[crazy4cats]

Hi Frankie B-

Yay! Another cat person! How old is your kitty and how long have you had her?

Even though Nulo is a great kibble and having a water fountain is an excellent way to try to get her to drink more, don’t give up on the wet food! Especially if she is an indoor kitty that doesn’t have the opportunity to hunt fresh meat.

I am going to post links to my favorite sites that have some great ideas on how to get your cats to eat canned food:

http://www.catinfo.org
http://www.littlebigcat.com
http://www.felinecrf.org
feline-nutrition.org
http://www.naturalcatcare.blog

Wet food is so much better for their urinary tracts and kidneys. I feed about 70% wet and 30% dry at this time. Many of the feline vet specialists agree that feeding cheap canned food is still better than an expensive dry kibble.

Females are not as likely to suffer from a urinary tract blockage as males, but they are susceptible to urinary and kidney infections and stones.

Apparently, there was a cat food adviser in the works, but it took a back seat to the Editor’s Choice section. Hopefully it will come back to life! I have been feeding my cats (4) Halo kibble recently with a variety of flavors and brands of canned. It took a while for my shelter kitty to eat wet, but now he prefers it.

I hope you’ll come back and share some good kitty stuff with us! Take care.

[Faith G]

I’ve started him with one tiny chicken heart a day minced and mixed in with his dry food. He usually gets boiled chicken a few times a month, as well as a cooked egg.

I just started the chicken heart so I don’t know how well it’s working or if it even is. But he seemed to like it, and hasn’t had any stomach issues yet.

[Faith G]

I have a two year old pit mix who just got diagnosed with a stage three murmur. I have heard about feeding raw hearts to get nutrients and minerals that they need that dry food doesn’t provide.

I wanted to know if adding raw hearts to a dry food diet will hurt or help. He’s eating 4health from tractor supply, which is seemingly the cheapest best rated food I can find. It has 4 stars on here. We have a limited income and I can’t particularly afford an entire raw diet. I want to do whatever is in my power to help him live a long life. He’s only two and I don’t want to worry about him dropping dead for just being excited that I came home, or anything like that.

If you have any information or experience with things like this or affordable supplements you could recommend please do!!!! Thank you so much.

[Leslie R]

My dog has the bumps plus tons of itching but no hair loss. While he is not 100% and he still needs benedryl, the food change was our biggest help. Went to all fish. Check the label…just because it says fish doesn’t mean its 100%. Definitely worth a shot…

[Susan]

Hi, poor thing, she probably hurt her mouth on the sharp chicken leg bone… when I first rescued my dog, I was giving him chicken wings, but Patch didn’t chew on the wing, he chewed maybe 2 chews then swallowed the whole chicken wing, so I’ve been too scared to give him any bones, different if he chewed & chewed on the bone like a normal dog but he eats like he’s starving like he has never been given all these different foods, I was giving him chicken necks & the same he just swallowed them then he got Colitis & was pooing blood & the vet said stop the chicken necks, so I haven’t given him any bones again but a few people say turkey necks are good & bigger then a chicken neck, maybe try a turkey neck, if you want calcium just keep your egg shells, wash the egg’s shell, use the egg, then dry the egg shells out, then grind the egg shell & give 1 teaspoon grinded egg shell sprinkled on her meal once a day, your suppose to get 1 teaspoon from 1 grinded egg shell… I’ve been giving Patch Green Mussel treat they’re dehydrated I give 1 a day, I buy the K-9 Natural Green Mussel treats at the moment we have an offer buy any K-9 Natural treats & get a 50g bag of Venison reward treat free…. Green Lipped Mussel is suppose to be good for arthritis & Turmeric powder Golden paste, Turmeric, pepper & coconut oil….
there’s a group called “Turmeric User Group” on face Book in the files they tell you how to make golden paste….people say its excellent for any animals & human with arthritis…
http://www.k9natural.com/product-information/dog-food-range-au.html

[Edie B]

Thanks all for replying. I talked to my vet asking about an allergy test and she didn’t recommend it at this time. We talked about food and she basically told me a combination of what everyone posted here. She suggested Royal Canin, they sell it at the vets but also told me I could buy it someplace else. As of now Joey is still on Chicken and rice and I plan on adding dry food this weekend just haven’t decide which one I’m still researching brands. Seems like most of them have had a recall at some time or another.

[Brandon D]

after a trip to the vet yesterday it was determined that this is likely environmental allergies, and not a yeast infection. His skin is a little pink but he doesn’t itch much, chews a bit at a single paw. On benedryl 25mg three times daily for a week to see if the pink skin clears up, vet didn’t think any need for any steroid. If benedryl works( seems to help) then Zyrtek once a day for maintenance.
Appreciate all the responses, still going to consider some other food and bathing options as well.

[eva i]

I have a 5lb Pomeranian who swallows round kibble whole without chewing – no matter the size. I would like to find a 5 star premium dry dog food that is shaped like a flake / chip and not a round or flat kibble. Any suggestions on ways to search for this would be appreciated.

[Edie B]

I have a 4 1/2 year old Shiloh Shepherd who has been on TOTW since he was 6 months old. About 10 days ago he started have diarrhea which he never has had so I put him on rice and boiled chicken for a few days until he firmed up again. I added about 1/2 cup of his regular TOTW/Bison to the rice and chicken diarrhea again. I returned the food to the pet store to try a different flavor/fowl thinking it would be easier on his stomach. After a few more days on the rice and chicken, firm again, I mixed 1/2 cup of the new formula. Explosive diarrhea overnight so back to chicken and rice which he has now been on for 4 days and is firming up again. I’ve been making sure he doesn’t get dehydrated.
Now I’m looking for a new dog food after much research and finding out that TOTW is associated with Diamond Brand. I was looking at Canidae and saw in the reviews that 2 years ago it also had something to do with Diamond but don’t know if this is still true. I’m open to any and all dog food suggestions for a grain free dry dog food because this big boy needs to eat more than rice and chicken.
He had a vet visit about 3 weeks before this problem as he gets a seasonal rash on his belly every year that is usually gone by Oct so the vet suggested we wait and see if it goes away with topical ointments to sooth the skin. I live in the NE as suspect he becomes allergic to something during the changing seasons.
I’m really at a loss here on what food is bet for him at this point
Thanks in advance.

[stacey m]

Hi,
I am a dog groomer and have had a few clients with the noticeable ‘corn chip’ scent along with itching, licking, moist armpits and what looks like red angry feet, ear infections.
These dogs were always chewing and licking. Under the vets care they were given steroids and as soon as the dose was over the issue would come back.
I’d like to share what worked for these dogs with yeast issues.
The food has been changed to Nutrisca, which is a very low carb food.
No extra treats and every week they are bathed with GNC Medicated anti-bacterial/anti-fungal shampoo (left on for 10 minutes) and followed up with a moisturizing conditioner.
The dogs are also on one fish oil daily (which is anti-inflammatory) and daily benadryl (adjusted to dogs weight). The dogs ears were treated for the infection by the vet, the rest was the above mentioned protocol. The dogs who followed this are now about 95% better. Love to say 100% but every now and then one will lick but the smell, angry red inflamed skin is gone! Important to follow through with weekly baths and continue protocol for the comfort of the dog even after symptoms have disappeared.
Both Nutrisca food and the GNC shampoo can easily be bought online.

I am not a vet, I am just passing along some info that worked for some of my clients :o)

[Anonymous]

I have a 9 pound poodle mix who does well on 1/4 cup of kibble and a tablespoon or two of wet food or chopped up cooked chicken breast, twice a day. Occasional chicken liver (broiled) as a topper instead, or chopped up cooked lean meat.

I give an occasional bite of chicken or something as a snack after a walk, carrots are okay, but I would just use the regular ones, the baby carrots are treated with something?

I don’t remember the exact amounts when she was 4 months, I think I fed her 3 or 4 small meals per day and tapered down to two meals per day when she was about 6-7 months old.

I like Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea for dry (base). I like Wysong for canned.
She’s a healthy girl at 7 years old, except for her environmental allergies :-/

PS: Start brushing his teeth every evening, see YouTube for how to videos, small breeds have lousy teeth.
You will learn what amounts work best, dogs have different metabolisms….my 20 pound dog eats only a little bit more per day.
If you don’t see the pup going to the water dish, add a splash of water to meals, some dogs don’t drink enough water. These small breeds are vulnerable to bladder stones down the road.

Tips: http://www.homeovet.net/dynamic/php/downloads/dog-c8470f2c75dbe4b683205c3919ee2310/dog_diet_complete.pdf

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/

[Mary C]

Need help with four-month-old male Maltese puppy food choice. Breeder recommended 2 tablespoons Iams puppy dry kibble with 1 teaspoon Iams puppy canned puppy food every other day. Recommended baby carrots for snack. Late afternoon – early evening meal to consist of 3 tablespoons kibble – until he’s 8 mos. This just does not seem to be enough for Gus.

Have been feeding less kibble and more canned. Do not have much trust in dry food. Think canines should eat meat. Suggestions please – and ASAP. Thanks. Mary

[cheryl w]

 Post Pancreatitis Diet-What Worked for My Yorkie
Below is a cut and paste of what I’ve written for my dog:-

I’ve written a long post on another forum about post pancreatic diet. I’m just going to share it here as well since it doesn’t make sense not to since I’ve been a member for a long time. Maybe it’ll help someone out there that was struggling like I did. The only difference between the post and now is I do give him daily fresh blended vegetable and fruit juice that are safe for dogs as well but I do strain to remove pulp to control fibre content.

Here it goes (I’m just going to cut and paste since it’s long):-

I happened to came across this forum and I joined to say please take advice from your vet when it comes to keeping your dog on prescription foods. I know when you check online, there are so many negative comments about prescription diets but when you truly have had a very sick dog and nothing works, these prescription diets are a savior. There is nothing wrong with by-products. By-products just means clean edible parts that are not meat. Knowing my dog, he probably loves the taste of the internal organs from the food he is getting even though I find it a little grossed out but I would imagine those internal organs contains a different nutrition profile than just meat alone.

My Yorkie had pancreatitis back in April of 2014 and was in the ER for 5 days and a few more days at the vet-I am lucky to have him back. He lost 20% of his weight during that attack which is a lot for a small dog. It has been a struggle since to get his weight up especially on low fat food but last week (Jan 2015), I weighed him and he is now back to his old weight. I find that there are a few things that really helps that I will talk about below.

i) Right now, I feed him 4 times a day and I alternate the feedings with 2x dry and 2x wet. I have done the math on how much to feed per meal and I have a kitchen scale to measure his meals each time. I have mine on RC veterinary low fat gastrointestinal both wet and dry because he wouldn’t eat the Hill’s Prescription-my dog is picky but whatever. The alternate wet and dry feedings work better than when you have to mix the wet and dry in one meal in terms of digestion. I have done a lot of research and I have looked at alternatives such as Wellness Complete Healthy Weight and even though the fat is low, it is still 20% more on a dry matter basis when I compared it to RC so be careful. That is why so many people are shocked when their dog gets another bout of pancreatitis on the Wellness Complete Healthy Weight because they looked at the fat percentage and it seems fine but you need to calculate the fat on a dry matter basis. Also, a pancreatitic dog needs low fiber and moderate protein as well on top of low fat-a lot of people forgot to take that in to consideration.

ii) I do supplement enzyme to his food because I couldn’t get his weight up for the longest time and I believe the enzyme really helps. He also acts like he is hungry all the time which makes me think he could have some symptoms of EPI as a result of the pancreatitis or it is just because of the low fat food. I test him by giving him some plain cooked white rice and my dog won’t eat it when he is not starving and he really isn’t. Talk to your vet and do your research about enzymes but I find that enzyme from an animal source works better. My dog’s weight went up when I switched from plant based enzyme to an animal based enzyme.

iii) Food moisture-I do mesh up the kibbles and put some warm water in there before adding enzymes. I mesh up the kibbles to help his digestion because I was struggling with his weight for a while and the moisture just helps. I just don’t feel good when my dog ate a ton of dry kibble and then drink a lot of water. For that, I place a mortar and pestle on my kitchen island. It is quick to clean and easy to use. The low fat kibble is also somewhat salty (yes, I’ve tried a piece or two) so adding some warm water helps to dilute the sodium as well.

iv) I do work the feedings out to include tiny bit of fresh food. I do give him some boiled skinless boneless chicken breast mashed up for easy digestion (of course there are some enzyme in there as well). He also gets about 8 blueberries a day in between feedings because he likes it. He also gets some coconut water in the am for electrolytes. Make sure the ones you buy are pure with no sugar added.

I’ve also heard people who said you could put your dog back to normal food when it has passed but I have asked my vet and I do not think it is a good way to go because pancreatitis can reoccur and he has seen dogs getting it again and again.

Again these are all just suggestions and steps I have taken for my Yorkie that has been successful post pancreatitis. I just hope that someone else who reads this could use the experience I have had and hopefully, he/she will have less sleepless nights than I did.
__________
As of today, the only changes I’ve made to what I’ve written above is I don’t feed him daily coconut juice anymore but he still gets veg fruit juice daily. I’m mainly feeding RC canned now with a 5% of RC dry because of the sodium content. He still gets blueberry daily but I peeled off the skin first.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by cheryl w.

[Susan]

Hi Bronwyn, there’s one thing you have not mentioned, he’s not on an ant acid medication like Zantac (Ranitidine) or Pepcid (Famotidine)… I had an Endoscope & biopsies done on my boy & he had Helicobacter-Pylori, he was given the triple therapy meds-Metronidazole, Amoxicillin & Zantac for 21 days, after the 21 days his acid reflux returned cause I didn’t know that I needed to change his diet so I’d say the Helicobacter returned & Patch was put on Zantac & I did the triple therapy again & put Patch on a Gluten, Sugar, Dairy free kibble…. he got his appetite back again I had to give 1/3 of a 150mg Zantac tablet 1 hour before breakfast then 8-12 hours later again 1/3 of a 150mg tablet…….
Has he had a blood test to see if he has Pancreatitis??
Most of the foods he’s refusing to eat cheese & oil are high in fat, when you have acid reflux you need a low fat diet…. with kibbles the fat % has to be around 10% in fat %….with wet tin foods 3%fat & under, 5% fat in a wet tin food is about 22% fat when converted to dry matter (Kibble) same with raw & dehydrated….that’s probably why he doesn’t eat wet tin food, the fat was probably tooo high & he got his acid…. if I feed my boy wet tin food with 4-5% min fat, he starts grinding his teeth about 40-60mins after eating the wet tin food….

Your last paragraph, you wrote this morning he decided he didn’t want to eat the kibble…
if you give him a ant acid medication 40mins before breakfast he probably will eat or even liquid Mylanta, I give my boy 3-4mls of the Liquid Mylanta some mornings cause as soon as
he wakes up, I can tell if he has his acid reflux, he starts to grinds his teeth….I hate that sound now cause I know we are going to have a crap day, well he is going to feel like crap & I have to watch him feel like crap all morning, so I have 2 syringes of 3-4mls Mylanta in the fridge already made up, the Mylanta seems to work for Patch, also Slippery Elm is suppose to help with acid reflux, I tried the Slippery Elm it worked the first 2 times, then the next 2 times I gave the Slippery Elm slurry & Patch vomited, so I went back to his Mylanta…

I’d be putting him on either Pepcid or Zantac every morning & every night & you watch, he probably will start eating more & feeling better, he’s a very smart dog, he knows what foods make his tummy worse…..
also I’ve read adding water to kibble can make acid reflux worse…. I’ll try & find the link I saved it, that’s probably why he won’t eat kibble with water in it…..I’ve been giving Patch those Jatz dry biscuits as a treat, I give him 2 at 9pm & a couple thru the day, the Jatz seem to settle his stomach or line his stomach they help..
http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/acid-reflux-gerd-in-dogs-cats-natural.html

[Bronwyn L]

I have an almost 3 year old mixed breed named Kosi who has what appears to be acid reflux. his primary symptoms are discomfort (he can’t sit still) and vomiting of bile – this is particularly the case if he doesn’t eat for more than 8 hours. If I feed him meals throughout the day – particularly one at 8 or 9 pm – right before bed – he is fine. The problem is he is SO picky! he will gobble food up for 2 days or so and then completely turn his nose up at it. I have a rotation of foods I use, but nothing really tempts him.

Generally speaking he refuses to eat any and all wet (canned) foods, and will refuse his kibble if there is a single drop of water mixed into it. He also refuses any of the freeze-dried foods on the market. The kibble he eats most consistently is Taste of the Wild wetlands formula. I rotate with other TOTW formulas and used to rotate with a few other brands, but at this point he refuses all of them.

He refuses any food that has any oil or “palate enhancer” added to it. He doesn’t like cheese or most other people food (he’ll accept ham, chicken, or turkey in small quantities, he refuses all tuna or other fish), in fact the only dog treat he will eat are old fashioned milk bones (which makes my other dog happy – she gets all the fun organic jerky chews!)

I cook for my other dog (she’s 11, with different issues), and Kosi sometimes will eat her food (mix of rice, meat, veggies, etc), but the last two days has turned his nose up at it. my vet has also suggested a bland diet to use on occasion – again he’ll eat it once or twice and then turn up his nose at it for a week or more.

he has mouth issues from an injury as a tiny puppy, so sometimes he seems scared of chewing his kibble (and he chews each piece 10 times), I’ve tried small sized kibble, which he liked the first time I offered, then refused ever since. Again, he refuses wet foods or softened kibble. I’ve actually thrown out a bowl of kibble mixed with expensive Evenger’s canned rabbit (which he liked one time), and offered him a bowl of plain dry kibble, which he ate.

The problem with all of this, is that it is very difficult to keep him fed often enough to keep away the acid reflux symptoms! For example, last night he ate his evening meal, but this morning he decided he didn’t want the kibble, or the rice mixture, or anything else I offered. Several hours later, as I write this, I can tell he’s actually hungry and would likely eat his “normal” kibble, but he’s refusing to eat his food, because his stomach hurts… which just makes him cranky. He’s also built very skinny. he’s active, and his coat is shiny, but if he goes a day without food, you can see all his ribs.

I can’t leave food out for him to pick at all day, as my other dog is a corgi mix (read stomach on legs) and would gobble it all up as soon as Kosi wanders off.

I’m at my wits end!! Any suggestions?

[Angel76736]

InkedMarie, I was worried about that as I do not like to use chemicals unless I absolutely have to. Do you have any suggestions?
Patti S., Thank you for the information, it was very informative and I will try to find something along those lines.
Pitlove, Changing the quality of the food will not mean my dogs eat less. It might even mean they eat more lol. I go through 50lbs of food because I have multiple dogs, so the amount will not change no matter what the food is. As for the flea allergy and food, the vet is the one that suggested changing out the food as his skin is sensitive due to someone infecting him with fleas a few years ago his skin has just gotten worse over the years to the point that he scratches too much and too deep. Any bug bite will make him scratch. The vet said that changing his food may help with the skin sensitivity. So she said to take out food with beef. I moved to the Pedigree Chicken one from Purina Alpo Prime Cuts Savory Beef. It has not seemed to be beneficial. My vet moved when her husband got restationed with the military so now I can not ask her what would be next. I thought this would be a good idea since this forum reaches thousands of people. I am unwilling to pump him full of benadryl as the current vet suggested because the amount he would need for his size is way more then I could ever be comfortable giving anyone. So thank you to everyone willing to shoot me ideas.

[Mindy Q]

Last year I tool my rescue ShiTzu in for what we thought was a UTI the vet did a urine test notices an infection gave us some meds and sent us on our way. 2 days later I noticed some blood in her urine so I took her back and they decided to do an x-ray. Poor little thing was full of stones. She must have had them for years but never exhibited any symptoms. Anyways she has surgery and has been fine ever since. They put her on Royal Canin SO for her diet. My issue is the cost of the food is so expensive. I have both the canned and the dry and I will soak the dry and add a bit of the canned so that I can extend the use of both. The vet has just been bought out and the new owners have raised the prices yet again. I was wondering if there is a non prescription alternative that I can get. If I switch could I keep a check on the ph balance of her urine so that if there were to become any issues I could get her checked out right away. What do you look for in non-prescription dog foods to promote urinary health.

[Jackie B]

I feed canned food exclusively. The ratings on DFA are ratings for the type of food. So, a 3 star dry food is average for a dry food. A 3 star wet food is average for a wet food. But as you pointed out, there’s some belief that wet food is superior to dry food. I personally prefer it because it has more moisture in it, fewer preservatives than most dry foods (canning is a type of preservation), and my dogs seem to like it better. I also will buy the dehydrated foods (and serve them rehydrated) sometimes. Just my two cents on the matter!

[Anonymous]

I didn’t rush to a dermatologist either. I spent a year doing various elimination diets, trying various expensive foods, going back and forth to the regular vet and the emergency vet, prednisone, benadryl, fish oil (which I still give) blah, blah, blah. Oh, I forgot, yes, ear infections, prescription drops…
At one point I had 2 air purifiers and a dehumidifier going at the same time (both went to the Goodwill). Daily baths, special shampoos, etc.
My dog found relief after seeing the specialist. Yes, the initial testing is expensive, but the maintenance isn’t bad at all.
It is an option, and it worked for my dog.
PS: I tried raw too, it made my dog vomit uncontrollably. And the raw beef marrow bones resulted in a blockage that required emergency veterinary care.

[C4D]

I buy a lot of various foods, including Earthborn. I have The Honest Kitchen, Nature’s Variety Instinct and several others in my house right now. THK has a manufacturer date and best buy date of 1 year apart. I don’t have any Earthborn in my house but it’s made by the same company as ProPac. It has a manufacturer date & expiration date right next to each other. That’s what you would go by. I often buy bags of various dry food that has 1 year to 18 months expiration from when I’ve bought it, depending on the brand. It’s printed on the bag, but usually in the same place all the time. I think the Earthborn is always on the top. ProPac might be the same.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by C4D.

[chris]

Frances A- The only thing you have to worry about in meals especially fish meals is making sure they don’t use ethoxyquin. It’s a chemical preservative used to keep the fish meal from going rancid quickly.

In regards to that, I don’t feed my dog any fish meal or any fish dry kibble foods. Now this is from research I have done, but dogs shouldn’t have a large portion of fish as there daily diet. This can result in thiamine (Vit B10) Deficiency which can result in poor appetite, loss of weight, seizures. If I tend to want to give the dogs fish I usually buy fresh wild caught and cook it myself and add it to there food which I usually do twice a week.

TLDR: Fish meal is the only meal you really have to worry much about. I’d stay clear of it! Hope this helps!

[Jane K]

Yes. And vasculitis. They could spend a whole week doing tests and still not have a complete why so I asked for aggressive treatment for the PLE immediately. They were going to wait Fri – Tues and keep her stable if possible since it was a holiday wkend and not all the tests were available. She is 90% better in looks. Imagine a balloon with a teeny dog head. Now she looks like a real dog. Her legs are almost normal dog size. She’s kind of lumpy in the body but they said she had not been retaining more fluid after IV treatment and draining on Friday. I’ve been going with massive allergy problem but they said no. She has outdoor allergies. My husband likes to buy all those treats for her and her step-sib Border. Out of no where this blew up over the summer. I think it had been coming on but once summer hit we attributed some symptoms to her nutty behavior with allergy. She gets food funny, won’t step off the sidewalk, stays inside, and pretty much eats her feet without a shot and benedryl through the summer. Early Aug our vet told me she was fat and blamed us for over feeding. I kept arguing that a dog does not gain 9 pounds in 5 weeks. And I told them I thought she was breathing in a different pattern. I lost. We were sent home with a diet and exercise plan that masked even more symptoms. I still think I was stupid to not notice this.
I don’t think they checked for all types of cancers? No mention of kidney or liver problems. Her heart checked out fine. Her worm check in July was good. Clueless. She is probably one of the most annoying dogs I’ve ever in my life had which means we love her to the moon and back. As a cowdog she likes to herd squirrels. She chews on the sliding door on the way out and if your leg is in the way….well, too bad. She talks and sings and shrieks from her squirrel perch bench in the back of the house at the several dozen or so squirrels in our lot. They come up to the window and mock her. She helps with trash by attacking the bag all the way down the hall, out the door and to the can. She chews on the cat and then humps her. The cat allows this. We try not to watch. She doesn’t know a stranger. We got her to keep the old dog young so this is so, so sad. Old dog will be 14 in October. We shall see. She gets chicken tonight. I’m expecting a miracle. She deserves it!

[Deborah C]

I have a 1 1/2 year old Cavalier that is such a finicky eater. On her last vet check-up he asked what she was eating and I told him she would not eat dog food. The recipe I used is fresh chicken, sweet potatoes, carrots baked in the oven with olive oil, fresh peas, and brown rice. This take so much time. He then told me he would like to see her eat half what I prepared and half dry dog food. We tried the new Freshpet dry food, currently only available at Target stores 50 miles away. Lo and behold, she gradually started eating the dry food except for the round ball shaped pieces. She would just let the food roll out of her mouth, like she didn’t know how to chew it. We also have a new Cav. puppy that currently eats Hill’s Science diet for puppies and occasionally the older one will eat that food. She’s still inconsistent and we’re hoping she will come around to something she likes. Our vet also said dogs do not variations in their dog food. Unlike humans, the dogs should stay with the same food. If anyone could suggest what they have found works for their finicky eaters, I would appreciate it. Thanks.

[Natasha]

My F1B goldendoodle puppy weighs 15.5 pounds and I’m feeding her twice a day–breakfast and dinner. I also give her treats when training her and occasionally some teething bones.

Anyway I’m feeding her the Purina Pro Plan chicken and rice puppy formula. I’m only feeding her this because this is what the breeder fed her and I bought two bags of it. Once the bag I have now finishes, I’m switching my puppy over to the 5-star dry Wellness puppy formula.

I’m also mixing her dry Purina food with the wet Wellness Petite Entrees Mini Filets (4.5 stars). I feed her 1/2 cup of the Purina with one tub of the petite entrees for each meal.

I’m just wondering if it’s healthy since the petite entrees are meant for small breeds. My goldendoodle is small by goldendoodle standards, but apparently this is medium compared to most dogs. My vet says she doubts my dog will ever weigh over 25 pounds.

[chris]

I happen to have my dog on Merricks back country dry kibble. He’s been on Merricks for just over half a year now. This is the only food that I found he liked and didn’t cause any issues. He has a stomach hernia and the littlest things can effect him. Merricks has been perfect!

I’m glad that you have left us know about this. I really hope Merricks sticks to what they’ve been doing and not changing things around. That scares me quite a bit as i’m sure since they only did it to get there name out there more that they will try to go a cheaper route and a faster way to make the food for supply and demand.

[chris]

Red- Thanks, I already know about the food table for dogs as I’ve done so much research into it months ago. There’s a thread I had made that’s several pages long with going over things because my dog “spark” has a stomach hernia. Though I appreciate the reply! 🙂

DogFoodie- Yeah I don’t give him potato all the time it was just a rare occasion. I’ve been using a site that a few people from here actually recommended a long while back.
Great site for a list of basic foods that are great and a ton of information as well.

http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.ca/2012/02/fresh-whole-food-for-your-dogs-health.html

I was thinking of taking that list and coming up with meals that would be served as a topping on the dry kibble. I assume it’s better then most if all can foods out there. Plus he seems to enjoy it way more. Anyways, thanks for the information 🙂

[chris]

I usually buy a few cans a month of 5 star canned dog food, mostly the caster and pollux or natures variety. However, at the end of last month I ran out early as I was giving some to a family members dog to help out. That being said I decided to scrounge up what I could around the house and make my own as a topping for his dry food instead of the canned food.

I took a beef roast I had in the freezer cooked it with potato, carrots, green beans. I gave him a cup of it every evening as a topping for his supper. He enjoyed it so much more then any canned food I ever gave him.

Now doing this and seen how much he enjoyed it and knowing it is better for him. I don’t know a ton on the home made foods as I’m just learning and reading here and there. I was wondering does anyone else make there own home made foods for just toppings for on dry kibble? Also doing what I did was it okay to do so or should I have added other things for the right nutrition? I mean i’m sure he’s getting the minerals and nutrition from the dry kibble as well so i’m not so sure. Thanks!

[chris]

Sorry I never got back to an update for ya. I’ve been very busy with personal issues happening. Anyways, to throw an update up I have got them to finally go with Merrick’s and accept the price. Yeah it’s sort of expensive, but it’s worth it in the end.

Like I said they were feeding the dogs Diamond food. They realized the dogs weren’t eating much if it like they should be. They also would not even touch the food unless something was added to it which obviously gives you a clue of they don’t like it! So after they had told me this I thought about it and ran over a whole container full of the Merricks for there dogs to try. She’s said the past few days they’ve been eating every bite and even when it’s dry without any toppings and so they’re going to stick with it.

Thanks for the help everyone!

[C4D]

I loved using Merrick’s canned food, but only occaisonally used the dry. I also used to use Zukes and fed Evo when it was owned by Naturapet. From my experience, within a few months of P&G taking over Naturapet there were many people complaining about dogs having stomach upset and GI problems all over the internet. I have many friends in the dog world and some who did have some issues with Evo as well. I had stopped feeding Evo just a week before the buyout, simply because I had to drop it from my dog’s rotation to bring her weight down. As a result, I never had a personal experience with it, but I’m very wary of Big Guy buyouts. I haven’t bought Zukes since the buyout either. I’m currently on hold with Merrick just because of past history when the Big Guys take over the small companies. So that’s my take on it.

[Dennis H]

I have been breeding and showing dogs for fifty years. During that time I worked for two major pet food companies (25 years combined). Back when I began, Purina Dog Chow, Ken L Ration, Blue Mountain and Gains Meal where about the only dry foods around, canned was pretty much Skippy’s, Blue Mountain, Ken L Ration.
Loved the Blue Mountain baked kibble and their canned.
Since then I have used any number of foods some which worked well, some which did so-so and others which were a bust.
We have had basset hounds, rottweilers, miniature bull terriers and now have a young 8 month old airedale.
We were feeding her an expensive fairly new big brand puppy food and she began to loose coat. We changed to Kirkland Puppy and lo and behold the hair is coming back. She maintains good weight and we do free feed. She is not a glutton which helps. Just my two “sense” worth.

[Kristin C]

Have you looked at Zignature dry or canned food? Also, this might sound strange (but I feed my dogs raw), have you thought about feeding her pancreas? Like cures like philosophy. I tried it with heart and one of my dog’s heart murmur is almost gone. Just a thought, you could cook it and top her food.

[crazy4cats]

I finally found a food that my dogs do very well on that is affordable and easily available in my area. I’m sticking with both dry and wet WEF unless I start to see changes in it. Like I’ve stated before, Purina already dominates the grocery store type foods. I don’t think it would benefit them to lower Merrick’s standards. I certainly hope they are gonna be fine!!

[Pitlove]

You have to convert the wet food to a dry matter basis to get the actual reading of how much protein it is. Meaning the moisture has to be factored OUT.

[Peter H]

Greetings. First time poster here.

We just switched vets and asked him about how much dry food protein for our 14 y/o, 60# mix, who is in good health now. His reply was 26-28%.

So….Slobbermouth gets a scoop of dry and a 1/2 can of wet, AM and PM. Our Taste of the Wild Dry and Ziwi Peak dry lamb are about 32% protein. The wet she gets is around 10%.

Does this add up to 42% protein…or because she gets about equal portions of each….a lesser amount of protein ? (Maybe 21%) ?

Thanks

[Anonymous]

Did the vet do an x-ray to rule out an obstruction? If it was my dog I would go along with the blood work and other tests, a multitude of things can be ruled out.
Otherwise, I would keep the diet simple, if it is stress related it will resolve on it’s own.
Maybe a quality dry food, with a tablespoon of canned or cooked chicken breast (chopped up) as a topper…maybe add a splash of water.
I like Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea for dry and wet, Newman Organics has Grain Free Beef & Liver (no grains) canned that seems to be easy to digest.
Wysong is worth looking into. What does your vet recommend?
Good luck

PS: I have used prescription foods when recommended by a vet and noticed no adverse effects, it just seemed bland and boring to my dogs, from what I could tell 🙂
Also, at age 6 (7 is considered a senior) a blood panel would not be a bad idea.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 7 months ago by Anonymous.

[Paula W]

Hi everyone…. I have a six-year-old Shih Tzu boy (ChewieBahka) who has been having tummy troubles for about a month now. I’ve taken him to the vet twice in the past few weeks and the vet feels he may have colitis. I was given Forti Flora to add to his meal, Metronidazole (antibiotic), and Cerenia for his diarrhea. I fed a bland diet of chicken with rice. By day two of the meds he was feeling noticeably better, and didn’t need the anti-diarrheal.

He had previously been eating Hill’s Rx Science Diet D/D Egg and Rice kibble. I do not like this food at all. My other dog, my girl Lhasa Apso mix, Coco Latte’, (who I will post about later) was put on this food. I was told it was ok for Chewie to eat it also. (Really mad at myself for not researching into that further.)

His symptoms are as follows:

* Diarrhea – (Not watery, but not well-formed….almost like a cow patty.)
* Trembling (which I believe is due to the cramping he feels in his tummy)
* Periodic lack of appetite (He’s a foodie, so this is unusual!)
* Lethargy

His fecal sample was tested and the lab results saw nothing bad with it.
Temperature is normal. No dehydration. No vomiting. Chewie is about 1/2 a pound overweight, and has a very good appetite 95% of the time. He’s an active, happy, curious litte boy, but when his tummy is bothering him, lethargy sets in.

I was afraid that he may have eaten something in the back yard, and spent two days pulling every single thing I wasn’t sure about out of the ground. (Believe it or not, Chewie enjoys “gardening”. He watched me pulling weeds one day, and he mimics what he sees. He does eat them sometimes.)

I also think that stress contributes to whatever the problem is. My husband “threw me away last December”, and it was very unexpected. As you can imagine, depression/stress for me are very high. I know it transfers over onto my dogs. Coco handles stress pretty well, but Chewie is more of a gentle soul and it’s harder on him. Also, having nowhere else to go, I became a full-time caregiver to my mother who has dementia (a lot more stress.)

The meds helped, but his symptoms returned today (about two weeks later). The vet advised that if this happened we should look into doing blood work and changing his diet. He also suggested pumpkin and a high fiber dog food. I was wondering if anyone has had similar troubles with their dog, (or a diagnosis of colitis) and what you found helpful. I just want my little boy to feel better, and I’m open to all suggestions you might have for us.

I want to feed him the best possible food I can. What’s the best possible commercially prepared food I can offer him? Is canned food better? Dry? Raw or freeze dried? Should I home cook? I have a million +1 questions and would value your insights.
Thanks in advance.

[Bobby dog]

Hi Ashley:
My dog is six, can eat anything, and has no health issues other than a tendency to gain weight during hot weather months. For canned foods I only take brands, ingredients, calories, proteins, and GA’s into consideration. I feed whatever recipe fits the bill regardless of what is on the label, puppy, small/large breed, Sr., etc. I try to feed foods with a fat to protein ratio of 50% or less; equal calories coming from fat and protein or more from protein than fat. For example, a recipe that is 4% fat and 8% protein would be ideal for him, 7% fat – 8% protein not so much. Some of the f-p ratios I feed can be up to 70% which is okay at this time since I rotate foods.

My budget foods are Tractor Supply Company 4Health – Turkey & Sweet Potato, Beef & Veg stews, or Sr. Chicken & Rice recipes, Triumph Puppy or Turkey recipes, BJ’s Earth’s Pride Chicken & Rice, and Wal-Mart Pure Balance Stews.

Here are some brands to check out that I currently feed or have fed:
Blue Buffalo Home-style, by Nature (no 95% recipes), California Natural, Canidae Pure Sky or Foundations, Chicken Soup for the Soul, Eagle Pack, Halo Spot’s Stew or Spot’s Choice recipes, Holistic Select, Hill’s Ideal Balance stews, Lotus, Nature’s Recipe canned or tubs, Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed recipes, Precise, Purina Pro Plan Natural recipes, Purina Beyond, Red Barn stews, Tiki Dog, Wellness – Core, Simple, Complete Health, or Stew recipes, and Weruva Human Style or Dogs in the Kitchen recipes only (Kobe/Kurobuta recipes are canned by Evanger’s).

Low fat recipes; most are available at my local stores. I order Life’s Abundance from their website. Generally I find stews to be higher in protein and lower in fat, but not always. These are between 12-20% fat and below 25% carbs on a dry matter basis using their label info:
Fromm’s Shredded Beef
I and Love and You Stews
Life’s Abundance Turkey & Shrimp or Chic & Crab stews
Nature’s Recipe Pure Essentials LID GF Chic/Broth or GF Lamb/Broth
Nature’s Recipe Pure Essentials tubs LID Duck or LID Venison
Nature’s Recipe tubs GF Chic & Duck in broth or GF Chic & Venison in broth
Nature’s Recipe tubs Chicken in broth or Chic & Turkey in broth
Nature’s Recipe GF Chic & Turkey stew or Chic & Venison Stew
Purina Beyond GF stews
Red Barn Beef Stew
Tiki Dog – Kauai Luau, Lahaina Luau, Maui Luau, or Tonga Luau recipes
Weruva – Marbella Paella, Bed & Breakfast, or Paw Lickin’ Chicken recipes
Wellness Core Weight Management

These are 22-25% fat and below 25% carbs DMB:
Halo Sr. Beef
Merrick Golden Years Medley
Nutro Natural Choice LID Sr.
Precise Holistic Pork w/veg in gravy
Red Barn Chic, Turkey, or Steak & Egg stews
Wal-Mart Pure Balance stews
Wellness Stews

Here are some freeze dried/frozen commercial raw and dehydrated foods I feed. I use the same guidelines for these foods:
I and Love and You dehydrated Turkey (I also want to try the Beef and Chicken)
Nature’s Variety Raw Frozen Beef, Lamb, and Venison
Primal FD Turkey & Sardine, Frozen Venison, and frozen Turkey & Sardine
Stella & Chewy’s FD Chicken

Here is some info you might find helpful:
/choosing-dog-food/canned-or-dry-dog-food/
/dog-feeding-tips/how-much-dog-food/
/canine-nutrition/low-fat-dog-food/
/choosing-dog-food/dry-matter-basis/
/choosing-dog-food/raw-dog-food-fat/
http://www.dogaware.com/diet/freshfoods.html
Carb calculator:
http://www.scheyderweb.com/cats/catfood.html

[Angel76736]

I have an American Bulldog who has skin issues and I am on a very limited budget. I need help finding a good dry dog food that will help with sensitive skin but can stay within my budget. Right now I have two dogs, both are a bit older. My Bulldog is 7 and my Pitbull is 10. My Pitbull has no issues other then age related such as her arthritis. I am currently getting a 50lb bag of dry dog food for about $25 and would like to stick in that range as I am disabled with no other income. They are currently eating Pedigree Adult Complete Nutrition Chicken Flavored dry food. Any information is helpful. Thank you for your time. ~Angel

[Susan]

Hi, its good you now know what the problems is, yes the Hills W/d is low in protein-19.2% & low in fat-8.7% & very high in insoluble fiber-28.1% crude fiber-16.4% & low in soluble fiber-1.3%
….The only other thing you could do is write down the Hills W/d kibble insoluble fiber soluble fiber, crude fiber are then email a few kibble companies & ask about their weight management kibbles & see if you can find a kibble as close to the W/d & mix some of the
weight management kibble thru with the Hills W/d to get the higher protein & better ingredients…..but wait until he’s doing firm poos & is stable on the Hills W/d first before trying anything new….
I’m mixing Earthborn Ocean Fusion Natural with Patches Royal Canine Intestinal low fat at the moment to keep his weight on…..its hard to find a premium kibble in Patches case that has low fat & is also low in fiber, the weight loss kibbles normally are low in fat but high in crude fiber that’s where you may find a weight management kibble that is close to the Hills W/d kibble, I know the Earthborn weight Control kibble has 9% crude fiber so email Earthborn & ask what is the insoluble & soluble % in their Weight Control kibble, as you have to feed the Hills W/d for the rest of his life & the ingredients aren’t that great & see what Earthborn or other kibble companies email you back then that way you will have 2 kibbles you know he can eat if anything ever happens & you can’t get the Hills W/d…. I’m running out of kibbles to try now I have maybe 2 premium kibble left to try, I’ve tried most of them but I live Australia you have more dogs in America & have a bigger range of dog food companies to choose from…

My boy has Colitis from food intolerances to certain foods & high fat foods & was pooing blood & pooing jelly poos or the poo looks like a condom on the poo, when I first rescued him I was feeding him cooked meals, kibbles & wet tin foods I didn’t know about wet tin foods being higher in fat if it say’s 5% fat that’s around 22% fat when converted to dry matter (Kibble) then he can’t eat boiled rice but he can eat the grounded rice in kibbles,
it does your head in sometimes…. you’ll have to be careful when you introduce a new food just add 1 new food at a time with his kibble for 2 weeks to make sure he’s not having a reaction to the new food like diarrhea or bloody poos jelly poos condom poos then after trying the new food for 2 weeks & if he’s right then introduce another new food, have you tried sweet potatoes..Sweet potatos are higher in insoluble fiber I found this list to copy & keep it tells you what is high in soluble & insoluble fibers http://www.healthhype.com/list-of-high-fiber-foods-soluble-and-insoluble-fiber-chart.html
Earthborn Weight Control kibble http://www.earthbornholisticpetfood.com/us/dog_formulas/weight_control/ingredients.php

[Ashley W]

The budget isn’t really a concern. I wish I had the time to do the raw food but I don’t even cook for myself anymore. I’ve just been doing research on dry food and what I’ve found makes me sick. I want something that is going to be good for them. I’ve had dogs my entire life and I’ve always fed them pedigree. I know… I know… I’m just looking for the best option.

[Lilian B]

I think my boxer’s skin condition may be due to food allergy. His stool is sometimes also loose. He is currently getting Blue Buffalo Wilderness red meat and Weruva Jammin Salmon. From my research, a lot of hypoallergenic food contain salmon. Is that the least allergenic meat? What about rice? Even though he’s getting grain-free, as another post said, food still contain carbohydrates like potatoes. Which vegetable(s) are less allergenic?

[Yorkieville]

Hi, Ashley.
I feed my 3.5# Yorkie canned food. Dr. Karen Becker has a video, and she discusses the best foods for dogs.
#1 Raw
#2 Excellent Quality Canned
#3 Dehydrated Raw

Last on the list is Dry Food.
“Many pet owners mistakenly believe dry food cleans their dog’s or cat’s teeth. That’s a myth. Dry, crunchy kibble doesn’t clean your pet’s teeth any better than granola or crackers clean yours. ”

I’ve had Yorkie’s for 34 years. It wasn’t until my late Yorkie’s, Sweet Sydney and my precious little Kia, were older, that I learned the best food for them was canned.

My Yorkie is 16 months old now & has the cleanest white teeth.

[Anonymous]

If you soak dry food overnight in water in the fridg (2-3 day batch) it is okay as a base, then add a spoonful of chopped cooked chicken breast, lean meat or chicken liver.
Occasional canned food as a topper instead. Maybe a little dry kibble as a treat now and then.
It’s all good.
My senior does well on Wysong Senior. My other dogs (one with allergies) does best on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea.

Don’t free feed…..see General Guidelines for tips : http://www.homeovet.net/dynamic/php/downloads/dog-c8470f2c75dbe4b683205c3919ee2310/dog_diet_complete.pdf
Hope this helps.
Oh, and brush their teeth once a day, see Youtube for how to videos.

This has been what works for me.

[Lisa F]

Thanks for your reply. My pet store gave me sample bags I think of every dry food Signature makes! Call us strange, but I plan to put a few kibbles of each out and see which one he goes to first. With the Fromm we always fed him two different flavors mixed and switched up when one was empty.

[Ashley W]

I’ve been doing some research and have found that canned food seems to be better than dry food. Any opinions would be great 🙂
I have a 25 lb 7 year old male neutered Mullin’s Feist and a 32 lbs 4-5 year old female spayed mixed breed (he is ideal, she is overweight). I’m looking to feed them a better food. Currently they are eating Purina One Smart Blend dry.

[Lisa F]

Looking to switch from Fromm to Zignature or Now. I did not see Zignature on your Editors pick and wonder why and how you choose something FOR your picks, even if it has a 4.5 rating. Our dog was just hospitalized for constant vomiting, after x-rays, blood work, nothing serious thank God, but while we wean him back on to dry food, thought we would change it (my boyfriend read ONE thing bad about Fromm), but I told him it’s okay to change, and it’s a good time to since we have to do it slowly. Any comments on Zignature or Now (Acana doesn’t give our pet store samples) would be greatly appreciated.

[Susan]

Hi Xavier G, my boy gets the red in between his toes & red just after the big pad, he gets it when he eats kibbles with corn & maybe chicken? he was put on a vet diet for his IBD Eukanuba Intestinal, the Eukanuba Intestinal helped his IBD & he was pooing firm poos but got real red toes & paws, vet kept saying grass allergies, then I changed his kibble to a Gluten, Dairy, Sugar & Potato free, fish kibble & his paws cleared up within 2 days, so I looked at the ingredients in the Eukanuba Intestinal & it had to of been either the Gluten corn, Maize or the chicken……just before bed I was putting Cortic-DS 1% cream hydrocortisone acetate 10mg/g you buy over the counter at chemist, I was putting cream in between his toes with a cotton tip & on the fur/skin just after his big pad, then I was putting on socks, when he’d wake up in the morning his paws would be all clear, no red in between his toes or red about the big pad, then I’d feed him the Eukanuba Intestinal kibble for breakfast, then go on his morning walk come home & he’d start licking & licking his paws, I’d look & his paws would be red again, finally worked out it was his kibble, he was sensitive to an ingredient….. also I’d bath in the Malaseb Medicated shampoo when his paws were red it helped his paws ……
I’d change his kibble to a limited ingredient kibble with a different protein (Fish) & carb (Brown rice) something he hasn’t eaten before….. I find limited ingredient kibbles with brown rice work the best for Patch & bathing his paws/body in the Malsaeb shampoo, I think Walmart sell an antifungal/anti bacterial dog shampoo with the same ingredients as the Malaseb but I can’t remember the name, it started with a M cause a lady was saying how they have the same ingredients & is cheaper & helped her dogs red paws…….
The Antibiotics will not fix the red paws, not if he’s reacting to a food ingredient…also fish oil capsules or give some sardines in spring water as a treat…
if you cant afford the California Natural Lamb & Rice try the “Racheal Rays Nutrish Just 6” Lamb Meal & Brown rice sold at Walmart http://nutrish.rachaelray.com/dog/dry-food/just-6-lamb-and-brown-rice … its gluten free, corn, wheat, soy, free, no preservatives, byproducts fillers etc …

[Xavier G]

Hello Susan, the antibiotic is because inbetween his paw digits he has a bad alergic reaction to what we do not know yet. As for the soft stool I feel like it started when we got the new pup. (althoug it can just be coincedental) So we have been feeding him Natural Balance since he was a pup and around 2 months ago we got a new puppy, i noticed his stool soft around that time. But we were also looking to change his food around the same time because we were trying to save money since we now had a second dog. So we started him on Diamond Naturals and his poop stay soft and maybe even got a lil softer. I may have transitioned it to soon but idk. So then we took him in for his regualr yearly visit and mentioned it to vet. The vet prescribed I/D prescription food for the soft stools, she said it should help. The antiobotic is for the redness in between his toes. i thnk it might be infected or just bad enough she wanted to prescribe antiobotic. and i think she said his poop could be soft because of the irritation in the toes so thats that. So i dont know what to do. His poops is still soft and his toe are still red but we were also not giving him the correct amount of meds so we are going to start giving him his (two) doses starting tomorrow. I just want to get his poop normal and his poor paws back to normal. Not to mention his dry cracked nose. (luckily we have a great cream, ointment for that) but as for the other things were still working on the them w not much luck. I will look into your recommended food more in detail. i need to find a food that will help him or maybe its not the food idk anymore.

[Missie]

Hello,

I’ve tried giving both my dogs a probiotic and both got sick from it. I purchased VetriScience Vetri-Probiotic everyday chews from chewy.com. I have a 1 1/2 year old beagle and a 14 week old beagle puppy. I talked to my vet about a probiotic and she thought it was a great idea. I’ve given the probiotic just once after a meal. 1 chew for my 1 1/2 year old and a half of a chew for the 14 week old as the directions indicated and gave them the chew after one meal. I feed 3 times a day and they got the probiotic on their second meal of the day. After their final meal of the day, they both vomited. I feed the 1 year old Earthborn Holistic Meadow Feast dry food and the puppy get Wellness Core puppy dry food.

Upon looking at the ingredients for both dry foods I noticed that they do contain similar ingredients to the probiotic and if maybe that caused them to get sick? I’m wondering if maybe someone else has ran into this issue because I’ve never heard of dogs getting sick after having a probiotic.

Thanks!
Missie

[Michael C]

Check out Lotus Pet Foods, they have some formulas that are low in phosphorus, such as their grain-free fish formula that only has .77% phosphorus. They also bake their foods, as opposed to extrude them, so you don’t have to feed as much as you do extruded foods (according to their web site). http://www.lotuspetfoods.com/dry-dog-recipes-nutrient-table/