[Mutts and Cats]

Hi Aimee. Thanks for those detailed calculations and explanations. I will dig into that and give my brain a little exercise. I worked in a technical field so I like numbers. It is strangely relaxing for me to crunch numbers and I seem to have a notion in the back of my mind that all problems can be solved with a spreadsheet. But I retired quite a few years ago and there has been a lot of brain atrophy. So thanks for giving my old brain some challenges.

Thanks for the additional discussion on triglycerides and lipase too. So I guess from his lab reports it doesn’t appear that there are problems in that area yet, but I have backed off on the high fat diet. If his seizures should become more frequent then I might increase it again. But I will be really surprised if that happens.
It is a relief that stopping the CBD Oil seems to be making no difference in the frequency of seizures. I just hope his next seizure is not more intense, or longer. I suspect the CBD Oil caused his ALT and ALP liver enzymes to spike. My vet thinks that is unlikely, but from what I’ve read it sure seems possible. ALT and ALP went from 62 and 91 in Aug to 142 and 826 in Nov to 191 and 878 in Jan. I started the CBD Oil in early Oct. My vet seems surprisingly unconcerned about the ALT and ALP, but if they haven’t come down when we retest in March then my anxiety is really going to take off.

That company you mentioned who was so clueless about basics like fat content does highlight a problem out there that I was buying into. Thinking that a small company would mean good quality control and that possibly the owners really cared about producing a good product. I’ve been drawn in by some of them, who say great things on the website, but then I realize that I’m not sure they know what they are doing. But, that said, I still find myself wanting to find a small(ish) company that I feel really good about.
Always nice to get your replies. Thanks for taking the time. M&C

[aimee]

Hi M & C,

Initially I wrote out how to hand calculate but the post got so long so deleted it. Hand calculating an estimated caloric value is just an extension of calculating the number of fat calories. For a G/A that lists min protein as 25 and min fat as 25 and max moisture at 10 and max fiber as 5 you can estimate carbs by subtracting the knowns from 100. If you know the ash content, you need to subtract that too, but if you don’t you can guess (Balanceit uses 3). In this example estimated carbs is 100-25-25-10-5-3= 32. Next multiply each macronutrient by number of kcals/gram, which is 4 for protein and carb and 9 for fat. For kibble I use the Modified Atwater numbers which are 3.5 kcals/gram for protein and carb and 8.5 kcals/gram for fat to accounts for digestibility. For this example (4X25) + (4X 32) + (9 X 25) = 453 kcals/100 grams= 4530kcals/kg

Estimating is fraught with error though, especially with fresh foods, which I why I use the given caloric information if it is available. What I’ve found is the underreporting of fat in raw foods is very common, this is evident if your carb number ends up high when there is no plant matter listed in the ingredients. Also, you can back calculate fat content if they give the caloric information.

Years ago, I asked a company whose name would imply that they would respond to inquiry, what the fat content was in their food. They wrote back that it took them years of research to determine the ideal amount and that they would not just give that information away to someone who could be trying to poach their recipe. I thanked them for their answer and said I as estimating it to be 35 % . They wrote back gob smacked wanting to know how I knew. It would be funny if it wasn’t so sad. Yet another example of a company that appeared to have no clue what they are doing.

[Mutts and Cats]

Hi Patricia A. Thanks for the condolences and supportive words. Sorry to hear about your heart breaking losses. I’ve had many of those too, and the last two were particularly hard as I went into the vet’s office knowing there was something wrong, but no idea that I would be leaving with a dead dog. Like you, I have a hard time even talking/writing about those experiences.

You mentioned shots, and I’m right there with you. No more shots, except rabies, for the one with seizures. I’m really mad at myself that a few days after the first seizure I let the vet give him a leptospirosis shot. She insisted it was a good idea even though he had just had a seizure. I was in a state of mind where I just desperately wanted to trust my vet.

My dogs were acquired from the shelter, so I have no idea about their background. The one who has seizures was picked up on the street, at 8 weeks old, by animal control with a REALLY BADLY broken leg. I forget the technical term, but snapped in two, not just fractured. So he went through several surgeries to pin the leg back together, then later to remove the pins. I was fostering dogs and cats at the time so I fostered him. I should have known the minute he came to my house that I was going to adopt him, and of course I did. But his leg was in a splint for so long that the tendon fused to the bone and he can’t straighten it out enough to use it. So he is essentially a tripawd.

Also, I thought I would mention a revived old concern about S&C, plus a new one. My exchanges with Aimee gave me some affirmation on an issue on my long Worry List – copper content. Some foods are quite high in copper content, and many experts out there feel that this could be a factor in liver disease. Usually the beef recipes, probably because they contain a lot of beef liver. S&C is not quite as bad as some companies, but from the data I have there are some recipes that are pretty darn high. For the freeze dried patties, these are the ones that are high (mg/kg or ppm): Surf & Turf 89; Red Meat 79; Pork 62; Beef 51.
For the Wild Red Raw Blend Kibble, Grain Free I only have data for the Prairie, which is ok at 22 ppm, but I’ll bet the Red Meat recipe is pretty darn high.

And then, a few months ago when I was getting the data from S&C there was a note on the website under the Guaranteed Analysis tab saying something like “We will have more data here soon – if you need data now email us”. When I corresponded with a rep to get data they told me that they were in the process of the final formatting and review and it would be available online soon. Now I see that there is no data available online and they took away the statement inviting customers to request it by email. So they are definitely moving in an undesirable direction from my perspective. Just wanted to share those thoughts.

Migraines – I used to get terrible ones that completely incapacitated me, so I really feel for you that you have one plus some mother issues to go with it. Hope you get some relief soon.
M&C

[Mutts and Cats]

Hi Aimee. Thanks for sharing more information and especially for the quick education on converting to energy basis. That balanceit calculator is great, and I did finally grasp your manual calculation (my brain heated up significantly, but I got it). At first I was puzzled by the 9 in your calculation, but thankfully the footnote on balanceit gave me a hint and I now understand where it came from. What I don’t really understand is how the balaneit calculator is able to do the calculation without the caloric value of the food, since that is not one of the entries. But, I don’t really need to know. Your calculation method is quick.

On triglycerides: My, you are quite knowledgeable when it comes to lab reports too. If there is a limit to the scope of your dog knowledge, I haven’t found it yet. The Lipemia Index was reported on 2 of his 3 lab reports and it shows N, with the footnote: “Index of N, 1+, 2+ exhibits no significant effect on chemistry values.” All 3 of the blood draws were done 7-8 hours after he ate breakfast. So not officially fasting, but quite a while after a meal.
This probably is unrelated, but the Lipase level was within range all 3 times.
Interesting about the movie “First Do No Harm” – I’m going to see if Netflix has it.

You raised the high copper issue and that is the very thing that got me so focused on vitamin/mineral content. Very early in my dog seizure research I stumbled upon an article about a concerning trend of high copper content in dog foods along with a trend of rising liver disease in dogs. So then I started looking at the nutrient profiles for dog foods and was horrified to see some foods with around 100 ppm copper (I also get concerned about Vitamin A around 150,000 iu/kg, even though I know the AAFCO upper limit is 250,000). I had been using foods that were pretty high in both, plus my dog was getting quite a few freeze dried liver treats daily. Going forward, I was very careful that the foods I chose had reasonable contents of both. But now, since I have started feeding so much fresh meat and keeping track of everything on my spreadsheet, I realize that my dog’s diet is getting close to copper deficient. So, he is getting a couple small liver treats a day, which is a change he is very happy about.

I did notice that the SRF Beef is quite high in copper, so I stayed with poultry recipes. When I first started being so concerned about copper I was appalled that some companies were putting food out there with such high levels, and it made me think less of those companies. But that seems to be so common with beef recipes that I had to let it go and just pretty much go with poultry recipes. The SRF issue of high fat recipes being touted as low fat on their website is troubling too. So much trouble for my brain to deal with . . .

And speaking of troubling – the “How many confirmed deaths?” reply you mentioned is so sad I don’t even know what to say. Depressing comes to mind. THANKS. M&C

[Kendra L]

Hi I’m looking to see if anyone has suggestions on affordable kibble for my shepherd mix. She’s 2 years old and 47 lbs. Currently eats nutrisource pure vita duck and oatmeal which has been amazing for her but unfortunately it’s too expensive and money is tight, 80 for 25lb. She also gets koha wet food, salmon oil, goats milk or bone broth, and a raw egg.

She is a picky eater and has a sensitive stomach. Looking for something under 60 and grain inclusive for the largest bag.

So far I’m looking at Purina one natural blend or plus digestive, natures recipe, taste of the wild ancient mountain (did okay on this one but not fantastic) or ancient stream, and nutrisource trout and rice.

Any suggestions or experiences is appreciated.

[aimee]

Hi M and C,

Didn’t mean to send you on a snipe hunt. Glad you eventually found the No Hide thread i commented on. Did you use the search forums option? That is how I find it.

Going through that has really been a life changing experience. I lost trust in the regulatory process and the pet industry as a whole. Several months ago, I watched a presentation titled something like finding balance between sales and ethics as a pet retailer. It was both fascinating and disheartening at the same time. A discussion about being faced with compromising your ethics so that you have product you could sell to pay the bills, and finding and establishing where you will draw your personal line in the sand.

I have no idea what the vitamin and mineral content of tendons or esophagus would be. To reach a caloric count of 4585, I ‘d suspect approx. 15 % fat as fed basis.

[Mutts and Cats]

Hi Patricia A. Believe me, I’m barely holding my own when discussing dog nutrition. I realize after some exchanges with Aimee that I have some serious gaps in my dog nutrition knowledge. So now I’m trying to remedy that. But I have some pretty firmly ingrained thoughts on some topics (like % protein from meat, and carbs) that go against mainstream dog nutrition, so I’m not sure how that is going to be reconciled in the end.

The info you provided from another forum on Stella & Chewy’s is SOOO DISAPPOINTING. If I understand that post correctly it appears that S&C may be experiencing growing pains, that will probably not end well. I was getting ready to go back to feeding S&C. I used to feed that Wild Red dry product that is mentioned, and my dogs loved it, plus several of the freeze dried recipes. I stopped feeding the dry because there is a chance (probably extremely small, but still a chance) that the rosemary in it could contribute to seizures (in a dog that already has seizures). Then for a while I had other concerns about some of the ingredients in S&C, but have since pretty much let go of those concerns. I have to start letting go of some things. The list of things I’m concerned about has grown to a ridiculous length. I have been surprised that S&C has never made the Thixton Lists – or at least not the years that I bought them. I see in one of your posts that evidently Thixton kind of caught S&C in a lie regarding the source of ingredients. That is unfortunate. Especially since supplements sourced from China are not necessarily a dog food deal breaker in my mind. I think it is pretty hard to find human supplements that don’t come from China. But the fact that S&C lied about it until they knew they were caught is quite troubling.

I’m getting very close to deciding that I will never find a dog food company that I feel good about so I should just start making my own. I say that as though it would be no big deal to just start doing it, but it is a pretty overwhelming thought. Plus, I feel like my dogs need to be accustomed to at least one dry or freeze dried food so I can leave it out if I have to travel. That is what I liked about Vital Essentials mini nibs. I was able to leave it out for free feeding, like I would a dry food. But I’ve decided that I am definitely done with VE.

On the DCM issue, did you see Aimee’s reply in my Raw Food Topic? When someone as well informed as her is uncertain, then there are no answers yet. I’ve done just a little more online research in the last week, and it sounds like there are ongoing studies that point toward diets high in peas, lentils, and potatoes being the problem, but that is hardly a revelation. I want to know why! For now I’m assuming it is mostly peas and lentils (but I am still suspicious of beans too) in high quantities, which results in not enough high quality protein for the dog plus the peas acting as an anti-nutrient or even a toxin. Have you ever read “The Plant Paradox”? He is down on all legumes. I think dog foods that include grains just naturally tend to include less legumes, but in my mind the grains have no protective powers and are not providing lacking nutrients. But then, I really don’t know . . .

The agony you are going through in trying to determine, from order of ingredients and moisture content of ingredients, how much protein is coming from meat vs legumes is why I decided firmly that if a company won’t reveal the percentage of protein from meat (or animal sources is the language some use) then I wouldn’t even consider them. But Aimee brought up a good point about the definition of meat. Companies can play games with that, so I need to make sure I trust the company too. I feel a headache coming on . . .

Thanks for asking about my pup’s health issues. The one who is not doing well is only 6 years old and his issues are illusive. He’s an 80 lb mixed breed – probably boxer and black lab, maybe some pit bull, maybe some great dane. A real mutt. About a year ago (right after I lost a dog to osteosarcoma), he started going downhill. Lack of stamina and not getting around as well as he used to. He has had use of only 3 legs since he was a puppy, but before the downturn he made due pretty well. And his personality started changing and he became a very anxious dog, which at first I thought was a reaction to the other dog’s death. But the anxiety persisted and then he started having seizures. At first the seizures were increasing in frequency, but thankfully now they seem to be going the other way. And his anxiety is much better now, but I go to great lengths to shield him from stress. So, of course I have done a ton of online research on dog seizures and have essentially tried everything that had any potential at all. I didn’t put him on anti-seizure meds (except CBD Oil), but came close a dozen times. If the seizures continue to become less frequent I’m hoping to avoid meds.

One thing I will point out is that (from what I have picked up from your posts) your dogs are healthy and you have a track record of dogs living to ripe old ages. I don’t have such a good record, and it does cause me anxiety when I face that fact. Perhaps, despite my good intentions, I am contributing to that bad record in the way I have fed.
Nice posting with you. Hang in there and be sure to let me know if you have any revelations. M&C

[aimee]

Hi M &C,

Every company uses spin and I’ve learned to tolerate a certain amount but when it veers off into misinformation, I pull way back and when it ends with behavior I see as reckless animal endangerment I’m out. That is where I ended with SRF. Looking at the posted NA, I’d agree with you that the “as fed “vitamin information for the frozen looks to be incorrect. I think what they may have meant with their reply was that the data posted is “as fed” for the freeze dried option and since there is little moisture in the freeze dried it is close to DM basis.

The nutrient profiles IMO highlight numerous problems in formulation with some formulas not appearing to meet AAFCO min or exceeding AAFCO max. AAFCO does not list a Max copper, something veterinarians have been calling for since copper storge disease is being diagnosed with increasing frequency. I believe Europe standards call for no more than 28mg/kg. SRF has reports levels as high as 80.5 It appears they are completely disregarding this health concern.

The company describes their beef diet as “low-fat, nutrient dense……..”, a very direct statement. I see this as an egregious unforgivable marketing error. This diet appears to have a min of ~51% fat calories. To put that into context, a low fat therapeutic diets, Hill’s GI low fat has ~17% fat calories. The general consumer isn’t educated on evaluating nutritional information. An owner with a fat intolerant dog may find this diet marketed as low fat, see an 8% min fat level similar to the low fat diet their vet recommended and purchase it, not realizing that 8% as fed in a moist diet is very different from 8% min fat in a dry diet. I personally am aware of this exact situation occurring.

I’ve found that % calories from fat typically ranges between 25-60% in commercial diets with raw diets on the high end. and some far exceeding that 60% I’d consider low fat to be not more than 25% fat calories, moderate fat up to 40% fat calories and high fat over 40% fat calories. I personally don’t like to exceed ~35% calories from fat for my dogs and for my fat intolerant dog 25%.

You can estimate % calories from macronutrients from the GA alone by using the converter at the balanceit website, or hand calculating. SRF reports a min of 8 grams fat in every 100 grams (140 kcals). 8 grams X 9 kcals/gram /140 kcal in 100 grams ~51% calories from fat.

BINGO! Quality ingredients does not = quality food.

[Patricia A]

Hi M & C,
I was able to have some time to read some of the posts between you and Aimee. I have to admit my brain is fried already . I couldn’t even chime in to discussion because I don’t even know what questions to ask anymore. I started simple with grain free vs grain inclusive.My three small Chis’ are not inherently at risk for DCM. But doing some research SOME say that even though taurine is added to the food, the legumes could stop the absorption . I also think, as I said in another post that because of the mold from grain that killed a lot of dogs years ago, the grain free craze was the solution. But then of course the ingredient splitting possibly causing some DCM cases. So playing it safe with that and still mixing the grain free with the grain inclusive to transition. Then looking at ingredient second is chicken meal. It is SAID that has more protein since after taking out the water content from first ingredient that being chicken it’s very little. But the chicken meal will stay on top of ingredient list since not a lot of water in that? I know a simplistic understanding for me but
with the grain free and all the different legumes individually it would be on top of list when added together by weight. So another reason I switched to grain inclusive. Then I researched which grain added would be the best. Stella and Chewy’s recipe uses pearled barley . I would have rather had unshelled or barley groats. Don’t know if correct but the latter is better for micronutrients and fiber. But hoping that is made up with the other ingredients such as oatmeal and quinoa? I did see this question on The Dog food and Canine nutrition forum “Which of these 3 would u choose? I’m looking for the best raw coated, grain free kibble.
I couldn’t edit it to add pics but
#1 Stella & chewy wild red raw coated grain & legume free red meat recipe
#2 merrick backcountry raw infused grain free great plains red recipe
#3 instinct original grain free rabbit recipe”
All the posters chose the first recipe she put up with ingredients which turned out to be the Stella and Chewy’s . Got to compare their Wholesome grains vs the Wild Red and see how ingredients differ. For what it’s worth the one I’m currently transitioning to is baked. But at LEAST many agree it’s a good brand.
My dilemma now is that recently couldn’t find their kibble at my local Pet Supply store. I ordered from online who did have it in stock. So I wrote on that forum and this was a posters reply. ” I work in the pet industry 😬 and unfortunately that’s just the first step for the entire line to go into big box. When a big company like that continues to grow that’s just the next step on the ladder to climb.
That’s why a large amount of their inventory went on sale for Black Friday to clean house for the move to petco. There was a supply chain issue because they focused on making ONLY the line going into petco because those are massive orders to fill and unfortunately that’s where the big money is and that’s where the focus goes.
My guess would be their quality and ingredients and company will start to not be as good as it used to be. Just the process of the crazy pet industry”
So just when I relaxed a little of course this is what happens. Uhhhh
I’m so sorry to hear about your pups health issues. What breed and age and what’s the problems’ M&C? Don’t think I can be of any help because I think you know far more then I do from nutritional aspect. But after having several dogs’ throughout my life maybe health issue is something I’ve experienced with one.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 10 months ago by Patricia A.

[Raven Depto]

For raw dog food recommendations, consider the following:

Quality of ingredients: Look for products that contain high-quality meat, such as chicken, beef, or lamb, as the main ingredient. Avoid filler ingredients like corn, wheat, or soy.

Nutritional balance: Make sure the food includes a balanced ratio of protein, fat, and carbohydrates, as well as essential vitamins and minerals like calcium and phosphorus.

Source of ingredients: Choose brands that use locally sourced and humanely raised animal products.

Safety and sanitation: Make sure the food is manufactured and packaged under strict safety and sanitation guidelines to reduce the risk of contamination.

Customer reviews: Read customer reviews and check for any reported health issues related to the food.

Some popular and well-regarded brands of raw dog food include Stella & Chewy’s, Primal Pet Foods, and The Honest Kitchen. It is important to talk to your veterinarian to ensure a raw food diet is appropriate for your dog and to get specific recommendations based on your pet’s individual nutritional needs.

[aimee]

Hi M & C

I’ve gone down many a rabbit hole over the years. Hunting down accurate information can be a frustrating endeavor. Here is my take on NRC. NRC numbers are based on high bioavailability, something that in the real word doesn’t necessarily occur. AAFCO takes the info from NRC and pads the numbers to account for bioavailability.

AAFCO tables are by kg DM, assuming 4000 kcals/kg and they also report nutrients/ 1000 kcals . NRC does this too, but NRC also provides amounts based on body size. For example, NRC rec 3.28 grams of protein/ kg bw to the .75 power.

AAFCO tables are in Mins and Maxs. NRC has 4 columns: min, adequate, rec and safe upper limit. For many nutrients a SUL is not given because there is not sufficient research as to where to draw that line. For adult dogs there is no reported SUL for CA or Phos. For growth the SUL is 1.8% with a 4000/kcal/kg DM diet. This was based upon large breed puppy growth.

Currently I believe AAFCO table for MAX Calcium is 2.5 % EXCEPT in the case of growth of large breed puppies in which case it is 1.8%. This is why an AAFCO statement may say formulated to meet all life stages except growth of large breed puppies.

The point I was trying to make, and didn’t explain well, is that when AAFCO sets its tables it assumes that the dog is eating an average amount of calories but doesn’t define what this amount is. They leave it up to the manufacturer to determine feeding recommendations. This is a huge weak link.

It is known that when calories are calculated, any individual dog can vary by 50% from this number. So, for example, if calculated calories are 500, one individual may need 250 and another 1000.

When diets just meet AAFCO min there is an underlying assumption that the dog will be eating 500 kcals. But for those dogs that only need 250 kcals that AAFCO min may not meet the dog’s nutrient needs on a weight basis as given by NRC.

I think FEDIAF addresses this by having two data sets with one being for “inactive ” pets, but I haven’t checked to verify this. I believe this is what Susan Thixton is trying to petition the FDA to address.

That may be the easier way to address this because actually determining caloric needs is fraught with a lot of variation. But I see it as imperfect as well because it still leaves it up to the manufacturer and I’ve found considerable errors with this approach. I’ve found multiple instances in which when using the nutritional information provided by the manufacturer and using the manufacturer’s feeding recommendations the dog would not consume enough nutrients to meet NRC rec. or sometimes even min. values.

I have only found this in high cost, small company products. IMO feeding amounts are set low to make the food look more affordable. IMO, one of the most egregious examples I’ve come across was in a freeze-dried product made by a company that apparently did have by a PhD in animal nutrition on staff. So apparently even having someone with an appropriate background in nutrition in the company doesn’t insulate the consumer from errors of this type.

On the other end of the spectrum, I’ve seen companies who boost all nutrients to well above AAFCO min to better cover these “easy keepers” AND have feeding recommendations that will meet the animal’s nutrient need.

I’ve seen as a rule of thumb that if your dog needs to eat 80% or less of the recommended amount you need to switch foods to something with a higher nutrient density. The problem is that assumes the original feeding recommendations are accurate and unfortunately, they in many cases, are not.

[Mutts and Cats]

Hi Aimee. You have really given me much to think about and I am changing my perspective a bit and reevaluating what my priorities should be when assessing the quality of a food and trustworthiness of the company. Your points on the quality, and even definition, of meat are definitely sinking in. I feel now like I had blinders on in thinking that as long as the percentage of meat was high in a food then all was good.

I’m starting to feel that maybe I should just bite the bullet and start making my own food.
Right now I’m in a transition period where my dogs get about 1/2 their caloric intake from fresh meat and turkey necks and the other 1/2 from commercial (raw frozen and freeze dried). I recently started keeping track of all the vitamins/minerals they are getting from everything they eat. I was previously just focusing on calcium, phosphorous and a few other things – hoping everything else was ok. But now that I have been moving toward more meat and less commercial (because I’m not sure I trust the brands I’m feeding), it’s getting to the point I’m going to have to add supplements or add more ingredients to the fresh food. To make things more challenging, I recently had one of my dogs tested for food allergies and he is allergic (IgE reaction) to every vegetable they tested for (but, oddly, not allergic to any meats), so this further limits what I can feed him. But, I also can’t decide if I trust the allergy testing . . .
I’m getting very frustrated and anxious. Thanks for taking the time to post with me. You have helped me a lot. M&C

[Mutts and Cats]

Hi Aimee. Yes I acknowledge that my dog food protein philosophy (obsession even?) is not shared by all. Many company reps have tried to convince me that it is not important that dogs get their protein from meat. Other ingredients in the right combination are just as good . . . etc. I think it was because I got so angry when I first started researching the DCM vs diet issue (just after my dog died) when I realized that the fairly expensive brands I had been feeding appeared to be very guilty of ingredient splitting and almost certainly most of their protein was coming from peas and other legumes. So I have really dug in my heels on the issue. But I do respect your point that there is a big difference between one company who may be producing a food by looking at combinations of plant based amino acids to meet a dog’s protein needs vs. another who says “hey – we could make a lot more money if we just start using less meat and more peas”.

I wish that I could get comfortable with the idea that my dogs could thrive on less meat. I personally am such an animal lover that I don’t like to eat them. But because I have a soy allergy I decided years ago that I just wasn’t getting enough protein while eating vegetarian. So now I draw the line at fish, and do eat that regularly. But, despite how much it grosses me out, I cut up turkey and steak for my dogs because I strongly believe that they need it.

And although you have made good points about the value of transparency, I feel that given my time constraints for thorough research of companies, transparency is one of the best indicators I have for evaluating a company. My conclusion that the company appears to be transparent from their website, packaging, my correspondence with reps, and product reviews – not their claims. And if they are not willing to disclose the percent protein from meat, or percent meat ingredients, then that’s just a non-starter for me. Why would they not want to disclose it if they are producing a good product?

I wasn’t suggesting that FDA claimed a link between grain free and DCM. I was just typing quickly and I guess it came across that way. I’m certainly glad that FDA started releasing information pretty quickly and probably even before they had a theory as to what was going on. I’ve read articles by conspiracy theorists who think FDA was trying to do damage to the small companies that were promoting grain free, and given my slight conspiracy-theory-distrust-of-Gov’t-agencies outlook, I couldn’t help but wonder if there was some truth to that (ironically, I’m a retired fed.) Maybe FDA had nothing to do with that issue getting spun into a connection between grain-free foods and DCM, but somehow that is what happened.

On the subject of “… strong correlation between foods high in pulse ingredients and possible potato and DCM.” – what are your thoughts on the why? At the point that I mostly stopped reading on the topic, well over a year ago, there was still much speculation about whether peas/legumes might be acting as an anti-nutrient, or if it was just a case of the dogs not getting enough quality protein, or some other reason. At that point it was looking like potatoes were become an ingredient of less concern. No?

[Mutts and Cats]

Hi Patricia A. This is a great post that you started. A lot of good discussion.

I misread some of your previous posts here about Stella & Chewy’s. I thought it was just a customer rep who made a bad statement about taurine. The fact that they actually have that on their website is disturbing. Hopefully the geek who designed the website accidentally manipulated facts from the company employees who actually understand dog nutrition, and then they just haven’t gotten around to correcting it.
My understanding of taurine and dogs is as you described. However, I have read from numerous sources that some breeds are predisposed to taurine deficiency, and my dog with health problems is one of those breeds. So I am glad to see manufacturers adding it and I add a little more to his food – just to be safe. I’m pretty darn sure that taurine is one of those things that is not detrimental in excess. However, excesses of some vitamins and minerals in some commercials foods (line Vitamin A and Copper) has become a real concern of mine. But, I had better not digress . . .

Sounds to me like you have made a good decision to make no big changes to your dog’s food right now. Sounds like you have your hands full given the situation with your mother. I hate making changes to my dog’s food because it is disruptive for them and I’ve made many changes in the last few months that haven’t worked out. I’ve pretty much decided that I need to stay with where I have landed now for a while. I feed similar to the way you do. For the dog that has health issues and food allergies, he gets about half of his food as raw meat, plus part of a turkey neck each day. The other dog gets raw meat too, but not as much. For the other half, I feed several different brands of raw frozen and freeze dried. Purposely feeding several brands to average out in case one is not a good product.

After I made the statement I did about Stella & Chewy’s vitamin/mineral data I decided that I should go back and look at it again, since I haven’t in a few months (which is a lifetime for my brain). I have to say that it looks REALLY good to me compared to what I have been encountering with some other companies. It looks professional and I don’t see anomalies in the data. Like big differences between different recipes that can’t be explained by the food ingredients. Makes me want to go back to feeding S&C. The main problem for me is that they add such a variety of vegetables that all of the dog recipes have something my dog is allergic to. But I may need to explore some of the cat foods. I also stopped using S&C when I was going through a phase where I wasn’t comfortable with artificial phosphates, and S&C does use those. But all indications are that they are in very small amounts.
So, for what it’s worth, I still think S&C is one of the better companies out there. Thanks for mentioning your correspondence with them about WSAVA compliance. I feel good about their reply to you. IMO, having a full time certified nutritionist on staff seems unnecessary and only serves to keep smaller companies from competing with the “Big 4”. I don’t like to see that.

I have to admit that I was not really familiar with WSAVA. I had heard of it, but I’m not sure why I never got around to looking into it. Glad you mentioned it, so I googled it, and now I know. I certainly agree with their basic principles for determining a good manufacturer (except the full time nutritionist), but I’m just not sure that I can ever go back to companies like Purina, Iams, and Royal Canine because I associate them with foods that have something like corn or soy as the second ingredient. I exchanged posts with Aimee on my Raw Food Recommendations post on this topic and when she mentioned those companies my jaw actually dropped down. But, I do recognize that she has a great deal of knowledge on dog nutrition, so I am going to try to keep an open mind and see what those brands are offering these days in their premium lines.

I share your frustration about the boutique brands and marketing ploys. I’ve become really frustrated in the last 9 months or so in my quest for a brand that I can trust. Sadly, after all of my efforts I still don’t feel really great about any of the commercial foods I feed. That’s why I feed so much raw meat, and keep track of the vitamin/mineral contents of everything I feed, so I can supplement where needed. I’ve also been through the dilemma of whether brands that mostly don’t use supplements are better than those that do. I’m still back and forth, and had better not get started on that, since this post of mine is probably approaching record breaking length.

How true it is that our dogs are probably eating much healthier than us. In fact lately I pay no attention to my own nutrition. Nice posting with you. M&C

[aimee]

Hi Mutts and Cats,

My experience with the nutritional information companies provide mirrors yours. It is concerning when a company purportedly producing a complete and balanced pet food appears to have no clue when it comes to very basic nutritional concepts.

I have seen companies change recipes/ingredients and yet there is no change in their posted nutritional analysis. I’ve seen companies whose nutritional analysis are identical across all formulations. ( The company told me that they actually only tested one formula and then just copied the results into each formula while changing a few numbers here and there.) I’ve come across companies who change their on line information based on what numbers I’ve told them it needs to be to meet AAFCO.. The list goes on and on. Like you they become companies I won’t buy from

I’m have more confidence in the larger companies: Purina, Iams/Eukanuba, Royal Canin and if someone wanted a raw/freeze dried option Natures Variety

[Mutts and Cats]

Hi Patricia A. I’ve been chatting with you on the Raw Food Recommendations post. This post caught my eye, and while I’m afraid that I don’t have time right now to read all of the replies, I just thought I would weigh in on this topic.
Not long after FDA first released their concerns about the connection between DCM in dogs and grain free food I had a dog die suddenly of DCM. So I jumped in and did a sh** load of reading on the subject. In the end, I concluded that most dog food manufactures were taking advantage of peas and other legumes to boost their protein numbers and increase their profits. And it made me REALLY angry that the fairly expensive brands I had been feeding were doing it too. So after that I refused to buy any dog food that didn’t disclose the percentage of meat ingredients or the percentage of protein from meat (or other animal ingredients).
As for grains, I’m on the fence. I went back to feeding just a little bit of grains for a while, but now I have a dog with some serious, elusive, health issues and I’m back to no grains. I tend to think that for a healthy dog, some grains may be good – but then again gluten grains are hard on the digestive tract, so . . . I don’t know.
I’m also a little on the fence about peas/legumes, but have decided in very small quantities they are ok. However, they are high in lectins, which I don’t dismiss as a potential problem for some dogs (and people – “The Plant Paradox”).
But I will never change my position on the issue of protein from meat. Dogs and cats need to get their protein from MEAT.
Well, I said that I would quickly weigh in and this got quite long. I will come back when I have more time and read all of the replies, because it looks like there is some good information here.

[Ana W]

After having half of his intestines removed, it’s important to be mindful of the types of foods you’re giving him in order to support his recovery and help him maintain a healthy weight.

One thing you can try is to work with a veterinary nutritionist who can help you create a diet plan that is tailored to your dog’s specific needs. They will be able to take into account the fact that your dog has had a surgical procedure and recommend a diet that is easy to digest, low in fiber and high in protein.

It may be helpful to include more easily digestible protein sources such as boiled chicken, fish, or eggs. Additionally, you can try adding small amounts of well-cooked white rice, which can help to bind the stools and provide a source of energy. You can also try adding small amounts of boiled sweet potatoes or white potatoes as a source of carbohydrates.

It is also important to avoid high-fiber foods such as legumes, raw fruits and vegetables, and grains. Also, be sure to avoid fatty foods and table scraps, as they can be difficult to digest and can cause diarrhea.

It’s important to note that you should introduce new foods slowly, to give your dog’s body time to adjust. Also, you should monitor his stools for any changes, and adjust his diet accordingly.

It’s also important to keep in mind that the recovery process after such surgery can take time and it’s important to be patient and consistent in providing the right diet and not to make sudden changes.

It’s also a good idea to keep in close contact with your vet during this time to make sure your dog is on the right track and to adjust his diet as needed.

[Patricia A]

Hi M&C,
I’m glad I still frequent this board even though not as active in the past. So glad I singed in today to learn about Steve’s. Will look into that brand because I always like to rotate the freeze dried with others. Glad to hear you had good experience with customer service also.
I wish Small Batch didn’t put the garlic in. I have the three Chihuahuas’ so hard for all three to well with. But they love the Turkey Small Batch and never digestive issues. So I have a small bag available and feed infrequently still. For what it’s worth this is what they wrote me back.
All of our diets are formulated in partnership with veterinary professionals to ensure safety of ingredients and ratios for nutrients – including garlic. There is a lot of misinformation surrounding this ingredient, which in small doses is actually highly beneficial for our pets. We use just 1lb of raw, organic garlic in every 1,500lb batch of food, and have been successfully incorporating this ingredient in our recipe for 17 years. Like many things, too much of a good thing can be a bad thing, and garlic falls into this category, which is why there is so much controversy out in the world when it comes to feeding it to our canine family members. Rest assured that the amounts we use are extremely minimal and safe, and just enough to lend nutritional benefits to our formulation for the dogs eating our diets.
Yes, I give Bixbi as treats. I’ll write with my experience with Steve’s.

[Mutts and Cats]

Hi Patricia A. Sorry for the delayed reply. I continue to have trouble knowing that there has been a reply to my posts.
Since I first posted I have definitely decided to give up on Vital Essentials. The Customer Rep I was communicating with won’t even reply to my emails anymore. I kind of softened the extent of my concerns about their online data for my posts here. The more I think about what I found, plus the lack of replies now, I don’t feel good about the company at all.

But, some positive news, I tried Steve’s and both of my dogs like it and seem to be doing well with it. I was concerned that the Goat’s Milk wouldn’t agree with them, but they seem to be ok with it. I’m feeling pretty good about Steve’s online information and their customer service too. Their online vitamin/mineral information looks professional and reasonable, and it appears that they keep it current with updates. I think there are some companies out there who do an analysis one time and just keep that info online forever.
I also like that I can order both frozen and freeze dried Steve’s from rawpetfood.com. The shipping is free if you subscribe to auto renew. The customer service there has been really good too.

You mentioned Small Batch. A local store sells the frozen Small Batch Base Blends, which is just meat, organs, and bone. I bought some of that a couple months ago and one of my dogs loved it and the other would have nothing to do with it. I too would be hesitant to feed a food with garlic. But there seem to be differing opinions out there on whether it is a good thing for dog food or not. I had one of my dogs tested for food allergies recently and he is not allergic to any meats, but is allergic (IgE reaction) to every vegetable they tested for (which unfortunately was only 5). So I assume he is allergic to many more vegetables and that makes it pretty limiting for choosing foods for him. Garlic would make me particularly nervous as I am allergic to it (IgE, from a blood test) and eating it really does cause trouble for me – much more so than my other IgE positive foods.

A couple freeze dried brands that I am feeding mostly as treats are: K9 Natural and Bixbi Rawbbles. Both of my dogs really like them. For the Bixbi, they have both dog and cat, but I feed the cat turkey recipe because the ingredients are better for the dog with allergies, plus no phosphate additives. From the online vitamin/mineral info the cat recipes appear to me to be ok for a dog – especially in small quantities. For the K9 Natural, I limit how much I feed because the Vitamin A and Iodine contents are higher than I like.

Another ingredient that I am steering clear of for now are phosphate additives (dicalcium, trisodium, etc). I’ve read that the artificial forms of phosphate are absorbed MUCH more readily than phosphate from meat, so can interfere with the dog’s Calcium to Phosphate ratio. May or may not be true, but for now it is a worry of mine – it’s always something 🙂 So all of the foods that I mentioned do not include any of those.

Well, sorry this got so long. I will do better at checking for replies in case you do.

[crazy4cats]

I definitely would not make your own unless you will be working with a board-certified veterinary nutritionist. It is very difficult to get the correct balance.

The only commercial raw pet food my vet recommends if a customer insists on it, is Nature’s Variety Instinct. She feels they have good safety protocols in place and do some feed trials. It’s best to check out the company very closely before purchasing raw food.

Welcome to Washington!

[Amy H]

Hi everyone, joining the conversation. Our lab started with diarrhea, itchy skin, and ear mites as a young pup. Finally had him tested and he has severe allergies to dust mites, ragweed, cottonwood, meadow fescue grass, hickory, goldenrod, sorrel, willow, and lots of food. He is getting allergy shots weekly through Heska plus Zyrtec and Apoquel. I’ve tried several different foods and felt pretty comfortable with Orijen Original, but it was just purchased by Mars.
My boy is 101 pounds, and I want to find new food, I tried raw food and the poor thing had a horrible reaction. Vomiting and diarrhea, when I blended a very small amount with his existing food.
I do know the only way to be certain with foods is to do an elimination diet(I have two dogs and this would be difficult) That being said, his testing shows he is fine with all proteins, it’s the binders he is allergic to, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, pumpkin, carrots, rice, barley, corn, flax, milk, oats, peanut, soybean, wheat, and green beans.
Does anyone have any experience with Farmina Skin and Coat or AnnaMaet’s Sensitive Skin and Stomach?

[Jennifer R]

I am new to fostering and got my first foster last week. I will mostly be working with rescues that pull small/senior dogs from a high-kill shelter in my area. I have been told by most rescue groups to put the dog on any kibble, because they don’t know what they were being fed in the shelter.

I would like advice on what kibble to choose, that I can feed to multiple fosters. I will be getting another foster in as soon as this one’s kennel cough clears up.

I do not generally feed kibble (in the past I fed raw/homemade), so I’m not sure how to proceed.

My current foster is very underweight and has terrible skin. I have her on Open Farm Grain Free Salmon kibble.

Thank you for any advice.

[Renee S]

My Pom/chic mix went into kidney failure twice while I was living in SoCal. The holistic vet there recommended raw. I made the switch to Halshans raw products. My dogs thrived on it- no issues with liver or kidneys, blood work was awesome. Stools always consisted. No itching, digging or rashes.

Since Ive moved to Portland- now Washington, I feed small batch. I was doing the raw chubs. Since they discounted the beef and bone(the main protein source)I switched to the gently cooked sliders.

Since being fed small batch of any kind.. .ive noticed they will eat dirt. Like hunt a certain area down, and go to work. All vets I have asked said “some dogs just like to eat dirt” and left it. I’m assuming they’re missing micronutrient, upset stomach?

Everyone seems to be doing worse on the gently cooked. We are talking 5k in vet bills the last six months worse. Not sure if all three dogs Medical issues are correlated to their food- I’m assuming it is.
I would go back to halshan if I could. They do not ship outside of California.

True raw(no hpp) food that comes from an honest company seems to be hard to find.

Any recommendations to raw foods similar t halshan? Should I make my own raw food? Go back to small batch raw chubs? Help!! I just want the absolute best for my dogs.

[Mutts and Cats]

Any thoughts on a good brand of frozen (or freeze dried) raw food (grain free) with fairly limited ingredients? My dog is allergic to carrots, green beans and sweet potatoes, so I need to avoid those, plus I’m nervous about similar vegetables because the allergy test didn’t cover many foods. And because he recently started having seizures I am avoiding rosemary for now. I would also prefer no calcium or sodium phosphate additives, but may have to give in on that one.
I was feeding Stella and Chewy’s, but it contains ingredients that don’t work.
I also tried Primal, but am not crazy about all of the seeds in the ingredients.
I have been feeding Vital Essentials but a recent inquiry to the company left me feeling less positive about them. Also, my dog likes their freeze dried foods but will not eat the frozen. According to Vital Essentials the ingredients are identical for both. My dog loves raw meat, turkey necks, etc. but won’t eat the raw frozen Vital Essentials. He ate it at first but then wouldn’t. Weird.
I recently tried We Feed Raw, but it doesn’t seem to agree with my dog at all, even though I introduced it very slowly.
The one I’m considering trying now is Steve’s Real Food. Any thoughts on that one? Or others I haven’t mentioned?

[Mutts and Cats]

I realize that this is an old post, but thought I would see if anyone is still watching. I’m currently going through the same dilemma regarding dicalcium phosphate and tricalcium phosphate. I had decided that I was going to avoid all forms of calcium and sodium phosphate for a while for my dog that is having health issues. But it sure is limiting to do that, so I’m now weakening on that decision. Any more thoughts out there on whether these are potentially harmful, and whether the sodium versions are worse than the calcium versions? Many sources say that Sodium tripolyphosphate (STPP) is bad news in dog food and some mention Tetrasodium Pyrophosphate (TSPP). Just the names sound worse, but I wonder if they actually are any worse than DCP and TCP.

I see that one of the replies mentions Steve’s raw frozen. Ironically, contemplating trying this food is what got me thinking about DCP again. It seems that they previously included it in their foods but possibly have stopped. The local stores who carry it show dicalcium phosphate as the last ingredient. But on the Steve’s website it is not a listed ingredient. I sent Steve’s an email asking about it but have not received a reply.
I must say that the post from Corinne J about Steve’s did get my attention. I had thought that they were pretty reputable, but I am now wondering . . .

[Jack L]

Raw Food Diet For Dogs Cost

Raw food diet for dogs cost varies depending on the source and quality of ingredients. There are also many freeze-dried raw options available at different price points. Commercial raw food costs between $12 per day and $353 per month. This cost can vary depending on the supplier. If you feed your homemade dog meals, the price will vary depending on what veterinary advice they need for their diet plan! These can be more expensive than traditional home-prepared meals but require less preparation time and effort. The cost could also depend on the pet’s size. Smaller breeds may require smaller portions, while larger breeds may need more food to meet their nutritional needs. Additionally, some raw diets are nutritionally balanced and contain all of the necessary vitamins and minerals that a dog needs for optimal health. This can result in higher costs than homemade meals or other diets that may include only some of the necessary nutrients. Regardless, a raw food diet is an excellent choice for many pet owners looking to give their furry friends the healthiest and most natural nutrition possible.

Overall, a raw food diet for dogs cost is worth it if you are looking for optimal nutrition and health benefits for your pet. The cost may vary depending on the source, quality of ingredients, and size of your pet, but it is still a great choice for many dog owners. With careful research and understanding of your pet’s specific nutritional needs, you can find the best raw food diet that will benefit your pup at an affordable price.

The Top 5 Raw Food Diets For Dogs

1. Instinct Raw Boost Mixers Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food Topper
Instinct Raw Boost Mixers Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food Topper is great food for kibble and dry food lovers. It is made with real meat, fruits, and vegetables and contains real nutrition of raw. Raw is natural, made from real meat & whole food ingredients, protein-packed & minimally processed high protein, plus real freeze-dried raw meat pieces with natural ingredients to support healthy digestion and skin & coat. . A great way to make sure your pup gets all of their necessary vitamins, minerals, and proteins in the meal. Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all answer to the question of the cost of a raw food diet for dogs cost. However, with careful research and understanding of your pet’s nutritional needs, you can select a high-quality option that will provide them with optimal nutrition at an affordable price.

Pros:
Grain-free, potato-free, corn-free, wheat-free, and soy free
Made in the USA with the finest ingredients from around the world.
Rich in antioxidants
High protein content to support muscle growth and weight management
Cons
May require more preparation time than traditional dog food.
Some dogs may not take to the new diet as easily as others.
Raw diets may contain bacteria that could make your pet sick if not properly handled.
Raw food diets for dogs cost can be expensive to feed on a regular basis.
May require more research and understanding of pet nutrition than traditional dog food.
Overall, a raw food diet for dogs is an investment that can be worth it if you are looking for optimal nutrition and health benefits for your pet. With careful research, selecting a quality product, and understanding your pet’s specific needs, you can provide them with the most natural nutrition possible at an affordable cost.

2. Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food Dinner Patties
Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Dog Food Dinner Patties is best for raw food diet for dogs because it is made with 95% beef, organs, and bone, such as beef tripe. Our grass-fed Beef recipe will delight your pup. It also includes organic fruits and vegetables and added live probiotics to support your pup’s immune system. Stella & Chewy’s freeze-dried raw dinner patties provide complete & balanced nutrition for all life stages without any fillers. All Stella & Chewy’s products are made in the USA and sourced from responsible farmers, ranchers, and suppliers.

Pros:
Raw food diets are high in protein and essential vitamins and minerals for your dog’s health.
It may be easier to digest than kibble, making it a great choice for dogs with sensitive stomachs.
Since the ingredients are more natural, there is no need to add fillers, artificial preservatives, flavours or colours.
Dogs fed raw food diets tend to have a glossy coats, brighter eyes, and healthier skin and teeth.
Cons:
Raw food diets for dogs can be more expensive than traditional kibble or canned food diets.
Raw diets may not meet all of your pup’s nutritional needs, as they lack certain vitamins and minerals found in kibble or canned diets.
Overall, Raw food diet for dogs cost is an investment, and you can provide natural nutrition possible at an affordable cost.
3. Primal Freeze Dried Dog Food Nuggets Chicken Formula
Primal Freeze Dried Dog Food Nuggets Chicken Formula is the best food for dog owners looking for a complete and balanced raw food diet. It is packed with protein and healthy fats, and this grain-free recipe is made with humanely raised chicken. The formula also contains natural source vitamins and minerals for optimal nutrition. This formula is a convenient way to provide your pet with top-quality nutrition, and the pre-portioned nuggets make it simple to tailor their diet for optimal health and happiness.

With Primal Freeze Dried Dog Food Nuggets Chicken Formula, you can give your pup all the benefits of a raw diet in an easy and cost-effective way. This grain-free formula is made with real, high-quality ingredients for optimal nutrition and flavor, and it’s crafted in the USA for added peace of mind. Feed your pup this convenient and delicious freeze-dried raw food and provide them with the best nutrition possible.

Pros:
High-quality ingredients and humanely raised chicken with no added hormones or antibiotics
Organic produce and botanicals for additional health benefits
Grain-free formula for those who need to avoid grains
Preportioned nuggets make it easy to tailor the diet to your pet’s needs
Made in the USA for added peace of mind
Cons:
May be more expensive than other types of pet food
4. Wellness CORE RawRev Grain-Free Dry Dog Food
Wellness CORE RawRev Grain-Free Dry Dog Food is the best dog food. It includes natural ingredients and also freeze-dried raw meat. A grain-free diet provides protein and healthy fats to keep your pup’s energy levels up. This formula contains probiotics and prebiotics to promote digestive health. In addition, it has added omega fatty acids, flaxseed, and salmon oil to support healthy skin and coat. It does not contain by-products, corn, wheat, soy, or artificial preservatives. Whether you have a puppy or an adult dog, this recipe will give your furry friend optimal nutrition.

Pros:
Grain-free
High-quality ingredients
Contains freeze-dried raw meat for added flavour and nutrition
Probiotics and prebiotics to promote digestive health
Made in the USA without by-products, corn, wheat, soy or artificial preservatives
Cons:
May be more expensive than other types of dog food
Can be difficult to find in stores or online, so you may need to order it directly from the manufacturer.
Overall, this raw food diet for dogs cost is affordable, and this product is also best for your dog.
5. Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Freeze-Dried Raw Adult Grain-Free Dog Food
Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Freeze-Dried Raw Adult Grain-Free Dog Food is a delicious food. It includes Freeze-dried raw grain-free food with added protein and carbohydrates and is an excellent source of Omega-3 & Omega-6 fatty acids. The cost of raw food diets for dogs depends on the size and type of protein you choose. This is an affordable option for those looking for aliments your dog needs. This food is made with natural ingredients and contains no artificial preservatives, colors or flavors. Additionally, it is excellent for dogs with sensitive stomachs since it helps to reduce allergens in the diet.

Pros:
A fresh, natural, and nutritious diet for your dog.
Raw diets are generally high in protein and promote healthy digestion.
Can help reduce allergies and sensitivities to certain ingredients.
Cons:
Risk of infection from bacteria or parasites if

What Is a Raw Dog Diet?
A raw dog diet is a type of nutrition plan that includes feeding your pup fresh, uncooked ingredients such as muscle meat, organ meat, bone broth, and whole eggs. Raw diets typically eliminate grains and processed foods from the equation in favour of natural vitamins and minerals found in real food sources. The belief behind this form of nutrition centres around the idea that dogs are biologically designed to eat raw meat and other natural ingredients rather than commercially-processed foods. Raw diets have become increasingly popular over the last few years due to their ability to promote overall health, improve digestion, and reduce allergic reactions in some pets.

Raw diets also allow pet owners to control what goes into their pup’s food. By preparing meals at home, pet owners can make sure that their pup is getting all of the nutrition they need and avoid any ingredients that may be harmful to them. Additionally, raw diets are often more cost-effective than commercially available options since they require fewer additional supplements or ingredients.

Should You Feed Your Dog Raw Food?
Ultimately, the decision to feed your pup a raw food diet should be made after careful consideration and research. While raw diets can be beneficial for many pets, it’s important to ensure that you are providing them with the nutrients they need for optimal health. Additionally, some dogs may not adjust well to this kind of nutrition plan and could experience digestive issues or other adverse effects. It’s important to consult with a veterinarian before making any drastic changes to your pup’s diet.

10 Benefits of Raw food diet for dogs

1. Increased Digestibility:
The high moisture content and the lack of added fillers and preservatives in raw diets often make them easier to digest.

2. Improved Dental Health:
The chewing action required for a raw diet helps keep your pup’s teeth clean and free from plaque buildup.

3. Enhanced Nutrient Absorption:
Raw food diets are usually unprocessed and contain fewer additives and preservatives, allowing your pup to benefit from increased nutrient absorption.

4. Increased Energy:
The higher protein content in a raw diet helps keep your pup energized throughout the day.

5. Fewer Allergies:
By eliminating processed foods and fillers, you can help reduce the possibility of your pup having an allergic reaction to their food.

6. Natural Balance:
The natural balance of nutrients found in raw diets helps keep your pup healthy without the need for added supplements.

7. Better Weight Management:
Because raw diets are typically lower in carbohydrates, they can help keep your pup’s weight under control.

8. Healthier Skin And Coat:
The fatty acids found in a raw diet can help promote a healthy coat and skin for your pup.

9. Reduced Vet Costs:
By providing your pup with optimal nutrition, you can help reduce the likelihood of them having to visit the vet due to health issues.

10. More Variety:
With a raw diet, you can mix up the types of proteins your pup is eating and make mealtime more interesting for them.

10 disadvantages of Raw food diet for dogs

1. Potentially Dangerous Bacteria:
Raw diets can contain dangerous bacteria such as salmonella and e.coli, which can make your pup ill.

2. Lower Nutritional Value:
Due to the lack of processing and preservatives in raw dog food, some nutrients may not be able to be absorbed by the body due to improper cooking techniques.

Raw food diets can contain bacteria that can be harmful to your pup. It’s important to take extra precautions and practice safe food handling when preparing meals for your dog.

3. Risk Of Nutrient Deficiencies:
With raw diets, it’s important to ensure that you are providing your pup with the proper nutrients in the right amounts. If not, they may be at risk of nutrient deficiencies.

4. Time-Consuming:
Raw diets can take more time to prepare and require careful research to ensure that all nutritional needs are met.

5. Higher Cost:
Raw food diets can often be more expensive than commercially prepared dog foods.

6. Difficulty In Sourcing:
Finding the right ingredients for a raw diet can be difficult, depending on where you live.

7. Messy:
Raw diets can get quite messy and require more cleanup than other diets.

8. Intolerance To Specific Proteins:
Some pups may not be able to tolerate specific proteins in a raw diet, so it’s important to monitor your pup for any adverse reactions.

9. Difficulty Transitioning:
It can take time for pups to get used to a raw diet, and there may be issues with digestion or intolerance during the transition period.

10. Poor Palatability:
Some pups may not find raw diets as appetizing as other types of food, which can be an issue if they’re picky eaters,

Overall, a raw diet can be an excellent nutritional choice for your pup – but it comes with some risks and potential disadvantages. It’s important to research the benefits and risks associated with this type of diet before making the switch. Once you are sure that it is right for your pup, you’ll be able to enjoy the numerous benefits that a raw diet can offer.

Conclusion
A raw food diet for dogs can be an excellent nutritional choice, but it does come with some risks. It’s important to do your research and make sure you understand the potential benefits and disadvantages before making the switch. With careful planning and preparation, a raw diet can provide numerous health benefits for your pup and help them live a longer and healthier life.

[Patricia A]

Just wanted to add that I look at Stella n Chewy’s website . States under frequently asked questions that their raw and kibble products have an expiration date of 14-18 months past the date of production on their bags.
So will be going back to my Pet Supply store and bringing back unopened I just purchased this week. I’m sure the last one I just threw out was probably outdated also. Didn’t feel like going through outside garbage.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Patricia-
Have you tried Nature’s Variety Instinct raw food? I used to buy it to mix into my pup’s kibble, but haven’t for quite a while. I only use can food now as a topper. But, my dogs did like and did fine with the raw when I fed it. It gets expensive and I have a lot of pets to feed!

Anyway, as you probably have noticed, I value Aimee’s opinion and she has mentioned Nature’s Variety a couple of times. Just thought you may want to give it a try since you seem to be in search of something to add to the kibble.

I feed Purina One to my dogs and either Royal Canin, Purina or Hills to my cats. I am very happy with those choices.

Hope you find something you’re happy with.

[Patricia A]

Hi Aimee,
On bottom of bag states Vital Essentials Turkey dinner patties Formula is formulated meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles for all life stages.
After getting no call back I called the Carnivore Meat Companyr. (Carnivore Meat Company is an award-winning manufacturer of premium frozen and freeze-dried raw pet food and treats. Located in Green Bay, Wisconsin, the company’s rapidly growing brands include: Vital Essentials®, VE RAW BAR™, Vital Cat®, and Nature’s Advantage) Just was the same recording with different number.
Well I HOPE dog food companies have software letting them know their brand was mentioned on social media forums for dog nutrition. Just so they know that there is pet owners like yourself and many others who are now VERY savvy to the tricks of the trade and forcing them to live up to their own hype .
Thank’s Aimee. For now I’ll give it a rest.

[Patricia A]

Ooops. this is their reply.
Good morning Patricia. Our customer service representative is working hard to respond to all inquiries, but we have had a high volume of messages recently. The feeding guidelines and kcal information on the packaging is correct. Raw pet food tends to be lower in calories due to the fresh ingredients in it, and is also more filling. If you are concerned about calorie intake, I recommend talking to your vet to figure out what would work best for you and your pup!
Seen by Vital Essentials at 9:25 AM
I don’t feel like I’m making up for their calories when I give less of the kibble and use this as a topper. ON the other hand, they are saying just the ONE is a full meal for all day.
I don’t care how nutritionally dense the food is. Don’t they still need the calories????

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

[aimee]

Hi bob D,

Congratulations on the twins LOL. Honestly there is not a single freeze dried raw I can suggest for growth of, I’m assuming, a large breed puppy.

If a freeze dried raw is your only option to feed and the expected adult weight would be say no more than 30 lbs you could consider Natures Variety.

My thought is that you have one chance to grow this pup. Personally, I’d stick to a company with a solid nutritional background in puppy growth. With my last pup I interviewed numerous companies and settled on Purina Pro Plan.

[crazy4cats]

Super expensive rawhide! I’ve never seen it at PetSmart. But, it looks like Chewy has a lot on their website. 😒

[aimee]

Four years after filing a Freedom of Information Act request, it arrived. FDA tested three products: Earth Animal No Hide, Dreambone(non-rawhide control), and Busy Rollhide (rawhide control). Multiple scientists examined the products.

Jennifer Jones DVM reported, “”No Hide”-wide bands of eosinophilic hyaline material” “”Dreambone” : loose eosinophilic flocculant material..” ,””Busy Rollhide”: ” Rawhide: hyaline fibers similar to those present in Sub 1 [No Hide] ” It seems she is saying she found No Hide and rawhide to look similar to each other and both were very different from the non-rawhide control, Dreambone.

Daniel F.Gross FDA sample 1020256 Rawhide vs No Hide scanning electron microscopy test results: “Cross sections of both products appear indistinguishable from each other. Very fibrous”

David Rotstein DVM MPVM Dipl ACVP reported “The non-rawhide treat[Dreambone] consists of amorphous substance… There were no similarities to Sub 1 [Earth Animal No Hide] and 6[rawhide].. .Collagen bundles in Sub 1 [No Hide] were similar to Sub 6[Rawhide]…The statement that this is a “no-hide” product may not be accurate”

And from the Case Summary attributed to Jennifer Jones ,David Rotstein and Andriy Tkachenko ” The Earth Animal No Hide has characteristics of both the Dreambone (non-rawhide) and the Busy Rollhide (rawhide) products”
IMO this conclusion could make sense because No Hide is a chew roll coated in a flavor slurry, the coating could have the characteristics of the Dreambone, while the roll itself could have the characteristics of rawhide.

I think the FDA investigation was compromised by sampling error. Apparently, the microscopy sample tested was taken from a 1 cm slice off the very end of the chew roll. It appears they primarily tested the flavor coating and little of the actual chew material. I think if they had separated out the coating from the chew roll and tested them separately as Dr. Adam Stern did, they could have reached a conclusion other than “inconclusive”(test 1020257)

Interesting, to me is that nowhere in the ~250 pages did I find that the governmental investigation came to an “undisputable conclusion that Earth Animal No Hide Chews do not contain rawhide” as Earth Animal apparently claims they did in the Truth About Pet Food Website comment’s section of the article” New Study Finds some Rawhide-Free Treats are actually Rawhide”. Instead, the report says “The statement that this is a “no-hide” product may not be accurate” David Rotstein DVM MPVM Dipl. AVVP

Going forward, I think consumers need to do their own tests. Buy the new plant based Earth Animal No Hide (claims the only animal-based ingredient used is egg), a labeled rawhide and a non-rawhide chew with an ingredient list similar to the No HIde. Soak the products in warm water to rehydrate them. Do the products soften or stay intact? Dissect them and examine them under magnification, I used a microscope. Using iodine, test the products for the presence of starch. (This is a very sensitive test wash your hands well before testing each sample.) Test any coating separately from the interior of the chew. If, based on your testing, you think like Dr Rotstein did that “The statement that the product contains “no-hide” may not be accurate” file a report with the FDA. IF they get enough reports there is a chance they may investigate.

[bob D]

I am getting two St Berdoodle puppies and am looking for suggestions for a Freeze Dried Raw Grain Free puppy food

[shivam B]

Hey, I also faced this problem when I was a beginner in caring for my dog (rockey) but then I referred to https://dtua.org/ and got loads of information here. Finally, it came to feeding the dog which I am still a bit apprehensive of feeding raw food to my rockey! My suggestion is you should follow some good dogs based community, It will very helpful to you.

[aimee]

Hi Patricia,

In regard to AAFCO .. is it perfect? Heck No!

The AAFCO profile is based on NRC nutrient recommendations which were established through research. In general, an AAFCO profile requires higher nutrient amounts than NRC to account for variable bioavailability. NRC cautions, when using their tables, if vitamins in the diet are coming from food ingredients and not a premix the numbers must be modified “because the natural forms of some vitamins have low bioavailabilites” In my mind it is a good thing that AAFCO is not identical to NRC.

My concern when a company reports that their diet meets AAFCO, and it does not, based on the information they provide, is not so much that the diet will cause immediate nutritional harm. The concern I have is with the company’s honesty, integrity, overall nutritional knowledge and understanding of food production.

I’ve seen this so many times with so many companies and how they respond can be a deal breaker for me. I don’t expect every batch of food to hit every level every time. There will be variability in ingredients, processing errors etc. BUT when a company sends me an analysis and appears to state that every number in that analysis, they sent to me meets or exceeds AAFCO min and it clearly does not, that to me is a BIG problem. Rightly or wrongly, I think if a company cannot see that the number 2 is less than the number 3 how can I expect them to understand the more complex intricacies of food production… I can’t!

In my experience, this is typically how these conversations go. I thank them for sending the information and ask them to clarify because it appears to me that what they sent does not meet AAFCO. The company often then replies that all of their nutrient levels meet AAFCO min. I may then ask if this is the most accurate up to date information they have or if anything needs updating or could they check the value for nutrient X to make sure there is not a “typo”. And they say everything is accurate and up to date. Then I may say I’m looking at your reported nutrient level for X , you report A, which you verified with me is not a typo and is the most updated and accurate nutritional information you have. The number given is below AAFCO min. which is B. Please explain. Then the company often replies they are in the middle of updating and the information sent doesn’t reflect their current analysis or some such variation of the above. In some cases, within minutes, the company changes the nutritional information on their website to reflect the number I just gave them, or they take down the webpage or remove the sentence I question. If I didn’t take screenshots you wouldn’t believe it. Sometimes the error is obvious, the number reported is less than AAFCO number, other times it is a matter of the company apparently not understanding that they have to correct their diet for energy density before comparing to the AAFCO profile.

Purina did a 14 year long life study using a food that contains garlic oil. I have no concern with the amount of garlic oil in the Purina products I use, I’ve had concerns with the amounts other companies seem to use. I once purchased a product because I wanted their illegal label. I opened it to dump the food and the garlic smell was overwhelming! At min, you could ask if the company put their food through a feeding trial and if so were there any changes in the blood parameters. It is a small number of dogs but something….

I feed a variety of kibble, canned and home cook prepared foods using Balance it. Since DCM, I primarily feed Purina Pro Plan as kibble base. I used to sometimes use a bit of Wellness Core or Annemaet or Iams/ Eukanuba kibble. For moist foods I’ve been using Purina, Hill’s, Eukanuba/Iams and Fresh Pet morsels as a C and B training “treat”. To this I add whatever fresh veggies or a bit of meat, sweet potato pasta/rice etc we have from our dinner.

I have noted coat changes when I rotated off Purina , increased shedding and flakes which she never had before and resolved when I returned to Pro Plan. No stool problems except for when I fed Honest Kitchen and had voluminous stools. I posted pics on that thread that showed the ingredients coming out appearing to me to be the same way as they went in.

Whenever someone says their dog has newfound energy after eating a raw diet what comes to mind was a dog’s thyroid level was something like 5 times normal after being on raw diet. The raw food company swore they were not using any neck trim, but the levels returned to normal after taking the dog off of the raw diet.

[aimee]

Hi Patricia,

I have no concerns with sodium selenite being used as a source of selenium.

You asked “..why Open Farm and Rawbbles use Selenium yeast if causes allergies”
The key word is “if”. Does Selenium yeast cause allergies? Is it a ” high allergy trigger”?

There is nothing in the literature to suggest this, nor is there support for the statement that “yeast in any form can be a high allergy trigger for many pets”

IMO this is marketing nonsense used for the purpose of a gaining sale. I think it could be that the company is ignorant of the role yeast (Malassezia) plays in allergic skin disease or they know and choose to use that information to spin a false narrative that may increase their sales. Personally, neither for me is a good look.

And if the company has a commitment to avoid including any common allergy triggers in the food they make, it IMO begs the question why they make so many diets with beef, which is reported to be the most frequent allergen in dogs?

In regard to garlic, it is my understanding that the FDA has given it GRAS status when used as a flavoring agent. You can aways ask the company what testing they have done to verify that the level in their food causes no harm.

Personally, after looking at Small Batch’s website, it is a company whose products I wouldn’t choose.

[Patricia A]

Hi Aimee,
I tried sample of Small Batch after overlooking the garlic in ingredient list. Small dogs so just don’t want to take a chance. However, I do like to rotate between at least two freeze dried toppers. They did well on Primal and I trusted the company. I only use the turkey/sardine, venison and rabbit. The latter two being lean and lower in fat. I use especially when they don’t get their walks in in winter.
Now I can’t afford to transition to complete freeze dried. Have the three and maybe I’m imagining but I think they enjoy the crunch. I also have everything worked out with how much to feed when base is their kibble.
Now I’m questioning again another ingredient in their Stella n Chewy’s kibble. As far as kibble goes I felt comfortable with the brand and trusted ingredients. I also added Vital Essentials turkey to rotation with primal. They love it and no tummy trouble . So being that I feel their primary nutrition is coming from their raw didn’t worry about a little kibble with their meals.
This was my answer from Stella n chewys regarding ingredient I’m concerned about.

Good morning Pat,

“Thank you for your email. Please know that selenium is a required nutrient, and specific levels are necessary per AAFCO guidelines. I understand your concern regarding the sodium selenite, specifically. In most of our products, we have chosen to avoid selenium yeast due to the fact that yeast in any form can be a high allergy trigger for many pets. Sodium selenite, when used in appropriate amounts, is safe and widely used in the pet food industry. We’ve included it in our food minimally – just to ensure we’re reaching proper selenium levels. We are well below any dangerous limits for this ingredient.”

So wondering why Open Farm and Rawbbles use Selenium yeast if causes allergies. I use both for a treat.

What to believe and who to believe is always the questions. Wondering your opinion on this .
I think I’ve decided to just stick to this kibble and my toppers since it’s working. You really could go nuts . I think their diet is better then mine anyway. lol

[Barbara R]

In my opinion, adding at least a little fresh food to any kibble is better than only feeding your pups dry dog food. One thing to know is that kibble and raw dog food digest at different rates, so dogs with sensitive stomachs may have trouble with this combination. One way around it is to feed kibble in the morning and then raw at night, or vice versa. Or you can try adding a spoonful of organic ACV (apple cider vinegar). I wrote about it on my blog – feel free to check it out here:

https://www.k9sovercoffee.com/nutrition/can-kibble-and-raw-dog-food-be-fed-together/

[aimee]

Hi Patricia,

I assure you the information did not ome from a “kibble company which is losing money to non kibble raw brands” It is a closed group of independent shop owners and service providers. The threads there are some of the most interesting behind the scenes looks at the pet industry: moldy products, products that are frequently infested with the red legged ham beetle (apparently, it is routine for shop owners to freeze their dry natural chews upon arrival to try and kill them) products that come in with very offensive odors,

I have no reason not to believe this individual who is a staunch supporter of feeding raw foods, which IMO is why the information was posted, to inform other shop owners of this practice.

I have no desire to feed freeze dried food, just “not my jam” I do feed a wide variety of commercial foods and food types, along with home cooked. It isn’t uncommon for my dog to have products from 3 -4 different manufactures every day.

[Patricia A]

I’m sorry Aimee but I believe this “industry forum” you found is likely a kibble company which is losing money to non kibble raw brands.
Please do not believe that said companies, which you fail to list, is using a microwave vs an HPP process for a kill step.
If you are having success with kibble and your fur baby is healthy and happy then great. But add a little freeze dried at least as a treat. You just might start adding to your kibble when you see how much your pup not only loves the fresh taste once hydrated but also the nutritional benefits.

• This reply was modified 3 years, 1 month ago by Patricia A.

[aimee]

Hi Patricia,

I’m familiar with the HPP process but thank you for posting that information for others. I think that HPP is probably the most common method currently in use as a kill step, if a company is using a kill step.

I personally have had communication with three separate companies of freeze-dried products who reported that they heat the product after the freeze drying process. One company reported that they heated the product to 170 degrees and held it at that temperature for 1 hour.

I will not name the companies because their processes may or may not have changed since I talked to them, but at the time of conversation they reported that is what they did.

Microwaving was discussed in an industry forum, and it was disclosed who apparently was using this method as a kill step after the freeze-drying process. I’d consider the individual reporting on it fairly well known in the industry. They stated that they verified the claim.

I do agree kibble is a convenience food, just as are any of the commercially prepared diets, be they freeze dried, commercial raw, or canned.

[Patricia A]

Hi Aimee,
I have no idea where you found this information regarding ANY company which produces freeze dried for dogs is EVER microwaved. They DO use HPP in some brands which I”m fine with. Vital Essentials I believe do not use HPP. Handling raw food for your meals off course would require you to wash all counters well and your hands. Same as non HPP raw food.

Prior to entering the vessel, all products are between 0-38 degrees F. Once the product is inside, the vessel fills with water at 36-40 degrees F. When the vessel is pressurized, the water temperature never exceeds 70 degrees F. The product temperature never increases more than 2-3 degrees F. The product is held in the vessel for two to three minutes at pressures up to 72K psi. When the pressure and water are evacuated from the vessel, product temperature is virtually the same as when it entered the vessel. Because of this, HPP is a non-thermal process that is beneficial for heat-sensitive products, like meats, fruits, and vegetables.

Hope this helps in understanding . Kibble is only fed for owners convenience. Remember growing up and being brain washed into thinking human food is BAD for dogs. How silly now that we didn’t realize this was to keep public ignornant and keep feeding their product. Don’t know how dogs would have survived if kibble wasn’t invented. lol

[aimee]

Hi Patricia.

By writing “I agree that kibble should always have synthetic vitamins/minerals since Pet food manufacturers know their food is devoid of nutrition … so they add synthetic premixes. And pet owners know kibble isn’t as good as real food, so they add supplements.” in the post following my post, it makes it appear that you are agreeing with me.

I just want to clarify that I absolutely do not agree with the above statement. As I said, I believe such statements to be marketing spin.

It may interest you to know that in talking with multiple companies of freeze-dried products, I’ve found that some, including some of the companies you mentioned, have reported that after freeze drying the food, they heat and hold it at temps high enough to kill pathogens. Some companies shared they used conventional heat and others apparently by microwave. Yet they still market the food as “raw” which to me is odd since the times and temps they subject the food to are those used to cook food.

I do agree that the more you read the more confusing it can become. It is interesting to me to read publications put out by the pet industry. For example, food rotation is primarily recommended to guard against “out of stocks ” Shop keepers want to condition their customers to feel comfortable switching products so that if they are out of product A, they can sell you product B and keep the sale in house vs you going elsewhere for product A. Which brands they carry has to do with profit margin, availability and exclusivity. If /when a product enters new markets, making it easy for you to get it at other venues, shops will drop the line. Shops want you to have to return to them for purchase. Ditto for why some push frozen raw as “best”(it isn’t easily available online or in most larger stores). If someone else has exclusivity rights to a brand, a line within the brand or for brands that are widely available, shop owners may try to come up with reasons that sound plausible as to why they do not carry that product in an effort to try to switch you to a brand they can get. Shops offer sales contests, brands sponsor same. Get X number of people to switch to brand C (higher profit margin) and win a prize.
So yeah, it is confusing!

[Patricia A]

Thank’s for further understanding .I agree that kibble should always have synthetic vitamins/minerals since Pet food manufacturers know their food is devoid of nutrition … so they add synthetic premixes. And pet owners know kibble isn’t as good as real food, so they add supplements.
I have to stretch my freeze dried with three dogs. Stella and Chewys is a good kibble as far kibble is goes. I even alternate that between the chicken and whitefish. Just a tiny part of their diet . It does have peas, however they add taurine. Synthetic vitamins of course again necessary in all since it is not a whole food.
Their primary nutrition comes from their divided boiled egg for breakfast. I feel safe with Primal being a good way to get their protein along with their vitamin and minerals naturally. Brand has a good track record . Happy to say I reintroduced Sophie to the Turkey/Salmon protein and good stools as of yesterday and today. So now I can add all three in rotation along with Venison which is a lean protein for dogs .
I give Bixbi rawbble chicken/salmon freeze dried treat . Going to try Vital Essentials turkey inn rotation and see how they do.
“REAL” food is also given when appropriate of course .Think I have it covered. All blood work is good and all three energetic .
You can really go crazy with so much conflicting info. The more I read the more confusing. . Vet checkups and yearly blood work always perfect and they are all energetic. They go crazy when I put their dinner down also. So time for me to stop obsessing and stick with what works.

[aimee]

Hi Patricia,

It is understandable why anyone would be confused.

What is known is that a form of DCM, a malady which is usually progressive and fatal, has been found to be reversible with diet change. Its development is associated with diets with pea and potato ingredients high in the ingredient list but has been seen in a variety of diets including raw.

On one hand we have veterinary cardiologists and nutritionists doing research and reporting findings in an effort to prevent further cases and deaths. On the other hand, is the pet industry and legume industry who IMO are distributing information/misinformation an effort to retain sales.

Some companies with small market share have a large percentage of cases, and other companies with large market share, for all practical purposes haven’t had confirmed cases even though they sell diets high in suspect ingredients.

I don’t think I can say that all grain free diets or diets using suspect ingredients are bad, some are likely very good, but how do we identify them? IMO it isn’t necessarily the presence of an ingredient but the overall formulation of the diet. Some companies apparently do use and have used these ingredients successfully. Hill’s Pet Nutrition to the best of my knowledge has not had any reported cases in the diet you mentioned or their therapeutic diets which appear to be high in potato. Tha said until more is known I choose not to feed diets high in suspect ingredients until more is known.

In the face of incomplete information, veterinarians, who have pet’s health as their primary interest, are making recommendations. Vets often make health recommendations with incomplete information. IMO they are a conservative bunch putting health first, figure out the cause later. don’t gamble. 1. Avoid diets with suspect ingredients high on the ingredient list 2. Feed products with large market share that do not have case reports. To take it one step further feed diets from companies that have proven themselves by making diets that reverse this condition. If a dog needs to be on a diet with suspect ingredients, screen every 6 months for DCM by echocardiology.

Aflatoxin is a concern with both grains and non-grain ingredients but more so with grains. Diligent screening of ingredients prevents this toxicity in pet foods just as it does in human foods. Company matters

I’m suspect of any diet that does not use added vitamins/minerals. According to NRC natural source are often not bioavailable and the levels were based on bioavailable sources. Personally, I think this statement “Synthetic vitamin packs are always added to highly processed dog food because nutrients are cooked out due to the high heat.” has a strong element of marketing spin.

I think this is how we all feel “I can only HOPE I’m making an educated choice” The criteria I use i know are not what others use. Everyone has their own philosophy. I tend to avoid small companies.

If I was going to look for a freeze dried, I’d probably start with Natures Variety. Other companies making freeze dried and raw foods have failed to meet my criteria.

[aimee]

Hi Patricia,

To be clear then, are you saying that you asked, “Why is Science Diet still selling grain free food with peas’ as second ingredient?” when you have no direct knowledge that Science Diet actually is selling a diet with peas as the second ingredient? That’s seems odd to me.

Unfortunately, the myths and facts you posted appears to have been written for the purpose of confusing the consumer. This is evident by its use of the “straw man’s argument” which is a logic fallacy.

I suspect it was written by someone in the pet industry with a vested interest in selling suspect diets.

[aimee]

Personally, I think regulatory really dropped the ball for consumers. I’m not aware of any follow-up testing after declaring their initial tests inconclusive. I suspect perhaps they ran out of funds to devote to the issue.

It is rather disheartening that the case is progressing so slowly. Apparently, a third-party expert has done a site visit and the case is still active. Earth Animal, to the best of my knowledge has not issued any formal updates after this visit took place.

Personally, I’d encourage anyone interested in the issue to soak both a No Hide and labeled rawhide in non- iodized salt water until well hydrated, let it partially dry and then apply a tanning process to each product and decide for themselves.

[Sarah K]

I need help- and a lot of it!
I have a 5 year old pomeranian, 10 pounds.
I rescued him when he was about two- I don’t know anything about his history.
Right when I adopted him I noticed strange eating patterns- gulping and not chewing his food, then regurgitating or gulping and swallowing his food again after eating.
I immediately started him on several small feedings a day instead of free eating, and I restrict physical activity before and after he eats. He eats at 5am, 8am, 12pm, 5pm, and 10pm. He eats using a slow feeder and I wet his food beforehand.
I feed him Farmina N&D chicken and pomegranate dry, along with Farmina wet food. I also always mix a variety of green beans, blueberries, raspberries, sweet potato, salmon oil, and pumpkin throughout all of his feedings, and the Honest Kitchen enzyme powder once a day.
He still has the regurgitation issues though. I an beginning to worry his esophagus is going to get damaged if I don’t figure this out. Any time after eating, he throws up the food and quickly swallows it back. Sometimes he actually throws up. I tried working with my vet on this but she refuses to do an endoscopy (strange) and tells me to switch him to Science diet for gastrointestinal, but something about all of those processed ingredients doesn’t sit right with me. I don’t believe her for some reason.
Can anyone that has a smaller dog with these issues offer some advice? Do I feed him dry? Cooked? Raw? Canned? I just want to do what’s best for my baby. I also understand he should be eating less protein and fat, and I want to incorporate bone broth and kefir.
Thanks guys!

[crazy4cats]

I can’t believe how long this is taking. This company is getting away with lying and basically cheating their customers. This product appears to be VERY expensive fancy wrapped raw hide!

Keep up the good work, Aimee!