[helpinghandsforlittlepaws]

I feed my dogs and my foster dogs Victor Chicken, Lamb and Rice. But I’ve noticed that lately several of them have digestion issues. Eating grass, eating poop (those that have never done it before) and bad stool. I’ve had stool checked and it was negative for any parasites. Anyone have this issue before? I love Victor because it is a good food and very affordable, but it just isn’t settling well… Any ideas? Any suggestions for good foods within the price range?

[BryanV21]

It could be that your dogs are still hungry. I’ve heard about many dogs from places like puppy mills eating their poop because they aren’t getting enough food. Talk about a sad story, right?

Victor is not a bad food, however it is fairly low in protein, and kind of high in carbohydrates. It’s guaranteed analysis is 24% protein, and using Dr. Sagman’s calculations it’s around 47% carbs. I recommend foods a bit higher in protein, meaning at least 30%, with a carb content of no more than 40%. That’s because a dog’s system is designed to process animal-based foods (meat, organs, etc), and has a harder time with carbohydrates (fruits, vegetables, grains). Not saying they can’t have carbs, just that they have a harder time getting enough out of them compared to meat, organs, etc.

With a bit better food you may find that your dogs are getting more out of it, and therefore don’t feel the need to eat “other” things to compensate. And your dog’s stools should improve with a better food as well. Again… not saying Victor stinks, but there are better alternatives.

Speaking of alternatives, you mentioned other foods that are within the same price range. Well I did a quick Google shopping search, and found a 5lb bag of grain-free Victor going for $15. There’s a fairly new brand of dog food out there, which I’ve talked about quite a bit, that’s grain and potato-free, higher in protein and lower in carbs, and is priced right around there. It’s from Zignature. It may be hard to get at stores near you, but I’m sure ordering through the internet isn’t hard. And the company may be willing to send you free samples to try before buying.

[pugmomsandy]

Not sure if 30 lb/$51 is comparable to Victor but my fosters have had 3 different flavors of Nutrisource (grain and grain free) and none of them have had issues. I think Innova does buy 10/get 1 free but I don’t know the price of that brand either.

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