[Randal O]

Hello!

What soft, easy to eat, dry food is recommended for small, older dogs?

We have two small rescue dogs. One was a badly cared for Puppy Mill dog who lost all of his teeth (Pomeranian mix) and about 10 lbs.
The other might be part Pikingese and Spaniel and is about 15 lbs.

Thanks!

Randal

[Pitlove]

Thanks for the suggestions guys, appreciate it as always.

C4C- How long can you leave canned food in the fridge? I’d be needing it to last for 4 meals, so 2 days. I took your suggestion and tried 3 spoonfuls of canned with his dry and he ate no problem. I could save a lot of money doing this as I would only need 1 case of food a month instead of 2 or more. Thanks for putting the thought in my head to try this again!

[Jonathan S]

I’m sure this has probably been covered before, but I’m looking for a recommendation for a supplement to help cover itchy, dry skin on my dogs.

I’m in the process of rotating my dogs off their current kibble (they’re on the last of their Taste of the Wild) and on to Acana/Orijen, so I’m hoping that the change in food will help. This bloom of dry skin comes with a combination of changing the TotW mix from fish to lamb, and some hot dry weather here in Seattle. I’m also feeding my dogs raw food as half of their diet and they’re doing well with that.

I’ve experimented with a number of food supplements. The most recent that seems to work well for them digestively is Flora4. I do include coconut oil in their diet, but sometimes the additional fat can have some effects on their stool quality. I see commercials on TV for Dinovite, but I’m pretty sure that’s not where I want to go.

Anyone have any suggestions?

[Pitlove]

C4C- When I started giving him canned I gave him a whole can with his dry food on top because he wouldn’t eat any other way. I didn’t want to fight with him anymore about eating and was worried about him going days without eating. I cut back on the dry food to make sure he didn’t gain too much weight and he hasn’t which is good. Now that he is on Nature’s Logic he will eat without canned which is something that impressed me about the food as I mentioned on the NL review. I’ve thought about stopping the canned or the dehyrated raw, but I can’t bring myself to only feed him kibble. Thats why I thought about adding the ground beef or turkey. But you’re right. I never thought of how much kibble he would need to balance the raw. The recommeneded amount on the bag for a less active dog, which he is right now because of the humidity, is 2 cups a day. I’ve been giving him 1/2 a cup of the Sojo’s and 1/2 of the Nature’s Logic. But does that actually equal out to 1 cup considering they are different types of food? I watch his weight constantly and he gets weighed pretyy frequently. He’s still at his ideal weight so I haven’t changed the way I’m feeding him.

Just looking for a more affordable way to feed him and keep him healthy. It’s so hard 🙁

[Pitlove]

Hey all-

I usually feed my pitbull dry kibble with canned. Recently, I’ve been feeding kibble with dehydrated raw. Both are costing me a lot of money because of how quickly a 68lb dog goes through canned food etc. I was considering getting raw ground beef or turkey and adding a small amount of that to his dry kibble as a topper. I’m thinking with sales etc, it could be most cost effective than buying canned or dehydrated raw. Any thoughts on that?

Also, is it really just as simply as taking the raw ground up meat alone and using it with an already complete and balanced kibble? Or do I need to be adding something to this mixture?

Oh also, how long can that be left in the freezer for so I can know how much to buy

• This topic was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Pitlove.

[Debra A C]

I just picked up a bag of Evolve grain free dry – turkey/garbanzo bean/pea. You gave their regular dry 4 stars so I figured this would be a good food for my 5# Biewer Yorkie. I LOVE that the kibble is really tiny! My dog has very small teeth and I had him on Bil Jac grain free only because it was the only dry kibble he would eat. Normally even kibble made for small dogs was still a bit of work for him. He gobbled this right up; dry! Two reasons I gave this a shot: I prefer turkey over chicken (for me) because it’s just tastier and garbanzo beans are great right out of a can (dog loves them too!). While I wish it was organic I trusted that you gave Evolve a pretty good rating and the bag I bought was not too expensive, less than $9 for 4.5lbs in a grocery store. I have paid almost double that for some high end brands.

Any higher rated brands that the kibble is tiny? Thanks! Love your website.

[Pitlove]

Alright guys. I was looking into Holistic Select LBP for my boss because we weren’t sure if the calcium and phosphorus levels were too high and we carry it at work. The levels that are listed as the minimum when put into Dr.Mike’s calculator tool put it at 1.4:1 which is already approaching high. So I emailed WellPet for their as fed levels and they wrote me back today:

Dear Christa,

Thank you for taking the time to write about Holistic Select® Large & Giant Breed Puppy Health Recipe dry dog food.

Here are the nutritional values you have requested:

Large & Giant Breed Puppy Health Recipe:

Calcium: As Fed: 2.21% Dry Matter:2.40%

Phosphorus: As Fed: 1.25% Dry matter: 1.36%

Thanks again for contacting us.

Sincerely,

Michael
Consumer Affairs Representative
WellPet

When you put that into the calculator the ratios are too high. So would that be the correct levels I want to put into the calculator or the mins? I’ve been trying to find other foods to recommend LBP customers besides Fromm and Wellness Puppy to have more variety, but now I dont know if this one is safe.

[TheNaturalDog]

It’s been rebranded as Castor & Pollux Organix.

/dog-food-reviews/castor-and-pollux-organix-dog-food-dry/

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by TheNaturalDog.

[Julia G]

Does anyone know what happened to this product? It previously had a 5 star rating from this site & now it is not listed. I used to be able to find it at Petco but they stopped carrying it. Thanks for any info!

[Gracie’s Mom]

I get what you’re saying. I have been feeding Gracie dehydrated and freeze-dried raw, having not been successful with frozen, but I need more options in rotation so that she doesn’t get tired of any one food after a few weeks. Also, the expense of straight-up, prepared raw is very high. And, lastly, there’s the sometimes quite high fat content that is of concern (e.g., K9 Natural) in the dried raw foods. So, I’ve been on the hunt for several high quality kibbles and canned options to mix with dried raw, both to lower the overall cost and to put the fat in better balance. Does that make sense? I am willing to concede that allowing in some starches is going to be inevitable with this plan.

Here’s what I’ve come up with that could work for Gracie. The fat percentages are approximates based on the flavor that Mike reviewed.

Base Mix
Honest Kitchen Preference

Canned
Against the Grain (20% fat/protein ratio)
Chicken (but does contain potato starch)
Beef (but does contain potato starch)

Addiction (53% fat/protein ratio)
Hunter’s Venison
Herbed Duck Confit

Tripett (58% fat/protein ratio)
Green Bison Tripe
Original Green Beef Tripe
Green Beef Tripe and Venison
New Zealand Green Lamb Tripe
Green Beef Tripe, Duck and Salmon

ZiwiPeak (71% fat/protein ratio)
Beef
Lamb
Venison
Venison and Fish
Tripe, Lamb, and Venison

Dry Kibble:

Nulo Freestyle (48% fat/protein ratio)
Turkey and Sweet Potato
Salmon and Peas
Lamb and Chickpeas

Nulo Medal (51% fat/protein ratio)
Lamb and Lentils
Chicken and Peas
Salmon and Sweet Potato

Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient (68% fat/protein ratio)
Turkey
Lamb
Duck

Acana Singles (56% fat/protein ratio)
Pork and Butternut Squash
Duck and Bartlett Pear
Lamb and Okanagan Apple

Wysong Epigen 90 (25% fat/protein ratio)
Chicken

Freeze Dried, Air Dried, or Dehydrated Raw:

K9 Natural (90%+ fat/protein ratio)
Venison (but does contain eggs, a borderline allergen)
Lamb (but does contain eggs, a borderline allergen)

Fresh Is Best (50% fat/protein ratio)
Chicken
Beef

Vital Essentials (79% fat/protein ratio)
Tripe
Beef
Chicken
Turkey

ZiwiPeak (79% fat/protein ratio)
Venison
Venison and Fish
Lamb
Beef

[aquariangt]

Would you say, in general, that a human diet of dry, processed food, even if considered a complete meal (think perhaps, an MRE, backpackers food, maybe a diet of cheerios, ramen, and V8 Juice? I don’t know, throwing some examples) would be more beneficial than fresh food? If so, what would be the difference for dogs?

That said, I do feed kibble with canned, fresh, raw etc toppers, out of placement in my life right now, though I fully intend to move back towards a homemade diet at some point

[Anonymous]

My dogs like it too, I only use canned foods as a standby. But I like that I can find this in the supermarket and it’s reasonably priced.
I have not tried the dry, I have a dog with allergies that does well on Nutrisca salmon and chickpea and don’t want to switch around too much.

[Blane F]

My 2yr mini schnauzer has been on Newman’s Organics Adult (dry) her entire life and she is one happy little girl. Her coat is smooth and her poop is very normal if you know what normal is. I looked at a lot of 4-5 star foods and they are very good but I just didn’t trust them as much as I do Newman’s. Someone complained their bag of Newman’s was rancid. You need to watch the date on the bag. The food has a 10 month shelve life and will go rancid because it’s all natural (no preservatives). It’s always best to buy as close to the 10 months as possible. I actually found bags of Newman’s with expired dates at Hannaford’s food store here in the Northeast. I removed from shelve and showed the manager. I recommend Newman’s.

[Gracie’s Mom]

I was just going through limited ingredient dry foods that I could add to the Against the Grain canned food, and it looks like Nature’s Variety Instinct Turkey Meal Formula may be an option. It doesn’t appear to contain anything that Gracie is allergic too. Potatoes, rice, flax, and alfalfa appear to be very difficult to avoid. I would rather have a five-star food, but haven’t found one yet. It takes a long time to look up complete ingredients for every food!

P.S. In my previous post, “Arcana” should have been “Acana”, obviously. Sure would be nice to have the ability to edit posts.

[Nate D]

It’s been a quite some time since I’ve posted here, but wanted to give everyone some information.
A lot of you are doing good with the water, supplements, etc..

For dry food check out Zignature. I just recently heard of it. I’ve been feeding Fromm for so long.
Zignature is limited ingredient, grain free, potato free (which I was told was very important), lower in calories, etc..
All good things for helping keep ph in check and is good for dogs with kidney/bladder issues.
I contacted them about the target ph and they said theirs is 5.5. That’s lower then most high quality foods. Fromm is 6-6.5 and Wellness was 7.
A few others wrote me back with numbers all within 6-7, but Blue Buffalo told me they don’t know the ph because they aren’t prescription food. A response like that will keep me away from that food forever.
I can say that since switching to Ziganture, adding water, a tablespoon of wet food and using an occasional dose of Berry Balance my dogs ph has been holding steady and no crystals.
I did try the Wysong Biotic ph supplement, but I was not a fan of what was in it.
What works for my dog may not work for another, but I thought I’d mention the Zignature food. Might be worth a try. A lot of their formulas have cranberries and blueberries in it, but there are a couple like the new Kangaroo that do not. zignature.com

[Pitlove]

Hi again Jonathan-

I’ve heard a lot of things about pet food storage as well. I work at a small pet boutique that mainly carries natural dog foods with natural preservitives. If we catch a bag with a hole in it, even a tiny one, it gets damaged out and put on the return shelf because once air has started hitting the food the fats start going rancid.

Most of what I’ve heard about what size bag to buy depends on how fast you go through the food. I can buy 5lb or 15lb bags for by 68lb dog and I store them in a Gamma Vittles Vault air tight container. A 5lb bag will last slightly under a month and a 15lb bag will last me well over a month for him. I don’t buy the largest size bags anymore as I switch foods more frequently than that size bag would allow. That being said a small breed dog or toy breed dog is not going to eat a 30lb bag before the food would start to go rancid, so it would not be smart to buy such a large bag for a small dog. That size would be fine however for a large or giant breed dog that was not eating canned food as well (my dog eats canned so my dry food lasts longer).

[Linda G]

We are not sure of the type of stone because the analysis has not come back yet. I have always float his dry food in water to up his water intake and has fresh water at all times. His bladder has been flushed already and the vet is not recommending surgery because the stones are the size of cat litter. I was curious if those are good food suggestions since I’m not very familiar of either

[Pitlove]

Jonathan- Very understandable to be concerned about the quality of the ingredients and the integrity of the company. Most of us here feel the exact same way! Orijen is argued as the best dry kibble out on the market. Champion Pet Foods are an award winning Canadian company with an excellent track record and regional sourced ingredients. Very solid choice of food. Fromm same thing. Family owned and operated out of Wisconson for over 100 years, locally sourced ingredients including their vitamin pack (according to a rep). Fromm makes a grain-free Lamb and Lentils recipe so that could be something to look into. Orijen does have lamb I believe in their Tundra formula, but that is also along with many other proteins as well, most a little more on the novel side. Orijen Puppy, Adult and Senior is chicken based and grain-free, where as Fromm’s chicken based foods as far as I’m aware are grain-inclusive.

Hi Lisa- While ToTW has not had recent recalls the manufacturer of the food (Diamond) is notorious for their recalls. That is something important to keep in mind while feeding TotW. Best to keep other choices avaiable to you and your dogs in CASE they do have another recall under Diamond.

[Pitlove]

DogFoodie nailed it on the head! Switching dog foods is worthless if you are switching to a food that still contains whatever your dog is intolerant to! LID diets would be a good place to start in ruling out what your dog can’t handle. My vet told me to do an elimination diet for 12 weeks for my dog because shes convinced he has both seasonal and food allergies. (I personally believe its just seasonal). Consider that he could also have environmental allergies if you are noticing that he has the issues with scratching all year round even when you feed a food with a novel protein.

Oh I should note I also have a AmStaff and they are very prone to yeast and skin issues. My dog gets yeast infections under his nail beds and in his ears. I’ll be ordering Wysong Epigen 90 as soon as my current food he’s on is almost out to try to manage his yeast. It’s unlike any other dry kibble on the market as it is (dry matter basis) 70% protein, 18% fat and 4% carbs! And completely starch free!

Edit– Brothers Complete makes a “hypoallergenic” dog food as well however just like with most of these types of food including Wysong the price tag is hefty.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Pitlove.

[Kevin W]

Looks like a wonderful food, but very far out of my price range. I’m looking in the 50-100$ for 20-30lb dry kibble range. Their site states $173 for 11lbs.

[Raquel M]

Hi. i got a new puppy. The sweetest thing ever. I want to give him a good dry food. A friend told me that Orijen is the best. What do you think?

He’s only 5k now and won’t grow up much, so I don’t mind to expend some money. What I don’t have is time, so the raw food is out of the question.

Any recommendations??

[Lisa G]

I feed Canine Caviar and own a pet store. I can feed my dogs any high quality food available. Canine Caviar smells the freshest, and my dogs coat is shiny and healthy. I feed them Nulo and Canine Caviar canned and CC dry. Your post sounds very suspicious and I doubt its validity.

[CAROL ANN S]

My rescue girl, white boxer Peetee ( 1 black eye) has been diagnosed with possible pancreatitis, in addition to other issues. This is heartbreaking for us. Peetee’s vet is a board certified specialist (internist) and has given me a script for either Purina Vet Diets OM, or, Hill’s PrescriptionLow Fat I/D. dry or canned fine.
I was shocked when I saw how much corn, wheat, rice, corn starch chicken byproduct meal, barley, was in the Hill’s. Purina OM seems no better: corn, soybean meal,poultry by product, ANIMAL DIGEST (whatt??), wheat gluten and so on. These were the LEADING ingredients in both kibbles. These are low fat, all right. But the product details sound like cattle feed.
Can anyone advise a decent low fat food for Peetee? The vet said low fat cheese, yogurt, and biscuits are O.K.

I am so confused…..

Carol Ann for Peetee

[Tom F]

Hi – First time on the Forum, my name is Tom, and I’m in South Florida.

I wonder if anyone has more information on BJ’s Berkley and Jensen Grain Free Duck and Vegetable dry food. I see that it’s lumped in with BJ’s other foods on the ratings pages, but there is a note that this particular variety is a 5 star food, while the chicken and rice that was tested came in at 4 stars. I can’t seem to find out how or why the duck and vegetable formula got 5 stars. As a grain-free product, this food seems like a great value, and I would consider buying it if i could get some more details.

sorry if this has been asked before, but I don’t see a search option on this forum…

Any ideas or info?

Thanks, Tom

[C4D]

Let me preface this comment with the fact that I feed a variety of foods, including some kibble, canned, fresh cooked and commercial raw food. I have had no problems with my dogs or my family, including infants in the home on a regular basis. If you are an immune compromised person, I would definitely suggest a home cooked diet with a premix raw (these are only vegetables and vitamins) added as opposed to raw meat. Salmonella, listeria, and other bacterias are in many raw foods, including the ones we cook on a daily basis for our families. They can be present on the counters and sinks of our very own kitchen surfaces unless you clean and disinfect correctly. The bacteria can be present in treats, chews and dry dog food as well. Listeria is within the soil and water.

I also foster dogs and have had my share of dogs with Giardia, ringworm, demodex (not know to be infectious) and hookworms and have managed to not have any other person, child or dog infested with any of these problems. I am very proactive in testing my own dogs to ensure that they have not become infested with the various parasites that enter my home with the fosters.

There seems to be a bit of hysteria in the traditional veterinarian community. My own vet does accept the raw feeding of dogs as well as many of the more natural products, including the balanceit program, while also carrying some of the “therapeutic diets” for those that choose that route.

The problem with salmonella, is that it can also be linked to dry dog food:

CDC link:
http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/dog-food-05-12/

CDC Salmonella General Info:

http://www.cdc.gov/salmonella/general/index.html

Skeptvet, in your regard to your links, the first one was someone’s blog, which of course, everyone has an opinion. I see this as the contrary to a holistic or natural feeder/vet’s blog.

The 2nd link, was a study of 442 salmonella isolates over a 58 year period. It doesn’t even state the point of the study! So what’s the point of this link in reference to a raw diet as there is no reference to a raw diet anywhere in the link? Yes, dogs can get salmonella, but they can also get cancer, arthritis, kidney disease and a host of other things.

The 3rd link was a study of 10 dogs being fed a homemade raw diet. Really? That’s not a very large study. Certainly not one that even the study could conclude was enough to draw any real conclusions, only a suggestion that infants and immune compromised people shouldn’t feed raw and perhaps a larger study should be done.
Did you also note that even though 80% (8 of the diets) of the raw diet tested positive for salmonella before fed, only 30% (3 dogs) of the dog’s had salmonella in their stool sample? An interesting note is that one of the 3 dogs that tested positive for salmonella was NOT fed a raw diet that had salmonella. So where did he get the salmonella from? And what did the other 6 dog’s digestive system do with the salmonella?

I do believe that if you feed raw, you have to be realistic and clean effectively and take precaution if there are small children in the household. If there are immune or cleanliness issues, then a balanced, fresh cooked diet would be the next best choice.

[C4D]

Skye G, the only problem with a vegetarian diet is that many of the holistic vets found that it caused muscle waste. It truly must be carefully balanced to provide the correct nutrition for a dog.
On a side not, my husband actually had bladder stones. He did change his diet which included limiting caffeine products and drinking more fluids. He hasn’t had a recurrence in over 20 years. I’m not saying that it cured it, but I really think providing more fresh food to a dog, as opposed to dry kibble, could possibly help. This would increase the overall moisture in a dog’s system, helping to flush out the minerals that are forming.

[C4D]

Unfortunately, Dalmations are one breed that has a tendency to form stones. If you feed a fresher diet as opposed to dry kibble, it will help in keeping fluid in the system to flush out the stones. Of course you still have to watch the purines. Most of the dalmation breeders recommend poultry, eggs and cheese as it’s lowest in the purines. Many seem to recommend distilled water also.
Here are a couple of links that might help you out:

http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/13_6/features/Kidney-Stones-Bladder-Stones_16231-1.html

I don’t use Flint River Ranch food, and it only gets an average rating on this site, so I’m not sure of the food, but the site has some interesting information:

http://www.aplusflintriverranch.com/article-healthydalmatiandiet.php

There are several dalmation sites if you google that offer some good information. Good luck with it!

[Lisa D]

I am new to the editor’s choice and I wonder why some of the dry and wet dog foods that are listed with a rating of 5 are not on the editor’s list. ex. My dogs love Taste of the Wild dry and wet foods and some of them are listed with a rating of 5 when you look them up by name. I am feeding all three of my dogs Taste of the Wild Wetlands Formula both wet and dry which are rated 5, but again, are not on the Editor’s Choice List. Am I missing something? Maybe with the company that makes the food? Or, have they just not been nominated?

[Betty R]

Royal Canin Adult dry food

[C4D]

Shawna is absolutely correct! Dry food is the worst thing to feed a dog in renal failure! She’s had a good deal of experience in the subject.
You do need to work with your vet for lab tests & results. There are several websites and a FB page I found helpful when my dog was diagnosed CRF.

balanceit.com provides recipes and foods based on your dog’s condition.

dogaware.com has a wonderfully helpful kidney page: http://www.dogaware.com/health/kidneydiet.html

There’s a Facebook group that has a lot of information called CRF Dogs.

Good luck!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by C4D.

[Shawna]

PS — dry food is the worst thing you can feed a dog with kidney disease — due to the dehydration it can cause as well as the lower bioavailability of the protein.

[Delilah S]

Hello! I am new to this site. I have looked at ratings, etc. before, but this is my first post.

I have a 4 year old English Bulldog. Jan 2014 she got a UTI. She had since had issues with recurring UTI’s…she had one in Jan, Feb, May, Oct, Nov, Jan & a trace of blood in her follow up Urine Analysis in Feb. She had done different antibiotics, we tried to supplement her with d-mannose, etc. etc. She has had x-rays & ultrasounds…all clear. Urine analysis(es) showed struvite crystals and a pH around 8-8.5. At a loss, our vet recommended Hills c/d in Feb to see if he headed off the infection. Sure enough, it did. She’s been UTI free since Feb.

Her skin has been mess…her face swollen, ears yeasty, she’s never been stinky & she smelled terrible, irritated face folds, the works (& that was on 2 benadryl twice a day). At the last trip to the vet he gave her steroids, but was pretty adamant about not switching her off of the c/d…talking long term allergy management treatment instead.

We sought a second opinion from another well respected, touted to be “more holistic,” vet in our area a few weeks ago. We were feeding Earthborn holistic meadow feast before the c/d and had not tried any other commercial foods. Based on the allergies, the new vet agreed that it was worth trying another food & ran a blood panel to check thyroid which came back ok. She wants to see a UA in 4 weeks on the new food.

After a lot of research we decided to switch her to The Honest Kitchen Keen because it’s supposed to be good for dogs with urinary issues. I have been monitoring her urine pH at home and it was a 6 when starting the transition from c/d. After one week it remained a 6. I checked it today and it was a 7. Today was the first day she was fully on the Honest Kitchen food.

I know 7 is still considered neutral. But, I am SO anxious now!! I was SO hopeful this would work for us to balance the allergies and urinary issues both. Our vet said 6-8 weeks on the new food to see what would happen with the allergies, but I could tell a big difference after about a week. She’s still not perfect, but there is a definite improvement in her looks & smell and I can’t tell that she’s feeling better.

I guess….are we on the right track?? Does anyone know of anything supplement wise I should talk to our vet about? She is currently on an omega 3 and probiotic as well (both of those are new within the last 3-4 weeks. Any other ideas or suggestions? I am going to keep an eye on it at home every few days vs. once a week and see if it continues to climb.

Thanks!

[Stephanie W]

Looking for a highly digestive protein dry for Senior Westie with Renal disease.

[Stephanie W]

Suggestions for dry foods with the highest digestible protein for my renal senior Westie.

[Anonymous]

I have a 1 year old frenchie and I want to take him of from any kind of dog food brands and give him made at home food because he has problems from dry and wet dog food what do you recomand

[Blkdoodle]

Where could one find charts or suggestions as to how much protein, carbs, fat, etc. we should be feeding our 65 lb Doodle who is 17 months old. Would like to get her on a better grade of food. Have been using Ideal Balance adult dry, with abt. 1/3 can of Blue Buffalo grillers. Thanks in advance for any help.

[Anonymous]

I have a 15 year old small breed dog that is constantly hungry too. I took him to the vet for a senior workup and his blood work came back better than mine.
Anyhow, I suspect he has a little dementia going on, he sometimes gets up at night and goes to the kitchen, barks at the fridge.
The vet told me these small dogs often have some spinal degeneration issues which can cause them pain/discomfort. He does have these episodes of agitation…..but often he just needs to go out. The vet prescribed something for his discomfort that he gets twice a day and this has helped. He is calmer now.

I feed him 4 small meals per day, a mix of wet food, kibble soaked overnight in water in the fridge doubles in size so he thinks he’s getting more, maybe a bite of cooked chicken.
I add a little water too, as I rarely see him go to his water dish.
He did well on Wysong Senior, but is getting Nutrisca now (wet and dry)

The other thing I give him is a combination low dose of a supplement and otc med at bedtime (approved by his vet).
I am reluctant to tell you what I use, I would prefer that you talk to your vet and have him prescribe something that will help keep your dog comfortable. Your dog just had a physical that ruled out medical, so it shouldn’t be a big deal if you leave a message for your vet to call you back to discuss options.

Some dogs tend to get confused and agitated as they age.

[Susan]

Hi my boy suffers from acid reflux, two years I’ve been battling with new diets, ant acid meds etc & this is what I have found..
You are better of leaving him on the Pepcid instead of stopping & re starting it again, the burning acid can burn their throat, esophagus & even cause ulcers if he hasn’t already got an ulcer..the Pepcid will relieve his discomfort…
Slipperly Elm Powder is suppose to be good google how to make a slurry paste..Slippery Elm coats the throat, stomach & stops nausea, you can add about 1/4 teaspoon slippery elm powder to their meals…I’ve never tried adding with meals, I was going to try if this new diet doesn’t work.. I’ve ordered the Royal Canine Intestinal low fat kibble as much as I hate vet diets, I’ve run out of kibbles & wet tin foods.. I live Australia & low fat diets are very hard to find the weight loss diets are low in fat & are higher in fiber & you need to avoid high fiber diets I’ve read..
I add about 1/2 teaspoon of the Slippery Elm Powder in a glass & add boiling water & stir till I have a thick paste but not too thick, I put about 3mls in a syringe when it cooled…this seem to help Patch but I hate giving him any meds, herbs, supplements..
I had him on Zantac as the Zantac doesn’t interfere with the bowel like other ant acids do.. now I give liquid Mylanta 3mls in a syringe, I make about 2 syringes up & leave in the fridge, the cool Mylanta soothes the throat & stomach…
I give 3mls Mylanta at 6am 1/2-1 hour before breakfast then if I see Patch unwell or feeling sick thru the day I give another 3ml Mylanta…it taste yuk but he lets me give it to him, so it must make him feel better normally he runs when he has to take tablets & see the syringe with water but with the Mylanta he doesn’t run away..I have found the Mylanta relieves Patches acid instantly..

You need to book your boy in for an Endoscope & Biopsies to see what is happening…blood test will not show if there’s anything wrong with his stomach only his pancreas, has he had the blood test for his Pancreas? All Patches blood test came back good & he had all the symptoms of Pancreatitis again..so Patch had Endoscope & Biopsies last December his stomach looked good the vet said, no ulcers or any scaring from old ulcers, lucky he had the biopsies as well, they found the Helicobacter-Pylori infection, he was given the triple therapy antibiotics & Zantac for 3 weeks but as soon as the course was finished he had his real bad acid reflux again, so vet said keep him on the Zantac twice a day every 12 hours which I did for about 1 month then I stopped his Zantac to see if his acid reflux came back, I changed his diet again to a lower protein.. & was just giving the 1/3 Zantac 150mg tablet every morning 6 am 30mins-1 hour before food & I stopped the night Zantac & he seemed OK & if he did wake thru the night licking lips, I give Mylanta..

I cant find a real low fat wet tin food only the Royal Canine Intestinal Low Fat or the Hills I/d Low Fat GI Restore they have boiled rice & Patch can’t eat boiled rice it gives him diarrhea, he can have grounded rice in kibbles, so I soak Patches kibble & drain all the water real well when the kibble is swollen then put thru a blender & its like wet tin food but has the low fat & low protein 8%-fat & 22%-protein.. I also cook Extra lean beef ground mince made into little rissoles balls, I also buy kangaroo mince for a change & blend a carrot broccoli & celery & add with the mince & bake in the oven & hardly any fat comes out of the extra lean beef or Kangaroo mince..

I would cook then freeze little meals, a low fat meat with blended green veggies, broccoli, celery, beans, kale etc or another wet tin food where the fat is 2% & under….The Wellness Stews are 4%-fat so when converted to dry matter (Kibble) its 16.2% fat, that’s pretty high in fat… & put him back on the Pepcid if it works for him, some of the Wellness Stews have potatoes or sweet potatoes, I was looking for another recipe last night for acid reflux & it said stay away from starchy veggies, Potatoes, Legumes & sweet Potatoes & give Pumkin, Squash, Rutabaga Turnip instead.. here’s the link… http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.com.au/2013/12/acid-reflex-gerd-in-dogs-cats-natural.html
I’ve read Kale is good, it has Chlorophyll what is found in grass, it settles their stomach & digestive upsets.. so I’m going to try adding some blended kale to his rissoles as well..

[Barbara P]

Hi All,
I need you help please. My 13 year old pappy-poo, Sophie, was recently diagnosed with kidney concerns after a recent blood test. My vet said this will be what will cause her demise. He recommended KD dog food but she really doesn’t care for it, the wet or the dry. I have been mixing it with a few Pedigree dog food chunks (with chicken added) that says it has 8.5% “minimum” protein. She now has begun going without eating for a 24 hours at least one day a week. I have offered her many other treats (biscuits, cheese, heating it, covering it with a crushed dog biscuit, etc.) to entice her to eat during this time but she just turns and walks away. (She does drink water though.) Following the day of fasting, she will begin to eat again and will continue for several days and then this begins again. I am asking for your help and guidance in finding another food that is considered “low protein” but will hopefully keep her eating. I have searched in the grocery stores but the cans say “minimum” protein percentage so I don’t know what it really is. I have been advised to keep it at 14% or less.
Grateful for your help,
Barb P.
[email protected]

[Christie]

I know that feeding labels on dog food are just suggestions based on weight and estimation of caloric intake, but my dogs eat nowhere near the amounts on the food.

I’ve been transitioning my two dogs (6 year old american bulldog mix – 110 pounds, 6 month old Mega Mutt™- 20 pounds) from Organix to Whole Earth Farms and the Feeding Guidelines says that the larger dog should eat 5 3/4 cups per day and the puppy 2- 4.5 cups per day (at the bottom of the guideline is says that puppies can eat 2x -3x of the listed “adult recommendation”)

It’s harder now since I’m transitioning between the old food and the new food so they won’t have digestive upset. But even before this, the dogs didn’t consume as much as Organix recommended (2¾ – 3¼ cups for the large dog, 2 ½ – 4 cups for the puppy).

From their official websites:
Organix
(Adult Food) “Calorie Content (calculated): 3,570 kcal ME/kg, 394.0 kcal ME/cup”
(Puppy Food) “Calorie Content (calculated): 3,628 kcal ME/kg, 400.0 kcal ME/cup”

Whole Earth Farms
(All Life Stage Food) “3500 kcal/kg – 1 cup (100 grams) provides 350 kcal of metabolizable energy, calculated value.”

The dogs are supposed to consume X amount of calories to maintain good weight (adult) and grow (puppy), but if they’re not eating the recommended (smaller) amount of the Organix, how am I going to get them to eat even more of the WEF?

I mix in a couple of spoonfuls (about 1/4 can for both dogs) of the canned WEF in each meal or else they’re not very interested. And I know you’re not supposed to leave dry food that’s mixed with wet out for very long, so I’ve wound up wasted all this extra food that they won’t eat.

When I first rescued the puppy (two months ago), I discovered last month that she had tapeworms. She seemed petite (my vet’s words) for her size (her DNA results came out so mixed that there’s nothing to really compare her to) and she was very hungry all the time. We’ve attributed that to the worms. Now, after treatment, she has definitely grown in size and weight and I’ve stopped free eating dry kibble and now feed both dogs two meals a day. She’s not as voraciously hungry as before (she would eat her puppy food and then eat the adult food in my other dog’s bowl…the primary reason that I’m switching to a food that is good for both of them to eat).

Both dogs probably eat about half of what is recommended daily. Is this problematic? Both are fairly active. I try not to give too many treats, and only after meal time. I figure that as long as they seems healthy and aren’t losing weight that they’re eating enough.

Can the guidelines be that far off the mark?

[Leslie F]

I have been using fresh fetch for a few years now and am very pleased with the product. My dog is healthy and looks great. The product is real meat, fish and poultry with real vegetables and fruit. The problem I’ve encountered is getting it! For example, the pet stores I used to get it at no longer carry it. So I have to order it online. Problem is, the online store is closed these past few days and I am getting low on food. And they do not permit you to pick up the food at their location so it has to be shipped to your home. It comes cold, packed in dry ice, some of it may be frozen upon delivery, which I like, but some is soft and cold. You have to be able to get it in the freezer after delivery because it is a fresh product that requires refrigeration/ freezing. I have had conversations via email with the company and they are adamant that their product arrives at a safe temperature. So far, so good for me. So you have to plan ahead and order before you run out and allow time to order and for delivery, which usually takes a day or two. It stores well in the freezer. Sometimes the packaging is not tight against the food and ice crystals form on the food in the freezer. But I have still used it without problem. I think the company has an excellent product. I wish I could just go buy it at the store but I have not been able to find a store near my home that carries it. I have even driven an hour to a store that told me they carry it only to arrive and find out they don’t, confusing Fresh Fetch with Fresh Pet. I used to cook my dogs food food which requires time and knowing what to food combinations and other food minerals to add to keep it nutritionally balanced. Dr. Beckers Real Food for Heathy Dogs and Cats is a great book to guide you if you want to prepare your dog and cats food. Fresh Fetch takes care of that task of preparing real food for your dog. You just have to buy it, if you can find it or are ok with online ordering. It is not inexpensive, but nowadays, the cost of the ingredients is not inexpensive either. I do believe it is a quality food and has been good for my dog.

[Andy B]

Lindsay,
I have 2 brother maltese/pekingese mix that will be 14 in Dec. They are both on Royal Canin LP Modified Renal dry. This was from a vet’s recommendation and it has only been about 3 months. It cuts back their protein intake, although I mix a tablespoon of cooked chicken breast in with their meal as well as about 2 tablespoons of water. Also, I am still mixing Blue Buffalo Grain Free Wilderness Chicken recipe with it. I am going to switch to Orajen to mix with the RC instead of BB. (didn’t realize BB isn’t as good as I thought it was) Also, I have a 12 year old Italian Greyhound. She has an enlarged heart and the vet recommended RC Early Cardiac dry. She has been on that for almost a year. Doesn’t like the taste too well, but does finally eat it. Same program as the brothers with the chicken and water, but no BB. Both RC foods are vet prescription required. All dogs get a multi vitamin once a day and a cosequin joint supplement once a day. The Greyhound takes a cardiac pill called Cardial. She gets 1/4 of the tablet twice a day. They are all very active and no weight problem.

[Barbara S]

I have used 4Health dry food and like the price and ingredients listed. The problem is that my dog’s stools are not firm when he eats this. This would not be a problem because we know that stools (of animals and humans) vary in texture, but I pick up after he does his business and can’t always retrieve all of a softer stool. It’s a weird reason to eliminate a food, just mentioning it. Otherwise, dog is fine on this food. Also, I know his food is what makes the stool less firm because I often bring him to doggy day care, where he is fed Science Diet. I have my own concerns about S.D. ingredients, but the stool is more firm after he eats this brand.

[DogFoodie]

My Cavalier can eat virtually anything. She loves raw and does very well on a high protein, moderate fat diet with a bit higher fiber. That’s my toy breed though – yours could very well be different. When she eats kibble, I try to choose those that are smaller pieces. Although she eats Orijen, which is one of the biggest, with no problem. You can always give dry food a whirl in a coffee grinder if you want to make it smaller. The great thing is, it’s a bit easier to feed them higher quality foods because they eat such small portions. Just be careful, because it’s very easy to overfeed a small dog. There’s much less room for error when you’re only eating 300-some calories per day.

[Christine M]

Hi all! I work with a pug rescue and we recently pulled a bonded pair from a shelter. Its a pug and his side-kick, a 4-lb senior yorkie that has no teeth and a huge tongue! They are both sweet and adorable. I foster a lot and mainly have dogs with medical issues so at any given time in my home I have many many foods going from home-made to super restricted diets, etc.

This dog is by far the smallest that I have ever fostered. We just did his first meal and I soaked and mashed dry food in water and he was able to eat it alright. But, I think there might be some easier alternatives out there. I was thinking maybe Grandma Lucy’s rehydrated food but the chunks might be too large. Just wondering for anyone with experience with a teeny, tiny dog, what specific brand/type of food you might recommend? I don’t want to try too many things and upset his stomach.

Thanks in advance!

[Susan]

Hi Michelle, I’ve been going through the same thing for about 1 year now, finally had a Endoscope & Biopsies done, I thought Patch had an ulcer but thru biopsies they found Helicobacter-Pylori infection & IBD (Food Intolerances).. Patch was treated with antibiotics Metronidazole Amoxicillin & Zantac for 3 weeks, The Helicobacter is very hard to get rid of & Patch suffers bad acid reflux when the Helicobacter come back. I’m picking up a script today for Losec (omeprazole) cause the Zantac isn’t working anymore…

Low fat diet makes a big difference…You need to find a low fat foods….Fat makes the acid reflux worse, if you can feed a cooked diet is best…try & stay away from kibbles, I found kibbles can make the acid reflux worse so what I do cause I can’t find a real low fat wet tin food with 2% fat & under, I soak his limited ingredient low fat-10% kibble in water then when the kibble is swollen, I drain the water very well then I put thru a blender mini processor & the kibble comes like wet tin food & I have the low 10% fat & I’ve been cooking, I buy Extra lean beef ground mince & add blended broccoli, celery, carrot with the mince then bake in the oven, I make mini meat loaves or rissoles..you get to know the good low fat grounded mince hardly any fat will come out while the meat loaf or rissoles are baking..
About 2 months ago I went thru a animal Naturopath & she said Patch needs to heal his stomach & get the stomach pH back at 1%… Patch was put on a low fat raw Kangaroo mince & blended broccoli celery, carrot & apple, 2 spoons to 1 cup of the kangaroo mince + Digestive Enzymes + Probiotic, the raw worked excellent then he started regurgitating the raw, water kept coming up into his mouth causing real sore throat from the acid coming up into his mouth… he also regurgitates the cooked meat if its real dry sometimes.. soaked kibble seems to work the best for Patch….also I give liquid Mylanta 3mls when I see him swallowing & uncomfortable with his acid reflux the Mylanta helps straight away…

Good-Luck, I hope lowing the fat works for your boy, my boy is a rescue & I’d say he was left untreated for tooo long, I got him at the age of 4..

Have a looked at the “Canine Caviar Special Needs” the fat is 9%min the protein is low but you can add your own meat toppers if the kibble works.. another good one is the “California Natural Lamb & Rice” it has just 4 ingredients fat is about 11%..you may know another low fat limited ingredient kibble but less ingredients are best, less food to cause the acid reflux… with Patch we are finding he has food sensitivities as well that irritate the stomach then the bowel…The Taste of wild wet & dry is too high in fat % the lowest I found was 15%min fat so max % would be around 17%.. I always email the kibble company & asked what is the max% with the fat & they normally email me back….

Try a new lower fat diet first & ant acid meds then if new diet and ant acid meds don’t work, have the endoscope & biopsies done, that’s what I did…

[Anonymous]

Ps: If you have a dog that has made it to age 20 and is in good shape, I wouldn’t alter whatever you have been doing (diet wise) too much!

What dry food have you been feeding him?

[Robert W]

I have 20 year old miniature dachshund that has lived a very full and happy life; now he has lost all but one tooth and can’t eat dry food, so I have switched to canned food. My question is what is the best “wet” food that I can give him? he still is very active and run’s around the house like a 4 year old, but, does like to sleep a little more time now. Any advice would be very helpful. Thank you!

[Pitlove]

I’ll also mention that he is on this food atm: http://precisepet.com/dog-formulas/precise-holistic-complete/dry/wild-at-heart-flight-line/

It is the first grain inclusive food he has ever been on, but this formula has potatoes. I feel that I need to keep him off grain free foods and only feed him foods with brown rice as the main carb source to stop the yeast. Thoughts on staying away from grain free foods as well?

[Christie]

She vomited 6 times within the course of about 45 minutes or so– then was set for the rest of the night. She drank some water this morning (not too much) and nibbled on a bit of her regular dry food. And she was playful and rolling around with my other dog outside this morning.

I only put about 20% of the new food in her dish last night. But it must have upset her stomach because I noticed some grass in the vomit. And she was whiny and attention seeking earlier in the night before she became sick.

I know that transitioning can sometimes be a difficult process, and some dogs go through it with no issue and some dogs don’t tolerate any change well.

I’m not going to give up on transitioning, but I might put it on hold until after the weekend as I am going to be puppy sitting and I really don’t want to worry about possible vomit on top of worrying about my 110 pound giant eating this 10 pound pup.

I hope she’s not allergic or intolerant of any of the WEF ingredients. I did notice that she was rubbing her face and pawing at her ears last night. And I did check this morning and her ears, while a bit dirty inside (my dogs love play fighting on the one area of my backyard that’s all topsoil), they weren’t red or inflamed or anything suggesting sickness. And she was trying (unsuccessfully) to bite at her tail. All symptoms that I read this morning of possible food allergies. I thought the Turkey and Duck recipe was the safest bet.

I have been transitioning both dogs from free eating dry kibble with a canned treat each night to two meals/day. And I did only start to mix the canned with the dry kibble and both dogs finished their meals rather quickly. Definitely a change over how they normally eat. So maybe it’s a combo of the food itself and how quickly they eat it.

Hopefully it was just a one off and she’ll transition to WEF without any other issues.

Thanks again for all the help!