[Andrea V]

My husky puppy is now 17 weeks old and has been diarrhea free for the first time since I took her home at 8 weeks. We tried all kinds of puppy chow, soft and kibble, tested over and over for parasites. I was up at night and all day trying to take care of her needs and she was clearly uncomfortable. Finally read about some homemade dog food, and discovered a simple recipe I have been feeding her and she has now been producing excellent, normal BMs. I buy a rotisserie chicken, take the skin, bones, gristle out and shred it/chop it up finely, cook 2 sweet potatoes (medium size) in the microwave on the potato setting, cool and mash it with a fork, and cook 1/2 cup of Cream of Rice cereal with 2 cups of water, adding salt to the water, and a tablespoon of butter to the cooked cereal. Let it all cool, mix it up, and divide it into three or four portions. My dog eats a lot, maybe because she is still underweight. She has been diarrhea free for 10 days. This has helped her enormously, although it is very time consuming to put together these meals. I can now supplement (last 3 or 4 days) with the Pedigree dry kibble my 8 year old Lab eats, and plain (not flavored or food colored) Milk Bones in the Small size. I have been working closely with our vets during this time. It is just so bewildering to see a little puppy so overcome with diarrhea. Hope this helps someone.

[Shelby L]

So my dog began having these issues after his lipase levels spiked (causing severe vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite) when he was about 1.5 years old. The vet said he was close to having pancreatitis and he was immediately put on low fat food. Then a few months later, the acid reflux arrived. Major gulping episodes where he just swallows frantically and runs to me for comfort would begin, and all he would want to do was be let outside to eat grass. The vet told me to let him eat the grass but not too much or it could cause a blockage. After a year of battling this, he’s a dry food that has 6% fat (currently Solid Gold Holistic food for seniors, but I am switching him to Diamond Care Weight Management), soaked in warm water, with 2 probiotics and some Hills Prescription I/D wet food mixed in. I usually only feed twice a day but I’m thinking I’ll start doing 3 as he is still having episodes once a week or so. I also always have Pepcid and omerprazole on hand (Pepcid 10mg with dinner if I think an episode might happen at night, omerprazole if an episode happens in the morning because it’s 24 hour and stronger. Goodluck everyone, it’s such a tricky condition and from my experience, vets always think it’s something else. I’ve had to do all the research and trial and error on my own.

[Dewper]

I came home from work the other day and my 7yo boxer beagle had what looked like lumpy fur. Later it spread and both of his sides were covered in it. I didn’t recognize it as “bumps” until then because his fur just looked weird like he got into something. I assumed it was some sort of allergic reaction and took him to the after hours vet. He responded to the Benadryl and they sent him home. They said there’s no way to know what it was from.

No new food or treats. No new chemicals or detergents in the house. It’s winter here and the ground was frozen solid, and he’s outside in our grass and woods several times a day every day of his life! So I’m having a tough time just writing this whole thing off and not worrying about it.

Any ideas what may have caused this would be appreciated! Thanks!

[Edith M]

My dog is getting better. It turned out that his lip licking, gulping, and vomiting foamy saliva was caused by constricture of his esophagus. When food get stucked in his esophagus, he would start the symptoms, until he successfully regurgitated the the food that was stucked in his esophagus. We now feex him with soft food(pre-soaked dry food) and use a slow feeding dog bowl. He is on OMEPRAZOLE to control stomach acid that can cause irritation of his esophagus which causes scarring and constriction of the esophagus. SUCRALFATE to protect the lining of his esophagus for further irritation. METOCLOPRAMIDE, for motility of his digestive system, to help movement of foods. He was misdiagnosed for megaesophagus buy some vets, and instructed me to feed him soft dog food made into small meatball that can easily passed through his esophagus, which end up filing up in his esophagus each day and unable to regurgitate. For one week he was suffering from nausea and vomiting, heaving , and swallowing air(causing dilation of stomach that pushed his other internal organ)that his small intestine position was moved from normal position (by the abdominal wall), into the abnormal position(against his back). The xray of his digestive system showed foods(meatballs, liquid, and air are stucked in the esophagus going down to his stomach. The abnormal position of his GI, slowed down the motility. He had to have a surgery to reposition his digestive system back to it’s normal position. He is doing well now 1 month post surgery. I continue to give him his meds and closely watch him eating g and feed him soft foods. When I see signs that he is having difficulty swallowing I immediately give water through a syringe and keep his head up. I would then start seeing him getting relief, then he would go back and finish his food.

[Nadia K]

Hi Patricia. Yes I am now feeding raw frozen patties and my pup Lacey loves them. I did a lot of research and came across a site by Susan Thixton. https://truthaboutpetfood.com/

She puts a list out every year of pet foods she recommends. After reading the reviews and researching the companies, I went with Raw Bistro. https://rawbistro.com/collections/raw-food

Dog Food Advisor review: /dog-food-reviews/raw-bistro-dog-food/

This is a small business in Minnesota. Their food is also recommended by Dr Becker who’s opinion I value. I bought it directly on their website. They shipped it very quickly in a foam cooler with dry ice.

I started Lacey on their turkey patties and transitioned her very slowly over about two weeks. She had no upsets from the food whatsoever. Perfect poop every time. Right before the transition she was eating the Primal freeze dried turkey/ sardine. I would put the Primal on one side of her bowl and the Raw Bistro on the other side. I would intentionally turn the bowl in different directions and she would always eat the Raw Bistro first. She likes the Primal but much prefers the Raw Bistro.

The only down side to the raw frozen patties is that you have to remember to take out the patties the night before so they have a chance to thaw in the refrigerator. We actually just bought a new standing freezer which is wonderful. No more bending over and looking for stuff that has fallen underneath and gotten lost. Raw Bistro does a dehydrated raw as well so I did purchase a bag in the event I forget to get the patties out of the freezer.

[Bee W]

i started feeding my dog (a mini schnauzer) raw food because i thought its the best for him. the reason i started doing so is because he doesn’t do well on dry food, and stars to have serious stomach ache after a month or so with the dry food (we tried a few companies/ brands). after feeding him a month or so with raw i started seeing blood in his urine so i rush to the vet and the vet tells me that i have been feeding him with a diet that contains too much protein. during that month i saw great changes: he was more energetic and less hungry, stopped looking for food when we walk outside. The vet recommended me to give him more complicated carbs like sweet potato, brown rice and etc. then i talked to a pet nutritionist and she told me it’s better to cook the meat because of different bacterias. she told me what should be the proportion between the meat, organs , carbs and vegetables and to add cooked eggs, sardines, fish oil and coco oil every day. i did what she told me and now his protein levels are okay. So i kept on going. two mounts later he acts as if he’s hungry all the time, always digging in our trash, trash outside and looking for random food. i don’t think it’s a behavior problem but maybe more nutritional. maybe i should give him raw meat again but with carbs and vegetables. please share your experience with. what do you think i need to do?

[GSDsForever]

Re-Post (Disappeared – System Glitch)

Comparing the 2 foods, the Farmina Light seems to fit all of your requirements and parameters much better.

Hill’s W/D Dry, Actual/Typical Analysis
Meat: Chicken Meal
Grain-Inclusive: Whole Wheat, Cornmeal, & Oats + Corn Gluten, Cracked Pearled Barley
+Cellulose, Beet Pulp for Fiber
Protein: 20.7%
Fat: 13%
Fiber: 16%
Carbs NFE: 45.1%
Heart Health: Adds Taurine, L-Carnitine
255 cal/C
https://www.hillspet.com/dog-food/pd-wd-canine-dry

Hill’s also helpfully provides this formula’s total dietary fiber and a breakdown of type: 27.6% total, most of which is insoluble at 25.5% (soluble: 1.9%).

Farmina Light Chicken & Pomegranate w/Ancestral Grains, GA Analysis
Meat/Animal Protein: Chicken & Herring (both fresh & dehydrated) + Whole Eggs
Grain-Inclusive: Whole Spelt & Oats
+Beet Pulp, Psyllium Seed Husks for Fiber
Protein: 37.4%
Fat: 12%
Fiber: 7% (Max)*
Carbs NFE: 30.9%
Heart Health: Adds Taurine, L-Carnitine, DL-Methionine (precursor)
338 cal/C
https://www.farmina.com/us/dog-food/n&d-ancestral-grain-canine/113-chicken-&-pomegranate-light-medium-&-maxi.html

*Veterinary standard of care for diets for EPI dogs is low fiber, low insoluble fiber. Usually when looking bag GAs for comparison, you are looking for <4% Crude Fiber. Here it is 6.4% Max, still higher than ideal for EPI, but much lower than Hill’s W/D. (For the actual/typical fiber & fat, you would need to ask Farmina.)

*Adding a bit of fresh, homemade should bring down that fiber.

[GSDsForever]

Retry (apologies for duplicates, if they pop up):

LOL! I just saw your post afterward, as I was sending the last one.

I would love to live in New Hampshire. What an awesome, beautiful state — and such rich history! My dogs & I would love the seasons and colder weather. Unfortunately, I am stuck for a while elsewhere (lol).

I got excited when I found the Farmina Light formula, as it’s got to be better than what you’re currently using for dry. Then I compared, and I got more excited for you.

You’re very welcome. We all need a little help sometimes!

My own girl is doing really well at this point, but food allergies can make finding foods & selecting them challenging, not to mention this whole DCM-diet concern! I feel like no one can make foods without pulses/legumes anymore, esp. not higher protein ones. So frustrating. And foods aren’t very hypoallergenic, food allergy friendly!

[joanne l]

Hi Donna, you can try annameat you can find it n chewy and read all the different ones they have. It is a very good food. You can also try Holist Select this is for their stomachs. I use Purina and I know some people don’t care for it and that is fine. But I have used others in the past as well. A lot of people here may recommend freeze dry food I never tried it so I can’t give a review on it. Hope you find something. I like the two I mentioned because they don’t over do the fiber content. Plus they are very good brands.

• This reply was modified 6 years ago by joanne l.

[GSDsForever]

Mike, PugsMomSandy, et al.,

I’m having a lot of difficulty posting, w/posts not showing up both here in forum and on non-forums pages. Could someone please help? I am sorry to bother you, but would appreciate any help.

With the one in forums, I tried twice and the system seems to recognize that I posted (e.g. 1)telling me that this appears to be a duplicate post, when I try a second time to post it, 2)showing my names as the last poster to the thread) but the post is not visible.

The second was a reply to someone on Mike’s article about dental health & dry food — also not showing.

Both contain a link or two, if that may be the cause of the problem today. But normally I can post with links and others seem to be able to do so today.

Weeks ago I attempted to post on a food review page, and it was filtered out as possible “spam.” Then the system said it was working to fix this, as not spam. Nothing changed. I emailed guest support for help, using the contact us page here, but I either did not receive a reply or somehow did not see one. Still, no post appears on the page. (There is a record of the post on the separate page showing my Disqus replies.)

[anonymous]

Dental Disease in Dogs and Cats: Does Treatment Improve Health?
Posted on June 6, 2013 by skeptvet
A reader recently asked me about the evidence supporting recommended therapy for dental disease in dogs. This is has become a common question given the increasing awareness among pet owners that dental disease is a real and important health problem, … Continue reading →

Dental Disease in Dogs and Cats: Does Treatment Improve Health?

Posted in Science-Based Veterinary Medicine | 37 Comments

Dry Pet Food and Dental Disease in Dogs and Cats
Posted on October 17, 2011 by skeptvet
One of the most common diseases in cats and dogs that I see in practice is dental disease. According to the American Veterinary Dental Society, by three years of age 70-80% of dogs and cats will have signs of oral … Continue reading →

Dry Pet Food and Dental Disease in Dogs and Cats

Posted in Nutrition | 19 Comments

Healthy Mouth Water Additive: Does It Help Prevent Dental Disease?
Posted on January 13, 2011 by skeptvet
I am often asked by clients or readers about specific products, and while I certainly can only investigate a small proportion of all the stuff marketed to pet owners, I try to look at as many of these things as … Continue reading →

HealthyMouth Water Additive: Does It Help Prevent Dental Disease?

Posted in Herbs and Supplements | 103 Comments

[SANDY P]

Hello! I am a new member and I have been struggling with this new FDA finding on grain-free dog food with peas and potatoes. My dog has a very sensitive stomach and it took me a long time to find something that didn’t make her sick. She would vomit a lot and I couldn’t figure out why. The vet suggested trying different dogs foods until I found something that worked. I started out with the rice and beef and rice and chicken mixtures which helped a little but not entirely. I finally tried the grain-free and it worked. She still has very occasional bouts but overall she does well. Now my concern is that they are saying that this bad because of the heart issue discovered from eating the peas and potatoes. I currently feed her Earthborn grain-free and I mix the dry and the wet together. I have done extensive reading on different dog foods and can’t find anything grain-free that doesn’t have the peas and potatoes. Help! I don’t know what to do. My dog is part lab/shepherd and about 7 years old.

[SANDY P]

Hello! I am a new member and I have been struggling with this new FDA finding on grain-free dog food with peas and potatoes. My dog has a very sensitive stomach and it took me a long time to find something that didn’t make her sick. She would vomit a lot and I couldn’t figure out why. The vet suggested trying different dogs foods until I found something that worked. I started out with the rice and beef and rice and chicken mixtures which helped a little but not entirely. I finally tried the grain-free and it worked. She still has very occasional bouts but overall she does well. Now my concern is that they are saying that this bad because of the heart issue discovered from eating the peas and potatoes. I currently feed her Earthborn grain-free and I mix the dry and the wet together. I have done extensive reading on different dog foods and can’t find anything grain-free that doesn’t have the peas and potatoes. Help! I don’t know what to do. My dog is part lab/shepherd and about 7 years old.

[Helen S]

My dog is also a rescue . He’s from the humane league . He is a pomchi, and was neutered last Tuesday. We brought him home Thursday so we have only had him 4 days. Around six I can get him to eat a table spoon of dry kibble and that’s it. He’ll eat some people food and even the cats wet food. But I have a hard time getting him to eat his food. He’s a year old and was just surrendered by his previous owners . The humane league sent him home with us with science diet kibble told us to mix it with water cause they were bigger kibble pieces but he won’t eat it. I mixed it with our kibble and I can get him to eat our kibble if I hand feed him. I hope it’s just depression and once he gets use to us he’ll start eating more/ eating from his bowl. I’m so worried about him. He’s very happy playful and cuddles with me all day. He’s also drinking from his water bowl no problem.

[Therese M]

My rescue dog had that issue when I first got her. Per a friend of mine who works at a vet office, I took chicken out of her diet. Apples and pumpkin have helped. Be careful on the pumpkin. Too much pumpkin can be constipating but couple tablespoons every other day is good. I now give her ProPlan High Protein Dry Dog Food, Sport Performance 30/20 Salmon & Rice Formula. It has been a while since I have had the anal leakage or had to have her glands expressed and her poop is better formed.

[Erica G]

Hi Please Help,
I recently received a 5-6 month old Frenchie. I have been buying him puppy dry and canned very expensive healthy food but he’s had diarrhea for the past few days and it is really starting to scare me. If anyone could give me any words of wisdom or advice on how to help him it would be greatly appreciated. I can be reached via email [email protected]. Thank you for your time and hope everyone has a wonderful weekend.
Erica

[william M]

Dont want to seem indifferent, but this is the problem with the whole pet food and pet products industry. It doesnt take a rocket scientist to figure out what your dog would find downright irresistible to eat. The problem is packaging and long term usage issues. If you lived on a farm, that trach would have been not only fresh but extremely pliable. And puppy wouldnt have been choking on it, but instead waking you up and bugging you for more goodies. Your best bet is to identify the “BODY PART” your dog is getting and see if its something thats usually very pliable or something thats naturally harder i.e. sinew and bone etc.

Awful (thats internal organ meats) generally have to be processed so they can be wrapped and put on a dry shelf. Keep that in mind as well as the fact they may even have to add preservatives to keep it from molding, and these may not be of any long term benefit. Good to read labels.

When I was growing up, you couldnt get out of a grocery store without being accosted by some kid giving away pups or kittens. Now theres re-homing fees and all manner of fees associated with pets. Food and treats are as big a business as it gets….nearly 117 billion last year alone. Due diligence and common sense rules the day here. Scientific Diets and treats arent worth much since the FDA doesnt regulate pet food. It’s always up to you to educate and understand whats going into their mouths since they arent in the wild anymore and dont learn from instinct. Hope your pup recovers soon, and if it likes this kind of treat, consider Safeway or your local supermarket and get some beef liver or chicken gizzards etc. etc. and wait till they are in the managers reduced section. A quick boil for 5 min. makes the most astounding treat and someone will be bugging you everytime you walk to the stove, hoping for more of that good stuff!

[william M]

The controversy isnt one. Kind of like my 78 year old vet. He’s convinced raw is terrible, chicken bones deadly and most other bones and basic meats a waste of money and time , and would love to see my hounds on some science diet scam. I’ll pose to all for you the same question I do to him….When have you found a dead coyote or wolf with a chicken bone in their throat? Same goes for every other wild carnivore eating my chickens from skunk and coons to weasels and fishers. Time to pull the collective head out of our dark holes and realize, your DOG is a canis Lupus. That means wolf from the get go, or wild dog. they do well with raw as well as cooked meats. They love the awful (body cavity parts especially liver, kidney, lungs, heart etc.) and all the connective sinew on the bones and joints. Does their teeth and general oral health immense good.
All this said, let me just qualify my “EXPERT STATUS” as it were. I have raised and managed over 1200 head of beef cattle for several years for market, Had ranches and farms with EVERYTHING from waterfowl to ginnies. I am 55 and have had various breeds of dog from cockapoo’s to almost every breed and crossbreed of hound from germans to pointer to my latest and likely most clearly bred WALKER coon. All have been working hounds i.e. hunting or herding. I have always maintained one large crockpot for my dogs. I will say I have found one minor issue with my dogs and raw meats, and it’s the same for all wild critters….they get a taste for the raw meat of whatever they are eating. So if your raising chickens, best not to give too much raw chicken unless your discipline style with your dogs far exceeds their need to eat chicken. Just saying. Natural law dictates your dogs DNA drive to hunt, kill or just the desire to sniff and retrieve. Play up those traits based on the breed you got and they will be happy, healthy and live (in some cases) longer than you may think. End note… I have had dogs I would use to move cattle for miles with, or hunt for days with, but they were the worse house pets! And every one of them thought they were a lap dog when in the house! Hopes this helps a few on the fence about raw or cooked or processed foods. We use taste of the wild dry kibble as their 24/7 go to if they are peckish. They get a meat and some potatoe or squash mixed “wet or real food” once a day. I make my own with the crock pot and it varies from week to week from chicken to rabbit to beef and pork…..with the occasional venison or elk thrown in as a treat with livers, kidneys and heart and gizzard thrown in. Always good to check with the local stores to pick up all these items when they are close to pull dates and you can get them for up to 50% off. Wallmart carries 10lb frozen leg quarters fo 5.95 per bag. Thats .59 cents per pound for dark meat chicken….my dogs love it and between the two it serves them for a week. Hope all this helps.

[Sandy S]

My neighbor told me about this “”study”” , that was published in our local paper, back in July 2019.

Almost all the dog food brands in this “”study”” . Almost all. Are of excellent quality.

Specifically, Champion Brands. Origin and Acana.. Are high quality dog food. Available in Italy.

Look at the bio availability of any of the ingredients. Meat/grain/legumes..

You will see that your dog is eating a better bio available ration. Then you are..

Thats why a vast majority of the dogs, that eat these high quality ration’s, thrive. The vast majority.

High Quality = (Protein) Meat.Meat & more meat. Macro & micro minerals. Vitamin’s. Fat & fibre.
Low or no grain (carbohydrates) / peas / bean’s lentil’s..

Most dogs do better on meat. Cause A Dog. IS mostly a Carnivore.

You don’t trust the considerable science that went into your dogs ration? Your dog is one of the few, that responds poorly to a high quality, bio available ration?

Concerned about what meat (protein) your dog digest, & thrives on ? And or what carbohydrates (legumes/grain), your dog digest,best?

Feed 1 protein at a time..Feed 1 carbohydrate at a time One. Example: 75gm’s Lamb (as is) with 25gm’s boiled Brown Rice..Total 100gms.

WaLa! You’ve just made a good , bland, digestible,limited ingredient dog food. Try Whatever protein’s (meat). You want to.

Your dog is one of the minority of dogs, that is having problem’s on a commercial dog food?

If need be? Figuring out which basic ingredients, your dog does best on.. Will allow you to, see results from your own hands making your dog’s ration. Going in and going out..

Then go match what you learned, with a commercial dog food..

Dogs do best on meat.. You can add meat. For less cost then commercial dog food.

You can easily add carbohydrates ( brown rice). For much less cost then dog food..

The number one problem with all dog feed is > People feed their dogs way too much..

That “”study””. Does not seem to be able to take into account market share of a dog breed (popularity). Nor the market share of the dog food brands.. Nor nothing specific about the ingredients? Something vague about the amount or digestibility of legumes? WTF? Just that some breeds seem to be more prone to heart problems..

Then is not that whole FDA “”investigation””. Just bunk science? An “investigation” as a reaction to dog owner hysteria?

What did i miss ?

My dog is 8 years young & 33lbs of solid muscle.

I feed 100 gram’s of dry dog food, like Origin or Keto ….. Not the manufactures recommended “200 grams” .

NOT. 200 .. 100 gram’s ..of high quality meat, commercial dry dog food.

Then I add 100 gram’s of “raw” meat & carbs. More Or less. I like to use 2/3 horse meat and 1/3 brown rice.. Your choice . Depending on what work’s best for your dog and your wallet.

The cost of the above mixture , works out to about $1.50 per day ..

Depending on how much I am running her. More when she work’s long and hard. Less when she is less active ..

My dog (33lbs) requires at least 200 gram’s of dry dog food OR it’s equivalent per day ..

6kg per month ..

Many of these high quality dog feeds cost more then $1.50 + per gram !

Thats a lot of coin for dog food . A whole lot !

If need be. Figure out what meat your dog thrives on.. Then match up a commercial dog food…

One protein . One carbohydrate.. Work it out from there..

[Tra R]

I recommend you feed your dog two antihistamines per day. This will help your dog deal with histomine release in its body. This release can happen when your dog has an injury, the body releases histomine to repair the wound, however with histomine intolent dogs, too much histomine can be released and lead to a mass cell tumour being created. In histomine intolent dogs every lump should be biosped and removed, if it is cancer.
There are foods that an owner should try to keep her dog clear of, processed human food (bacon, sausages, tomatoes, salami), spices, salt, citrus fruit, wheat, glutton, dairy products, cherry’s, apricots, fish products, fermented products etc. You can also get natural antihistamines like garlic (limit to one tablet a day), vets do not recommend garlic as it is a bulb but there is no evidence that garlic hurts dogs. Also
Fresh food is the ideal food for your dog, human fresh raw mince meat (not pork) with its dry dog food is good, meat is good for the blood. I personally recommend Pets at Home AVA dry dog food (not fish as fish makes histomine). The antihistamines will help ur pets body deal with any problem histomine ur dog eats. I have a golden retriever (age five) she has had two mass cell tumours, feeding her two antihistamines each day has halted the creation of tumours for a year, so far.

[Mona S]

Thanks Patricia!. So is it no longer believed that puppies need higher concentrations of protein, fat and vitamins and minerals for growth? It’s interesting that there are canned and dry food specifically formulated for puppies but nothing in the raw category.

Mona

[Mona S]

I noticed that in the Best of for Puppies, that only wet and dry foods were listed. Stella and Chewy has a raw freeze dried food for puppies, but otherwise most raw foods seem to be formulated for all life stages. Does Dog Food Advisor have a position on feeding raw to puppies?

My vet is strongly against it as she believes their microbiomes are not developed enough to handle it. But she also recommended Purina Pro Plan as the best food, so nutrition is obviously not her strong point.

Thanks,
Mona
p.s. my particular puppy is a mini aussie, so don’t need to take large breed feeding into consideration.

[karl K]

I wasn’t able to find this on your site, and wondered if it is listed in some different way that I’m not aware of. I’d love to read a review of this food, as I have trusted the reviews I’ve gotten here for many years, over my last 4 rescue dogs. Thanks for any help you might have.

[Carmyn D]

I have fed this to my dog for about 6 months. But I give it to him as a topper essentially. My dog eats Victor senior formula or Iams Proactive. I mix 3 spoon fulls of pure being into the dry kibble and he likes it just fine. I only started doing this because back then I had to get my dog treated for heart worms and he had lost his appetite. My vet suggested giving him wet food. I chose Pure Being as it claims to not have artificial colors which can cause cancer.

So far in almost 6 months he has had no diarrhea. The one time he did get diarrhea is when I gave him a cheaper brand of canned food.

[Raymond L]

Hello, I would like some advice. I purchased 40 bags of wellness core senior dog food off an Amazon auction website. The best by date is Nov. 9th 2019. I went and checked the bags before bidding, all were sealed and in good condition. Upon getting them home and opening the bag after bag, I found bugs in them. Being an auction site all sales are final and a no return policy is enforced. So I emailed Wellness Core and explained the situation to them and got a reply that was more then discouraging. I was basically told that it was not their problem and that after it leaves their warehouse they have no control over the bags. I just asked if they might replace them seeing how it’s way before the best by date, and silence. Here is what the reply was (

 Dear Raymond,

Thank you for taking the time to write WellPet regarding Wellness® CORE® Senior Formula Dry Dog Food.  At WellPet we are committed to providing the highest quality pet foods and treats available.  Our expert staff of engineers is continuously improving our products to ensure that they are tasty and nutritious for your pet.  We regret that the product you received did not meet our high standards.

Our manufacturing facilities follow a very strict insect and pest control program that is constantly monitored. However, if pet food, treats and snacks are not stored properly at the distributor or retailer level, insects can be a problem. They can travel inside the packaging and can be seen in multiple stages including eggs, larvae, webbing, moths etc. Insect infestation can come from many places along the distribution channel and occurs prior to the consumer purchasing the product. While these insects are a nuisance and pet food industry does its best to store its food properly, they are non-toxic and non-parasitic.  

In order to better address your concerns we would like to get some additional information about the product for our Quality Assurance Department. If possible, please provide us with the flavor and package size of the product in question, as well as the Best if Used By/Please Enjoy By date and any additional manufacturing information stamped on the package.

We do recommend working with the Amazon auction vendor for a refund.

Sincerely)

Had they not had good dates I would understand. So basically I am out? Thank you for listening. Raymond

[Dr. J. Davis M]

I happened across Nutrish Turkey, Brown Rice & Venison Recipe that has no Omegas or fish of any variety. He has been doing well on this, no itching, red/swollen tummy, etc. I tried the Nutrish Natural Chicken & Veggies Recipe Dry Dog Food for variety, which he like better, but after a few months he began to develop the greasy fur and itchiness so I must presume something in that formula triggers him. It took 4 months to get his fur/itching back to normal after that. I try to liven up his diet w/certain wet foods and, surprise, his fave is actually Nutrish wet stews.

[Susan]

Hi Genevieve,

Oh poor Ollie, video was hard to watch,
I called this the Gulps.
yes this is BAD acid reflux coming up into the throat/mouth, please give either liquid Mylanta or Slippery Elm – 4mls so it soothes Ollies esophagus & pushes the acid down, or I give a dry biscuit “Jatz” wafer biscuit.
I wonder if Ollie has LES??
Have you done Endoscope & Biopsies??
My Patch suffers with IBD – Helicobacter, LES, Environment Allergies, Food Sensitivities.

Same as you we tried most things…
Vet Diets – didn’t help cause of the high Omega Oils, Beet Pulp & Pre-biotics Patches acid reflux seem to get worse.
Carafate made him feel sick, he’d gulped grass after taken Carafate.
Zantac, – taken 18months it worked then it didn’t work like it wasn’t strong enough.
Slippery Elm Slurry 4ml works & helps soothe the esophagus & settle stomach..
Buy Slippery Elm powder, put 1/2 a teaspoon in a cup, boil jug & slowly add boiling water & quickly stir till you have a slurry, not too thick or too thin so you can pull up 4ml into a syringe, make sure its not hot when you give to Ollie, it cools quickly.
Omeprazole-20ml for 1 yr the Omeprazole helped then it didn’t some days.
Patch went down hill November 2017 after we moved, I nilly put him to sleep but before I put him to sleep I woke up 1 morning & thought i’ll do another Endoscope & Biopsies to see if he has stomach cancer?? His other vet quickly admitted him for the next day 10am, he had gingivitis back molars from the acid coming up esophagus into his mouth he eats kibble 🙁 wet foods makes his LES worse, he gulps up wet digest food, wwhere dry kibble stays down better & when it digest it moves onto his small bowel instead of being burped back up, he doesn’t have Megaesophagus.
His Endoscope showed he had red inflamed esophagus & red wind pipe this is what made him really ill & not his happy go lucky self, when I heard his vet say he has red inflamed throat & wind pipe, it broke my heart, he was suffering like this & Staffys are bad for telling you they are in pain, they hold a lot of pain my vet said 🙁
I thought the Omeprazole was reducing his Hydrochloric acid?? his Helicobacter had come back mildly not bad like it was 6 yrs before when I had rescued him, the vet said the Omeprazole must of kept it at bay, then the vet said he thinks his Lower Esophageal Sphincter Flap in between his stomach & esophagus isn’t closing properly & the acid is washing back up into mouth causing Gulps, red esophagus etc
I suffer with GORDS, LES & Barrets Esophagus & I take Pantoprazole twice a day, my Gastro Specialist said Pantoprazole seem to work best for people who suffer with LES & GORDS so I told Patches vet Simon can we PLEASE try Pantoprazole instead of the Omeprazole, Patch has 2 vets his easy going lady vet who has a more Holistic approach & then Patch has Simon who does Patches Endoscopes, Biopsies & removes Patches lumps, he’s very very good vet educated all over the world but he agrues with you & says all PPI – acid blockers are ALL the same BUT they’re NOT I agreed back lol we argued for 1 hour, Omeprazole didn’t agree with me, neither did Parriot & Pantoprazole worked straight away so all PPI must work in different ways, even my Gastro specialist said people all react different with PPI – acid blockers but Simon said its just a way the big drug companies make more money.. Oh well I have proven him wrong cause
my Patch started to get better & hasn’t vomited in 20 months since taking Pantoprazole, he started on 20mg taken in morning, morning is best to take a PPI my Gastro special told me, a PPI doesn’t have to be before breakfast but it is better, so as soon as Patch wakes up around 6.30am I give his 20mg-Pantoprazole with a syringe with water so the tablet goes down his esophagus then he eats 10-15mins later.
End of Summer every March cause of Patches Allergies all thru Spring & Summer Patches Immune System is over worked & then it crashes & he has a IBD Flare EVERY March (I live Australia) causing bad acid reflux again so I had to increase his Pantoprazole last Summer so now he has 20mg-Pantoprazole every 12 hours

He’s a new dog, no more vomiting, no waking up early hours of morning wanting to gulp grass, no more Helicobacter..
I feed 5 smaller meals, Kibble 7am-1/2 a cup kibble, 9am-1/2 a cup kibble, 5pm-1/2 a cup & 7pm-1/3 a cup kibble & at 12pm lunch he gets wet food but not much 1/3 of a can at the moment he loves his Royal Canine Intestinal Low Fat wet can food but I get Paper towel & soak up all the oils when I get out the loaf from the can, as omega oils can cause acid reflux & Dr Judy Morgans old dog who has just passed age 18 yrs old kept having Pancreatitis Flare & it was the fish oils she was adding to his diet..

You will find Vets cant diagnose & wont be able to really help when it comes to the Stomach problems, my vet tells me Susan you know there’s no tests or blood test to know what’s happening with Patches stomach unless you have Endoscope & Biopsies, Biopsies will give us answers to what’s wrong with stomach/small bowel, this is probably way no vets have any answer & have to guess what’s happening with Ollie 🙁
Have you ever done the Triple Therapy meds?
Metronidazole, Amoxicillin every 12 hours with a meal & a PPI once a day in morning taken for 3 weeks.
Keep diet low in fiber, low in carbs, low/med fat & med protein & feed small meals & ask vet about LES a lot of aging dogs suffer with LES but we think Patch had LES when I rescued him age 4yrs old..

[Sara M]

Farmina is the best dry food on the market! Instead of meat meals (the inedible part of the animal ultra-heated) they use dehydrated meats, for their meat concentrates. They don’t use any cheap filler protein boosters likes peas, chickpeas or lentils. It is low glycemic, free range and non-gmo. For dry food, there is none better than Farmina

[Joseph G]

Hello,

My dog has been on Rayne Nutrition kangaroo dry and wet food for her allergies and she does great with it. I tried my dog on their rabbit food before and her stools seemed okay, too. Just about every other brand of food I tried from other companies causes issues. I would suggest maybe calling up Rayne Nutrition and ask for some advice.
They have Veterinarian Nutritionists on staff and may be able to offer some recommendations. Sometimes dogs have issues if they previously consumed a protein and developed an allergy to it. You can’t always go by a food allergy skin test, because they are not very accurate for food. Only a food elimination diet can do that. Keep In mind it can take app. a month to see if a new food is going to work for your dog. But I would definitely call Rayne and ask for advice in cooperation with your vet. I have been very happy with their food and it is very good compared to other foods on the market.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 2 months ago by Joseph G.

[Daniel S]

Hi there, I’m the founder of KetoNatural Pet Foods.

On the issue of ingredient commonality, chicken is BY FAR the most prevalent ingredient in our chicken recipe (and salmon is by far the most prevalent ingredient in our salmon recipe). In both cases, the meat products make up 75% or more of the formula. And, unlike most pet food companies (including at least one of the two you’ve mentioned here) when I make that claim I’m making it on a post-dehydration basis. We add our chicken to our formula AFTER it has been dehydrated, so the percentage of the formula that is chicken is not skewed by the presence of water. Even after dehydration, it’s still the case that more than 75% of our formula is chicken. Your statement that chicken is the “fifth of sixth ingredient” is completely false, I assure you. It’s BY FAR the most common ingredient and I’m not aware of another kibble on the planet that has a higher ratio of animal products to starch than Ketona (and I’ve actually written a book about this subject, so I’m quite familiar with the marketplace!).

(If you want to see this “dehydration issue” for yourself, go check out the website for Orijen by Champion Pet Foods. The company claims that most of its Orijen formulas are at least 90% meat products. But the formulas are also typically at least 25% carbohydrate. Animal products don’t contain carbohydrates. So something doesn’t add up. That “something” is the presence of water in the animal ingredients.)

On this issue of price, it is indeed the case that our food is more expensive than many (but not all) kibbles. But it’s nutritional composition is different too. We have by far the lowest carbohydrate content of any dry pet food on the market today. Carb-heavy ingredients (corn, rice, potatoes, etc.) are the cheapest ingredients. And that’s why most kibbles are insanely cheap (far cheaper than the trashiest fast food on a per-calorie basis). Because our formulas feature more animal-based ingredients and fewer carb-heavy ingredients, they’re more expensive to produce. So we have to charge a bit more. But I’ll note that (1) our prices are only about 20-25% of nutritionally-similar raw diets (the only other types of pet food products that have a nutritional content remotely similar to ours) and (2) on a quantitative basis, switching a 50-pound dog from Acana to Ketona is only likely to add $0.50 to $1.00 per day to your dog food budget. Hardly a massive change.

Regards,

Daniel Schulof
KetoNatural Pet Foods

[Tracy H]

I have two English Cream Golden Retrievers who are almost pure white in color. After reading the Best Dry Dog Foods of 2019 that the dog food advisor published, I changed their food to one listed. I am giving them VICTOR Hi-Pro Plus Formula Dry Dog Food and they love it! We are now going on 3 months eating this food and they are turning pink. I googled why my dogs are turning pink and I found one article saying it could be from yeast in the dogs food. Hi-Pro Plus add Selenium Yeast to their food…. Could this be the culprit? Just wondering if anyone else out there is having similar issues? Thank you.

[GSDsForever]

Hi Melissa.

You do have some options among veterinary therapeutic/prescription diets for your dog’s medical needs. Hills, Purina, and Royal Canin all offer options for pancreatitis and digestive issues, and they differ from one another.

When you mention Hills prescription diets, encountering all chicken based formulas, did you happen to try this one:

https://www.chewy.com/hills-prescription-diet-id-digestive/dp/54523

THIS lowfat formula for pancreatitis is primarily turkey and pork organ meat + egg, along with highly digestible (easy on the GI system) white rice. I can see that there is a bit of “chicken flavor”. . . but honestly, it’s pretty far down the ingredient list at #14, AFTER even the start of minerals & vitamins.

The protein is about 22-23% dry matter minimum, but remember that it’s the overall amino acids complete profile, high quality ingredients, and high digestibility that’s important vs a crude protein minimum. Those ingredients genuinely do look high quality, and like they could really help your dog, and taste pretty good to him too!

But if that doesn’t work for you, Royal Canin’s can formula does NOT contain chicken and is 25% protein, lower fat at 4% Min to 10% Max than Hill’s. (Purina’s is 32% Min protein dry matter in the canned, but has chicken.) See below, for therapeutic diet examples:

https://www.petmd.com/dog/what-you-need-know-about-dog-food-pancreatitis-0

As far as OTC diets go, when you start adding multiple specific medical condition needs — lowfat pancreatitis suitable, limited ingredient, good for colitis and sensitive GI system, no chicken — along with additional preferences such as high protein for senior life stage, or let’s say you want only a dry food (vs can), it becomes pretty difficult to impossible to find that “unicorn” OTC food. OTC foods are primarily made for healthy, average dogs without particular medical conditions, let alone multiple.

But if you want to expand your options to OTC formulas, try asking your vet to give you the fat level he is recommending for pancreatitis, ask him whether he thinks you need to avoid chicken in formulas (and why or why not) and discuss what issues you believe your dog has with eating chicken, and review a product you pick with him.

For example, the fat minimum and maximum of the Hill’s Lowfat I/D has a pretty big range listed, just under 8% Min. to about 16% Max. Ask about recommended fiber level too. Discuss what your vet thinks you should look for in protein level for your senior and why.

For example, brands make lowfat foods including higher protein ones, and you may find some that don’t contain chicken. Solid Gold, just for one example, makes a “Fit & Fabulous” very lowfat formula (6%), with ~29% minimum protein on a dry matter basis. Fiber is 9% max. The formula may not be as digestible as the Hills & your vet’s recommendations, or have the right nutrient profile features. Then again, your vet may think it’s worth trying this one or another.

[GSDsForever]

Hi Jordan.

Some additional options for grain inclusive, with NO chicken formulas include these brands:

Dr. Gary’s Best Breed, First Mate, Eagle Pack’s Holistic Select Line (see e.g. Adult Radiant Sardine, Anchovy, & Salmon), Sport Dog (e.g. Buffalo formulas), Inception, Purina Pro Plan (e.g. Salmon & Rice Sensitive Stomach & Skin), Petcurean Go!, Farmina, Annamaet, Canine Caviar, Verus, Instinct by Nature’s Variety Be Natural Salmon (includes peas #7), Nutrisource (e.g. Trout & Rice — not the large breed one), and (soon) Open Farm’s new grain inclusive line. One of the moderators here, PugMom Sandy, noted a sardine formula from Nature’s Logic also.

Purina, Hills, & Royal Canin have veterinary therapeutic formulas/prescription diets that exclude chicken as well.

The above is not an exhaustive list or a recommendation for any listed. And those are just U.S. available foods.

Your choices will depend upon what you are looking for preferentially in a formula and brand, things that you personally believe to be indicative of “high quality.”

From experience, I have known many dogs to do well on the Fromm Whitefish grain inclusive formula recommended by another poster above, especially dogs with sensitive digestive systems and needs for low residue, highly digestible. It has a nice mix of whole grains, sweet potatoes, and bland, highly digestible simple carbs.

I am currently feeding Annamaet’s Option formula (purple bag: Salmon based, w/lamb) and am very pleased with the company and the formula. To it, I daily add canned wild Alaskan salmon with bone, to bring the protein up from ~26-27% protein (dry matter, actual typical) to 30%+ (adjusted for our needs). Last month I added canned sardines.

Good luck! If you are interested in one of the above formulas/brands, I’d be happy to give you my thoughts on it.

[Micky]

While trying to find a dry dog food, and consulting the list of “best of” for one of my dogs with chronic digestive problems, I decided to give “wellness” a try. I had fed it years ago and was always happy with it.
Now – this may be an odd coincidence- but I found tiny small black bugs and white worms in the bag – to be more precise, they were attracted to and congregated inside the small metal scoop I use (which gets washed daily)
Besides returning the bag of food plus the “bug evidence” to the store, who should I notify? The manufacturer?? And??

[Ja M]

I found the same issue with my Yorkies….one in particular. But he also has a sensitive tummy… its common in the breed. What resolves it, regardless of the brand he is on… is adding fiber. I add a heaping tablespoon of canned pumpkin to every bowl that has any kibble in it, for all 3 of mine. I also do not feed straight kibble. They need fluid to digest kibble well. Its dry. Imagine feeding dry pasta noodles to your kids. 3 meals a day, let alone even once would be awful! IMHO. So, add water to kibble always if you do feed it. And do so especially if you top it with anything freeze dried or dehydrated. Dogs need fluid to digest dry foods. Last, wont hurt to mix some cooked fresh food, some good canned food or diced up soft chilled roll, to kibble. FYI: Kibble was only invented because during WW2 when the US Govt needed all available aluminum for weaponry and aircraft the pet food companies had to come up with another way to package cat/ dog food. Our Dog /cat food was in cans or dehydrated, b4 that. And, folks fed table scraps and leftovers to their pets back then, and whatever they could catch on their own on the farm. City dwellers generally didnt have dogs unless wealthy. PS… I work in the industry. Read. Your. Labels.

[anonymous]

Canned or Dry Food: Which is Better for Cats?

excerpt below, click on link for full article and comments

Canned or Dry Food: Which is Better for Cats?
Posted on September 3, 2019 by skeptvet
Introduction
Among the timeless questions that are debated endlessly from generation to generation, such as “What is the meaning of life?” and “Does the refrigerator light go off when the door is closed?” is one that veterinarians and cat owners are particularly familiar with: “Is feeding canned or dry food better for cats?” Cat lovers, and many vets, often have strong and absolute opinions on this question, and disagreements on the subject tend to be about as amicable as disagreements about politics and religion.

[Joseph G]

I have been using Rayne Nutrition Kangaroo dry food and canned food for several years now. My dog has severe allergies to the environment and dietary products as well. Before putting my dog on the Rayne food, she would have awful stomach and intestinal issues with frequent diarrhea. Food allergies often show up as intestinal disturbances and not just skin. The Rayne food has been a blessing because it is the only food I’ve tried (other than KOHA canned kangaroo, which is also great) that works exceedingly well. She hasn’t had one issue with diarrhea and her poop is always perfect. Her skin has improved in spite of still be allergic to outdoor things like grass, pollen, etc. It is an amazing food. It is a whole-food based food and isn’t like the other prescription vet formulas. They use extremely high-quality ingredients. I highly recommend them. Google Rayne Nutrition. You can order online.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 3 months ago by Joseph G.

[joanne l]

First off weight management foods for dogs have high fiber, which may make them poop too much. So I would fine a dry food that has low fat and low calories. Calories about 350 to 380 per cup and fat no more than 12%. Anytime you see high fiber in dog food you may also see more stools. Also look for about 4% fiber. When fiber goes pass 5 or 6% it is too much. That is my opinion.

[Alice B]

Hi everyone, I need some help understanding the logic of high meat diets
when I have tried any, my 2 male Yorkies have very hard poop in small nuggets it does not look normal

Both dogs are eating Royal Canin mini dry food, & do well on this, with normal poop

The high meat diets they have tried, Ziwi peak, K9 Natural, & raw meat as a meal with veggies
if these meats are species-appropriate, why do they produce such weird poop

[Ed E]

The Protein and Fat content on S&C freeze dried dog food is confusing. The values on the package is for “as feed dry” without rehydrating. I would use the rehydrated analysis for the freeze-dried. since you’re adding the water to the food.

As long as your dog isn’t specifically prone to, or experiencing issues with protein, there’s really no need to worry about S&C products. The freeze-dried (when fed dry) is the highest in protein, but since you’re rehydrating, it’s actually going to appear quite low.

Guaranteed Analysis: (package)
Crude Protein (min.) = 48.0%
Crude Fat (min.) = 28.0%

=======================
Rehydrated Analysis: (from S&C)
Crude Protein (min.) = 15.0%
Crude Fat (min.). = 9.0%

This is information that I received in email from Stella and Chewy directly. So concerns about excessive fat for your dog are unfounded.

[anonymous]

Ask your vet about Pepcid (prn) for acid reflux.

Re: “I heard in the case of acid relux, no grains are allowed and only low fat food”.

Not sure about this, please confer with your vet.

My friend’s dog has acid reflux/sensitive stomach issues and is doing well on Nutrisource chicken and rice (dry) as a base with a little boiled chicken mixed in and a little water added to the kibble.

I would stop searching the internet for answers, if your regular vet hasn’t been helpful within a reasonable amount of time consider consulting a veterinary internal medicine specialist.
First, see if you can work with your vet, additional testing may be indicated to get to the root of the problem, see what he recommends.

PS: Consider a prescription food if your vet recommends it, at least till the dog is stable.

[Gene L]

Thanks everyone for your quick responses.

Please forgive me, my intention was only to get advice on dog food that has worked well for those who have dogs with sensitive stomachs, not to seek medical advice.

I will definitely try the Purina Pro Plan for Sensitive Skin and Stomach.

I’ll also pick up some canned food to add a little to his dry kibble.

Thanks you all again and thanks for this extremely helpful website!

[Nadia K]

My pup is not particularly a fan of dry kibble. I have tried several brands over the last few months and its always the same story. She will often just sniff it and walk away. However, I have found that if I add a little low sodium chicken broth or some tiny pieces of meat or a spoon of canned food she will gobble it right down.

[Gene L]

I have a middle aged mixed breed (half golden retriever) and he is a little underweight at around 55 pounds. I’ve taken him to the vet because he doesn’t seem interested in his food although he will eat it when he gets hungry enough. I don’t think it is an appetite issue because he will gobble down chicken and rice I feed him after a vomit occurrence (which is not frequent). The vet recommends allergy testing.

Rather than do that, I’ve tried to find dry dog food for a sensitive stomach that works for him. The last two things I’ve tried is Ultra Healthy Weight with Salmon and Hills Science Diet Sensitive Stomach and Skin. With both of these, he would eat when he got hungry enough and could go a month or two before he would vomit.

Ideally, I’d like to find a dry dog food that he enjoys eating and doesn’t upset his stomach. Any advise would be most appreciated.

[Michael H]

Amy and Rachel, thanks. The DCM issue is really gotten me upset. I think we are seeing some of the political issues with dog food marketing here. Purina has been using their dog food to get rid of food byproducts for many years, and been very successful doing it. Any vet I would consider using would not have Purina product in their office or promote it. Same with the other really bad foods, Royal Canin and Science diet. All will never be in my house. No one has taken a stand on the DCM issue as far as setting a minimum standard for dog food. Every time you hear about it, oh, here is another list of recommendations but not a list of what is good and what is bad. And everyone with dog food crammed with fillers like rice, grain, alfalfa, oatmeal, are just making hay while the sun shines. I’ll tell you what the standards are. No fillers. No peas, pea parts, legumes, rice, oats, grains, corn, alfalfa, canola oil, flax, white potato, brewers yeast, tomato pomace, beets, yet includes minerals and probiotics. With an actual protein content of 30% or more, dry matter basis. Try to find that dog food. It’s Sport Dog Food Elite Sporting or Working. The other two Elite choices are poultry free and contain white potato.

[Melissa D]

Hi Patricia A
Thank you for your kind supportive words, I needed that because I am not getting much support from anyone else near me at the moment and that has left me wondering….what have I done ?? Yes when dogs get sick it puts pressure and emotional strain on the owner/s, I have actually let my own health slip by the wayside for many months now as I am focused on C J only at this moment, I have missed my twice yearly injections and never even filled out my script for my meds yet, I know they are needing to be done, but C J is top priority for the time being. Thank you for the links for me to catch up on some reading in regards to the IBD, I saw my vet yesterday and she gave me 2 lots of tablets for C J and it’s 3 weeks worth plus she had a bag of the Hill’s Prescription Diet Z/D in the dry and tinned food for him, so hopefully we are on the right track with this, so $360 later I walk out of the vets armed with the tools I need to make my C J well again and start gaining weight, he is a big boy and is about 8 to 10 kilo’s under weight because of all this vomiting and diarrhea, I have cut back slightly on our walks just until his tummy starts to settle as I see it’s no good in regular walks for an under weight dog, otherwise he’s going to lose more weight with having too much exercise, he is always hungry which is good, but his tummy just couldn’t handle all that food and walking also increase’s his appetite, but he doesn’t need any help their lol, so he just has a gallop around the backyard, which is sufficient for now. I was hoping not to have to keep buying the dry or tin food for him as I prefer to cook for him myself, but the vet sort of said, it’s probably not a good idea as it will be more trial and error further down the track because she said we still don’t know for sure which protein is upsetting his tummy, so I will give it until xmas, get him sorted on this new food and see the vet about trying single proteins after xmas as a way of finally getting an answer, but I’m still thinking about that and not sure I will bother with going down that road now or ever.

[Melanie E]

Nutra Thrive has been great for my Cairn Terriers. I also purchased the doctors book and using the kidney recipe and had fabulous results as well. My other two on Nutra Thrive are doing great, especially Bella. In Florida where Bella was born she had autoimmune issues and never really a happy dog. She acted like Eeyore on Winne the Pooh, but now Nutra Thrive has completely brought her to life. I did at the same time of starting Nutra Thrive about 7 mths ago take her off of dry dog food and start Pet Fresh but with her SHINY HAIR that was dry and brittle, energy level (she is 9 and never made it up a set of stair she went up this past weekends at a relatives, I always had to help) and just overall feeling well (before she was always under the bed, not happy) I have to contribute to the Nutra Thrive. I’ve never had one of my three dogs get sick from it and hate it for those who had a bad reaction. For Memoral Day I did receive a buy one get one free offer I took advantage of and have had no issues with billings or customer service. I am very happy I found this doctor and his book for making the kidney recipe, my Carly was dying from what the vet was doing to treat her kidneys with the renial food.

[Melissa D]

Hi Patricia A
Yes C J has the lymphoplasmacytic gastritis and heliobacter as stated on his biopsy results, my vet is starting him on a 3 week course of medications and then we are doing a second food trial of the Hill’s Science Diet Z/D for sensitive tummy etc, then I touch base with the vet again after about 6 weeks to see if he needs to start the steroids which the vet mentioned to me during our phone call. C J’s biopsy results also came back showing he has a thickening of his intestines and that’s why they are saying IBD, but to do another food trial with the Z/D food then I feel they are still guessing, but then I have read on the internet that diagnosing true IBD is kind of trial and error until the dog shows signs of getting better with different foods and what a pain this is going to be, I also read that some dogs do well on raw food diets for IBD, but my boy has been on the raw food since he was a puppy and its not been helping him, also yogurt was not helping as I was reading that it does help, but it looks like my boy is an exception to the rule, but I know he wouldn’t be the only one, so that’s why I am slightly confused after reading these things on the internet, I sat back and thought…ok C J is already on this so why is he still sick and then I got to thinking, if we get his heliobacter sorted first, then maybe he won’t be so bad but then the thickening of his intestines is another issue that can’t be reversed but can be managed…hopefully. I feel I maybe should not have gone to ask Dr Google…because all it’s done has thrown me into heaps of doubt on what the true issue is, regardless of what the vet/s have said because I kind of feel they too are still clutching at straws on how to treat effectively, so if my vet is in doubt then that places me in doubt, after talking with the vet about the next move, she said to me, to try the Z/D dry and or tin food for my C J and then we check in 6 weeks or so to see how he’s doing and if needed we start steroids, so basically she’s not even sure this Z/D food is going to work, can it really be this hard ?? I am just about ready to give up, my finances and emotions are stretched beyond belief and I just want to have a healthy dog, gosh I can’t even find a food list online of what to cook for a dog with IBD, because I would prefer to cook all his meals myself as they will be more affordable, so if anyone knows where I can find a food list or cook book for homemade food for your dog that has IBD then I will be ever grateful. Thank you Patricia for all your info supplied in the previous message, I have read and re-read it all a few times, and some of it is making sense but some of it also going straight over my head, I think my mind is just in overdrive at the moment but I will go back and read it as many times as necessary until I understand it all. Keep in touch and I will let you know how C J tolerates this new Z/D food etc.

[Regina D]

I am finding it very difficult to find dog food, dry or wet, that does not contain peas, potatoes or chick peas. Any suggestions?

[Norine C]

I have just sent an email to Wildology.
I was told it was made in CO. The marketing and Branding is topnotch. I found out it is a company in MN. Based on my experience, MN is heavily connected to China. I am concerned.

My emai;
Hello,
I have switched my two year old black lab to Wildology. We started with Fetch and now Swim. She had been eating Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream. She definitely asks to eat and poops more on Wildology but she loves it.

There have been many articles and perhaps rumors flying around about dog food safety and quality.

I was told that Wildology was made in Colorado but on your website, http://wildology.com/, Midco Distributing in MN. This was the first red flag. Now I see on /forums/topic/wildology-feed/ that other people are also concerned about Wildology.

Please confirm the source of the ingredients and the location of the production. If any ingredient is from China or any China trade partners we can only assume it is toxic. Since human foods are traded and falsified, it is safe to assume the same for dog food.

Also, I do not buy any products or even dog toys made in China because of toxic levels of chemicals and toxic production practices.

I am hoping all of this is incorrect and there is a better explanation. The marketing of the bag looks wonderful, I hope it is accurate.

NOTE: I have noticed my dogs soft coat has become more brittle / dry itchy and she is more hungry.
I want the best for her, Please advise!

I will post their reply.