[Lois S]

How do you know which size/type dry dog food to purchase. Small medium or large breed. I have a hybrid a bernedoodle/ Mother a Bernese Mountain Dog at 125 pds. the Father a miniature labradoodle at 15 pounds. Puppy is 7 months, 25 pounds with ultimate weight 40 pounds.

[jella]

Dear LT, Champion did get back with me right away about the alfalfa percentage. It is a very small amount 3 %. So I agree with you about they are probably careful (hopefully) about cleaning it out if it has been sprayed with pesticides. They have been really helpful and answered all the emails. The KiwiPeak company hasn’t even bothered to answer a question I wrote days ago. So I am going to try the 6 fish formula that the company rep suggested to try first. It was a lot cheaper than the freeze dried and my dog probably eats like your dog. I will try to look see what they suggest for his weight. Just ordered it from Chewy.com. So thank you for copying everything for me and getting right back to me so fast. I hope they ship fast, he is getting used to these fried hamburgers and special foods given to him each night. LOL Oh the vet said he wasn’t allergic to virgin coconut oil so maybe I can supplement this with his dry food. At least 1 Tbl. spoon full for his hair to grow back. I read where Virgin Coconut oil kills viruses, bacteria, and fungus infections in humans I am assuming it works the same way for dogs.

[Pitlove]

Hi codexstark- C4C did a great job answering you. I also will give you some input as well. From the research I’ve done UTI’s are mainly caused by the build up of struvite crystals that will block the urethra. I have had a male cat in the past that ended up having a UTI. He ended up on a prescription food, however through my recent research I’ve discovered that a leading cause is a lack of moisture in their diet (i.e all dry food diet). Cats by nature don’t drink enough water. Dr. Pierson, who is the vet who started catinfo.org which C4C mentioned says on her site that she would rather see a cat eating a wet food full of by-products like Friskies than to ever see a cat eating dry food. I personally have never heard anything about litter causing UTI’s, so that is new info to me. Can you give a source for that info? Was it your vet or someone else or something you had read on the internet? I’m very interested for more info on that topic.

My kitten has been doing well with that litter, however she has peed outside the litter box about 4 times now. It hasn’t happened in a few days though. (fingers crossed)
C4C had a good idea about transitioning to different cat litter, however I personally have never done that. I never even thought about it like that. Ive always just put the new litter down and I have yet to have a cat that wont take to the new litter instantly.

I’m using the Dr.Esley’s Precious Cat which is a clay litter with very little dust. Its amazing at clumping all the urine which was not true of the Blue Buffalo walnut litter I had her on before. Dr. Pierson suggests the Dr. Esleys because of the clumping power of it. It’s also unscented which encourages litter box use. Be sure to clean the litter box at least 2 times a day and spot clean if needed.

I should have made my own litter box honestly. I ended up with a large one from my work (petco). its been working fine but I like the idea of the storage tub litter box a little more.

I hope me and C4C have been some help. Keep us updated!

[Susan]

Hi Kris, I just posted a post about Candida yeast & what foods to avoid… join this Face Book group “Dog Allergy International Group” & look in the files for “Raw Elimination Diet for Candida-Yeast & itchy dog” also look for “Foods for dogs with Food Allergies/Intolerances, IBS, IBD” there’s a heap of limited ingredient kibbles & wet foods, also Michele Dixson from Petcurean (Go Sensitivity LID Venison) can help with any questions..
also what are you bathing her in? I use Malaseb medicated shampoo, it kills any bacteria on the skin & does not dry out their skin leaving them so soft, weekly baths are needed & a complete diet change….
I just went thru this with my boy he was put on a Prednisone for 2 weeks then when he finished he started to smell like a stinky yeasty dog, so on Friday I started a raw diet with the help of a Naturopath cause Patch has IBD as well… his skin cleared up within 2-3 days no more red paws, no more scratching, no more smelly dog… its all in the “Raw Elimination diet Candida-Yeast”
https://www.facebook.com/groups/dogallergyinternationalgroup/

[L T]

Sheryl,

I would ask them about pesticides if you are worried. Given the caliber of food, not outsourced and human grade, I suspect they are pretty careful on all their ingredients. As I said, I feed Declan the Orijen Regional Red or Acana Ranchlands dry dog food. I have not used the freeze dried, but may give it a try at some point. To date, I have been very pleased with the food. Lisa

[Drew D]

Yikes! DogFoodie, that is kinda scary. Back to the drawing board AGAIN. Also, I know canned is better, but I will have to feed three dogs the same thing, so I really need to find a descent dry. As the canned premiums are way out of my budget.The other two are overweight as well so a low carb will benefit them also. So being that I have to feed three, a premium kibble will be better for my budget. Feeding three dogs Hills W/D is too expensive for me. W/D is 23.00 for a 8.5 pound bag. Is it even possible to find something better that I will get more bang for my buck?

[James S]

Hello All. My still active, not over weight, 10 and a half year old Pit/Boxer, Nefertiti, is going through some changes & I am Hoping to get some advice on what to feed her. She was on Wellness Lamb & Barley until I discovered DFA, & I have since changed her to Wellness Core Original because of it having a Five Star Rating, however, she doesn’t seem to like it as much/that much, & I would like to change it. I thought that maybe she wasn’t eating as much/as often because she was getting more nutrients from the Core, but I think that we can find a food that she enjoys & can get all the needed nutrition as well. Decisions. . . Decisions.
Recent Happenings. . .Upon taking Nef to the vet, we fear that the swollen lymph nodes under both sides of her chin, & her hind legs may be lymphoma. She had a biopsy on Friday, May 8th & we are expecting the results soon-Possibly today.
Now, I have no basis, proof, or reason to believe (really) that the swelling (whatever it may be) is a result of switching her to the Wellness Core, but in the thread of what I interpret DFA to be at it’s core, I am mentioning that the swelling occurred only AFTER doing so. Again, I don’t want to sound like I am blaming it on Wellness, I am merely stating the timeline in which these events happened.
After a lot of research, I am leaning toward a kibble that is HIGH IN PROTEINS (that are easily bio-available), but is also LOW IN CARBS, possibly supplemented by some Home prepared meals. Orijen is my first choice, but faced with the daunting reality that costly treatments (such as chemotherapy) may be in the future, I am Hoping to find something that doesn’t exceed the price range of Wellness, but will also achieve a balance of her Health & Happiness.
These are some foods that I am considering & I would Appreciate & Value any insight into this uncharted ground of mine & Nefertiti’s continuing Journey>>>
Thank You For Your Time,
-James
-Evo Grain Free Senior
-Merrick Grain Free
-Castor & Pollux Natural Ultramix Grain Free

[triggersmom]

Hi Drew

I’ve been taking care of diabetic dogs for 20 years now and my husband is an endocrinologist for people with type 2 diabetes. I’ve tried just about every type of diet and the only diet that has worked is low carb. I know you are looking for a kibble but I have to tell you that kibbles are the one type of diet I would never feed a diabetic dog.

Kibbles are low in moisture and high in carbs. Dry foods can make the kidneys work harder and you want to protect the kidneys of a diabetic dog. High carb diets make it very difficult to impossible to control your dog’s blood sugar.

I strongly suggest you look for a canned food that is low carb. Most low carb canned foods are high in fat which could be a problem if your dog has pancreatitis, otherwise it’s not the fat that will harm your dog it’s the carbs.

Low carb also enables you to use less insulin which is good. High doses of insulin along with high amounts of carbs cause wide swings in blood sugars. Sugars can go from very high to very low on high carb diets.

With low carb diets you’re able to keep blood sugars in a much tighter range. I’m able to keep my dogs blood sugars between 125 and 150 mg/dl. I was never able to do this on a high carb diet.

High blood sugars are responsible for all diabetic complications.

Hope this helps.

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

[G C]

Have you checked ACANA Pacifica Regional Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog Food? It does not have the ingredients you’re trying to avoid. I had a golden with diet and skin issues. After switching to Origin and Arcana her problems resolved and her coat became thicker and longer.

[jella]

Hoss says thanks to everyone so far. I was hoping that he wouldn’t have to start on those allergy shots because he isn’t out all the time. Mainly stays in the house except to play, when we are outside and potty. So the vet hoping the food test might stop his having to take shots. Does anyone have to give their dogs benedryl? She said I could give him 25mg. only twice a day because he is a big dog. She said they can take benedry every day of their life. But so far only in the evening I give it because I am trying to find out with his food. I hope nobody thinks bad of me but I started giving him a few of my French fries when I had them because I knew he loved them. He would shake for more fries but I am glad I finally found out it was the white potato as one of his foods not to eat.

[Anonymous]

Have you tried Wysong senior? http://www.chewy.com/dog/wysong-senior-dry-dog-food-5-lb-bag/dp/50242?utm_source=bing-pla&utm_medium=cse&utm_content=Wysong&utm_campaign=f

or Nutrisca lamb and chickpea http://www.chewy.com/dog/dogswell-nutrisca-grain-free-lamb/dp/35037

Regarding environmental allergies: /forums/topic/nutriscan-results-suggestions/
Frequent bathing with Malaseb might help…a lot of allergens are airborne.

[jella]

Finally had my 4 1/2 year old chocolate lab blood allergy tested. He just started having allergies the last two years of his life. I have been frying him hamburger until I can find a dry and canned dog food that doesn’t contain any of his food items. Food items are: Pork, milk, cheese, corn, rice, flax seed, barley, white potatoes. I just had purchased Annamaet Salmon but read it has white potatoes on the bag also. So now I have to give it to another dogs. I would like to have him eat gluten free so no wheat also because he is a larger lab. 105 pounds. I also am gluten intolerant so we try not to eat anything with gluten either. I prefer dry for each day but will add a can every now and then. I am new to this site and love it but so far cannot find anything that doesn’t contain either a white potato or rice. Maybe this is used to get it harder texture either rice or white potatoes. Sweet potatoes are fine. Everyone’s help will really be appreciated!!! Thanks from Sheryl and Big Hoss. I think he is tired of 3 eggs a day, hamburger and sweet potatoes. I know he is missing out on other vitamins. P.S. I can’t get him to eat fresh blueberries. I crush them put them in with his food or try to hand feed him. He just spits them out or gets them and spits them out with his food also. I will also take the names of the dog foods even if they have wheat, but can you let me know if they have wheat. But would like wheat barley rye free because of gluten. ###big Hoss wants some new foods to eat!

[Wanda B]

Rescued Bichon mix, have had problems with her eating since I got her Oct 10 She is 1.3 years old. Owned by an old man and crated most of the time. Have no idea her eating pattern but was on Kibbles and Bits. Have tried Natural Balance, Purina Beyond and Purina One Select (most recent). She just doesn’t seem interested and I don’t want to feed her crap. I’m used to using Avoderm with my pack, they all crossed the bridge over the fall and winter. But it is getting hard to find here. Am open to any and all ideas. Do not want to make the situation worse by changing foods but am afraid I already have. Have also used Kirkland dry but won’t buy 40lbs for a 12lb dog.
Thank you in advance….this is my first puppy in like 30 years…have always rescued older dogs.

[Peter S]

Life’s Abundance Grain Free Dog and Cat Food, Dry and Wet

[Pitlove]

Hi jake’s mom-

I don’t have any older animals (dog is 1 yr old on Monday, kitten is 7mo), but I do give them the Honest Kitchen’s Perfect Form for their digestion and also because I want to get my dog’s stomach healthy enough to transition dry foods without blending.

I was highly considering giving him Dogwell’s Healthy Hip treats with Glucosamine or some type of supplement for it because of my fear of him getting hip dysplasia. He comes from a bad breeder and I know I wasn’t feeding him food with proper calcium levels and he is a large breed dog. I don’t feel like preventitives can hurt, but thats just my opinion. I’m still fairly new to proper animal care. When I was younger we always had cats but neither my mom nor I really knew anything about animal needs health wise. Now that I’ve got animals that I am soley responsible for I’m trying to do the right thing by them.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Pitlove.

[Anonymous]

It depends on the specific problems of the individual dog. Remember supplements and food are not medication, so at best, it’s hit or miss. They don’t have to be regulated by the FDA

I like to add fish oil and glucosamine to my old guy’s water soaked kibble because he shows signs of arthritis and has dry skin, potassium citrate, because he has a history of bladder stones.

To get specific advice and dose recommendations, I would consult a homeopathic vet.
Otherwise, it’s just a guessing game, or see a veterinarian that specializes in geriatric issues, there may be prescription medication that can keep your seniors comfortable.

PS: I have never given milk thistle to my pets, I took it myself once years ago, I forget why…but I think it made me sick…

[jakes mom]

Thanks, guys. I was pretty pleased with his results. Considering all that could be wrong with a 20yo cat he’s doing pretty well. I always worry about his kidneys and give him as much liquid as I can. I make his FD Primal with more water that the instructions say, he likes it that way, drinks up all his juice then eats the food. I don’t know of any ways to increase his weight other than feeding as much as possible and extra high calorie stuff like coconut oil. He loves that and it’s about 120 calories per tablespoon.
I saw Muse at Petsmart tonite. Didn’t look too closely, but the 3oz. cans are $1.09, currently on sale for $1. I just ran in quickly for litter, might check it out another day. One of the cats had a reaction (yucky ear) when she ate some Beyond dry so I’m not sure if I want to try the Muse.

[Pitlove]

There is literally nothing breed specific or species appropriate about any Royal Canin food. Most people who know me know that I believe that Royal Canin are the MASTERMINDS of marketing. Since pet parents often rely far too much on the front of the bag to tell them what food is best for their dog, be it that it has their breed of dog on the cover, has “real meat” and “veggies” on the cover, says small breed, large breed, adult, large breed adult, etc they often miss the ingredients which is where all the important stuff is. Oh and the GA (guarenteed anyalsis). I took the time to compare all the RC breed specific lines and found that aside from very slight protein and fat differences all the food was exactly the same, rotating the same first species innapropriate ingredients (whole ground corn, by-product meal, brewers rice, brown rice, corn gluten meal).

I would absolutely get her on a 5 star food. High in ANIMAL not plant protein moderate in fat and low in carbs. I’ve seen far too many overweight dachshunds and I know how easy it is for them to gain weight. As long as you know that she is healthy and has no known medical needs at this time this diet is fit for every breed of dog. Also PLEASE do not get hung up on the front of a bag. Worrying about if something says small breed or not or puppy or adult. As long as the nutrient profile is correct those things are not of much value. I have been feeding both my cat and dog adult and they are still a puppy and kitten and they havent had any issues. Also the small breed formulas are just smaller kibble sizes so you can go that route if u find that she is having trouble eating a larger kibble, just wanted to make you aware that small breed doesn’t mean its formulated differently for a small dog its just small kibble pieces. I also add a probiotic to their food to help with maintaining healthy bacteria in their gut to process the food better. I use Perfect Form made by the Honest Kitchen.

One thing the breeder did right was the suggestion of adding wet food to the diet. When on an all dry kibble diet dogs can live in a state of constant minor dehydration and later in life can face organ damage. So restoring some of the moisture to their diet is always a good thing. Soaking the kibble like you have been doing works too. We did that for our American Staffordshire Terrier when he was young. Seemed to help him be motivated to eat as well as digest the food. I believe there is a couple people on this site who use Kirklands wet food and seem to have no issues with it. Personally I do Whole Earth Farms stews, Wellness Core and I’ve tried 4health and will be trying other brands as well.

Another good thing to do is to find several brands that will work for her and rotate between them giving your dog variety and also different protein sources as to avoid building an allergy to one as dogs are not born with allergies, they get them through overexposure.

I wish you luck with your new baby! Feel free to ask questions here. There are tons of knowledgeable people that frequent these forums who have years of experience with dog nutrition and managing their dogs diets including fosters. And they are more than happy to offer help and answer questions.

[Lisa H]

We just adopted a 7 week old mini dachshund puppy. She is our second mini dachshund. We lost our 13 year old mini doxie this past December to pancreatitis. We were heartbroken and finally decided we were ready to love another. So we are a little nervous and maybe a little overprotective right now. The breeder sent her home with a bag of Purina Dry Puppy Chow and a can of Retriever brand canned puppy food. We knew we wanted to switch her to a higher quality dry puppy food. The sales clerk at PetSmart recommended Royal Canin Dry Puppy food for Dachshunds. I see on here it is only rated 3 stars. She is still so tiny and only eating a very little amount at a time. We are transitioning her from the Purina to the Royal Canin by mixing a little of the new with the old, a little more each feeding. She is not drinking water yet out of a bowl so we are soaking her dry food in water to soften it and to get water in her. I just want to feed her the best we can. Should I switch to a 5 star rated food and should we stick with the a breed specific food? She is the runt of the litter and a still a little wobbly on her feet. The breeder said to keep food available to her at all times right now which we are doing. We try to get her to eat every time she wakes up from a nap and she does most of the time eat a little each time. Any recommendations or advice would be appreciated.

[Anonymous]

Have you tried a fish oil supplement once a day? Might help with the dry skin. Is she drinking enough water? Maybe add a little to her kibble.
As far as the dog urine goes, that’s how it is, urine burns the grass.
It usually grows back, kind of. You can’t have a perfect yard if your dog voids on it 🙂
And I don’t trust those supplements that are supposed to save your lawn, chemical junk, imo

Check Wysong for food, my dog with food sensitivities does best on Nutrisca salmon and chickpea with a little lean meat or cooked chicken added.

[Susan]

Hi Lila, I noticed your vet put ur boy on Hills Restore Low Fat, the fat in the Restore is only 8.5%-fat when u change diet make sure the fat % the Fiber % is around the same as the vet diet Hills also why not feed wet tin food your dog is telling you something when he doesn’t want to eat his kibble, its crap & probably has a harder time digesting the kibble….maybe use the kibble as treats & stop the treats as a lot of treats are high in fat%
When you buy a limited ingredient wet tin food look at the fat % the fat % needs to be around 2% & under when wet is converted to dry matter (kibble) that’s around 8% fat… here’s a face Book group to join “Dog Allergy International Group” sounds like your boy has food sensitivities, look in the files & there’s heaps of limited ingredient kibble/wet food with their links, so you can look at ingredients & fat% also & salvia & hair testing kits to find out what foods ur boy is sensitive tooo… https://www.facebook.com/groups/dogallergyinternationalgroup/

[Lila S]

We’re going through some food issues with our rat terrier. He’s 1 year old and 11 lbs. I’ve tried a few different dry foods, most recently Natural Balance Ultra and Merrick Grain Free. He’s done okay on them, though he’d always have some inconsistency with his poops, which I attributed to a variety of treats for training or other treats (no more Greenies for him).

Recently he had some pretty bad GI troubles, and right now he’s on an antibiotic, a probiotic/stool firmer, and the Science Diet Low Fat GI Restore food. He’s doing fine, but I’m going to be transitioning him back to the Merrick Grain Free soon, but I’m not sure if that’s what I want to stick with.

Problem is that he’s picky and sometimes he just won’t eat his kibble. If I add some wet food he’ll eat, but often leave the kibble. Mixing Stella & Chewy’s in with water has worked the best. But I’m worried about the S&C’s fat content, because his GI problems were mostly attributed to too much fat. And apparently he does have a pretty sensitive system, so changing things up too much will keep causing problems.

On top of all this, in a month or so we’re taking in another dog from a family member who is moving and can’t take her: a 6 year old min pin, also about 11 lbs. She’s currently eating Iams, and I’d like to transition her to something better, and also ideally feed both dogs the same thing. I definitely don’t want her diet to be too high in fat because she’s getting less active.

Any recommendations for a good small breed (or small kibble-size) food that would be suitable for both of them with their different ages and energy levels? Also topper options to keep them interested without being disruptive to their systems?

[Bobby dog]

pitlove:
You have to do what you feel comfortable with, they are your pets and in your care.

As I wrote in a previous post, “My cats have passed all wellness visits (blood work included) over the last several years and the couple that were chubby have lost the extra weight. Paying attention to the recipes regardless of the quality of the brand has made a significant difference in their health.” I can’t say that was the case before I started providing a better diet.

I have a cat that has been diagnosed with a hyper thyroid about five years ago. I believe the terrible food I fed him helped contribute to his condition. In order to renew his Rx each year blood work is required. Over the last year he gained a pound which he needed and his coat has filled in beautifully. He had bald spots due to dry skin and he used to be almost bald due to scratching his face so much, it was terrible. He still has some dry spots on his back, but nothing like he had two or even one year ago.

I contact companies all the time. I only do so in writing; my professional experience has taught me to get things in writing. I don’t know what the legalities are for any company for any product in regards to honesty when responding to consumer questions. I have found from professional and personal experience that most people are not willing to put things in writing that can come back and haunt them.

I have no issue with by-products, homemade raw diets contain them. I would rather have named meat sources too; as I wrote, they all contain ingredients I don’t like. But, it is what it is for me and my kitties.

Edit: Last year was the first year I did not have to use any sort of flea or tick protection for them. I live in an area that is humid in the summer. They are outdoor cats and are brushed daily to check for parasites. I hope to do the same this year, no topicals. Hopefully, their immune system is as healthy as it was last summer.

[Pitlove]

C4C- I just got back from PetSmart with my dog haha. Sometimes Petco doesn’t have everything I need or I can get it for cheaper somewhere else and thats even with my 20% discount at work!

Bdog- It’s awesome lol My cat who just passed away on Christmas Eve of last year was a picky eater and picky about his cat litter as well. He ended up with a UTI (probably from being on dry food) and stupidly (because I didn’t know any better) agreed with the vet to have him on Royal Canin’s Urinary SO Moderate Calorie dry food. He died at 5 years old. Now I don’t know if the food had anything to do with it (we have no idea why he died, seemed healthy, but he was overweight), but around the time we got our new kitten was the time I started looking into better food, mainly for my dog. The place I got my kitten from had her on Blue Buffalo dry, some kitten formula. She has only ever had that dry food and Nature’s Variety and when I started her on NV is when I found out she shouldn’t even be on dry at all. Switched her over to an all wet diet instantly. I got lucky that I found that info early in her life. I’m also lucky that she is a “teacup” as the vet called her and only weighs 5lbs at 7 mo so a 3oz can of wet fills her up. Tested that by giving her a second can one night that she barely touched. I completely understand your story as I lived it with all my other cats. After I lost Hugo this past Christmas I poured all my energy into my dog and vowed to give him a longer life than Hugo had. Hugo was my whole heart and I miss him greatly, but his death prompted a change in me to do better for my animals. So I thank him for that and all the joy he brought me.

oh and ya WEF makes cat food now! We just got their complete and full line in at work. The cans are .99$ at my work, but Petco is expensive. Though I doubt many other places are going to have it. Chewy.com doesn’t even carry it yet. I feed WEF canned in my rotation for my dog as well. Got lucky at the feed store I go to, they are going to stop selling WEF as it wasn’t a good seller for them and I got 22 cans for $1 each!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Pitlove.

[Susan]

Hi here’s just a few Limited Ingredients foods in the “Dog Allergy International groups” files that may work for dogs with food sensitivities… also when on a limited ingredient diet no other foods are given, nothing, no treats, no peanut butter to give meds nothing just their limited ingredient diet for 3 months, then if dog is doing real well then add a new ingredient & see if there is any reaction with new food..
Petcurean GO Sensitivity limited ingredients Venison.. Michele Dixson from Petcurean is in group & helps dogs with allergies..
Farmina Vet Life Hypoallergenic Fish & Potato
Performatrin Ultra Limited ingredients
Lily’s Kitchen Recovery recipe wet food limited ingredients
Canidae Grain Free Dry & Wet
Rayne Maintenace Diets
Addiction Nutri-RX Allergy HS
Natural Balance limited ingredient Dry& Wet
Zignature limited ingredient formulas
Merrick limited ingredient Dry & Wet
California Natural Hypoallergenic limited ingredients dry & wet
Darwins Raw
Ziwi Peak

[Bobby dog]

Hey everybody!!!
Just popping in real quick, good to hear from everybody!!!

pitlove:
You’re welcome!

I am sooooo jealous of you, what’s it like not to have a finicky cat? I heard there were such creatures, but I began thinking it was just urban legend!!

The cats I have had throughout the years ate whatever I got at the grocery store or discount grocery outlet and it was mostly dry food. A few developed health problems that I feel a bad diet helped exacerbate. If I ever get another kitten or cat they will be started out right with wet food. Hopefully no dry, but I do understand the convenience factor. I have had allot of family emergencies over the past few years so I don’t know if I could rule out dry completely.

I will stop back later with my grocery store food list and others I have either tried or currently feed. I have to proof read the list to make sure I have it updated.

Jakes mom:
Yes, the outdoors are calling!!! Unfortunately, this year my garden will be scaled way back due to a family member with health issues. I am not sure what time I will have to devote to the garden and I don’t want to plant a bunch of stuff only to have it over grow with weeds. Bobby has been at my side most of the time for yard work. He does get bored easily and slips away to hang out on the porch. I am sure I will catch him peeing in the garden at some point or finding a bunny nest! lol

My hyper-t kitty had the best wellness check-up he’s ever had a few months ago. My Vet was thrilled with his weight and the condition of his coat! He does eat the best out of all of them though, he’s the only one that will eat most anything.

weezerweeks:
I’ll check out my list and see if any brands I feed or have tried come in larger cans. I get that whole budget thing.

C4C:
Didn’t know WEF made cat food. I’ll have to check out the pet store I go to that sells it. I will always try a new food, you never know what they will eat.

[Pitlove]

My little girl is only 7 months old and no health problems so I guess I have a lot less to worry about. I remember having my senior cat, but that was before I had a clue and he ate an all dry diet of probably bad food ( can’t remember what it was). The only food she has had stomach issues with was Nutro Natural Choice. The main ingredient that I noticed in all of them that she has never had was Pork Broth. Maybe the culprit? Other than that her poops stay good on any other canned food.

Edit: Just read your post about WEF. I tried it the minute we got them at work (Petco). I wasn’t that happy. The pate sticks to the top of the can and the “sauce” was completely hardened already. Could be a bad batch delivered to my work. Willing to try it again though.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

Bdog- Thanks so much for sharing all the info. I have read through catinfo.org and I do agree with Dr. Pierson about wet vs dry (my cat is on all wet). My cat is my champion eater. She is not picky at all so thats not my problem. I have an odd work schedule and don’t have the time to feed all raw for both my dog and cat like I would love to, so for the kitty I do all wet to at least make an attempt at feeding her right. I change her canned food all the time. She’s eaten Merrick, Nutro, Nature’s Variety, Grandma Mae’s and I just got some clearance cans from PetSmart of Max Cat and Innova to tid her over til my shipment of Tiki Cat and Weruva come in for her. Just always looking for new brands to try her out on. I would love those lists if you want to share!

[Bobby dog]

Labs:
4 Health is a decent food for cats, however mine don’t care for the brand. My one senior female will eat the GF Whitefish and Chicken dinner occasionally, but I really don’t like feeding a fish based food wet or dry too often. If I do, I prefer smaller species because they are likely to contain less contaminates. Wellness and Tiki cat have recipes that use either sardines or menhaden that I prefer.

pitlove:
This is a long thread and you would have to have the time to read through our trials and tribulations of transitioning our cats to a more species appropriate diet. The regular posters on this thread have written about spending several years trying to transition to other foods. We mostly have dry food addicts; not a healthy form of food for kitties. My cats grew up eating grocery store foods and like what they like. They are 7, 10, 12, and two are 17 years old. It is very dangerous, even life threatening, for cats to go on hunger strikes. I for one am not willing to risk my cats life if it comes down to a hunger strike. So rather than dwelling on the negatives of Purina I keep my cats eating consistently for good health and keep searching for other foods to try. As far as Purina products go I have a list of a few recipes from different lines I feed that IMO have the least offensive ingredients for my cats. Some have little or no fish, none have glutens, most have no added colors, some no grains, all are under 11% carbs for UT health, and probably other things I have forgotten about. Since wet foods make up a majority of their diet any food I feed must be 12% DMB carbs or under for their UT health.

A quote from Dr. Pierson, DVM of catinfo.org:
“…I would much rather see a cat eat any canned food versus any dry food – regardless of quality level of the canned or dry food. This includes Friskies, 9-Lives, Fancy Feast, etc., canned options.”

Feeding Your Cat: Know the Basics of Feline Nutrition

My cats have transitioned to about 3/4 of their diets being canned foods. Wet foods are the healthiest for cats. My cats have passed all wellness visits (blood work included) over the last several years and the couple that were chubby have lost the extra weight. Paying attention to the recipes regardless of the quality of the brand has made a significant difference in their health.

I feed them a variety of commercial raw, canned, and dry foods. I only have one cat that is not finicky so my dog gets any leftovers from a new food that does not go over well with them. If you would like my list of what I call my cats’ “grocery store foods” just post and I will be happy to share. I also have a list of premium foods wet/dry/commercial raw if you are interested. And, welcome to the Cat Rec thread. The cat lovers on DFA post here about any cat topic!

Here’s my favorite cat sites:

Feeding Your Cat: Know the Basics of Feline Nutrition

Home

http://www.naturalcatcareblog.com/
http://www.felinecrf.org/
The last site is for a specific feline health issue; I have found the site helpful in regards to foods to try.

[zcRiley]

Just a heads up on Nutrisca, a recent recall on the chicken formula:

February 11, 2015 – Tuffy’s Pet Foods, Inc. of Perham, Minnesota, is voluntarily recalling specific lots of Nutrisca Chicken and Chick Pea Recipe Dry Dog Food because they have the potential to be contaminated with Salmonella.

[wolff]

They may have been allergic to the grains etc. in NutriLife All Gold (Brown Rice, Pearled Barley, Oat Meal, White Rice, Brewers Dried Yeast, Alfalfa Meal).

Possibly so, though more likely than if they were from the same litter, they are from two completely different breeders and lines and 2 weeks apart in age, one is short coated and the other is long coated.
I’m not sure how I feel about the brown rice, I know I’ve read that rice in general is often contaminated with trace amounts of arsenic, and that brown rice has a higher level than white.
This might offer some insight into this issue:

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/magazine/2015/01/how-much-arsenic-is-in-your-rice/index.htm

“How much arsenic is in your rice?
Consumer Reports’ new data and guidelines are important for everyone but especially for gluten avoiders
Published: November 2014
We looked at data released by the Food and Drug Administration in 2013 on the inorganic arsenic content of 656 processed rice-containing products. We found that rice cereal and rice pasta can have much more inorganic arsenic—a carcinogen—than our 2012 data showed. According to the results of our new tests, one serving of either could put kids over the maximum amount of rice we recommend they should have in a week. Rice cakes supply close to a child’s weekly limit in one serving. Rice drinks can also be high in arsenic, and children younger than 5 shouldn’t drink them instead of milk.
Brown rice has 80 percent more inorganic arsenic on average than white rice of the same type. Arsenic accumulates in the grain’s outer layers, which are removed to make white rice.”

Wellness CORE Grain-Free Puppy Formula is a great choice. Orijen Puppy Large Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is outstanding. But as I said, it’s all trial and error until A) you like what you’re buying & B) you see outstanding stools & weight formation that’s appropriate.

I saw the Orijen, but the price was out of my range, if I was feeding a Beagle or small dog it wouldn’t be bad, but the $79 price and the even smaller bag yet than I normally buy that’s a double hit- higher price for less in the bag.

If you’re not already, spread out the meals as evenly as you can during waking hours, small portions equal to the daily amount (or what they’ll consume) 3 to 4 times per day. It’s easier on their tummies.

Jiggs came when he was 6-1/2 weeks old, I fed him 4 times a day until he was 8 weeks and then Hachi came shortly after and he was 8 weeks, and by then both are on 3 feedings a day

[Sherrie J]

I spoke to a trusted pet store owner, who had more knowledge seemingly than my vet. We are currently giving our dog the following mix twice per day, in leu of the prescription c/d food.

1/8 tsp of pro mas (probiotic)
1 tsp Wysong PH-
1 1/2 tbsp of triumph grain free wet food
1/2 cup triumph grain free dry food
1/4 cup water

We are letting her potty as much as she wants and making sure her water bowl is always full. I will also be adding Cranimals to the mix after I receive it and will test her urine with ph strips to see if this combination is getting us in the proper level.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 11 months ago by Sherrie J.

[Reed R]

I need some suggestions on a good nutritional quality dry food to use as a 10% supplement to the 90% of a Veterinary prescribed dry food(Royal Canin Calm) I am feeding her which supplements her meds. She is about a 5-6 year old Spitz/Border Collie mix that was a feral dog living on the streets. We have had her for 5 years. Ultra smart but also can get pretty wild. She eats all types of raw fruits and vegetables that are suitable for dogs and during gardening season right form our organic garden (sometimes when she not supposed to she just helps herself). I have been looking at Fromm’s & Taste of the Wild. When we first got her we were feeding her Canidae until her attitude issues made the shift to her current food. Our Vet/Behaviorist is letting us try supplementing to start 10% of her current food with another brand. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

[Dotsy M]

I would be most interested in an in-depth analysis of the Victor Grain Free dry dog food. You have rated it 5-star, but I would like to see sourcing & manufacturing information.
Thanks

[D D]

My 2 Shelties are not related, and the only thing they have in common is their food (dry, Nature’s Variety Prairie, Duck and Oatmeal). Suspecting a UTI, I had their urine checked. There was no infection, no crystals, but a PH of 9. I switched to their current food because I had this same issue about a year ago on a Potato and Duck LID food. I have read that a diet high in carbohydrates (potatoes? oatmeal? rice? barley?) can cause this, and a high PH can also lead to kidney issues. Does anyone know if there is a relationship between plant based dog foods and urine PH? They are 2-1/2 and 4-1/2, and they are “house dogs” – not much daily activity, so too much protein would not be good. Foods with the higher protein have a lower carbohydrate value, but they really do not need a higher protein food.

[D D]

My 2 Shelties are not related, and the only thing they have in common is their food (dry, Nature’s Variety Prairie, Duck and Oatmeal). Suspecting a UTI, I had their urine checked. There was no infection, no crystals, but a PH of 9. I switched to their current food because I had this same issue about a year ago on a Potato and Duck LID food. I have read that a diet high in carbohydrates (potatoes? oatmeal? rice? barley?) can cause this, and a high PH can also lead to kidney issues. Does anyone know if there is a relationship between plant based dog foods and urine PH? They are 2-1/2 and 4-1/2, and they are “house dogs” – not much daily activity, so too much protein would not be good. Foods with the higher protein have a lower carbohydrate value, but they really do not need a higher protein food.

[zcRiley]

All puppies’ digestive tracts are a bit different & dietary changes will occur as they age. If you’re able to, give them food for “puppies” (very different nutrient levels from adult food). Then take them off of it after they’re 1 yr. old (since they’re big breed). They may have been allergic to the grains etc. in NutriLife All Gold (Brown Rice, Pearled Barley, Oat Meal, White Rice, Brewers Dried Yeast, Alfalfa Meal). Also ask your vet if a full thyroid panel test would be a good idea (increased metabolism with concurrent weight loss issue).

Wellness CORE Grain-Free Puppy Formula is a great choice. Orijen Puppy Large Breed Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is outstanding. But as I said, it’s all trial and error until A) you like what you’re buying & B) you see outstanding stools & weight formation that’s appropriate.

If you’re not already, spread out the meals as evenly as you can during waking hours, small portions equal to the daily amount (or what they’ll consume) 3 to 4 times per day. It’s easier on their tummies.

[wolff]

I ordered it today, it supposedly would ship to-morrow, so I’m hoping it arrives Monday/Tuesday.
It’s very similar in it has chicken etc so I don’t see any issue with switching it over quickly. Oddly enough when I have changed premium brands over the years I never did the gradual change over and never had a digestive upset. I think that mostly happens in the cheaper feeds when people switch from one feed to a drastically different type that has mostly corn and the like in it.
I see Wellness also has an adult formula so I will probably change my 2 adults to that.
Yeah chewy is where I went, can’t beat the free shipping and shipping 30# bags of dogfood across the country is NOT cheap!
I’m amazed my Minn supplier can ship to me as low as $17 for the normal 2 bags (66#) of feed I order, it used to be $12 but it’s increased recently, and now with 2 puppied I have doubled the amount I need to order at a time to 4 bags.
I used to feed Canine Caviar dry but then I had one of my boys age 3 develop a fibrocartilagenous embolism in the spine which cased complete paralysis in the rear half of his body. He soon lost interest in eating so that was when I switched to Nutri Life in the hopes the change might do something on that (it didn’t)

[Mike Sagman]

Here’s a link to a coupon for Merrick Grain Free dry and canned dog foods. The coupons expire on December 31, 2015.

http://www.merrickpetcare.com/coupon-files/gf-coupon-2-PDF.pdf

[Amber C]

I’m a vet tech and I have a 11 year old poodle named Molly who has Diabetes. Her vet prescribed Purina’s Prescription DCO (Diabetes/Colitis) Dry Formula food for her, and it works great. She loves it. I allow her to free feed and then she gets her insulin twice a day. She is recovering from an exploratory laparotomy to remove an obstruction and her 3rd case of pancreatitis in her life. (The first case damaged her pancreas so severely that it caused the diabetes) The 2nd and 3rd cases of pancreatitis were secondary to an obstruction. The DCO is very high in fiber and low in carbs that would convert to glucose. She is able to maintain a fairly low dose of insulin. She is about 9lbs and normally gets 6.5 units BID. I would definitely recommend it!

[Mike Sagman]

Hi Dave,

Sure. A Dog Treats Advisor would be a great idea. It’s been under study for a while. Yet there are many challenges unique to treats. For example, and unlike dog food, there are no AAFCO nutritional profiles (standards) for dog treats. So, we’d have to establish our own. We’d also need some important parameters and guidelines for rating treats fairly.

That is why we launched these treats forums and topics over this last year. We’re using what our readers are asking for along with other articles we’ve collected from around the Internet to help guide us on our plans.

We’re also having an adapted version of our nutrient dashboard (the yellow box with the gauges found inside every dog food review we write. This tool would allow us to highlight controversial ingredients and analyze the dry matter nutrient in each product.

We continue to study how we would roll out this new service. In any case, this would most probably be added later this year.

Thanks again for the suggestion.

Mike Sagman, Editor
The Dog Food Advisor

[Sue H]

I have found a “budget friendly” dog food for my 3 dogs that has worked out very well. I don’t have problems with diarrhea or fussy eating and the label makes me feel pretty sure that it is a good choice. Walmart puts out “Pure Balance” dry dog food in several different recipes. To the very best of my knowledge, there have been no complaints or recalls.
Please let me know if I have been in error in recommending this label to people in my neighborhood and to my friends.

[Katie G]

My little family is getting a sweet little Goldendoodle puppy in a couple weeks. He will be between 40-50 lbs full grown, not sure how big he is now at almost 6.5 weeks (still with breeder and mama). I have heard Doodle mixes have sensitive tummy’s? Anyway, I have been looking at grain free dry and wet dog foods, pouring over reviews on dogadviors.com and other websites. I think the breeder has the pups on Kirkland brand puppy food but I plan to switch our pup as soon as he comes home, just because I have heard doodles do better with grain free? There are great reviews for Nulo, Merrick, Canidae, Pawtree etc. But any recommendations for Goldendoodles specifically?

[InkedMarie]

Sherrie,
I had a dog with struvite crystals, not stones. I didn’t put him on a special diet. I would not use the food your vet recommended, I’d find a holistic vet to work on a diet with. If you don’t have one close enough to you (do a google search, the website will come up), there are many who will do phone consultations.
I do know that moisture is very important for your dog. Raw, pre made raw, canned are much better than dry.

good luck!

[zcRiley]

“Zignature Zssential Multi-Protein Formula Dry Dog Food” is the closest I’ve found with a lot of controversial ingredients deleted. Only 3 proteins and grain-free, gluten-free, no potato, chicken or eggs, no guar gum or carrageenan, etc. HOWEVER, chickpeas are listed as the 5th ingredient, which is already a very small amount but if your dog is allergic…..

Primal Freeze Dried Formula is great. Portions can be mixed with your cooking, etc.

MY DREAM DOG FOOD would be Zignature Zssential (dry) without the chickpeas. Or any dry dog food with zero fillers like various Potatoes, Legumes, certain Peas, Tapioca, Clay, Whole Ground Brown Rice, Whole Ground Barley, Oatmeal……..it’s just not what dogs would eat in the wild. And the amount of yeast disorders they can produce is disconcerting.

[zcRiley]

On Chewy.com, you can test a small 4 lb. bag of “Zignature Zssential Multi-Protein Formula Dry Dog Food” for $11.99. Only 3 proteins and grain-free, gluten-free, no potato, chicken or eggs, no guar gum or carrageenan. Quality without all the “certain” ingredients that can be controversial. I sometimes mix in a little limited ingredient food (bland but super crunchy) and use our meaty leftovers (but rinse off the oils/sauces/spices 1st then finely chop). It’s less expensive, than say, crumbling a freeze dried as a topper. And the pups love the variety. Good luck!

[Sherrie J]

My 3 year old puggle just had surgery on Thursday to remove Struvite stones. They said they extracted close to 100, which made me feel terrible. She really never showed any indication until she started throwing up a week ago. She has three more days of antibiotics and then the vet wants to put her on prescription food (hill’s cd). When I inquired if there were any other more natural means, I was met with a great deal of resistance and was flat out told “no”. Even though the food is more expensive, I do not want my pup to ever have to go through this again. My issue is that after looking at the ingredients, I see very little nutritional value. My dog has never been fed corn, soy or animal by product. All she has ever eaten Diamond Naturals dry food. I’m having a hard time conceiving paying almost triple for nothing but fillers. In the past few days I have been doing much research on alternative treatments. Just wondering if anyone else has had issues with stones and what they did after removal to prevent them from reoccurring.

[Sherrie J]

My 3 year old puggle just had surgery on Thursday to remove bladder stones. They said they extracted close to 100, which made me feel terrible. It wasn’t until she was throwing up that there was any indication that she was ill. Now the vet wants to put her on the Hill’s CD prescription food. When I inquired if there were any other more natural means, I was met with a great deal of contention and was flat out told “no”. While the food is a great deal more expensive, I obviously do not want my pup to ever have to go through this again. My issue is that the i see little nutrition listed on the ingredient list. She has been eating dry Diamond Naturals brand since she was a puppy. In the past couple days I have been doing much research on alternative treatments. Just wondering if anyone else has had issues with stones and how they may have homeopathly treated. My dog has never been fed corn, soy or animal by product and I just can’t conceive paying triple for fillers.

[karen k]

My dog, a basset and hound mix has been on Royal Canine SO for about a year. We live in Mexico and have excellent vet care, but they did not find any evidence of infection, crystals or stones after doing all tests, excepting exploratory surgery. He does fine on the food, then starts the symptoms…pain, wanting to go pee constantly, pacing and whining when I try to wean him off the food. The food is very costly in Mexico, as it is imported and is twice the cost. Can anyone recommend a home made recipe I could try? The food cost about $50 a month here, but I want to avoid surgery. He eats about 2 cups dry food daily, and is around 60 pounds. Gracias!

[Andrea H]

She liked the Backcountry dry, I mixed probably about 1/8 cup in with her regular and of course she picked that out first but ate the rest as an after thought. Silly dog. So, for now I’ll mix the small bag I got in with the big bag and we’ll go from there. If I do go with canned added it will only be a couple tablespoons at a time, I’m frugal, lol! I’m thinking what she really enjoyed in the backcountry food is it has soft bits in it (that must be the “raw” they are talking about). Wish it wasn’t so expensive…we’ll see! 🙂 And yes, I’ll share pics of the cartwheel if it happens! 🙂