’t tried it yet so I can’t say for sure. Another option to get some bio-available omega 3’s and DHA into their diet without fish oil would be eggs. Cage-free omega 3 eggs generally have a little over 100 mg. DHA per yolk – not quite as rich of a source as fish oil, but better than nothing. You could lightly fry the egg in the coconut oil.

[Mom2Cavs]

Oooh..I’m sorry about your thumb! I guess I might not order the krill oil because they sure don’t like regular fish oils in their food. I don’t know about the coconut oil, but maybe HDM or someone will chime in later. 🙂

[DogFoodie]

Hi Jan!

Unfortunately, my Bella doesn’t like the krill and I got it specifically wanting to add Omega 3’s to her diet since she her coat was looking a little dry. Sam, my Golden pup, will of course eat anything I set in front of him and I regularly use fish oil for him due to his pano. For Bella, all I used was two squirts and it’s pretty concentrated so the fish oil equivalent wouldn’t been far greater ~ she obviously has a very good nose.

I swear it never occurred to me to use a thumb tack until I mentioned to Toxed once how I had literally sliced open my thumb trying to poke a fish oil capsule open. A thumb tack would definitely be much safer. My hands were a little wet and my knives are super sharp, but unfortunately have smooth handles and I slipped a bit and split my thumb wide open. : (

Edit: You just reminded me that I have organic coconut oil at home and maybe I’ll get that back out tonight for Bella. Is coconut oil a source of linoleic acid?

[Mom2Cavs]

Betsy, I always use a thumb tack lol! I don’t use fish oil that often, though, because the dogs don’t much care for it in their food, ugh! I use coconut oil more often because they gobble that up lol. I keep trying different kinds/brands, though, hoping to hit on one they’ll accept. I haven’t tried Mercola’s krill yet, but think I will.

[DogFoodie]

I bought some Mercola krill oil in the most incredibly convenient air-less pump bottle: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/krill-oil-for-pets.aspx.

You use one pump per ten pounds of body weight. No pills to poke open and no fingers to slice open while doing so. That said, I also really like Toxed’s idea to poke open a fish oil capsule with a thumb tack.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi LindseyPaterson –

Dr. Becker recommends the following daily dosages for fish oil:

-250 mg. daily for toy breeds and cats (1 – 14 lbs.)
-500 mg. daily for small dogs (15 – 29 lbs.)
-1,000 mg. daily for medium dogs (30 – 49 lbs.)
-1,500 mg. daily for large dogs (50 – 79 lbs.)
-2,000 mg. daily for dogs 80+ lbs.

If you’re using capsules they generally come in 500 mg. and 1,000 mg. and if you’re using liquid 1 tsp. = approx. 4,500 mg. Whether you go with capsules or liquid make sure you refrigerate the oil to prevent it from going rancid and only buy as much as you will use in 2 months. I personally prefer liquid as I find it’s easier to mix into the food and I don’t have to bother with piercing the capsules – I don’t use pump dispensers though. Also, I’d stick with oil from small fish (such as sardines or anchovies), krill oil or squid oil as oil from larger fish can be high in contaminants. Coconut oil may be something else to consider for skin issues – it’s high in medium chain triglycerides which are good for the skin and coat.

[LindseyPaterson]

For the fish oil. How much to use and how often do you recommend doing this?

[lewalk]

Okay, here’s my situation that I’m hoping to get some help with. There are no shelters or rescues in the parishes where I live and work so the animal problem is out of control. I have become the crazy dog lady around these parts. It’s to the point where people stop me on my mail route and offer me dogs. Ten years ago we bought our daughter a lab. I didn’t know better than to not shop, adopt. I do now. Actually I pick up starving and abandoned dogs rather than adopt. This has led to my having the lab who is ten and seven other dogs age three and under. I have realized recently that I need to change their food as they have an array of health problems. My lab is fairly healthy with the exception of dry skin and icky runny eyes. The three year old rat terrier has an itchy behind and has developed a darker pinkish tint bordering on a rash on his belly and inside his arms. The three year old pit mix is surprisingly healthy especially since she was starving when I picked her up. The one year old husky/German shepherd mix is healthy as well. I picked up four pit mix litter mates several months ago running down the highway in the rain. We have since learned they have an immune disorder which has led to them having red mange. The two black pups have dry skin and runny eyes like my lab. One brown pup has diabetes and one has recurring yeast infections on her belly. They are all on a mix of Red Flannel Adult and Purina Puppy Chow with Red Flannel Puppy recently mixed in. I feed them all the same food because it’s easier for me because they always want what the others are eating. I just realized their health problems could be from food allergies. Of course I feed the diabetic dog differently. She eats Science Diet w/d dry and canned food. I don’t have the money to spend a fortune on food as I have a lot of vet bills but I want them to be healthy and happy. Added to this is a puppy less than a year old who has IVDD. I had the sheriff go to the people’s house that had her and talk to them as she was barely able to walk and they weren’t caring for her. Cut to, me having another baby to care for. My saint of a mother is keeping her at her house while we give her the time she needs to rest and hopefully heal. I was also wondering if there was something I could feed her to boost her immune system as well. I was never really an animal person so I don’t know much. I’m trying to learn but am a bit overwhelmed. I will gladly accept all advice and be very thankful for it. I’m sure I haven’t included the correct info. I tend to ramble on and on when it comes to my fur babies.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Okay, in that case your vet’s suggestion makes sense. A liver shunt would be one of the rare instances in which a low protein diet would be preferable.

I would suggest checking out Addiction. They use high quality ingredients, however their foods are fairly low in protein. They have several dehydrated foods ranging from 18% – 22% protein. Sojo’s has 2 dehydrated formulas that are 23% protein. California Natural’s grain-free venison is 21.5% protein, the kangaroo formula is 21% protein and the lamb is 21% protein. The Honest Kitchen’s Keen is 21% protein and Verve is 22.5% protein. Blue Buffalo Basics grain-free is 22% protein.

[BryanV21]

I don’t remember you saying anything about skin issues in your original post that I responded to. If I missed it, my apologies.

Hearing that I wanted to say that if you continue to see any skin or coat issues after switching foods, then try adding some fish oil to your pup’s food. I’d recommend buying it in capsules, which you can break open and pour onto the food (as opposed to pumps, which allow air to get to the oil and can make it go rancid quicker).

[BryanV21]

I don’t know if you heard your vet wrong, but something he said doesn’t add up.

After you were told to stay at or under 21% protein, your vet then said it’s because of arsenic in rice. What does one have to do with the other? Rice doesn’t affect protein. If anything, going with a lower protein food oftentimes means more grains… such as rice.

Is there another reason he is recommending such a low protein diet? Maybe it’s higher quality/animal-based proteins that need to be fed, as opposed to plant-based proteins (for example, peas).

Like HDM, I wouldn’t recommend a food that low in protein unless there’s a legitimate health issue that calls for it. So I’m sorry, but I’m not listing any foods.

[Hound Dog Mom]

A food with only 21% protein wouldn’t be quality. That’s way too low, hardly enough to survive on! Unless your dog has liver disease or is in late state kidney failure I wouldn’t recommend feeding a food with any less than 30% protein. Most of the 5 star grain-free foods will fit the bill. All three of my dogs eat 45% – 55% protein – they range from 7 months old to 7 years old and are all extremely healthy.

Check out Dr. Becker’s articles on picking a quality food – the #1 think to look for is HIGH levels of HIGH QUALITY protein!

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/10/21/selecting-the-best-cat-pet-and-dog-pet-food.aspx

[Anonymous]

The vet recommends that our dry food contain a maximum of 21% protein. Partially due to recent reports of arsenic in rice, we’re also veering toward grain free. A few fruits and veggies would be nice, too. Does anyone know of a quality dry food that fills all these bills?

[LindseyPaterson]

I rescued a 1 year old Rottie. My vet recommend I put him on Medi-Cal Hypoallergenic. It seems to be helping as well as the antibiotics but I do not want to keep him on this food and people have suggested a few different foods. Merrick grain free, blue wilderness, acana. Im just wondering if anyone has a dog with skin issues and feeds them any of these foods or if anyone has any opinions or suggestions on these foods. Thanks.

[LindseyPaterson]

I have a 1 year old Rottie who is currently on Medi-Cal Hypoallergenic dry dog food. The vet recommended this because they think he has a food allergy (when i rescued him he had patches of fur missing and is itchy and scratches) he has been getting better since he has had antibiotics and on this food. But I have been recommened by fellow Rottie owners to switch to Blue Wilderness the Duck one or Acana (the one with duck in as well) Im just worried that the blue wilderness one might trigger the allergies as it has chicken in it as well and i was told to stay away from foods that have common ingredients in them because his old owners fed him cheap food and that could be the cause to his skin condition. Any suggestions or opinions would help. Thanks.

[mydogisme]

Just me, I wouldnt have my dog on S.D. Foods. I had mine on S.D. perscription brand,cd and id for several years. She continued to not do well as I also tryed several holistic brand and found limited ingredient brands that work much better. Try Earth Born Holistic or Mike has a list of 5 star dry and wet food that have limited ingred. I hope she does well.

[Melissaandcrew]

Hi DoggyDoc-

Does RC still give free food to the vets that sell their products to feed to their own dogs?

[Hound Dog Mom]

I’m not trying to argue raw versus kibble. I’m correcting the blanket assumptions that you were making labeling us all as Blue/Wellness/NB pushers fooled by product reps. There’s not one commercial product on the market – “holistic” or non-holistic – up to my standards for what I would feed my dogs.

[DoggieDoc22]

@Bryan at this point your level of ignorance is reaching a comical level. You have done nothing but spout opinions with no basis behind them at all. I at least have backed up my position with an article posted by a well respected veterinary school. I will take what they have to say over the opinion of some random label reader on the internet.

@Hounddogmom. If you want to argue raw vs. kibble that is a completely different argument. The original poster asked a question about dry foods, and that is what I responded to. Raw diets have their advantages for sure, and anyone that has the time and dedication to go the raw route gets my respect. Although feeding kibble may not be the best route, it is the most convenient for the majority of pet owners out there.

The point I have been trying to make is this, don’t fall for the typical bs that dog food manufacturers try to throw out there. All of this talk about grain free, and no byproducts etc. is nothing but marketing. What is important, as I said, is the nutrients found in the food. Royal Canin, although they may use controversial ingredients, spends more money than any manufacturer out there on research, quality control, and feeding trials. This isn’t opinion, this is fact. I much prefer a company that is going to invest their time and money actually trying to find a scientific basis for the amount of each individual nutrient they put into their food, rather than one of the “holistic companies” that bases the formulation of their diets on a preference to certain ingredients.

[Hound Dog Mom]

DoggieDoc22 –

You obviously don’t know my feeding philosophy – I don’t let any company influence my decision on what to feed. I’m not fooled by Blue Buffalo and Wellness commercials or the Blue Buffalo or Orijen rep at my local pet food company. I’m not fooled by dry weight versus wet ingredients or ingredient splitting, nor do I think white potato is superior to grains. In fact I wouldn’t feed any of the foods you mentioned to my dogs (Blue, Wellness, Natural Balance, etc.). My dogs eat real food. Raw meat, bones, organs and whole food supplements the way nature intended – no marketing spin there, no ingredient splitting, no reps selling me food and no need to worry about which ingredients are going in dry and which are going in wet. You’re bashing people for buying into the marketing of certain pet food companies when you are just as blinded by the marketing tactics of the big name pet food companies as anyone else is by the small “holistic companies.”

[BryanV21]

There’s no research? Are you kidding? There’s a TON of research that shows why corn, wheat, soy, and grains in general are not ideal for a dog’s diet.

And where do you think nutrients come from? INGREDIENTS!

Just quit… please. For your sake and mine.

[DoggieDoc22]

“There is also such a thing as consumers fooled by marketing tactics”

It’s funny that you mention that because that’s exactly the way to describe people like yourself, backyardwolf, and BryanV21. Who exactly is it that you ever hear bashing corn, wheat, soy, etc? Let me guess, Blue Buffalo commercials, Wellness commercials, etc. There is absolutely zero research out there that shows that any of the ingredients you list are harmful or of lower quality in any way than potatoes for instance (since that is the carb of choice in Natural Balance since that brand was mentioned in a prior post). The whole “grain-free”/anti-corn kick that has been going around lately is nothing but marketing spin by pet food manufacturers.

The reason is simple, humans, dogs, cats, gorillas, whatever animal you choose to speak of don’t need ingredients. They don’t consume food to fulfill a need for any particular food. They need nutrients. You could put together the most expensive pile of ingredients you could find, mix them all together and feed them to your dog. If they don’t meet your pets nutritional requirements then you just fed them a crap food.

I think a lot of you would benefit greatly from listening to someone other than the Blue Buffalo or Orijen rep at your local pet store and look at the science. Some companies actually spend money researching what is best for your pet and conducting feeding trials to make sure the animals they are intending to feed thrive on their diets. Believe it or not, you can find some actual research based information on the internet, rather than the usual baseless spin put out there by manufacturers. For your own benefit, here is a good place to start: http://www.tufts.edu/vet/nutrition/faq/general_pet_nutrition.html

You might find this section in particular quite enlightening:

“Is the ingredient list a good way to determine the quality of a pet food?

Although ingredient lists are commonly used by lay people to determine the quality of pet foods, this approach has many pitfalls and is very subjective to intentional manipulation by the food manufacturers. Ingredients are listed on labels in order of weight, including water, so ingredients with high water content (like fresh meats and vegetables) are going to be listed higher than similar amounts of dry ingredients even though they may contribute fewer nutrients to the overall diet. Additionally, ingredients from the same source (such as chicken meat, chicken fat, chicken by-product meal) can be split into component parts, further complicating assessment.

Pets require nutrients, not ingredients; a diet full of great sounding ingredients can be less nutritious than a diet containing less appealing (to people) ingredients.”

[BryanV21]

HDM is being kind calling it “mid-grade”. I consider mid-grade something like Natural Balance, which is a fine food, but a little low in meat for my tastes. Anything with corn as a main ingredient is “poor” in my opinion.

I can find all sorts of misinformation on the internet, so telling me I can find it on their website or any other website means nothing. I choose to learn about the ingredients and go from there. And why the hell would you take what the company selling the food has to say? That’s idiotic. I mean… what do you expect them to say? “Our food is filled with corn, which isn’t a great ingredient”?

[backyardwolf]

I have to agree with Hound Dog Mom. When did corn gluten meal and brewers rice become quality ingredients? Corn, Wheat, and Soy are the first 3 things you want to be certain are not in any food you feed your dogs. You will notice that all the foods that are 4-5 star foods do not have these three things. So that is always a good place to start. We all want what is best for our pets and time and time again we have found that these 3 ingredients don’t provide anything good to our dogs.

[Hound Dog Mom]

In general dogs with kidney disease don’t need low protein diets until the final stages – not sure where your girl is at as far as progression of the kidney failure. You’re not going to find a non-prescription food with protein levels that low because the minimum level of protein allowed by the AAFCO is 18% protein on a dry matter basis.

[Diana Reeves]

I am hoping someone can help with this. I have a 3 pound Yorkie who has kidney disease from a treat I fed her 5 years ago that was made in China. Her renal tubules are damaged and she has trouble reabsorbing protein. She is a fussy eater and the only thing she will currently eat is K-D prescription diet (14% protein, kibbles), which is made with GMO corn. GMO corn is linked to kidney disease and you have to wonder why why why? I have another dog who has the same problem and I have been home cooking her food – organic, 12% protein for 5 years. She is 16 years old now and has more energy than I do. Every year my little one gets a little thinner and there is nothing left for her to lose. I need to find a better food for her before it’s too late. Nothing that is organic is low enough protein – she really needs to be at about 12% max. If anyone has any suggestions or knows where I might be able to get someone to make some custom dry food for her, my family would be extremely grateful. Thank you <3.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi jnite –

I wouldn’t feed this food for a few reasons…

1) Supposedly this food contains nothing but meat and bone (with added vitamins and minerals). Therefore, it should have a very high protein content, moderate fat content and extremely low carbohydrate content. When I convert the guaranteed analysis to a dry matter basis I get that the min. protein is 29% and the min. fat is 26% (very very low protein for a food that is supposedly all meat). Assuming that the ash content is 8%, if I calculate the carbohydrate content (using the dry matter percentages: 100% – 29% protein – 26% fat – 8% ash) it comes up to 37%. Well there are no ingredients in the food that contain carbohydrates so there’s no way the food can be 37% carbohydrates (they actually state on their website “zero carbs”). So how can this be? How can a food with “zero carbs” be so low in protein? This leads me to believe the actual fat content is MUCH higher than the stated min. of 26% (and this is where that extra 37% of “assumed” carbohydrates is coming from). When you run into a situation like this where the fat content is so high, the company is likely using low quality fatty cuts of meat. The reason I say the missing percentages should be attributed to excess fat is because if it were coming from protein, the company would want to advertise that and would state a higher min. for the protein percentage.

2) The food contains menadione.

3) I personally wouldn’t feed a pasteurized “raw” food.

[Stewiesmom1]

Hello, I am new to this site and I am trying to find some recommendations on what I could feed a very picky eater. First I would like to give a little background. I started fostering him about 9 months ago. We think is about 2 yrs. old and a Spitz Breed. He looks just like the pictures I have seen online with a tail like a fox. When I got him he had been hit by a car and was thought to have a fracture that would heal. However about 2 month’s he still could not use his leg. I had to really be proactive to get them to have another Vet. to look at him and they found his leg was completely broken at the elbow. It was decided to have his front leg amputated. He’s has healed really good and is doing great with only 3 legs.

Now I need some help getting him to eat dog food. During his recovery I knew he had to eat and have protein to heal so we “doctored” up his food by adding baby food (suggested by the vet) he really didn’t like it much. Sometimes he will eat canned food, but I have not had any luck with any dry food. I don’t know what he was feed during the first 2 years, but I wouldn’t think they took good care of him since they pushed him from the car in traffic and someone hit him and the owners kept going.

I was thinking about making my own food, but concerned I will not get enough vitamins & minerals correctly. I am concerned that he gets the right vitamins & minerals to help his other 3 legs be strong and I need to kept his weight under control.

I have looked at a few places that sell homemade food, but $107.00 dollars for 21 days feeding is a bit more that I can afford. Can anyone give me some ideas as to my choices or cost in making his food or where to buy homemade food at a decent price?

Thanks so much and I look forward to your comments.

[Hound Dog Mom]

DoggieDoc22 –

There is also such a thing as consumers fooled by marketing tactics – you’re paying a premium price for a mid-grade food. You can’t put ground chuck into a recipe and come out with filet mignon.

[annideluc]

My dog had the same problem when I was feeding him Wellness Healthy Weight and ever since I switched him to Avoderm Weight Control the difference has been astounding. I think he’s vomited once in 7 months and it was related to something he ate. I also mix his dry food with a tablespoon of canned pumpkin and his weight has maintained (after losing the extra pounds.). He’s a six year old mini dachshund that wasn’t so mini for a while.

[DoggieDoc22]

@BryanV21 – There is such a thing out there as an educated consumer. Everything I listed is found right on the website for that food, and can easily be found by using google. I have been feeding my dogs Royal Canin for years and they do great on it.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi DieselJunki –

Nature’s Logic is a great product and I have a lot of trust in the company. My cats eat Nature’s Logic kibble and when my oldest dog used to eat kibble I used the Nature’s Logic canned food as a topper quite frequently. I’m also a big fan of their whole food supplement and occasionally use it in my rotation (although I’ve mostly gone to formulating my own supplements lately..).

Unfortunately, all of the Nature’s Logic foods are MUCH too high in calcium for a large breed puppy (I’d wait until your pup is at least 6 months old and through his rapid growth phase before trying this food). Generally, in order to get the actual calcium level you have to call or email the company because most companies only list the minimum calcium percentage on their packaging and website and often the actual calcium percentage is much higher than the stated minimum. Nature’s Logic, however, is one of the few companies that discloses actual nutrient levels on their website – the reason I know they’re actual is because at the top of the analysis for each food it say “Actual Analysis Units Dry Matter Basis” and there’s no “min” before the calcium percentage. All of their dry foods are 2.123% calcium and well over 5.5 g. ca. per 1,000 kcal.

When I compiled my calcium list I called or emailed every company with a grain-free food rated 4 or 5 stars on DFA. Some companies never responded to my emails, didn’t pick up the phone or wouldn’t disclose the actual calcium level so it’s possible that some 4 or 5 star grain-free foods are appropriate and not on the list, however I think I’ve covered the majority. If you do call a company to get the calcium levels be sure to ask for the actual level and make it clear this is what you’re looking for (otherwise they may give you the minimum). If they don’t have an actual level from a lab analysis ask for the maximum and calculate values based off this.

[Jackie B]

I ran across this document, made by another DFA user, that shows prices to star ratings. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AmNw5KB82-n_dGtyOEpVVXhPQ2tfeU1FUGdEdjVnTkE&hl=en#gid=1

It is fairly accurate and should give you a few ideas.

[BryanV21]

^ *cough* rep *cough*

[NectarMom]

I feed Brothers Allergy to 3 out of my 4 dogs. The only one of my dogs that can eat the White meat formula from Brothers always does fine on most anything except shes still scratching like mad on her sides but it could be environmental also because even my other 3 on the Allergy formula are scratching and right now my skin is really dry. We have been on this brand for 6 weeks , maybe a bit longer and I am giving extra Enzymes and Probiotics to all 4 every feeding and they all had horrible gas before and now none of them have gas but all 4 have acid reflux and they never had that before. My one with intestinal allergies sometimes will walk through the house and spit up watered down kibble. I limit how much they get each feeding. I feed 1/8 cup morning and 1/8 cup evening. I have 3 Chihuahuas and 1 Imperial Shihtzu. It is like pulling teeth to get them to eat the Allergy formula but they have to like it and thats all they get because my one hadn’t had any bloating and discomfort in quite a while since switching to Brothers Allergy formula but she cannot eat the white meat recipe nor any of the biscuits from Brothers. Intestinal allergies are very painful for a dog and I can tell almost immediately when something does not sit well with her. All 4 of my dogs ate the Original Allergy formula much better than since they added the Menhaden fish to it now. I wonder if they ever plan to switch back at all. I don’t mean to be a downer about this food but when 4 dogs do not want to eat it unless they are just so hungry then it must taste pretty bad.

[aboyandhisdog]

First, I guess I’d say you might want to see your vet. re: that bald spot. But, I have had some luck putting a squirt of Salmon oil on top of the dry food. It seems to help my dog’s coats and I think shedding has decreased somewhat. But he might have more going on than just dry skin so have a vet evaluate.

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi DieselJunki –

If a dog isn’t getting enough omega 3’s in it’s diet, it can cause skin and coat issues. However, you’re feeding extremely high quality foods rich in omega 3’s so I don’t think that’s the issue. I wouldn’t recommend supplementing with any additional omega 3’s as too much omega 3’s can be just has bad as not enough – the omega 3 to omega 6 ratio should be between 1:5 and 1:10 (omega 3:omega 6). I would try supplementing with a little coconut oil – coconut oil is rich in medium chain triglycerides and can help the skin and coat. The Answer’s goat’s milk you’re feeding does have added probiotics – supplementing with more wouldn’t hurt though. If you can get kefir that would be a great option to rotate with the goat’s milk – kefir is extremely rich in probiotics and most varieties have 10 strains or more. I wouldn’t bathe him too often – that can dry out the skin. Get bath wipes to use in between baths if you need to. My dogs get about 4-5 baths per year. I use Earth Bath shampoo and conditioner and spray them with mink oil afterwards – it leaves their skin and coat nice and soft. From the picture you posted it looks like he’s a pit(?) – pits (unfortunately) are notorious for skin issues.

[DoggieDoc22]

Best dry food to feed Yorkies hands down would be Royal Canin’s Yorkshire Terrier, or their Yorkshire Terrier Puppy if we are talking puppies.

If you aren’t familiar with Royal Canin, they are the industry’s leader in science and research, accounting for over half of all research done in the dog and cat food industry. They develop diets based on thorough feeding trials and scientific studies to meet the specific needs of the pets that each of their diets target.

The important things to keep in mind when feeding Yorkies are that:
1. They are notoriously picky eaters – The reason for this is that Yorkies actually have a reduced sense of smell when compared to other breeds. They have a lower number of the neurons used for sensing smell than the average dog. Royal Canin’s Yorkshire Terrier formula has a unique blend of aromas and flavors to stimulate the Yorkie’s fussy appetite.

2. Yorkshire Terrier’s, as I am sure you are aware, are well known for their long, silky coats. The Yorkie, unlike most other breeds, do not have an undercoat, and instead have long individual hairs. This makes them susceptible to breakage, and feeding a diet that strengthens their coat is extremely important. The Royal Canin diet is rich in Omega 3 fatty acids from fish oil to help support their delicate coats.

3. The Yorkie, being a smaller breed, has a longer life expectancy than the average dog. Royal Canin’s Yorkshire Terrier formula contains antioxidants to maintain healthy cells and help to fight the effects of aging.

As far as supplementing, it is important to choose a diet that is complete and balanced, if you choose the right dry kibble there is no need at all for supplementing, and doing so will actually have a negative effect.

[pugmomsandy]

This is another whole food supplement. It doesn’t have rice or natural bacon flavor like the one mentioned just above.

http://natureslogic.com/products/fortifier.html

[mlp576]

I have been using a whole food supplement and my dogs have been doing amazing. There moods are calmer yet they seem to have more energy. The coat looks amazing and my oldest is getting up the stairs easier. http://www.friendsfurlife.rockyandbella.com I totally recommend it. I use Pedigree maintenance however surviving and thriving are 2 different things all together. My Aunts dog is diabetic and told me that she has been able to cut down on the amount of meds for him so that is a testimony in itself.

[Mike Sagman]

Hi hamiltonmom,

So glad you chose to adopt this deserving rescue. My little guy, Bailey, had a similar history. And like you, I also discovered that “topping” his otherwise lifeless dry kibble with fresh or canned dog food makes him really enjoy his meal. You can learn more about diet rotation on our FAQ page.

Keep up the good work!

[pugmomsandy]

I currently use krill oil, probiotics and enzymes couple times a week. Mostly mixing it in with their kibble or canned food. I don’t supplement raw food usually although hiding a capsule in a ball of raw meat works very well. I’m currently using the Mercola brand but there are several others. Nordic or Grizzly for fish oils. Nzymes brand. OnlyNaturalPet.com has a selection. Sometimes I just give them a raw whole sardine instead of fish oil and then sometimes I just feed them raw tripe which has enzymes and beneficial organisms. Another brand I use is Garden of Life.

[sharyorkie]

Does anyone use supplements? Such as salmon oil,probotics,digestive enzymes?? Would love to hear your suggestions
Thanks

[sharyorkie]

THANK YOU Very Much for the info!! I called a couple of stores and found the Tripett I am going to get a few cans tomorrow.

[DieselJunki]

I have an 10 week old puppy that is extremely picky. Hound Dog Mom suggested the Tripett to me and my dog LOVES it. We went from having to sit at the bowl with him to just putting it on the floor and leaving him be. He won’t pick his head up until it is ALL gone and then stands and licks the bowl and floor. If you can get some Tripett do it! A couple spoonfuls and some warm water mixed in good with the kibble works wonders.