[Ashley D]

So I took my Magnus (almost 2 year old boxer) to the vet today. He had been perfectly fine until about 1pm after our groomer left. He burped up this brown, awe full smelling liquid and had been trying to lick and eat everything he could get his paws on. He was sitting there, swallowing, lapping, licking for about an hour when the whining started. The vet didn’t necessarily diagnose him with anything…she just told me it wasn’t bloat and didn’t seem like an obstruction. She gave him a cerenia injection and sent me home with instructions to feed him a bland diet for a few days. We got home and he was better, for about four hours. Now, more than 12 hours later, he is sleeping. But he has been waking up all night to these episode of frantic licking/swallowing/lapping/gulping.

My vet seems to think his food might be too rich for him, and suggested I look for a grain inclusive, low fat, lower protein food. Switching my dogs’ food is always so overwhelming and stressful, because I want to make a good responsible choice for their wellbeing, and not just pick whatever popular food is out there.

Any suggestions on a good quality, grain inclusive, low fat, low protein dry kibble? It has to be dry for a couple reasons. 1) he is 70 lbs and I think I would go broke feeding him raw, freeze dried, or wet fooods. 2) he has a tendency to scarf his food down. I’ve tried slow feeders, but he outsmarts them every time…so I hand feed him, like a bird to ensure that he chews and takes his time eating.

Thanks in advance,

Ashley (a concerned, sleep deprived dog mom)

[anonymous]

There are no veterinarians or veterinary nutritionists affiliated with this site. Therefore it may be best to go by the latest FDA recommendations.

Basically , vets are advising to go with a grain-inclusive dog food for now.
Avoid legumes, peas, potatoes at least for the first 10 ingredients.

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/questions-answers-fda-center-veterinary-medicines-investigation-possible-connection-between-diet-and excerpt below

17. What’s the safest diet for my dog?
Different dogs have different nutritional needs based on a number of factors, so nutrition advice is not one-size-fits-all. The FDA recommends asking your veterinarian, who may consult a board-certified or veterinary nutritionist, for advice about what to feed your dog.
It’s important to note that the reports include dogs that have eaten grain-free and grain containing foods and also include vegetarian or vegan formulations. They also include all forms of diets: kibble, canned, raw and home-cooked. Therefore, we do not think these cases can be explained simply by whether or not they contain grains, or by brand or manufacturer.
To put this issue into proper context, the American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that there are 77 million pet dogs in the United States. As of April 30, 2019, the FDA has received reports about 560 dogs diagnosed with DCM suspected to be linked to diet. Tens of millions of dogs have been eating dog food without developing DCM. If you are concerned about the diet you are currently feeding your dog, FDA recommends working with your veterinarian, who may consult a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, to determine the best diet for your dog’s need.

[Susan]

Hi,
Is Nature’s Variety raw?? When raw diet is too high in bone this can cause constipation..
My boy has IBD mainly stomach & he does really well on Wellness Core, Wellness Simple Turkey & Potato, Canidae Pure Meadow Senior & Canidae Pure Wild kibbles…
Actually dogs need less fiber or no fiber, Patches vet told me, a dogs digestive tract is short made to digest a raw meat diet..

If your looking for a kibble look at “Canidae Pure Meadow Senior” & “Wellness Core Senior” kibbles they both are high meat protein, low in carbs & the Canidae Pure Meadow formula is lower in fat 10.8% max & is very high in Omega oils for ageing joints & bones..

[Diane J]

Thank you, but no thank you, that wasn’t the type of answer I need right now. Btw, those food recalls are on man-made kibble-type raw foods, not actual raw feeding. There’s so much science to prove that raw feeding on the BARF/prey diet model is the best for our pets that this is a scandalously non-helpful response to a question like mine. Keep your non-raw feeding bias off of a raw feeding thread please.

[Patricia A]

Robert since kibble is a VERY small portion of my dogs’ diet I can’t make a suggestion if you feed this exccluviley. I only use as a base and I always rotate with at least two manufactors/brands as well as different proteins/flavors. No problems with digestion since I do it VERY slowly. When I’m about 1/4 done with one bag I start introducing a few kibbles of the new one. I use toppers always. Be it boiled chicken, lean steak if they’re lucky that day lol, string beans, boiled fish if we have such as salmon . Didn’t catch any keepers on the party boat or they would have enjoyed some fresh Fluke. Watermelon is their favorite. Don’t be afraid of giving real food as a topper for kibble also. A little at a time to see how well he does.
Most of the time they get a topper of Primal. I stick to the 5* lower in fat.NO legumes or potatoes in Primal. https://primalpetfoods.com/collections/canine-raw-freeze-dried-formulas. Some dogs are prone to pancreatitis with the higher fat proteins. I use turkey/Sardine, Duck, rabbit at times in the freeze dried. Just break up and moisten with warm water and add the dry kibble on the side. Again I started with a little piece and GRADUALLY added each to my rotation. I use Stella Chewy’s https://www.stellaandchewys.com in rotation freeze dried again in turkey, chicken and venison blend. All 5* by the advisor. NO LEGUMES or potatoes in their freeze dried. They have a very popular f/b page and pets are doing very well with these freeze dried toppers.I feel good about giving variety and my Chihuahuas’ are healthy on exams. Hope this helps .

• This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by Patricia A.
• This reply was modified 4 years, 10 months ago by Patricia A.

[anonymous]

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/questions-answers-fda-center-veterinary-medicines-investigation-possible-connection-between-diet-and

17. What’s the safest diet for my dog?
Different dogs have different nutritional needs based on a number of factors, so nutrition advice is not one-size-fits-all. The FDA recommends asking your veterinarian, who may consult a board-certified or veterinary nutritionist, for advice about what to feed your dog.
It’s important to note that the reports include dogs that have eaten grain-free and grain containing foods and also include vegetarian or vegan formulations. They also include all forms of diets: kibble, canned, raw and home-cooked. Therefore, we do not think these cases can be explained simply by whether or not they contain grains, or by brand or manufacturer.
To put this issue into proper context, the American Veterinary Medical Association estimates that there are 77 million pet dogs in the United States. As of April 30, 2019, the FDA has received reports about 560 dogs diagnosed with DCM suspected to be linked to diet. Tens of millions of dogs have been eating dog food without developing DCM. If you are concerned about the diet you are currently feeding your dog, FDA recommends working with your veterinarian, who may consult a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, to determine the best diet for your dog’s need.

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2019/06/fda-update-on-grain-free-diets-and-heart-disease-in-dogs/ excerpt below, click on link for article and comments

Further data collection and research will be necessary to determine the precise relationship between diet and DCM in these cases. There are likely multiple factors involved, including the ingredients in the diet, the genetics or particular breeds and individuals, and others we may not yet know about. Pet owners feeding these diets don’t need to panic, since far more dogs on these diets do NOT have DCM than do. However, if you are feeding one of these foods, or a diet similar in composition, and especially if you are feeding this to a golden retriever, it would be a good idea to talk to your vet about screening your pet for DCM and considering a change in diet.

[AdinaFay]

Hey all,
Has anyone ever tried or looked into free-feeding supplements to their pooch that’s on a homemade or raw diet? I’m interested in if this has been done before or if there is a specific reason that it is /not/ done. It’s (at least as far as I am aware) standard practice for livestock and horses, and most dogs/cats will already self-regulate to a certain extent with behaviors such as grass-eating.

Background:
After struggling for two years with my 8lb mix’s allergies I’m committing to an elimination diet and, since that will be a long process of me making his meals, am also looking into proper balancing of homemade and raw meals. I don’t want to go a pre-made/balanced route because, at least for the first few months, they would defeat the point of the diet. I understand the concepts of balancing the diet as a whole, took animal nutrition in college, and am confident that I can create a menu that serves him well. However, I also understand how and why the AAFCO standards exist and I like the concept of him having access to additional supplements should he need them without me risking over-dosing him by providing a daily vitamin along with a diet that is well-balanced.

Thanks in advance for any input!

(X-posted in the supplements forum)

• This topic was modified 2 years, 5 months ago by Mike Sagman. Reason: Fix Duplicate Topic Title

[AdinaFay]

Hey all,
Has anyone ever tried or looked into free-feeding supplements to their pooch that’s on a homemade or raw diet? I’m interested in if this has been done before or if there is a specific reason that it is /not/ done. It’s (at least as far as I am aware) standard practice for livestock and horses, and most dogs/cats will already self-regulate to a certain extent with behaviors such as grass-eating.

Background:
After struggling for two years with my 8lb mix’s allergies I’m committing to an elimination diet and, since that will be a long process of me making his meals, am also looking into proper balancing of homemade and raw meals. I don’t want to go a pre-made/balanced route because, at least for the first few months, they would defeat the point of the diet. I understand the concepts of balancing the diet as a whole, took animal nutrition in college, and am confident that I can create a menu that serves him well. However, I also understand how and why the AAFCO standards exist and I like the concept of him having access to additional supplements should he need them without me risking over-dosing him by providing a daily vitamin along with a diet that is well-balanced.

Thanks in advance for any input!

[anonymous]

FDA Update on Grain-free Diets and Heart Disease in Dogs

excerpt from comments below
**** ****** says:
June 30, 2019 at 6:48 pm
I read the FDA reports and my impression is the FDA should have kept the names of the kibble manufacturers confidential because of likely referral bias. I’d like to hear their rationale for this.
Note that almost all the kibbles listed are high quality/high cost kibbles. I would have expected to see some of the mass market brands one can find in WalMart, Petco or your local grocery store. 3 days ago I took my Newf for a routine check for her SubAortic Stenosis at a multi-specialty clinic. The cost was $291.75. The FDA link isn’t totally clear, but it appears that most of the cases being studied are those for which the dogs have been evaluated with a cardiac echo study. I think it is likely that the same socioeconomic group that can afford cardiac echo studies correlates highly with the socioeconomic group that purchases costly boutique kibble.

skeptvet says:
July 1, 2019 at 9:53 am
Good points. Lots of possible confounders here. I think another one is that many of the brands on the list have made a reputation/market niche out of being “natural” or alternative to traditional diets in some way, and the grain-free claim tends to appeal to the same market segment–namely, mostly affluent owners who are drawn to alternative or unconventional practices and who find words like “natural” and “holistic” appealing.
However, it is important not to lose sight of the fact that strongest common thread here is not brand or market segment but grain-free and legumes/pulses. Lots of other foods by the same manufacturers are not on the list and do not have this ingredient profile. It is also interesting to see “kangaroo” as a common ingredient in foods on the list given how rare it is in dog food generally (especially compared to beef and pork, which occur less often in the suspect foods), so the exotic protein source angle is still worth investigating

[Patricia A]

FDA update July 2019 report: Well then they’re SO MUCH closer in narrowing down the cause. (sarcasm)

It’s important to note that the reports include dogs that have eaten grain-free and grain containing foods and also include vegetarian or vegan formulations. They also include all forms of diets: kibble, canned, raw and home-cooked. Therefore, we do not think these cases can be explained simply by whether or not they contain grains, or by brand or manufacturer.

[pugmomsandy]

@patricia a: I don’t weigh my pugs except rarely. They stay around 22-24 lbs which is heavy by standard. I will say that if I have an 18 lb foster standing next to my 20 something pug, they look the same except for mine have more muscle definition and they sure are strong. I always thought they were sled dogs in another life. They’ve been eating higher protein foods for years, including raw. I even put the fosters on a low carb, mod/high protein diet for weight loss.

[aimee]

haleycookie,

I read through Champion’s response and in my opinion it is very reminiscent of and just as unbiased as the response of the tobacco industry when the first link was made between smoking and cancer. : )

In my opinion, very cleverly written to model after the response of the tobacco industry, “our science found no concerns” but as I read it I find that what they are reporting is very vague and appears to be poorly done.

For example what is “long-term feeding trials with enhanced DCM protocols” In regards to length was it 2 days, 2 weeks, a month, 2 months?? Considering it isn’t yet know how long is may take for dietary DCM to become apparent how are they confident that their trial would have been long enough to find any abnormalities.

What are “enhanced DCM protocols”. The only takeaway I got from their response is that perhaps they measured taurine. Considering most cases have normal taurine levels it seems silly to me to sound an “all clear” based on that test.

Champion likes to point out that dietary DCM appears to be uncommon. The true incidence isn’t known. But I think it is fair to say that not every dog/cat consuming a problematic diet becomes ill. In the Melamine crisis huge numbers of dogs and cats that were exposed didn’t become ill. Same with the association between renal disease and chicken jerky or between grapes/raisins and renal disease. So for illustration sake let’s say that for problem “X ” 1 in a thousand becomes ill. Is testing several dogs relevant? I would say it is not. And Champion hasn’t said what number of dogs participated in their trials. Hmmm

Let’s look at this statement…
“In the recipes Champion makes, we emphasize fresh and raw meat with total animal-derived ingredients ranging from 60 to 85 percent of the finished product. Legumes are not a significant feature in Champion’s recipes, and never have been.”

Take the finished product Acana Free Run Poultry chosen at random GA is 29% protein 17% fat and 12 % moisture and I’ll toss in 3 % ash. 100-29-17-12-3= 39% min plant based nutrient.

Looking at the ingredient list and removing the animal based ingredients , and discarding the ingredients after salt leaves us with whole green peas, whole red lentils, whole pinto beans, , chickpeas, whole green lentils, whole yellow peas, lentil fiber,

Those ingredients, except for the fiber, are in addition to being sources of carbohydrate are also sources of protein From USDA nutrient database an average of 1 part protein for every 3 parts carb. So of that 29 % protein 10 grams may be from the legumes.

Total plant content 39 % + 10% and you get 49% plant based ingredients which I consider a “significant feature”
Total animal based 19% + 17% fat for a total of 36%

In that example I made assumptions as I am using the GA which is just min values therefore the results are not completely accurate but it is very different from the claim of 60-85% animal derived content in the finished product.
Personally, the only thing I can figure that may be 85% animal content finished product would be some of the treats.

Several years ago I asked Champion if they did AAFCO feeding trials. They answered affirmatively. On further inquiry as I recall I asked how long they were for and they replied a few weeks. Hmm more questions and they report they test for palatability, digestibility and stool quality. Most would assume by an AAFCO feeding trial they were talking about a trial for nutritional adequacy but that is not the response I got.

I see this response from Champion as nothing more than a marketing piece . I urge caution whenever looking at any statements made by any food manufacturer in regards to their product.

Perhaps if Champion really wanted to contribute to the knowledge base they should hire veterinary cardiologists and hold free echo screening for DCM for dogs who have eaten their food as their primary source of nutrition. With all the frequent buyer programs it shouldn’t be too hard for retailers to track Champion’s customers.

[Dean S]

Dogs are not vegans. That said, having green beans, pumpkin, peas (all soft and cooked people not raw from garden) are a safe FILLER.

Dogs need meat and fish. Lentils? Legumes of any kind? Even humans do not consume these well.

That being said, the FDA “hit list” does not have one brand by the BIG BOYS such as Purina, Iams, Science Diet (Purina I believe) and let’s all remember, just like our food supply, the big grocers and major global companies are doing their best to control and lord over our food supply. They do the same with pet food.

Also if you feed your dog 100% dry kibble, grain free or otherwise and they are NOT ACTIVE, that kibble sits in gut half digested. Just like someone drinking Gatorade and eating bread all day, sitting on the couch and no working out, you get FAT.

We have 4 dogs, I walk them every day at least 1 mile, and they have Only Natural Pet Power Fusion kibble as 1/4 their meal rest I make.

Many have purchased “designer dogs’ have them in a tiny apartment, walk perhaps a few times a week tops, leave them home alone while they are at work, and feed them the latest and greatest fashionable dog food. Dogs need to RUN and play every day and they are carnivores.

It’s really that simple.

[haleycookie]

The protein is hard on their kidneys is a myth. Unless they have kidney problems already due to some other type of disease high protein will not hurt their kidneys. Dogs are carnivore’s that don’t require carbs in their diet. So their diet could be mostly protein and fat.
Why are u looking to go grain? Carb loading your dogs isn’t healthy for them. Most kibble is mostly carb though. Some lower carb foods include merrick backcountry, natures variety instinct, essence dog food, and canidae pure ancestral. All are American made and sourced to my knowledge. You could def email the companies and see though. Add toppers, raw boost bits, wet food, bone broths. All for hose things will ad variety into the diet and introduce less processed foods into their diet. If you’re worried about dcm just know taurine is not found in carbs, grains, or highly processed meats. It’s found solely in fresh meat and organs. So that is the route to go if you want a healthy heart.

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

[haleycookie]

I’ve seen this before. Looks decent but you could prob spend less and do a homemade raw diet yourself a lot more easily. But if u feel like forking out insane amounts of money for someone else to do it for u go for it.

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

[Owen J]

Proper nutrition of dogs should be as close as possible to the diet of wild animals. Dogs should not be fed boiled dishes such as cereals, or high-calorie baked goods. In order for the intestinal microflora to be maintained in a normal state, and the body was able to perform protective functions, it is necessary to have raw foods in the dog menu. First of all, it should be meat and offal, less often should be given fish and fish products. Sources of vitamins and fiber are vegetables and fruits. After all, a decrease in immunity is a direct path to diseases such as obesity, allergies, cardiovascular disorders, and others.
https://herepup.com/best-dog-food-for-toy-breeds/

[Patricia A]

This was an eye opener of the standards to meet AAFCO requirements.
No Proof!

Until recently, I was under a false impression – and no pet food company representative hastened to correct it! I thought if a food had a “nutrient values” claim on its label, its maker would have to submit proof that the food inside the can or bag actually contains nutrients in the required amounts. I guess I assumed the products would be tested by third party laboratories and the results would be filed with state feed control officials.

I was wrong.

The actual requirement is this: A company representative must sign and have notarized an affidavit that states, “This product meets the nutrient levels established in the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles for (growth/reproduction, maintenance, or all life stages).” And then they have to keep a copy of that affidavit.

That’s it. Seriously.

No lab test results or analysis of the nutrients confirming that the statement is true are required.

And the affidavit doesn’t even get filed with the state! It just has to be kept “on file” in the company’s own files!

No kidding: The company has to, in effect, pinky swear that their products meet the required nutrient levels. And consumers have to just trust that the products do.

Editorial: I don’t think that’s right. I don’t think that’s sufficient.

Why This Matters

This matters because most dogs get most (if not all) of their nutrients from commercial food. They are a captive audience, literally. They are not free to select their own foods, they can’t follow their instincts to drive them to ingredients that contain any nutrients they may be lacking. What’s more, many owners are warned by their veterinarians and other pet professionals against feeding any table scraps or “human food” to dogs. And pet food companies encourage owners to feed their products and only their products, and to use extreme caution when switching products, lest the dog explode (or something) from diarrhea (or something).

Put another way: If most dogs eat a single type of food and nothing but that food, shouldn’t their owners be able to verify that the food truly contains every nutrient their dogs need?

Raising the Bar

I’ve long believed that, for the reasons above, consumers ought to be able to ask for and readily receive a complete nutrient analysis of their dogs’ food – to make sure that the diet contains adequate (and not excessive) amounts of the nutrients that experts agree dogs need – and that was before I knew that it was possible that products that are labelled as “complete and balanced” might not be.

Last year, we surveyed the dog food companies whose products met our selection criteria and asked this question: “Do you make a complete nutrient analysis for each of your products available to consumers? If so, are the analyses available only upon request, or is this information on your website?” As it turned out, very few of the companies had nutrient analyses readily available, and some of the ones that said they had them available were not able (or perhaps not willing) to produce them.

So, this year, we sent the pet food companies whose products have been on our “approved canned dog food” list an email that said, “There will be one significant change in how we will select and present the ‘approved’ foods on our list. This year, we are asking each company to provide us with a fairly recent (within the past year) ‘typical analysis’ for each of the canned dogs foods that they offer, and we will be comparing the values with the AAFCO nutrient profiles for dogs. If we do not receive the analyses, the foods will not appear on our ‘approved foods’ list this year.”

The Results

A few companies promptly sent us what we asked for, and these companies now constitute our gold-star picks – our top-rated producers of canned foods. See the “2016 Canned Dog Food Review” for a list of these companies.

In contrast, there were other companies we didn’t hear back from. We are more than willing to give them the benefit of the doubt; maybe they didn’t receive our email? Maybe our phone message got lost? If they respond in the next few months, we will update their information here.

We heard from a few companies that said they would be happy to get this information to us, but they needed more time. So, for them, too, we’re going to reserve space in the next few issues to update their information.

Quite a few companies sent us something that’s close to what we asked for; quite a few sent us nutrient analyses of their products that were generated by computer software. Different companies use different programs to generate these analyses, but they all work in a similar fashion: The programs are loaded with nutrient values for every dog food ingredient you can dream of, and then a formula for a given dog food is entered – so many pounds of this, so many ounces of that, etc. – and the software calculates the amount of nutrients that will be in the resulting food.

Literally every company has these software-driven analyses – projections, really – of their formulas, because that’s how pet food is formulated today. The concern is, how do these projections pan out when compared to actual laboratory analysis of the nutrients?

We put this question to a number of pet food experts – including formulators and pet food company owners – and the answer was, it depends on a lot of things, including:

How closely the food manufacturer hews to the recipe for the food;
What software is used to analyze the recipe;
Whether or not the software takes into account chemical reactions between ingredients that take place when the food is mixed or cooked – reactions that might cause certain nutrient values to test at different levels than the software would predict; and
Whether the pet food company routinely tests their raw ingredients in a laboratory and enters updated nutrient values for those ingredients into the software.
All of these are reasons why computer-generated analyses might return very different values than a laboratory test of the actual dog food.

So, even though these computer-generated analyses are not exactly what we asked for, we’re going to give the companies that sent them to us the benefit of the doubt, too. For now, they still appear on the list of our “approved canned dog foods” that starting on page 8. If they, too, send us actual laboratory test results for their products, we’ll upgrade their status to our gold-star list in upcoming issues.

But we’re also giving all the companies a heads-up: Only the pet food makers that provide lab analyses of their products will appear on our list of “approved dry dog foods” in the February issue.

[sabra rahiman]

My dog had alot of these issues. I found it was the chicken in processed food. He is now doing well on a barf raw diet. His stools used to be loose, diarrohea, gas..it was terrible. I noticed when i fed chicken he had red rashes and found it was this. its usually mixed with rice in alot of processed food. also i found by sorting gut PH levels things changed. So beefbone broth dosing for a few weeks, organic turmericpaste, coconut oil, kefir,barf diet, dandelion and nettle pureed, raw eggs. Once the stomach is at a healthy ph gut level everythings sorts its self. My pup is totally clear now 🙂

[Susan]

Hi Joanne,
Don’t apologize, Anon started by posting

“BTW: Are you sure you were speaking to a nutritionist? ”

Anon101 always has to start she cant help herself…Why post that comment?
Has to be nasty.

Go on “Rodney Habib F/B page look for
“13 Worst Pet Foods of the Year” watch video.
https://www.facebook.com/rodneyhabib

I hope your not still feeding Purina, Purina made number 7 worst pet foods & Hills made number 1 worst pet foods.

These bigger the pet food companies, have more problems with their pet foods, there’s too many different brands & formula’s being made, heaps of cross contamination.. too many bosses, no one knows what the other hand is doing, also no one cares.. “It’s just dog food”
Ring & ask where does their meat come from, where does their ingredients (corn, oats, rice, barley, bran) come from, is it being sprayed?? they wont know, the ladies on the phones wouldn’t have a clue.

When Purina Pro Plan Bright Mind kibble was blind tested this year for toxins (another video on Rodney’s f/b page) Purina Pro Plan Bright Mind kibble came back high in Glyphosate (Round Up)… & this formula is for aging dogs..

Look for smaller pet food companies, who have a nutritionist on board who formulates their formula’s, who doesn’t use vitamin Pre Mixes from china (also on Rodney F/B page when Hills pet foods high in Vitamin D started)
With these smaller pet food companies the owner knows where the meat comes from, the owner is there daily making the kibble, the owner is there when people are complaining their dog is sick or dying, the owner hears the phone calls if there’s any, he starts stressing cause its his livelihood that suffers, the Pet Food quality is heaps better with smaller pet food companies, well that’s how it is in Australia, smaller batches are made & there’s better quality control, the only times we’ve had sick & dying dogs was bigger pet food companies, 2017-2018- Mars & Nestles -Advance Dermcare,
2019- Hills Pet Foods..
Baxter -2017-2018 Baxter a generic brand, we don’t know who was making Baxters, they bring out their lawyers,
we think it was a bigger pet food company – Mars and Nestles again..

Where were the Owners when Hills bought vitamins from China, where were the owners/shareholders when Advance bought toxic Tuna & Moldy Corn, everything was all hushed up, owners were paid off, Advance reformulated, got rid of their corn ingredients, where were owners when pet owners rung up crying my dog is sick with ME, my dog has just died from ME, my dog isn’t the same dog? These big Pet Food companies they don’t care.

Go with your gut, its always right.. feed more cooked or raw diet (whatever agrees best with your dogs).. & less, less kibble.
A tin/can of Salmon has heaps more nutrition & is healthier then a tin of pet food or a cup of kibble…
& yes Oat Groats sit & ferment in the dogs stomach, a big no no to feed dogs who have stomach/bowel problems..

[anonymous]

I am sure that the treating veterinarian at the animal hospital will make recommendations regarding diet as part of the dog’s discharge treatment plan and instruct you to follow up with your veterinarian.

Obviously the dog will have to be on a special diet for the rest of it’s life. I think a raw or homemade diet is about the worst thing you could do.

There are no veterinary healthcare professionals affiliated with this site.

This dog will probably need to be seen by the vet frequently for the rest of her life. They will be able to advise you and make dietary changes accordingly depending upon the findings after every exam.

Best of luck

[Anne A]

My sweet Australian Labradoodle was hit by a car last week which resulted in 70% removal of her small intestine. I am interested in learning about what others have experienced with this disorder and what food would be best for her. Would a raw diet be best and homemade food? Does anyone have recipes to share?
She is still in the hospital but we hope she will be able to come home soon.

Any help would be much appreciated.
Thanks,
Anne

[Sanne]

Yes, even non grain free Fromm has cases. And contrary to the post above, there have been a few cases with raw fed dogs too, not just kibble fed dogs.

This is happening with all kinds of breeds of all sizes. And not just simply on grain free foods. According to the studies done so far, all we know is the food is a major factor but not WHY the food is causing this. One study (I think from UC Davis?) showed that all but one of the dogs in the study that had diet caused DCM improved after changing the diet, something that is not possible with genetic DCM. That alone says a lot.

I also do not trust any source that states “we know for a fact corn and wheat have no benefits to dogs..” it’s laughable considering we have numerous studies on the specific nutrients dogs utilize from corn gluten meal. Does it make it a necessary ingredient? No, but it sure makes it obvious someone likes to ignore science when making such a sweeping statement…

[haleycookie]

You’re feeding him tons of sugar and you’re worried about the glyphosphate? Instead of the fruit yogurt and Cheerios use chicken broth, pumpkin purée for fiber, and add some cooked or raw egg, or chocked or raw chicken into his diet as a topper. You can also get freeze dried toppers or wet food. I would cut all that sugar from his diet if you can. Or if you’re insistent on having some type of yogurt try organic kefir or raw goats milk. It’s more appropriate for dogs than sugar filled fruit yogurt.

• This reply was modified 4 years, 12 months ago by haleycookie.

[Jack M]

You may need to try several different limited-ingredient diet foods. Your dog could be allergic to the potato, the rabbit, or something else in that particular brand. Try a different brand with completely different protein and carb source.

It takes a lot of time to try a diet. You need about a week to switch. Then, you need to spend 2 or 3 weeks on a diet before you know it will work. It’s kind of frustrating when you don’t get immediate feedback. You have to wait for the reaction to the old food to subside before drawing a conclusion.

One of my dogs is very allergic to chicken and somewhat sensitive to rice. When she was on commercial food, she could eat food with fish, lamb, and potato.

Now that she’s on a raw diet, she gets lamb, goat, beef, mackerel, and canned salmon without any itching issues. I accidentally gave her a ground organ blend that included some chicken and the itching came back.

https://ecopetlife.com/best-food-german-shepherds-skin-allergies/

[anonymous]

Dangers of Bully Sticks: Popular Treat Can Carry Bacteria and Add Calories

Excerpt below
Even if you can get past the issue of feeding your dog an uncooked, dried penis of a bull or steer as a treat, there are more potential problems with bully sticks. One is that they may be contaminated with bacteria. We tested 26 bully sticks for bacteria and found that one was contaminated with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), a type of staph bacteria that is resistant to certain antibiotics; one was contaminated with Clostridium difficile; and seven were contaminated with Escherichia coli (including one antibiotic-resistant sample). This certainly doesn’t prove that all bully sticks are contaminated but does emphasize the importance of washing your hands after touching these treats, as you should with any raw meat or raw meat diets. People at high risk (very young, elderly, pregnant, or immunocompromised individuals) should avoid all contact with raw animal-based treats and raw meat diets.

[InkedMarie]

Here is what I don’t get. IF we’re all talking about the same group, when you join, you agree to read the units. Quite obviously, many people don’t. Read the units, spend a little time reading posts and you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see what the group is there for and who runs it.

Professionals started the group…ie Dr Joshua Stern and many others. I will listen to their recommendations over anyone else. They recommend feeding foods that follow WSAVA guidelines. It’s that simple. That’s the recommendation. Currently, Royal Canin, Science Diet, Eukanuba, Iams and Purina are the only WSAVA compliant. There is no “I think my food is following”…..they either are or they aren’t. It’s not an interpretation. If you think your food is, print out the guidelines and call the company. See if they are compliant. The hopes is that other companies will start following the guidelines.

Spend time reading/read the units and you will read what moderators say: there are hard & fast rules for the group. It’s science based. Opinions on many points aren’t allowed. They will be deleted. Recommend non WSAVA compliant foods….it will be deleted. Recommend home cooked or raw without being designed by a nutritionist (with credentials I’m not positive about)….it will be deleted.

It does not matter who works for who…..and I have no clue who does nor do I care. Everyone has to earn a living. If the food follows WSAVA compliant, it is recommended.

If you don’t like the group, leave. It’s that simple. It’s Facebook people. There are other groups.

If you’re here asking questions and we discuss DCM and post links to help….read them. Stop asking about other foods & if they’re good for this issue. We’ve told you what the recommendation is. If you don’t want to feed those foods….fine. It’s hard to be passionate about this issue, try to help then have people ignore. I will only continue to post in hopes others are reading and may be somewhat educated.

Again….it’s a FB group. Don’t like what they say? Leave. I have said that for years about DFA. Don’t like the reviews? There are other sites that may be to your liking.

[haleycookie]

@sanne, perhaps you are in a different group? I did 100% see several people being told raw and home cooked diets are not a balanced and can still cause dcm just like grain free (which btw hasn’t even been proven yet so…) and they were quickly told to switch to proplan or hills becuase that’s “proper nutrition” and formulated by a nutritionalist.
There were no such link or information you speak of when I was a part of the group. Just non stop bashing of quality foods and raw-home cooked diets. Perhaps they’ve changed their ways now to not be so narrow minded.

• This reply was modified 5 years ago by haleycookie.

[Patricia A]

So very sorry about your dogs passing. My Chloe also died from pneumonia . . She had no symptoms until I noticed at her walk that day.she would keep stopping with labored breathing. Took her to our long time vet same day. Unfortunately, when diagnosed with x-rays we trusted him when he assured us to just give antibiotics and take her into a steamy shower tap to loosen congestion on her chest and she’ll be fine He wasn’t concerned .Early the next morning we rushed her back to vets office when her breathing got worse .. We were told race to the large animal emergency hospital 15 minutes away. She died in my arms as we pulled into parking lot. We still feel such guilt . She was struggling to breath that night but since I got two antibiotics into her we thought because of assurance from vet, that breathing would improve and she’ll be fine. She was 13 and we and vet should have been more concerned at that age . I mean how could a vet see a dog the day before her death and not know she was very ill. This was many years ago but tears are still coming from my eyes thinking about this. Vet and head vet from office called to apologize . I think they thought we would sue. Mistakes are made so must forgive him and ourselves.
Regarding the enlarged heart. Many small breeds have genetic chronic mitral valve disease (CMVD) . That is what my soon to be 17 year old Chihuahua has. So if your vet didn’t clarify after ultrasound is DCM then especially if she was a small breed the enlarged heart could be from mitral valve disease. This type never has anything to do with diet.
I feed Stella’s also. Their kibble has a lot of peas/legumes. They assure me that their small breed chicken has high protein coming from meat vs legumes. However, kibble is a tiny part of their diet. Mostly mine eat Stella’s freeze dried chicken and turkey flavor/protein. I rotate to be safe with Primal turkey/sardine and duck. I also feed Bixbi rawwble in beef and chicken and salmon. I started VERY slowly with each protein/brand and now I just mix it up every few months. They also get our cooked food when appropriate. Hope this helps.

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

[haleycookie]

Stella and chewy is 100% balanced raw dog food. And a biologically appropriate one at that so no need for anything different. You may look into some of weruva canned foods. I believe some of th dogs contain no veggie matter. I know that cat ones are almost free of veggies but I can’t remember if that dog ones are.
And just a reminder taurine comes from fresh meat and organs. Not grains, not over processed kibble and not peas. So sticking with a meat and organ rich raw diet would be ideal.

• This reply was modified 5 years ago by haleycookie.
• This reply was modified 5 years ago by haleycookie.

[crazy4cats]

Ruby H-
Even if the food had anything to do with it, which I doubt, we need to put the blame on the company making it. Not on you!!

I’m very sorry to hear about your pup. It is so hard when they pass. Especially, when they can’t talk and tell us what is going on with them. Definitely, the hardest part of owning them. But, I will still always have one or two, (or three!)

Unfortunately, there have been a few dogs diagnosed with diet-related DCM that were being fed raw. Are you working with a veterinarian nutritionist? The FB group I provided below has a link for raw feeders to certified animal nutritionists that work with people who feed raw.

The article that Anon posted is not SkeptVet’s latest on the subject. This one is: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2018/12/evidence-update-grain-free-and-other-beg-diets-associated-with-heart-disease-in-dogs/

I have golden labs and joined a FB group run by mostly veterinarians that are following the science-based facts regarding this very subject. Check it out: https://www.facebook.com/groups/TaurineDCM/

The also have a website with helpful information: https://taurinedcm.org/

Surprisingly, I switched to Purina ProPlan and my dogs are doing great. They had an echocardiogram a few weeks ago after having been fed it for about 8 months and they are fine. Thank goodness!

Hope this helps!

[anonymous]

Hope this helps:

Grain-free Diets and Heart Disease in Dogs

You can use the search engine there to look up other topics such as “raw”

The comments are often informative too.

[joanne l]

Sorry to hear about your dog. Please don’t blame yourself! As far as diet goes, you can certainly feed raw, but it is not balanced. Give your dog a good grain in dry food along with the other things you give. I don’t know much about Stella’s maybe someone else that knows more can help you there. Try Purina Pro Plan, Wellness products, maybe merrick grain in formulas. Choose ones that been around a long time with nutritional experts on staff. I know it is a lot to take in, but the FDA is warning against grain free and exotics meats, which is kangaroo, duck, venison, bison. Just listen to the FDA until they find out what is going on. Example I do feed grain in dry food along with rare steak, or cooked chicken, tuna and rice. I do use can once in awhile when I am lazy.

[Ruby H]

Hi everyone, this is my first post here so hope I’m doing this right. I just found out about BEG/grain free foods being linked to dogs developing Dilated Cardiomyopathy. As far as I see the issue is thought to come from legume heavy diets, preventing pets from absorbing taurine? Please correct me if I’m wrong, I’ve taken in so much information within the past few days.

Is raw food still ok for dogs to eat since most do not contain legumes? I had previously fed Stella and Chewy’s raw food, then started to incorporate Weruva dry food to cut down on costs, but I now realized that chickpeas are the third ingredient so I’ve been mixing in more raw and transitioning out the Weruva. Also one of my dogs just passed away from what the vet said was pneumonia caused by bronchitis, but they also saw that his heart was enlarged when they did x-rays. I don’t know if this food contributed to that or not but I feel awful that something I fed him could’ve hurt him.

Any suggestions or advice?

[anonymous]

Integrating Myths and Nonsense with Standard Advice for Allergic Pets

excerpt below, click on link for full article and comments

“Of course, I’ve written about the raw diet nonsense before, and there is, once again, no evidence that raw diets have any benefit in terms of preventing or treating allergies. As for supplements, apart from limited evidence that fish oils can reduce the dosage of other drugs needed to control allergy symptoms, there is no solid data to support supplement recommendations. Overall, this section makes erroneous and misleading implications about the causes of food allergies, recommends a dubious diagnostic test, and then suggests treatments that have not been demonstrated to help”.

Hair and Saliva Test for Allergies are Worthless Pseudoscience

excerpt below, click on link for full article and comments

Hair and Saliva Test for Allergies are Worthless Pseudoscience
Posted on November 6, 2018 by skeptvet
There is a lot of mythology out there about food allergies. The recent concern about the potential risks of grain-free diets is only an issue at all because such diets became wildly popular with no evidence that grains were a problem in the first place. A lot of folks blame grains for allergies and other health problems, but there’s no real evidence this is true, and these ingredients probably play a fairly minor role in food allergies in dogs and cats.
Other myths about food allergies include the idea that changing diets can cause them (actually, prolonged exposure is usually needed to develop a sensitivity), that raw foods are less allergenic (nope, only more likely to give you a food-borne illness), and that you can use blood, hair, or saliva tests to diagnose food allergies (sorry, a limited ingredient diet trial is the only way to do this). This last misconception is perpetuated despite evidence from human medicine that it is not true because, quite frankly, it makes people money.

[Bud J]

Hi, I’m just getting started in researching dog food. I’ve been fostering my current pup, Grayson, for about a year. He has seizures about once a week and is on keppra, phenobarbital and hemp. I’m currently doing research and looking for support because he is dealing with substantial allergies and I’m highly suspecting it’s food allergies. He has a lot of itching, chews at his feet and has bald spots and scabbing around his hips, hind legs and groin area. He has been an itchy dog pretty much entire time I’ve had him but the scabbing is by far the worst it’s ever been.

He was put on a steroid for a couple weeks which really helped, but had it’s own side effects. The last 2 dog foods we’ve had are American Journey Grain Free Salmon and Sweet Potato and True Acre Foods Chicken and Vegetable Grain Free. He was mostly eating True Acre when the symptoms got bad, but then switched to American Journey and symptoms continued to progress. Both foods have chicken as a main ingredient and therefore I’m thinking he’s reacting to chicken. As of 2 days ago, I switched him to a Heritage Ranch Salmon and Sweet Potato Food only because it was the only dog food at my store which didn’t have chicken as a main ingredient.

So, I’m currently l’m looking into switching him to a different simple ingredient dog food. Canidae salmon and sweet potato is the one I’m leaning towards, but I’m also researching doing a raw diet.
I’m sure there’s several posts on this site which have helpful info, but wanted to introduce myself and I’ll start searching around to see what others have already posted.

Thank you,
Grandpa J

[CHRISTINE C]

I know I am very late to this post but – I have been feeding Titan Blue Fine Grind for a little over a year. I switched all 3 of my dogs, including a German Shepherd that has EPI. Previously fed Merrick kibble. My dogs have thrived on this raw diet. It is easy, inexpensive (compared to sourcing meat myself) and I it has increased their quality of life. My 13 year old lab acts like he is a puppy.

[Susan]

Hi Denis,

Sound like your GSD had a Furunculosis on his bum, my boy has IBD, Seasonal Skin Allergies (Summer/Autumn) & he has food sensitivities, food allergies are rare & the dog normally will suffer with IBD when he/she suffers with food allergies..
Anal furunculosis is a chronic, progressive inflammatory disease of dogs that results in ulceration and inflammation in the area surrounding the anus.

Here’s link – “What is Idiopathic Furunculosis (German Shepherds)?”
https://wagwalking.com/condition/idiopathic-furunculosis-german-shepherds

If your dog is eating the Hills Z/d vet diet, after 1 month if he is doing firm poos, no farts, no skin problems & he is doing really well this is when you start a food elimination diet & try too work out what ingredients your dog is sensitive too?? that’s if it is food related?? its Spring in America it could be environment allergies or his immune system is crashing from Allergies or vaccinations?? it takes a while doing food elimination diets, 1 month to trial 1 new ingredient at a time to his Hypoallergenic vet diet, it can take 20mins up to 6 weeks for the dog to react, with itchy skin, ears, red around mouth, paws, gas/wind/farts, vomiting, itchy yeasty ears, skin, anal gland problems take a bit longer 4-7days when dog is reacting to an ingredient..
I found Patch reacted within 20mins of eating raw or cooked chicken, when he eats grains & carrots he took up to 5 days to react with sloppy yellow poo, farts & yeasty smelly skin & ears…
Results are 100% correct with food elimination trial. Blood, Fur& Salvia testing can give false positives results, they’re a waste of money also it’s best to do food elimination diet in the cooler months when allergen are lower, its hard in Spring & Summer as your dog might be itchy cause of a plant, tree, grass, flowers, pollens in yard or next door & you think its what he’s eating & its not, keep a diary you will start to see a pattern with Seasonal Environment Allergies, also baths weekly, baths are best to wash off any allergens on skin, paws head etc ….
I wipe Patch down with baby wipes days I don’t bath him, read the ingredients in the baby wipes & get the baby wipes that have Aloe leaf abstract in them, also Patch was getting furunculosis on bum & paws, when his immune system was down, when I first rescued him, so now after he poos I always wipe his bum with baby wipes & I wipe down his paws when he walks on wet grass or freshly cut grass he gets red paws..

Get some “Sudocrem” its an anti-fungal, anti bacterial healing cream, for Dermatitis, Eczema, Nappy Rash, Pressure Sores, if you live US look on Amazon & I’ve read Walmart has started to sell Sudocrem, its an excellent cream… it heals sores, cuts, red paws, thinning of fur on head, excellent for itchy bum, when they scoot (bum surf)
Make sure his immune system is healthy & its best to see a Dermatologist as they specialize in skin..

Look at “Adored Breast” Healthy Gut & Love Bugs (Pre & Pro Biotics) made by Julie Anne Lee

Please watch these videos below when you have the time, Julie explains what might be happening with your dog.

Here’s Julie Anne Lee – Allergies, Skin Disease, or Autoimmune – PT 1

Here’s Julie Anne Lee – Allergies, Skin Disease, or Autoimmune – PT 2

[Susan]

Hi Mary,
Dogs diet should be balanced, it doesn’t have to be perfectly balanced, start buying tin/can Salmon, tin/can Sardines in Spring water look for the brands with the lowest Sodium/salt %, in the tin Salmon you’ll see bones leave them they just crush up mix thru, start adding 2 spoons of the salmon per meal, veggies & fruit must be peeled, de seed, cut up the veggies/fruit then put thru a blender & blend till they’re nilly a pulp, then I was adding 1 spoon of the veggie/fruit mix to ice cube trays then cover with cling wrap & freeze. Add 2 spoons/cubs per meal, just thaw the veggies/fruit ice cube take out night before put in fridge for next day, buy Omega 3,6,9 oil add 2 squirts per meal for their Omega fatty acids.

Join a few raw feeding face Book groups, what country do you live? in Australia we have Supplements called
“Natural Animal Solutions (NAS) Digestavite Plus Powder” Omega 3,6,9, oil, I was adding 1 teaspoon NAS Digestavite powder + Omega oil only need 1 add to 1 of Patches daily meals to balance his diet cause he cant eat bone or organ meat causes diarrhea.. He has IBD..
Your dogs especially the older dog needs Omega 3 in diet, Glucosamine & Chondroitin for joints & bones..

Follow Dr Judy Morgan DVM on her face book page
https://www.facebook.com/JudyMorganDVM/

Judy has very easy to make balanced raw & cooked diets,
Here’s a few videos just scroll down, her pup loaf is easy to make.. Judy sell supplements look up top “Shop”
Judy has a new book called “Ying & Yang” Nutrition for dogs.
https://www.drjudymorgan.com/category/videos/

[anonymous]

Take the dog to a veterinarian, asap.

You may want to rethink the raw diet.

Hope this helps
.http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=raw+diet

PS. There are no veterinary health care professionals at this site and even if there were they have not examined your dog.

[Mabel’s Mom L]

Hi. My Mabel is an old English sheepdog and just turned 1 at the end of March. We’ve been feeding her a raw diet since she came home at 8 weeks. Initially, she started with commercial raw dehydrated and freeze-dried. Then we got the hang of things and have fed her fresh raw ever since.

Mabel has stopped eating or reluctantly so. She’s just as happy and playful as always. Just not eating. She does seem to have filled out – I haven’t been able to feel her ribs at all in the last month. Being a very active puppy, we had been feeding her 3% of her expected adult body weight (65 lbs). Because if the added weight, we are cutting back to 2.5%. I’m afraid to fast her because 1) her age and 2) she’s due to be spayed in the next few weeks.

Should I be concerned? Should I change anything?

Thank you!

[anonymous]

NO! Hope this helps.

Yet Another Study Shows the Real Dangers of Raw Diets for Dogs

Excerpt below, click on link for complete article as well as others on the subject and comments.

“Proponents of raw diets will certainly argue that the risk is small compared to the benefits. Unfortunately, no scientific evidence yet exists to show any benefits, and personal anecdotes or theories about the natural history of dogs are not sufficient reason to ignore the robust scientific evidence of the harm that raw diets can cause. Unless some reliable research evidence emerges to show meaningful health benefits from raw feeding, there is no good reason for pet owners to participate in this dangerous fad.”

[Candace P]

I really good dry dog food is Orijen, and it is one of the lower carb, grain free kibbles around, made in Canada and if your dog does not have any food sensitivities, they have several flavors to rotate feedings . . . it just didn’t work for the dog I have now, but her poops were almost like a dog’s that is eating a raw diet . . . not to be graphic but they came out in nuggets instead of being all compressed together into a squishy turd (sorry).

Right now I am feeding Nom Nom Now, it is a cooked dog food that is shipped to your door. It runs me about $130/mo for my 50lb pit bull mix and she has all kind of issues such as crusty skin bumps, yeasty feet (why I need a low carb dog food), and cannot tolerate chicken or beef. She is fed the Nom Nom Now pork with Nulo salmon kibble. Her bumps are completely gone for the first time in about two years, but I think the kibble may be a little too high in carbs as her feet aren’t doing well. I am thinking of trying Ketona Natural kibble because it a a new very low carb, high protein salmon kibble (they make a chicken as well).

[anonymous]

You are reading Facebook blogs. I am going by what veterinarians that have examined my dogs and know their history advise.

BUMP

skeptvet says:
April 21, 2019 at 1:23 pm
There is no perfect food, and a food that works well for one dog may not work for another, so the best you can do is choose a maintenance diet from an established company (one with veterinary nutritionists on staff to oversee formulation and quality control) and then monitor important signs, such as weight, stool quality, coat quality, etc. There are many good choices and only a few I would recommend against (raw diets, and BEG diets).
Above is an excerpt from :

FDA Webinar Discussing Dietary Risk Factors for Dilated Cardiomyopathy

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/
Hope this helps!

[anonymous]

“This explanation is, in fact, the exact opposite of the true nature of dietary allergies. Whole proteins are the primary trigger for allergies in animals predisposed to have them. And when there is a malfunction in the GI tract such that it fails to break proteins down into small enough pieces, this can make allergies more likely. Finally, one of the most effective treatments for food allergies is to feed hydrolyzed protein diets, diets in which the proteins are chemically processed (gasp!) into small enough pieces that they cannot trigger an allergy reaction.”
“I certainly don’t expect lay people to be experts in the mechanics of digestion and food allergies, but this level of ignorance is frightening and inexcusable in a manufacturer of a pet food. It also indicates the blatant disregard for scientific fact so often seen in the marketing and promotion of raw and other unconventional pet diets”.

Above is an excerpt from http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2012/01/misleading-advertising-for-raw-pet-food-again/
click on link for full article and comments

Hope this helps!

[haleycookie]

Hydrolyzed foods are typically for dogs with severe food sensitivities. I would have further testing done before moving to that. I don’t really consider it a long term food to feed either, it’s over priced and full of carbs and hardly any meat protein whatsoever. I also don’t think it’s a very good look for the vet to not want to investigate further into what caused this to happen to your dog and just immediately say it’s due to diet . I would def get a second opinion.
A fresh home cooked (preferably raw tho) diet is ideal. However you have to be sure you’re doing it correctly. A model for raw to follow is the 80/10/5/5, 80% muscle meat, 10% bone, 5% liver, and 5% secretory organ. Cooked is different and I would consult with a nutritionalist before moving to a cooked diet as that is very different than raw.

[anonymous]

skeptvet says:
April 21, 2019 at 1:23 pm
There is no perfect food, and a food that works well for one dog may not work for another, so the best you can do is choose a maintenance diet from an established company (one with veterinary nutritionists on staff to oversee formulation and quality control) and then monitor important signs, such as weight, stool quality, coat quality, etc. There are many good choices and only a few I would recommend against (raw diets, and BEG diets).
Above is an excerpt from :

FDA Webinar Discussing Dietary Risk Factors for Dilated Cardiomyopathy

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/

Hope this helps!

What was wrong with Royal Canin?

Consider Fromm (grain inclusive formulas) Example: https://www.gofromm.com/fromm-family-classic-adult-dog-food

[dawne]

Anon101 – Thanks so much for your insite and the link to more related information. I really am uncomfortable with feeding my boy a raw diet. You are absolutely right about my vet knowing my boy. He’s been seeing her since 8 weeks old and does have some gastro issues that need to be considered. I’m so thankful for everyone’s input.

[anonymous]

skeptvet says:
April 21, 2019 at 1:23 pm
There is no perfect food, and a food that works well for one dog may not work for another, so the best you can do is choose a maintenance diet from an established company (one with veterinary nutritionists on staff to oversee formulation and quality control) and then monitor important signs, such as weight, stool quality, coat quality, etc. There are many good choices and only a few I would recommend against (raw diets, and BEG diets).

Above is an excerpt from :

FDA Webinar Discussing Dietary Risk Factors for Dilated Cardiomyopathy

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

Hope this helps!

PS: I mix foods all the time, I can’t afford to throw out good food.

[Anonymous]

I don’t know why you’re so flustered. I never intended to use this as a source for professional advice, just advice from people who probably have experience with feeding raw. Before rushing to the vet, I’d prefer to ask other people if they know anything that could have caused it, or what I can do that might possibly help it. I never said I wasn’t going to take her to the vet, I intend to. I came here because I wanted helpful advice presented in a kind, respectful manner. I did not come here to have someone tell me I shouldn’t feed this way, or to make it seem like I don’t care for my dog by insinuating I am against taking to her to the vet. You’re only making a worrisome situation even more upsetting. Also, I wouldn’t feed her any of those prescription diets. The ingredients are horrible. I’d prefer to help her body with real food, not garbage.

[anonymous]

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2011/06/salmonella-and-other-risks-of-raw-pet-diets/ excerpt below

C. Health Risks:
As I have pointed out before, raw diets are more likely than cooked diets to be contaminated with infectious organisms, including Salmonella. Such organisms have been found in raw diets (1, 8-12) and have been found shed in the feces of pets eating these diets (13), they can be passed from pets to humans (13-16), and they have caused illness in both pets and humans (16-18).
Another recent paper in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, written by Dr. Kate KuKanich (19), specifically addresses the subject of Salmonella contamination in pet foods and treats. Her analysis of the literature shows that uncooked foods and treats are far more likely to be contaminated with Salmonella, and that up to 69% of sled dogs and 61% of racing greyhounds fed raw meat shed this organism in their feces even when they have no diarrhea or other clinical symptoms. This is compared to a rate of shedding of less than 5% up to 15% in studies of other healthy dogs. While Salmonella contamination after cooking has been found in dry diets, the risks for uncooked foods and treats are substantially higher, and Dr. KuKanich concludes, as I would,
Ample evidence exists for the risk of Salmonella contamination in raw food diets; thus, it is advised that pet owners avoid feeding raw food diets to pets.