[Katy L]

Sorry for my absence. Up to my elbows in laundry. I am SO excited to think this may be the culprit. It makes perfect sense now. I cannot tell you how much Sophia has suffered – not to mention the amount of money we’ve spent, tests done, raw food shipped in and frustration.

I have run Sophia’s laundry though the wash twice now, with vinegar rinse and can still smell the Gain on them. One more time ought to do it 🙂

Cyndi, what a stroke of luck you mentioned the Gain!

Have a good rest everyone. I’m off to fold some clothes.

[T]

IMHO, I would just use either dry matter OR calorie basis, but use one consistently. I don’t think getting down to exact detail on percentages is going to make a big enough difference to worry about in most cases. The calculator is meant to facilitate COMPARING dry and wet foods but it’s really not that precise.

When I look at foods, I am usually mostly trying to see what the carb. content is and whether there is an inordinately large amount of fat. It’s a rough guesstimate in any case because even the guaranteed analysis numbers can vary a bit from batch to batch and are usually expressed as “minimum” or “maximum” amounts.

Tabitha

[USA]

Hi Tabitha

Dr Mike should probably clear up the fact that an estimate of 8% ash would only be accurate for Dry dog food. Wet dog food does not usually contain meat meals which are high in ash and if you call the companies like Wellness, Natura, etc you will see that Dry products are usually in the 6% to 12% ash range while canned foods are usually in the 1% to 3% ash range.

So if you plugged in 2% for wet foods and 8% for dry foods it would improve the accuracy of your calculator.

Thanks again for providing such an easy to use tool to help out consumers!!!

[Jennifer V]

I think being in a hotel for a week was just stressing Bella out, because no matter what I attempted to feed her (except her blueberry Palma Granit treats), she refused to eat. As soon as we came home she began to eat again.
As for Lucy, her diarrhea isn’t nearly as bad as it has been in the previous week. I’m thinking that the switch from regular name brand food, to the grain free Blue Wilderness, possibly was just a shock to her system. After some additional research I found that many dogs find switching to an organic/grain free food can have a temporary negative affect on their bowels.
Thank you all for your suggestions and genuine concern for my girls. It’s awesome to have a place to come and talk to others who feel just as I do regarding their pets. I have no children, so Bella & Lucy are my kids.
I do still think I’m going to switch to a different grain free/organic food. I want them to be excited about what they’re eating, and the Blue Wilderness isn’t it. Does anyone have any suggestions about a dry, organic, grain free dog food that would be good for both of my dogs?
Thank you
Jenny

[T]

Thanks for the idea, USA Dog Treats! I just went and changed the calculator to assume 8% ash content if it is not entered by the user. I got that number from the article about “ash” content on this web site. Where did you get the number 2-3% for wet food? I hadn’t seen that value before, but would like to learn more about it.

When I have more time, I will try to figure out how to give a choice between wet and dry with check boxes like you suggested.

Tabitha

[Heather D]

Hello members. Thank heavens I have found this site though have done nothing this morning with regard housework as just been reading.
We have a Spanish Mastiff crossed with a German Shepherd, rescued from a filthy pen some 4 weeks ago when he was just 6 weeks old. Riddled with parasites internal and external. Has been to the vet’s three times now but doing very well.
previously we had a couple of English Pointers so I was aware of the growth/calcium issue and they were reared to be 14 years. Dusty the bitch, spayed, died with skin cancer. We live in Spain and she was mostly white and was a momkey for lying in the sun with her legs splayed and stomach bared to the sun, she contracted skin cancer and sadly had to be put to sleep aged 14.
Bracken her pal, though not from the same litter, died just 6 weeks after Dusty with a heart attack.
They were reared for their first 18 months on Hills prescription for large breeds and did really well with it.
Now to our new little, well quite big puppy.
He couldn’t tolerate Hills so the vet advised Eukanuba food for large breed puppies and I give him two small additional feeds of cooked turkey each day to add to his protein as the dry food is 26% and wanted to increase it. He is tolerating it well, but I want him to have the best I can afford, and buy. We are pensioners and though not destitute we have to budget.
Spain is not known for it’s care of dogs, and sadly, living in the heart of Andalucia away from the Costas most dogs are raised on dry bread, yes dry bread and anything else they can find. These are the conditions our puppy Max was born into. Locked in a large fenced and gated pen, the owner coming only once per week to bring a sack of dry bread rolls and fill their water bowls. So we have adopted the family and go each night to feed and water through the fence.
The parents and the 2 other pups are doing well, and the owner as a thankyou gave us Max.
There are just 2 pet stores within a couple of hours drive that do sell some varied brands.
We want the very best for Max and from your lists I just don’t know if I am going to find any of the foods you mention.
My question is, sorry after this ramble, if I cannot find any you mention will Max be ok continuing on his Eukanuba for large breed puppies along with his cooked turkey, and are there any other things I can give him to supplement if he has to stay on this diet?

[Bobby dog]

Petsmart $5 off coupon for dog or cat food valid through 9/29 on any size of the following brands:
Blue Buffalo, Castor & Pollux ORGANIX & Ultramix, Hill’s Ideal Balance, Innova, Nature’s Recipe, Nutro Natural Choice, Nulo, Nutro Max, Nutro Ultra, Simply Nourish, Wellness

Specialized: Authority, Bil-Jac/Farmer’s Bounty, Eukanuba, Hill’s Science Diet, Pet Botanics, Pro Plan, Royal Canin.

http://www.pennywisepaws.com/petsmart-5-natural-specialized-dry-dog-cat-food-size/

[USA]

Hi Tabitha

I looked at your calculator and it is very cool. Thank you! If you know the Ash content of the food it gives you very accurate percentages. If you don’t know the Ash content and leave that field at 0% as you suggest, it throws off the accuracy of the other readings a little.

If you put 2 check boxes on the Ash reading that read Wet and Dry you could make it so that if the Dry box was checked and the Ash value was left at 0% it would assume 8% Ash and if the Wet box was checked and the Ash value was left at 0% it would assume an Ash value of 2-3%. While not perfect it might improve the final analyses if the Ash value is unknown.

Of course you could also just leave instructions to add a certain value for the Ash percentage if not known depending on whether the food is wet or dry.

Thanks Again Tabitha.

[Akari_32]

He’s definitely doing better. Got a bit of a ways to go, but we’re getting there for sure.

I agree with you on the chemical and such side of that. What I meant by average is brands (like Pro Plan and Hills) that promote themselves to be the best of the best, and have minimal (chemical, etc) additives to them, but also have some thought and research behind them. Not that I think either of these brands are overly good, but they do have their places, and at this point I’m about ready to try anything. But I do know to stay away from certain things. The price point on these two Pro Plans is great. Like $15 a case usually. That’s something we can definitely handle. It’d be good for keeping the cost down and for some variety.

All I said to them (all of them) was that I needed a low carb food. I’m thinking Hill’s response was them thinking they were going to get my money anyways. Silly Hill’s– I’m not that stupid LOL

I know small breed foods typically have more calories per cup, which is great in my case for Haley, my 11 year old 60 lb lab mix. She can’t stomach too much dry food at once, so toy and small breed foods are typically a good choice if I can’t get a puppy or other higher calorie food. And large breed puppy foods, if formulated properly, have certain calcium and phosphorus levels and ratios. Beyond that, I don’t know if makes any difference giving large breed food to small breed dogs lol

[Akari_32]

Ok, so I heard back from Purina on two flavors. I asked if they were going to look in to the others I had asked about as well. We’ll see what they say about that lol

Purina® Pro Plan® brand Dog Food – Select™ – Classic All Life Stages – Natural Chicken & Brown Rice Entrée – Plus Essential Vitamins and Minerals Dog Food – 3.80% carbohydrates as fed.
Purina® Pro Plan® brand Dog Food – Select™ – Classic For All Life Stages – Natural Beef & Brown Rice Entrée – Plus Essential Vitamins and Minerals – 3.10% carbohydrates as fed.

So either of these could be an option, I think. I asked for as fed, and then just now also asked for a dry matter basis. Just to see how it really stacks up.

[T]

I just wanted to share this page on my website because I think it would be really helpful to a lot of people. If you’re like me, you get a headache after you stand in the aisle at the dog food store and try to do the math to compare canned food to raw food to dry food!

I put this simple calculator together so you can plug in the numbers from the guaranteed analysis on a dry food, get the % protein, fat, and carbs on a CALORIE basis. Then plug in the GA numbers from a canned food to get % on calorie basis so you can compare the dry food to canned food on a equivalent basis.

Check it out and let me know if you find any glitches or have questions.
http://naturalalternativesvet.com/label

Tabitha

[Akari_32]

Hey guys. Just updating. No baths in a few weeks, but his hair is growing back really well (new growth is about an inch long), and his skin is no longer red all over. Still red at his paws and up his hind legs some, and around his nose, but his body is back to pinkish-white, and he is chewing and scratching much less (and doesn’t smell nasty all the time). I’ve been giving him 3/4 of a can of By Nature 95% one day, and the next day he gets the rest of the can, and 1/4 cup of THK, mixed with however much water it needs to thin it back out to the consistency of just canned food.

He does need a bath right now (some one *cough* mom *cough* cleaned up pee in the hallway around his cage and then thought it was a good idea to put the pee towel in the cage because she didn’t want to walk it to the laundry room…), and I’ll use his medicated shampoo, and then wash him with his new shampoo and conditioner (supposed to be really good for their skin and coat, and has keratin in it– I’ll get the name of it in a bit).

I’m looking at some other foods to add in to his diet. I’ve emailed several companies and asked for the as fed carb values of their foods. My answers so far:

Purina Pro Plan:
“We appreciate your interest in our products. Please know that this information is not something we have readily available and takes time on the part of our nutritionist to determine. We cannot provide it for each and every one of our products.

However, if you can narrow your choice to a particular flavor or two, we’ll be happy to fulfill your request. Please understand it may take some time to process this information. We appreciate your patience.”

What the crap is that?? You don’t keep this info on hand?? Yeah, ok. Anyways, I went through the review side, and picked out all the four star formulas. More than they asked for, but whatever. My thought on the Pro Plan is that maybe an “average” food rather than a “fancy” food would do him some good. Some dogs don’t do well on high quality foods– we all know this. One of those if its ain’t broke sort of deals. Just an idea for a back up food. It’ll take some time to get an answer from them, I’ll assume.

Hill’s:
“Thank you for visiting HillsPet.com and sending us your message.

Due to your special pet’s medical condition we would suggest that you speak to your veterinarian for a food recommendation. Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. offers a full line of therapeutic products which are formulated for the management of certain health issues that can develop in pets. The product that will work best for your pet depends upon his or her individual circumstances and is something that your veterinarian will have to help you to determine.

We appreciate your interest in Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc. If we can help in any other way, contact our Consumer Affairs Department toll-free at 1-800-445-5777 8AM-5PM CST, Monday-Friday or revisit HillsPet.com.

Sincerely,

Consumer Affairs
Hill’s Pet Nutrition, Inc.”

I was hoping to get some values on Ideal Balance. Another “average” food sort of idea. But looking at the values on the can today at the store (they have dry matter basis on the Hill’s website), I’m ditching this food. Way too low protein and just 4.5 and 5%. And toooooooons of carbs. Each can has a protein source, and then three or four carbs sources. No thanks!

Nutro:
” Dear Danielle,
>
> Thank you for taking the time to contact us. Our canned food for dogs average about 5% carbs. Canned food is low in carbs because they are primarily water or broth (around 78%). We do not make anything that will have lower values than 5%.

……

Hi Danielle-
None of our dry foods will have a carbohydrate level as low as 15%. They average 30-45%. Canned food, by nature, will have the lowest carbs, as they are primarily made of water/broth. The Ultra™ and the Natural Choice® Chunks & Gravy formulas have the lowest amounts (approx. 4%). Hope this information helps!”

All of the Nutro Natural Choice and Ultra cans are right in our price range, at $21 to $28 a 12 can case. The Large Breed recipes seem to be the best looking as far as how much to feed, and protein values. And if the carb values they gave are correct, they are right where I want to stay. Very nice looking line. I don’t tend to follow the whole dog’s size and age marketing thing, but he’s only 8 pounds. Would a large breed (puppy and adult food) be fine for him? He’s two years old, and should be about 8 pounds (he’s probably 7-ish).

And theres always EVO. Good price point, but high fat. Not a food I’d have him on all the time. Maybe I’ll use it to keep his weight up. I’m having trouble keeping his weight up with out him eating us out of house and home. I’m trying to do the best by him and by moms budget. $20 a case where he’s eating the whole can every meal is not helping the budget issue. The By Nature is great, but its not high calorie enough, and I don’t think high fat enough, either. He’s an active little guy, and needs something that can keep him beefed up.

Anyway, if anyone has any thoughts or input or anything, throw it out there!

[Dori]

My major concern with your post is that you are saying that Bella has not eaten in four days. Regardless of whether this food is on EC’s choice or not, you have much more to be concerned about.

Please find a food that Bella will eat asap. As far as Lucy is concerned, I too have a dog with Cancer. She is a 15 year old Maltese with bladder and lung cancer. To date she remains asymptomatic. I have done extensive research since her diagnosis three months ago and all roads lead to raw food diet for canine’s with cancer. Fortunately my three dogs have been on raw dog food diet for at least a couple of years now. Obviously because of Hannah’s age and also because she is asymptomatic which have chosen not to go the chemo and radiation route. I have put her on K9 Immunity Plus which has been recommended by many on the various canine cancer sites. I have also added Denamarin to her diet which is a combination of milk thistle and Sam-e. Also I give her turmeric & curcumin daily (helps with inflammation). So far she continues to do well. Eating, drinking, playing, barking at anything that passes by (be it a car, person, or animal). We give her tons and tons of love, massages, and hugs.

Good Luck, I hope all goes well and that you can find a food that your dogs will eat.

Forgot to mention that because I feed my dogs raw, they eat no grains whatsoever. No corn, potatoes, rice, soy. I feed a high protein, moderate fat, low carb diet to all my girls. I also feed them organic fruits and veggies as treats. I don’t feed any commercial treats.

I not feed BB or Purina under any circumstances. If you are going to continue to feed a dry food though, you should add water to it. Of course, I would urge commercial raw foods, especially for Lucy, Bella can also certainly benefit from a commercial raw diet. But if not raw, then I would urge you to find a freeze dried or dehydrated dog food.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 8 months ago by Dori.

[Jennifer V]

My 4 yr. old Lucy (unknown breed) has recently been diagnosed with cancer. I know what chemo and radiation does to a person, so rather than putting my Lucy through that, I’ve decided to first try the holistic approach. I went out and bought Blue Wilderness (bison, dry) and began feeding it to Lucy and Bells (pug/chihuahua). Initially, they both loved it! Then, after about two weeks, Lucy began having diarrhea everyday and she quit eating and Bella just quit eating too. Lucy began eating again last night, but Bella hasn’t eaten now for four days. Feeling horrible, I even tried to feed her, her old food (Purina), and she won’t even eat that. These two dogs have never had any issues with their appetite, typically they’ll eat anything. They’re definitely not picky dogs, until now.
I did some research and found this site regarding the same issue from hundreds of other people.

http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/blue_buffalo.html

These are obviously only the people that’s taken the time to complain in writing. What I want to know is why this happening, and seeing as so many people are having these issues, why is Blue Wilderness the Editors Choice???

[Misty W]

What have you found that is grain, all potato & poultry free that doesn’t break the bank? We’ve been using Pulsar Fish but honestly I get so sick w/ the smell of fish so looking for a non-fish dry food. Thanks for suggestions/pricing. We currently pay $46 for a 25 pound bag & just can’t afford this any longer with 4 dogs

[DogFoodie]

Check Go! I looked quickly and didn’t see flax.
http://www.chewy.com/s/dry-food,fish?query=go&dept=do

[David T]

Ok thanks. I have been eyeing up Orijen Adult Dry Dog Food. Seems like a good balance of minerals and the reviews seem solid. It appears that the major content difference besides quality is higher protein. I am going to give that a try over the next couple of weeks.
Dave

[pugmomsandy]

The freeze drying process makes it more expensive. I would like to buy a freeze dryer, but they’re at least $10,000! @@ So I bought a full size upright freezer instead (on sale) to store all the frozen raw! The difference is in freeze-dried food, the moisture is removed and the product is shelf stable.

[David T]

I am considering switching my 2 year old IW food (Blue Buffalo Large Breed) to one of the editors choices recommendations. I think Blue Buffalo has been giving my IW infrequent (1-2 times every couple of months) diarrhea. I have heard that Blue buffalo mixes there vitamins separately which can cause abnormal dose in the dry food. I like Blue because of the low calcium <1.5%. However, I have noticed that a lot of the editors choice brands have very high Calcium levels in their food. From what I have read, (on this site) it is recommended to stay below 1.5% Calcium. Are there any dog food brands that are high quality and tailored to large/giant breeds?

[USA]

Hi MastiffMomma

I know you are worried about calories but I feel that calories can always be adjusted by the AMOUNT of food you feed. For me it’s all about the carbs for a dog with Diabetes. Diabetes can be a devastating disease in people and dogs so my top priority would be to cut carbohydrates to below 15%. Commercial dog food companies have taken a different approach. Because starch is cheaper than protein they will try to use low glycemic starches and fibers to slow down the absorption of the carbs and avoid a spike in blood sugar (glucose). That would be fine if dogs needed a lot of carbs to survive. Since they don’t it makes much more sense to cut the ingredient that ALL diabetics have a problem with, SUGAR in any shape or form!

There are only 3 basic nutrient groups, Protein, Fat and Carbohydrate so a food that is low in carbs will be high in protein and fat. This is okay for MOST dogs. Some dogs will have a problem with high fats and some dogs will have a problem with high protein.

I would always unless there is a medical issue with fat or protein try a ultra-low carbohydrate food first. Without a doubt carbohydrates are the enemy to a dog with diabetes and cutting carbs can increase both the quality of life and the length of life for a diabetic dog.

Dry food kibbles need starch to hold them together so the lowest you can go in carbs is about 15% and most kibbles are MUCH higher. I estimate that the dry food he is eating now is 50% carbs. Dry foods can also tax the kidneys because they are so concentrated and low in moisture. Kidneys are one of the first things to be affected by diabetes so dry foods are not my first choice. I have listed a couple of dry foods because whatever food you choose to feed has to fit your lifestyle as well as your mom’s.

/dog-food-reviews/evo-dog-food-dry/
http://www.midamericapetfood.com/victordogfood/pdf/Brochure-GF-Ultra%20Pro.pdf

Canned foods do not need starches to hold them together so they can go all the way down to 1% carbohydrates on a caloric basis. They can also be of a higher quality due to less processing and and a more natural moisture content. The canned foods I have listed below are all below 10% carbs but their fat content is high.

/dog-food-reviews/evo-dog-food-canned/
/dog-food-reviews/wellness-dog-food-core-canned/
/dog-food-reviews/tripett-dog-food/
/dog-food-reviews/by-nature-95-percent-meat/
/dog-food-reviews/castor-pollux-ultramix-grain-free-canned/

Remember that any changes in diet will require a change in the amount of insulin your Mom’s dog will receive. Lowering Carbs will require you to lower the amount of insulin your mom’s dog gets on a daily basis. Changes should be made slowly and gradually and with the help of a VET. Home monitoring of the dog’s blood sugar will greatly help you to manage the dog’s diabetes.

It’s nice that you are looking out for your mom and her dog!!!

[Hound Dog Mom]

Hi Brenda & Linda –

Pregnant bitches should be fed a high quality food appropriate for puppies or all life stages. All of Orijen’s formulas would be acceptable, all of Acana’s formulas with the exception of the Adult Large Breed, Senior Dog and Light & Fit would be appropriate and all of Natural Balance’s foods with the exception of their Fat Dogs formula, their Vegetarian formula and their Ultra Reduced Calorie formula would work as well. Personally, however, the only Natural Balance formula I would feel comfortable feeding to a pregnant or lactating bitch would be the Synergy formula – the other are all too low in fat and protein for my liking and I feel it would be difficult to maintain body condition on those foods. I would also highly recommend mixing in a quality canned food with high levels of protein and fat with whichever dry food you choose, this will not only aid in further increasing the protein and fat levels of of the kibble but will also increase the moisture level in the diet helping to keep her hydrated and increase the palatability (many bitches tend to not eat enough to support the high energy demands of pregnancy and lactation so this is important).

[MastiffMomma]

Hi everyone–I hope someone can help me out here! My mom has a 9 year old JR/Chihuahua cross who has had diabetes for about a year now. He is currently on Royal Canin Moderate Calorie Gastrointestinal Veterinary Exclusive dry and wet food, and has been on this since he was diagnosed with diabetes. He currently takes 8 units of insulin twice daily, and weighs about 15lbs.

Since adopting my own dog (mastiff/German shepherd/ lab cross) I have begun researching dog food and ingredients, and after reading the label of my mom’s dog’s food I am concerned that he is not getting the nutrition he needs. The first ingredients are brewers rice, chicken byproduct meal, corn, and brown rice. There are also several other ingredients noted as “controversial” according to DFA. This food is also quite expensive for the number of poor ingredients it contains ($40 for an 4kg bag of dry food, plus the canned food to mix with as he is a picky eater).

I was wondering if anyone here could recommend a low calorie dry dog food that would be suitable for him? I know it’s difficult to put a star value on therapeutic dog food, so something with higher quality ingredients and no byproduct meals would be excellent.

Thanks in advance!

[Candice S]

hi. i wrote to Wellness and asked about feeding trials. here was their response (i hope it is helpful to you): Dear Candice, Thank you for taking the time to write about Wellness Complete Health Dry Dog Food.
Wonderful! I am pleased to hear that. All of our formulas dry and wet meet or exceed AAFCO specifications.
We perform a limited amount of food trials. We are passionate about our pets and their nutrition. We are very fortunate to have many consumers and employees that help us during the development of our diets and treats. We provide product for in-home trials and we talk to every person to find out how their cat or dog likes the food or treat. We also learn about the stool quality and any other benefits the food may provide such as improving skin & coat or palatability.
It is also important for us to understand some other important nutritional information such as digestibility or how our food compares in taste to other brands. For this, we occasionally use kennels with standard processes that provide reliable information. The kennels are selected based on them sharing the same philosophy towards animal welfare that we do. For instance, the dogs are socialized every day and the cats enjoy a specially designed play area. The dogs and cats are also available for adoption to the kennel employees and their families.
As animal lovers, we have to be comfortable with the choices we make to ensure our diets are complete, balanced and proven. We are very proud to rely on our own consumers, employees, and like-minded kennels to stand behind our natural products.
Thanks again for contacting us.
Kim Yoder
Consumer Affairs Representative
WellPet

[texasniteowl]

Sue, thank you for your response too. I did wonder when I started the Orijen Adult if maybe it would be too high in protein and/or fat for him. It clocks in at 42% dry matter protein and 18% fat. Although it seems that higher protein is typically recommended more often now.

His previous kibbles were:
Fromm’s Grain Free Salmon Tunalini which was 31% dry matter protein and 16% fat. Before that was a grain inclusive Fromm’s 4 Star Duck and Sweet Potato which was only 27% dry matter protein and 15% fat.

I suppose I could try the Wellness CORE Reduced Fat…it is still higher protein (37%) but only 11% fat and then also try something that is both lower protein and lower fat. Back to my dog food excel spreadsheet!

Do you have a particular probiotic suggestion?

[texasniteowl]

Thank you Betsy for replying. I too wonder about all the foods going to chickpeas and lentils. I don’t know at the moment if it is an issue for Wilson or not. The Orijen Adult does contain them, but fairly far down the list. I’ll post the ingredients below. It is primarily poultry and fish based.

Thanks for mentioning the NVI LID. I had considered trying them though I wished the protein was a little bit higher. He has had both duck and lamb before so even though they wouldn’t be novel, I could try them. And at 32% dry matter protein they are worth trying. Other than that, I have more ingredient checking to do. His most recent kibble before the Orijen was fish based (Fromm’s Salmon Tunalini) and of course, he had a month of chicken and rice.

Firm Up? Who makes that? I assume it is similar to THK’s Perfect Form?

I will check out the Swanson BioCore enzymes and I know Swanson probiotics have been recommended on these boards a lot too.

Thanks!

Orijen Adult Ingredients
Boneless chicken*, chicken meal, chicken liver*, whole herring*, boneless turkey*, turkey meal, turkey liver*, whole eggs*, boneless walleye*, whole salmon*, chicken heart*, chicken cartilage*, herring meal, salmon meal, chicken liver oil, red lentils, green peas, green lentils, sun-cured alfalfa, yams*, pea fiber, chickpeas, pumpkin*, butternut squash*, spinach greens*, carrots*, Red Delicious apples*, Bartlett pears*, cranberries*, blueberries*, kelp, licorice root, angelica root, fenugreek, marigold, sweet fennel, peppermint leaf, chamomile, dandelion, summer savory, rosemary, Enterococcus faecium.

[Rose D]

We have a new family member, a 1.5 lb Maltese at 6 months. The Breeder had her on Royal Canin Small Breed but I am not crazy about that. I notice she has some tearing, but mainly concerned about feeding her the best for her small size. Does anyone have any suggestions on dry foods? She does have a great appetite, we do not allow her to free feed. We have three grown smaller Yorkies, they eat Fromm’s Gold Dry food and love it.

[Barbara O]

Ok….maybe trying to do too much….Also….how often are you bathing the dog? This can cause dryness…If it were me, I’d try using the frozen, balanced food, either Nature’s Variety Instinct raw food or balanced raw, frozen Primal….Give the dog time to heal…The problem may just be too many different foods…give the animal time to heel. Sometimes we try too hard to help our animals….as a result we overdo what we feed…Make a decision to use one of the balanced frozen foods and stick to it for several weeks…use just one oil….salmon oil, which is the best for pets…then take a look at whether there is some progress or not…make changes slowly…

[Barbara O]

It seems this year is really a problem. More and more dogs are having, itching, loss of hair, even dry hair. In our part of the southwest, we have dry weather whereas in Texas, my grandson has hot, humid weather…seems the summer is the problem…So…is your raw diet one that you haven’t mixed yourself or is it from something like Raw Instinct or Primal? There is a difference…. Sometimes just waiting and using the least amoount of balanced food can make a difference. I’ll go back and try to find the complete raw diet you’re using…

[Barbara O]

How much quality oil is the dog getting? Most dog foods have to limit the amount of fat they put in dog foods due to danger of rancidity. My grandson’s lab began doing the same thing. They took her to the vet and she was treated for allergies. I sent them some salmon oil and recommended they add a whole raw egg to the diet. She has cleared except for one small spot. I volunteer for Great Dane rescue and we have been having the same problems with the Danes…dandruff and itching. I began feeding the one I have just adopted the salmon oil and a raw egg at both feedings. He is slicking off, the itching has all but subsided and his coat is becoming shiny. He has been on the egg for over a month and the salmon oil was started last week. Please don’t be afraid to feed the eggs. Several years ago I had several orphaned puppies that were brought to me. I lived close to a vet school and was taken courses there…I talked to one of my professors and he recommended I mix a concoction to feed the puppies…this was whole egg, canned evaporated milk and raw hamburger meat. I also added baby vitamin drops. The pups grew, were shiny and had no health problems…
Sometimes keeping the diet simple is the best. Our dogs are canines…carnivores…they aren’t meant to eat a diet of grains and too much vegetables…
I own a genet and he eats Primal frozen raw…It has some ground veggies in it…I’ve been doing rescue of one sort or another for years…dogs, cats, wild animals…almost all have been carnivores….A very old vet told me one time to feed an animal as close to his native diet as possible…this eliminates many digestive problems. So…I feed grain free food…I have to keep the feeding pans around that slow down the eating process for many of the Danes I get…they have been half starved and abused…they eat so fast food can come back up…Amazon has some wonderful stainless steel ones.

Always feed the dry food wet…not mushy….just wet. Have you ever tried to gobble down a sandwich too fast? It sticks in the throat…This happens to dogs…puppies and grown dogs need moist food…In the wild they would never eat totally dry feed…You can add a small amount of raw veggies to the dry food. My doesn’t like the veggies but the other Danes I’ve rescued love them…One ate broccoli and cauliflower as a treat…Also..someone mentioned gas….eating and gulp air causes gas…

[Melissaandcrew]

I think certain breeds tend to be gassier than others bulldogs, pugs etc have always seemed more so when they have been with is. Our bulldog can bring tears to your eyes when he eats turkey, and certain dry foods do it as well. When we find a problem with him we just avoid the food as gagging is not something I enjoy.

[Bobby dog]

How is everyone’s summer going? The rabbit moved out a few weeks ago. There is a small bunny that I see sometimes when I am mowing. I like to think it’s him/her. Lol Now I have a nest of baby swallows in my barn. I have a family move in each year. The first nest was attacked by a black snake earlier last month. Needless to say I now look up before I walk into the barn now. Yuck, that was creepy to see that snake hanging from the rafters eating those eggs.

Sharon: I hope you are having a better time with flea meds.

So I did a little shopping this week. Stopped at the pet store and Bobby got many sample bags of Stella & Chewy’s “Carnivore Crunch” beef treats. Huge hit with him. They are about 1 x ½” long and are tube shaped. He also got samples of Precise Naturals GF Lamb, which he loved, and samples of PMI Exclusive Lamb & Rice and Chic & Rice recipes.

I found one new dry kibble for the kitties, Simply Nourish Source GF Chic & Turkey, they all love it. I like the shape; it is a small “T” shape, not too thick. I also got samples of Fromm’s Salmon ala Veg and Beef Livattini. They hated Salmon ala Veg, haven’t tried the other. It is half the size of Wellness kibble, round with two flat sides. Still searching for a third kibble for rotation. KLN’s Pure Vita might be a posssibility and the store is also selling Natural Planet Organics (both from Nutrisource’s parent company). Even though Organics is not GF I still might give it a try.

I tried the Freshpet Roasted Chicken too. Only two cats would eat it and they never cleaned their bowls. I mixed it with their usual canned and tried feeding it on its own. Archie ate a little then begged me for other food. Still trying to introduce it to them, but I don’t think they are going to warm up to it.

They had by Nature Organics Chic & Mackeral on sale so I thought I would give it a try. All the cats loved it. I am going to try the plain chicken flavor next. It didn’t have a bad regular price $1.39/6 oz. I don’t think it comes in this size anymore though.

The last food I tried was Purina’s new Beyond canned. Found it at my Wal-Mart for $1.07/can. Can anyone say overpriced? I picked up the GF chic pate’ and the GF turkey with gravy by mistake. I didn’t read the label properly because I don’t like to feed food with gravy. I fed both flavors, they loved them. The turkey with gravy is a small chunk style food with not too heavy gravy. I’ll feed the GF chic pate’ again, not the turkey because of the gravy; another food for the rotation.

[pugmomsandy]

He doesn’t need to switch to adult food. Personally I feed puppy food to all ages. Adding a multi-strain probiotic and digestive enzymes will help him to digest better even though the food has them in it already. Sometimes they lose their potency with the kibble making process. And kibble is just hard and dry and can take several hours to break down and the dog digestive system is fast so dense kibble sometimes doesn’t get broken down enough. And the undigested protein makes powerful gas! My pup used to have terrible gas too. After being on probiotics for a while he should get more efficient with digestion. I’d give the supplement with each meal for several weeks and see how he does. My group only gets supplements once or twice a week and only if they eat kibble.

[Patty C]

. . . adding fresh meat? I can finally afford to feed my dogs better food, so using the evaluations and the sales & coupons at the store (Petco), I chose one that is 3 stars for adults and 4 stars for the pups. I did not choose it merely because of the number of stars but because I still can’t afford 5 stars right now. I also bought some skinless, boneless chicken breasts and chopped them to a pulp and cooked them w/o fat and have been adding some of that when I feed them (1 tablespoon for the chihuahua, one-half cup for the 40-pound mutt, and 3/4 cup for the 100-pound Lab, all cooked and then measured). My question is:
—>> By adding this fresh meat, am I effectively upgrading the dry food I bought?
I hope so. I bought dry because preparation is an issue for me as I need to keep things simple because of personal disability.

[Andrea K]

We are starting a Australian Labradoodle family business and are looking for a dry dog food with higher protein and no peas. We used Innova Puppy Fish when Scarlet was a puppy then recently changed to Pioneer Naturals Grain and Potato Free Chicken and it did not go well. Does anyone have any suggestions? We found some through the lists, but they seem mostly in the $80 range for 30lbs. Was hoping for something not so expensive. Thanks

[USA]

Hi Liz and Mr Lou!

You have very good instincts and Mr Lou is lucky to have you! And of course you are lucky to have Mr Lou!

The frozen green tripe is an excellent source of digestive enzymes and should eliminate the need for adding digestive enzymes to Mr Lou’s diet. Because he received an antibiotic shot which kills the good as well as the bad bacteria I would add probiotics to help replenish his gut. I use this one from Vitacost and it looks like they deliver to Canada.

http://www.vitacost.com/vitacost-probiotic-15-35-35-billion-cfu-60-vegetarian-capsules-9

Start slowly. Half a capsule every other day added to his largest meal. If everything is Okay after 6 days you can go to 1 capsule a day sprinkled on his food. After a month you can reduce it to 1 capsule every other day if you’d like.

k9choicefoods looks like a good food. I couldn’t find the numbers for Protein and Fat but I like the way they raise their animals and their quality seems outstanding.

I would stay away from kibble for multiple reasons. It is a super processed food that is as far away from raw as you can get. The quality will NEVER come close to the raw food you are feeding Mr Lou and feeding a whole food in it’s natural form without any alterations or processing is the absolute best in my opinion.

The Honest Kitchen uses quality ingredients but their foods are too heavy in carbs for my liking. And with any food that has it’s moisture removed who knows exactly how long it takes to re-hydrate it 100% or if it is even possible to re-hydrate it 100%. I just wouldn’t take the chance if I were you. But if you do use a dry food use very little and re-hydrate at least for 24 hours.

The water you understand so just keep up the GOOD WORK and keep drinking while eating or after exercise to a bare minimum. There is mixed evidence on raised feeders but I tend to agree that if you use raised bowls it will allow more gulping or air so I don’t recommend them.

Sardines contain the fish oil you are looking for in a whole food form which is always better than a supplement. Mr Lou is a big boy so after starting really slow a 3 oz tin (packed in water) once or twice a week should be good. If Mr Lou doesn’t like sardines then 2 fish oil capsules daily should be fine.

For supplementing plain raw meat I would use Steve Brown’s dinner mix and not a dehydrated food like Preference by The Honest Kitchen (carbs and re-hydration again)

Here’s to a healthy and happy life for both Mr Lou and you (it rhymes)!!!!!!!

[FrenchieBourdeaux]

Hi,
I am new to the forum and I know this question my have been answered and if so I am sorry. I just recently got a Doug De Bordeaux mastiff and I also have French Bulldogs so I am struggling to figure out what the best food would be to feed I feed my Frenchies a Nature’s Logic which they love and do great on mixture of there raw and dry. Ludo the new boy the mastiff came from the breeders eating TOTW which I don’t like to much or trust. Well he loves the Logic and wont eat the large breed puppy food the horizon complete he wants to eat what the girls eat (Frenchies) and the girls want to it his food which they cant. So I was wondering which food I could feed them all with were they would all be happy is Nature;s Logic calcium levels to high for him and if so which one on the list would be good for both to eat the Frenchies have a lot of allergy issues so I get nerves switching but it is not working feeding two different foods. Is the Now Calcium levels to high? And if so which one on the list do you feel would be the best for both breeds. He is 10 Weeks my Frenchies are 1, 5, and 8 years old. And is there any supplements that I should have him on? Sorry for the book..lol.

[USA]

Hi Liz

Sorry to hear about your guy’s problems.

I read your post and I have a couple of suggestions for you:

Avoid Kibble and all dry or dehydrated foods because they can expand in the stomach even if re-hydrated prior to feeding.

Stick with 3 smaller meals instead of 2 larger meals a day.

Digestive enzymes could help prevent the buildup of any gasses due to improper digestion and could speed up digestion.

Probiotics are usually a good idea for gut health and overall immunity. Probiotics can absorb water in the gut in higher doses so be careful and watch out for straining to poop if you use them.

Some of the raw meats in Walmart contain a solution of salt and other things but you can wash most of that off to minimize any residual salt. Ground meats should be 100% meat and all of the meats in Walmart though maybe not the best in terms of quality are still Human-Grade. Buying meats for your dog in a supermarket guarantees you a certain quality. Even high quality raw dog food does not guarantee you that the meat is Human Edible. Raw dog foods are usually much higher in fat which leads me to believe that even though they might claim to use Human Grade meats they are using the trimmings which are mostly fat.

Buy a premix like Steve Brown’s dinner mixes which will make a boneless raw meal balanced and complete except for Omega 3’s. You can buy sardines in water and add some a couple of times a week to his meals and this will take care of his Omega 3’s

http://www.seespotlivelonger.com/home/sll/smartlist_13/dinner_mixes.html

Keep up the good work and make sure you don’t feed him near exercise time and continue to limit water around meals and exercise but give him access to water at all other times.

I have a question. Did the surgery include attaching the stomach to the abdomen to prevent the volvulus (flipping of the stomach)? If so then at least any future bouts of Bloat will not be life threatening.

Give you pup a hug for me!!!

[Dori]

Hi Lisa. So glad you went with the NV Instinct Raw and that he is keeping it down. Please give it some time while he adjusts to his new food and puts on the needed much needed weight and while his gut heals. Please keep me posted as to how your dog continues to do on the NV Raw. I’m glad you read my post when you tried the NV Dry that it had Turkey Meal in it. I’m hoping that his issues are mainly poultry and grain based intolerances and now he will begin to get well. : )

Also glad to read that you are using a scale. You might be tempted to feed him more than you should just cause he’s too thin, but don’t do that. You can feed him less than you normally would while he heals and eventually on your scale and on NV Feeding Guide you can put in the weight that you believe he should be and then figure it out from there. Remember, raw feeding is less than dry kibble. Just give him a little time to eat and keep food down. Again, please post and let me know how he’s doing.

• This reply was modified 11 years, 8 months ago by Dori.

[Melissaandcrew]

Hi Jennifer-

I am going to agree with your vet on the cause-Pig ears are a huge no no for many breeds of dogs that are prone to pancreatitis, so definetly would be for one who had an attack. Very high fat content. What was the fat content of what you were feeding him before? You may have said and I missed it. Right after an attack, one does need to heavily restrict the fat etc in order to allow the pancreas to rest and reduce inflammation. Most vets will say restrict the fat content from this point forward to 10-12% MAXIMUM, not minimum. Good luck finding foods that report a guaranteed minimum, lol.

As an owner of mini schnauzers for 25 plus years, I have dealt with it more times than I wished to. Schnauzers are very prone to pancreatitis and severe attacks at that. I was a good sheep and followed the protocol. And what that got me was a bunch of schnauzers who were more fat sensitive than ever. I only had one that continued to have fat content issues, and we went with Blue Buffalo Wilderness Healthy weight for her, with some other brands mixed in for variety. The rest of the crew were transitioned SLOWLY to various brands, and types and they are “safe” up to about 16.5% total fat in a meal. If I wish to feed them say Acana grassland which is 17% fat, then I mix it with Lamb/Apple which is 15% fat. You get the idea.

These days, I feed a combination of dry,canned, dehydrated and homemade raw(they did well on Natures Variety Instinct raw as well-but like anything else watch the fat content) When I make raw, I use lean meats-skinless chicken, lean beef etc and so far, no issues. My point being while you have to be conscious of fat content, each dog has an upper threshold and it may take a bit of research to find yours. Just remember to do everything very slowly, and don’t go crazy and think Milo can have 17 or 18 percent fat because other dogs do. good luck-Melissa

[LabsRawesome]

Dr Mike has Nature’s Domain canned at 44% protein 28% fat and 20% carbs. On a dry matter basis. /dog-food-reviews/natures-domain-grain-free-canned/

• This reply was modified 11 years, 8 months ago by LabsRawesome.

[Akari_32]

Good job! I did some couponing today for dry cat food at Pet Supermarket. I don’t use dry, so I took them to the Humane Society. They were very happy when I came in with three bags of food :3

1x 2lb bag of Hills Ideal Balance Grain Free cat food – on sale for $9.97
1x gourmet treat – 50 cents
1x $5 off any size dog or cat Hills Ideal Balance dry food manufacturer coupon (PetCo keeps these at the door with their fliers as you walk in)
1x $5 off any size cat Hills Ideal Balance dry or canned case Pet Supermarket coupon
Total after tax and coupons: $0.86 each transaction, and I bought three bags.
Total for all three bags and three treats: $2.58

[Jennifer H]

Thank you, everyone for answering my post. To be honest with you, I never really researched dog foods until he ended up with Pancreatitis. We have always had poodles and none of them ever had issues until Milo. It was when the Pancreatitis happened, that I found this site and began to truly research dog foods. I agree with you magnoliasouth that Natures Recipe is not the best food. I really do not feel right feeding him something I can not eat and is not the best after educating myself on what is truly in pet foods. Truly, I do not know what caused the attack, I am just going by what the vet said, that pig ears are high in fat. Milo had only eaten his grain free dog food, grain free treats and a pig ear before his attack. My neighbors were aware of his allergies and I have again made it clear that he is to have nothing to eat. The vet said that it would be hard to determine exactly what caused the attack, they are just speculating the pig ear is the cause of it. As for the Royal Canin, i stopped it within about 2 days of purchasing the case of it from the vet. I now realize that the vet promotes that junk.

I have looked at the list of low fat/low sodium on here but I am still worried that some of them may still be too high in fat for him. My other worry is with a lot of the limited ingredient diets, there is a lot of starchy foods instead of grain, which promotes yeast. I am still working my way through the list and was not aware of the other thread with the low fat/low sodium foods, so I will look at that as well.

Corinne, your post has been so helpful to me, with lots of information. I do not feel it was preachy at all, but very very helpful. Unfortanately, I am not at all happy with my vet. There answer was and still is “royal canin”. Most of the time, I am speaking with a tech. My vet has dismissed my concerns about Milo’s food allergies and continually states that it’s “season allergies”. Not to seem more knowledgeable then the vet, but I know how Milo acts when he is having a food allergy. I am looking for another vet in the meantime. I did give Milo some Benadryl, but I did not give him the Prednisone after the attack. I honestly didn’t know it could cause Pancreatitis, and I am now wondering why the vet did not know this as well. They actually gave him Prednisone for another issue in April, so I am wondering now if that is what caused the pancreatitis.

With all my recent research, I did read about the pancreatic enzyme, which I am starting to give him. I would love to fed him a homemade diet w/ supplements. Another area I have read a lot about. Corinne, is there any pointers you can give me? Or maybe steer me in the right direction of recipes, supplements, etc. to begin dong this? Also, I have read that Chicken and Rice diet is ok to feed him, while I know it is not balanced, would it be ok to feed him this diet until I have his food situation under control?

You have given me so much direction, I am very thankful and plan on getting to work on as much as I can right away.

[Susan]

Hi Regina, My Patch didnt do good on the Eukanuba tin low residue, I looked up the Eukanuba tin low residue & the Iams Tin low residue & they have the same ingredients, also when I put it in the fridge the next day you’d see the white fat that had hardened on the side & top of the food, the fat is too high at 4.5%.when you converted to kibble fat thats around 21% fat thats high…There’s too many ingedients also in the low residue tin, there’s fish, chicken liver, chicken & beef..Have you tried cooking a low fat meals….I give Patch light Tuna in spring water drained then mix in a bit of boiled pumkin for breakfast, he does real well on the Tuna better then on the boiled chicken breast…also have you looked at the Low fat diets in the review section, look for something lower then 3% fats in wet foods….also you say that Alf wont eat kibble, have you tried soaking the kibble in water to soften, then draining the water off.. I do that with Patches Eukanuba Intestinal kibble & the Wellness Simple Duck & Oatmeal kibble, have you tried adding some low fat tin food or some tuna on top of the soften kibble, to make him eat…..I know when Patch had his gurgling stomach/bowel I’d make him a piece of dry white toast with a little bit of thinly spread honey on the toast & his bowel would stop gurgling & rumbling, its gases going tru his bowel, also Royal Canin make a tin food called (Gastro Intestinal Low Fat) its only 1.75% fat, maybe try the Royal Canin low fat tin food, Ive read a few people on the Dogpancreatitis yahoo group use the Royal Canin low fat tin food with great success…I hope Alfie gets better…but look at the fat % content, it took me 1 year to realise that it was the higher fat% making Patch ill, the stupid vet didnt even realise until I saw another vet that said lower his fat under 9%..I did then Patch started to get better again & no more rumbling & gurgling stomach/bowel..

[DogFoodie]

It sounds like he’s intolerant of something in the food he’s eating currently. My dog with food intolerance issues gets an ear infection in his right ear when he’s expose to his triggers. I’d look for a lower fat, more limited ingredient canned food (if possible) like Weruva Human Style or Addiction. Take a look at this article: /best-dog-foods/suggested-low-fat-dog-food/

I’d also take a look at this thread: /forums/topic/dry-dog-food-with-low-salt-and-low-fat/

A poster, Gina, in that thread shared a list of foods that she researched that were low fat and low sodium. The list is limited to those brands she researched, but might be a good starting place.

[Lisa C]

I’d have to ask my vet. The blood test we did on Thursday came back today and they said his pancreatic fluids are elevated…they didn’t say it’s pancreatitis, but I don’t know what to do from here.

They want him back on the RX food, but last time we tried that he just vomited it all up (dry). Unless we try wet and see how he does on that. ahhhh 🙁

[magnoliasouth]

First off, love this site and all the work you’ve put into it. I don’t buy a dog food that I haven’t read about here first.

There are a lot of foods though that you haven’t reviewed and I can only imagine why. There are just so many! That said, it would really be nice if there were a way to analyze them ourselves, or at least, get an idea. Is there any way you can list ingredients on a page, in alphabetical order, with basic information about them?

You could still list the controversials in red so most users would know right away.

Take for example Dried Potato. You say:

The X-number ingredient is dried potato, a dehydrated item usually made from the by-products of potato processing. In most cases, dried potato can contain about 10% dry matter protein which can affect our estimate of the total meat content of this recipe.

It could say that, but because you won’t know what number ingredient it is, it would be helpful if we learned when it was important and when it was not. For example, how different would the importance be if the first ingredient was dried potato or if it were the last ingredient? Or what about the 7th?

Another thing – and this would go with your reviews too, but it’s important for users to know this – is a warning on which manufacturing countries are a danger. Most of us know that Chinese manufactured dog food is a serious no-go. Not everyone does though. Also, to take that a step further, what ingredients are particularly dangerous in a country such as China? Or is it any ingredient?

Again, this would be helpful for your users who are researching foods you haven’t yet reviewed. Also by putting it on one page (or if you don’t want that the user could choose to “view all” or “print the bad ingredients” or whatever) they can then print it and take it with them when looking at what dogs foods are locally available to them and quickly find the ingredients. I say this because not everyone can afford to buy online and not every town has a Petsmart.

Many thanks for giving us the opportunity to make suggestions, and for your hard work. 🙂

[Corinne M]

I say maybe it is, maybe it’s not. More importantly, your vet says it is…or rather, your vet says your dog needs a specific diet right now to address the BUN/Creatinine results. Feeding a raw or homemade diet is the “best thing” for your dog only if it is supporting your dog’s wellness. Creating a nutritionally complete recipe plus providing the right supplements is tricky — especially when your trying to address kidney issues. There are many exceptional commercially prepared foods (look at 5 start rated reviewed foods here on this site) that might be better suited for your dog right now – could be raw, freeze-dried, canned or dry. The point is, it needs to specifically address the health problem. The other things I would look into & discuss with my vet would be:
– how did these test results compare to his prior bloodwork?
-did he fast before having the blood drawn?
-what did his other levels look like? Calcium? Phosphorus? Sodium:Potassium ratio?
– Is his BUN level in the “normal range for raw-fed dogs?
– was protein detected in the urine sample?
And I would ask my vet, “If I were to change his diet as you suggest, what do you expect we will see on the next test? How long do you think it will take to see a change?”
I feed raw. I’m an advocate of feeding raw. At the same time, I trust my vet and when he tells me there is an issue I tend to believe him.

[Jennifer H]

My toy poodle, Milo, had Pancreatitis the end of May. A few years ago he was diagnosed with Wheat Allergies and our vet at the time recommended Natures Recipe Grain Free Dry Dog Food. He had been eating that food for years without any issues. He is prone to occasional ear infections. He has been seeing his current vet for less then a year. When he came home from the hospital after the pancreatitis, the vet sent him home with Royal Canin dog food and the tech at the vet said that after he was finished eating the Royal Canin they sent me home with, that he could go back to eating his regular pet food. He just need to not eat anything that was high in fat or salt. My poodle is big. He weighs about 17lbs. He is not overweight for his size, just a big poodle. A neighbor was feeding him pig ears without our knowledge so I thought perhaps this had caused the Pancreatitis. Anyway, I tried to put him back on his regular food and he refused to eat it. It was a dry kibble. I brought this to the vets attention and at that time they said they wanted him to remain on Royal Canin. I purchased a case without reading the ingredients first and I couldn’t believe I was feeding this to my pet. Milo has changed eating this food. He is constantly hungry. He begs for food, pesters you until you give him something more to eat and he has begun to scratch non-stop. He has been getting non-stop ear infections, biting and licking his paws and has very loose stool. I have left dry food down for him to eat, but he will not eat it. The symptoms he shows with the ears and biting/licking are usually signs I have seen in him in the past when he had food allergies. I returned to the vet and they did not think this was a big deal. The vet tech actually commented that it sounds like my dog likes the Royal Canin. (um, no I don’t think so either) They gave me more prednisone and told me to give him 1 Benadryl, twice a day, every day.
On the Benadryl, all Milo does is sleep. He acts spaced out. He is still scratching like crazy. I have read so much information on so many topics that my head is spinning. I feel so bad for my little guy and I am at a loss as to what to do for him. I have looked into different pet foods, but most of the high quality foods that are grain free are loaded with starch or fat. Any advice anyone could give me would be so much appreciated. I have tried diluted vinegar rinses and it seems to help for the night, but the next day he is back to scratching non stop. Is there any foods out there that are low fat, with no starch and no grains? I have tried a few brands that have quality ingredients, but I have found they have a lot of starch (potatoes, sweet potatoes, in gravy) and while he has enjoyed the food, it is not helping with the itching. I would prefer ingredients that are ok for human consumption (I don’t want to eat it, but I want him to have the best). I have tried MyPerfectPet, but it is loaded with potatoes and he has scratched even more. I have read so much that my head is spinning and I am at a loss. I just want him to be happy and healthy. Thanks again in advance.

[Jennifer H]

My toy poodle, Milo, had Pancreatitis the end of May. A few years ago he was diagnosed with Wheat Allergies and our vet at the time recommended Natures Recipe Grain Free Dry Dog Food. My boy has been eating that food for years without any issues. He is prone to occasional ear infections. He has been seeing his current vet for less then a year. When he came home from the hospital after the pancreatitis, the vet sent him home with Royal Canin dog food and the tech at the vet said that after he was finished eating the Royal Canin they sent me home with, that he could go back to eating his regular pet food. He just need to not eat anything that was high in fat or salt. My poodle is big. He weighs about 17lbs. He is not overweight for his size. A neighbor was feeding him pig ears without our knowledge so I thought perhaps this had caused the Pancreatitis. Anyway, I tried to put him back on his regular food and he refused to eat it. I brought this to the vets attention and at that time they said they wanted him to remain on Royal Canin. Milo has changed eating this food. He is constantly hungry. He begs for food, pesters you until you give him something to eat and he has begun to scratch non-stop. He has been getting non-stop ear infections, biting and licking his paws and has very loose stool. I have left dry food down for him to eat, but he will not eat it. The symptoms he shows with the ears and biting/licking are usually signs I have seen in him in the past when he had food allergies. I returned to the vet and they did not think this was a big deal. The vet tech actually commented that it sounds like my dog likes the Royal Canin. They gave me more prednisone and told me to give him 1 Benadryl, twice a day, every day.
On the Benadryl, all Milo does is sleep. He acts spaced out. He is still scratching like crazy. I have read so much information on so many topics that my head is spinning. I feel so bad for my little guy and I am at a loss as to what to do for him. I have looked into different pet foods, but most of the high quality foods that are grain free are loaded with starch or fat. Any advice anyone could give me would be so much appreciated. I have tried diluted vinegar rinses and it seems to help for the night, but the next day he is back to scratching non stop. Is there any foods out there that are low fat, with no starch and no grains? Thanks in advance.

[Jonathan W]

Hey all, I’ve been reading the reviews from this site for a few years, first time post. I have a lab mix who I’ve had on chicken soup for the soul adult for the last couple of years. She does well with it, no complaints. Only thing I’ve noticed is she seems to have less shine on her coat and maybe a tiny bit more dander. I stumbled upon TOTW high prairie a few months ago, and I’m considering making the switch. It sounds like one of the best bang for your buck and maybe one of the best dry foods period. She’s of normal exercise (walks ~4 days a week and fetch), seems to have no allergies, and is a healthy weight.

Anything I should take into consideration on making the switch? Is high prairie a better food?