[anonymous]

Excellent! Thanks for the update.

PS: If you are just feeding dry food, I would add a little water to meals.

[anonymous]

Before switching food (I have never used Instinct but if it is one of those raw foods, I wouldn’t recommend) Small breeds are notorious for not doing well on raw foods. Not worth the risk for any dog (imo)
I would take her in for a veterinarian visit, senior workup complete with dental check, labs and whatever else your vet recommends (if you have not done so already).
I doubt if her symptoms have anything to do with “dry air”.

If she has had a recent vet check then I would put a call in to your vet and see what he thinks.
There are many things that could cause the symptoms you describe, it’s impossible for anyone over the internet to guess, nor should they try.

[GAby R]

Hi there, I have a almost 9 year old Maltese/yorke. she has been swallowing and licking a bit, not much, I am wondering if it could be due to dry air in the bedroom. She is currently on Instinct, just wondering if maybe the food is not good for her, she has been on that for months, I have thought maybe of switching her food, but with so many choices there, not sure which once would be the best for her. thank you

[Anonymous]

To Ron and others who may be interested:
In my prior postings, I expressed concern regarding whether or not the Dr. Marty Dogfood Company would honor their 90-day refund policy. Although it was difficult to obtain a return authorization number, once that was accomplished, the refund came quickly. I sent my food back on March 6th; the tracking confirmed they received the food on March 9th, and the refund occurred on March 12th.
Meanwhile, I found another dog food my pups seem to really enjoy: Wellness Core Tender Bites Gently Air-Dried Meal or Mixer (from Chewy.com). It has 70% raw protein ingredients and is grain free (no grain, corn, soy, wheat gluten, animal meals , artificial preservatives, colors or flavors). The other ingredients consist of many vegetables and fruits, along with vitamins and minerals. It comes in 2 flavors: Original Turkey and Chicken (which I bought), and an Ocean Flavor. My older dogs (age 11+) are enjoying the softer, rubbery morsels and I appreciate that it doesn’t require mixing with water or any other ambitious preparation. I have only found it in 2lb bags, and the cost is just under $29/bag. Even though my dogs are small, I realize I’m going to probably use about a bag a week, unless I start mixing it with other food. So far, after four days, my pups seem to be digesting it nicely with no changes in their stool. It is made in the USA. My only concern is the rather high fat content: not less than 21%. My other dry foods are in the 13% to 15% fat range. It remains to be seen if there will be weight increases feeding the amount the instructions indicate. Will report any long-term problems.

[Susan]

Hi Jean,
are you on facebook? start following Rodney Habib, Dr Peter Dobias, Planet Paws, Dr Karen Becker, Steve Brown….
Rodney Habib has quick easy to follow video’s educating pet owners about pet foods, dogs diet over vaccinating etc,
Start looking for Freeze Dried Raw, Air Dried raw -“Ziwi Peak” make really good wet & dry dog food, send them an email for samples- https://www.ziwipets.com/ when you send email ask them any questions you may have or there’s Dehydrated raw foods “Honest Kitchen”
Try & avoid dry processed kibbles if you can, also start feeding either home made raw or cooked meals as well..

[Suzanne S]

Hi,
I have a large breed 16-week old puppy (Beauceron) who came from the breeder on a low-quality food. I migrated him over to Acana Pork & Sweet Potato, grain-free. He had loose stool for several weeks, despite a slow transition, so I did some research and decided to try Orijen. He’s been on Orijen Puppy for almost two weeks and is still having very loose stool, and he’s recently become quite itchy. I’d like to find a high quality dry food that has some grain and does not contain chicken.

I get that grain-free is nice, but it would be good to have choices, too. There are recent studies that indicate too many legumes and other “fillers” that are taking the place of grains are not necessarily beneficial either. Can’t seem to find a good balance of non-poultry protein, healthy grain, and 4.5 or 5 star quality.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Thanks so much for your input!

[Jean O]

Still can’t decide. Vita Life for a bichonpoo?

[Lorianne R]

I agree Zen – Dr. Marty’s Premium Freeze Dried Raw dog food is WAY too expensive for a tiny 16 oz. bag, ridiculous price. If you want to try a less expensive (still not cheap) but very high quality raw dog food – I pay $64.99 for a large 30 oz. bag of Bixbi Freeze Dried “RAWBBLE”. You mix with a little water to rehydrate and serve, although it can be fed dry as well. Bixbi “Rawbble” is highly rated on this site’s food “Reviews”. Has high quality raw meat ingredients including organ meat. My 20 lb Maltese mix does very well on it. I notice she never has bad breath and it doesn’t give her gas. She’s calm, healthy, a happy, well-behaved soon-to-turn 7 year old. Another great find is Earth Animal “No Hide Chicken Stix” chew sticks (they also have beef & other flavors). They’re totally digestible, contain no rawhide, no bleach or chemicals, are coated with a savory olive oil/organic egg mixture my dog goes crazy for – amazing quality, so much healthier than rawhide.

[InkedMarie]

Click “reviews” in the red line above. Click “dry dog food reviews” then “5 star”. There are many five star foods at good price points. Victor comes to mind.

[a c]

Try Annamaet Lean reduced fat dry dog food. Many dogs with pancreatitis history are using this. It also received 5 stars review from this site. It may also come in cans. I am not sure.

I also add some vegetables, salmon oil, digestive enzyme, warm water, and little meat/fish from my meal for the day to the kibbles for my 11 years old dogs.

[czah z]

Sad that Purina One(what I used to give my dogs, no more) is nearly the same cost as the ones you mentioned. After looking through some deciding between:

Under the Sun Grain-Free Adult Whitefish Recipe Dry Dog Food
CANIDAE All Life Stages Chicken Meal & Rice Formula Dry Dog Food
Whole Earth Farms Grain-Free Pork, Beef & Lamb Recipe Dry Dog Food

[james M]

I am trying to find a low fat dry dog food that i can use as a basis for feeding my nine year old yellow lab who has had two Pancreatitis events over the past two years. We have reviewed her meds and removed the joint med that could cause issues with her pancreas. We are using Prescription Diet/Digestive Care ID /Low Fat but would like to reduce the cost! In her pm meal along with 1 cup dry, 1 cup can,1 cup water, we add organic sea cucumber (joint), 1/8 cup gmo & BPA free can or frozen fresh pumpkin, 1/8 cup green beans & tbs organic extra virgin olive oil (dry skin). What can we use to replace the Prescription Can & Dry Low fat dog food? Is Blue Buffalo / Blue Life Protection Formula Adult Healthy Weight can / dry a good replacement?

Thanks in advance for the suggestions,

Jamie Marquis, Belgrade, Maine

[Lisa F]

I need some recommendations on a good dry food for dogs with allergies. Have tried several but my dogs still have problems with tear stains and hot spots.

[Carrie H]

I’m not talking about kibble/dry food. I’m talking about raw dog foods only. Most have more fat than protein, unless I’m misunderstanding the charts of percentages.

[Anonymous]

current pet supplies plus employee here, there is not a ton of info out on redford unfortunately (even i want to know more!) of course since it is a pet supplies plus brand, we’re supposed to promote it and recommend it (when appropriate, of course, i’m not gonna force someone feeding raw to buy it!)
redford has both dog and cat food, and by the end of march all stores should carry canned dog and cat food too! i will admit, it’s not the absolute BEST food you could feed your pet. it was meant to compete with blue and taste of the wild mainly, defintely not top notch dry foods we carry like zignature or orijen! after all, it’s a 50 dollar bag of dog food, not $100. that being said, it’s VERY comprable to blue and taste of the wild in terms of ingredients. where they source them and who manufactures it is still unknown, but i imagine i can’t be worse than their competitors. the big selling points are having the limited ingredient line (grain free, single protein, single carb) and that all of them have the extra omega 3&6s in them to help with skin and coat.
i’ve only been able to get my hands on the canned dog food, but there’s a loaf and stew version. personally, i would go for the stew over the loaf (your typical paté) if your dog is able to eat/chew it. i found the stews to be very similar to merrick’s wilderness blend at a first glance, but i believe they’re a tad cheaper. the ingredients, again, are pretty comprable to blue or taste of the wild.
overall, my 3 pups and 3 cats have been loving it and it’s been easy on their bellies to rotate the proteins. they were all on taste of the wild before, and we had no problems, but seeing that redford price tag was pretty appealing and i’ve seen their coats get much softer and shinier (especially in my cats!)
i’m excited to see how the cat cans turn out, but that’s a whole other topic 🙂
if you’re thinking about switching, give it a shot! you can always return it (for a full refund) if your pet doesn’t like it or it doesn’t quite agree with them.

(and for the user talking about the life source bits in blue, sometimes it’s better to pick a kibble that is uniform because you can never get the exact ratio of normal kibble to life source bits that they base the nutrition off of. one day it might be, say 50 life source, the next it could be 15. even small variances can mess with some pups so generally speaking, a uniform kibble could help with that!)

[zcRiley]

You can try Forza10 Sensitive Tear Stain Plus Grain-Free Dry Dog Food.

If your pet’s tearstains are dark red, they are the result of porphyrins, which are iron-containing waste products from the breakdown of red blood cells that can be excreted in tears and saliva. If the stains are brown in color, it indicates a yeast infection on the face. See your vet before treating it.

Avoid products containing antibiotic tylosin tartrate.

[Susan]

Hi Sarah,
sounds like your dog is in pain & needs a LTD food that has just 1 meat protein & 1 carb only,
sometimes pet food companies do a recall just to be on the safe side & there was nothing wrong with their food…it will normally say they did a “Voluntry recall” …Canidae was one of these companies did voluntary recall, cause their food was being packed at the same plant as another pet food that was havinga recall but there was nothing wrong with the Canidae food they did the recall just to be safe..
I wouldn’t be worrying about recalls, alot of these recalls were done years ago & the pet food companies have never had another recall since…..Its very hard to find a dry kibble that has 1 meat protein & only 1 carb…

I would try “Natural Balance” LTD Sweet Potato & Bison or Sweet Potato & Fish or Potato & Duck formula.. or “Ziwi peak” air dried but Ziwi Peak is expensive or “Canidae Pure” Formula’s, Pure Wild, Pure Sea or Pure Sky but they have about 6-7 ingredients or Canidae’s other brand “Under The Sun” Large Breed formula..is very limited in ingredients.

Potato & Sweet Potato firms up the poo & the firm poo will express the anal glands naturally…
I can see when Patches poo has expressed Patches anal glands, I see clear fluid running down his black bum, then when we get home from our walk I use the Huggie baby wipes, I get the Coconut oil baby wipes & wipe his bum, the wipes are nice & cool on their bums..
I’ve never seen Patch ever lick his bum or his wooohoo….

Patch use to have anal gland problems, he has IBD the vet use to express every time we saw her monthly but since I found out what foods he’s sensitive too he has stopped his bum surfing on my rug…..

[Susan]

Hi Dave,
see vet that prescribe the Galliprant & ask vet for 200mg “Metronidazole” (Flagyl) Metronidazole is an antibiotic with an inflammatory drug & it helps heal the stomach & bowel, I can not take NSAID so I have NEVER given them to any of my pets they can cause bleeding ulcers…
Food to feed, boiled sweet potato or boiled pumkin & add a little tuna or salmon buy the small tins of tuna in spring water or small tin of salmon in spring water & drain out all the water & put in a air tight container, add about 1 spoon tuna/salmon & 2 spoons of the sweet potato or pumkin mix or scramble 1 egg, no milk, just whisk 1 egg & cook in non stick frying pan or microwave… these are the foods I feed when Patch when he was pooing blood water or ask the vet for Hills I/d Restore Low Fat, Rice, Chicken Veggetable Stew wet can food, make sure its the I/d stew not the I/d loaf wet can food, the stews are really nice, they smell like baby food, some people buy the baby tin foods when their dogs wont eat…
Dogs are very smart & know to rest their stomach/bowel & they dont eat, dont force her to eat any food, she will eat when she is ready, when Patch was pooing bloody water the vet made him fast for 48hrs, then started him on Metronidazole & Royal Canin Intestinal Low Fat wet can food & the matching dry kibble as well…
Make sure evey hour she is getting a 20ml syringe with electrolytes in the water the vet has the electrolytes solution packets.. you make in a jug, Patch loved drinking the solution..
DO NOT give treats as they may be high in fat & make matter worse, she needs a bland diet…. See vet

[Jessica W]

Hi all,

I just wanted to follow-up and thank you all again for your suggestions and help. I THINK WE FOUND THE ONE!!!!

After some shopping around we ended up going with Petco’s new brand called WholeHearted. Its a grain free, NO potato, dry dog food. Specifically, we chose WholeHearted Grain Free All Life Stages Lamb and Lentil Formula Dry Dog Food. This food also contains probiotics.

1. HE LOVES IT
2. Solid poops for the first time since we got him, and he is now 6 months old. YAY!
3. It is way cheaper than any of the other brands we have tried

Eventually, once we can get a bigger freezer, I will be transitioning into cooking for him. I found some great French Bulldog food recipes on YouTube that I would like to try. Below I have pasted a link to he product page for the food we have him on currently. I hope this can help someone else who may be struggling with some of the same issues we were.

https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/wholehearted-grain-free-all-life-stages-lamb-and-lentil-formula-dry-dog-food-25-lbs-2739327?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&adpos=1o1&scid=scplp2739327&sc_intid=2739327&cm_mmc=PLA-GG-_-PTC_P_SUP_PLA-GG_FY17_SCShopping-Branded-_-Non+VIP-Branded-_-58700003751703094&kwid=p29415747012&device=c&gclid=CjwKCAiA24PVBRBvEiwAyBxf-YbQ094R4-Y9fsrCe9ot5GKCeAa817a29CkfUhrpOZt-pmJVFpUToBoCCPsQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Susan]

Hi Holly,
what has Rooney been eating when these gulping episode started?
With Omeprazole (Prilosec) it needs to be taken daily same time is best given in the morning before breakfast, I give Patch 1 x 20mg Losec as soon as he wakes up, by the time I make my cuppa, feed the cat & prepare Patches breakfast he has waited 20mins so the Losec has had time to dissolve in stomach & send msg to brain, do not release hydrochloric acid into stomach, just make sure when you do give any tablets you use a syringe filled with water & put the Losec tablet on back of tongue down his throat then put syringe in the side of his mouth & push water out of syringe into moouth so the tablet goes into the stomach & doesnt sit in his throat & dissolve….
When Rooney seems to be having bad acid reflux give the Prilosec for 3-4 days then if you want to stop giving the Losec stop but once he takes the Prilosec more then 15-20 days you need to reduce slowly 2 days give then 1 day none etc, in the beginning I use to give Patch Losec for 3-4 days on, then 3 days off the Prilosec depending if he started his gulping, then I realised he was heaps better while taking his Losec so he’s been on Losec 2yrs now but last week I changed him over to 20mg-Somac (Pantropazole) another Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) as Patches lower esohageal Sphincter flap isnt closing properly now & the acid is washing back up into his throat & wind pipe, certain foods make it worse he can NOT eat wet can foods or cooked food now only kibble seems to sstay down…

I havent read your post properly but if your dog is taking Apoquel (a drug I wouldnt give Patch after reading the bad side effects), Apoquel can cause bad side effects with some dogs, I’ve read alot of dogs vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, sleeping all day etc the company that makes Apoquel has brought out Cytopoint Injection now, Cytopoint Injection has less side effects, the injection is given every 4-8 weeks depending on the dog.
I would also start your dog on a limited ingredient diet, 1 carb & 1 lean meat protein, just in case he has food sensitivities & is reacting to a few ingredients & getting itchy skin, smelly yeasty ears/paws or intestinal problems, keep the fat around 10 to 14% for a dry kibble, with wet can foods around 3% & under for fat when you convert 3%min fat in wet/raw can foods it’s around 8%min to 12%max fat…
The vet diet Hills I/d may have ingredients he’s sensititive too & he’s reacting also vet diets are very high in omega oils that can cause bad acid reflux, Patch & a few other dogs that have IBD, IBS etc don’t do too well on vet diets….
Do you belong to any face book groups for Canine IBD or “Canine Pancreatitis support group” has a few dogs with IBD, IBS, Food sensitivities, or “Dog Issues, Allergies & other Information Support group” has dogs with food senitivities, allergies, itchy skin, paws, ears etc dogs with most health problems…
Have you tried the “Natural Balance” LTD dry -Sweet Potato & Bison or Potato & Duck or Sweet Potato & Fish formula’s? I dont know which wet Natural Balance LTD can food has 3% & under for fat here’s the conversion calculator so you can save & convert the fat protein fiber in wet can foods raw foods if you buy them the etc http://www.k-9kraving.com/resources/calculator.php

[charisse]

Also wanted to mention “Carna4″ which got good marks for quality human grade dry dog food on her 2018 list of best foods from author of The Truth about Pet Food” blog/website.

I’ve decided to give this brand to my ShihTzu Bella, along with “Meal Toppers” from Honest Kitchen.

[anonymous]

It probably wouldn’t hurt to mix a little bit of bland chicken and rice in with the new food.
At least for 3 or 4 days then slowly taper it off.
I add things like chicken and plain chicken broth to their food anyway. I don’t trust dry food to be enough, I always add a little water too.

[Taschi]

**This is cross posted in the raw diet section as well**

Hello everyone!

I’ve recently made the plunge into raw diet feeding for my own dogs. However, one mistake that I certainly made was not double checking the sodium content prior to starting my conversion. I suppose I had just assumed that raw diets would naturally be lower in sodium, but alas, I don’t think that’s the case 🙁 Here’s a little background:

I have an 11Y, MN, 4.5# chihuahua who was diagnosed with heart disease almost 2 years ago [DMVD]. Last week I started switching him over on the Stella and Chewy’s frozen raw [turkey] and he has been doing wonderfully on it so far. He also gets a slew of supplements like Ubiquinol, Krill Oil, Glycoflex 3, Hawthorn Extract, and PerioSupport. As of right now, I have not had to start any medications, and his next ultrasound will be this June/July. His last ultrasound was in January. He also gets the occasional grain free greenie (he loves them 🙁 )

While I was not told to start a restricted sodium diet with him, I would really like to stay on the lower end of the spectrum to keep his heart from having to work too hard. With that in mind, I reached out to Stella and Chewy’s on Facebook and inquired about their lowest sodium/patty formulation and was answered with Chicken. The chicken dinner according to the CSR is 0.14% sodium, and when I calculated out the mg/100kcal, It was nearly 100mg!
Keep in mind that following the Tufts University list of recommended low sodium/appropriate protein diets for the cardiac patient, the range is somewhere between 50-80 mg/100kcal. It shocked me that the raw food is nearly double what some of these dry foods contain 🙁

Unless I am doing my math wrong (which is totally possible!), does anyone else know of low sodium commercial raw diets that are available? I don’t think I’m ready to prepare my own meals just yet as this is already a big deal to switch my dogs over as it is.

[Taschi]

Hello everyone!

I’ve recently made the plunge into raw diet feeding for my own dogs. However, one mistake that I certainly made was not double checking the sodium content prior to starting my conversion. I suppose I had just assumed that raw diets would naturally be lower in sodium, but alas, I don’t think that’s the case 🙁 Here’s a little background:

I have an 11Y, MN, 4.5# chihuahua who was diagnosed with heart disease almost 2 years ago [DMVD]. Last week I started switching him over on the Stella and Chewy’s frozen raw [turkey] and he has been doing wonderfully on it so far. He also gets a slew of supplements like Ubiquinol, Krill Oil, Glycoflex 3, Hawthorn Extract, and PerioSupport. As of right now, I have not had to start any medications, and his next ultrasound will be this June/July. His last ultrasound was in January. He also gets the occasional grain free greenie (he loves them 🙁 )

While I was not told to start a restricted sodium diet with him, I would really like to stay on the lower end of the spectrum to keep his heart from having to work too hard. With that in mind, I reached out to Stella and Chewy’s on Facebook and inquired about their lowest sodium/patty formulation and was answered with Chicken. The chicken dinner according to the CSR is 0.14% sodium, and when I calculated out the mg/100kcal, It was nearly 100mg!
Keep in mind that following the Tufts University list of recommended low sodium/appropriate protein diets for the cardiac patient, the range is somewhere between 50-80 mg/100kcal. It shocked me that the raw food is nearly double what some of these dry foods contain 🙁

Unless I am doing my math wrong (which is totally possible!), does anyone else know of low sodium commercial raw diets that are available? I don’t think I’m ready to prepare my own meals just yet as this is already a big deal to switch my dogs over as it is.

[Susan]

Hi Tyler,

I got email of the latest study done in February on popular dog foods that were tested for toxins & contaminates, below are the first 12 brands that got 5 stars for product purity.
American Journey Lamb & Sweet Potatoes got 3 stars….
You will notice white meats Chicken, Turkey & Pork seem to be cleaner meats & kibbles that have fish as main protein seem to be very high in toxins & contaminates, so your best not feeding a dry kibble that’s fish/salmon etc, I go to Aldi’s & buy their tin Sardines & tin Salmon in spring water, add 2 spoons to one of her meals a day…
Aldi’s have a new kibble called “Heart To Tail” Pure Being it has pretty good ingredients, go to the “Review” section up top of page, look up “Shep dog dry food” scroll down & you’ll read peoples post about Aldi’s new brand called Pure Being, DFA hasn’t review the new Pure Being formula’s yet, there’s grain free & grain kibbles, people have put up the ingredient list, fat, protein & fiber %…. I wish I could get Pure Being in our Australian Aldi’s, my dog does really well on kibbles that have sweet potatoes….

5 Star freeze dried raw, dehydrated raw formula’s & dry kibbles.

* “Buckley Liberty” – freeze dried beef, freeze dried Chicken, G/F Lamb dry kibble & Chicken dry kibble formula.

* “Canisource Grand CRU”- ALS Turkey dehydrated raw dry food, Pork & Lamb dehydrated raw dry & red meat dehydrated raw formula.
Iwould stick wit the TOTW Victor Nutro & Diamand

* “I and love and You” – Naked Essential G/F Lamb & Bison dry kibble, Naked Esssentials G/F Chicken & Duck dry.

* “Nutro” Natural Choice, small breed Chicken & lentils recipe, Natural Choice, Chicken & Lentils dry recipe, Lamb & Lentils dry recipe, Nutro Wild Frontier Open Valley dry recipe, Nutro Wild Frontier Rolling Meadows dry recipe.

* “Diamond Natural” Chicken & Rice dry formula & small breed puppy dry formula.

* “Proffessional” – Lamb & Brown Rice dry & Chicken & Pea formula dry.

* “Dog for Dog” Lamb Meal & Brown Rice dry.

* “Purina One”- Smart Blend Chicken & Rice formula, Smart Blend Healthy puppy Dry formula,

* “Fresh Pet” Chicken recipe dry.

* “Canidae” ALS Lamb Meal & Rice Dry formula, Canidae’s “Under the Sun” Adult G/F Lamb dry, UTS adult G/F farmed raised chicken dry, UTS G/F Puppy with Chicken dry.

* “Simply Nourish” Adult Chicken & Brown Rice recipe, Chicken with peas & potatoes G/F recipe dry.

* “Eagle Pack” Large & Giant Breeds Naturally Dry formula & Small Breed Chicken Meal & Pork Meal dry formula

Yesterday I bought a bag of “Wellness Core” G/F Large Breed kibble, I got it 1/2 the price cause it’s due by date was ending of 25th March 2018, the kibble is still good, it’s when you open the bag of kibble & the air/oxygen gets to the oils in the kibble, then the kibbles starts to go rancid, so make sure if you buy large bag of kibble get out enough kibble for daily use for about 1-2 weeks & store in an air tight container & put the rest of the kibble in a dry cool place & make sure kibble bag is air tight, I sticky tape the kibble bag, if it has no seal on it, then I put the bag of kibble into another plastic bag seal, then I store the kibble bag in one of those plastic storage containers & I put it in the coolest part of the house where my air condictioner is so it stays cool…

Shop around for bargans & rotate between different brands, Victor, TOTW, Nutro, Diamond, Eagle Pack & Pure Being, this way your dog will have a healthy stomach & stronger immune system cause she’s eating a variety of ingredients & she isn’t eating the same brand ingredients 24/7 & if the kibble she is eating is high in toxins then she wont be eating it for too long to cause any health problems later on cause your rotating with other brands…….

[Susan]

Hi Gina,
my boy has IBD Plus Environment Allergies & Food Sensitivities, as my boy aged now 9yrs old he has gotten worse with his allergies they dont get better as they age allergies get worse, baths are the best thing to do, weekly baths wash off any allergens on the dogs sick peas face, baths in a good medicated shampoo relieve their itchy skin & paws get some “Malaseb” medicated shampoo its really good for Allergies & yeasty skin problems…

My boy has never done well on vet diets, the vet diets for skin problems are very high in Omega 3, 6 oils, this makes his acid reflux worse, Patch cant take Prednisone it makes him sleepy, tired, nausea, vomit & diarrhea, so he takes low dose of Metronidazole (Flagyl) on & off now….

Regarding TOTW Australia, our TOTW formula’s are made at the South Carolina Plant, TOTW have 4 different Plants around America this could be why Australia hasnt been affected, plus some of the TOTW formula’s are different for Australia & Europe customers, Australia & Europe have very strict importation laws so any pet foods that come into our countries must follow strict guidelines…..
When TOTW did formula changes a few years ago I read on a EPI face book group dogs in the UK were having bad diarrhea after the TOTW formula change, TOTW had added Chickpeas to some of their TOTW formulas.
(Lentils are the new protein booster, add Chickpeas or Lentils to the kibble & up goes the protein % in the kibble, so less meat protein, Wellpets have just done it to their Holistic Select & Wellness Core formula’s, you’ll be reading complaints soon about Wellpet formula’s, my dog is having diarrhea/sloppy poo’s etc”)
So I wrote to TOTW in America & I begged TOTW “Please dont change the TOTW made for Australia, the TOTW Pacific Stream & the Sierra Mountain formula’s, TOTW has low fiber % & we have sick dogs with IBD & EPI in Australia we need a grain free, low fiber dry kibble without lentils & chickpeas, we dont have any other low fiber dry kibbles that agree with our IBD & EPI dogs, we dont want our dogs to react like the dogs in the UK are reacting to the new TOTW formula change,” TOTW listened to us, we have no peas or lentils in the Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon formula & our TOTW Sierra Mountain Roatsed Lamb formula has NO lentils YET Ive just noticed teh American Sierra MountainLamb formula has Lentils now it didnt 2 yrs ago the only thin different was the American Sierra Lamb had Salmon Oil we have Canolia Oil… it can take just 1 small ingredient & a dog with IBD can react..
Lentils, Chickpeas, Peas can irratate the bowel when a dog has IBD IBS etc

Have a look at “Natural Balance” Limited Ingredients formula’s when I run the “Canine International Allergy” face book group a couple of years ago alot of dogs with IBD were doing very well eating the “Natural Balance” LTD, Sweet Potato & Bison or Potato & Duck or Sweet Potato & Fish formula’s…..N/B use to have Potato & Kangaroo formula but they dont have it no more, if you do decide to try N/B please read all the N/B LTD Formula’s as they are all different, some N/B formula’s have Chickpeas/Lentils/peas in them, the formula’s Ive posted dont have any peas, chickpeas or lentils, if you do try a new kibble make sure you introduce it very slowly over 2 weeks, if poo’s go sloppy then go back to the amount of new kibble & old kibble he was eating & doing firm poo’s on also dont reduce the Predisone until he’s stable on new kibble…

There’s a new drug called “Cytopoint” Injections for allergies or “Apoquel” tablets, the same makers Zoetisus make both, first Zoetisus made Apoquel & the Apoquel has a few side effects nausea, vomiting then Zoetisus brought out Cytopoint injections, you give injections every 4-8weeks depends on the dog, we dont have the Cytopoint injections yet in Australia, Patches vet wanted Patch to try Apoquel when it came out 2 yrs ago cause it can also help dogs with IBD, do you have a vet that specializes in your boy IBD? ask him about trying the Apoquel for his itchy skin & IBD, Aqopuel does NOT work if your dog has Yeast Dermatitis, you’ll need to change his Vet diet if he’s got yeasty itchy smelly skin, I dont know if your boy needs to be off the Predisone to take Apoquel, here’s Apoquel site, you can email & ask Zoetisus can a dog take Predisone & Apoquel together?. https://www.zoetisus.com/products/dogs/apoquel/index.aspx

[Christi G]

Get Dandelion root supplements for the bloating… I actually take it myself – maya’s not really overly bloated so she’s not getting it but she did bloat for a few days and that’s when I ordered it – more for me – not Maya. It has a lot of medicinal benefits and is cheap. For a dog your size, I would do 2 of these in the morning (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002IWCLU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&th=1) . I’ve read great things about it and my I don’t have any bloating myself. Also, give him ginger supplements for his nausea. Maya’s doing well but my sister wanted to wean her back on to her dry food. Is your dog on a probiotic? I suggest this because it chock full of supplements and vitamins and dogs love the taste. One tub will last you about 2.5 months: http://www.gnc.com/dog-multivitamins/341085.html?mrkgcl=1098&mrkgadid=3200889428&rkg_id=h-876542dade62516db72bd07b9aef859c_t-1520201684&product_id=341085&flagtype=brand&vendor=none&channel=ppc&adpos=1o1&creative=189757865686&device=c&matchtype=&network=g&gclid=CjwKCAiAz-7UBRBAEiwAVrz-9e9uY6iLC8kTrcBew5YVlkiombzLsfzn7aJnIzn5CfR4ZM51zItEJhoCYCgQAvD_BwE

Maya is getting much less food at her normal meals because I’m home to give her the mini meals. I think that has prevented the bloating as well. She’s about 58lbs – she gets about 1/3 cup of her dry food, 1/2 cup of white rice (the GNC supplement mixes well with the rice) and about 1/3 of a large boiled chicken breast for b’fast and dinner. For lunch and late dinner she gets green beans (about 1/3 cup) and more of the same amount of chicken. My sister asked to not give her the CLA or coconut oil any longer but I truly feel it was beneficial. She gained about 3 lbs and was highly energetic… but she’s doing well now just lost a little weight. 🙁 I had to step back and realize this was not my dog but my sister’s and her wishes are what I need to abide by… but the info from this post is what she is currently getting and I still think the info from my last post was good info. If you start your dog on coconut oil – which I would not do at this point – maybe if you can get his health under control then you can (maybe a 1/2 tbsp in the AM for his size – but start out at 1/4 tbsp for a few days as he will get diarrhea if you start him out on too much to soon… that didn’t happen with Maya but it did with me last year when I started taking coconut oil!). Maybe if you give him a normal breakfast and then an early smaller dinner and then a mini meal (I mean, were talking green beans and rice and chicken – much less than your dry food) around 7 or 8, it will help. I’m personally not a fan of any dry food but fromm’s and it’s very expensive but when I see things like meat by-product and meat parts on the side of a bag of food that costs almost $100 (a very large bag) it just pisses me off! As far as the CLA, I would just puncture and squeeze out the liquid onto his food – just one in the AM (this is the one I gave maya: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MT0OT71/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

PLEASE REMEMBER – I AM NOT A VET OR A DOCTOR OF ANY KIND AND AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR WHAT OR HOW YOU USE THE INFORMATION I HAVE GIVEN. I am only sharing my own experiences over the past 3 months since Maya was taken off her meds…. I think she’s better off without them. I mean, who wants to take chemo meds for the rest of their lif?

I think VETs get overly invested in “specialty” dry dog food without really even knowing the shit-crap they put in that food and in prescribing meds without doing any other research involving natural supplements.

FIRST thing though – you need to get him on a probiotic. That can help “even out” what’s going on in his gut… and that has a positive effect on other things. AND get the Dandelion Root. Order through amazon with the links I gave you and if you don’t have it, sign up for a trial prime account so you can get them within 2 days! Also, with the GNC supplement/probiotic powder, you can sign up for auto delivery and get it for $18… just go back and either cancel the auto-delivery later and/or change the delivery to like 2 months or so based on your dogs usage. Given his weight, the tub will last you at least 2.5 months. Read the directions and start out with a smaller dose for a few days and then the whole dose once his body is used to it. I would not do coconut oil until you get his bloating and throwing up under control. I truly hope this helps… and I hope vets will start taking a more holistic approach to treating dogs… and instead of insisting on dog food that they sell, think about how simple meals with good supplements can benefit the dog… and not how the vet’s dog food can supplement their bank accounts!

[Jude B]

Thank you for responding. I am ordering the Annamaet today.
I always thought cooking for my pets was so much better for them. I do a lot of research to find healthy recipes. The dry food I feed them is Ancestry (not artisan) a 5 star. I mix that in with the turkey or meatloaf when I feed them. My Isabella just needs to lose a couple pounds. I call her chubby but she is not obese.
I am going to use the homemade as a topper and use more of the low fat dry food for Isabella. Thank you again!
Jude

[Jude B]

I have a 9 year old miniature poodle that the vets says she needs to lose a few pounds. I would love recommendations on what to feed her. She loves to eat. I have been feeding her Artisan dry food with some homemade meatloaf (recipe okayed by vet) or ground turkey with rice and green beans. I don’t give her large portions so I don’t know why she’s so chubby. Her sister gets the same thing, one year older, but she is a perfect weight. I hate to admit they get very little exercise, walks every other day. Would really appreciate suggestions on what to feed my little overweight Isabella.
Thank you!

[anonymous]

You could try a different food, however it sounds like it could be environmental allergies. Hopefully, if it is, they are mild and/or seasonal.
I would consult your vet, you don’t want him to scratch till he gets infections.
He may suggest a prescription/therapeutic diet to rule out food sensitivities, also, ask your vet about adding fish oil to combat skin dryness.
If it continues for 4 seasons/1 year without significant periods of relief despite treatment by the regular vet. Or the symptoms become worse and the dog is suffering, I would find a board certified veterinary dermatologist for accurate testing/diagnosis and treatment.
That would be your best bet.
Your vet should be able to refer you.
Hope these articles help
Keep in mind there are even newer treatment options than when this article was written
http://www.nevetdermatology.com/canine-atopic-dermatitis-treatment/

/forums/topic/allergies-and-itchy-dogs/

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=allergies

[sandra c]

I have an 8 year old cocker that ate Rachael Ray dog food all his life and pooped all the time and very dry skin. Switched to Earthborn dry food and it has helped but my dog bites at his feet and scratches all day long. He has absolutely no fleas. Do I switch do dog food again?

[Susan]

Hi,
a dog only reacts to potatoes, sugars & starchy carbs if she/he has food sensitives to those particular food/ingredients, this is another Myth spread on the internet (Dr Karen Becker) saying Potato, rice, corn, oats, grains, sugary carbs cause yeasty skin & ears this is not true, it’s only when your dog is sensitive to that food he will react…
What was he eating when his ears became yeasty?
Here’s a site written by a Dermotologist “Karen Helton Rhodes” The Myths & Facts of Yeast Dermatitis in Dogs”, Please read, she has a facebook site called “Healthy Skin 4 Dogs” & frequents another f/b group called “Dog, issues allergies & other Information Support Group” join the group heaps of really good information, your better off taking your dog off any dry kibble or cooked wet canned dog foods, whenever I feed wet can foods to my boy he starts shaking his head & scratches his ears & skin, I think the wet can foods use binders in the wet can foods & he must be sensitive too them, he’s the same when he eats a dry kibble that has tapioca, carrots, chicken, barley & oats he gets red smelly yeasty paws, itchy ears & smelly yeasty skin, he cant eat these ingredients he’s has food sensitivities to them, you need to work out what ingredients your dog has food sensitivities too??…
http://www.healthyskin4dogs.com/blog/2015/9/8/facts-myths-about-yeast-dermatitis-in-dogs
Have a look at freeze dried foods like “Ziwi Peak” air dried, Ziwi Peak also sell wet raw can food, it looks & smells like the cooked wet can foods but it’s healthier, Ziwi Peak is for dogs & cats who have skin/ear problems food sensititivies, Ziwi Peak has Novel protein meats (Venison Rabbit) & limited ingredients, Ziwi Peak must taste really good my cat goes mad when I open a can or open her bag of air dried Ziwi Peak, here’s Ziwi Peak site send them an email telling them about your dog yeasty ears & ask can you try some of their samples of their air dried formula’s, just make sure you give your address so they can send the samples out or go & buy some of the Ziwi Peak to try, your dog will get better & love the air dried & the wet can foods … https://www.ziwipets.com/ also when you do start a new limited ingredient food do not feed any treats or anything else in her diet just the new food..
also look for “K-9 Natural” Green Lipped Mussels Freeze Dried, Mussels are high in Omega fatty acid excellent for skin & ears, give 1-2 mussels a day as a treat..
K-9 Natural also sell wet raw can food & dehydrated food you just add water, same as “Honest Kitchen” look for the Zeal, Spruce or Brave formula’s https://www.thehonestkitchen.com/dog-food/grain-free

[Liz T]

Halo changed its ingredients to be more digestible on both wet and dry food. Unfortunately my springer 10 1/2 its too digestible and caused diarrhea. So after ten and half years I need to change foods – I fed a combo of both wet and dry. My dog is considered a senior but she is a springer so she doesn’t know how to slow down. Need advice on what to switch to – feeding rice and chicken per the vet until I decide on a new brand and gradually work in in. Help ?

[LeighAnne W]

Looking for your advice on what’s best to feed my 14 wk Female European Boxer Puppy? She is currently eating Simply Nourish Puppy- Natural Chicken/Brown Rice Recipe. She isn’t having any issues with this dry formula, in fact her vet says “she looks great, leave it be” … I just want to ensure I am providing the very best for her that I possibly can. Thank you kindly.

[Susan]

Hi GL,
Yes most vet diets will make the dog poo less, read the ingredient list, both Urinary vet diets have corn/maize & corn gluten meal these ingredients make the dog poo less, are you feeding the Royal Canine Urinary S/O dry formula or the Hills C/d Multicare dry formula? look at the Hills C/d Multicare Chicken & Veggetable Stew, it has good ingredients, wet food is best to feed when a dog has Urinary/Kidney problems…..When I first rescued my boy he was eating the R/C Dry Urinary S/O kibble for breakfast then for dinner he was eating the R/C S/O wet can food, 5yrs ago Hills didn’t have their new C/d Multicare formula’s, Hills C/d Multicare has a bit better ingredients then the Royal Canine Urinary, ask vet can you change if your dog ends up constipated or ask vet can you feed the wet urinary cans aswell your dog will like having the wet food for a meal….

[Jenny Rellick]

I believe the most Ketogenic food on the Editor’s Choice list is Primal Freeze-Dried Canine Venison Formula. The Estimated Dry Matter Nutrient Content is 62% protein and 1% carbohydrates. It is high in fat, which is okay for dogs, but you should be careful of how many calories you feed. If dogs are like people, what looks like a small serving will satisfy your dog’s appetite after a few weeks. If your dog gets pancreatitis, a high-fat food may be bad. In that case, a canned food for a weight control may be your best option. Wellness Core Grain Free Weight Maintenance (Canned) has a dry matter estimate of 50% protein, 16% fat and 26% carbohydrates. Grain-free low-fat foods are not all ketogenic. Some include potatoes and legumes full of carbohydrates.

If you feel like you would be feeding Bambi’s mother to your dog, the next most ketogenic food is Stella and Chewy’s Chewy’s Chicken Dinner (Freeze-Dried.) Its dry matter is an estimated 51% protein and 12% carbohydrates.

For a large breed, these freeze dried ketogenic foods are expensive. The next best ketogenic foods on average are wet, but not all quality wet foods are ketogenic. The Editor’s Choice canned foods with 5 stars are a good place to start looking for high-protein, low carb foods you can afford.
Fish oil, such as Bayer Snip Tips, is supposed to help a wide range of brain-based neurological conditions, and I think CBD oil is an excellent supplement.

[Susan]

Hi
if you scroll back up to the top of this page you’ll see “Reviews” section, click on Reviews then scroll down & look for “Shep Dog Food Dry” click then scroll down & you’ll see people’s post about the New Head & Tails, Pure Being grain free & grain dry kibble formula’s, it looks pretty good, 4 star kibbles, someone might know who makes the new Pure Being dry & wet can foods, the kibble looks good to me, it has 2 meat proteins as 1st & 2nd ingredients….
Just be careful if your dog needs to eat a low fat diet, the fat% protein % & fiber% in wet can foods, roll loaf & pre-made raw foods hasn’t been converted to dry matter (Kibble)….
I just converted this Pure Being wet formula above the Protein-37.89%min,
Fat- 22.11%min, Fiber-7.89%min… here’s the Conversion Anaylsis Calculator to save so you can convert the wet can foods to dry matter. http://www.k-9kraving.com/resources/calculator.php

[Susan]

Hi,
have a look at “Walk About” Pet Foods, here’s their link all formula’s have different ingredients http://walkaboutpetproducts.com/
Walkabout has can/tin- Goat, Boar, Kangaroo, Bushtail & Duck wet formula’s….
Wet can/tin or the roll loaf & pre-made raw foods the protein%, fat% & fiber% hasn’t been converted to dry matter (kibble) so when you see say 5%min-fat after it has been converted the 5%min-fat can range around 20% to 26%max in fat, so I dont know if your dogs need a lower fat diet, here’s the Convertion Analysis Calculator to save so you can convert the wet can foods… http://www.k-9kraving.com/resources/calculator.php

[Richard P]

I add fresh meat, chicken, chicken organ meats, lean beef, etc. to my Great Dane’s kibble so I am looking for a high rated kibble that has very little protein. Does such a product even exist?

[anonymous]

Natural Balance began in 1989 when Van Patten was a guest on John Davidson’s show. Van Patten had lunch with the show’s band drummer[who?] who rescued dogs and cats. Van Patten told him when he was a kid he had snakes, alligators, and other animals. The drummer and Van Patten had an idea of making a health food for dogs. At the time, Van Patten played tennis with a veterinarian and she said the best quality food should have no filler, no wheat, no corn, no soy, and no by-products.
Many of Natural Balance’s dry formulas maintain this initial ingredient list; others, such as the dog food rolls, include wheat flour and sugar. As of 2014, the food rolls have been reformulated to not contain wheat flour and instead utilize brown rice.
Initially Natural Balance lost money, until the brand was picked up by Petco and featured in more than 625 stores.
On May 22, 2013, Natural Balance merged with Del Monte, maker of pet foods such as Kibbles ‘n Bits, Meow Mix and Milo’s Kitchen. In March 2015 The J.M. Smucker Company purchased Natural Balance and the Big Heart Pet Brands from Del Monte.

above is an excerpt from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_Balance_Pet_Foods

[CockalierMom]

Hi Jessica,
Since your boy had problems digesting his previous kibble and now the Organix kibble, but yet responds well to home cooked food, I would suggest you consider adding canned food to his kibble to see how he does. Get one that can be fed alone and not just supplemental so that it will be balanced and work up to a 50/50 dry and wet.

[Jessica W]

Hi all,

I have a 6 month French Bulldog puppy and we currently have him on Castor & Pollux Organix Grain-Free Organic Small Breed Recipe Dry Dog Food (to my understanding this food is made by Merrick). We have had him on this food since we got him at 3 months old. He likes it a lot. However, he poops A LOT (more than any other dog I have ever had). Also, his stool has shape to it but is never solid. It always borders on diarrhea. He is completely healthy otherwise and has had fecal testing done which always comes back negative.

I am beginning to think that it is the food that is causing this issue, and we are thinking about switching dog food brands. Does anyone have suggestions as to what food we should try next? I have done tons of research but there are so many brands out there and so many differing opinions….thoughts?

[a c]

I did. The puppy like it. However, 28% fat content in dry matter is a little too much for my other two pancreatitis prone seniors. I use Nature Receipe GF tub for the seniors, but I just realized those were from Thailand. Do I need to worry about that?

I used to live in SC when Diamond has that recall. I remembered passed by Diamond plant and realized that’s the plant that manufactured the poinised dog food. Many dogs were affected. So sad.

[Ryan K]

Thanks for the replies! 🙂 I decided to pull him off of the ZD as his poops were just far too liquidy for too long. My vet put him on Royal Canin’s hydrolized protein diet instead and he seems to be doing OK on it. His allergies (which are still unknown to me) have decreased immensely BUT he seems a little out of character since he started this food. It’s hard to explain. He just seems…restless. He’s only 8 so it’s not really an “old dog restless” thing…he just seems unhappy. He typically is the kind of dog that will just sleep when I sleep and relax all day but he has been crying to go out like crazy and although his poops are solid again…his stomach seems to be grumbling a lot. I think the food is not sitting well with his digestive system for some reason despite it doing wonders for his skin.

I want to get him on a regular, more nutrient beneficial dry food. I think he might be sensitive to peas and lentils since that is really the only thing in the Kangaroo diet he was on that could have been causing his insane itching unless he is allergic to kangaroo itself. Does anyone know of any good dry dog food without peas and lentils that is limited ingredient?

[Cindy V]

Royal Canin Gastro Intestinal low fat dry and wet. My 3 dogs eat their own food. My shish Tzu puppy of 3 months eat Royal Can in shish Tzu puppy food dry.
Thank you

[Suzanne P]

My issue was with the dry dog food. Sorry, I can’t speak for the canned version.

[Susan]

Hi Donna,
If you think they’re drinking heaps of water then they probably are drinking too much water, when my boy was eating Taste Of The Wild, Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb he’d drank heaps of water some days then he stopped eating the dry kibble, so he made the dision for me to change dog foods… When your pups grow up & are adults start rotating between a few different brands of kibble with different meat protein, so they aren’t eating the same dry kibble 24/7 & add some fresh whole foods to their diet…..
Have a look at “Canidae” All Life Stages, Large Breed Puppy formula’s, Canidae have 2 large breed puppy formula’s their Turkey & Brown Rice & their Duck, Brown Rice & Lentils large Breed puppy formula..
Here’s Canidae’s site, click on page 5 both formula’s are there, Canidae has heaps better ingredients then the Iams puppy formula…
or look for Large Breed Puppy in “Holistic Select” “4health” “Victor” “Sport Dog Ellite Series”
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

[Susan]

Hi Terri,
quick question, are you mixing the Tylan Powder in with the wet Venison food?? have you ever tasted the Tylan powder, it taste very bitter, taste a little bit it taste awful…
Best to get those empty capsules from chemist & put the Tylan powder in the capsule & put the Tylan powder in capsule,open her mouth & put teh capsuleon the back of her tongue then give her a few dry kibbles or her wet can food & she wont smell the tylan powder in the wet food…..or the wet can food makes her feel a bit unwell after eating it, where after eats the Natural Balance Venison dry kibble she feels good, you know the fat is higher in wet can foods, when you convert the4%min fat% in the N.B Sweet potato & Venison wet can its 18.18%min-fat so email Natural Balance & ask whats the max fat % in the Wet can LTD Venison formula, it will be over 20% fat, my boy cant eat wet can foods he gets bad acid reflux maybe this is happening with her aswell she wants to eat it but then knows she doesnt feel well after she eats it??
If only they could talk…

[Terri L]

My shitzu/maltese has colitis. My doctor recommended Natural balance LTD sweet potato & venison formula. So far this has really worked for her. I have to also mention she is on Tylan powder for about 5 years now everyday. Her flair ups were still happening quite often. When they were really bad the doctor would give me a tube of endurosyn which works well to help her heal after a bad bout. I took it upon myself to start her on Purina Proplan FortiFlora and I have to say since she’s been on this probiotic her flare ups (when they do happen) are not as intense. No blood where as before she would have bloody stool for almost 2 days.

My question is she has lost her taste for the sweet potato & venison. It’s like one day she just decided she doesn’t like it anymore. Before that she would kill for her wet food. I only give it to her in the evening so I can get her medicine and probiotic into it. I may have to change and was wondering if anyone could recommend another wet food for me to try her on. She still enjoys the LTD sweet potato and venison dry food. She eats that with no problem I just find it strange she forces herself to eat the wet food now. I would appreciate any suggestions anyone has.

[anonymous]

Are you sure that they are drinking too much water?
Frankly, I’d be more concerned if they weren’t drinking enough water.
You can call the 1-800 number on the dog food bag and ask them for the sodium amounts.
I doubt the food is above the recommended amounts, dogs do need some sodium.

For science based veterinary medicine go here
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/

Otherwise, you are just reading opinions. There are no veterinarians affiliated with this site (DFA).

If you are really concerned, call your vet, he may suggest obtaining a urine sample.
If you can’t get it, the vet can strait cath the pup, only takes a second.

PS: If they are only eating dry food, be glad they are drinking the water, they need it.