[Susan]

Hi, a lot of dogs do real well on “The Honest Kitchen Zeal” its low fat, low carbs, I cant get it in Australia.. 🙁 oh I can get it thru Amazon but its sooo dear for the delivery, delivery is dearer then the food….

[weezerweeks]

My yorkie seems to have this. He throws up about every 2 weeks. The cerenia or Pepcid clears it up but I don’t like giving drugs. He is on canned weruva and wellness stews at the moment. I give him Mercola’s probiotic and digestive enzyme. I have also been adding a teaspoon of pumpkin. I read he should be on low fat and low protein diet. I know his food is high in protein but low in fat. If I give low protein and low fat then that will mean high carbs and I don’t like carbs. Any suggestions on food and supplements that would help this. I don’t want his esophogus damaged. He does not have loose stools. He just throws his food up about an hour after he eats. He had blood panel and urinalisis in Jan. He is 7 now and I was going to wait until Jan. to have it again. I do it yearly but do u think I should have it done now? Thanks

[Pitlove]

I’ll also note that a senior dogs protein requirements increase and not decrease as many old-school vet’s will tell you. This has been found through much more current and up to date research. Restricting protein is not needed unless a dog is in very very late stages of kidney disease. Again, research has been done and others on this site with K/D dogs can tell you this.

Senior dog foods are often low in fat which is good but often far too low in protein. This means the carbs will increase and if you overfeed they can gain weight. If you have one that is prone to weight gain, fed high protein, moderate fat and low carb and cut back on how much they are eating and you will see them drop a few pounds. Do that until they are at their ideal weight and then increase food enough to keep them at the ideal weight.

[Pitlove]

Hi Lindsay-

The advice above does not really apply to you unless you have a dog that has a certain medical condition, which a presciption diet may or may not address. A normal healthy dog can and should be able to eat a normal diet which would be high in quality animal protein, moderate to low in fat and very low in carbs.

If you take the time to review the ingredients in Royal Canin, you will notice they use a large amount of corn and rice as their main source of carbs/protein. The food contains no other source of animal protein aside from animal by-products. By-products are a normal part of a dogs diet, however I would call the company and question the quality of the by-products before feeding. E.G make sure they can tell you what part of the chicken they come from and are they human grade.

Around here RC is considered a low quality food with a very high price tag. If you head over to the review side of the website you can find many 4-5 star rated foods that are lower in price and higher in quality than RC.

Some I can recommend that I have fed that found my dog did well on were Fromm, Orijen, EVO, Pure Balance and I am about to get him Wysong Epigen.

I would absolutely NOT suggest ever getting food from your vet that you can buy in a regular store as well. The mark up is insane and you are paying a premium price when you don’t have to. A prescription diet and the regular RC formulas are different as one is vet only and the other is not.

Also vet’s typically do not have training in canine nutrition. They will tell you this. If you have concerns, seek the advice of an actual canine nutritionist in your area or at a local college. Vet’s will always recommend RC, Science Diet and Purina because it’s what they are taught in school are quality foods. They know little beyond that knowledge.

[Dori]

I have three toy dogs. Maltese, Maltipoo and a Yorkipoo. I have been feeding them commercial raw frozen diets for the past 4 years and are all doing phenomenally well. I feed twice a day each getting between 2.5 & 3 % of their weight broken up into two meals. I use a cheap digital kitchen scale that I bought on Amazon. For treats I give them bits of fruits and veggies. No pits or seeds in anything, please. I don’t feed any grains, soy, corn, potatoes, rice or poultry (one of my girls is intolerant of all fowl). I feed all three high protein, moderate to high quality fats and low carbs. Oh, for size comparison, Maltese weighs 7.3 lbs., Maltipoo weighs 6 lbs. and my Yorkipoo weighs 5 lbs. Keep in mind that when you feed commercial frozen raws though initially they may seem expensive, you feed less than when feeding kibble. My soon to be 16 years old Maltese acts like she’s more like 6 or 7 years old. The other two are 6 years old and think they are still 2 year olds and act like it too. Which is a good thing. Also keep in mind the savings that you get also from not being at the vet everytime you turn around with some ailment or other. My two 6 year olds go once a year for physicals and my almost 16 year old goes every 6 months for senior blood work and physicals.

[weezerweeks]

I feed my yorkie canned, freezedried and dehydrated foods. He loves the cans but I don’t know what to try. We are finishing up months of weruva,wellness stews and go fit. I try to get food low in calorie with above av protein, average or below average fat and below average carbs. We’ve used fromn,pure balance merick.dr harveys freeze dried, grandma lucys. I was thinking about Tiki or lotus and maybe another freeze dried. I add different things each week to the food. Blueberries,raspberries.blackberriers,cottage cheese,eggs,sardines,etc. Any brands anyone can recommend not over 350 calories in can.thanks

[Pitlove]

I recently brought my almost 1 year and 2 month old pitbull to the vet for what I thought was a yeast infection in his ears. He has been to this new vet 2 times prior and a different vet found a yeast infection so bad under his nails that she thought it was demodex. The old vet who has now since moved out of state to another practice, told me she felt he had a pollen/grass allergy and made no mention of a food intolerance/allergy. His allergy symptoms definitely seem to go down in the “winter time” (I live in Louisiana so we don’t really have real winters) and get worse when it starts getting to be summer. Some of you know that I do feed a rotational diet and I have not seen an improvement in his itchyness when I change foods. Only when the weather changes to cool months. The last few foods he was on that he did well on were Orijen, EVO and Fromm.

This last vet visit after she told me he had yeast in his ears, I mentioned to her that I was planning to try to get him off kibbles with high starch carbs like potatoes. She preceeded to tell me that potatoes were really good for dogs after just telling me he had yeast…I didn’t question her outloud, but that makes ZERO sense to me.

So now I’m torn. She thinks he has both seasonal and food allergies. I think he just has seasonal. I wanted to try him on California Natural Lamb and Rice since it’s just 4 ingredients and no peas, potatoes, sweet potatoes or lentils. Now I just don’t know what to do though. Do I try that food and follow what she told me to do about starting an elimination diet? Or do I go back to feeding 3-5 foods that he does well on like Fromm?

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Alasdair D]

Hi All,

First post, so please be a bit gentle….

As an introduction, I live in the UK and have 2 Deerhounds. One is 10 years old and one is 10 months old. The pup has been fed raw since birth and I converted the old lady to raw when we got the pup 6 months ago. The old lady had been fed raw many years ago, but I got lazy and moved her onto Royal Canin some years ago at a vet’s recommendation. Over time, she developed some skin problems, but the move to raw has cleared that up completely and she now also has more energy.

Anyway….what I am looking for is some advice on the diet I currently feed them. I will describe the “go to” menu, but be aware that I do chop and change depending on what is available and also feed lamb rib bones and other raw meaty bones often.

I normally feed the dogs twice daily. Breakfast is a raw mince and vegetables (see below) meal and dinner is normally raw chicken wings or quarters.

The mince I use is made from ground chicken carcasses so has about 15% bone, and also has about 10% added offal. It is all human grade chicken meat with no additives or preservative whatsoever – just pure ground up chicken parts.

For the vegetables, about every month or so I buy a load of leafy greens, carrots, sweet potatoes (the orange ones) and broccoli, then grind it up really fine in my food processor and freeze to use later.

I use about 1/3rd veggies and 2/3 mince for the breakfast meal – and I also add a supplement that I make up from equal weights of powdered kelp, brewers yeast and ground flaxseed. Each dog gets a desert spoonful of this powder with their breakfast.

That’s the typical meal plan. Both dogs love it, the pup appears to be in phenomenal health and the old girl is much better than she used to be.

So, I am really looking for comments on this….. I think it covers most of the bases in terms of protein, fat, carbs, vitamins and minerals, but I want to know if there is something I am missing or anything I can or should add to improve their diet.

Let me know what you think!

Many thanks,

Alasdair

[Pitlove]

Christie- I’ve worked at a store that carried both products (Petco) and so I made a point to look into both brands for when customers had questions about them. Merrick GF has 12% more protein than WEF. WEF is 26%(29 dry matter) and Merrick is 38%(43 dry matter). Therefore WEF will be a little higher in carbs than Merrick. WEF is also lower in fat than Merrick, which helps. However, for it’s price I believe that WEF is one of the best foods in that price point. It’s very close to Purina products price wise and we would often recommend it at my old job for customers who were looking to transistion to natural foods. The price wasn’t as scary, but they are still feeding a far better food than Purina or the like. One thing I’d like to point out (as I’m currently going through this with my pitbull) that Bulldog’s are prone to yeast and yeast loves starchy carbs like potatoes. Since Merrick does a lot with potatoes and sweet potatoes make sure you are cleaning his folds (if he has some) and his ears very regularly. If you start to smell a yeasty smell consider a food without potatoes and other starchy carbs like peas.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Pitlove.

[Susan]

Hi Jen, I know what your going thru, for 2 years my boy has the same gulping fits, swollowing & swallowing, he had Endoscope & biopsies done, last December, biopsies found Moderate to chronic Lymphocytic gastritis with associated spiral bacteria infection..(Heliocobacter-Pylori) vet was surprised that his stomach had no ulcers or scaring from old ulcers & the stomach look really good, vet couldn’t get into the small bowel cause his lower pylori spincter was close & the only way to get more answers was to have Patch cut open & have more biopsies on small bowel to see what is happening, I said NO, I cant do that to him cut him open & then do what, we already have tried all the medications…. I thought once he takes all the meds for his Helicobacter & & a diet change (Vet Diet Royal Canin Gluten free Duck & Tapioca) everything will be great… when the meds were finished, he started his has swallowing & swallowing attacks again, more when he eats cooked foods or raw diet, he starts regurgitating & water comes up & then he swollows & swollows the water…I think his esophageal spincter isn’t closing properly.. I have it, its called non ulcer dyspepsia, vet said he has acid reflux & he was put on Losec cause the Zantac or Pepcid wasn’t working no more…
You know how you said he’s on the Hills Z/d so we know its not the food PLEASE PLEASE try another food, my boy didn’t get better on the Hills Z/d…..a few other people I know from a Face Book group said their dogs also didn’t do well on the Hills Z/d vet diets…. at first we thought he was doing better cause Z/d has more insoluble fiber, so it moves thru the stomach quicker, then diets with more soluble fiber but now when I look back it was probably the Ant-Acid meds that stopped his swallowing & swallowing attacks….also low fat diets help…look for a new diet that’s limited ingredient, novel protein & 1 carb “California Natural” has hypoallergenic diets, their Lamb & Rice has just 4 ingredients, http://www.californianaturalpet.com/products & see if you see any improvement & try a different ant acid maybe Zantac if you don’t want to use a Pump Proton Inhibitor (Losec or Somac) I found Somac to be better as it didn’t affect the bowel like Losec did …You keep saying you know its not the food but have you tried any other diets, I would be trying a new diet before trying any medications, I’ve learnt along the way that food seem to work the best & supplements… Lew Olson has a great face book group called K9 Nutrition & she helps & answers all post…..

Finally after Patch not getting better up & down some nights with these swallowing attacks, …I feed a Hypoallergenic gluten dairy sugar FREE Salmon & Sardine kibble that’s is 10% fat that I soak in water till its soft then drain all water very well then put thru a mini processer blender for a few seconds it comes out like wet tin food & what a difference it has made I’m not being woken up thru the night ….its not 100% we still have the odd swallowing attack (acid reflux) sometimes cause I’ve been introducing new foods to the diet, I just give 3 ml liquid Mylanta & the Mylanta seems to help & stops the swallowing & swallowing attacks….
Sometimes you need to do things yourself as vets aren’t real good with nutrition & dog foods they stick with their vet diets & think they’re great, I tried them all, Hills being the worst as it caused bad skin problems & they use chicken even though the chicken is broken down some dogs still pick up that it was once a chicken & have a reaction with the Z/d diet.. join this Face Book group, there’s a few dogs that have these swallowing attacks aswell “Dogs with Inflammatory Bowel Disorder group” Good-Luck

[Pitlove]

This is the GA for the Hill’s Metabolic and Mobility:

Average Nutrient and Caloric Content
Dry 3210 kcal/kg (291 kcal/cup†)

Nutrient
Dry Matter1
%
Protein 28.0
Fat 14.6
Carbohydrate (NFE) 36.2
Crude Fiber 14.9
Calcium 0.95
Phosphorus 0.7
Sodium 0.37
Potassium 0.88
Magnesium 0.159
Carnitine 400 ppm
Vitamin C 324 mg/kg
Vitamin E 741 IU/kg
Chondroitin Sulfate 1174 mg/kg (ppm)
Glucosamine 738 mg/kg (ppm

The protein is highER than most of their formulas and the carbs are low which is why it is meant to help your dog lose weight. I agree that the ingredients are sub-par. Prehaps look for a food with better ingredients but very very close %’s on the GA. This food also contains Chondroitin and Glucosamine for the joints. I’m not sure if a senior formula would contain those ingredients but be high enough protein and low enough carbs to help your girl lose weight. If you switch to something that is better quality and the same %’s on the GA make sure you add a joint supplement.
I have heard really good things about this product: http://www.naturvet.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage_images.tpl&product_id=39&category_id=7&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=4

Edit: Remember a “weight loss” food does not work if they are taking in more calories than they are burning. If your senior dog is less active make sure to decrease the amount they are eating as well to aid in weight loss. Also senior dogs have a increased need for quality animal protein, not a decrease. Perhaps consider looking into a raw diet for her?

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Pitlove.

[ed s]

Switching to raw food and raw bones in most beneficial for a dog, also you can cook the meat and give him but bones always raw. Also include organ meat any type you can get cooked or raw. I have been dealing with huge amount of sick dogs from store bought food one reason it that it is almost 40-60% fillers. While feeding raw always include raw bones. Also try to get raw pupmkin and sunflower seed not salted, and grind em up and do a 1- 3 tablespooons or more just not like a cup a day. By feeding raw you are building up immune in your puppy so you can look for altearnatives as hearthworm and tick prevention. A dog needs a balance fat and proteins since glucogen dogs get from fat ( we get from carbs very important for brain development) so feeding some raw green beans or a tablespoon of honey a day will be enough.

[j316]

will like to give to 10 year old labs that are slowing down
Advanced Triple Strength Glucosamine Chondroitin MSM Plus

Serving Size: 2 Coated Caplets

Vitamin C (as ascorbic acid) 30 mg 50%

Manganese (as manganese gluconate) 1 mg 50%

Glucosamine Sulfate 2KCl 1,500 mg *

Advanced Triple Strength Proprietary Blend: MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), Chondroitin Sulfate, Collagen (hydrolyzed gelatin), Boswellia serrata (resin), Citrus Bioflavonoid Extract (Citrus limon)(fruit), Hyaluronic Acid 1,700 mg *

Boron (boron citrate) 1.5 mg *

Other Ingredients: Calcium Carbonate, Cellulose (Plant Origin), Vegetable Stearic Acid, Croscarmellose, Vegetable Magnesium Stearate.

Directions: For adults, take two (2) coated caplets daily, preferably with a meal.

Other Information: Contains shellfish (crab, shrimp, lobster, crayfish) ingredients.

[Pitlove]

Hi Haley-

I have fed Fromm and I like Wellness. I too prefer their CORE line. Only problem with Wellness is their recent addition of Green Tea Extract which has been known to cause liver toxicity in dogs.

I do a rotational diet as well along with canned foods. It allows me to feed a variety of foods and its helped my dog become interested in food again. I would feed all three if I were you. Get medium size bags and then switch with the next bag or use a variety of proteins within one line. Fromm has a variety of lines to choose from as well.

Feeding a rotational diet aids in maintaining a healthy stomach, avoiding allergies to one specific protein or carb source, gives your dog variety, helps keep him interested in food and prevents the adverse effects of feeding one food for too many years. Its also really fun to pick out what food your dog is going to eat next!

I used to get very hung up on having to feed only grain free, but now since he doesnt eat grain inclusive foods for long enough for them to have any bad reactions (grains can be inflammatory for some dogs) I can feed a wider variety of foods.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by Pitlove.

[Terrina L]

Hi Heather
I am going through the same thing 🙁 My little girl is on her last round of chemo. I too spent hours scowering the internet for any information. I’m sure that you have read on many sites that a low carb diet is essential for fighting cancer. I switched my dog to Evo. It has the least amount of carbs for the dry and the canned food has zero carbs. Also check into a supplement called Miatake DMG by VeriScience. My vet recommend that. I hope all is going well with your fur baby.

[Dori]

cindy q. My three girls have been on commercial raw diets, nothing processed including treats for the past 4 years. I rotate their food with every meal. I don’t mix proteins either. I always have 3 or 4 bags started in the freezer at the same time. Different brands, different proteins.

The reason I had stopped feeding Darwin’s awhile back was they went through a change. They increased the fat, lowered the protein and raised the price. The whole idea did not sit right with me. I recently came across Darwin’s on Amazon with free shipping. Same Darwin’s and ships from Darwin’s facility also. You have to buy it in the variety packages though. You can’t specify just one protein. Since I rotate as frequently as I do and my dogs are accustomed to very high proteins, moderate to high quality fats, and low carbs there has not been an issue with Darwin’s. Actually it has less fat than a lot of the other frozen raws I have in rotation. I was just annoyed of the changes that I mentioned above. Now that I don’t have to pay for shipping it makes it easier to not be so annoyed with the company.

[Gem M]

Okay so here is his history

We obtained him at 8 weeks he was skin and bones. The vets told us to prepare for the worse. He didn’t even weigh a pound! He had blood in his stools but was very playful and alert. They said it was parvovirus, I argued that it was worms. After worming him regularly each week he started to grow and the weight came on. Food was an issue he’d go three months the get sore skin and anal glands. Some food he would have very loose stools.

The vets would give us steroids but overall we just kept moving through different kibbles moving to anything grain free. He never had an ounce of fat on him and had an absolute love of life but never got to an ideal weight for a pointer for more than a month. We managed his environmental exposures to help his paws and kept switching foods every 3 – 6 months unless there was an immediate problem.

In January I researched food until I was blue in the face, by this time I was working at a vets myself. I decided on Orijen… The vets disagreed that he needed so much protein and as he was loosing weight I felt despite him looking fab fur wise, anal gland wise and pads I should listen to one particular vet and give him a carb based diet. He gained nothing and I spoke to a nutritionist who said no way is this the right food for him. So I decided enough is enough we are going raw. I spoke with another nutritionist and she explained meats, percentages etc etc. I’m also adding in some sweet potato and butternut squash to his veggies. The plan is lamb as a main base, little fish each day and small amounts of goats yogurt and veg. Egg each day.. Then move to more meat but all of this slowly slowly..

So my boy is pretty much the dream of my vets, he is very active, yet calm, and they think I’m making too much fuss as he is in their minds healthy!! I have spoken to 7 different vets with all different backgrounds and they all say yes he is underweight but he is fine. But I can see every rib, his hip bones, even his back bones. He shivers in the winter. He needs some fat. We’ve gone from walking him 2.5 hours a day off lead to 1 hour every other day off lead. But we can see that what other dogs do in a week he does in an hour. That’s no exaggeration we once did a 26 mile hike and he was STILL running on the 25th mile! He is just a beautiful dog with a lust for life. He is fast playful and great fun. He plays fetch, plays with my other dog, loves his walks and is active around the house for about 8 hours a day… But very obedient.

Anyway last night I gave him some frozen meat in a bowl and he absolutely woofed it down… So I think it’s a texture issue! I’m sure giving frozen is not good but I’d rather that than no food. He ate some frozen lamb, pumpkin, two eggs and two frozen sprats in the end!!!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by Gem M.

[Susan]

Hi, he might need an ant acid like Zantac or Pepcid, My boy weights 37lb & was taking 1/3 Zantac tablet 30min-60mins before breakfast then 10-12 hours later another 1/3 Zantac tablet or I give Mylanta 3mls when I see him wanting grass to spew also low fat kibble & feed a late meal…. I feed 3 -4 meals a day… I feed 2 dinners, instead of feeding the whole 1 & 1/2 cup at 5pm.. I give 1 cup kibble at 5pm then the other 1/2 cup kibble around 7pm-7.30pm so his stomach isn’t empty thru the night…I have stopped his Zantac now & just give Mylanta if I see him licking lips & swallowing…. also wet or cooked meal is better then kibble when they have acid reflux problems….
The only way to know what is going on is to have a Endoscope + Biopsies to see what’s happening.. my boy had Helicobacter of the stomach, he was put on triple therapy antibiotics Metronidazole Amoxicillin & Zantac for 3 weeks then a diet change that was lower in fat & low carbs… I give cooked for breakfast & a light lunch then feed the kibble for dinner… vet said to do more smaller meals thru the day instead of just 2 large meals a day & it seems to help.. try a limited ingredient kibble that’s low in fat around 10%fat & feed 3-4 smaller meals including the late dinner feed & see how he goes & give some liquid Mylanta or Pepcid when you see him not well or I give the Mylanta 30min before breakfast thru the day if I see him licking & licking lips…

[Susan]

Hi, I live in Australia & it’s the only premium kibble that was Hypoallergenic Gluten Sugar & Dairy free……the only other novel protein & gluten free kibble was the vet diet Royal Canine “Sensitivity Control” Duck & Tapioca, it cleared Patches red paws up but he still stunk & was scratching.. I don’t think the R/C Sensitivity Control it is in America only Australia & Europe… Iams has their “Skin & Coat Plus Response KO Kangaroo” you could try this diet & see if his skin starts to clear up, then if yeast goes away start looking for another kibble or stay with the Iams KO & give only as 1 meal & cook or give raw for the other meal & see how he goes…The Iams Skin & Coat Plus KO would be better then the Royal Canine Rabbit & Potato kibble.. Iams use Oat flour which is suppose to be a very low carb… I’d stay away from potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas….also make sure your bathing in an antibacterial shampoo weekly….. I found the Malaseb to be the best for Patch…

[crazy4cats]

Kenneth-
The best food for a dog that is stone prone dog is a low carb wet one. Moisture is key to keeping the urinary tract flushed. Try to feed as much canned, raw, or fresh foods as possible.

Which type of stones is your dog prone to?

[Pitlove]

Chris- I completely understand the budget thing. I feed canned food as well as dry to supplement the lack of moisture in the dry food and I have to go as cheap as I can with the canned without stooping down to Pedigree etc. So I use some 4 and 5 star canned foods from Tractor Supply and Walmart.

Natural Balance is a big seller at my store as well. Personally I dont like the food and I dont like the company now that it was sold to Del Monte. They dont have the greatest track record and I personally feel their food is way to high in carbs and they over use white potato as a main ingredient leaving their protein far too low for my taste.

Being that I feed canned as well I only need a 5 or 6 lb bag of dry food as he only gets 1/2 cup of dry with his can of wet, so even though for some of the Orijen I’ve paid 26$ for it, it didnt really bother me. But i understand that buying their largest bag usually at over 100$ is not something most people can do.

I used to buy Nature’s Variety as well. I really liked the brand but back when I bought large bags I only bought NV because we were getting 40% for the whole year as employees lol!

[Susan]

Hi, change his diet read the ingredients to his Science Diet, corn, gluten corn etc look for a limited ingredient kibble that’s low in starchy/carbs so NO potatoes, no peas etc ……..sounds like he has yeasty itchy skin & ears…join this face book group called “Dog Allergy International Group” (link at the end) & look in their files there’s links to limited ingredient kibbles wet & raw diets also foods that are starchy & what foods to avoid….If you can feed raw, raw is the best as it has no carbs.. carbs are needed in kibbles to bind them, no good for itchy dogs but you can find a better kibble then Science Diet also sardines, buy the tin sardines in spring water & add some with the kibble or as a treat..
Shampoo…..I use Malaseb medicated shampoo it kills any bacteria on the skin but does not dry their skin out, leaving them feeling beautiful & soft….
When I rescued my boy he was in very bad condition, a change of diet & weekly baths in Malaseb within 1 month his hair started to grow back & he was itch & smell free…
https://www.facebook.com/groups/dogallergyinternationalgroup/

[Pitlove]

I cant really diagnois what the issue would be, however i think making a change to his food is a really good start. You’re paying a premium price (50$ at Petco for the largest bag of the Large Breed Light) for corn, rice and by-products. I certainly think you could find a better food for that price or perhaps a little more that has better ingredients.

Not sure what your bugdet is so it would be hard to recommend a food for you.

/dog-food-reviews/hills-science-diet-dog-food-adult-dry/

The Large Breed Light falls under this rating.

A lot of people believe that their dog has a “sensitive stomach”. What a sensitive stomach actually is, is a lack of healthy bacteria in the gut which allow the dog to change brands and proteins frequently without digestive upset. Just like a human a dog should be able to eat any type of dog food (unless they have a known allergy to a certain protein or carb etc) and not have digestive upset at all.
The stomach becoming unable to adjust to diet change, is due to eating the same food for many years or even months.
My dog used to be the same way. If i did have to change his food and did it too fast, he would get diaherra for a few days. Since adding digestive supplements to his diet and a probiotic (i use kefir, you can use plain yogurt too) I have been able to switch what brand he eats every bag without blending his food and he has no diaherra at all. Quite a few people on this site are actually able to do that with their dogs too.

Just because you see no reason to change the dogs food, it doesnt mean your dog wouldnt enjoy variety in his diet. I highly doubt you would be happy eating chicken and rice for every meal of every day for the rest of your life. Your dog isnt happy doing that either.

Companies will tell you not to change your dogs diet. However its not because its in the best interest of your dogs health, its because they will keep you spending your money with their company. My dog eats a different brand every bag of kibble and a different canned food as well each meal. If i could afford to buy X amount of bags of kibble and change that every day I would do that too.

L M gave you some good advice about determining what the root cause of the itching and hair loss etc is, but diet is the foundation of good health, so starting there never hurts!

GL, keep us updated!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by Pitlove.

[Martha M]

I feed them twice a day. Contrary to the recommendation of vitalanimal, my 50 lb. dog could tolerate one feeding per day, but my 25 lb. dog who is extremely food obsessed would not. And due to her food obsession I have to watch her weight very carefully as she tends to gain. She is so hungry all the time that she will scavenge the floors for anything edible often eating bits of paper or anything else. I have even caught her eating her own feces. I have trouble keeping her satiated between meals although a daily bully stick does help somewhat. I suspect I need to put her on a low calorie diet of her own. But the larger dog is the one with the more serious gastric issues So my 2 digestive issues are 1) large dog tends to poop 5 times a day with occassional soft and/or runny stools, and 2) small dog tends to poop 5 times a day, firm to hard stools, and frequent foul gas.

I am now looking into the limited ingredient foods but so far it looks like their ingredient lists are still very long. What I’m mainly looking for is foods with higher digestibility, good enzymes, fewer filler ingredients and by-products, lower in carbs, higher protein content, probiotics, natural preservatives, a digestibility figure of 80% or better. And a good fat-to-protein ratio…which, by the way, I don’t know what that is. What exactly is a good one, and a bad one? DFA tells us the fat-to-protein ratio but doesn’t tell us whether it is good or not.

[DogFoodie]

I think it comes down primarily to portion size. And yes, some dogs “do better” on higher protein, lower carbs, etc.; so, yes, it’s also about finding the combination of nutrients that works for your dog. If you cut your current portion, you might see some better results. Remember to include the “extras” in their total daily intake. Especially with smaller dogs, it’s easy to overfeed.

You didn’t mention whether or not you were a kibble feeder, but currently I’m feeding this to my Cavalier, who is a notorious little piggy and gains weight very easily: http://www.wellnesspetfood.com/product-details.aspx?pet=dog&pid=93

I’ve had great success with the Wellness Small Breed Complete Health Healthy Weight. My Arabella has lost the weight finally! This food has fewer calories than a lot of the high quality foods that you might have been feeding.

[weezerweeks]

The college in Minnesota that most Drs send the stones to suggest a diet low in carbs for sturvite stones .A dog should be on canned food low in carbs with water added in. I would not feed my dog kibble if it had stone issues.

[Bobby dog]

pitlove:
Questions are never off topic! My grocery store sells kefir, you can find it in most health food stores, and most Wal-Marts carry Lifeway kefir products. I do still feed Bobby kefir a few times a month, but only because he loves it so much. I have a bunch of kefir cubes in the freezer.

jamie f:
Carbohydrates are necessary in order for kibble to maintain their form and texture. So regardless of grain inclusive or grain free you are feeding carbs. There’s benefits and drawbacks to any kibble. There’s food safety, GMO ingredients, nutritional values, your dog’s palate, and many other things to consider when deciding which type of kibble to feed. Grain free foods are a marketing goldmine IMO; I find some to be carb heavy and high in fat. I don’t like to limit food selections. I think eliminating foods that you have never fed your dog narrows down your food choices needlessly. I do believe there is a time and place to eliminate foods such as if your dog is displaying food sensitivities. IMO, by feeding a potato, lentil, etc. based grain free kibble day in and day out you are now subjecting your dog to fewer ingredients on a more consistent basis which may lead to food sensitivities of those ingredients. Not my idea of rotating foods.

My dog had many skin and digestive issues when I came to this site. It took a year of tweaking his diet and allot of elbow grease to heal him up. I believed GF was the best initially. As I researched further I found there was no reason to limit my dog’s diet to just grain free. So one day I took the leap and expanded my rotation to include grain inclusive and haven’t looked back since. If there ever comes a time I need to eliminate certain ingredients from his diet I will just tweak my pet food criterion again.

I feed my dog moderate to high protein, low fat, and moderate to low carb kibbles. Since kibble is far from perfect I always add canned, fresh foods, or commercial raw as toppers. I like to add fresh healthy omegas, Now Gamma Advanced vitamin E complex, and organic coconut oil to his food. I have fed about 20 different brands of kibble and many different recipes. I buy small bags and switch brands, protein, and carb sources with each new bag. One of these days I will settle into a more permanent rotation, I am still tweaking his diet.

Here’s an article from the WDJ about carbs and grains in kibble:
http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/13_10/features/Carbohydrate-Intake-For-Dogs_20103-1.html

Here’s a DFA post about carbs:
/canine-nutrition/dog-food-carbohydrates/

Here’s a perspective about grains from a Holistic Vet:
http://vetnutrition.blogspot.com/2009/05/are-grains-all-bad.html
http://vetnutrition.blogspot.com/2010/03/grains-2-not-as-allergenic-as-you.html

Here’s an interesting perspective from the Great Dane Lady:
http://www.greatdanelady.com/articles/the_corn_myth.htm

As L M mentioned your dogs licking their paws and gunky ears could also be caused by environmental irritants. A single protein and carb food might be a good place to start to determine if it’s food or environmental. It is important to keep in mind each dog is an individual and what food or regimen works for one dog may or may not work for another. You will not know if that is your magic food until your dog does well on it. Just as you have foods that you don’t like or don’t agree with you, but others will rave about how they love it and can’t eat enough of it. So after this long drawn out post my best advice is to be aware of any chemicals you use in your home or outdoors that your dogs could be exposed to, take note of the time of year your dogs have problems (their issues may be seasonal), and to feed your dog the healthiest food he will eat consistently and does well on!

[Pitlove]

Grain free is typically best Jamie. HOWEVER, grain free doesn’t always mean carb free. So be very careful about just trusting a bag of food to be species appropriate because it doesnt have grains in it. Dr. Mike has the dry matter basis carbs on each of the reviews on this site which is very helpful for selecting one that is low in carbs. usually when the protein goes up the carbs go down, but again making sure that the first three ingredients are whole meats or meat meals. That will mean that the majority of the protein is coming from animal protein and not plant protein.

jakes mom- thanks! i think im gonna try out the Winn Dixie near me today and see if they have it. I’d love to get my dog and kitten started on it

• This reply was modified 10 years, 7 months ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

Linda- Rotties! i love them. we also have a Rottweiler along with our Pitbull a chocolate lab and an English springer spaniel. Sam, our Rottweiler (technically he is my boyfriends parents dog, so I dont get to control what he eats unfortunetly but i still think of him as my dog since I give him the most attention as hes the outside dog) is 2 probably almost 3 years old now. The bf’s parents have had all the dogs on Purina ONE lamb and rice since forever. The family dog has always been Rottweilers and unfortunely all but maybe one passed away at around 8 years old. Cancer, e-coli poisoning, you name it its happened to our Rottweilers. If it were up to me and I got to choose his food I would feed him the way I feed my Pitbull who is also prone to the problems that large breed dogs have as he is 66lbs at a year old. I do what is called a rotational diet with my dog. I certainly have him on Orijen’s Adult Dog and after that bag is through i’ve got EVO lined up next for him to try. I also feed him wet food. Now that your Rottie is far past the point where you have to worry about the calcium levels not being too high or too low to prevent rapid growth thus causing many different skeletal related disorders, you can kinda give him a nice variety of foods. If you are on a budget as someone who is retired and need to stick with kibbles, definitely go for the 5 star rated ones. I know a lot of people on here have issues with Taste of the Wild. I BELIEVE its manufacture by Diamond which has a long recall history and a terrible reputation. You want to make sure that the kibble is as species appropriate as you can get if you, like myself, can’t feed a raw diet, which would be the healthiest way for any dog to eat. Species appropriate for ANY dog of any breed being high in animal protein, at least 30% or more, moderate in fats, and low in carbs. Foods that I like and have and will use in my rotation for my pitbull are Orijen (all of them), Wellness CORE, Nature’s Variety, Merrick (GF only), EVO, Grandma Mae’s GF. I’m still working on my list but that is what I have so far.

As for raw, if it is something you are interested in, PLEASE make sure you do A LOT of research before feeding raw because it is possible to make your dog very unhealthy by not feeding a COMPLETE and BALANCED raw diet.

Also to help with the transitions to the food, you can add probiotics to their diet, like canned pumpkin and kefir. I also use a supplement thats premade in a power form made by a very great company called The Honest Kitchen. They use human grade ingredients and make their food in a human grade factory. Its called Perfect Form. Probiotics help build healthy flora(bacteria) in your dogs gut to make transitioning to a new food pain free for you and your dog. Just like with humans dogs should be able to eat a different food or protein every meal if not every couple months without digestive upset. Dogs whos stomachs are already sick and lacking those bacteria that make their gut strong due to being fed the same food day in and day out are the ones who get loose stool and vomitting when you switch their food. Instantly the owner blames the food and switches them back and never switches the food again under the claim that their dog has whats commonly called a “sensitive stomach”.

The joint supplements are a great idea. Glucosamine is a great supplement for joint and hip problems. Cancer, I feel, and I think others do too can have a lot to do with a poor diet. A lot of poor grade dogs foods do contain ingredients that are carcinogenic even for humans and without variety in their diet they are being fed those toxins for years and eventually is catches up with them. The rotational diet helps prevent that and the build up of allergies as well. If your Rottie is already allergic to a protein source like chicken, you are going to want to be very careful with the food you choose as many have chicken meal or chicken fat hidden in the list of ingredients. Its all about reading ingredients but more importantly HOW to read the ingredients and the GA, which is why this website is so helpful. But like many here including Dr. Mike will tell you, its a jumping off point. Once you find a good food, you want to look further into the company that makes it, the co-packers, the recall history etc and make sure that you’re not being fooled into thinking its a good food based on the ingredients. Also knowing where the company sources from is important, what with all the problems we have been having with China lately. Avoid China. Thailand on the other hand is ok.

I really hope that I’ve helped a little and that others will contribute or correct me if I’m wrong about any of my points. I love Rotties so I’m glad to be able to give you some direction with his health!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 7 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 7 months ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

I have a year old pitbull featured in my avatar picture. he was for a long time the pickiest dog. i tried all sorts of different foods and combinations of dry and wet and i felt like all hope was lost for finding him something that he WOULD get excited about. i’ve always fed the same amount, that hasnt changed, but lately after i changed the way i prepare his food (using the kibble as a topper instead of wet food and using the wet food as the main source) he is excited to eat, hes licking the bowl clean and looking for more. i think your dog is going through the same thing. labs are food lovers, i don’t think shes hungry i think she loves her food! and is excited about meal time. our kitten does the same thing. meowing all the time acting like we don’t feed her, so i tested her one night. i fed her her normal 3oz can and then gave her another and she barely touched it. i had to throw out 90% of the can. so i know shes not hungry she just loves to eat just like some dogs! she gets the same way as your lab. very excited about meal time.

i dont think your dog is hungry. i think she loves food. as for her weight, if you get her on a high animal protein, moderate fat and low carb diet and cut back on how much she is eating she will lose weight. i suggest the Wellness CORE.

[Kathleen C]

I’ve never heard of Dr Tim’s, but it took me a year to get my dog to lose a pound on Wellness Core Reduced Fat. Once they gain it’s very hard to get it off. I’m now going with Merrick Grain Free Salmon and Sweet Potato. The calories, carbs and fat look lower or about the same as Wellness and there’s no chicken.

[Drew D]

Yikes! DogFoodie, that is kinda scary. Back to the drawing board AGAIN. Also, I know canned is better, but I will have to feed three dogs the same thing, so I really need to find a descent dry. As the canned premiums are way out of my budget.The other two are overweight as well so a low carb will benefit them also. So being that I have to feed three, a premium kibble will be better for my budget. Feeding three dogs Hills W/D is too expensive for me. W/D is 23.00 for a 8.5 pound bag. Is it even possible to find something better that I will get more bang for my buck?

[InkedMarie]

James,
First, I’m hoping for a benign diagnosis. You’re on the right tract with high protein, low carb. I’;ll suggest grainfree as well. Grains can be inflammatory, your dog is older so there is probably some normal arthritis happening.
Some brands to look at that I like: Farmina, Brothers Complete, Annamaet, Dr Tim’s.
If you get a diagnosis that you don’t want, I’d suggest you work with a holistic vet on the best diet. Good luck, let us know the results.

[Dori]

Hi James S. Well, first before contemplating anything relating to the cost of foods you’ll need to get the results of her tests. If it is not any type of cancer, and I sincerely pray it’s not, then I would advise you to make the leap and switch Nefertiti to commercial frozen raw diets. I think it is the healthiest and most appropriate species diets that are out in the market. I’ve been feeding them with my three for over 3 1/2 years. Yes, initially they may seem more expensive than kibble but in reality they are not. You feed less raw than kibble. They are more able to utilize raw than kibble. Vet visits have dwindled down to once a year for their physical. Hannah goes twice a year because she’s has hypothyroidism and blood has to be checked. That’s it. They always eat their meals, they love meal time and are always happy playful dogs. I feed high protein, moderate to high quality fats, and low carb diets. The easiest way to accomplish that, and the healthiest way, is with raw diets. I go the commercial frozen raw diet route rotating brands and proteins. Quite frankly, I’m too lazy to put raw diets together myself nor do I wish to. It’s also not how I want to spend my time. I sign up to all the raw food companies that I use to their email newsletter program and they email me coupons which helps a little with the cost. Oh, also with commercial raw diets in rotation the only dog that I need to add supplements to, and it’s not a need just a guess on my part, is Hannah who will be 16 in September. Things slow down and don’t quite work as appropriately as they did when they, and we, were young. Let us know the results of tests please. Praying for Nefertiti and the rest of your family.

[Drew D]

Thank you all for your help. Triggersmom, yes she has had a history of pancreatitis, so there again..how to find a low carb diet without high fat? Im not opposed to canned. But as I said how to achieve a low carb diet without the fat seems very difficult. Could anyone give me an idea of the ball park percentages that I should look for in the guaranteed analysis label of protein, fat and fiber?

[James S]

Hello All. My still active, not over weight, 10 and a half year old Pit/Boxer, Nefertiti, is going through some changes & I am Hoping to get some advice on what to feed her. She was on Wellness Lamb & Barley until I discovered DFA, & I have since changed her to Wellness Core Original because of it having a Five Star Rating, however, she doesn’t seem to like it as much/that much, & I would like to change it. I thought that maybe she wasn’t eating as much/as often because she was getting more nutrients from the Core, but I think that we can find a food that she enjoys & can get all the needed nutrition as well. Decisions. . . Decisions.
Recent Happenings. . .Upon taking Nef to the vet, we fear that the swollen lymph nodes under both sides of her chin, & her hind legs may be lymphoma. She had a biopsy on Friday, May 8th & we are expecting the results soon-Possibly today.
Now, I have no basis, proof, or reason to believe (really) that the swelling (whatever it may be) is a result of switching her to the Wellness Core, but in the thread of what I interpret DFA to be at it’s core, I am mentioning that the swelling occurred only AFTER doing so. Again, I don’t want to sound like I am blaming it on Wellness, I am merely stating the timeline in which these events happened.
After a lot of research, I am leaning toward a kibble that is HIGH IN PROTEINS (that are easily bio-available), but is also LOW IN CARBS, possibly supplemented by some Home prepared meals. Orijen is my first choice, but faced with the daunting reality that costly treatments (such as chemotherapy) may be in the future, I am Hoping to find something that doesn’t exceed the price range of Wellness, but will also achieve a balance of her Health & Happiness.
These are some foods that I am considering & I would Appreciate & Value any insight into this uncharted ground of mine & Nefertiti’s continuing Journey>>>
Thank You For Your Time,
-James
-Evo Grain Free Senior
-Merrick Grain Free
-Castor & Pollux Natural Ultramix Grain Free

[triggersmom]

Hi Drew

I’ve been taking care of diabetic dogs for 20 years now and my husband is an endocrinologist for people with type 2 diabetes. I’ve tried just about every type of diet and the only diet that has worked is low carb. I know you are looking for a kibble but I have to tell you that kibbles are the one type of diet I would never feed a diabetic dog.

Kibbles are low in moisture and high in carbs. Dry foods can make the kidneys work harder and you want to protect the kidneys of a diabetic dog. High carb diets make it very difficult to impossible to control your dog’s blood sugar.

I strongly suggest you look for a canned food that is low carb. Most low carb canned foods are high in fat which could be a problem if your dog has pancreatitis, otherwise it’s not the fat that will harm your dog it’s the carbs.

Low carb also enables you to use less insulin which is good. High doses of insulin along with high amounts of carbs cause wide swings in blood sugars. Sugars can go from very high to very low on high carb diets.

With low carb diets you’re able to keep blood sugars in a much tighter range. I’m able to keep my dogs blood sugars between 125 and 150 mg/dl. I was never able to do this on a high carb diet.

High blood sugars are responsible for all diabetic complications.

Hope this helps.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 7 months ago by triggersmom.

[Drew D]

Hello, Im new and need some advice. I have a Yorkie-mix that just got diagnosed with diabetes. Unfortunately, I didn’t catch the symptoms quick enough and the disease robbed her of her site. She literally lost it in what seemed like over night! She is adjusting to her vision loss pretty well though. I give her 3 units of Novolin in the am and 3 units at her p.m. feeding. Naturally the vet suggested Hills W/D. I have been feeding her this for about 3 months, since her diagnosis. I have researched this brand and I believe there must be a better dog food for her other than this. I know everyone has their opinion , but is there a brand or two that consistently has been suggested for diabetics? Im so totally confused about protein/fat ratios, etc. I gather the part about low carb being better, but still get confused about everything else on the label. I mentioned S.G. Barking at the moon and my vet flipped out and said the protein % was too high. I prefer a kibble. And also have two other small dogs that are over weight so was hoping I could feed them the same food as I will for my diabetic dog. Any help would be appreciated.

[Kathleen C]

I’m interested in this conversation too. I’ve been trying to get my dog to lose weight and finally have some results. Now I want to get him off chicken and turkey because of possible allergies but have to watch calories or we’ll be right back where we started with weight. I’d like something with no fowl but low calories and low carbs. Any suggestions? Thanks.

[Pitlove]

There is literally nothing breed specific or species appropriate about any Royal Canin food. Most people who know me know that I believe that Royal Canin are the MASTERMINDS of marketing. Since pet parents often rely far too much on the front of the bag to tell them what food is best for their dog, be it that it has their breed of dog on the cover, has “real meat” and “veggies” on the cover, says small breed, large breed, adult, large breed adult, etc they often miss the ingredients which is where all the important stuff is. Oh and the GA (guarenteed anyalsis). I took the time to compare all the RC breed specific lines and found that aside from very slight protein and fat differences all the food was exactly the same, rotating the same first species innapropriate ingredients (whole ground corn, by-product meal, brewers rice, brown rice, corn gluten meal).

I would absolutely get her on a 5 star food. High in ANIMAL not plant protein moderate in fat and low in carbs. I’ve seen far too many overweight dachshunds and I know how easy it is for them to gain weight. As long as you know that she is healthy and has no known medical needs at this time this diet is fit for every breed of dog. Also PLEASE do not get hung up on the front of a bag. Worrying about if something says small breed or not or puppy or adult. As long as the nutrient profile is correct those things are not of much value. I have been feeding both my cat and dog adult and they are still a puppy and kitten and they havent had any issues. Also the small breed formulas are just smaller kibble sizes so you can go that route if u find that she is having trouble eating a larger kibble, just wanted to make you aware that small breed doesn’t mean its formulated differently for a small dog its just small kibble pieces. I also add a probiotic to their food to help with maintaining healthy bacteria in their gut to process the food better. I use Perfect Form made by the Honest Kitchen.

One thing the breeder did right was the suggestion of adding wet food to the diet. When on an all dry kibble diet dogs can live in a state of constant minor dehydration and later in life can face organ damage. So restoring some of the moisture to their diet is always a good thing. Soaking the kibble like you have been doing works too. We did that for our American Staffordshire Terrier when he was young. Seemed to help him be motivated to eat as well as digest the food. I believe there is a couple people on this site who use Kirklands wet food and seem to have no issues with it. Personally I do Whole Earth Farms stews, Wellness Core and I’ve tried 4health and will be trying other brands as well.

Another good thing to do is to find several brands that will work for her and rotate between them giving your dog variety and also different protein sources as to avoid building an allergy to one as dogs are not born with allergies, they get them through overexposure.

I wish you luck with your new baby! Feel free to ask questions here. There are tons of knowledgeable people that frequent these forums who have years of experience with dog nutrition and managing their dogs diets including fosters. And they are more than happy to offer help and answer questions.

[Pitlove]

All dogs no matter what breed in order to maintain proper weight and dietary needs as long as they are healthy with no known medical conditions usually do best on a food that is high in protein, moderate in fat, and low in carbs.

I’m sure if you gave us more info as to your situation (e.g income, how much access you have to pet stores, do they have a wide selection, do you prefer to order online) we could help you out a lot better.

Yes, typically canines do better with a grain free food, however, like most people on this site who are regulars will tell you, just because it’s grain free does not mean it’s species appropriate for a dog. A lot of companies that have gotten on the “grain free” bandwagon have replaced the corn, soy, wheat and rice in their foods, with high carbs like potatoes into order to bind the food together. So you need to pay close attention that the protein is not less than the carbs and the fat % is not too high either. Also, you need to pay attention to where the protein source is coming from. For example, a food that has 30% protein but you don’t see a whole meat or meat meal listed as the first second and third ingredients. That means they are using plant based proteins, which are not species appropriate protein sources as dogs are carnivores.

A few brands that meet these needs that are not avaliable at a commercial pet store like Petco would be Orijen, Acana, Wysong. Some brands that commercial stores do carry are Merrick, Nature’s Variety and Wellness CORE.

These are just ones I can think off the top of my head and that are apart of my dogs rotation. Most of us also use a canned wet food for the added moisture content and many people on here do raw homemade meals too. However if you think about going that route please do your research on how to create a balanced raw diet for a dog before just slapping together some chicken and veggies and calling that a meal.

edit: here’s the direct link to the google.doc aquariangt was talking about
https://docs.google.com/a/selu.edu/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFTXhUdi1KazFzSUk/edit
these are foods that have the proper calcium levels for large breed puppies

• This reply was modified 10 years, 7 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years, 7 months ago by Pitlove.

[Bobby dog]

Hi cat lovers:
I have some food reviews for you. I tried Canidae Life Stages canned foods. I believe these are new recipes, or it’s also possible I just never noticed them. I was surprised at the price, 50 cents for the grain inclusive 3 oz cans. The GF recipes were around $1. I tried the Turkey and the Lamb grain inclusive entree’s. The food is a small chunk style and very hearty. Even though it’s in gravy it holds it form. None of my cats liked it. It is the type of food that smells like human food, like it’s seasoned. My cats don’t seem to care for those types of recipes.

I gave Halo a try again. Although they would not disclose their manufacturers I was comfortable giving them a try after they confirmed they do not use Evanger’s or Diamond. I picked up the Vigor Turkey & Quail pate’ canned food. I didn’t have much hope for it because my cats seem to be pretty much chicken, turkey, or beef eating kind of cats. I fed a small serving to my very picky senior male. He gobbled it up. I ended up feeding the rest of the 5.5 oz. can to him. He finished every morsel. He will barely eat 2 oz./ per meal. I know at least one cat likes it anyway. I am going to give the other flavors a try.

Finally, for my crunchy addicts, I tried I and Love and You Poultry a Plenty. My grocery store started carrying their products, that makes it real convenient. The cats loved it; adding it to my rotation. The carbs are fairly low, 18% DMB. The company would not disclose their manufacturers either, but confirmed they do not use Evanger’s or Diamond.

[D D]

My 2 Shelties are not related, and the only thing they have in common is their food (dry, Nature’s Variety Prairie, Duck and Oatmeal). Suspecting a UTI, I had their urine checked. There was no infection, no crystals, but a PH of 9. I switched to their current food because I had this same issue about a year ago on a Potato and Duck LID food. I have read that a diet high in carbohydrates (potatoes? oatmeal? rice? barley?) can cause this, and a high PH can also lead to kidney issues. Does anyone know if there is a relationship between plant based dog foods and urine PH? They are 2-1/2 and 4-1/2, and they are “house dogs” – not much daily activity, so too much protein would not be good. Foods with the higher protein have a lower carbohydrate value, but they really do not need a higher protein food.

[D D]

My 2 Shelties are not related, and the only thing they have in common is their food (dry, Nature’s Variety Prairie, Duck and Oatmeal). Suspecting a UTI, I had their urine checked. There was no infection, no crystals, but a PH of 9. I switched to their current food because I had this same issue about a year ago on a Potato and Duck LID food. I have read that a diet high in carbohydrates (potatoes? oatmeal? rice? barley?) can cause this, and a high PH can also lead to kidney issues. Does anyone know if there is a relationship between plant based dog foods and urine PH? They are 2-1/2 and 4-1/2, and they are “house dogs” – not much daily activity, so too much protein would not be good. Foods with the higher protein have a lower carbohydrate value, but they really do not need a higher protein food.

[Amber C]

I’m a vet tech and I have a 11 year old poodle named Molly who has Diabetes. Her vet prescribed Purina’s Prescription DCO (Diabetes/Colitis) Dry Formula food for her, and it works great. She loves it. I allow her to free feed and then she gets her insulin twice a day. She is recovering from an exploratory laparotomy to remove an obstruction and her 3rd case of pancreatitis in her life. (The first case damaged her pancreas so severely that it caused the diabetes) The 2nd and 3rd cases of pancreatitis were secondary to an obstruction. The DCO is very high in fiber and low in carbs that would convert to glucose. She is able to maintain a fairly low dose of insulin. She is about 9lbs and normally gets 6.5 units BID. I would definitely recommend it!

[Tal R]

Seems you are correct Michael.

No potatoes, website outdated.

The full response:
——————–

Hello T.R.,

Thank you for taking the time to write to us.

We made some changes to our Regional’s diets in winter of last year. We’re always searching for ways to advance our BAFRINO mandate, improving our foods for pet lovers world-wide. Biologically Appropriate ACANA features high meat content in fresh WholePrey ratios which provide micro-nutrients naturally. This has enabled us to reduce the added vitamins and mineral supplements in the ACANA Regionals.

ACANA contains far fewer carbohydrates than conventional food, delivering a low-glycemic response to promote stable blood sugar, healthy body weight and peak conditioning. Now even lower in glycemic load, ACANA Regionals is potato-free.

We are in the process of updating our website, you should see changes shortly. If you have any other questions please let me know.

All the best,
Angela
Customer Care
Champion Petfoods LP

[Rajeev S]

Hi yellow lab,generally higher calorie content food is preferred but tumor cells are much likely to use fat for energy. It is recommended that food should be 25-40 % fat on a dry matter basis. For them carbohydrates food should be less than that 25% of the food.
I suggest high level of protein and fats combined with lower levels of carbohydrates are most beneficial. Going grain free is the best option for the diet. Make sure you read the ingredient label and it will be good while the two ingredients are some type of meat. choose different brand that is very important.
BARF diet is best for the yellow lab. It contains biologically appropriated raw foods and also 75% meat and 25% fruit/veggies.

[InkedMarie]

I have a yeasty dog who finally cleared up on raw.
Wysong makes a low or no carb food; unsure what type of food it is.

[Bobby dog]

One other company to check out is Lotus. I used to feed their Just Juicy and Wholesome recipes, but the pet store stopped carrying them. If I remember right they are fairly low carb too.

[miriam c]

Reed sedge peat has been approved last year as an additive for two purposes: low carb diets and other benefits. As far as I know is because of its humic acids content which has proven many benefits. anybody can help me with more info??? thanks