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Maybe it's time for a diet change?
- This topic has 160 replies, 15 voices, and was last updated 10 years, 9 months ago by
Akari_32.
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AuthorPosts
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Anita L
MemberOne thing I forgot to say that may help others.
For my digestion and sinus issues, itās yeast.
This website was the most helpful to me (and their products which I now purchase on Amazon because they closed their store) http://www.stopyeast.com. The information explains everything and may be helpful to dog/cat purposes as well.crazy4cats
ParticipantAnita-
I can totally relate to your ACV story. I did something similar. Man that stuff is strong and smelly! I canāt seem to make myself put it in my dogās food either after I thought I was going to be healthy and drink it too! Wow! It also always reminds me of coloring Easter eggs. LOL!Bobby dog
MemberHi Anita:
Thanks for the link!I get the ACV thing. I am bizarre, love the taste. Anyway, I only posted the information because itās what helped Bobby through his yeasty skin issues. Every dog is different so what worked for us may or may not work for others. š Did you happen to see the ACV foot bath suggestion for itchy paws? I think it is under the WDJ skin condition link.
For organic coco oil you want unrefined rather than refined. I have seen many descriptions on line, virgin, extra virgin, unrefined, cold pressed. These descriptions are referring to the process used to make the oil that keeps the most healthy benefits.
As far as using a canned topper, your pups would benefit most from a GF or 95% canned food. The most budget friendly 5 star 95% is Pure Balance from Wal-Mart ($1.25/can). I will check out my dog food spread sheet to see what I have used in the past for GF or 95% and I am sure other posters will have some suggestions for you too. Some 95% foods are only for supplemental feeding because they donāt have any added vitamins. I donāt think that it is a worry unless you decide to only feed something like this as a topper, then you would want to make sure you feed enough kibble to ensure they get their vitamins. Wal-Martās 95% is a balanced food.
I would also like to mention since Bobbyās skin issues have cleared I have been able to feed him GF and grain inclusive kibble, foods with potatoes, veggies, and fruits. I feed a rotational diet, I buy small bags and switch proteins and carbs with each new bag. I havenāt had any issues with yeast since I have been paying attention to the ingredients they contain. You may find you will not have to completely eliminate certain ingredients when they are healthy again; but then again you may find you might have to avoid certain ingredients, you never know. š
You would refer to your kibble and canned feeding directions for the amounts to add to kibble. I add about 4 T of water to the canned food to make a gravy and extra moisture never hurts. Bobby weighs 44 lbs, on pateā style foods I usually get four feedings and stew styles about 3-4 feedings. Some other posters will probably have some suggestions for using canned as toppers as well. Most importantly you want to observe your dogs body conditions and adjust accordingly.
Anita L
MemberC4C and BObbyās Mom:
I actually love flavoring things with it and donāt mind the smell of white vinegarā¦.I clean/dust with it and like the smell. Smells ācleanā to me. HaHaSomehow I missed the ACV foot bath link. But, I used to dip their feet in a white vinegar solution to help with the allergies that I now know is yeast. Sometimes itās the simple thingsā¦.that I forget! š This is a definite that I will do this afternoon.
Aw Poo! I meant UNrefined (on the coconut oil) being the same as virginā¦..brain going in too many directions at once. š
When I get ready for the canned, I guess Iāll be heading to WM. Oh how I hate WM! I will definitely have my list together and have plenty of time to wait in the long lines. Hopefully itāll be fine. Thanks for the info on the amounts!
Man! Iām loving this! (Iām such a nerd!) š
Susan
ParticipantAnita ur right about the Apple Cider Vinegar, after reading how it helps reflux & stomach acid on this site.. I told my daughter cause sheās pregnant & has real bad stomach acid, she bought some & so did I, she took 1 teaspoon & she said it made her acid worst & she couldnt get that taste out of her throat all nightā¦I couldnt stop laughing the way she said it, lucky I never gave none to poor Patch, I think Iāll stick with using it as cleaning product & stick with quick-eze for the acidā¦..thereās also a book on all the good things that ACV does..
Akari_32
ParticipantSo I just took all the Pure Balance 95% back to the store. I showed the lady a picture of the huge black spot in the food and she was like āEwwwwwwww!!!ā
So that leaves us with only the By Nature right now. Iām going to email THK and see if they have a carb percentage on their grain free recipes, and Iām also going to be looking into other canned foods.
When looking at sites like PetFlow and Chewy, what searches should I be using? I was putting in low glycemic, since yeast feeds off sugary and starchy and whatever things, but I donāt really know if thats exactly what I should be looking for, since I know on PetFlow that EVO 95% doesnāt come up under that search.
Also, about what percentage of carbs should I be looking at? I know for the cat I aim for less than 3% for anything that makes up the bulk of his diet, but is that even possible in a dog food thats $2 or less for a 13 oz can?
crazy4cats
ParticipantAkari-
Have you checked out the Variety canned foods at Walmart?Akari_32
ParticipantSort of. I was concerned about the fact they werenāt grain free, so didnāt look too much into them. Give me a minute, and Iāll recheck them.
Akari_32
ParticipantOk, so looking at that, heād need almost a whole can. For the price, which is almost $2 a can, I donāt think thats really an option. Iād rather do something at Pet Supermarket for that, where I can buy 10 cases and get one free, and use a $4 off $20 purchase coupon. Iād work out cheaper in the long run, and itād be something heād eat less of. Wouldnāt be bad for a back up, though, I donāt think.
Bobby dog
MemberWas there an issue with all the PB 95% or just the one can? Are you not using them anymore?
Whatās available at Pet Supermarket?
Akari_32
ParticipantThe cans I had had big black spots in them. They didnāt smell bad, but it weirded me out. I threw a few cans away that I had already opened, and the rest were taken back. Until Simmons emails me back and wants to explain, then Iāll not be using anything that I know to be canned by them.
Right now, from what Iāve seen with out too much digging, EVO 95% is in our price range after my $4 off coupon is applied. That would bring it down to $21 a case. TOTW is too, but Iām pretty sure thats Simmons too, right? And I think they use sweet potatoes and such, as well. Iād like to stick to 95+% recipes to keep those carbs away. By Nature is still on sale on PetFlow. Maybe Iāll just have mom get another case of that. I have some credit with them from a damaged item they didnāt want back⦠I just hate to have all one brand. Iād like to at least give him two brands, you know?
Iām looking at $30 or less per case. Preferably $25 or less (much preferably lol). Hereās a link to their dog food. The canned foods start on page 22, which is where the link should dump you off at⦠I donāt really know what I should be looking for, other than grain free. But grain free doesnāt mean low carb :/ If you have any ideas, throw them at me!
http://www.petsupermarket.com/products/petsupermarket/dog/dog-food.aspx?pgidx=22&pgsize=10
DogFoodie
MemberDo you, or anyone you know, have a Costco membership?
Akari_32
ParticipantYeah, my grandma has one. She wouldnāt let us pay though. Might just be easier to avoid that route LOL What do they have there? I can use a back up list :p
DogFoodie
MemberKirkland Cuts in Gravy was replaced with Natureās Domain Grain Free canned food. It should be around $20.00 for 24 cans. Dr Mike just reviewed it and it got five stars.
/dog-food-reviews/natures-domain-grain-free-canned/
Akari_32
ParticipantThat could be an option. How carby do you think it is, looking at the peas, potato starch, and carrots? It says meat-based at the end of the review, which is good.
Bobby dog
MemberI love Grandmas, I miss mine!! š
EVO 95% is a good choice. I think you want to try and aim for around 20% carbs until his yeasty skin is under control. Remember to keep fat %ās in mind too.
I am not sure who cans TOTW, I never fed that brand. You can also try to match PB 95% protein and fat %ās with other foods since he did well on it.
Iāll check out the Pet Supermarket list too.
Akari_32
ParticipantHe only had 2.5 cans of the PB, so I donāt really know how well he did on it. The roommate said heās been throwing up the last couple days, which is why I threw one can away, and took the rest back. Iām not home during the day to see this, so I never knew. And like I said in the other thread, it never occurred to me that the smaller dark spots werenāt normal, as stupid as that sounds lol Some cheaper foods I use for the big dogs have varying colors with in the can but as still perfectly fine, so I just didnāt think about. Oh well, no harm done. Just gave him a tummy ache.
Yeah, let my know what you think about what Pet Supermarket has. Try to keep the cases under $30. Iāve looked them over several times and canāt quite decide, other than the EVO. I think heās active enough for the EVO to be ok on a regular basis.
crazy4cats
ParticipantAnita-
Iām going back to your how much to feed the cats question. There is a formula on the catinfo site that helps. I determined my cats (4) are fed between 110 to 150 calories each. My big male who is about 15lbs. gets the most. I figure that the average canned food is about 30 cals per ounce. My average dry food is about 390 cals per cup. They each get about 3.5 to 4 oz of canned per day. The extra calories needed are made up with kibble that I measure with a table spoon so I donāt over feed. My cats are indoor only so they are more apt to get chubby. I donāt mix the dry and canned together in case they donāt like one of them they will eat the other. I had to mix together for a while with my shelter kitty to get him to eat canned as he was a crunchy addict. Lol! I donāt have the formula written down in my notes, sorry!Akari-
I like the By Nature canned food. It stays soft which makes it easy to mix. I use it now and then in addition to Pure Balance and the Kirkland canned. Good luck!Bobby dog
MemberC4c & Anita:
Those amounts that C4c wrote in her post about feeding her cats is almost exactly how I feed my cats and they are mostly outdoor kitties.My big hyperthyroid kitty gets a little more canned food when he wants it. His weight is good and since he has health issues I figure he needs a little extra nourishment. He eats the best out of all my kitties because he is not finicky. My other kitties are still addicted to fish, dry food, and kitty crack (a.k.a. Purina). lol
Akari:
Pick up some more by Nature since itās still on sale along with the EVO 95%. IMO thatāll do for a rotation for now and both foods are within your budget.I quickly looked at PS selections and keeping your budget in mind and ruling out Simmons I believe EVO is your only choice for a balanced 95%; nice choice IMO. Iāll check out the GF selections to see if there is something you might want to consider as a back-up when I have a bit more time.
I donāt blame you for wanting to stick with 95% foods, I am sure this is really helping to heal his skin. I fed (and still do) PB 95% for two months straight, maybe more, without rotating any other canned foods while I was getting Bobbyās yeasty/dermatitis skin healed. That was the only 95% that fit my budget other then when I could find other brands on sale. I think Bentley having two nice brands is pretty good! š
Do you need to stock up on canned food for your guys? Did you see the awesome deal they had on Solid Gold canned food? If there was a PS near me I would be buying out their stock of Solid Gold! š
http://www.petsupermarket.com/products/petsupermarket/dog/dog-food/solid-gold-dog-food.aspxAkari_32
ParticipantDaaaang, that is a good price! I may look into thatā¦. lol I have so much dry food right now, and probably 20 cans, for the big dogs that I donāt know if I even have the space for anything else! I wonder how long itāll be on sale forā¦.? Iāll swing by in a couple days and check it out lol
I was really liking the looks of this canned food for Bentley because it was salmon based, which should give him some extra good stuff for his skin, but I see that it has Selenium Yeast in it. Thoughts?
http://www.petflow.com/product/Artemis/artemis-osopure-salmon-formula-canned-dog-food
Bobby dog
MemberSelenium yeast is the natural form of sodium selenite. I assume pet food companies use ss as opposed to sy because it is cheaper; the natural form is best. It looks like a nice choice.
Akari, ever think about probiotics for Bentley? An affordable way to add probiotics is to buy plain kefir. Since he has responded to the his new feed and bathing routine, I would bet (and I only bet on sure things!) probiotics would really send him on his way to better health. I use Lifeway from Wal-Mart; they have coupons on their website too.
http://ottawavalleydogwhisperer.blogspot.com/2012/05/foods-rich-in-probiotics-beneficial-for.html
http://www.drharveys.com/blog/tag/148
Bobby loves it, but I can only get one of my cats to eat it by mixing it in his food. Luckily itās the kitty who needs it the most, the hyperthyroid kitty. I give it to Bobby a few times a week. I give it to my cat daily, it has made such a huge difference in his skin and fur. I do plan to buy probiotics to mix in food for the rest of my cats, just havenāt decided on which one yet. Since I am only feeding two animals I freeze it in icecube trays and put a cube in the refridgerator to thaw for the morning.
crazy4cats
ParticipantIāve never heard of pet supermarket. Do you guys have Petco and Pet Smart as well? That is a lot of pet stores!
Akari_32
ParticipantI was looking around for some probiotics on the clearance shelf the other day, but couldnāt find any. Just a bunch of vitamins and stuff lol I may try the kiefer. I like that idea. I always forget about it lol how much should I give him?
Yep! We have also have PetLand if you go a bit more north, and various shops. My favorite shop just closed down because PetCo moved in down the street and took a lot of their business š
crazy4cats
ParticipantAkari-
Have you checked out the Swansonās supplement website? Some of their stuff is so inexpensive. Almost half of what Amazon charges for some things. I ordered a soil based probiotic a few weeks ago from them. It is a human product. On another note, that is sad when the big box stores close down the smaller specialty stores. šAkari_32
ParticipantHow do these look?
Or this one?
http://www.swansonvitamins.com/swanson-ultra-probiotic-complex-120-veg-drcaps
Ooh, look at this yeast one!
http://www.swansonvitamins.com/swanson-condition-specific-formulas-yeast-defense-essentials-120-caps
crazy4cats
ParticipantHi Akari-
The 16 strain one looks like a great deal. Appears to be buy one get one right now. That sounds right up your alley! It contains prebiotics as well. I would think that would be a good choice. The other one with grapefruit extract, looks good, but would do a little research on that ingredient. Iām not sure if it is recommended for dogs or not. Good luck.Akari_32
ParticipantDid a little googling for the grapefruit thing, and it seems I may have a winner!
http://www.nutriteam.com/pets/
Now to figure out dosage⦠Lol
crazy4cats
ParticipantWell, that article makes it sound great! I would try to not use that type of ingredient long term though.
Bobby dog
MemberHey Akari and C4c:
How do you like my Avatar? Itās Archie, my hyperthyroid kitty. I finally took the time to pick a photo. LolI am glad youāre considering probiotics! I threw kefir out there because I know you are kinda taking on the costs of Bentley even though heās not your responsibility. It has 11 strains of probiotics and it costs between $3 to $4; awesome price for that many beneficial strains. To answer your question about dosage for small dogs 1 tsp ā 1 Tb. I dose my cat daily due to his health issues; Bobby gets kefir 2x/wk. More dosage info is on the Ottawa Whisperer link.
Swanson is always recommended by regular DFA posters so I think you are making a great choice. Buy one get one free, better yet! I would even give it to Alec and your guys a few times a week. I agree with C4c, if you are going to spend the money for a probiotic you should buy one with the most strains to get his immune system back on track, the whole point of adding probiotics. The grapefruit yeast supplement only has two strains; IMO that would be something to try when he is healthy again. I also am not sure of the āyeastā included in the title. The probiotic complex is a little better, it has five.
crazy4cats
ParticipantBobby dog-
Ok, now I see your kitty in there! Very handsome. I just love kitties! LOL!Bobby dog
MemberThanks! Itās my āwhereās Waldoā pic of Archie. Heās the naughty one that always makes a nest in the flower beds! What are you going to do. I was walking by and he happened to sneeze or I would not of even noticed him. I also had my camera handy (which never happens) because I was taking pics of flowers.
Susan
ParticipantHi all, I didnt know dogs could take human probiotics, I even asked the Chemist man last year as it was becoming expensive $65 for just 2 months, & the chemist said that humans stomach acids & Gi track is different to dogsā¦I always buy Patch the animal powdered probiotics that I mix with water & he drinks itā¦Iāll have to do some research mite work out cheaper, the vets Protexin probiotic cost $65 must be kept in fridge⦠now Ive been going Pet Barn & buying Vitafarm for $19 a shelf probiotic & Paws have just released a new probiotic Digestive care 60 multi-strain for $36ā¦
Bobby dog
MemberAkari:
I found these prices today on by Nature 95%, thought you might be interested. How is the little guy doing?http://www.chewy.com/s/canned-food,by-nature?query=by+nature+95%25&dept=dog
Akari_32
ParticipantI did see that, yes š I had a credit to use with PetFlow, so I used that up. I plan on using chewy for the rest of my By Nature purchases, unless I find a better deal somewhere else.
Heās doing pretty good. His hair is growing back some š
Bobby dog
MemberI am putting it on my shopping list too along with the Newmanās organic beef that Archie likes. I probably wonāt need to order on-line until the end of summer, but it is their regular price so hopefully it will stay that way.
Thanks for the Bentley update! š
Anita L
MemberHello my friends!
Iām pretty sure this is a good deal so I wanted to share. Not sure if there is a place for this kind of post. (if so, let me know so Iāll know for next time).as seen on: http://www.southernsavers.com/2014/07/petsmart-b1g1-30-5-30-10-60-15-70/
PETSMART is running a great sale right now. They have select products up to 30% off thanks to their āBIGGEST SALE OF THE YEARā.Along with that sale, there is a promo code that is buy one product and get the next one 30% off. The code is āGET30714ā. This deal can be applied to the already on sale items!
On top of all this you get $5 off a $30 purchase, $10 off a $60 purchase, or $15 off a $70 purchase.
Shipping is FREE your order is over $49 or you can opt for in store pick up! The sale ends 7/20.
š
After I order 1 bag of food, I qualified for free shipping so I was excited. Plus I needed a couple more things and found deals. Now I donāt have to go to the store!Good Luck and happy shopping!
š-
This reply was modified 10 years, 10 months ago by
Anita L.
crazy4cats
ParticipantAnita-
Thank you. Looks like some great deals. I was at the store last week and took advantage. But, I really think I ended up spending more than I would have if there wasnāt a sale. LOL! You could have put this on the coupon thread next time.Bobby dog
MemberHi Anita:
That is an awsome sale! I got a few good deals myself. As C4c mentioned there is a coupon thread Akari started that posters put sales, coupon, and other info on if youāre interested. I for one love hearing about a good sale! š/forums/topic/coupons/
How are your dogs doing?
Anita L
MemberYes yes yes (on the coupons)! love me some deals!
Pups are much better. Joe still does not like a bath so we went to PSP. I was just as soaked as he was and I was wearing one of their aprons! It was pretty funny! When I went to pay, I told the cashier, 2 dog baths and 1 human. She looked at how soaked I was and laughed with me.
Mostly now, their feet/legs bother them some (itching) but not nearly as bad as it was. We were out of town last week (much needed last minute vacation). Pretty sure they got their supplements and food but past that, who knows. They were loved on very much by my niece who stayed with them, so thatās the good part.
Now itās time to perfect those foot baths/soaks. If I have a (big) bowl of vinegar solution ready, go outside and use a wash cloth to run it over (or drizzleā¦or pour), hopefully they wonāt fuss too much. Iām gonna hope for the best.
Thanks for asking Bobby-dog. Thatās why I love this site. Everyone cares and wants to help! Which is why I wanted to share that sale with my DFA friends š
Bobby dog
MemberAnita:
Thatās good to read!!! š When you have time youāll have to come back and let us know what worked for you. Thatās how I pieced Bobbyās routine together. Some info came from cat sites I visited before I came to DFA, some info from DFA, and some info from Vet Med sites. Glad to read I am not the only one who gets a bath when my dog does. lolAnita L
MemberI copied and pasted the sale to the coupons page. Thanks for letting me know. Still so much to learn on this site.
Akari_32
ParticipantHey guys. Just updating. No baths in a few weeks, but his hair is growing back really well (new growth is about an inch long), and his skin is no longer red all over. Still red at his paws and up his hind legs some, and around his nose, but his body is back to pinkish-white, and he is chewing and scratching much less (and doesnāt smell nasty all the time). Iāve been giving him 3/4 of a can of By Nature 95% one day, and the next day he gets the rest of the can, and 1/4 cup of THK, mixed with however much water it needs to thin it back out to the consistency of just canned food.
He does need a bath right now (some one *cough* mom *cough* cleaned up pee in the hallway around his cage and then thought it was a good idea to put the pee towel in the cage because she didnāt want to walk it to the laundry roomā¦), and Iāll use his medicated shampoo, and then wash him with his new shampoo and conditioner (supposed to be really good for their skin and coat, and has keratin in itā Iāll get the name of it in a bit).
Iām looking at some other foods to add in to his diet. Iāve emailed several companies and asked for the as fed carb values of their foods. My answers so far:
Purina Pro Plan:
āWe appreciate your interest in our products. Please know that this information is not something we have readily available and takes time on the part of our nutritionist to determine. We cannot provide it for each and every one of our products.However, if you can narrow your choice to a particular flavor or two, weāll be happy to fulfill your request. Please understand it may take some time to process this information. We appreciate your patience.ā
What the crap is that?? You donāt keep this info on hand?? Yeah, ok. Anyways, I went through the review side, and picked out all the four star formulas. More than they asked for, but whatever. My thought on the Pro Plan is that maybe an āaverageā food rather than a āfancyā food would do him some good. Some dogs donāt do well on high quality foodsā we all know this. One of those if its aināt broke sort of deals. Just an idea for a back up food. Itāll take some time to get an answer from them, Iāll assume.
Hillās:
āThank you for visiting HillsPet.com and sending us your message.Due to your special petās medical condition we would suggest that you speak to your veterinarian for a food recommendation. Hillās Pet Nutrition, Inc. offers a full line of therapeutic products which are formulated for the management of certain health issues that can develop in pets. The product that will work best for your pet depends upon his or her individual circumstances and is something that your veterinarian will have to help you to determine.
We appreciate your interest in Hillās Pet Nutrition, Inc. If we can help in any other way, contact our Consumer Affairs Department toll-free at 1-800-445-5777 8AM-5PM CST, Monday-Friday or revisit HillsPet.com.
Sincerely,
Consumer Affairs
Hillās Pet Nutrition, Inc.āI was hoping to get some values on Ideal Balance. Another āaverageā food sort of idea. But looking at the values on the can today at the store (they have dry matter basis on the Hillās website), Iām ditching this food. Way too low protein and just 4.5 and 5%. And toooooooons of carbs. Each can has a protein source, and then three or four carbs sources. No thanks!
Nutro:
ā Dear Danielle,
>
> Thank you for taking the time to contact us. Our canned food for dogs average about 5% carbs. Canned food is low in carbs because they are primarily water or broth (around 78%). We do not make anything that will have lower values than 5%.ā¦ā¦
Hi Danielle-
None of our dry foods will have a carbohydrate level as low as 15%. They average 30-45%. Canned food, by nature, will have the lowest carbs, as they are primarily made of water/broth. The Ultra⢠and the Natural ChoiceĀ® Chunks & Gravy formulas have the lowest amounts (approx. 4%). Hope this information helps!āAll of the Nutro Natural Choice and Ultra cans are right in our price range, at $21 to $28 a 12 can case. The Large Breed recipes seem to be the best looking as far as how much to feed, and protein values. And if the carb values they gave are correct, they are right where I want to stay. Very nice looking line. I donāt tend to follow the whole dogās size and age marketing thing, but heās only 8 pounds. Would a large breed (puppy and adult food) be fine for him? Heās two years old, and should be about 8 pounds (heās probably 7-ish).
And theres always EVO. Good price point, but high fat. Not a food Iād have him on all the time. Maybe Iāll use it to keep his weight up. Iām having trouble keeping his weight up with out him eating us out of house and home. Iām trying to do the best by him and by moms budget. $20 a case where heās eating the whole can every meal is not helping the budget issue. The By Nature is great, but its not high calorie enough, and I donāt think high fat enough, either. Heās an active little guy, and needs something that can keep him beefed up.
Anyway, if anyone has any thoughts or input or anything, throw it out there!
Akari_32
ParticipantOk, so I heard back from Purina on two flavors. I asked if they were going to look in to the others I had asked about as well. Weāll see what they say about that lol
PurinaĀ® Pro PlanĀ® brand Dog Food ā Select⢠ā Classic All Life Stages ā Natural Chicken & Brown Rice EntrĆ©e ā Plus Essential Vitamins and Minerals Dog Food ā 3.80% carbohydrates as fed.
PurinaĀ® Pro PlanĀ® brand Dog Food ā Select⢠ā Classic For All Life Stages ā Natural Beef & Brown Rice EntrĆ©e ā Plus Essential Vitamins and Minerals ā 3.10% carbohydrates as fed.So either of these could be an option, I think. I asked for as fed, and then just now also asked for a dry matter basis. Just to see how it really stacks up.
Bobby dog
MemberHey Akari:
Nice update!! Glad he is physically more comfortable and the hair is still growing back.Those are the two Pro Plans I feed, nice to know, thanks for posting the info.
The main parts I disagree with about feeding an āaverageā food versus āfancyā food are the artificial/chemical ingredients. I believe it is best to avoid a food that contains added colors, chemicals, artificial preservatives and flavorings etc which is what you find in most average foods, not all. IMHO those chemicals are detrimental to a petsā health in any amount. I feed the Pro Planās you received info on and the Purina One Ground Classics; they donāt have the artificial preservatives/colors, starches, glutens, and various grains that I like to avoid for Bobby in those recipes.
Check out this link Tabatha posted on the forum today for a pet food analysis calculator:
/forums/topic/pet-food-label-help/You have done some nice sleuthing. I would guess you might have provided too much info for some of the companies. Nobody wants to be held responsible for any information provided when a possible medical condition is involved. Maybe just ask specific questions about the food without going into detail about Bentleyās condition if you contact other companies.
If I wanted to up the calories or protein content I would probably add a little fresh meat to some or all of his meals. I would also probably add EVO to a rotation, but I understand your concern and you would know best. I am not sure about the large/small breed food differences. Never really looked into it, but I have fed Bobby a few large and small breed canned foods before, heās a medium sized dog.
Akari_32
ParticipantHeās definitely doing better. Got a bit of a ways to go, but weāre getting there for sure.
I agree with you on the chemical and such side of that. What I meant by average is brands (like Pro Plan and Hills) that promote themselves to be the best of the best, and have minimal (chemical, etc) additives to them, but also have some thought and research behind them. Not that I think either of these brands are overly good, but they do have their places, and at this point Iām about ready to try anything. But I do know to stay away from certain things. The price point on these two Pro Plans is great. Like $15 a case usually. Thatās something we can definitely handle. Itād be good for keeping the cost down and for some variety.
All I said to them (all of them) was that I needed a low carb food. Iām thinking Hillās response was them thinking they were going to get my money anyways. Silly Hillāsā Iām not that stupid LOL
I know small breed foods typically have more calories per cup, which is great in my case for Haley, my 11 year old 60 lb lab mix. She canāt stomach too much dry food at once, so toy and small breed foods are typically a good choice if I canāt get a puppy or other higher calorie food. And large breed puppy foods, if formulated properly, have certain calcium and phosphorus levels and ratios. Beyond that, I donāt know if makes any difference giving large breed food to small breed dogs lol
Bobby dog
MemberVery nice for Bentley!!!! š
Gotcha on the average brands. The Pro Plan and One recipes seem to go on sale every couple months so I started adding them to Bobbyās rotation. I donāt like any of the other Pro Plan or One canned recipes (other then the ones I listed) and sometimes they donāt have them in stock so he doesnāt get them consistently; he likes them and does well on them though. Sounds like you have a few more choices for your rotation. Iāve also fed Ideal Balance grain inclusive venison, Bobby liked it too.
Those are long winded responses for just asking for carb %ās. lol I am sure Bentley appreciates your work. š
Akari_32
ParticipantJust a little update š
Hair is growing back pretty well, and heās starting to keep on weight. I think Iāve finally balanced his diet out in a way that has him eating minimally, while still getting the calories he needs.
Iām having trouble finding the Pro Plan I want. I have a few more places to check though. Apparently, they are 5.5 oz cans? Does that sound like what you get, Bobby Dog? And I have some more looking in to for the Nutro Ultra.
I was thinking of getting him a pre-mix, like THKās new ones, and using pork for the protein. Itās cheap, but itās still raw. But Iāve heard some different things about how digestible pork is and isnāt, so Iād like to see what you guys have to say about that first.
crazy4cats
ParticipantHi Akari-
Glad to hear he is doing better. Have you been adding any eggs to his diet? I have noticed a significant difference in my dogsā coats after I have been giving them about 4 eggs each a week. They are noticeably shinier. Iām not sure about pork either. There are a few foods that contain it. I donāt see why it should be a problem. Keep up the good work.Bobby dog
MemberHey Akari:
I hope your mom appreciates your dedication to Bentley!I second C4cās vote for eggs. Although I initially used them to help with the healing process, Bobby still gets one poached egg a week; he wonāt eat raw egg anymore. His skin and coat is in great shape.
I havenāt posted the ink info yet because I have forgotten where I put the files with the info on my computer. I think I will just post the info that my Professor relayed to me to use as a guide when buying generic cartridges from memory; that could be scary. lol
I was just working on my pet food grocery list and saw your post in my e-mail. You would be proud, I have a $5 off entire purchase that expires tomorrow and a free dog toy with $15 purchase coupon (and various others) I donāt want to waste so I thought I better get organized.
There are some Pro Plan recipes that seem to only come in the 5.5 oz. the rest are regular size cans; or at least I havenāt seen them in larger cans, but I havenāt really looked.
THK was okay, but I donāt think I will purchase any of their products at this time. Bobby liked them the first few feedings, now not so much. There was also a fabulous pro/con discussion regarding the food on one of the THK reviews that was very interesting! I donāt really have any comment on their pre-mix because I havenāt looked at it and I donāt know of anybody who has fed it.
I really have not done any in-depth research on making food for Bobby. I would try to feed lean, organic meat if I was making his meals, but never looked any further as to what type of proteins would be best for him. At this time if I were to purchase a pre-mix it would probably be See Spot Live Longer or Urban Wolf. I think C4c just purchased SSLL so you will be able to get a first hand review if you are interested. I donāt have the time to research the subject properly so I bookmarked some sites when I do. Hereās a link to some pre-mix info:
crazy4cats
ParticipantHi guys-
Yes, I did order SSLL premix. However, it hasnāt come yet. š He doesnāt charge shipping so it is probably coming regular old mail. One of my dogs basically wonāt eat THK anymore either. Kind of weird. I wonāt be buying again either. In fact, wondering what to do with the boxes I have left.
BD (Bobby dog)- hopefully you like your new nickname. Just one egg, huh? Hopefully Iām not over doing it by feeding two twice a week each. But I think thatās what the chart said. My dad said Griffey would make a nice rug. Lol! I guess that is a compliment.
Take care all! -
This reply was modified 10 years, 10 months ago by
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