[Cara G]

We have had success in using an antiseptic mousse, as our vet recommended, to prevent future bladder stones. This has worked but you have to do it EVERY time after your pet goes to the bathroom. It’s a pain but so worth it. We use Royal Canin Gastrointestinal dry and wet food for her pancreatitis. We add water each meal to further help prevent stone formation.

[Donna M]

My 14-year-old Bichon is doing great. He has a chicken allergy, which includes chicken broth, chicken fat, etc. I’ve been feeding him Natural Balance L.I.D. dry and wet food mixed as that brand affords him a variety of flavors without chicken as well as a mixed texture. I also add some vegetables. Unfortunately, NB discontinued small cans of the wet food and the large cans won’t work for us. Can anyone recommend a brand that offers at least 3 non-chicken flavors (e.g., beef, lamb, fish, turkey) in wet food and contains absolutely zero chicken? P.S. Grain is okay. TIA!

• This topic was modified 4 years, 4 months ago by Donna M.

[Gloria Askins A]

In 2018 the Canine Health Foundation completed a study showing that peas & other legumes as one of the 1st 10 ingredients linked to Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). Certain breeds such as Golden Retrievers, Labs, Dobermans & others seem to be more highly affected than others but the studies are continuing. Another study by Tufts came out specifically naming PEAS as NOT being a safe ingredient. The problem is it interferes with the Taurine levels and many dogs on these foods suddenly drop dead with no warning. I’ve spent hours on your site trying to find a highly rated dry grain free food without these dangerous ingredients but so far have been unsuccessful. I love the idea of the service you provide but it seems like you’re not keeping up with the latest research on canine health. Can you please look into updating your analysis to more accurately reflect current nutritional benefits of the ingredients?

[Susan]

Due you know in Australia & other countries around the world we had NO problems with Grain Free dog foods, its seem to just be USA?? & the amount of cases were low/
Have you read the latest whats was put out by FDA about DCM?? they do not have enough proof & G/F kibbles have gone back to using legumes again..

ROTATE your dry dog foods that your dogs do well on & if you want the best for your dogs look at feeding Air Dried & Freeze Dried Raw instead of Kibble, kibble is over processed cooked & cooked high temps with no real nutrients….or add fresh healthy ingredients to your dogs dry kibble.

also with Edie start walking him daily exercise, take away some of his kibble 1/4 cup & replace with beans veggies so weight drops, you don’t want an over weight senior, also put him on a good Krill Oil or Antinol for his his joints, brain, heart, skin, coat eyes, kidney health..

[Keith H]

Please review the following pet food:

1. K9 Natural (wet food) – http://www.k9natural.com

2. Essence LIR (limited ingredients list) dry food – https://essencepetfoods.com/recipes/dogs/essence-limited-ingredients/dry-2/lir-landfowl-recipe/

Thanks.

…keith

[Melinda J]

I was wondering if you could do a rating on the Small Breed Grain Free Dry Kibble from Pure Balance. I noticed that the ingredients are a little different than the regular kibble. Is there anything in it that may be known as a common allergen?

Ingredients: Chicken, chicken meal, dried ground pea, tapioca, whole ground potato, turkey meal, poultry fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), flaxseed, pea protein, natural flavor, dried ground carrot, dried egg powder, sunflower oil, dicalcium phosphate, salt, menhaden fish oil, zinc proteinate, l-threonine, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, choline chloride, taurine, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, dl-methionine, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, biotin, l-carnitine, niacin, d-calcium pantothenate, sodium selenite, vitamin A supplement, riboflavin supplement, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin B12 supplement, calcium iodate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid.

Also, this is a supplement that I am curious about. It is called: The One from Front of the Pack

Ingredients:

Active ingredients
Ingredient Typical values per scoop
Partially hydrolyzed guar gum (SunFiber®) 525mg
Whole Antarctic krill meal (Qrill®; Euphasia superba) 500mg
Glucosamine HCI (GreenGrown® [shellfish-free]) 250mg
Chondroitin Sulphate (CS b-Bioactive® [bovine]) 100mg
Methylsulfonylmethane (OptiMSM®) 100mg
Taurine (Ajipure®) 100mg
Curcumin Phytosome® complex (Meriva®; Curcuma longa [root]) 60mg
L-carnitine (Carniking®) 50mg
Bifidobacterium lactis BPL1 CECT 8145 (heat-treated) 50mg
Green tea extract (Sunphenon® 90D; Camellia sinesis [leaf], decaffeinated) 40mg
Certified organic ashwagandha extract (Sensoril®; Withania somnifera [root, leaf]) 30mg
L-theanine (Suntheanine® enzymatically produced/solvent-free) 25mg
Other ingredients
Certified organic brown kelp (Ascophyllum nodosum), sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides [fruit]), natural chicken flavor (vegan), silicon dioxide mineral source; stabilizer/carrier for L-carnitine].

1 Certified organic by EcoCert
2 Certified organic by Baystate Organic Certifiers

Macronutrient facts
Amount per serving
Calories < 4
Calories from fat < 2
Total fat < 0.2g
Total carbohydrate 0.4g
Dietary fiber 0.4g
Sugars 0g
Protein 0.3g
Not intended to replace meals or food. Use as a supplement only.

[Kourtney H]

While attending Veterinary Assisting school I had the opportunity of externing at a local clinic. About three weeks in, on the saturday after unfortunately having to say good bye to my husbands cat of 23 years, a lady came in with a gorgeous Blue Fawn Pitbull. She had said that he was wandering the highway with nothing but a bare red collar, he was friendly enough to get in her car and we were the closest animal care center she could find. We immediatly checked for a chip and upon doing so found two phone numbers attached to his. The first call we got an answer but just as soon as they picked up and we identified who we were the call was disconnected. With no information about this dog besides two phone numbers that no one was answering and the Saturday coming to a close, with noone to be coming in on Sunday because we were always closed that day…. Someone had to take this dog home and since everyone else had cats or a no pets allowed policy where they were living it was either me or animal control. I couldnt bare to see this beautiful boy whose demeanor was so relaxed and happy just waiting for what ever was coming next be sent to where they possibly were just going to euthanize him because of his breed. So when we were all cleaned up and ready to go, I grabbed a couple of blankets a bag of food and a leash and the newly nick named ” Doo Doo” and I were off. For two weeks we attempted to call the numbers associated with his chip to no avail. And the more time that passed the closer Doo Doo and Jacob got. We ended up discussing a more permanent name for him and decided that Uthred was a good fit. So as a dog named after a Northumbrian Elderman with a similar past as his, Uthred became JAcobs emotional support dog and best friend who helped combat his anxiety. As soon as He felt Jake begin to feel overwhlemed and worked up he would quite literally force himself into Jake’s lap and would just stare into his soul and like the flip of a switch Jake was calm, and anxiety free. It was a beautiful thing to see this relationship grow and see both of them benefit in such giant ways from one another. Now that you know the back story to our unique situation I would like to bring you up to speed on our unfortunate happenings as of the last four or five months.

Things have been pretty much the complete opposite of our first 4 months with him. One day after bathing Uthred I was drying him off with a towel and he was VERY anxious and obviously uncomfortable. Later that day he was laying down in his bed and I was cleaning the room when I came across his favorite blanket, as I went to hand it to him he quickly growled and lunged at me. Completely shocked and taken a back I stood there as his growl continued until my mind gathered everything that just occurred and took a step back. I was so confused and when Jake got home from from work he was in disbelief. We were thinking he possibly was abused in his last living situation and maybe my simple actions caused him an episode of PTSD. Well once this happened it only got worse. Soon enough I was no longer able to touch him, walk by him, or even look at him without him fiercely growling at me. This drastic turn in events not only took a toll on me but my marriage as well. As Jacob was still able to continue his relationship with Uthred. Soon I wasn’t even able to touch Jacob without this very powerful dog snapping at me. Which led me to believe maybe he is displaying possessive or territorial aggression. That was until he started displaying this behavior toward Jacob as well! To this date I have been bitten/ nipped at twice and while sitting on the ground he has out of nowhere lunged at my face, luckily Jacob’s quick actions caught him just before he would have got me. As for Jake, on three separate occasions he has been bitten three times with two out of the three drawing blood. Confused and distraught, we were unsure what to do next. We tried everything we could think of until we finally decided to take him to the Vet on May 27th 2021 for the aggression he was continuously displaying. They prescribed him with gabapentin and gave him his vaccinations and sent us on our way. While it seemed to ease his anxiety the side effects started to worry us as he just became more and more lethargic. Then we started noticing that he was losing weight. A lot of weight. His appetite was there but very little. The place we started noticing it most was in his head more specifically his chewing muscles. We looked up the symptoms of what we had been noticing like how he was no longer wanting to go for walks, play ball, or chew on any toys along with when he would try he would cry and spit what ever it was that he had out of his mouth.. that and many other things are what brought us to the conclusion that it was masticatory muscle myositis. I took him to the vet and they were shocked to see the rate at which his condition was declining. It was only two weeks from the vet visit where we got the Gaba and his vaccinations to the next appointment where he was just a completely different dog. The vet agreed with us as to what the diagnosis was and she prescribed prednisone. Day one he was great almost like he was going back to normal same with day two then day three he started declining again at a quicker rate… now we are to tonight June 16th he looks horrible is beginning to have a difficult time drinking water. I am at a loss and have no idea what to do. I am so overwhelmed by my own emotions not to mention the flood wall that I am absorbing from Jacob. I read a few things in a forum where people had the same thing occur a week after the rabies shot was administered. Im wondering if that has anything to do with this . also anyone know what kind of diet might help?

[Patricia J]

I’ve been following the Dog Food Advisor for a fair number of years now. Based on what I learned here, I’ve been feeding my German Shepherd/Samoyed mix girl, Sammy, Fromms dry food for the last 11 years (her whole life). We just had a check-up because she has started “leaking”. The vet put her on Proin ER to help with that, but then suggested we do more extensive blood work, which showed that Sammy has a high Createnin level (2.5). Vet said to start feeding Purina Pro Plan NF, that it has been shown to dramatically extend life. OK, fine, that’s what we want, so yeah, I bought some and have been mixing it in with the Fromms to transition.
Here’s what I don’t understand—the first ingredient in the NF is CORN! That’s followed by rice, egg, fish oil, a bunch of vitamins and chemicals. I get that it probably doesn’t have things I’m used to that contribute to her problem (like meat), but how is what it does have in any other way nutritional?? The corn especially got me, as I thought I’d learned that it basically was empty filler. How will this be good for Sammy’s overall health?
Any information/insight will be appreciated. Thanks. Pj

[J B]

I feed my 12 yr old lab mix “Science Diet Senior Vitality” dry food, and she eats it fine. So, she’s 83 pounds and could afford to lose a few pounds for her health. “Science Diet Perfect Weight” dry food formula has less calories. Both are chicken based. Can I do half and half of each, so that I cut the caloric intake by at least some from half of it being the lower calorie “Perfect Weight” formula? I like that she likes the “Senior Vitality” AND that it has, supposedly, good nutrition for an older dog. But, I want her to take in less calories. Is there any real downside to giving her a 50/50 mix of both? Thanks

[John M]

Hello, love this site, but for some reason, DFA separates out “Best Food for Small Dogs” and then, includes 4 star dog foods. Why is that?
Wouldn’t small dogs also benefit from the 5 star dog foods listed in other catagories?
Very disappointing that so few WET dog foods are included in the Small Dog food list.
Also DFA lists that “……small dogs tend to benefit from food optimized for their higher rate of metabolism… and their smaller physical size.”

But DFA does not specify what are the criteria for nutritionallly supporting a “higher rate of metabolism”?

Is it the fat content is higher or lower? (the various dog foods in that list for of dog foods that sold as being “for small dogs” seem to have no consistency between fat content ? or any other ratio, not that i can tell. What IS it you see in those foods that helps make it best “for small dogs”?)
I would like to know, as i prefer WET foods for dogs but your list has almost all DRY dog foods for small dogs. If i knew what it was you see in the ingredient lists,
I could open up my options in choosing wet foods for small dogs.

Is it the calorie count is higher or lower?

Is it the protein content is higher?

What exactly in that list of dog foods labelled “small breed” dog foods is the thing DFA is looking for? Is it just the way the dog food is marketted? —Like, If these dog foods did not have bags labelled “for small dogs” would they have still made the list?

And so far as smaller size goes, wouldn’t feeding smaller amounts more frequently be how to feed a smaller dog?

I really LIKE the REgular list of “BEst Wet Dog Foods” because that list makes sense. All are 5 star dog foods, that list is consistent from one brand to another, all displaying similar ingredients and attributes.

I would really like it if anyone could share their knowledge with me on why the DFA’s regular list of “BEST DOG FOODS” would not be good for small dogs?
THANK YOU to anyone who can teach me
what it is
one sees in those bags labelled “for small dogs” that “supports higher metabolism”?

[Yvonne H]

My white dog used to have these awful gunky eyes and stains until I switched to FreshPet dog food.

After two weeks of being on his fresh, refrigerated food all stains and gunky eyes are gone.

We are never going back to dry kibble again.

[Wendy K]

Has anyone here transitioned their dog from dry or canned food, to Farmers Dog/Honest Kitchen, and noticed a vast difference in the recommended calories per day?

It’s by almost half! I’m trying to understand why. Maybe it’s possible there is a reason, but despite a week of trying to google research on my own, I can’t find an answer.

For instance, my dog has been on Acana, and then after a major dental surgery, on Merrick dry and canned, and I’m trying to switch him onto a healthier wet/fresh option.

He’s a 5 y/o, neutered, active male…weighs about 35lbs, is a mixed breed.

Acana states he needs 776 calories a day (1 cup dry, twice a day)
Merrick states he needs 875 calories a day (1 cup dry or 1 can, twice a day)
Farmers Dog states he needs 402 calories a day (6oz, twice a day)
Honest Kitchen states he needs 892 calories a day ( 1cup, twice a day)
Ollies Fresh states he needs 496 calories a day (not sure what each serving size weighs)

When I use the VetCalculator website, it states he needs 858 calories for his MER.

I’m worried I will be under feeding my dog, by switching to a fresh or dehydrated food.

[Jessi S]

@Amanda V I can only speak from experience with my own sensitive dog. So far, I’ve had the best luck with Wellness. She did good on Core but I’ve found the Trufood line to work wonderfully for her. Nice small and firm stool. No more indigestion either.

/dog-food-reviews/ happy wheels wellness-dog-food-super-5-mix-dry/

[KathyA P]

Hi! Check out http://www.openfarmpet.com they have soft food they ship to you in dry ice and it’s excellent! Please google Fresh Pet mold issues. They have had some issues in the past.

[Michael H]

Surprised to see the selections of all ten dog foods for best dry grain free, have peas, beans, or nightshade potatoes in the top five ingredients. That is the best food? Yet Sport Dog Elite Series Working Dog Formula has no peas, no nightshade potatoes, no chickpeas, no grains, no flax, no legumes, no rice, and only given 4 1/2 stars. For one of only two kibbles I have found on your entire site that can make this same claim.

• This topic was modified 4 years, 8 months ago by Michael H.
• This topic was modified 4 years, 8 months ago by Michael H.

[Karen W]

Hey there
I have a 16 yo border collie golden mix.
A few years ago she was diagnosed with early kidney disease. Since then I caved in and got a prescription diet for her
thru Hill’s Science Diet K/D. She has had good luck so far BUT I have a hard time locating it locally. I end up buying it from PetSmart online where ever I can locate it. Then drive to that location and pick it up. Both dry and canned. She loves the chicken and vegetable stew or beef and vegetable stew. BUT when she gets down to two or three cans is when I start my online search for the next 6-12 cans. The dry food doesn’t seem as difficlut to get it is only the canned food. The caveat is wherever you find it there has to be a vet at the location to dispense the food. Aggrivating as it may seem my girlie is worth the effort.
I haven’t seen any reviews from this Dog Food Advisor site regarding the quality of the prescription foods or any ratings. But then again I just may be overlooking the info. I do know these foods for kidney care are low in protien. That’s what counts for this type of diet-low protien.
Good luck

[Leah D]

We have a (approx) 2 year old 50 lbs female spayed Foxhound mix named Riley. We adopted her December 2019.

When we first got her from the rescue she was underweight and had no problem eating dry dog food. When she gained a little weight she got fussier, so we stopped feeding her just the dry food and switched to dry mixed with a little bit of wet, but more often then not we’d end up throwing it away because she wouldn’t eat it.

Now we feed her Rachael Ray Nutrish wet food with something mixed in — lean ground turkey, or cooked gizzards usually. But recently she’s become less and less of a good eater, we’ll have to add more mix-ins or warm it up a little in the microwave before she’ll eat. The problem is if she doesn’t eat, especially in the mornings, she always throws up.

So I think it’s time to switch her food. I was thinking Merrick (honestly just because I really like their packaging and marketing of their wet food), which would probably be at the top of our price range, but does anyone have any other recommendations?

As a side note, Riley likes food with a very strong smell—when I make Cesar dressing she licks the anchovy oil from my fingers and ate a piece of blue cheese I dropped on the floor once!

[Carol R]

My now 4 month old puppy has had diarrhea off and on since we got him at 8 weeks.
He came from the breeder with Kirkland puppy food. He had diarrhea for a week so my vet recommended gastro puppy canned and fortiflora pro biotic for a week and gave us a dewormer .He improved and we put him back on the Kirkland puppy. The diarrhea came back . Put him back on gastro puppy canned and mixed in gastro dry . He improved. We decided to switch to Nutrience sub zero puppy . As recommended by a vet as to avoid grains.
We mixed it in very slowly and he was good for a couple of weeks . Then diarrhea started again . We got a fecal done , it was negative . Got dewormer again and metronidazole. It improved. After the meds were done the diarrhea has started again .
Any suggestions as to new food to try ?

[Jenny Rellick]

When shopping for senior food, I noticed that, among the highest quality brands, the only difference in ingredients in their senior food is that it contains glucosamine and chondroitin to help with arthritis. Other healthy aspects of senior foods are that they contain 1. probiotics (to aid digestion and boost the immune system) and 2. omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids (for heart health, joint lubrication, and skin health.) However, high-quality brands typically include probiotics and omegas 3 and 6 in all of their foods. You can give your dog glucosamine and chondroitin in treats such as Zuke’s Hip Action, which can be broken into small pieces, instead of searching for a grain-inclusive senior food with those ingredients. The CANIDAE All Life Stages Formula Dry Dog Food line may be what you’re looking for. It has 4.5 stars. The label specifically says it’s appropriate for all dog sizes. They only make a specific small-breed size for their grain-free food because the standard kibble size for their grain-free food is larger. Also, even the grain-free senior food that I buy has much smaller than average kibble, which is a good sign the All Life Stages really is okay. If you buy it locally and it’s not appropriate for your dog, you should be able to return it or call Canidae for a refund because it says ALL sizes on the label. By the way, don’t buy this brand on Amazon because multiple recent reviews say it’s counterfeit.

[S R]

I notice you don’t have a separate “small breed, senior” dry dog food category.

With that said, what small dog, senior, dry, grain inclusive food do you recommend?

Thank you for responding

[Rhonda M]

Over a year ago we switched to American Journey Dry Salmon small bits and American Journey Wet, chicken, Lamb, and Duck all with sweet potatoes. All grain-free. I would like to nominate this brand American Journey. We have been really pleased with the results and our 11-year-old boxer, Macy, really loves it. She has been one of the most healthy dogs we have ever owned and she even acts like a puppy at times. She is graying a bit around the muzzle and the top of her head and has developed some skin tags the vet will be removing next month but other than that she is great. We really are proud to use American Journey Grain Free Dog Food.

[Diane C]

I am soon to welcome home a baby Westie, 3 mos. old. It has been decades since taking care of a puppy. Any advice on puppy feeding? What protein ratio? Dry food vs. wet? Grain-free vs. grain? How many feedings per day? Any recommended sources of puppy information? Thank you! I am so excited!!

[Aoife H]

Same problem but I am using Blue Buffalo Wilderness Puppy Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food

[Aoife H]

I think you should start giving Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large Breed Healthy Weight Adult Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, this very healthy and cost efficient food. I read review about it on a website i hope this will help you!

[crazy4cats]

I’ve made the 180 on dog food and now feed them either Purina Pro Plan or Purina One dry food along with a spoonful of wet food.

I tried feeding Iams dry at first after switching off of the grain free food we used to feed them. But, they like the Purina with the shredded pieces better and are doing great!

I do not know anything about Rayne. Best wishes on finding the best food for your new puppy. Make sure if it is a large breed puppy that you feed a puppy food specailly formulated for growing large breed pups.

[crazy4cats]

Purina Pro Plan Salmon and Rice might work for you. I feed it to my two labs mixed in their dry food every few days. Good luck!

[Alexander G]

I absolute agree with you though on the different tiers of dry-food, and the quality of the ingredients and amount of fillers included in each tier. In fact – I just read this information (https://catspurfection.com/high-calorie-cat-food-to-gain-weight.html) this morning prior to discovering your post here.

[Hemmyngs K]

Hi, Hilla! you can consult your vet and he will recommend the best food for your cat. And if your cat likes it, then you will understand it. Besides, I found various articles with reviews of the best cat food for 2021 on Google, you can see them. I feed the cat Rachael Ray Nutrish super premium food for cats that is made with simple, natural ingredients with added vitamins and minerals. This high-quality product helps in maintaining healthy organs and muscles. It contains no ground corn, wheat, soy, poultry by-product meal, fillers, artificial flavors, or preservatives and that’s great! Also, the cat food contains B vitamins, proteins, Biotin, and Zinc, which help support healthy skin and coat and reduce shedding and dry skin. I sometimes feel like I feed my cat better than I feed myself. By the way, my vet said that I should do prevention from worms and parasites for my cat and advised me to order and add to cat food Diatomaceous Earth food grade to get rid of parasites and various pests. You can find the review here https://catademy.com/diatomaceous-earth-for-fleas/ . I hope this is a natural remedy that is safe for cats. If you know anything about this product, please let me know.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 9 months ago by Hemmyngs K.

[Amanda V]

Hi,

We have a 55 pound mixed breed pup who’s 2 years old. He has a very sensitive stomach and so far the only food he’s done well on is just food for dogs turkey and whole wheat pasta. We have been cooking fresh food for him for over a year but we travel a lot with him which makes it hard. We want to try a dry food but don’t know where to start. Before the fresh food we tried Purina, hills, blue Buffalo, etc. he was even on the vet’s chicken prescription food. Does anyone have any suggestions for dogs with similar stomachs? We are open to regular dry or dehydrated raw. With precious dry food he always had bathroom issues as well as would throw up fairly frequently, have itchy paws and need his anal glands expressed often. The fresh food fixed everything but the itchy paws and anal glands. Thanks in advance!

[William N]

I am so confused re: food choices. I own and care for a 4 year old Female, Mini-Labradoodle. She currently eats two servings a day of Dry food – “Chicken Soup for the Soul” Adult. She has been on this brand since I brought her home. I currently pay about $33 for a 28lbs. bag. And I always run into other owners at the Dog Park and not one has ever used; and most have never heard of this brand. I am worried that there are better foods available for my pet – hopefully in a similar price range as I am retired and income fixed. She currently weighs in at 32 pounds, seems healthy and loves to play. Looking for recommendations. Thanks so much – Nick

[Patricia A]

BellaBea if you require a food that is limited ingredients and grain free dry there are many. One example is Open Farm. Here is a link which lets you look at chart to pick one for your dogs needs. I believe their Salmon is grain free/chicken free. https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0016/2509/6305/files/highlights-premium-nutrition-dietary-sensitivities-chart.pdf?152945
I also suggest Stella Chewy’s grain free limited ingredients or Natures Logic. You also can’t go wrong with store brought raw or freeze dried for convenience. You pick the protein and contains no peas or extra fillers or grains. To name a few there’s Primal, Open Farm, Vital Essentials, Small Batch, Bixbi Rawwbles. All 5* reviews. Just make sure ANY new food is introduced VERY, VERY, VERY slowly.

[Charles M]

Hi,

Other than this site and forum, I have browsed through many and many websites, but there is no proper fact-based information or advice which I could find on what meat would be better for a certain dog breed.

I have a Working English Cocker Spaniel who is turning 12 months and I wanted to figure out if I should go with red or white meat-based dry food for him. We are currently on Orijen Puppy. I can see many people recommend Orijen Regional Red for Cocker Spaniels, but I am worried about that it is heavily red meat-based only without any white and poultry meat. On the other hand, Orijen Original is heavily poultry meat-based food.

I wanted to ask members with more understanding and dog dietary expertise if:

• Should I get Orijen Regional Red which is red meat-based food for my Cocker Spaniel?
• Or should I get the Orijen Original which is poultry meat-based food for my Cocker Spaniel?
• Or should I feed him on both by mixing up the Reg Regional with the Original to provide a more balanced diet?

Thanks in advance, for helping me with this.

[a c]

I rotate between Annamaet lean and Candiae less active dry food. I also add fresh vegetables, sardines, chicken tenderloin, 1% cottage cheese, and occasionally a small piece of liver to their diet.

[Susan]

Hi Ryan,
I feed Patch – “Canidae Pure Senior” its has 10.80%max- fat, high protein-30% & low/med carbs around 30%carbs, also the lower the fat% & lower the protein% kibbles are higher the carbs, same with HIGH fiber diets can also cause Acid reflux, too much Omega oils, NSAID, steriod medications, joint, Arthritis, skin supplements, can also cause acid reflux…

Look at Canidae Pure Weight Management kibble its 9%-fat, has same or very similar ingredients to the Canidae Pure Senior kibble & the fiber is 5% alot of Weight Management kibbles are low fat but high in fiber.
https://www.canidae.com/dogs/canidae-pure-grain-free-weight-management-dry-dog-food-chicken/

I try & stick with around 10-13%max- Fat, 30%-Protein & 30%-Carbs, fiber-5% & under & the kibble has to have Potato or Sweet Potato or both.
People don’t realise the dog also needs low/med carbs & try & avoid fermentable grains as they ferment in the gut causing acid reflux – wheat, barley, oats and rye, most vet diets contain these grains Patches acid reflux seems to get worse when eating grain Gastrointestinal vet diets .
What I’ve found over the years, dogs who suffer with Acid reflux seem to do better on a Grain Free Potato diets, when the dog is having a acid reflux attack- I boil Sweet potato in small pieces & I freeze – take out 1 piece sweet potato, put on plate in Microwave to thaw then I mash the sweet potato give to dog, the potato settles dog or human esophagus, throat & stomach…
For Lunch I buy Tin- Yellow Fin Tuna, Tuna is the lowest in fat & low in omega oils, Sardines & Salmon are too strong for Patch, he mouth licks, I add boiled mashed White & Sweet Potato also add the white of a boiled egg sometimes, the yellow egg yoke is high in fat.
For his Arthritis he’s 12yrs old now, I’ve been doing Physiotherapy twice a day as he cant take NSAID drugs, his vet said Physio will extend his life as alot of dogs get Put To Sleep cause they become so stiff & cant walk in the end, he takes Panadol Children Chewable 3+years 120mg when in pain, 10mg per kg..
I do the Sausage Roll Massage as your massaging & rolling dog skin you’ll feel dogs skin flinching stop & hold the twitching roll/skin for 5-10sec it will be a bit uncomfortable at first so offer the dog treats or his kibble after 1 week its not as painful & Patch rolls have stop twitching.

Have you joined F/B group called “Acid Reflux in Dogs” I cant believe how many poor dogs are suffering with Acid Reflux.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1635198406751056

[Jane R]

I’m so glad I found this about dogs with gulping, licking episodes! THANK YOU all for sharing your experiences, suggestions, etc. I have a basset beagle mix that’s 6 years old. I got her when she was 4. She has sensitive stomach and mild anxiety.
She started doing the licking the floor, gulping, sometimes hacking/coughing sound like something is stuck in her neck or her throat is itchy (?), and wanting to frantically go outside to eat grass. I tried Pepcid, famotidine from the vet. Didn’t help. Took her to see another vet and showed him a video clip of her frantically licking the floor and not responding to me or anything else except to go outside to look for grass. Sometimes she would throw up, but that was rare. This vet suggested she might be having focal seizure especially since Pepcid didn’t help which led him to rule out acid reflux. He gave me xanax as he said the focal seizure can be caused by anxiety (which she does have mild anxiety). Well that didn’t work or help either. So I’m back to square one and have written down some things she does related to these licking the floor episodes (which can last anywhere from 10 minutes to 45 minutes; and go on and off for a day or two before subsiding) and wanting to go out to eat grass. I noticed that she licks the top of her paws and her chest area almost on a daily basis. She will also periodically make gulping and licking sounds, at various times of the day or night. The last time she had a licking episode, she eventually threw up, I noticed alot of hair in it. So I am wondering if she gets small hairballs from her “grooming” herself (I googled symptoms of hairballs) ? Or is it post nasal drip as she does have allergies?
I have tried Benadryl in case it could be post nasal drip. It helps a little but could be only because it makes her sleepy? I can’t give her more than one in 24 hours and more than maybe three days in a row as it makes her sick/vomit.
So yesterday I asked a friend who does cat rescue what she uses for hairballs and she said laxatone. Then I ordered some indoor grass that dogs/cats can eat and laxatone (a lubricant), from chewy.com for my dog. If her issues are related to hairballs, this should help.
I just found this forum today and saw the suggestions for slipppery elm…I’ll give that a try too if the laxatone doesn’t help. Plus try changing the protein source in her food.

Thank you all again so much for sharing your experiences and what you have done to try to get to the bottom of these episodes with your dogs. I also especially appreciate those who had tests done, scoping, x-rays, etc. and still no answers. This is all very frustrating for sure!

Also wanted to mention that fragrances from candles, essential oils, perfumes, would make my other dog do the gulping/swallowing and she would want to go outside, so I don’t ever use those anymore. And she has never had an episode since.

[Michael B]

Has anyone noticed the awful odor of their pet’s kibble, now that it is being packaged in plastic rather than paper? I have kibble from Instinct, Fromm, Chicken Soup for the Soul, and Purina that all smells like a freshly painted room drying. My Rough Collie quit eating his kibble until he goes 2 – 3 days on a hunger strike, or unless I add canned food or table scraps to the kibble. This was never a problem when the kibble was packaged in paper. At first, I thought it might be old food or related to some manufacturer’s recipe, and changed types of food and eventually brands. I am now getting concerned that it is not the food ( at time of manufacture ), but either 1.) the plastic packaging is outgassing, or 2.) the kibble is becoming rancid becasue it can’t breath, or 3.) some sort of a chemical reaction is occuring between some ingredient in the kibble and the plastic and is creating the foul odor. At this point, I have become fearful for my collie’s health and am currently moving him over to Fresh Pet, until this issue gets cleared up. I tried canned food, but his sensitive stomach has issues with canned food… resulting in extremely soft stools or worse… diarrhea. He is currently handling Fresh Pet quite well. I have contacted Fromm, whom seems genuinely concerned about my experiences and I have also contacted one of companies that manufactures the plastic packaging, but has not yet responded. In the case of Fromm, the kibble was extremely fresh, wiith a use by date in 2022. I keep the kibble in the plastic packaging it came in and squeeze out the air before clamping the rolled up packaging to help keep air from getting back in. If you have have been experiencing simmilar issues, I would love to hear about your experience. If your pet is eating fine, and you are feeding kibble, you might take a sniff of the kibble and the inside of the bag to see what you detect. It would be absolutely awful if this new packaging has not been adequately tested and it is unknowingly effecting the health of our pets.

[Ryan K]

I’m looking for a low fat food for my little guy. He’s been on science diet low fat I/D prescription food for a couple years now. He needs a super low fat food or he gets bad reflux. Does anyone know which foods are both high quality and have a fat % under 9%?

[Steven R]

Hello,

I have a 4 year old, 103lb, Cane Corso named Odin. We are wondering what would be the best recommended food for him? He has a chicken allergy, which makes the hunt a bit difficult for us.

Here is some background:
He has been using Victor Hero dry food for a long time, which we know is fantastic, but possibly not specifically for large breeds. Last month he ended up having bloat (GDV). We have been aware of this possibility for years and have taken all the precautions. Luckily, we were able to notice the bloating just in time to get him to an emergency surgery in time for him to survive! The vet said that we had likely done nothing wrong, it seems to be bad luck. Since his surgery, however, we have noticed he burps a lot more often. We are wondering if the fat content of Victor might be a bit too much for him? We just want to make sure we avoid any foods that may cause bloat, and this website is by far the best and most thorough we have ever found. We appreciate any and all help you can provide. Thanks!

[Susan]

Hi my rescue boy suffers with IBD, vet said he was eating a POOR diet old owners probably kept feeding him a poor quality pet food that had ingredients he was sensitive too for the first 4yrs of his life before I rescued him.

If you can afford to see a Animal Nutritionist to make him a balance raw diet or cooked diet this will be the best….
Dogs Digestive Tract is short made to digest a raw diet.
Follow Dr Judy Morgan she has her Yin & Yang book, she has easy to make balanced recipes online. There’s a few people you can follow so your new pup has a healthy start to his life & your right kibble isn’t the best, kibble is processed & cooked at very high temps, all nutrients are killed & then they have to add synthetic vitamins that are from China & have killed thousands of dogs big recalls over the years. Hills just had a big recall too much Vitamin D in their pet foods.
If you want to feed 1 of the big 4 pet food companies then look at Royal Canin. You can also contact Royal Canin & speak with 1 of their Nutritionist they will help you work out whats best to feed your growing pup.

I have found a Grain Free potato diets have been best for my boy when he has diarrhea/sloppy poos etc when I first rescued him. The Potato firms up poos, soothes stomach, easy to digest & let his stomach & bowel heal.

If you are feeding a Dry kibble look for a limited ingredient kibble to start with, less is best, less to react too, get your puppy stable for 3-4 months, no sloppy poos, also put him on a good dog Probiotic unless the dog food “Wellness” has Probiotics in them .

“Wellness” – been making pet food over 100yrs-
https://www.wellnesspetfood.com/natural-dog-food/product-catalog/simple-limited-ingredient-turkey-potato-recipe

“Cana4” – does not use any Synthetic vitamin mixes, is made in Canada-

Our Story

“Instinct Original Grain-Free Dry” –
https://www.instinctpetfood.com/dogs/limited-ingredient-diet

[Susan]

Hi my boy the same he does well on Royal Canine vet diets BUT if its a grain kibble he suffers with food sensitivities & gets yeasty smelly itchy skin. Hes doing well on Royal Canin- Sensitivity Control Duck & Tapioca vet diet but I dont think you get this in USA we get our R/C from France-Europe

Look at The Royal Canin Duck & Potato or the other novel proteins R/C has in wet can /dry food .
My boy did excellent on “Wellness Simple Turkey & Potato” kibble but we stop getting the Wellness Simple in Australia last yr.
Potato is excellent when dogs suffer with IBD potato soothes stomach easy to digest & firms poos, potato is also a low allergen this is why Potato is used in vet diets, its worth a try.
Wellness Simple has matching Wet can foods but they’re higher in fat then the matching kibbles, when they’ve been converted to dry matter fat% they’re over 30%+ fat it all depends on the Moisture %, under 78%-Moisture the fat will be lower min fat, over 78% Moisture the fat will be higher max fat%..
Wet can, raw, dog rolls, air dried/freezed dried Raw etc Guaranteed Analysis hasn’t been converted to Dry Matter like kibble.
https://www.wellnesspetfood.com/natural-dog-food/product-catalog/simple-limited-ingredient-turkey-potato-recipe

Also BATHS are a must as you wash of allergens from dogs skin & paws, bath in a medicated shampoo relieves itchy red skin.. I also use baby wipes & wipe my boy down after going outside & get some “Sudocrem”its an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial healingcream apply just as dog is going to sleep for the night so red itchy skin paws can start to heal apply Sudocrem before going outside, the Sudocrem acts as a barrier & protects skin & paws.
The only place you can get Sudocrem in USA is Walmart online, once you get into a routine the itchy skin/paws gets better & under control.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sudocrem-Antiseptic-Cream-125G/182504923

[Jordan C]

Hi Caryn!

Murphy is 2.5 years old now and finished growing and is now on Stella and Chewy’s Essentials Wholesome Grains Beef Recipe. He has been doing absolutely amazing on it! Specifically labeled poultry free.
https://www.stellaandchewys.com/dog-food/grass-fed-beef-ancient-grains-recipe/

However, if you have a younger pup, I probably wouldn’t recommend it at this stage in its life. It does not carry an AAFCO label for large breed puppies. The back of the bag states: “All life stages except for growth of large size dogs (70lbs or more as an adult”

Until he reached about 1.5 years, I had him on Fromm Heartland Gold Large Breed Puppy

https://www.frommfamily.com/products/dog/gold/dry/#heartland-gold-large-breed-puppy

It is also poultry free but is specifically labeled for LBP. He also did very well on this one.

I hope this helps! 🙂

[crazy4cats]

My dogs do great on Purina One dry dog food. It has a mix of tender and crunchy kibble.

[James P]

Mary, I applaud you in that you are trying to help your pups live a longer life through better nutrition!
I would suggest you do your own research and make your own decision as to what is the best food you can feed them.
Though we all hate to admit it, sometimes cost comes into that decision as well, and that is something each one of us has to decide.
I can tell you what my wife and I do for our 4 Miniature Schnauzers, 2 are 15, 1 is 11 and 1 is 9.
We feed 3 different foods mixed together. Schnauzers have issues with too much fat in their diet, so we mix together two low fat dry foods and top it with a fresh food, like Farmers Dog.
The reason we mix is because I do not trust pet food manufacturers and if we do get a product that has a serious problem, it will only be 1/3 of their diet and it should reduce the problems my dogs get from it. I also expect that some batches of dog foods that go out will be of more inferior quality than other batches of that same food. Mixing reduces the hit my dogs take on their nutritional intake.
Also, we change protein sources every couple of years. Chicken for a couple of years, then Turkey, etc. If any of our dogs have allergy issues to that protein source, then we change back until allergy issues subside and try a different protein source.
Good luck to you in your search!!!

[Leah D]

Our dog Riley is about 2 years old, 50 lbs coonhound mix. She’s spayed and has a body score of 5, which is ideal, and is up from 3 when we got her a year ago. Today we took her to the vet for a checkup and was surprised by her weight, we assumed she was closer to 30 lbs at a healthy weight since she’s a naturally slim, smaller looking dog.

Right now we feed her Rachael Ray Nutrish wet food. We feed 2 containers day with about a half cup of plain lean ground turkey mixed in at each meal, so one cup per day. We’re considering switching her to Merrick, but in trying to figure out what the cost would be and how much we would feed her we’re a bit confused. For the RR food it says 1 container per 10 lbs, and going off of what an online calculator said her daily calories should be that seems correct. Obviously based on her weight now we should be feeling her more then double of what she’s getting. Up until recently we would leave dry food out for her all of the time as well as her scheduled meal times, but she only ate the dry food once in a blue moon.

We’re definitely going to give out vet a call to ask about this, but does anyone have any input? If we do switch to Merrick should we just shoot for matching the kcal’s she’s getting now?

• This topic was modified 4 years ago by Mike Sagman. Reason: Fix Duplicate Topic Title

[Charlotte W]

I switched from grain free dog dry due to the fact that I was scared about DCM. Since changing to Grain added foods, I noticed, a lot of discoloration near mouth and eyes. I never had this issue with grain free goods. Is there an alternative to avoid this discoloration ??

[Tiffany L]

Hi! My dog was just diagnosed with chronic pancreatitis. Prior to taking him we only noticed sluggish behaviors, dry mouth, and he vomited one day only (and not much). Other wise he was playful, eating, and had healthy looking poops. The doctor recommended IV treatment, gabapentin, and Cerenia. She also recommended that we feed him royal canine gastrointestinal food. After we started this treatment his symptoms worsen significantly, more specifically after a whole day of IV fluids. Now he is very sluggish, not eating or drinking on his own, and in a lot of pain. The doctor told me to increase his food since he was eating well when I fed him. That night he ran around the house whining in pain and today he still appears to be in pain. I was hoping for some advice on if this is normal or if I should seek someone else out? and if this is normal how long do pups usually stay like this.

[Chipy]

Good question, Mitch. When it comes to grain-free and/or pea-free diets, we need consider the overall quality of the food and the root cause of taurine deficiency.

The “grain-free” marketing term refers to processed dry food/kibble that is an extruded, highly processed product; whether it is full of grains or grain-free, it is not healthy.

The main ingredients in the grain-free diets are often peas, lentils, chickpeas and potatoes — carbohydrates typically intended to replace grains – rather than high-quality meat protein. This explains why some dogs became taurine deficient when fed these diets, as taurine (an essential amino acid that supports heart health) is naturally found in fresh meat and organs.

So it’s best to avoid most grains and starches (because they are not a natural part of a canine’s diet) and focus on increasing the amount of fresh meat and organs in your dog’s diet to naturally prevent DCM.

Dogs have much shorter digestive tracts than herbivores and can’t process high-carb foods like grains and starchy carbs very well. This often results in excessive food fermentation and gas.

You can replace starchy carbs with cooked squash or pumpkin, especially for dogs with digestive upset. Grains (including rice) in general can contribute to IBD. Arsenic toxicity in rice is also a serious problem.

https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/113943301-how-to-avoid-foods-high-in-arsenic-and-keep-your-dog-healthy

https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11014993-what-veggies-are-good-for-dogs

The best diet is as nature intends; fresh meat, organs and bones with some vegetables and leafy greens. A varied, species-appropriate diet, along with all-natural vitamins, minerals, omega-3’s and probiotics is the way to go.

It is very rare for a dog to have a taurine deficiency when consuming an unprocessed, fresh food diet because taurine is so readily available in meats and organs. It may need to be supplemented if your dog has been tested as deficient, but overall dogs get enough of this amino acid from fresh food, and from their ability to manufacture it in their own body.

If you are concerned, connect with your holistic or integrative vet to get your pup tested and you can discuss options together based on the results.

Here are some links to a quick & easy Natural Diet Course, and an online Recipe Maker that I hope you will find helpful if you want to learn more about alternatives to processed food. Your dog will love you for it! 🙂 Switching from kibble to fresh food was the best decision we made a few years ago to improve our pup’s health and reduce unnecessary vet bills.

https://peterdobias.com/pages/course-rawdiet

https://recipemaker.peterdobias.com/

Wishing you and your pup all the best 🙂

[Teresa R]

I am very new to raw, but not to dog food. I ordered one bag of Dr. Marty and let me add, I have two Pomeranians and a Maltese, they were all very happy with Fromm dry and Weruva wet but with Fromm being named as one of the dog foods associated with DCM, I took them off immediately. I have been searching for a food they will eat since then (2018). So far they are happy with Annamaet small breed (started about 4 months ago) and I still feed them Weruva wet( great food and great variety) . With all that said, they AGAIN, were struggling to eat … After AGAIN countless hours of research, I saw the Dr. Marty infomercial and decided to give it a try. I ordered a bag in July thinking I would use it as a topper because of the price. It is now early October and all of them still like it, as soon as I started it, they began eating like they really enjoyed their food again. I haven’t noticed any change in my one that has allergies or any changes for that matter in any of them but they have always been on premium food. I really wanted them on Dr. Tim’s but after a week they hated it, tried all blends and they hated all. I use Dr. Marty’s as a topper – they eat 1/4 cup Annamaet,; 1teasp. Of Weruva wet and three pellets of Dr. Marty. I dilute with 1 tablespoon -and a smidge more of water, wait 3 min. And smush down with my finger and mix everything all together. I still have about 1/4 of the first bag or a little less left and have ordered my second bag today. I will update if things change but they still love it. Their weight has stayed the same, that is very important since the Poms have luxating patella issues which btw, I give them Dasuquin with MSM, and on this, they have no visible signs of discomfort from patellas.

[Glenn G]

Hello,

I have a 6-year-old female Bichon Frise who was recently diagnosed with pituitary Cushing’s disease and has been put on medication. I would like to know what type of dog food she should be put on as I read that regular dry kibble will continue to make her drink more water, which is one of her problems. I read that a raw diet would be better and I am open to suggestions on which brand would be good for her as she is eating everything in site now and has gained some weight.

Thanks

[Chipy]

Good question, John. It’s best to avoid meat meals but they are the primary ingredients in most dry dog food so the healthiest option is to switch to fresh foods like home-cooked or premade raw diets that are more nutritious for our pups.

Meat meals are made from taking slaughterhouse and fish processing factory remnants that are not edible for humans, and cooking them, processing them under high heat, and dehydrating them into a dry powdery substance that goes into kibble.

Like most other low-grade and highly processed ingredients in kibble and canned diets, meat meals contain little to no nutritional value to the dog being fed.

I use Dr. D’s recipe maker and natural whole-food based supplements to create healthy meals for my pup. It helps me build balanced recipes with the ingredients I have available and I love it; https://recipemaker.peterdobias.com