[Akari_32]

The canned pedigree isn’t too bad. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not a very good food, but It could be worse. LOL Not really much different than some of the Pro Plan, though. Since Haley can’t do just dry all the time, I just get what I can, and use the lower quality ones in moderation. My canned dog food collection would probably give you guys a heart attack LOL Since high quality dry food makes up the bulk of their diets, I tend to not worry about their canned. They’ve had much worse, believe me!

Mom calls him Gary or Kitty. I call him Kitty, but every night I’m “ok, tomorrow I’ll start calling him Alec!” Hasn’t happened yet…. LOL

[cutedeedle]

Heh, I think many of us have this problem! My finicky Standard Schnauzer loves any canned food but we’ve found that mixing most of the kinds of Tiki Dog canned food with some dry kibble of the Pure Vita Grain Free has done the trick for us. Too bad canned food is sooooo expensive, especially if you have more than one dog, or a very large dog or two. I agree with “aquariangt” about getting small cans and/or bags of food — lots of places offer samples of kibble — and see what your dog likes on a consistent basis. Another trick we use — crush up some freeze-dried liver (we use the Bravo Bonus Bites Chicken Liver) and sprinkle it in and on top of the food. I know, this is truly maddening. And our finicky Schnauzer doesn’t like pumpkin but my little Schnauzer 1 y/o loves it. Go figure. Grrrrrr!

[jane c]

11/2 yr old Standard Poodle has ongoing ear problems. The vet has run out of ideas and says she may have this all her life. I have been feeding a raw mix for over a month but now she won’t eat it and ears have not improved . Using Zimcocker’s ear wash but she screams in pain and I can’t go on like this. Thyroid test was done. I believe that a high quality dry food would not affect her ears but my raw-feeding friends tell me it would. Please help

[Akari_32]

The only thing I worry about for the dogs canned is the expiration date. They only get one can split between them every week or so because my supply is running low and I’ve not seen any good deals on canned dog food lately. I do have some decent ones lined up for Pedigree and Purina One (yeah, yeah, I know. But it’s not a large part of their diet and Haley doesn’t like just dry– it’s too hard on her tummy) if I could ever get out to PetSmart to get them.

I don’t mind having a bathroom buddy lol He just freaks out if he can’t be in the same room with me. I dog sat over the weekend and stayed at the peoples house , and the neighbor said he was looking for me all weekend. He doesn’t like to be away from his mommy lol He just laid on my chest for like 15 minutes getting snuggles and scratches because he was playing with a hair tie when I went into my room to get my PJs on and he didn’t come in when I called him, so he had to make sure his mommy have him all her love before she locked him out of the room for the night lol he’s such a baby lol

[Bobby dog]

Hey Akari:
My feeding schedule is whatever food they’ll eat that day. lol Very nice and organized!

On the Purina One Beyond review side a poster commented Target had the new bags of POB. I think they tried the regular Purina One and their dog didn’t do well so they returned it and bought their usual POB Lamb. They commented if they had purchased their usual POB in the first place it would have been in the old yellow bag for $6.99. When they exchanged the food for POB lamb the next day they had already stocked the new bags and the new price was $9.99. That’s the kind of stuff that happens to me. Don’t know if they had any of the new dry recipes. I don’t think they changed the original dry dog food recipes, just added three new flavors. Anyway, I am going to be on the lookout for the new POB GF canned cat foods. Purina still doesn’t have the new recipe info on it’s website.

[KD]

I was considering moving my dog to freshpet vitals. She is a very picky eater. Tried multiple dry and canned foods, as well as freeze dried like Grandma Lucy’s. Some things she’ll eat for awhile, although only small amounts, and eventually turns her nose at them. Others not at all. I’m desperate for a high quality food that she will eat consistently. This looked great until I saw the use of carrageenan. It is a controversial food additive used in a variety of both human and pet foods that acts as an emulsifier and thickening agent. It has been linked to serious illnesses in some research, often attributed to its inflammatory properties. It’s a hotly contested topic, and I don’t know enough to say whether it is safe or not. Does anyone have any opinion on this? It’s looks like a great product and certainly more appetizing for my pup, so I’d love to use it if safe.

[Eric Q]

im having the same problem. I got my puppy last September from north shore animal league. I was feeding her what they were giving her (just some super market brand puppy chow) I immediately started swiching her to the better food (wellness just for puppy) she would maybe 2 times a week finish her food. I tried many brands from call of the wiled, wellness, nutro, and others. I tried mixing wet with dry , only dry , only wet and nothing seems to interest her. She is now 11 months old and im at my wits end. I took her to the vet several times they say she looks good she is not under weight. but I know she is hungry. I do not as a rule give her any people food. Im the only one in my house so I know someone is not giving her stuff behind my back. I do sometimes give her a milk bone or a small carrot as a treat but nothing more and she devours the milk bone or carrot and looks for more but when it comes to meal time she will eat a little and walk away. I now get dried liver training treats from the pet store and grind them down and sprinkle it over the food. sometimes it helps sometimes it doesn’t. Does anyone have any advice? Please help!!!

[Akari_32]

He eats it anyways, but he doesn’t like to work too hard for his food lol He could eat and eat if we let him, but I guess this stuff mixed with his dry food is just too hard to get out of the corners of the bowl, and he gets lazy LOL The cat has no problems coming over and finishing it off for him *rolls eyes* at least they both know to eat what you get or you don’t eat lol

[Oceans11]

Jjennilee – I have a picky eater, too. He is a nine month old Cotton de Tulear. He is point on point with everything you described with your Shelties, right down to liking ice cubes. I can’t tell you how much money we have thrown away in expensive highly rated canned and dry dog food. He does like just about everything we eat. I just purchased 2 Fresh Pet Select in the cooler section (is this the same as you referenced although you called it Pet Fresh?) it is bite size chunks of chicken and one of beef. I have fed him one of each type and he won’t eat it. I did notice Fresh Pet has a tube of something – since you had luck with that perhaps I will try it. I couldn’t figure out who and where it is made which is a huge concern. Also, I have been thinking about making his food. It would be a whole lot easier if I could find something he likes and switch that up with kibble that he does eat from time to time. Who knew feeding a dog could be so involved!

[Shasta220]

I’ve posted at least a topic or two about my little girl, Maddy. She gets free choice chicken soup dry, and I give her about 1/2 can (that’s all she eats at a time) of either Felidae, CS, or Natural Balance canned.

I am just curious what canned foods you guys love for your cats. Maddy seems to like rotational the most (I bought a 13oz can of Felidae once since it was only .10$ more than the 5oz can… She ate a scoop of it daily for a few days, then refused it since she wanted a different taste lol.)

She does fine on these ones, but I’m always open to trying new brands since that’s what she likes. So far anything with poultry first is a winner. Salmon first is a no-way for her lol. Haven’t tried tuna/whitefish…

[Scott C]

Like Jayne V, above, I would be interested to know the specific rationale for not including the Orijen puppy food on the list. We have had our huge Samoyed on Orijen for the last three years (we rescued him when he was one) so have no personal experience with the Orijen puppy product, but have nothing but glowing praise for the Adult Dry. My mother-in-law will be getting a 6-month German shepherd puppy soon, however, and we hesitate to recommend Orijen puppy based on its absence from the list here.

Would sincerely appreciate any additional thoughts that can be shared on this point.

[klynnway@aol.com]

I am looking for a single protein dry and wet dogfood other than chicken, fish or lamb that is suitable for a senior dog. I am looking for a brand that does not have grains, potatoes, rice (her glucose has gone up). R.C Prescrition Pot/Venison begain also putting soy in their formula and that ended that food. I am looking at Zignatures duck and turkey L/I formula but am unsure of the protein levels. I read that the duck was possibly more diggestiable than the turkey which I am now trying with Wild Calling canned food. I would appreciate any comments for my elder girl She began acid refdlux we feel due to the 8mos of potatoes! Also, how much protein is too much protein. Possibly +fiber is okay but that remains unknown also.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Nona-
I agree with the other two posters. I don’t think you necessarily need to switch foods due to your dog being a senior. I think you need to find another food because it is healthy to rotate and add variety. And also to have another food to use in case you can’t get the current food. Like Marie said, seniors don’t necessarily need less protein like many senior foods have. They actually could use more high quality protein. Since your dog has been on the same food for so long, when you switch, you will have to transition very slowly. I’d also try to find something with similar fat and protein levels. I also really think that adding healthy toppers to dry food is a must. I use either canned, dehydrated, raw, eggs, cottage cheese, or sardines to every meal. Good luck!

[Susan]

Hi again, have you gone to the “Reveiws” at the top of post o ur left u’ll see n the “SearchResults” type in low fat low protein & high fiber…. I just did & about 20 different brand foods have come up, dry, wet & 1 freeze Dried by Stella and Chewys….Just remember to do the spoon test/hot water with the new kibble to see if it breaks up easy..

[Tina]

My GSD mix has become very finicky over the past few weeks. In both the mornings and afternoons he will either turn his nose up or take a bite and then walk away. I’ve tried adding fresh chicken and chicken broth but he eats the chicken right out of it. Other techniques I’ve tried include, changing flavors of wet food, changing brands of wet food, changing both brands and flavors of wet food, changing textures of wet food and last changing dry food. He’s tried Hill’s Science Diet (Wet and Dry), Blue Buffalo (Wet), Wellness (Wet), Nutro (Wet and Dry) and Hill’s Ideal Balance (Wet and Dry). He’s had chicken as his protein since he was a puppy. What dog food is good for finicky eating dogs both wet and dry? What should I do?

[LabTX]

Hound Dog Mom, I’ve been reading a lot of your posts on the Large Breed Puppies topic and was wondering if you had some insight for a large breed adult puppy. I have a 7.5 yr old, 65lb, chocolate lab who has been on a RAW diet for the last 2-3 years. She has been through BARF, Tuckers, and most recently OC RAW. My wife thought it would be easier if we switched her back to dry food. The savings would be nice, but I’m worried about her health more than anything. Are there any decent dry food replacements that are going to do as well as the RAW? I will say, I have never seen a dog so excited to eat in my life. Sometimes I wonder if she’s constantly hungry on the RAW because of the way she acts, but she maintains a healthy 65lb weight.

[Brenda P]

To everyone else thanks for your positive replies. With regard to Mulligan Stew, they are only discontinuing their dry kibble. They are keeping their canned products and according to the company they are increasing that line. I did look at Nature’s logic, but I think it had some grains in it that I didn’t want my dog to have–can’t remember–I’ve researched so many. Right now, I’m considering Orijen and Acana. Orijen was recommended to me by Mulligan Stew and Acana was recommended by Dog Food Advisor. My only concern for both of them is the high level of protein. Mulligan Stew was 28; Acana will be 32 and Orijen is 38. I did look on the ASCPA site re protein requirements for older dogs–my dog will be 10 in October–and it said dogs need more protein as they get older and that high protein does not lead to renal failure–which is completely different than what I was told when I got my dog almost 10 years ago.

[Judy V]

I am looking for a budget friendly low fat dog food for my 11 yr. old Corgi and Schnoodle. They tend to be a little overweight. They love Merricks Turducken but it’s a little expensive for me. I’m also using Taste Of The Wild Prairie dry dog food to mix it with. What are the best budget low fat dog foods?

[Nicole V]

Hi mah4angel! Ugh, I can totally relate to the flea frustration…I live in Orange County and I also have to battle fleas naturally. My terrier mix is very sensitive to chemicals and would get pretty sick when I applied spot-on flea treatments. Once I read how dangerous they can be, I decided to take a different approach. Here’s some of the products I use for flea control, with web addys to purchase them. The following is cut & pasted from an email that I sent to a friend earlier this month…hope it helps you!

Diatomaceous earth (food grade) – I make a dry shampoo with this stuff (2 parts DE to 1 part corn starch stored in a glass jar) and rub it into the fur around the base of Cookie’s tail and around her neck and ears after her bath. From my own experience, DE is very effective against existing fleas.

Cedar spray – This can be sprayed onto a slicker brush and combed into a dog’s fur, if your dog is not sensitive to strong smells. Cookie is sensitive to everything, and was “depressed” after I applied this to her. She also acts “depressed” when the groomer sprays dog cologne on her, so it’s just her being a weirdo, and not an issue with the product. We sprayed some on the beagle and he was fine. It helps repel and even kill fleas and mosquitoes. It also can be sprayed around the home. I spray it on my screens and on the front door threshold. It smells like a campfire, so that’s the only downside.
CedarCide Original Pest Repellent Spray

Herbal collar – I got this for Cookie to wear outdoors only…it can be stored in a Ziploc to maintain potency. It’s pretty much just an extra repellent and it actually smells pretty nice.
Natural Research People Herbal Collar with Cedar

Neem spray – This is just to help relieve any general itchiness, and also works as a mild repellent. I may spray this on her legs and tummy before a hike or visit to the dog park. She doesn’t get “depressed” when I put this on her. Mostly I just got this to use on myself. 🙂
DERMagic Organic Shampoo Bars for Dogs

Apple cider vinegar – This is the method my students’ families use for their pets, and they swear by it! They mix it with water (50/50 ratio) and spray it on their dogs to kill and repel fleas. I haven’t tried this yet because I’m sure Cookie will hate it.

Vacuum and washer/dryer – This is my most hated method, but I have a strong feeling that it’s helping a lot. I vacuum at least 1-2 per week, and wash all bedding and blankets every week. Boo…it sucks.

[T]

Don’t forget to support gut healing (probiotics, digestive enzymes, L-glutamine, bone broth, etc.) while you are working on finding a diet that works for your guy.

For red, hot, itchy ears (with or without exudate), steer away from “hot” proteins like venison, lamb and chicken. Steer toward rabbit, turkey, white fish. Canned food, homemade cooked, or raw food are all “cooler” than dry kibble. Adding healthy fats like sardines and eggs can be very beneficial, too.

Green veggies can help cool things down, too. Just make sure you puree them or lightly cook or the dog may not derive full benefit of the veggies.

Also, I like Zymox or Zymox HC ear drops as an alternative to the strong meds most vets prescribe.

Tabitha
http://naturalalternativesvet.com

[Christina K]

I ordered the Holistic Select in the anchovy, salmon flavor. Until then, I’ll be feeding him chicken so that I don’t have to give him any more of the Dog Chow. Hopefully the transition goes well, I really don’t want to get anything too close to Dog Chow since it is so terrible. I also think I saw that the Holistic Select comes in a canned food, so I might do a mixture of dry and canned. I’m sure that he would enjoy it.

I also managed to fined the THK Beams on Amazon, so I got those too. Until then, I have some fruit based treats that the Pet Smart employees recommended. He seems to like them, and they certainly haven’t made anything worse.

I’m going grocery shopping tonight, so I’ll look for the Coconut Oil. I’m assuming that I’ll be able to find it in the organic section.

[InkedMarie]

The first thing I would do is stop the dry food. I’d use canned, dehydrated, raw (core made or your own). If you must feed dry, I’d add water to your dogs food. It’s very important that a dog with crystals get a lot of moisture & have ample opportunity to urinate.

Good luck!

[neezerfan]

I believe the list will only contain 4 or 5 star foods. See the review here: /dog-food-reviews/great-life-dog-food-dry/.
Would you consider feeding canned? Picky dogs will usually eat canned better than kibble.

[Dru N]

My 9 year old American Bulldog has a inoperable tumor and has been on prednisone for the past year. His appetite is extreme. We have been feeding him FreshPet Select for about a year now. He also gets a lot of snacks. He is still losing weight and rather than increase the FreshPet which is expensive, we would like to give him a high calorie dry food in addition to the FreshPet to keep his weight up.

He should be about 120 lbs. He’s lower than that now, probably closed to 105 to 110. The last time we tried to give him Blue Buffalo he got really bad gas. He also has a lot of skin allergies. Do you have any suggestions on a dry food that would be good?

[Jose S]

What confuses me about Blue Buffalo is that, in 2007 they had a major dust up with American Nutrition (ANI) ANI was putting ingredients in Blue Buffalo’s food without their consent. Blue Buffalo called it “tampering.” The FDA chimed in as well. Blue Buffalo said they would never use ANI again. Why then, according to the Whole Dog Journal, does ANI make Blue Buffalo dry?

[Naturella]

I second Sandy’s advice – Bruno’s add-ins (various canned such as Merrick, Wellness, Nutro Ultra, etc.; THK Love, Embark, Force, Keen; yoghurt/kefir, cottage cheese, coconut oil, raw eggs, pumpkin, flaxseed meal on occasion, canned sardines on occasion, RMBs (pork necks and chicken backs at the moment), and raw spelts (small fish), and natural dehydrated chews – bully sticks, ears, snouts, chicken feet and necks, tracheas, etc.) constitute about 1/4 (25%) of his daily intake. However, THK and canned are also considered balanced foods (right?), so I think I am at below 20% with unbalanced additives. I just use his body condition as a guide, and will start keeping track of his weight (IDK if I will measure him though) – he is very active and runs a lot, and appears to be in tip top shape.

Also, I will give you Bruno’s weekly sample menu. He is an about 13lb, 1 year old, active Rat Terrier mix.
Kibble mix is: Earthborn Holistic Coastal Catch:Vets Choice Holistic Health Extension Original:Victor Yukon Salmon in 3:1:1/3 ratio.

Treats: above kibble mix or NutriSource Seafood Select or Castor and Pollux Organix Adult (the last 2 are from samples). Also available are Nutro and Old Mother Hubbard biscuits for special occasions. Also for special occasions (or to keep him busy when I’m busy too) I make him ice-cream with yoghurt, peanut butter, coconut oil and coconut butter, and a sprinkle of cinnamon and turmeric, and I fill anything I can – his Kong, marrow bone, hoof, other toys with holes – and freeze. Rarely I give raw veggies/fruits like carrots, cucumbers, watermelon, apple, pineapple core, mango, raw coconut, etc. (safe stuff).

Monday:
Breakfast: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon coconut oil and water to make it soupy
Lunch: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon THK chicken and water to make it soupy
Dinner: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons canned and water to make it soupy

Tuesday:
Breakfast: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons yoghurt/kefir and water to make it soupy
Lunch: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons canned and water to make it soupy
Dinner: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon THK turkey and water to make it soupy

Wednesday:
Breakfast: 1/4 cup kibble with raw egg (no shell) with a sprinkle of flaxseed meal
Lunch: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon THK beef and water to make it soupy
Dinner: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons canned and water to make it soupy

Thursday:
Breakfast: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon coconut oil and water to make it soupy
Lunch: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons canned and water to make it soupy
Dinner: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon THK turkey and water to make it soupy

Friday:
Breakfast: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons cottage cheese and water to make it soupy
Lunch: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons raw organ meat (whatever I have) or raw meat/fish (whatever I have) or 2 teaspoons of canned and water to make it soupy
Dinner: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon THK chicken and water to make it soupy

Saturday:
Breakfast: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon coconut oil and water to make it soupy
Lunch: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon THK turkey and water to make it soupy
Dinner: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons canned and water to make it soupy

Sunday:
Breakfast: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons pumpkin with a sprinkle of cinnamon and water to make it soupy
Lunch: 1/4 cup kibble with 2 teaspoons canned and water to make it soupy
Dinner: 1/4 cup kibble with teaspoon THK beef and water to make it soupy
RMB to cap it out

On days when Bruno runs a lot (i.e. Dog Park days) I may switch his next meal’s add-in with raw egg or raw meat/organ meats/fish (or canned sardine) for added natural protein “post WOD”. Or give him a dehydrated natural chew like a bully stick, a cow/lamb/pig ear, or tripe stick, or you know – “richer” stuff to make up for the calories burned and supply some lean meat for his muscles. I really just kind of gage his body condition and appetite for stuff as far as additives go. And sometimes, if I’m out of canned, I put his plain dry kibble in a dispensing toy and let him play with it and eat it as is. I also do some training daily and reward with about 20 kibble bits, and, if I want to stress on something – an Old Mother Hubbard or Nutro biscuit. Oh, and I almost always add water (as you can see) for added hydration. But yeah… So far so good with this method of mine. Hope I’m doing it right too, lol.

But I’m sure you will figure out how to balance it for Jake. 🙂

[Joanne H]

How about a dry food with no grain or peas? I just learned that my lab is allergic to peas. I have been stumped for years and had switched her to Wellness Grain Free. That and most others have peas as a top 5 ingredient.

[Wanda F]

When we received our first bag of Orijen, last Friday, you could tell it was an amazing kibble before even opening the bag. It is very dense, you can smell the freshness and Brewer LOVES it. I mixed Orijen with Nutrisca for a couple days and he found a way to eat around the Nutrisca. Because of the high protein content I’ve been integrating it rather slowly, (a couple cups a day) but he still developed loose stool after 2 days and I am still giving him a reasonable meal with raw ingredients, not mixing. So why the loose stools??? Who knows.
And…he’s still scratching and licking!…I don’t believe this is a food allergy; I think it’s a skin allergy. When I picked up his flea and tick meds. at the vet. she told me to try Benadryl. Any comments on that? I truly hate giving my dog more medication. Are there any natural products that actually work? I’ve tried herbal flea control, he hated it and it didn’t work very well. Thanks for all your helpful comments.

[Carolyn H]

Hi – I have an adolescent Rescue Cattle Collie in the city who tends to get extremely hyperactive, bordering aggressive when he’s had high protein food. I had him on Blue Buffalo Wilderness and switched to the chicken (beef upsets his stomach) Blue Buffalo Freedom. He’s starting to not like the food much and I need to make a switch. Since I’m changing, I thought I’d try to upgrade him to Solid Gold which my last dogs ate & seems to have a good review on here. My concern is the % protein in the food. I don’t want to starve him but he just can’t handle that much protein without becoming a madman!!

I am very careful to ensure he gets adequate exercise for his age/breed despite not living in the country.

[Hound Dog Mom]

At my shelter we don’t spay the queens until a few weeks after their kittens have been weaned. If the kittens’ eyes opened 10 days ago, I’d guess that they’re roughly 3 weeks old. With kittens, even more than with puppies I’d say, it’s very important that they be kept with mom and allowed to nurse for eight weeks if at all possible. Kittens really tend not to do well when they’re weaned early. It’s a good idea to start offering wet food around 4 weeks, they’ll usually start eating a little dry around 5-6 weeks, but they really should have access to mom for 8 weeks. If the mom is already nursing, she likely would still produce milk after being spayed however I would advise waiting until at least two weeks after the kittens are weaned until spaying her. This will give her time to dry up and for the mammary tissue to regress. Not only do I feel that that a spay surgery is an unnecessary amount of stress to put a queen that is nursing ten kittens under but it’s also a more complicated surgery when the cat has mammary development (most vets don’t want to do it). During this time period, however, it will be very important to keep her contained because she can become pregnant again. Are you keeping the cats in your house? If not – would it be possible for you to create a makeshift “nursery” somewhere (a shed, garage, etc.) where it’s clean, comfortable and that you’re sure mom can’t escape and no outside cats can enter?

• This reply was modified 11 years, 10 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.
• This reply was modified 11 years, 10 months ago by Hound Dog Mom.

[Suburban Gal]

FYI…

My local Kriser’s gave me free samples (2 OZ bags) of Earthbound Holistic dry food (Lamb, Bison and Herring) and they came with $3 off coupons on the bag. The coupons are good on 5 LB or larger bags of dog food and have no expiration date.

Kriser’s are a chain of privately owned pet stores in CO, CA, TX and IL.

You can learn more about Kriser’s by going to http://www.krisers.com.

[Amir F]

Hey
4 Alaskan Malamute, what food would you pick?
Merrik or Timer wolf?

I was reading the reviews on both of these the other day and I think Timber wolf is better but then I saw it wasn’t on the Editor’s Choice list.

why you think this is?

/dog-food-reviews/timberwolf-organics-dry/
/dog-food-reviews/merrick-dog-food-dry/

[Carol G]

Nominate a Brand for Editor’s Choice

I’ve been using Flint River Ranch dry dog food for years. They have NEVER had a product recalled. Is there a reason they have not been considered for your list.
Carol

[Bobby dog]

Hello:
Checked out the NV canned cat food to see if my pet stores had the deal C4c ran into, they didn’t. 🙁
I picked up beef liver for the ABC diet. I went to two grocery stores and that was the only thing on my raw list I could find. 🙁 I was going to hit a third grocery store on my way home, but I ran out of time. That one probably will have some of the items I am looking for; next time I will start there first.

I also picked up lactobacillus & bifidobacterium capsules and plain Greek yogurt for the kitties. I have been sprinkling one capsule each/day on Tyler’s food; he does not like yogurt. I have been alternating yogurt and capsules with Archie; he’s a good eater. I hope Archie’s coat continues to fill out. The bald spots are really growing fur now. His skin is still dry, but has improved a great deal. I’ll keep you up to date in case anyone else has these types of issues with their cats in the future.

Akari:
Hope all is well.

Not a coupon deal, but one of my pet store’s deal this month is B1G1 free any size dog or cat food of Cali Nat’l or EVO. Picked up two small bags of EVO for the cats for $9.99 total and three cans of Wellness using my $1.00 off coupons for each. 😉 I was in there looking around for food to buy this Sunday during their anniversary sale, 25% off everything, wahoooo!

[Naturella]

Hm, that’s odd – that he got dry skin on fish-based food when usually fish-based foods help with skin issues (or at least fish oil does). Bruno is as soft and shiny as ever (then again, he also gets coconut oil at breakfast every other day as well and that helps with skin and coat too).

I have not gotten the lamb yet, I have the poultry one and the bison one lined up to feed Bruno.

Anyway, hope they respond soon!

[Akari_32]

Glad you got it! I did about the same for Bentley. Gave him 1/2 cup of dry food, and a 1/8 cup of HK. Mixed it with a 1/4 cup of water and a bit of local honey (that stuff is helping him so much! After just a few days, his skin is much less red) and mixed it all together. He liked it! I gave him the grain free chicken one– whatever it’s called lol

[Jeannie D]

I would like to nominate: Canine Caviar “Holistic” – only alkaline based dog food in America – they offer dry and canned and are GMO, gluten, antibiotic and Hormone Free products.

[Ron M]

Mary over at Dogaware has compiled a list of lower fat foods both dry and canned.
Just do a search at her site for low fat diets if interested.
Ron

[pugmomsandy]

She might just need a longer transition as it looks like in the first week, you got to a 50/50 mix. I usually don’t increase the amount of new food until poops are nearly normal. So I would stay at a 80/20 mix until she has a somewhat normal stool and nothing loose. I’m pretty sure one of mine took about 2-3 months to fully transition over to Instinct, another high protein brand a few years a go. He was on 20/80 for a month. As far as waiting for the pumpkin, it sounds like she is wanting to be spoiled, and for you to give in. I wouldn’t call that concerning unless you think she will start getting picky and not eat only dry food. As far as probiotics go, check to see if has multiple strains of organisms. And then some dogs just don’t do well on some of the “better” brands. I had to give up on Merrick for my fosters. I would either start over on the transitioning or try another brand. I’ve had good luck with Nutrisource GF lamb, Canidae Pure Elements and Core Wild Game and Nutrisca.

[USA]

I agree with Betsy. For a dog with cancer who is not already eating a raw diet and doing well on it I would not want to add the additional bacterial load that comes with raw food. A lot of healthy dogs do very well on a raw diet and this is something worth trying in dogs who are not fighting cancer or other serious illnesses.

Kibble is highly processed and the way it is made and the ingredients that it uses are the furthest from a NATURAL diet for a canine that you can feed your dog. The fact that kibble is a dry food adds additional stress to a dog’s kidneys and liver.

If a homemade lightly cooked diet is not an option a high quality low carb canned food would be much more beneficial for all dogs than kibble but especially for a dog dealing with a serious illness.

[jakes mom]

You can have crystals in alkaline or acid urine, just different kinds. He’s probably just better off with no dry food. If this turns out to be a continuing crystal problem there’s a surgery that can be done that essentially turns him into a girl, lol. Reconstructs the urethra and widens it so it’s less likely to get blocked. But let’s hope you don’t have to think about that!
I’m jealous of the fish tank talk! Haven’t had one in a long time, I agree, I like the neons, too!

[Alice M]

Hello,

I own a 4 year old German Shepherd. I find she does well on duck dry food and I try to keep the fat and protein levels normal and grain free. She does well with digestion with duck protein Also I mix in a little wet food and steamed vegetables. ( carrots, peas, squash, beans) No beef products. I am using Go Sensitivity and Shine, although I am thinking about trying the Fromm duck food. I also look for treats that are low in fat and grain free.
I’ve tried the Zuke’s dental treats, they seem to cause loose stools.

[USA]

Hi Tina L,

Demodectic Mange is definitely related to the immune system. It is believed that all dogs have the mites but they are kept in check by a healthy immune system. Your dog may have a late blooming immune system or there may be other things going on.

I would recommend you feed him the best food you can. Take a look at the 5 star foods on the review part of this website. Try to stay below 25% carbs which is still a lot but it is hard to find dry foods with less carbs. Canned foods can be found with less carbs and if you are able to feed a large dog only canned food then that would be a good option. If you want to look a little deeper into the quality of the foods you might want to join the Editors Choice section here. There is a yearly fee but it goes more in depth into the dog food companies on the list. The better his diet, they better he will do with everything life throws at him.

The pills for the itching might have been a prednisone type drug which stops itching by SUPPRESSING the immune system! This is counter productive to BUILDING up the immune system to control the mites that cause Demodectic Mange!

I agree with you on limiting vaccines, flea control and any other toxic meds although at some point if his mange becomes wide spread and he is in constant distress you might have to seek the least toxic alternative. I would suggest you supplement his diet with digestive enzymes to make sure he is absorbing all the nutrients in his food, probiotics to help strengthen his immune system, omega 3’s to help with inflammation and turmeric as an antioxidant.

Good Luck with your pup!!!

[Bobby dog]

Marie: For ticks you use it like a flea powder

Akari:
I used to buy Shoo Flea by the Natural Vet, really liked it but just didn’t fit into the budget anymore. The main ingredient in Shoo Flea is food grade DE and it is scented with a capsule of herbs and essential oils. I began using plain food grade DE several years ago as a flea powder and for treating pet beds, floors etc with good results. Keep in mind it does not kill them immediately.

I have seen warnings about DE clogging vacuums, it has never happened to me. I just make sure I take their bedding outside to shake them out then throw them in the washer. I have only had to use DE on the floors in my basement so I swept the floor well before vacuuming.

Be careful not to inhale the dust or let your pets inhale the dust.

I have never fed it to my cats or dogs.

The one drawback I found using it as a flea powder is that it can dry their skin. I always use organic unrefined coco oil as a food supplement when using it. Fish oil would probably be a good choice also. I use CVS 1000 mg fish oil capsules for Bobby and the cats. The good thing about coco oil is it can be applied externally. As a flea deterrent I had the best luck using coco oil applied directly to the skin, but it can be messy for your furniture. Coco oil does very well at soothing skin irritations like flea bites. I apply DE first, then coco oil if needed in certain areas. I used coco oil daily on Bobby last summer. Hopefully I won’t have to treat flea bites this year because his yeasty smell is gone and his skin is healthy since I have improved his diet. So far so good!

Good thing I checked the links I saved on DE, some of them no longer existed.

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/degen.html
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/benefits-diatomaceous-earth/
http://www.vetinfo.com/using-diatomaceous-earth-to-worm-pets.html
http://www.diatomaceousearth.com/?gclid=CJ2Dt8S5p74CFaQF7Aod5g4AcA
http://vetmedicine.about.com/od/parasites/a/Diatomaceous-Earth-For-Flea-Control.htm
https://www.google.com/url?q=http://wolfcreekranch1.tripod.com/defaq.html&sa=U&ei=9l5xU7PaKPLHsATEvYCQCA&ved=0CB0QFjAA&sig2=DCYxeQKLHzMoXm6BYZtcxw&usg=AFQjCNHLDmVU6sLMs22UbzqWxC0OnCzAVw

[jakes mom]

BobbyDog, that’s right, put an empty litter box out and hope he’ll use it then you can pour the urine into a plastic margarine cup or something. The vet can do a bladder tap if necessary (not as bad for the cat as it sounds) but hopefully Akari or the vet can just get a sample. It may not be an actual UTI, might be cystitis from crystals. Some cats just can’t tolerate the dry food, screws with the urine PH and causes trouble. Akari, what kind of little blood specs are you taking about? How’s the flea problem? Are you sure it’s not little specs of flea dirt that’s falling off when he sits in one place for a while? Flea dirt (poop) is pretty much blood so will leave red spots. Just a thought. Bobby dog, haven’t tried yogurt or kefir yet, will let you know.

[Bobby dog]

Awww, sorry to read that Akari. 🙁 I think you have the right idea and dry cat food may not be for him.

Didn’t Jakes mom have some type of suggestion on collecting urine? Can’t remember exactly, but I think I commented on it a while ago. If I remember something about emptying out the litter box completely and hopefully the cat will use the litter box w/o the litter? IDK, I may have imagined it. lol

[Akari_32]

Ooooh fun times -_- cats got another suspected UTI. Vet appointment for tomorrow at 3;30. I’m glad I got my tax check, and that I only need about $160 of it for something else so we have some wiggle room for th vet, because I wouldn’t have been able to afford this otherwise! I’m going to stop dry food completely, even though I’m adding water and not even feeding him a full serving. Maybe he’s just one of those cats that can’t handle it? If it’s not a UTI, then we still need to figure out what’s going on and why he keeps leaving little blood specks all over the tile when he sits in one spot for a while. He still doesn’t really drink water, but I add to his food so that’s probably not too big of a deal. So, we’ll see. I’ve been instructed to try and get a urine sample, but he backs up to the front corner of the litter box to pee, so I dunno how well that’ll work out lol

[Rich N]

So maybe choose a dry dogfood with low amount of meal but then add protien via fresh meats to it. ?

[jakes mom]

The See Spot Live Longer site has a booklet called the ABC diet. One day a week is all fresh/raw food, the other days are the usual diet, dry, canned whatever you’ve been feeding. He also mentions that instead of one whole day you can spread the fresh menu items over the course of a week, just adjusting the kibble amounts. So apparently he doesn’t see a problem with mixing kibble and raw.

[Akari_32]

To you guys who have it already, or have used it, how much water should I put in the food to make it more like oatmeal/porridge? He wouldn’t enjoy having to work too hard for his food (lapping it up) lol He’s going to be getting about 1/2 cup dry.