[anonymous]

I like Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea as a base.
https://www.chewy.com/nutrisca-grain-free-salmon-chickpea/dp/35033
Or:
Newman’s Organics https://www.chewy.com/newmans-own-organics-advanced/dp/33521

Add a splash of water and a bite of something, scrambled egg (in water), chopped up cooked lean chicken, beef, tuna….something.
Check out chewys auto ship plan. You could order a large bag every 2 or 3 months. Divide it up and store in air tight containers or bags in the fridg or freezer if you have room.
I wouldn’t go too cheap, you may regret it.
Also, you need to set aside money for an an annual checkup and lab work with a veterinarian.
Heartworm checks, flea and tick preventives. About $1000 a year (maybe less) and that’s not counting food.
Ps: Don’t waste your money on supplements, unless a vet that has examined the dog advises you to do so. Most of them are scams. I do add one fish oil capsule to their food once a day, not sure if it actually does anything 🙂

[anonymous]

Natural Balance for Fat Dogs, check it out, only 250 calories a cup and the ingredients don’t look bad at all. I give a 1/2 raw carrot as a treat (not baby carrots/choking hazard)
https://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/dog-formulas/dry/fat-dogs/original

I would feed this to a senior. I might add a little lean ground cooked turkey or a bite of scrambled with water egg to it. Plus a splash of water to the kibble (a lot of dogs don’t drink enough water)
I never give yogurt or any dairy products to dogs. The only supplement I add is one fish oil capsule a day.

Increase walks, activity. Any way you can take him swimming? One minute of swimming is equal to 4 minutes of running! And easy on the joints.

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

[Lazaro B]

Thanks anon and everyone who replied. I used to give him fish oil liquid from Grizzly or Grizzly bear. I guess I’ll have to buy some more. Thanks.

[anonymous]

Sounds good, I would go by what your vet recommends, for now.
It probably wouldn’t hurt to add a fish oil capsule. No matter how good the dog food, a lot of the fish oil stuff dissipates as soon as you open the bag 🙁

Ps: Make sure he is drinking water, these old guys, especially small breeds, are vulnerable to develop bladder stones. I would add a splash to his food.

[Acroyali]

One of my elderly dogs developed a murmur that got worse in 6 months time. We did use CoQ10 and a few other supplements (fish oil at my vets recommendation) his murmur actually improved after another 6 months. His vet was incredibly pleased and said that (in their experiences) murmurs in older dogs don’t usually get better, they usually progress. Who knows if it was a fluke or if the CoQ10 was responsible, but for his situation, I believe it certainly didn’t hurt.
He went on much longer than expected before going into full blown heart failure, and by this time he WAS on several prescription medications that helped to extend his life. (While I do think intelligent supplementation can be extremely helpful, heart disease is something I don’t attempt to work with on my own.)
Your dog, your decision when it comes to supplementation.

[anonymous]

No, your vet is right. A lot of supplements are scams and some can even cause harm.
My last small breed had a heart murmur since the age of 5, no symptoms , lived till age 16 and died of unrelated causes.
I have had other small breeds that developed murmurs as they got older, no treatment required.
Of course if he begins to have symptoms I would talk to your vet, there are probably prescription meds that would help. And you could even take him to a veterinary cardiologist for further testing and evaluation.
The reverse sneeze thing may be unrelated. Does he hack up white foamy stuff? My old guy did that occasionally, not often.
Ps: The only supplement I give these days is one fish oil capsule with the morning meal.

[heather s]

i saw the rating system as well and really have to wonder how these foods got 5 stars. i noticed the same as you foods with fish were lower rated. my thoughts are that fish oil and fish have a lot of mercury even humans should eat no more then 3 cans of tuna per month. the foods with the most real meats or fish(no meals) and no fillers such as oats barley rice etc had the most metal contamination they say turkey is least contaminated the foods they said had 5 stars was eagle pack their first ingredients are chicken meal pork meal ground brown rice rice barley oatmeal so perhaps as i said the foods packed with real meat and fish may naturally contain more heavy metals then the foods that meat meals and alot grains? i have wonder if rendering doesnt reduce the some of the contaminants in meat meals? or maybe the cuts they use to render into meat meals , beaks feet feathers hooves etc dont contain as many heavy metals as the actual flesh of the animal?

[heather s]

i purchased a 25 pound bag of orijen original from chewys last month after reading about heavy metal contamination i then discovered posts about hair in the food. today i closely examined the food and found at least 15 hairs baked in and loose in a 1/2 c scoo.p i called orijen they claim the hair is part of a biologically appropriate diet, but that they have contacted the supplier to stop leaving so much hair and hide in the product they deliver. when asked about heavy metal contamination they claim they test their foods and they meet nrc regulations which tie in according to the woman with fda standards and the fda does not have standards for heavy metals in dog food they do for animal feed but not dog food, fda only gets concerned if heavy metal contamination is from additions to the food ie adulterants not heavy metals contained in meats and vegetables used in the dog food. from what i can tell fish oil is not good high in mercury and turkey is the lowest for heavy metal contamination i think im going to try canidae turkey canned food has anyone tried that?

[Jasmine T]

Hi, i rotate my dogs meat every week. Cooked to slightly cooked, Beef, pork, chicken, lamb, goat , little fish. He gets a raw egg coconut oil, colostrum ,eggshell powder, liver, beef kidney, hearts and gizzards are all part of his diet. A raw veggie mix. Some canned peas or something for more of a filler cus too much veggi mix gives him gas. Oh, probiotic yougurt sometimes,and always a quarter cup OVERCOOKED brown rice. 50% protien, rice and veggies, 10% organ meat(i am looking for spleen and other things in my area)
Hoof soup ice cubes, for the natural glucosamine. Usually two or 3 a day. He is almost 12 and arthritic with torn acl.
I add dehydrated chicken feet. As a treat.
I cook meat in oven, i trim all the fat but its still greasy. I drain the juice during cooking at least once and the the rest after.
I boil my hearts and gizzards ,kidney, lightly cook liver in coconut oil in pan.
Will these things cause pancreatitis? The grease ftom the meat?

[Joelle V]

You may also want to investigate Petcurean go sensitive dry or canned food. For a dog I had with similar allergies, I also made my own food, with rice, a single protein, some veggies, and vitamins and fish oil. It helped, it did not cure the allergies, as grass was also an allergen.

[anonymous]

I used to stick a pin in the fish oil capsule and it would squirt on the wall and end up in my hair, lol.
Have been giving the fish oil capsule whole for a few years now, the capsule is usually made of a gelatin substance that is easily digestable.
Check with you vet, I could be wrong.

I wouldn’t give egg shells or any other raw foods, due to the risk of salmonella and such, just my opinion.

[Jo C]

Anon101- lab work was good 🙂 the doctor was very pleased by her looks for her age and said hopefully his dog would look like her. Besides her shedding she has always shed but for the longest time I gave her Pedigree 🙁
I has been on good quality kibble with good homemade food and I plan on doing the same for my newest member Snoopy 🙂
I believe it’s her age and also I just need to continue giving her fish oil and coconut oil and eggs. Also, I thought I read giving the pills just like that is not good???

[anonymous]

Just to let you know I responded to your post and it was removed?

Anyway, less is better, regarding supplements imo. The only supplement I use at this time is one fish oil capsule per day added to the morning meal.

I use a quality kibble as a base, maybe 1/2 of the diet, I add cooked protein sources as a topper. Seems to be working.
When you take him in for his annual exam, I would go along with the lab work as recommended…if anything is wrong, it will show up there.
Just my opinion, but I would prefer to spend my money on lab work rather than dietary supplements.

PS: Go to skeptvet dot com, if you are interested in scientific veterinary medicine.

[anonymous]

I use a quality kibble as a base, about 1/2 of the diet, I add real food as you are doing, but, mostly lean cooked meat, boiled chicken, chicken broth (homemade, nothing added) or water added to meals.
Rice, potatoes and such tend to be high calorie carbs, and I wouldn’t feed eggshells to any living thing, ugh.
Two meals per day, measured amounts, a carrot or two for snacks.
The only supplements I use is a fish oil capsule once a day added to the morning meal.
I have been feeding this way for a while now with good results.
When you take him in for his annual veterinary appointment, go along with the lab work if recommended, it’s the best diagnostic tool the vets have, if something is off, it will show up in the lab values….most of the time.
PS: Hope this helps http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/herbs-and-supplements/

[anonymous]

I just toss the fish oil capsule in with the meal (one a day) I don’t pop them. The dogs just eat them like a snack. It’s just a supplement, I don’t expect it to do that much.
More isn’t always better, some supplements have side effects.

[anonymous]

I add a fish oil capsule to my dogs food once a day, nothing fancy.
I wouldn’t use coconut oil, too high in calories.

Hope this helps: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=coconut+oil

PS: Is she getting enough water? Add a splash to her meals, or some plain homemade defatted (nothing added) chicken broth.

[Susan]

Hi Christie, yes Sardines are very rich in omega 3 fatty acids very greezy, I can’t give fish oil or greezy fish to my boy, he gets his bad acid reflux, even when I feed a fish kibble, I look for a Salmon & Whitefish kibble & try to stay away from the Sardine & Anchovy kibbles, Patches acid reflux starts up again after eating these kibbles for 1-2 weeks, look at tin pink Salmon or tuna in spring water, I find these fish better & are less greezy more meaty…..

[pugmomsandy]

Tucker’s Raw, Fresh is Best and Stella and Chewy’s have recipes without fish/oil.

[Anna B]

Is anyone aware of a commercially available raw, freeze-dried, or dehydrated dog food that does not contain fish oil? I’m trying to transition one of my dogs to a commercial diet that doesn’t contain synthetic vitamins and minerals. My other dog is doing great on Nature’s Logic kibble but unfortunately, all of their formulas include either fish meal or fish oil or both. From the research I’ve done, it seems like every commercially available raw/freeze-dried/dehydrated food contains fish oil.

[Krista B]

Do you guys think an added 5% from veggies are ok? It’s not throwing off the balance in my opinion because I would still be feeding the same amount of food as if I wasn’t feeding them. The total I’m feeding now is 10% from supplemental oils and treats and 5% from veggies. Does this sound balanced to you guys? I’ve decided not to add the sardines and just stick with the fish oil. I’ve read that Karen Becker says it’s ok for 15% to be from extras, but no more than that. In the article in said up to 15% but preferably less than 10%. I’ll post it below.

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/3634992

[Bobby dog]

I don’t have any advice to offer in regards to the fish oil you’re adding. I feed sardines once sometimes twice/week depending on the season for that purpose. If I don’t have any sardines I do have fish oil handy and I follow the directions on the bottle.

[Krista B]

Ok thanks guys! That makes sense. I’m using a fish oil product called ultra EFA, the recommended dose is 1/2 tsp. Per day per 15 pounds. The total EPA and DHA is 450 mg per 1/2 teaspoon. Should I just give half the dose? It’s 20 calories per 1/2 tsp.

[Jenn H]

Re: Vaccinations
Years ago when my dog was going through treatments for cancer the vet suggested we do titers instead of straight up vaccinating for everything since he had a compromised immune system.
Ever since once then we have been doing titers and giving only the necessary vaccinations.
I also spread out vaccinations. I don’t give them combo shots when possible (there’s 1 that’s unavoidable). This way if there is a reaction we’ll know what caused it.

I’m not an anti-vaxxer, but I am anti- overvaccinating.

Re: Acana
It is very disappointing that the high quality of their products has gone down the drain. It was the best food for my big guy and I didn’t have to feed him a ton of it. Now he’s getting hot spots. I’ve tried every formula and the fish has been causing him the most trouble. I thought the oils may have helped. I would only buy the small bags knowing that it was very oily and people were complaining. I keep it in its original bag too so it doesn’t make the bin rancid. And shake the bag to hopefully disperse the oils.
We’re looking into other brands now. Too bad. I really loved Champion.

[Acroyali]

I have no recent personal experience using Dinovite, but I do know of many owners who have used Dinovite with good results and others who have had their dogs do nothing but refuse it, or throw it back up whenever it was fed. It seems like people either absolutely love it and swear by it, or hate it and swear it’s nothing but a gimmick.

Has your Pug had Dinovite in the past, before starting the yeast starvation diet? What about beef, eggs, and fish (even though you’re feeding fish oil and not the whole fish, it still could be some form of reaction.)

Raw dog food recipes don’t need to be complicated and not all dogs need (nor thrive on) diets that include vegetables, grains, sweet potatoes, and all the “extras” recipes throw in. Some dogs do better with, some without, some it seems to make no difference. Prey model raw is pretty much 80% muscle meat, 10% bone, 10% organs (half of this being liver.)

If and when we feed vegetables of any sort, it’s mostly limited to a handful of leftovers (we like ’em steamed, too!) and herbs (parsley, dandelion, etc.)

[Susan]

Hi gee poor boy, I just looked at the Fromm Gold Weight management, it has too many ingredients, to many proteins, grains & fish oil & the fiber is too high, like the Wellness Core Reduced Fat was 8.5% fiber, you need a kibble with limited ingredients, so there’s less ingredients to cause the acid reflux….
For 2 yrs I struggled with Patches Acid reflux & finally I’ve worked it out, in the beginning had Endoscope + Biopsies done & he had the Helicobacter-Pylori infection plus IBD, Patch started taking Zantac (Ranitidine) a more modern ant acid medication then the Pepcid is, with the Pepcid you might find the Pepcid wont really help much, Patch takes Prilosec (Omeprazole) now, so if after the 10days on Pepcid & the blood test doesn’t find anything wrong with liver gallbladder or pancreas, I’d ask can you try Prilosec 20mg x 1 a day in the morning & see if he’ll write a few repeat script you can get from chemist, it will be heaps cheaper, also you can’t just stop the Prilosec if taking more then 20 days it needs to be reduce slowly.. I was giving the Losec for 4 days then stopping & seen how Patch went but after 2 days Patch would have his acid reflux again, I was giving liquid 1 teaspoon liquid Mylanta nights Patch wouldn’t settle…. I kept feeding low fat kibbles but when kibbles are lower in fat they are higher in carbohydrates & normally have grains, rice, oats, barley, millet, bran etc these are all soluble fibers, soluble fibers sit in the stomach longer & ferment, same as weight management kibbles they put more soluble fibers in the kibble so the dog feels full longer & they normally are higher in fiber as well & can cause acid reflux, so best to stay away from weight management kibbles…….Insoluble fibers pass thru the stomach quicker, it doesn’t sit in the stomach & ferment like soluble fibers do, insoluble fibers bulk up the poos, also prevent digestive disorders like IBS IBD ….. I have found kibbles with sweet potato, potatoes & peas worked the best but a lot of these new grain free kibble are using chickpeas, lentils & garbanzo beans these are harder to digest & higher in fiber, my boy can’t eat kibbles with chickpeas, Lentils especially if they’re 2nd 3rd 4th 5th ingredients… fish oil & salmon oils can also cause acid reflux, best to look for kibbles with canola oil & fish meal instead of the fish oil/salmon oils…
I found the fat can be around 12-15% max, the higher the fat the lower the carbohydrates are, stick with kibbles under 40% carbs, it’s a lot to look for in a kibble but there are a few grain free kibbles out there that have more insoluble fibers, low in carbs & are 12-15% max fat…
Holistic Select Adult/Puppy Salmon, Anchovy & Sardines grain free has only 28%-Carbs, 13%-fat & kcals-341per/cup & just have fish & potatoes peas not too many ingredients..
if your on face Book join this group called “Canine Pancreatitis Support” https://www.facebook.com/groups/1435920120029740/
look in the file section & there’s a list of foods from 12% fat down to 6 % fat, I looked & the 4Health Turkey & Potato has about 8 ingredients, fat was-14% kcals-337 per/cup, 39%-carbs no grains,
there’s the 4Health Mature 7+ the fat-10% protein-20% fiber-3%, kcals-320per/cup but it has grains you could always give it a go & see how your boy does…. this is why I feed Taste Of The Wild Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb, it’s the only kibble that works, it only has 1 protein Lamb, sweet potatoes, potatoes, peas, egg, limited ingredients & canola oil, carbs-38% & Kcals-337 per/cup, but I think TOTW puts Salmon Oil in their TOTW formulas for their American customers, but if nothing is helping him you could give the TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb a try & the Prilosec tablet in the morning… First I feed TOTW Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon & Patches acid reflux stopped straight away, but he was taken the Zantac but it wasn’t working great, the fiber is only 3%, fat-15%, protein-25% Kcals 360 per/cup 39% carbs… but he seems to prefer the Lamb kibbles maybe the fish kibble doesn’t agree with him as much as the Lamb does.. also feed smaller meals thru the day not just 2 large meals a day, I feed 5 small meals a day, 7am-1/2cup TOTW Lamb Kibble, 8.30am-Losec tablet, 9am-1/2cup TOTW kibble, 12pm-1/3cup kibble, 5pm 1/2 heaped cup kibble & 8pm 1/3 cup TOTW Kibble… the best is a cooked diet, I was feeding lean pork rissoles + sweet potatoes for dinner so his stomach isn’t bloated with kibbles thru the night…
Good-Luck, keep us updated what’s happening..

[Susan]

Hi, gee poor boy he must be in comfortable, sometimes the Pepcid doesn’t work cause their acid reflux is real bad & they need a stronger ant acid reducer, the Pepcid (Famotidine) worked the first week for Patch but then after 1 week it wasn’t working…..Zantac (Ranitidine) was developed mid 90’s a bit better then the Pepcid, Patch was on the Zantac for a while while I tried different kibbles, but I wasn’t trying grain free kibbles cause the fat was over 12 % he didn’t get better, he was still grinding his teeth at night, uncomfortable changing beds thru the night, waking me up wanting grass…
If the Pepcid works but doesn’t work good enough, I would ask vet can you try 20mg Losec (Omeprazole) just give for 4 days then stop, give once a day in the morning, then see how he does, then when you see he’s getting uncomfortable again give a losec tablet with water, I push the tablet down throat back of tongue & I have a 20ml big syringe & fill with water & slowly squirt the water in side of Patches mouth so the Losec tablet goes down his throat, I even rub throat downwards to make sure pill isn’t sitting in his throat & goes into his stomach….Omeprazole (Losec) is a Pump Proton Inhibitor (PPI) once you take a PPI for more then 20 days you can not just stop taking it, it needs to be reduced slowly, PPI are the best for bad acid reflux especially as they get older…Patch is on 20mg Losec permanently, I found he did so much better when taking the Losec when I’d stop the Losec his acid just came back with in 2-3 days..
Blood test wont show up any health problems to do with the stomach & small bowel, but yes the liver, gallbladder & pancreas will show up thru blood test, the only way is to have a couple of Biopsies done of the stomach & small bowel it’s the only way by doing an Endoscope & Biopsies, I wish I did it first in the beginning, the money I wasted doing blood test, Ultra Scans, trying vet diets that made things worst cause most vet diet are high in carbohydrates & high in soluble fiber grains that makes the acid reflux worse…..
A cooked lean diet is the best this way you can control ingredients, carbs, fiber & fat etc… Finally after 2 yrs of trying every single kibble, I found TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb, limited ingredients, I had never tried it cause the fat is 15% max, now I feed 5 smaller meals a day, 7am-breakfast 1/2 cup TOTW kibble then walk, then I give Patch his 20mg Losec around 8.30am then 9-9.30am another 1/2 cup TOTW, 12pm 1/3 cup TOTW, 5pm cooked lean pork rissoles + boiled Sweet potatoes or 1 heaped 1/2 cup TOTW Lamb Kibble & at 8pm 1/3 cup TOTW kibble, the fat in the TOTW is 15%max but the Kcals per cup are 338 very low & the Carbs are low at 38% Carbs the TOTW kibble & the 20mg Losec has stopped his acid reflux FINALLY…..
I just looked at the ingredients in the Fromm Weight Management formula, gee there’s too many ingredients, too many proteins & has fish oil, & fiber is 7% too high, you need to look for a grain free, limited ingredient, low fiber around 4-5%, & fat around 12-15% the lower the fat the higher the carbs, so you need to increase the fat a bit to reduce the carbohydrates, grains are soluble fibers, you need foods like sweet potatoes that are insoluble fibers, so the food isn’t sitting in the stomach fermenting, insoluble fiber passes thru the stomach quicker, where soluble fibers sit in the stomach longer, no good, Patch use to vomit the kibble back up all undigested when he was eating kibbles with grains….. The Wellness Core Reduce fat kibble is very high in fiber 8.5% that would have made his acid reflux worse…I wanted to try the wet tin Wellness Core but the fiber was too high. So I cook instead.
It’s taken me 3yrs to work it all out finally, if the Fromm kibble doesn’t really work, take it back for refund, just say he stopped eating it, the fish oil is probably giving him acid reflux, now he won’t eat it…… I can only feed kibbles with Canola Oil…..NO fish or Salmon oils they give you acid reflux, the fish oil repeats on you, you burp it back up… the Australian TOTW has no Salmon or fish oil but I think the TOTW made for America has Salmon Oil, I live Australia….
Patches acid reflux was good when eating the Holistic Select Salmon, Anchovy & Sardines grain free kibble, the fat is 13%, Kcals 341per/cup, carbs are only 28% so if you do have to take back the Fromm look for the Holistic Select Adult/Puppy Salmon Grain Free formula, if you email the kibble companies they email you the max fat, max fiber & carbohydrate % its very hard to find kibbles that are low in carbs, low Fiber, low Kcals per/cup & medium fat%..
I stay away from weight management kibbles the fiber is to high to keep the dog feeling fuller longer & they use soluble fibers that stay in stomach longer to feel fuller longer then the food starts fermenting in stomach, but weight management kibbles may work for your boy.. you wont know untill you try a few different kibble, how I knew was I’d feed a cooked meal with sweet potatoes, no rice no grains & Patch wouldn’t get his acid reflux then feed him a grain low fat kibble for dinner & he’d be grinding his teeth, the acid must come up throat into his mouth leaving an awful taste in mouth, In the beginning he had a real sore mouth & throat when the acid was real bad from the Helicobacter-Pylori infection, I wonder if your boy has the Helicobacter? now there’s a blood test for humans, I had to have the Endoscope + Biopsies 3 yrs ago for Patch but for myself I just had a blood test last year, I suffer with GORD’s real bad acid reflux, then I was put on a PPI, Somac it’s like Losec all my symptoms went away within 2-3 days + a diet change & eating smaller meals thru the day, if your on Face Book join this F/B group called “Canine Pancreatitis Support” look in the files & there’s a heap of low fat foods, a lot of dogs with Pancreatitis suffer with acid reflux as well..
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1435920120029740/
I just had a look, on f/b Pancreatitis group you might have been better buying 4Health Turkey & Potato formula instead of the fromm, it has less ingredients, no tomato pomace, no fish or salmon oils, no garbanzo beans, no chick peas or Lentils has only 8 ingredients, the less ingredients the better, less foods to cause acid reflux, the Kcals are 337 per cup, protein-24, fat-14%, Carbs-39% or there’s 4Health Mature 7+ the fat-10%, Protein-20% fiber 3% Kcals-320% per/cup but carbs are 49% & it has more ingredients then the 4Health Turkey & Potatoes..
Good luck, keep a diary, so you can look back what & when he ate ?? & what meds were given, keep us up to date what’s happening…

[Erika I]

Hello Everyone,

I need some advice! I recently (2months ago) transitioned my 4-year-old pug (Bella) to a raw diet- the “Yeast Starvation Diet” (ground beef, cooked whole eggs, dinovite, and fish oil). She was having major yeast issues- non-stop itching, dark balding spots, little black spots, inflamed ears and feet. At first, she was doing great- she loved the food and her itchy, irritated skin subsided. However, the last few weeks I noticed she has been regurgitating her meal. This happens at least once a day. I am worried and not sure if I need to take her in or if this is normal?

Thank you for any advice!
Erika

[crazy4cats]

Hi Shantelle B-
AAFCO does not have a specific nutrient profile for senior food. They only have two: Growth & Reproduction and Maintenance. Here is a link explaining: /frequently-asked-questions/aafco-nutrient-profiles/

Therefore, if a company sells a senior food, it is based on what they believe a senior dog food should be. Usually a little lower in calories, fat and protein with more glucosamine and fish oil.

What exactly are you looking for? Are you sure that Rosemary triggers her seizures?

[M N]

Louise, I appreciate your input. I think you may have the food I mentioned confused with something else…

Salmon Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Dried Potato, Dried Peas, Sweet Potato, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Potato Protein, Flaxseed Meal, Brewers Dried Yeast, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Dried Egg Product, Canola Oil, Natural Flavors, Salt, Lecithin, Choline Chloride, Dried Chicory Root, L-Carnitine, Dried Carrots, Dried Cranberries, Dried Blueberries, Yucca Schidigera extract, Ascorbic Acid, Minerals (Zinc Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Vitamins (Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Saccharomyces Cerevisiae Yeast Culture, Dried Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Extract, Dried Trichoderma Longibrachiatum Fermentation Extract, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Extract.

Metabolized Energy – AS FED- 1835 kcal/lb
Crude Protein Minimum 32.0%
Crude Fat Minimum 18.0%
Crude Fiber Maximum 5.5%
Total Ash 8.2%
Moisture Maximum 12.0%
Calcium Minimum 1.2%
Phosphorous Minimum 1.0%
Average Calcium 1.29%
Average Phosphorus 1.03%
Vitamin A Minimum 10,000 Iu/Kg
Vitamin E Minimum 80 Iu/Kg
Chondroitin Minimum 90 Mg/Kg*
Glucosamine Minimum 120 Mg/Kg*
DHA Minimum 0.05%*
EPA Minimum 0.01%*
Vitamin C Minimum 25 Mg/Kg*
Omega-6 Fatty Acid Minimum 3.5%*
Omega-3 Fatty Acid Minimum 1.5%*

Black Gold does have some grain inclusive formulas that do not interest me. They list digestibility for those in the low to mid 80s, which is what I would expect from a grain inclusive food.

[pugmomsandy]

Look up the recommended amount of DHA/EPA for the size of your dog and then calculate how much oil contains that amount.

http://dogaware.com/articles/suppsoils.html#fishoil

• This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by pugmomsandy.

[anonymous]

Sounds good. Hope that the environmental allergies are mild and not year round.

Ask your vet if a daily fish oil capsule per day would help? Grain free kibble? My dog with environmental allergies had some minor anal gland issues back when. But, as she responded to treatment for environmental allergies by a veterinary dermatologist, they disappeared.

Good luck. Thanks for the feedback.

[Sheila S]

Hi, I’m new to the group. I have 3 amazing Australian Shepherds and I feed all homemade food. They get Vitamin E supplement, as well as a real good glucosamine chondroitin with msm, multi vitamin and cbd oil. I am however concerned about their intake of Omega 3 not being enough. I want to start supplementing them with calamari oil as well. Does anyone here use squid/calamari oil for their fur babies? And if so how much do u give them per day? Any suggestions on a good quality brand? I’ve done research and do not want to use reg fish oil or krill oil. TY for your help

[Jessica W]

After trying many. many types of food for my dog, all of which resulted in digestive issues, I’ve decided to start researching a homemade diet for him. He was last on The Honest Kitchen Force formula, which is grain fee and has fish as the only protein. He originally was getting their grain free Beef recipe, but he’s been low energy and always acting hungry, so I tried Force. After about a week we noticed that he was gulping a lot after eating as if he had acid reflux. He was also moping and seemed miserable. Finally, he had a little, shall we say, some highly smelly leakage, while asleep on the couch. The vet had us put him on a bland diet for a couple of days and said that a diet high in fish can cause problems like this sometimes.

This led me to decide that I need to have more control over what he eats. What gives me pause about home cooking is that every source I’ve looked at suggests fish oil as a necessary supplement, but I’m afraid that taking it regularly will make him sick. EPA and DHA are especially important in his case because he has toxoplasmosis, which is a parasite that lives on the brain stem and causes swelling, which results in seizures. I’ve noticed that diets high in EPA and DHA really help to control seizure activity.

I’m already pretty overwhelmed by all of the information about supplements. Does anyone know of something I could use in place of fish oil for my dog? Thanks!

[anonymous]

Something to keep in mind:
Sardines are high in sodium. Mercury isn’t the main concern. Choking on the small bones, although they are soft, is a risk to consider.
A fish oil capsule a day would probably add the same benefit (imo)

Also, if the skin condition is being caused by environmental allergies, the sardines/fish oil will have little effect. It has been known to help with dry skin and coat though.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by anonymous.

[C C]

I’ve very sad (and disgusted) that after all this time from my very first post and reporting this to the FDA, that nothing has been done with Acana and Origen from the new Kentucky plant. Since we lost our Katie and now have a new girl, I have learned a ton. First, dog food is big business and the main goal with most is money, not pet health. The things that are done out there should be criminal, but they’re not in most cases. So it is up to pet parents to protect our dogs. First, please don’t buy dog food that has fish oil in it if at all possible because it will get rancid within days of opening. This is why vitamin stores sell fish oils to humans in small pills, dark bottles, and with a packet in the bottle for freshness. And if a liquid, instructions to refrigerate. Second, I know it is even more expensive with a quality food and larger animal, but it is best to buy smaller bags and keep the food in the bag and then in an air tight container. This protects ingredients (think about how you handle your own food). We have settled on Grain Free Merrick turkey and varying it with Grain Free Honest Kitchen (which is human grade food) and we make our own cooked chicken. Sounds like a lot of work, but it really isn’t once in the rhythm of it and gives your dog a variety. The Honest Kitchen can be made for 3 days and kept refrigerated and our girl is thriving on this combination. Much better than vet bills or loss of a pet in the long run, which is the worst heartache ever. I wish everyone the very best in discerning what is best for their precious family member.

[Acroyali]

https://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/cardiovascular-diet/

https://www.b-naturals.com/newsletter/heart-healthy-diet/

Also, it might be worth checking with your vet about making sure his potassium isn’t being depleted by his medications. Ask to have his levels checked if you haven’t already. (This isn’t to say the medications are bad–heart disease is nothing to sneeze at and medications can, and are, life savers and life-extenders and helps give the dogs much better quality of life.)

When I had a dog with heart disease, he fainted once and it scared me badly. I’d never seen a dog faint like that but he came to in a few moments and seemed unshaken. My vet highly recommended adding fish or salmon oil and vitamin E for heart support (I use wholistic pet organics brand, as it contains both!) I also added COQ10 (liquid).

http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2010/06/02/the-silent-pet-killer-that-you-can-now-avoid.aspx

While it’s not applicable for every person and every dog, I did opt to feed my dog a raw diet. For a time, he went “off” his raw food so I fed him cooked and canned and he gobbled it up. He was around Gizmo’s age; while I feel raw is best if a dog who (formerly) ate a certain diet for years and enjoyed it then abruptly stops, there’s a reason. The goal was to keep food in him so we fed him what he wanted. During the time(s) he was happily eating raw, we fed him a lot of pastured beef, chicken, and turkey hearts for the naturally occurring taurine (crucial for heart function, and I feel food sources are better than synthetic but that’s simply my preference.)

One other thing. If you live in a cold weather climate, or live somewhere where you experience very cold months out of the year, keep Gizmo inside at all times unless you take him out to potty. My dog had a horrible fainting episode when I took him out to pee when it was extremely cold (sub-zero; we were outside for less than 30 seconds when it happened.)

I know, emotionally, it’s difficult for you. I hope some of the links and suggestions help. I wish you the very best of luck.

• This reply was modified 8 years, 9 months ago by Acroyali.

[Susan]

Hi Amanda,
I buy the smaller bags of kibble cause my boy is 40lbs & kibble only last about 2 weeks after opening it, the oxygen/air starts oxidizing the oils making the oils in the kibble go rancid, I also don’t buy any kibbles with fish & salmon oils in them as these oils oxidize quicker…
My boy has IBD & he’s real sensitive to certain ingredients & changing foods quickly made him have diarrhea & sloppy poos but as the years went by he got better & his stomach/bowel became stronger…… Once I’ve introduced him to a new kibble & he does real well on it, no itchy skin, red paws etc & no sloppy poos I start using that kibble in my rotation, then when I change back to that kibble I just feed it & don’t need to slowly introduce all over again, like the first time, I just add 1/2 cup old kibble & 1/2 cup new kibble the first day then he’s OK to just be feed the kibble, I change the kibble brands everyday or every week, I feed one brand for breakfast & another kibble brand for dinner, I let Patch pick his kibble some days, I let him sniff either the kibble in it’s container or put a kibble in between my fingers & ask him “Which One” & he licks the kibble he wants to eat then I just give him the other kibble in between my other fingers he didn’t pick….I rotate between 3 brands that I know work for Patch but some people buy different brands when they’re on special or clearance sale….
If you have a large breed dog some people feed 1 large bag of kibble then when the kibble bag is nilly finished they start mixing & adding the next new brand of kibble, then do the same as the bag is finishing they start adding the next new brand of kibble….
If your dog is eating brands like Purina, Hills Science Diet, Royal Canin & Iams, at the moment some of these brands use Beet Pulp, corn & maize, these ingredients make poos firm, I wouldn’t try a grain free kibble yet unless you already have tried a grain free kibble & your dog was OK & didn’t get diarrhea then try a grain free kibble but stick with around the same amount fat% protein % & Fiber % first buy a kibble with more natural ingredients with grains so your dog gets use to the new formula minus the beet pulp corn maize…. You’ll do your own routine, you’ll see a big difference in their coats & energy…

[Susan]

Hi,
I have a rescue English Staffy & he’s a gulper with his food, I have to divide his kibble up & I give it to him slowly in his bowl, you can buy those slow feeder bowls but my boy big snout couldn’t get the kibbles out of bowl properly then he was gulping & licking up air, so if you do buy a slow feeder bowl make sure it’s for X large breed dog, or buy a 12 hole muffin tray & put a few kibbles in each hole in the muffin tray to slow him down while eating….
I feed TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb, it’s an all life stages kibble, Patch loves his TOTW & does really well on it, he has IBD & Skin Allergies, email TOTW & ask can you have their booklet with all their formulas & the booklet tells you what formulas are the life stages formulas & then you have the puppy formulas also ask do they have a any samples of the Puppy Formulas & the all life stages formulas….
I tried the Wellness kibbles their Complete & their Simple kibbles & Patch started doing real sloppy yellow poos & had bad gas……. I also feed Pro Pac Ultimates Bayside Select Whitefish & Meadow Prime Lamb these formulas are life stages formulas, Earthborn Holistic make the Pro Pac Ultimates formulas, they’re just a bit cheaper but same quality…..
When you cook start adding boiled sweet potato instead of the rice, sweet potato is more healthier & once he has settled & is a bit older start rotating between a few different brands of kibbles & changing the proteins, once you find a few brands that agree & work for him, so he’s having a variety in his diet & add some cooked foods with his kibble as well, tin sardines in spring water are excellent for the skin, coat, brain, joints, heart, add about 2-3 small sardines with meal 4 times a week…
With skin problems best to feed a kibble with salmon/whitefish etc… I feed the salmon/fish kibbles thru the Summer months so Patch is getting his omega 3 fatty acids in his diet.

[Susan]

Hi, yes I have a dog with Seasonal Environment allergies & food sensitivities causing IBD & itchy, yeasty smelly skin, red paws, itchy ears & hive like lumps + IBD symptoms sloppy poos, gas/farts etc…
It has taken me 3yrs to finally work Patch out, in the beginning my vet said to keep a diary & you’ll start to see a pattern as the years go by & yes we did….
It’s best too see a Dermatologist they’re a but more expensive but in the long run you’ll save money, Dermatologist specialize in the skin….
Baths, twice a week or weekly baths or as soon as dog is uncomfortable & is scratching real bad then bath to relieve their skin…..I use Malaseb medicated shampoo, baths wash off any allergens, dirt, pollens & yeast if dog has yeast problems, Malaseb kills any bacteria yeast on the skin & keeps the skin nice & moist leaving the dog feeling so soft, Malaseb can be used daily if needed…..
I like using creams on my boy instead of medications he doesn’t do well on meds…I use “Sudocrem” sold in supermarket in baby section, I apply the Sudocrem on Patches red paws, around mouth, above his eye where he has white fur he seems to have all the problems, some nights when he’s real red around his mouth from eating I used Hydrocortisone 1% cream & on his paws & other parts of his body as well, I check patches body out as he’s sleeping at night before I go to bed & apply the creams, now I’ve removed the foods in his diet that he’s sensitive too his ear problem has all clear up, I did an elimination diet the best thing for food sensitivities & found when he eats carrots & beef he started shaking his head & scratching his ears, chicken causes his paws to go red 20mins after eating chicken, raw chicken was worse, also kibbles with grains made his poos sloppy, now he eats grain free kibbles that are Whitefish/Salmon or Lamb….if you don’t want to do the elimination diet & cook or do raw then it’s best to get a vet diet like Royal Canine PV- Potato & Venison or PS-Potato & Salmon or PR- Potato & Rabbit kibble or wet tin… then when dog isn’t scratching ears & is stable not itching you start & add 1 new ingredient with the vet diet every 6 weeks, no treats nothing else, it can take 1 day to 6 weeks for a dog to show symptoms for a food sensitivities…Once you find out what foods your dog is sensitive too you can stop the vet diet & start a diet without the foods he’s sensitive too.
I live Australia & I saw a Naturopath cause of Patches IBD, I wanted him on a raw diet.. Vitamin C is a natural antihistamine, we have a skin pack made by the Naturopath called Natural Animal Solutions, Skin Pack & it has DigestaVite Plus which balances the diet & fixes the gut, then it has Omega 3,6 & 9 Oil you add high dose for the first 2 months to diet & Vitamin C to work as a natural antihistamine…..
Here’s Jacquelines site there’s a lot of good reading & what natural products to use…on your left scroll down a bit & click on “Skin System” then click on “Skin Allergies” & she explains all about the skin & what causes what. She also has a F/B site & will answer any questions.. called “Natural Animal Solutions” NAS
http://www.naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/education.php

[Jane E]

I think dryness can be seasonal and linked to the colder dryer air. That being said it is not always the protein either,meaning salmon does not always offer a higher fat content (which would affect the skin). Larger breeds can do well on adult formulas too…this allows for slower growth. There are many brands which a great,Pure Vita,Canine Caviar,Fromm and I have even heard good things about Victor or Costco’s brand of dog food. Adding some fish oil to the existing food may be a way to go too

[Susan]

Hi, have you tried another dry kibble with lower fat% & a different protein with limited ingredients, also is his kibble a fish kibble??
My boy is 8yrs old & went off any kibbles that is fish/salmon, he seems to get acid reflux from the fish kibbles now, especially when they have fish or salmon oil, he grinds his teeth he has IBD, over the years I’ve learnt what all those weird things he does mean…..

As dogs & humans get older we don’t make as much hydrochloric acid in our stomachs, it’s called “Hypochlorhydria” low stomach acid, so it can be harder to digest food & food sits in stomach causing acid reflux…
I would not be feeding the Raw Hide, google, “how is Raw Hide is made”, Rodney Habib has a excellent video, it will shock you.
Can you cook a cooked diet for him, even if you buy tin tuna in spring water & add boiled sweet potato & veggies a couple days a week & the other days buy lean grounded pork or lean beef mince…. I make rissole, I add 1 whisked egg to 1kg (2lbs) lean pork mince or lean beef mince, finally cut up 1/3 to 1/2 a cup broccoli, 1 teaspoon finally cut up parsley, 1 grated carrot mix all together & make 1 cup size rissoles & bake in oven on baking tray 15 mins into baking take out drain water/fat & turn rissoles over put back in oven, I boil sweet potatoes & freeze the rissoles & sweet potatoes in sections…. When a dog stops eating something is wrong & its normally their stomach or pancreatitis… he’s telling you this kibble is no good & would prefer to go hungry then have his pain or acid reflux or have whatever he’s getting… If they could talk life would be so much easy, I would not want to be a vet, a lot of the times test results don’t show anything wrong, & its a guessing game until you work out a diet that agrees with him….

[Crystal T]

Hello! I’m new here. Our dog is 11 months old and his name is Winston. Winston prefers dry dog food. He is also overweight.
I need help finding or devising a recipe for dog food. I found the perfect premade food for him but unfortunately it is crazy expensive. Here are the ingredients. Can you help me figure out a recipe from it or suggest one? It must be 1. organic 2. end up a dry food or mostly dry and 3. help with him being overweight.

Ingredients (in order of quantity):
-USDA grade, Ethoxyquin-free, Deboned Turkey & Chicken
-high quality (low Ash) Turkey & Chicken Meals
-Chicken Liver
-Potatoes
-Dried Ground Potatoes
-Pea Fiber
-Whitefish Meal
-Tomato Pomace
-Natural Chicken Flavor
-Chicken Liver
-Salmon Oil
-Flaxseed
-Carrots
-Sweet Potatoes
-Kale
-Broccoli
-Spinach
-Parsley
-Apples
-Blueberries
-Vitamins
-Minerals
-Choline Chloride
-Chicory Root Extract
-Yucca Schidigera Extract
-Glucosamine Hydrochloride
-Chondroitin Sulfate
-Lactobacillus plantarum
-Enterococcus faecium
-Lactobacillus casei
-Lactobacillus acidophilus
-Mixed Tocopherols
-Rosemary Extract

Calories Analysis (on an as fed basis)
350 cal/cup ME
Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein (min) 33%
Crude Fat (min) 9%
Crude Fat (max) 10%
Crude Fiber (max) 8.5%
Moisture (max) 10%
Calcium (max) 1.9%
Phosphorus (max) 1.3%
Vitamin E (min) 500 IU/kg
Omega 6 Fatty Acids* (min) 2.2%
Omega 3 Fatty Acids* (min) 0.50%
Glucosamin Hydrochloride* (min) 250 mg/kg
Chondroitin Sulfate* (min) 200 mg/kg
Beta-carotene (min) 5 mg/kg
Total Micro-organisms* (min) 80,000,000 CFU/lb

[Annie J]

So glad she’s liking the digestive formula! They can be punks about not getting what they want sometimes. It’s sooo tough because they give you those puppy dog eyes!! I have the same exact problem because I feel guilty eating in front of my girls but vet bills and their health aren’t worth it (as I initially found out the hard way when growing up with garbage gut dogs). Once the panc has chilled out maybe your vet would be ok with Patchy getting a certain amt of unseasoned carrots or green beans for snacks. we ended up getting low-calorie cheddar bite dog treats from the pet store that they LOVE. Since the dogs are sorta treat restricted around here they actually think their nightly fish oil pill is a treat 😉 Also, sometimes adding a touch of warm water to the food makes it more stewy and “delicious”

good luck!

[Susie]

Thanks Jessica and Susan! Susan, I guess fish oil can cause heartburn. Is that why it’s not always good?
Jessica, I have been experimenting with handfeeding Max versus letting him gobble food down and he is way better when I make him eat slowly out of a spoon or my fingers. It definitely can cause gi troubles. I’ve been dealing with max and his inflammatory bowel disease for a while now and hand feeding helps. While I’m scared of drugs, I am giving Max the lowest dose Pepcid (per vets) every 24 hours. Wow if I don’t give it to him he coughs and regurgitates. The reflux is real. With the Honest kitchen I’ve also found it is better for max if I don’t make it too soupy. It comes back up the esophagus too easily. Just telling you these random things in case it can help you. Also I grind it in a coffee grinder before making it and let it sit over night in the fridge. The ladies from THk told me to do this for better digestion. I don’t like to give mine peanutbutter because of the sugar. I wouldn’t but a lot of people do. Just think it can feed the bacteria in their gut. Also consider a probiotic. I guess I’m off track. Maybe your kiddo just really loves the food and wants more! I’m kinda a psycho dog momma and I soak my dogs’ paws in a large Rubber bin after walks. I use diluted vinegar or diluted providing iodine to clean their feet. I am hoping it is why they don’t really have paw issues. And I agree that mine stopped ictching on THK but it is probably because we stopped chicken at the same time.

[Susan]

Hi Susie, yes Patch was also licking & licking his front paws after eating, I forgot about that, when I first got him he had skin problems, food sensitivities & environment allergies & was put on vet diet Royal Canin HP, the fat was really high at 19% & only 18% protein, then he got real bad acid reflux but I didn’t know back then what was wrong with him, his first vet was an idiot, Patch started wrecking his toys, shaking, chewing & ripping them, then a new vet said sounds like he’s in pain & Patch ended up with Pancreatitis from the vet diet R/C was too high in fat, 1 yr later we thought he had stomach ulcers he was still having acid reflux, chewing, ripping toys & whining while lying on his stomach & hungry 24/7, so I had an Endoscope & Biopsies done, when I picked Patch up from vets, vet said stomach looked really good & there’s no ulcers, I said but we still have the 2 biopsies, when will the results be back, I bet it’s Helicobacter-Pylori, I’ve had the Helicobacter-Pylori bacteria a few times & you feel so hungry 24/7 when the acid gnaws at your stomach, so you keep wanting to eat to take away the burning pain but 20mins after eating your in pain again with bad acid burning & gnawing in your stomach….& I was soaking Patches vet diet for IBD in water cause he’s a gulper with food & was gulping his kibble in 5-10 seconds, vet said just add water to his kibble, again I didn’t know until I read an article a few years ago around the same time those new stop gulping food bowls started coming out, the article said, why adding water with kibble can be a bad thing, especially if the kibble hasn’t soften yet, the dog gulps up the water & gulps air trying to get to his dry kibbles….years ago they were saying add water to your dogs kibble it was suppose to slow dogs eating down that gulped their food….then I was softening all his kibbles & draining all the water out as much as I could & making it like wet tin food with his dry vet diet.. I just knew something wasn’t right after Patch ate the kibble with water, he was burping, farting whinging after eating, he got worse….Those go slow food bowls didn’t work either for Patch he couldn’t get the small kibbles out cause of his big fat snout, then he was gulping air again trying to lick up the little kibbles, so now I just add a few kibbles at a time to his normal stainless steel bowl & tell him to chew, then when he’s has chewed all the kibbles I add more kibbles to his bowl & his bowl is on a stand level with his stomach…
It’s taken me 3-4 yrs to finally find foods that work, stop him itching, licking, whinging & have no acid reflux, that Helicobacter is very hard to kill, high fiber diets are no good, you need low carb, low fiber diets & no sugar diets, the fat can be around 15%max & no fish/salmon oil in food but all dogs are different it all depends on your dog…..

[Susan]

Hi my Patch keep waiting in kitchen near the food cupboard to be feed again when he had his acid reflux… he was put on Losec an ant acid reducer & his diet was changed (no grains) & touch wood he’s all good again until I feed a something that causes him to get his acid reflux…Have you tried feeding something else & see does this continue? have a look at the Zeal (fish) the protein is a bit higher, the fat is lower at 8.5% & the fiber is 5.8% isn’t as high as the Love is & feed 4 smaller meals a day & feed the same time everyday….. can you cook? peel & boil sweet potatoes & buy 1kg (2lbs) of lean grounded beef mince, I make beef rissoles baked in the oven, I add 1 whisk egg, finally cut up about 1/2 cup broccoli no stems, peel & grate 1 small carrot, 1 teaspoon finally cut up parsley mix all together & make 1 cup size rissoles, put on a foil lined baking tray & bake in oven then about 15mins when 1/2 cooked take them out rissoles & drain any excess water/fat & turn them all over then bake till cooked, boil some peeled & cut up sweet potatoes cool & freeze the rissoles & sweet potatoes then take out the day before & thaw in fridge & feed the next day, do this for 3 days & see is he still acting hungry….
I was feeding Sunday Pets, a New Zealand dehydrated dry big biscuits, Patch loved them but I think cause they were higher in fat & I was adding water cause they were dehydrated they swelled up when water was added, then it was causing his acid reflux to come back again, something wasn’t agreeing with him but he kept eating & wanting them, the nut……
It’s hard to tell when they get acid reflux, they can’t talk & tell us, some dogs start licking & licking their lips & swallowing, Patch grinds his teeth & makes weird mouth expressions & he gets his toys/balls & bites & bites & shakes them… the only way to know is feed something else that’s lower in fat for a few days & stop the Honest Kitchen & see does he stop doing what he’s doing….

[Susan W]

Hi Meghan –
Try to keep in mind that foods that have salmon are usually using farm-raised fish, which don’t have the same nutritional value as wild-caught fish. If you contact Verus pet foods – a company that’s never had a recall! – they’ll send you free samples!
I tried Victor last summer in hopes of supporting a semi-local business. Their food smelled like all the other commercial dog foods I’d tried. To put it simply, Verus has spoiled me. their food smells fresh – not like ground up, burned hair & bones or not like old tuna. They have 2 formulas that utilize fish as the #1 ingredient. The fish is something called menhaden. I did research and found that menhaden is a small fish that breeds like fleas (so they’ll never be over-fished). They are a cold-water, wild-caught fish that is high in Omega-3. If you do a google search for verus pet foods, you’ll find a lot more info on their food on their website. Contact them & they’ll contact you back – by a human! – and send you samples! It’s definitely worth a try since it won’t cost you anything but a few minutes of your time.

[theal]

I came to this discussion in my search for a quality grain-free fish-based dry food but it raised even more questions.

Specifically I have a question for GSDsForever.
Can you please explain why you say “Orijen’s 6 Fish formula has a pretty poor overall dry matter digestibility”? I looked at the ingredients list and I don’t see any red flags.

Also, Wellness Core Ocean has a very low Omega-3 content for fish-based food; only 0.8% even though it has Canola Oil and Flaxseed Omega-3 fillers.
Orijen has 2.2% Omega-3 with no additional Omega-3 supplements.
Should this lead to conclusion that Wellness Ocean uses less fish and/or lower quality of fish that was de-oiled?
Low percentage of Omega-3 can also be found in these well-reviewed fish products: Hi-Tek Naturals Grain Free Alaskan Fish, Earthborn Holistic Coastal Catch Grain-Free Natural Dry and Merrick Backcountry Raw Infused Pacific Catch Recipe.

With a current fish over-harvesting and fish prices going through the roof, food processing companies seem to compromise on fish quality to keep product price lower.
So I wonder if I should go with a quality meat-based feed and to use a fish-oil supplement instead.

[Susan]

Hi, have you seen a vet that specializes in IBD?? I have a dog with IBD, he can NOT eat boiled rice the boiled rice irritates his bowel, your dog sounds like she has food sensitivities & you are feeding the wrong kibbles, have you tried “Taste Of The Wild” Pacific Stream Smoked Salmon or Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb? after my boy was on a vet diet Eukanuba Intestinal 9 months to rest & heal his bowel + Metronidazole (Flagyl) antibiotic for the stomach & bowel, we tried a few kibbles but after 4-5 weeks Patch would start doing sloppy yellow poos & be put back on vet diet Eukanuba Intestinal Low Residue & the Metronidazole for 10 days, food sensitivities can take 1 day up to 6 weeks to show symptoms… then finally I tried the TOTW Smoked Salmon first & then the Roasted Lamb formula, I never tried TOTW cause I thought like you Patch couldn’t have any kibbles that were higher then 12% in fat & the TOTW was 15% in the Smoked Salmon & Roasted Lamb so I never tried the TOTW but its been the best kibble for Patch…he does his firmest poos on the TOTW & now I’m trying Pro Pac Ultimates Meadow Prime Lamb & Patch is doing good poos & the Pro Pac Ultimates Bayside Select Whitefish.. but its taken 3 years to finally fined the TOTW kibble & now the Pro Pac Ultimates Grain Free, the Grain Free kibbles seem to work the best…
Hills use chicken in most of their kibbles with the Hills W/d sounds like tooo much fiber causing the bad constipation & food sensitivities probably to the chicken causing the bleeding, stay away from chicken & boiled rice, boiled rice is old school now, you need to see a vet that specializes in IBD ASAP, letting her keep going like this will damage her bowel & will cause thickening of the bowel in the long run…….
Taste Of The Wild makes Kirkland kibbles but I think there’s more ingredients in the Kirklands kibbles, you need to try a kibble with very limited ingredients & have just 1 Novel Protein like Kangaroo, Rabbit, Venison, Salmon or Lamb & only 1-2 carbs & stick with kibbles with Sweet Potatoes & Potatoes…..Chickpeas & lentils are harder to digest but if further down the ingredient list may be OK…..
TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb has the least ingredients out of all the TOTW formulas & may be worth a tried or Royal Canin Vet Diets PR, PS or PV these are Potato & Rabbit, Potato & Salmon & Potato & Venison….I really think your dog has food sensitivities & you need a vet that specializes in IBD so you can try the vet diets not Hills Vets Diets & work what is happening with your dog….have you tried boiling potatoes & sweet potatoes? Oats would be like the rice
there’s also “Natural Balance” & “California Natural” Lamb meal & brown rice has only 3 ingredients & the rice in kibbles is grounded, my boy can eat rice in kibbles but not boiled rice, vet said the sharp corners of the rice is what irritates the bowel & can get caught in little pockets of the bowel……

[Catherine W]

Long background story:
I have a 2 year old Bernese mountain dog who never had great stools from when we got her. She was on blue buffalo and we always had issues, especially between new bags. But last may we had to evacuate our home from a fire and we ultimately moved, then had a new baby in September, and her stools have just been on and off ever since. They were good in July/Aug on Kirkland salmon but then a mess after new baby and my husband wanted to change foods at the same time to Kirkland turkey because of bad fish breath. Well since September she hasn’t been on 100% kibble, started with a blend of rice/boiled meat/kibble, but the rice started to go right through her so we tried oatmeal. Now she’s on an oatmeal/kibble blend. I supplement with carrots, and a probiotic, and recently I’ve been giving her a multivitamin because I’m concerned. In December I managed to get to 70:30 kibble to oatmeal ratio with great stool then explosive diarrhea for days. Basically it’s been the worst since May, midnight outings every 2 hrs. Oh and I took her to the vet in December who did a deworming and stool sample and put her on Hills prescription w/d canned which made her constipated and bleed, which we then blended back to kibble which didn’t work. I’ve tried adding pumpkin and bran buds (vet recommended) but it’s hit and miss.
Last week I researched all sorts of dog foods and decided on Hills large breed light because of the high fiber and low fat content. She can’t eat anything fatty, raw bones just cause diarrhea, and never gets meat scraps because they just cause upset.

Basically I’m wondering if I’ve tried it all and my dog is just destroyed inside and is hopeless. Thanks.

• This topic was modified 8 years, 10 months ago by Catherine W.