[Anthony A]

These are their other foods that they offer. Which would you guys recommend I switch my German shepherd to once he’s 12 months and no longer needs the puppy formula. From what I’ve read grain free is not a good thing so I’m skeptical of those.
Chicken Meal & Brown Rice Recipe Dog Food
Pet Wants Chicken Meal & Brown Rice Recipe Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles for All Life Stages including growth of large breed dogs (70 lb. or more as an adult).

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein, min – 25.0%
Crude Fat, min – 14.0%
Crude Fiber, max – 4.0%
Moisture, max – 10.0%
Omega 6 Fatty Acids* (min) – 2.85%
Omega 3 Fatty Acids* (min) – 0.62%
* Not recognized as an essential nutrient by AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles.

Ingredients Panel:
Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Millet, Oat Groats, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Ground Grain Sorghum, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Menhaden Fish Meal, Egg Product, Brewers Dried Yeast, Natural Flavor, Whole Ground Flaxseed, Chicken Cartilage (Source of Chondroitin Sulfate), Potassium Chloride, Menhaden Fish Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Salt, Lecithin, DL-Methionine, Calcium Carbonate, L-Lysine, Alfalfa Meal, Dried Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product, Dried Cranberries, Dried Blueberries, Fructooligosaccharide, Turmeric Powder, Dried Carrots, Dried Spinach, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Niacin Supplement, Dried Seaweed Meal, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Acetate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Citric Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate.

Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Recipe Dog Food
Pet Wants Lamb Meal & Brown Rice Recipe Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles for All Life Stages except growth of large breed dogs (70 lb. or more as an adult).

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein, min – 25.0%
Crude Fat, min – 14.0%
Crude Fiber, max – 4.0%
Moisture, max – 10.0%
Omega 6 Fatty Acids* (min) – 2.50%
Omega 3 Fatty Acids* (min) – 0.64%
* Not recognized as an essential nutrient by AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles.

Ingredients Panel:
Lamb Meal, Brown Rice, Ground Grain Sorghum, Whitefish Meal, Oat Groats, Millet, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Potato Protein, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Natural Flavor, Whole Ground Flaxseed, Monosodium Phosphate, Dried Tomato Pomace, Lecithin, Potassium Chloride, DL-Methionine, L-Lysine, Choline Chloride, Dried Blueberries, Dried Cranberries, Fructooligosaccharide, Turmeric Powder, Dried Carrots, Dried Spinach, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl- 2-Polyphosphate, Mixed Tocopherols, Niacin Supplement, Kelp Meal, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Acetate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Citric Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Folic Acid, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, Dried Bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product, Dried Lactobacillus reuteri fermentation product.

Salmon Meal & Brown Rice Recipe Dog Food
Pet Wants Salmon Meal & Brown Rice Recipe Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles for All Life Stages including growth of large breed dogs (70 lb. or more as an adult).

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein, min – 25.0%
Crude Fat, min – 14.0%
Crude Fiber, max – 3.5%
Moisture, max – 10.0%
Omega 6 Fatty Acids* (min) – 2.5%
Omega 3 Fatty Acids* (min) – 1.43%
* Not recognized as an essential nutrient by AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles.

Ingredients Panel:
Salmon Meal, Brown Rice, Millet, Ground Grain Sorghum, Oat Groats, Whitefish Meal, Canola Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Natural Flavor, Lecithin, Monosodium Phosphate, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Alfalfa Meal, L-Lysine, DL-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Dried Blueberries, Dried Cranberries, Turmeric Powder, Dried Carrots, Dried Spinach, Fructooligosaccharide, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, Mixed Tocopherols, Niacin Supplement, Kelp Meal, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Acetate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Citric Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Folic Acid, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, Dried Bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product, Dried Lactobacillus reuteri fermentation product.

Whitefish Meal & Duck Meal Recipe Grain Free Dog Food
Pet Wants Whitefish Meal and Duck Meal Recipe Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles for All Life Stages including growth of large breed dogs (70 lb. or more as an adult).

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein, min – 30.0%
Crude Fat, min – 16.0%
Crude Fiber, max – 4.5%
Moisture, max – 10.0%
Omega 6 Fatty Acid * (min) – 2.85%
Omega 3 Fatty Acid * (min) – 0.56%
* Not recognized as an essential nutrient by AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles.

Ingredients Panel:
Whitefish Meal, Duck Meal, Field Peas, Chickpeas, Lentils, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Tapioca Starch, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Whole Ground Flaxseed, Natural Flavor, Dried Seaweed Meal, DL-Methionine, Salt, Monosodium Phosphate, Choline Chloride, Potassium Chloride, Turmeric Powder, Dried Carrots, Dried Spinach, Fructooligosaccharide, Calcium Carbonate Vitamin E Supplement, L- Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, Mixed Tocopherols, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Acetate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Citric Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Folic Acid, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, Dried Bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product, Dried Lactobacillus reuteri fermentation product

Chicken Meal & Turkey Meal Recipe Grain Free Dog Food
Pet Wants Chicken Meal & Turkey Meal Recipe Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles for All Life Stages including growth of large breed dogs (70 lb. or more as an adult).

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein, min – 29.0%
Crude Fat, min – 14.0%
Crude Fiber, max – 3.5%
Moisture, max – 10.0%
Omega 6 Fatty Acid * (min) – 2.60%
Omega 3 Fatty Acid * (min) – 0.71%
* Not recognized as an essential nutrient by AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles.

Ingredient Panel:
Chicken Meal, Field Peas, Lentils, Chickpeas, Turkey Meal, Tapioca Starch, Canola Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Sweet Potato, Salmon Meal, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Dried Tomato Pomace, Chicken Cartilage (Source of Chondroitin Sulfate) Natural Flavor, Lecithin, Salt, DL-Methionine, Choline Chloride, Dried Cranberries, Dried Blueberries, Taurine, Turmeric Powder, Dried Carrots, Dried Spinach, Fructooligosaccharide, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2- Polyphosphate, Mixed Tocopherols, Niacin Supplement, Kelp Meal, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Acetate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Citric Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Folic Acid, Potassium Chloride, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, Dried Bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product, Dried Lactobacillus reuteri fermentation product.

[Anthony A]

Hey I’ve been feeding my dog this food his whole life and I wanted to get some opinions on it. He’s a 11 month old working line german shepherd. It’s a freshly made slow cooked food that I get delivered to my home every 4 weeks. These are the ingredients, this is the puppy formula.

Puppy Formula Dog Food
Pet Wants Puppy Dog Food is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles for the Growth and Lactation/Gestation Stages including growth of large breed dogs (70 lb. or more as an adult).

Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein, min – 28.0%
Crude Fat, min – 17.0%
Crude Fiber, max – 3.5%
Moisture, max – 10.0%
Omega 6 Fatty Acid * (min) – 3.25%
Omega 3 Fatty Acid * (min) – 0.68%
* Not recognized as an essential nutrient by AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles.

Ingredient Panel:
Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Ground Grain Sorghum, Dried Plain Beet Pulp, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Oat Groats, Whitefish Meal, Egg Product, Natural Flavor, Brewers Dried Yeast, Pea Protein, Menhaden Fish Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Whole Ground Flaxseed, Canola Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Lecithin, Chicken Cartilage (Source of Chondroitin Sulfate), Potassium Chloride, Salt, DL-Methionine, L-Lysine, Choline Chloride, Dried Cranberries, Dried Blueberries, Fructooligosaccharide, Turmeric Powder, Dried Carrots, Dried Spinach, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl- 2-Polyphosphate, Mixed Tocopherols, Niacin Supplement, Kelp Meal, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Acetate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Citric Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Biotin, Folic Acid, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, Dried Bifidobacterium animalis fermentation product, Dried Lactobacillus reuteri fermentation product.

[Jenny Rellick]

When shopping for senior food, I noticed that, among the highest quality brands, the only difference in ingredients in their senior food is that it contains glucosamine and chondroitin to help with arthritis. Other healthy aspects of senior foods are that they contain 1. probiotics (to aid digestion and boost the immune system) and 2. omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids (for heart health, joint lubrication, and skin health.) However, high-quality brands typically include probiotics and omegas 3 and 6 in all of their foods. You can give your dog glucosamine and chondroitin in treats such as Zuke’s Hip Action, which can be broken into small pieces, instead of searching for a grain-inclusive senior food with those ingredients. The CANIDAE All Life Stages Formula Dry Dog Food line may be what you’re looking for. It has 4.5 stars. The label specifically says it’s appropriate for all dog sizes. They only make a specific small-breed size for their grain-free food because the standard kibble size for their grain-free food is larger. Also, even the grain-free senior food that I buy has much smaller than average kibble, which is a good sign the All Life Stages really is okay. If you buy it locally and it’s not appropriate for your dog, you should be able to return it or call Canidae for a refund because it says ALL sizes on the label. By the way, don’t buy this brand on Amazon because multiple recent reviews say it’s counterfeit.

[Aoife H]

I think you should start giving Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula Large Breed Healthy Weight Adult Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, this very healthy and cost efficient food. I read review about it on a website i hope this will help you!

[crazy4cats]

I’ve made the 180 on dog food and now feed them either Purina Pro Plan or Purina One dry food along with a spoonful of wet food.

I tried feeding Iams dry at first after switching off of the grain free food we used to feed them. But, they like the Purina with the shredded pieces better and are doing great!

I do not know anything about Rayne. Best wishes on finding the best food for your new puppy. Make sure if it is a large breed puppy that you feed a puppy food specailly formulated for growing large breed pups.

[Elizabeth B]

Great Information thank you all. But I’m confused. I have a Great Pyr 125lbs of love, and gets a lot of belly groin pustules. So I thought it was food allergies. Thanks for suggestion it might be environmental instead. Nevertheless, all the suggestions for good food for large breed are grain free. Yet studies came out in the last two years AGAINST grain free because of development of cardiomyopathy. In the studies, 93% were eating peas and lentils. Vet warned about this. So do you still recommend Gentile Giants or Pro Plan or Wellness simple? but maybe supplement? thanks

[Kathy B]

Our large breed dog is continuously chewing, licking her paws and I suspect it might be food allergies. She currently is on ProPlan Savor for Large Breeds. Rather than jump in with allergy tests I was hoping for some suggestions on a food change. I understand chicken is a potential problem but then also grains. Any suggestions on something to try that is good for dogs with allergies? We do like to feed high quality food. Thank you!

[Patricia A]

Hi..Diane has your vet ruled out what possibly is causing these high ALT”s from puppyhood? Glad to hear ultrasound is normal . Below are some common causes of the high ALT levels. ALT is an enzyme that may be released with any source of damage to the liver. Blunt trauma, anaphylactic reaction, systemic illness such as thyroid disorders, and other problems that have nothing to do with the liver can cause an elevation of ALT in the blood. Just because ALT is elevated doesn’t mean the liver is failing, however. This result is interpreted in conjunction with clinical signs and other bloodwork and imaging changes.
Increased ALT

Common Causes
• Inflammatory
o Infectious causes
 Bacterial cholangiohepatitis
 Leptospirosis
 Feline infectious peritonitis (FIP)  Histoplasmosis
 Infectious canine hepatitis
o Noninfectious causes

 Chronic hepatitis
 Cirrhosis
 Pancreatitis
• Toxic
o NSAIDS
o Phenobarbital
o Corticosteroids
o Methimazole/carbimazole
• Liver hypoxia or hypoperfusion o Anemia
o Congestive heart failure
o Shock
• Metabolic disorders
o Hyperthyroidism (cats)
o Hepatic lipidosis (cats)
o Cushing’s disease
o Diabetes mellitus/diabetic ketoacidosis
• Neoplasia
• Trauma
Generated by VetConnect® PLUS: Alanine Aminotransferase (ALT) Page 1 of 3

Uncommon Causes
• Portosystemic shunts (usually mild elevations if any)
• Toxic
o Mushroom
o Sago palm
o Aflatoxin
o Ragwort (horses) o Xylitol
o Tetracycyline
o Idiosyncratic drug reactions
• Inherited
o Copper storage disease (certain dog breeds, but particularly severe in Bedlington Terriers)
o Lysosomal storage disorders
• Severe skeletal myopathy, usually mild to moderate increases
• Nutritional hepatopathies
• Gastroenteritis
Related Findings
• Inflammatory
o Increased AST, ALP, GGT, total bilirubin
o Decreased albumin, cholesterol, glucose, BUN in severe cases
o Increased bile acids and ammonia
o Positive titers or PCR for leptospirosis, feline coronavirus (FIP), histoplasmosis o Positive bacterial or fungal culture of liver/bile
o Histopathology/cytology findings consistent with inflammatory hepatic diseases o Increased Spec cPL® or Spec fPL® with pancreatitis
• Metabolic
o Hyperthyroidism
 Increased T4, free T4, free T4 by equilibrium dialysis
o Hepatic Lipidosis
 Increased ALP
 GGT usually normal unless concurrent inflammatory disease is present  Enlarged liver on radiographs, hyperechoic liver on ultrasound
 Cytology/histopathology consistent with hepatic lipidosis
o Cushing’s Disease
 Increased ALP
 Decreased urine specific gravity
 Stress leukogram: increased neutrophils and monocytes, decreased lymphocytes and/or eosinophils  Adrenal function tests consistent with Cushing’s disease
o Diabetes Mellitus
 Increased serum glucose and glucosuria  Increased fructosamine
 Ketonuria (in severe cases)
• Neoplasia
o Enlarged/irregular liver on radiographs and/or ultrasound o Cytology/histopathology findings consistent with neoplasia

• This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by Patricia A.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 11 months ago by Patricia A.

[Steven R]

Hello,

I have a 4 year old, 103lb, Cane Corso named Odin. We are wondering what would be the best recommended food for him? He has a chicken allergy, which makes the hunt a bit difficult for us.

Here is some background:
He has been using Victor Hero dry food for a long time, which we know is fantastic, but possibly not specifically for large breeds. Last month he ended up having bloat (GDV). We have been aware of this possibility for years and have taken all the precautions. Luckily, we were able to notice the bloating just in time to get him to an emergency surgery in time for him to survive! The vet said that we had likely done nothing wrong, it seems to be bad luck. Since his surgery, however, we have noticed he burps a lot more often. We are wondering if the fat content of Victor might be a bit too much for him? We just want to make sure we avoid any foods that may cause bloat, and this website is by far the best and most thorough we have ever found. We appreciate any and all help you can provide. Thanks!

[Amanda H]

I have a 14 year old Jack Russel Terrier who eats just about anything, hhe is in good health and pretty ideal weight. We have been feeding him him small breed kibble, no specific brand, tried staying with Nutro but would switch it up cause he needed to get bored…. Now we have an 8 week old great dane, who came with Diamond naturals puppy food. She has pretty much refused to eat her kibble, but instead prefers the JRTs, cheaper less quality food. Even when topped with large breed puppy canned food. I know the great danes diet is critical for her health. can my senior JRT eat her food and still maintain a healthy life? My jrt has always been a nibbler only eating a little here and there so I can’t just take the food away out of their reach…

[Susan]

Hi
Stop feeding the Stella & Chewy raw..
Find a free range human grade raw company or make your own raw diet with human grade raw meats/green veggies.
Sounds like the raw meat might be high in Toxins, Heavy Metals & Contaminates. Toxins can cause elevated ALT levels??
This was happening with my boy 2yrs ago when he ate a certain USA kibble he kept having elevated ALT levels..Then this USA pet food company was all over the internet being sued for their kibble being very HIGH IN TOXINS.
As soon as I changed his diet to a different brand his elevated ALT levels went back to normal.
My dogs Nutritionist who formulated my dog raw diet said to only use human grade meats I eat, she would NOT let me feed any of these Pre-made raw pet foods.
It’s worth a try changing diet & see what happens, also your dog needs to be on a large breed puppy diet till 2yrs old so his growing bones don’t grow too quickly & cause joint problems later on, if you have the money find a Nutritionist to balance him a raw diet made from Human grade ingredients + blended green veggies so diet is not too high in calcium and phosphorus & hopefully toxin free…
https://todaysveterinarynurse.com/articles/giant-expectations-nutrition-for-the-large-breed-puppy/

[Caryn D]

Hi Jordan, Thank you so much for your advice. I purchased a 4lb bag of the Fromm Heartland Gold Large Breed Puppy and I am weening her on to it now and I can already see an improvement in her #2’s. If you recall how long did you do the transition onto the new food ? Thank you again

[Brandon Y]

Hey! I am a product specialist at a pet store. We just brought it in. Here is a quick overview of it:

Seems to sell really well. It contains no peas potatoes or legumes and marketed towards pet parents concerned about grain-free diets. Earthborn recently came out with this line because of the sales drop caused by the recent FDA investigation causing concern about enlargement of the heart in large breeds from feeding grain-free diets due to a lack of taurine (an amino acid), however, even the FDA report states there is still little signs of this and it is still under investigation.

If your local store offers samples try it out. Has a lot of newer ingredients such as buckwheat, which is not a type of wheat or grass nor is it related to any family of them but rather a seed. Dogs primarily use this as a source of dietary fiber however in humans it has shown to reduce blood sugar. It is also a gluten-free source of fiber. Also the unrefined is primarily made of ancient grains such as quinoa, buckwheat, and chia. In case you didn’t know these types of grains are considered ancient because these grains are purported to have been minimally changed by selective breeding over recent millennia or in normal terms, humans didn’t really screw around with them as much as corn.

Most of its formulas are multiprotein (except for salmon, it just has salmon) Despite the bag name, so always check the ingredients to see what’s really inside the bag.

Hope this helps! post any other questions you have and I’ll do my best to get back to you with answers!

-Brandon

[Jordan C]

Hi Caryn!

Murphy is 2.5 years old now and finished growing and is now on Stella and Chewy’s Essentials Wholesome Grains Beef Recipe. He has been doing absolutely amazing on it! Specifically labeled poultry free.
https://www.stellaandchewys.com/dog-food/grass-fed-beef-ancient-grains-recipe/

However, if you have a younger pup, I probably wouldn’t recommend it at this stage in its life. It does not carry an AAFCO label for large breed puppies. The back of the bag states: “All life stages except for growth of large size dogs (70lbs or more as an adult”

Until he reached about 1.5 years, I had him on Fromm Heartland Gold Large Breed Puppy

https://www.frommfamily.com/products/dog/gold/dry/#heartland-gold-large-breed-puppy

It is also poultry free but is specifically labeled for LBP. He also did very well on this one.

I hope this helps! 🙂

[Maria P]

Hello. Just got a 7-8 month mixed large breed rescue. (They think German Shepherd/Labrador/who knows what else). I just purchased the Primal Raw frozen patties to start him on healthier food. I’m concerned about what we will do when we need to travel or if we want to take a road trip with him or something. I was considering alternating with a freeze-dried food so he gets used to both in case we need to board him or something one day. What is everyone’s opinion? Is it okay to alternate a few times a week between commercial raw, freeze-dried and throw in some cooked chicken or homemade turkey meatballs for snacks sometimes? Thank you!

[crazy4cats]

I would definitely avoid any type of milk with a dog who is prone to diarrhea.

I disagree with your statement about corn. Corn is a highly digestible carb for energy, contains fatty acids for beautiful skin and coat and also provides quality protein for muscle growth.

Of course you need to choose a company who properly grinds the corn and only uses grade 1 or 2 corn.

Taste of the Wild has been implicated by the FDA as one of the companies associated with an increase of dogs developing cardiomyopathy. Along with other boutique type grain free foods. Here is a website with many valuable resources regarding the issue: http://dcmdogfood.com/

Here is their take on corn:http://dcmdogfood.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Debunking-Myths-around-Corn-Gluten-Meal_FINAL.pdf

They also have a fantastic FB page if you prefer.

After listening to the experts for the last year instead of internet myths, I’ve done a 180 on how I select food for my dogs and cats. I’m sticking to the big 5 for now. They all employ veterinarians with Phd’s in animal nutrition, do feed trials, own their own facilities among many other important factors. I’ll only feed Royal Canin, Purina, Eukanuba, Iams or Hill’s to my crew at least until they figure out what is going on.

Make sure which ever food you choose is formulated for large breed puppies!

Take Care and good luck!

[crazy4cats]

Hi lynx556-
Have you brought in a stool sample into your vet clinic to check for parasites, including giardia and coccidia? Worms and parasites are very common in young puppies.

Has the vet recommended adding a little fiber to the diet? I have a kitty who has suffered with chronic diarrhea for months. I recently started adding a little psyllium husk powder and a probiotic. It has helped immensely. Make sure to get direction from your vet on how much to add. Adding too much could be dangerous.

I would definitely stick to a large breed puppy food. You want to make sure his joints grow and form correctly. It contains the appropriate amount of calcium and phosphorus for a growing large breed.

[Patricia A]

John I have Chihuahuas. Freeze Dried is kind of expensive to feed even with them being small. So I supplement with the kibble and give less of the freeze dried to make up their calorie/nutritional needs. Also as I posted they get home cooked as a topper to a little kibble. This being boiled white meat chicken, boiled salmon, string beans(low salt), carrots, watermelon, sweet potatoes, lean steak, boiled 1/8 of hard boiled egg in morning. This is easily done since it’s just what we’re having for dinner that day.
So there are many freeze dried brands. I stick to Primal and Stella Chewy’s. Bixbi Rawbbles freeze dried are given for treats and Open Farm freeze dried. I hear Dogs for the Earth is a very good brand also and Vital Essentials(believe this one follows a prey model with no added vitamins. Just what’s in the food for nutrition. )
I got them VERY, VERY, VERY slowly used to Primal in different proteins/flavors. I use the lower fat ones which I believe is the ones DFA rated as 5*’s. So Rabbit, Turkey/Salmon, Duck.
Stella Chewy’s I feed their Venison Blend,.
I just mix it up everyday. Never had a problem with their digestion and all blood work great. They LOVE the food.
I use Open Farm grain free and switch between with Stella Chewy’s raw coated chicken kibble. Just a little again to stretch the freeze dried .
If you have a larger breed dog it would be more cost saving to get the same in the raw. Most go through HPP process to get rid of salmonella/bacteria. True raw advocates don’t like this step but it’s fine with me. https://primalpetfoods.com/pages/canine-balanced-bases https://www.stellaandchewys.com/dog-food/

• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by Patricia A.

[Susan]

Hi Andree,
What does your vet say about 8 to 9 bouts of diarrhea a day- Grade 7.
You need to work out does she do better on a lower fiber diet -2% under fiber or a higher fiber food -7%+ fiber,
What is the fiber % what she is eating now? Is it Royal Canin Hypoallergenic vet diet?? is it a low fiber diet-1% fiber??
Also if she is a Large Breed puppy then she needs a large breed puppy kibble so her bones don’t grow to quickly causing Osteoarthritis & joint problems.
Tell vet the vet diet he/she prescribed is NOT helping your dog, you can also call/email Hills, Royal Canin they have Vet Nutritionist who can advise on what is the best vet diet for double intestine recession and introplacation of the intestine?
A vet nutritionist will probably know a bit more about diet then your vet knows about nutrition.

My boy suffers IBD I found grain free – Potato kibbles work best for Patch- NO Lentils, Lentils can cause intestinal stress.
Wellness Core L/B Wellness Complete Health Large Breed kibbles
Canidae All Life Stages, Large Breed Turkey Meal & Brown Rice kibble.

Maybe a raw diet would be best if she cant handle Fiber, or those dog rolls sold in pet fridge section.
You never put up your F/B group name.

[Andree C]

Hi guys! I was so excited to find this forum. My pup Winnie had a double intestine recession and introplacation of the intestine 6 weeks ago. We still have about 8 to 9 bouts of diarrhea a day. Grade 7. We stuggle with the food since Winnie is a large breed puppy and she is on hydrolyzed protein at the moment. I create a facebook group today maybe we can all connect because i need help. Its so hard to see her struggle to gain weight.

[Patricia A]

Melissa I don’t believe there is a difference in ingredients if a brand says small breed. It is probably just the size of the kibble and nothing should be different in the same flavor/protein of the same brand which doesn’t have small breed on the label. Large breed puppy food I believe would be an exception since large breed puppies have very different nutritional needs then non large breed puppies.
When it comes to senior foods I don’t believe it’s necessary to switch foods. It depends on you dog as stated in this article. If you have a vet check with blood work and your dogs are in good health then no reason to switch their food. Also there is nothing wrong with giving your senior dogs some REAL food at times. That being boiled white meat chicken, string beans, lean steak , watermelon . I’m sure they will enjoy this at their age. Hopes this helps.
Manufacturers “might be increasing protein, decreasing protein or keeping it the same,” Freeman said. “That emphasizes to us to look at the individual animal, and not all aging animals need a different diet. It’s much, much more important to look at individual dogs.”
Respondents tended to assume that senior dog foods were lower in calories, yet this actually varied from 246 to 408 calories a cup. Not all dogs gain weight as they age, some gain weight and some stay the same, Freeman said. Survey respondents also tended to assume that senior diets had less fat, protein and sodium. But, this was also not necessarily the case, with much variation among individual petfood brands, Freeman found.

“The study highlights the diversity among dogs and, consequently, dog food products. Each dog is unique and has distinct needs,” said Kurt Gallagher, a spokesman for the Pet Food Institute.”Attaining senior status depends on several factors, including the breed and weight of the dog. The differing nutritional needs of dogs are exemplified by the variance in the amount of protein senior dogs should consume.”

• This reply was modified 5 years, 3 months ago by Patricia A.

[German S]

The German Shepherd is a breed of medium to large-sized working dog that originated in Germany. In the English language, mixgermanshepherd.com  the breed’s officially recognized name is German Shepherd Dog.  https://mixgermanshepherd.com/german-shepherd-mastiff-mix/

[Susan]

Hi Michelle,
Yes Patch has tried most of the Vet Diets we get in Australia, most caused diarrhea (Hills),
Hills & Purina didn’t help made his skin itch & smell yeasty
Why vet diets work help skin problems as the are VERY high in Omega 3 whats needed for dogs skin.
Royal Canin seem to work best, R/C Sensitivity Control-Tapioca & Duck fat is 9% kibble
R/C Gastrointestinal Low Fat, Low fiber, fat is 7% but Patch smells a bit yeasty & still rolls on carpet but stops sloppy poos.

Have a look at “Wellness Simple”- Turkey & Potato it’s really good its for Skin Problems & the Potato is good for IBD symptoms & stomach problems firms up poos, we cant get it no more in Australia 🙁
The Omega 3% should be 1/2 the Omega 6%, Wellness Simple formula’s are balanced properly, give one of the G/F formula’s a go I prefer Turkey as its a cleaner meat & its white there’s also Salmon & Potato.

Wellness Core Large Breed Adult even thought Patch is a medium breed dog he still eats the Large Breed kibbles as they are good for Intestinal stress they’re made to prevent bloat in large breed dogs & the Kcals are lower under 340Kcals per cup, so kibble is easier to digest.
Canidae Pure Wild Boar Sweet Potato
Canidae Pure Sky Duck & Sweet Potato
Canidae Pure Healthy Weight would be really good fat is lower & its for weight gain,
Canidae & Wellness have a return if not satisfied money back.

Also Baths are best to wash off allergens. Bath twice a week when dog has really itchy paws & itchy skin in a medicated Shampoo – Malaseb medicated shampoo works best on Patches also relieves his itchy paws & itchy skin, then bath weekly thru hot months & keep a Diary you will start to see a Pattern as the season pass yr after yr with Seasonal Environment Allergies your dog will be better thru Winter months & bad thru Spring & Summer months.

Get some “Sudocrem” its an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial healing cream, I’ve been using it on Patch for 8yrs now, the Sudocrem protects dogs skin & paws from allergens, apply before bed, first get baby wipes & wipe dog down, wipe paws, body, head, stomach around mouth & chin if red & after dog eats also wipe dog down after being outside the days you haven’t bathed, then apply the Sudocrem its stops itchy skin, itchy red paws, I use cotton buds in between dogs toes & apply the Sudocrem not too much cream as it can become messy, if paws are red, by morning dogs paws aren’t red no more.. then start over again apply Sudcrem before going outside if paws are BAD get shoes booties when outside but let Paws breath when dog is sleeping & inside.
also get some local honey with 5km form your place give dog & yourself 1/2 teaspoon each twice a day Patch LOVES his honey we had the best Summer last yr since starting his local raw honey, the local bees eat the pollen from trees flowers etc in your area so when you give your dog some honey your slowly desensitizing him from certain allergens in your area.
Everything I’ve written I’ve learnt over 8yrs with Patch he’s nilly 12 yrs old now, a lot of vet visits, research, trial & error.
A lot of people think their dog has Food sensitivities but if its Spring or Summer chances are dog is suffering from Environment Allergies, so best to do elimination diets in the cooler months when allergens are low.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sudocrem-Antiseptic-Cream-125G/182504923

[Susan]

When a dog is suffering with pain & stress they can bite. nip, a few times Patches vet was pushing & prodding his stomach/pancreas area & he growled at her he’s never growled at anyone but this told her where he was sore she calls it his IBD Pain, she said she suffers with IBD so its good she understands what Patch is going thru
I started to know if Patch was lifting up his front paw, I use to think he wanted to shake hands but no he wants to have stomach area rub, I wait & see was it just 1 day his stomach was sore or more then 1 day & I’d rotate & change his kibble.
a low dose of Metronidazole helps with the pain & kills the Helicobacter, some dogs are kept on a low dose of Metronidazole. Also vet wanted to put him on Prednisone something I didn’t want him on, finally 2017 we tried a very low dose 5mg twice a day, the Pred took away his abdomen pain & he slept really good but he got diarrhea & vomited the first day I tried it, even when we went down to 5mg a day poos were very sloppy, vet said give him the Prednisone 2 days & then stop then as soon as he gets his pain give him low dose prednisone for 2 -3 days again then stop, this did stop his pain, but I learnt once his diet agree with him & Kcals were low he was good no pain.
Royal Canine Intestinal Low Fat low residue kibble vet diet is good, its low fat & low fiber, he doesn’t have any pain when he’s eating R/C Gastro-intestinal kibble, but he starts swallowing mouth suckling some days, so I add 1/2 the R/C gastro with 1/2 another kibble.
When I first rescued Patch my vet called the Animal Behaviourist into our room to teach me how to teach Patch the words “LEAVE IT” I was even told to muzzle him when he went outside & on walks so he couldn’t eat any foods or cat poo when I wasn’t watching it caused IBD flares -pain..
I’d deal with her pain (Meds) then her Behaviour will get better..

With Low fat kibbles just watch the fiber stay 5% & under & Kcals are low, under 350Kcals per cup, the higher the Kcals more dense are ingredients so harder to digest, stomach & pancreas works harder.

Large Breed Kibbles are best as they are formulated to not cause bloat in large breed dogs, Patch is a medium breed, he does good on Large Breed & Senior kibbles, Wellness Core Large Breed, Canidae Pure Senior G/F are really good. Diamond Naturals Senior & the Large Breed Adult looks good especially the Senior,
Protein is higher-25% Fat is low-11%, Fiber-3% & Kcals are low-318Kcals per cup

Diamond Naturals Senior Dog Chicken, Egg & Oatmeal Formula

[Susan]

Hi Sienna,
Your girl sounds just like my Patch, who I rescued November- 2012. He was weeing blood when I got him & Ultra Scan showed Urinary Crystals he was put on Royal Canine S/O Urinary Wet & dry kibble for 6 weeks to dissolve the crystals & he was desexed, I adopted him cause I didnt see any health problems probably cause he was on the R/C Vet Diet as soon as the vet said his crystals have dissolved feed him what he was eating before this is when my nightmare begun & he was always STARVING HUNGRY eating cat poo… I kept thinking Pancreatitis, but all times we checked his Pancreas its good, he cries whinges after he eats, wet food is the worst if comes back up cause it digests quicker & cause his lower sphincter flap isn’t closing properly the food comes up his esophagus & throat causing acid reflux, a Acid Blocker- Pantoprazole-20mg given in morning really helps Patch even stopped his vomiting finally in 2018 Patches stories are thru DFA Forum section how I nilly put him to sleep 2018 he was 10yrs old but we have really good vets in Australia who wouldn’t put Patch to sleep till they worked out what was happening now.
Vet changed his PPI to 20mg-Pantoprozole it works heaps better then Omeprazole , I take Pantoprazole for my GERDS & asked my vet can we please change his PPI as they all work different till you find the right one for yourself & dogs would be the same + my gastro specialist told me Pantoprazole is best when Lower Esophageal Flap isnt closing properly.

Have you done Endoscope & Biopsies yet? you need the Biopsies so vet can diagnose properly. Or ask vet can you please try the triple therapy meds for Helicobacter all dogs have Helicobacter BUT when a dogs immune system is compromised the Helicobacter takes over the dog stomach also Patch suffers with Environment Allergies in Summer causing his immune system to crash by Autunm cause its been working overtime fighting his allergies this causing bad acid reflux as well, Patch does best on an easy to digest kibble.
Canidae Pure Senior, Wellness Core Large breed adult but they changed their recipe & added Lentils Patch cant eat Lentils he gets Diarrhea, he does really well on Potato & Sweet Potato kibbles.
Patch suffers with IBD, LES =Lower Esophageal Sphincter Flap doesn’t close properly in between his stomach & esophagus causing BAD Acid reflux, 1 yr after I rescued Patch I was told my boy has IBD I didnt believe vet so I asked can we do Endoscope & Biopsies, the Biopsies came back IBD, Helicobacter Pylori he was put on Triple therapy medications for 21 days, Metronidazole & Amoxicillin given every 12 hours with a meal & a PPI -Pantoprazole or Omeprazole-20mg given in the morning before breakfast, a gluten free, low fat diet is best, no high fiber diets, 8 yrs on he still has Pain stomach area, doesn’t eat poo no more as soon as we fixed his Helicobacter & kept him on a PPI the poo eating all stopped , your girl has Pain in stomach & food relieves her stomach pain, the Helicobacter lives in their stomach walls, food stops the pain BUT 20-30mins later they’re starving again how I know is I suffered with Helicobacter when I was younger, get her on the Metronidazole, Amoxicillin & a PPI will help her you’ll see results 5-7 days..then when medications are finished after 21 days continue with teh PPI or you’ll have to do the triple therapy meds over & over again I did research & Drs found when humans stayed on their PPI medication their Helicobacter didnt have the right environment in the stomach.
There’s a few of Patches post thru DFA Forum back 2015-2018..
I havent had time yet to read your posts, I have to feed Patch now its 7pm he’s waiting, he eats 5 smaller kibble meals a day 7am,-1/2 a cup kibble, 9am-1/2 cup kibble, 12pm he either gets 1/3 cup kibble or 1/2 boiled Sweet potato, 1/2 boiled white potato with his lean Pork rissoles but he prefers his kibble some days, 5pm 1/2 cup kibble, 7pm-1/3 cup kibble 9am a dry piece of Milk Arrowroot Biscuit then at 10pm he gets 1/2 his Quick Eze Rapid Chew ant acid lollie every single night they have also found Pepto Bismol kills off the Helicobacter
Hes doing well on his Eukanuba Senior kibble we have just started 3-4 weeks ago, I have to rotate his kibbles as soon as he starts showing he has his stomach pain I change his kibble.. also the Kcals in the kibble need to be under 360Kcals per cup or he gets his pain right side..
are you on Face Book??
join “Acid reflux in Dogs” https://www.facebook.com/groups/1635198406751056
I’m on there you can msg me on f/b if you want…You’ll see Patches photo hes a English Staffy & my name is Susan B

[WondrousPups]

Hi Erin,
Have you checked out the new list posted by surplus yet? Diamond Naturals Small Breed Puppy formula seems like an answer for your situation. And yes, the Victor formulas you’ve mentioned got well above upper safe limit of calcium (Hi Pro Plus 6.3g/1000 kcal, Nutra Pro 4.5g/1000 kcal, Hero 6.4g/1000 kcal). Here is the link to the surplus’s post:
/forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/#post-117602

[Yumi Z]

I see that “Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Canned Dog Food” has been one of the Top 10 Best Wet Dog Foods by Dog Food Advisory Editor’s Choice…

That’s why we switched from Nutro Ultra Large Breed Adult Chunks in Gravy Canned Dog Food last Summer for our girls – 11 years old Australian Shepherd and 5.5 years old White German Shepherd…

We have been feeding couple scoops of canned food mixed with dried food.

However, we’ve noticed there is I or 2 cans out of a case seemed to be a BAD one as our girls have had a diarrhea and/or bad gas issue once in a while…

And it has been happening more frequent over last few months…

Then, this past week, our Aussie had worse than usual diarrhea and although she usually has a good appetite, she didn’t eat all her dinner, then the next morning, she just sat in front of her breakfast refused to eat…

That totally alarmed us… and when I took our WGS for a light jog in the morning, she had pretty gooey liquidy poop… then after returned home, she looked little sick… and I realized she must had some issue since the previous day as she had bad smelly gas 3 times which was unusual for her…

That’s when we realized that the canned food was bad AGAIN…

So, we fed just dry food with chicken stock last night & this morning, and they ate fine…

After I consulted with Chewy customer services, we decided to change to VICTOR Beef & Vegetables Stew Cuts in Gravy Grain-Free Canned Dog Food.

We hope this will work.

I thought to inform you about this as the Taste of the Wild Canned Food is listed at the top… and I didn’t want any other pups to get sick over it! 🙁

[Yousaf S]

After creating the unofficial ACTR1UM dog food forum, I had a few questions for both Walmart & Elmira Pet Foods. I decided to contact both of them.

Neither of them would respond to my questions. I found it extremely odd that out of all the reviews on this particular product, ACTR1UM Large Breed Adult (dog) food, there was only one (1) negative feedback, and it pertained to the shipping of said product.

I had two negative reviews get rejected by Walmart. My opinion is that Walmart will do anything to decline a negative review on this product & that they have some sort of an agreement with Elmira Pet Foods, where they keep their reviews positive.

Please review my second rejected review, and you be the judge! : https://imgur.com/a/hq4I5bG

If anyone has an honest, negative review of this product, I strongly urge you to share it on the Walmart website. I’d like to see if they’ll even publish it. My opinion is that they’ll go to great lengths to hide the true customer feedback of this product.

[StinkyDog94]

Hi everyone! This is my first post and it’s kinda long…oops. I’ve been lurking around the forums and there seems to be a lot of good advise here, so I’m hoping you wonderful people can help me!

So I have a 6 month old mixed breed, medium large, last I checked she was 33lbs. I got her 2 months ago and started her on Berkeley Jensen puppy food over the first week. She went through a full bag with absolutely no problems. She’d get various natural chews, treats, some healthy people food, never had a problem with anything she ate. So about 3 weeks ago I started to introduce some canned food at dinner time (4Health). She was totally fine with it for 4 days, then I came home to an explosion in her crate after work on Friday. Okay, stopped the canned. Figured maybe I gave her too much too fast. Well she still had diarrhea and a few accidents over the weekend…decided to give just chicken and rice, and made a vet appointment. After 2 days on chicken and rice she was fine. Vet said she looked good, no poop parasites, gave her an antibiotic just in case she had something going on in there. Continued just chicken and rice for about a week, finished up the antibiotics. The next week I started adding in kibble again. After about a week and a half she was back on just kibble. No treats, no canned, just kibble. That was this past weekend…now the diarrhea is back and she’s had 2 accidents since yesterday. She’s acting totally fine, no vomiting, doesn’t appear to have any abdominal pain, and she’d still happily eat anything I’d give her. I’m not sure what to do…she was having totally normal poops again, but as soon as she was back to just kibble…runs.

If anyone has some suggestions I’d greatly appreciate it!

[Destiny M]

My husband and I just recently adopted a german shepherd mix a couple weeks ago.The previous owners didnt share anything with us except he was potty trained so we dont know what hes mixed with. Hes a year and a half old and 92 lbs.
We discovered he doesnt know basic commands and has been pooping in the house, mostly when we aren’t home. We switched his food from PurinaOne Smart Blend Chicken and Rice to Authority Everyday Health Adult Large Breed Chicken and Rice. His poo went from normal poo to really really soft. We blamed this on the food change and adjusting to the new home.

Now the main concern actually happened last night. We woke to the strange sound of him licking the air. We thought maybe he was thirsty and got a bowl for him in our room as he seems to have seperation issues and wont go downstairs to eat by himself. He drank a little and he stopped and we went back to sleep.
We woke about an hour later to him doing this again. My husband gets down on the floor by the dogs bed and pets him and asking what was wrong. He tells me that he also seems to be swallowing excessively along with the licking the air. I google it and it seems like hes gonna throw up. Well, a few minutes later, he does that. My husband discovers near where he threw up a small pillow from the couch and a sock of his that had been chewed on. Theres fluff in the throw up. The dog is still doing the licking and swallowing. Before we know it, the dog eats the throw up.
Now we are worried. I had my husband take the dog outside, just in case he needs to poo or throw up again. We aren’t entirely sure if it’s the food change, the stress, or some other underlying problem. Tips or anyone else experiencing similar symptoms? We didn’t plan on taking him to the vet as he just got his shots at the end of March but we dont exactly have the money for all the extra tests and such that come along with a vet trip.

[Kat F]

I currently feed purina pro plan sensitive stomach salmon formula. It has worked the best so far…tried other foods, pumpkin, home cooked beef and rice.

My question is do I feed for a great dane or sensitive stomach? Do probiotics actually help with loose stool? Would changing to a large breed formula with probiotics be better?

• This topic was modified 5 years, 7 months ago by Kat F.

[Josh B]

Hi everyone first let me say I have appreciated this place hugely as a resource as I try to do right by by two pups. I signed up to ask this question because I couldn’t find anything about it anywhere. Please help.

(Two yellow Labs, one six months and the other 9 weeks)

Can anyone tell me the vitamin C content (if any) of the Purina Pro-Plan Focus, large breed puppy chow? I can’t find anything about it on the bag or the Purina website. The breeder said that the vet he’s known for 20 years tells him vitamin C is really important for the pups growth. I don’t want to think that a food that got 4.5 stars here on the best puppy foods list has NONE, but I can’t find anything about it.

Side note: I had basically decided on Hill’s Science Diet large breed puppy as a great overall food, but the calcium content of that is on the higher side of what most seem to recommend. So I’ve been mixing two parts of the pro plan focus in question and one part of the Hill’s. They seem to love it and are having healthy movements since getting used to it. The research I found makes me think this is fine but I’m open to thoughts. That sound okay?

Thank you in advance!

[Erin M]

I’ve been reading this thread for 4 years and it has been fascinating and full of so much great input. I’m wondering what y’all are doing after pea/lentil report came out last year. I’m struggling to find a good puppy food for my Labs that complies. My breeding friends and I all had been using TOTW successfully for years, but the report has puppy buyers scared for sure, so we’ve all shifted to Fromm Gold Large Breed Puppy. It’s been good, but expensive and only a few distributors so not easy for new owners to purchase. Another breeder friend is using Victor Hi Pro Plus or Nutra Pro- both look like good food for adults but seems like the calcium is too high. PitLuv, is that your understanding since you use this brand? Also, another breeder is using Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy. I haven’t been able to get good info on the calcium because they state a minimum level, not max or ratios on their site. Really looking for input on what you’re doing now to be pea/legume free, if anything. Thanks!

[m3ntat]

Shelter puppies do well on Pro Plan puppy, their small breed, regular, and large breed variations, even during sudden transition when surrendered or picked up as abandoned/stray. It’s highly palatable, as they invest in veterinary nutrition r and d proving and improving palatability, safety, balance, and good growth development. It has higher DHA/EPA concentration, essential omega fatty acids contributing to formation of cardiac, bone, nervous system, eye, kidney and skin tissue during development. Purine ONE is a step down in ingredient quality, but their puppy diet is also highly palatable, with dehydrated shreds of meat amongst the kibble pieces. Royal Canin is another option, although Pro Plan is more palatable by most clinical observation of puppies’ appetites. HIll’s Science Diet puppy isn’t as palatable as competing similar puppy diets, as shelter and veterinary professionals can attest despite its good nourishment for lactating mothers as well as puppies, but if your pup’s apathy towards commercial diet persists, as long as he’s maintaining body condition aka adequate covering over bony processes such as hips and spine that you can feel these when press lightly, but not see them, he is ingesting enough to maintain during his growth and development. Mealtime training, with less treats between meal time, i.e. 2T peanut butter in kong at crate time twice daily, after meals, but not treats throughout the day, can improve appetite at meals. At his size and age, his approximate daily energy requirement is 1000-1200 kcals. It will be closer to 700kcal when growth is complete. Diarrhea on a rich, fatty diet does not necessarily imply sensitivity. If his body condition was good on Hill’s per your DVM, maintain; if he was a bit low body condition per your DVM, try the Pro Plan, or ONE, or Royal Canin. Boutique diets advertised as human grade or superior quality don’t have the r and d testing to ensure appropriate growth and development, safety, and palatability that more established manufacturers have. Adding less than 10% of the total diet as cooked egg, lean meat, whole grain such as rice, pasta, orzo, lentil, can entice appetite, but can create a dog that will not eat food without these added, may not eat the treats you have on hand for training, and lead to more restrictions due to preference down the road. This can especially make medicating or prescription diet feeding difficult. Food for thought.

[dean S]

Is “Summit” brand-
3 meats Chick-Fish-Lamb L dog- recoomended for a 6.5 large breed dog?
Thank you sincerely- first time on a forum

[Susan]

Hi,
have you asked vet about “Cartrophen vet” weekly injection given for 1 month, Cartrophen vet is all natural, injection is given under thick section of dogs skin near neck & it finds the dogs pain.
My boy suffers with IBD he cant take steroids, high omega oils, medications etc they cause diarrhea, acid reflux stomach ulcers so vet said NO to any meds, Patch is 11yrs old after his 2nd Cartrophen injection Patch was running around like a young pup, I have to tell him to slow down & stop jumping up your going to hurt your back, I couldn’t believe the results.
Cartrophen vet caused no side effects, I’m feeding Royal Canine Intestinal Low fat vet diet at the moment with Canidae Pure Senior kibble, I feed 1/2 & 1/2 mixed together, in Australia our R/C comes from Europe, France they use dried meats, no meat meals & ingredients seem to be heaps better then the American R/C.
I also feed Tin Salmon with boiled Sweet potato for lunch & his vet diet= Canidae is high omega 3 oils, he also eats Canidae Pure Senior, Wellness Core Senior or the Wellness Core Large breed its high in Glucosamine & Chondroitin, start adding Glucosamine & Chondroitin with diet it helps rebuild joints. If you’re going to give a fish oil buy Krill Oil Capsules instead, Krill Oil Capsules are better then Fish or Salmon oil, I also buy Freeze Dried Green Lipped Mussels & give 1-2 Mussels a day as a treat, Patch seems to handle foods that are high in Omega oils but not the supplements, just be careful as Supplements & Meds (NSAID) can cause acid reflux, diarrhea, stomach problems..

What is Cartrophen Vet?

[anonymous]

There are no veterinary nutritionists affiliated with this site.

Go here https://www.reddit.com/r/stbernards/hot/

And here http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2010/01/nutrition-in-large-breed-puppies/

• This reply was modified 5 years, 12 months ago by anonymous.

[Carl A]

Hi all

My wife and I have been considering adopting a dog for quite some time. I’ve looked at and read hundreds of adoption listings and I found a saint mix at a shelter and fell in love with the beautiful girl immediately. We’re currently waiting to see if our application is accepted. In the meantime I’ve been researching the saint breed. The adoption listing doesn’t say what exactly she’s mixed with just that she’s a year old and quite shy. In my researching I’ve read that most large breeds are considered puppies up to 24 months. There’s so much conflicting info on feeding. I’m just wondering if those of you experienced with saints could give me some opinions on what to feed her if our application is approved and if what she’s mixed with would make a difference? I have no idea of what her weight or height is yet as the response email didn’t have anything except an adoption application, which seemed a bit odd to me but I’ve never dealt with adopting from a humane society before.

[GSDsForever]

Hi Victoria.

First (so I don’t forget it!), no, you cannot use cooked pancreas for EPI. It *must* be raw for the active enzymes needed. Vets know this — it’s a special exception recommended in otherwise normal, healthy dogs with EPI.

In your dog’s case, an older dog with cancer, I wouldn’t worry about trying to use pancreas. Just stick with the Enzyme Diane/other prepared enzymes as they are highly effective. For B12, a lot of dogs use WonderLab pills vs the injections.

I share your vet’s concerns about DCM and the connection to many current grain-free/high legume formulas, your dog’s heart murmur, as well as raw for your dog, and agree with his guidance. (Also, while I am respectful of raw feeding, I prefer gently cooked homemade food as ideal anyway and don’t find a benefit for my dogs in raw.)

It’s just hard to capture all those criteria — along with low fiber, low insoluble fiber necessary in particular for EPI dogs — in commercial kibbles, especially here in the U.S. at this time.

Aside from what HaleyCookie pointed out well (Thank you, HaleyCookie!), the starch binding in kibbles, I think companies add to the problem. They just don’t want to spend the money, chance cutting into their profits by including more quality animal protein, which is expensive. Or they don’t think that the public will buy the products at a necessarily higher price — and, here, they might be right.

I mentioned those particular GF formulas ONLY as something you could potentially do part homemade with, and that other EPI dogs are using with success.

Another formula currently being re-released and available again, which *might* work for you with some tweaks (you’ll need lower % fiber in an EPI dog; perhaps you can accomplish this diluting it with what you add homemade?):

Farmina LIGHT Chicken & Pomegranate with Ancestral Grains
34% Protein/11% Fat (6.4% Fiber)
https://www.farmina.com/us/dog-food/n&d-ancestral-grain-canine/113-chicken-&-pomegranate-light-medium-&-maxi.html

I really like Farmina and my German Shepherd is doing very well on their food. I use a different formula, higher in fat and low in fiber (typical of most Farmina formulas).

A board certified veterinary nutritionist I would recommend is Lisa Weeth, DVM DACVN.
http://www.weethnutrition.com/about-us.html
https://weethnutrition.wordpress.com/

You can work with her long distance, through your vet. She is very supportive of homemade diets and experienced with them, and is also more open minded, fair, unbiased across a variety of commercial diets and brands imo. I think you would get a better diet from her for the money than from some other prominent services/DACVNs.

You can get a good feel for what she’s like from her nutrition blog, both her blog and Q&A section (click on “comments” at the top), in that 2nd link. You might ask her some questions there, about a commercial kibble or your current homemade additions; she’s pretty gracious and generous in her answers. (Your questions would tie in to her recent blog entries on DCM & diet, also one on grains.)

I like Susan Wynn, DVM DACVN, also but she left private practice in nutrition in January 2019 to work for Nature’s Variety.

I think the expensiveness comes from the pre-diet formulation blood tests & work up you’ll need to submit (costs dependent upon your own vet), but I think they need that to ensure that a major health issue is not present so that when they formulate a custom diet for your dog it is safe and appropriate, does not make an underlying health problem worse. And, as you’ve already seen for yourself, multiple health conditions & diet parameters, not only require review of all your medical file, but presents a diet more challenging, complicated to formulate. In your case, if you have any of those blood panels, etc. already done recently, then you’ve already spent that money. Talk to her assistant & ask about costs, what is included, your concerns. (They were very helpful with me.)

With Just Food For Dogs, the cheapest by far is doing their DIY — where you buy their recipe + balancing supplement. I just don’t know whether any of those would be appropriate for your dog, with her conditions and the diet parameters. They have good customer service (and knowledgeable veterinary staff) if you want to ask them.

I was encouraged by — and have considered using a couple of their diets myself — an independent review I read from a guy who broke down his total costs for a large breed dog about mine’s weight, showed the receipts and shopped at Whole Foods no less(!), to feed one of the formulas the DIY route. With this diet, you do feed lower total calories because it is fresh whole foods gently cooked, using highest quality ingredients, and is therefore highly digestible. So, his cost was lower than what I would have assumed for a large dog.

• This reply was modified 6 years ago by GSDsForever.
• This reply was modified 6 years ago by GSDsForever.

[CMZ]

We have had 3 Great Pyres, 2 of which had sensitive tummies.
With one I had success with Natures Variety, not a large breed puppy food, but it helped.
My second one had an even more sensitive tummy but he did well on Duck and sweet potato, Venison and potato, Bison, etc. It could actually be the rice that’s bothering her. I think that was the culprit with ours.
I haven’t read all the grain free info out there, but I was thinking it was mostly the legumes (lentils, peas etc) that was more the issue. Try it with sweet potatoes, and other grains besides rice.

[Carter H]

I have an almost 7 month old Great Pyrenees who has proved to have a sensitivity to poultry. Our vet wants her to stay on a large breed puppy food that is grain inclusive, but poultry free. I currently have her on Diamond Naturals Large Breed Puppy Lamb and Rice formula, but that seems to be giving her some belly issues and she really doesn’t like it. So, does anyone know of a large breed puppy food that is poultry free, but not grain free?

[william M]

Hi Nadia,
without sounding too condescending to many of the other comments out here in regards to this subject, I would like you to consider just one piece of advice. Common sense rules the day. You have a wolf descendant. I know it’s playful and happy and very loving, but it’s DNA doesnt respond to feelings, it operates on a genetic map. That said, making the food is a great way to see significant health benefits in your pet.
I have had 47 different dogs in my 55 years of life. All have been mid to large dog breeds and all but a very few have been small lap type animals. With that also came a need for them to do what they did best…work. Whether that was herding, hunting or retrieving. Since I was a kid we had always maintained a crock pot for our dogs.
You dont have to spend an exorbitant amount either. Watch safeway, or your favorite grocery store for the managers deals. Safeway always has chicken leg quarters or whole chickens on sale when they are too close to pull date for 30% to 50% off.That means the chicken is less than a dollar a pound and in many cases even less. If you have a walmart superstore close by, they have frozen 10 pound bags of leg quarters for 5.99 per bag. Thats around 60 cents a pound….thats fantastic. I can get one bag into the 6.5 quart crock pot. when its done I peel it from the bone and bag it. Other times I just leave it and let the dogs go for it. Mine have learned to eat the bone so they get the benefit of the marrow and calcium and nutrient in the bone. Other times I will cook the bones for one more day and then throw them in the blender, you get a milky brown meal that you can add to a good kibble for a really high protein and calcium rich treat. You can also find pork and beef cheap as well. Never hurts to hook up with a local butcher to obtain the afal(that the intestinal and organ meat). You can usually get the tendon and connective bits from legs and bone for free or very cheap. adding in potatoe , apple , pear carrot is acceptable. Keep in mind anything dog will gnaw on in a yard (food wise) generally will work in their food. Dogs eat grass for two reasons, to settle their stomach or to get water. In other words, be creative and let the critter have the real deal.

[william M]

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

[Mona S]

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

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

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

[haleycookie]

So your dog is about 31 lbs at 5 months. First do you know if she’ll be over 50 lbs at full size? Is you think she will be I would switch to the large breed puppy food. If you think she’ll stay under 50 lbs follow the medium sized puppy guide on orijens bag. So for a 33 lbs dog it says 2 and 1/3 cup of food a day. Feeding guidelines will normally give u per day feedings not per meal. Some ppl only feed one meal a day so that wouldn’t help some ppl. So 2 and 1/3 cup is 266 g of food a day.
As for adult, let’s say he taps out at 20 kg or 44 lbs. for the original orijen you would feed him between 1 and 1/2 to 2 and 1/4 cups depending on his activity levels. Or somewhere between 171 g and 257g.

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

[anonymous]

@ Alberto A

What dog foods do you have available in Italy?

Also, when you get the pup, do not change the food! Continue to feed what the breeder has been using.

See the vet for an initial puppy exam within 2 weeks of bringing the pup home. See what he recommends.

This is the brand I like, I don’t know if you can get it where you are https://www.gofromm.com/fromm-family-large-breed-puppy-gold-food-for-dogs

[crazy4cats]

Hi Alberto!
Congratulations to you! A beautiful bloodhound, huh? How awesome.

You definitely feed a food that is formulated specifically for a large breed puppy. This will help ensure her joints to grow at a healthy pace.

In my opinion, I would feed either Purina ProPlan or One, Royal Canin, Eukanuba or Hill’s Large Breed Puppy food. Royal Canin might even have a formula specific for bloodhound puppies.

These companies all have done feeding trials on their foods.

I would not feed Acana. It has been associated with Dilated Cardiomyopathy in dogs. Especially larger dogs.

Good luck to you!

[Alberto A]

Hi, i’m Alberto from Italy.
At the end of the month i’ll become father and friend of a beautiful bloodhound (large breed) puppy.
I’m searching for a very good for her. I ordered Taste of the Wild Sierra Mountain but after i read conflicting opinions.
For you what is the best food for a large breed puppy? I’m thinking also about Acana Large Bred Puppy but i can’t find a review.

Thanks

Alberto

[Suraj D]

Hi Susan.
Actually breeder told me that adult weight of my puppy will be around 30kgs. Thats why i am considering large breed food.

[Susan]

Hi Suraj,
a pocket size Bully is small dog, is he active?? I would be feeding him a small breed PUPPY formula.
I have an English Staffordshire Bull Terrier (Staffy) he has a body of a bully all muscle & he’s only 30cm high..

Normally small breeds are more active then large breed dogs & small breeds use up more energy..
Large Breed adult formulas are normally lower in fat & lower fiber for a large breed bowel as they are more prone to Bloat then a small breed is, my boy has IBD & I feed Patch Large Breed formulas they seem to help with his IBD
I rotate his kibbles & he eats “Wellness Core large Breed Adult” kibble, its lower in fat, DHA, Glucosamine & Chondroitin is higher for large breed joints & bones…
also start adding 10% fresh ingredients to his diet or use a training treats & make sure you socialize your new pup.. also Goats milk is very healthy & good for keeping their stomach healthy