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Susan,

I ordered K9 natural green lapped mussels. All my dogs love it! However, the ones that I bought is freeze dried but it doesn’t have the shells, just the mussels. The bag said the mussels are ocean farmed from NZ. It’s made from uncook meat.

The bag didn’t say anything about Glucosamine and Chondroitin, just the omega 3 fatty acids. It’s pretty pricy. $14 USD for a 50g of bag contain maybe 17 small/medium size mussels.

I wonder if this is the same bag as yours?

I also found cooked NZ green lipped mussels from one of the grocery stores. I don’t know whether those are as good as the one I bought.

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I also have been doing a lot of reading and researching this year. Basically, dog food have 3 components – protein, fat, and carbs. If you need low protein, not so high fat, you will end up with very high carbs.

High carb diet is not very ideal for human, not sure about dogs.

Someone on this board have suggested to add warm filtered water to the kibbles to make it softer. It was an excellent suggestion.

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I also have 10 years old miniature schnauzers. Just be careful. Because miniature schnauzers are prone for pancreatitis, therefore you may not want to use any food with high fat contents.

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Thank you for the information. So, Canada, Europe, and Asia markets receive fine products from Orijen, but not US. That’s good to know.

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Charisse,

Have you try to add a little warm filtered water to the kibbles? That should soften the kibbles.

My miniature schnauzers have lost a little weight.

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I bought Annamaet Lean from Chewy.com. Very fast shipping.

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Thank you, Susan. As long as there are no other additatives, I am all for it. I will try to find the one from New Zealand. It’s for my two 10 year old miniature schnauzers who need Glucosamine and Chondroitin. One of them has pancreatitis history so I really have to watch out for the fat content.

By the way, your country and New Zealand are both so beautiful, and people are so friendly. I visited there two years ago. 😀

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Susan,

Do you think there is much difference between freeze dried green lipped mussels and frozen( sure what kind) mussels that I can find at the grocery stores?

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I use 50% Annemaet Lean and 50% Horizon Amicus Weight management plus some fresh veggie and protein for my dog with pancreatitis history.

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It still so strange that we human can have sausage for breakfast, chicken for lunch, and steak for dinner and don’t have to worry about it, but dog food have to slowly transition.

Do dogs known to be having sensitive stomach? How did dogs in the wild survive?

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I lost my 10 years old dog to lymphoma early this year. I don’t know if it has anything with the dog food. He has been on Hills Science Diet since he was a puppy – Science Diet puppy, active, then senior because that’s what our vets recommended. It never cross my mind that I need to think otherwise.

I wish I knew about dogfoodadvisor.com sooner.

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What kind of kefir do you give? The kefir for human or dogs? The kefir that I found in the grocery stores are full of sugar.

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anon101,

Thank you for the suggestion. I think overstimulation may be correct. Most of the time he is not willing to lay down in the car and he pants sometimes. He is a hyper puppy.

I have no idea why they are feeding him. I didn’t know that until he vomited for the first time. If I have to take up to two weeks to transition him to a new dog food, I don’t know why they think they can just feed him some random food. That’s why I packed our own food the second time. He still eat 3 meals a day.

I took him there purely for the socialization with other dogs. This is coming to an end because they don’t allowed any dogs over 6 months old not been spayed or neutered.

Btw. Thank you for your advise on adding some water to the dog food. It really help my older dog who don’t drink much water.

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Hi Susan,

Thank you for your reply. His name is Felo(sounds like fellow). He is a black & silver miniature schnauzer.

I do take him for 5-15 minutes short car rides to the vet’s office, groomer, pet shops, and drop off kids to the school. While he never vomit, he is not willing to lay down and he is panting sometimes. I didn’t noticed him being mouth licking or drooling. Something very strange also because he always vomit onto an old towel that I left at the floor of the car which I can just throw away the towel not have to clean the car.

“vomiting un-digested food either means the Doggy Day Carehave just feed him before he has picked up…” That’s what I thought. But when I asked them, I was told that they feed him between 12-1pm and I picked him up around 4-5pm. So it really didn’t make sense to me. The only thing that I can think of is that he has free access from the house to the backyard all day at home through a doggy door. At the Doggy day care, he is put up into a crate for lunch and a hour nap time right after that. I don’t know if that has anything to do with the vomit and un-digested food.

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Susan,

Sorry about your Angie. Thank you so much for the info. I think I will be able to watch the video without the Facebook. I will do that later on this afternoon. They have posted Episode 4.

Pet cancer is epidemic. It needs to be taken seriously.

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Susan,

I don’t use Facebook so thank you for the details from your post. I lost my 10 years old dog son to lymphoma(lymph nodes cancer)this past spring. It’s like a wake up call for me. I have trusted the vets, the dog food industries, pet vaccinations, pet heart warm provention, and pet flea control. I felt so bad. I have failed my dog. I gave him the poision. Never cross my mind that I need to second guessing them.

Now I do. I have been doing a lot of reading and research. The more I read the less I am willing to give them. Basically, everything is related to the greed, the revenue. Where are the ethics? I still haven’t find any vet who is willing to do blood work to determine whether annual rabies shots are necessary. If I know those info sooner, maybe my dog is still here with me.

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Charisse,

It is Annemaet Lean. The kibble size is not like big and flat like Orijen. It’s round and smaller in size. My 17lb miniature schnauzers have no problems eating it. I also add a little bit filtered water to the kibbles.

I thought about Wellness Core reduced fat but decide not to try it after I read the report from Clean Label Project.

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I don’t know about Annamaet Ultra 32, but I started to feed my 10 years old Annamaet grain free lean reduced fat. Actually, half Annemaet and half Horizon Amicus senior & weight management. I switched to half Annemaet because of high calories(400 kcal/cup) in Amicus. So far so good. No problem at all.

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Susan H,

I am so sorry about your schnauzer. The time with them are never long enough.

I have a 5 months old schnauzer puppy. When I got him at 6 weeks old, the breeder has just started feeding him puppy chow. I switched him right the way to Orijen puppy because almost everyone told me Orijen is the best one out there. He is doing pretty good. Beautiful thick coat. Solid stool.

But I decided to switch him to Horizon Amicus puppy recently. He is going good on it too. I also add some Simply Nourish puppy kibbles and wet food as topper just to give some varieties.

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I used to feed Orijen(for about 6 months)because almost everyone(this site and multiple pet store owners and employees) told me Orijen is the best one out there. Until I saw someone post on this site said they found hairs in the kibbles. He or She contacted Orijen and was told hairs are “biologically appropriate”?

I went to searched my bags. While I didn’t find any hairs in the bags, it really grossed me out. In addition, there was some bad reports on Orijen. So I decided to try something else.

I know Acana and Orijen are both manufactured by Champion out of Kentucky. But I really not familiar with Acana.

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I have been adding raw zucchini and yellow squash to their diet. They don’t care for raw broccoli. I tried broil baby kale and then cutting it up today, and they have no problem with it. I just love to give them some fresh veggies. I haven’t try okra. The only time I use okra is in the gumbo.

My 10 years old girl had pancreatitis once earlier this year after we gave her some leftover bbq. She really like it, but not her tummy. She end up getting IV therapy for 3 days, the metronidazole, and Science Diet ID.

Our vet recommended Purina One Smartblend Healthy Weight as maintenance, but it’s nothing but carbs. I tried Horizon Amicus Senior, but the calories are a little too high. I am now trying Annemaet reduced fat. Both are grain free. I will see how it goes. Ideally, I want to mix rotate a couple kibbles. I also add a little wet food or something we eat as the topper.

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Just ordered a bag of Annemaet. We will see if my dogs like it.
I don’t want to have anything to do with Diamond Food.

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Thank you, Susan H. I will try that. Do you use fresh, frozen, or can green beans?

I have 3 mini schnauzers. They are prone to have pancreatitis when they getting older. Good low fat kibbles are hard to find because most are full of carbs.

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I remembered read somewhere that onions are bad for the dogs. However, a little fresh ginger in the homemade chicken broth could boost their immune system. That how I cook chicken broth for myself.

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I first stop giving my 10 years old Orijen senior after she has developed pancreatitis. I have tried several brands. Now I am trying Annemeat g/f low fat.

I also switched my puppy from Orijen puppy to Horizen Amicus puppy and Simply Nourish puppy.

There are so many information out there. It’s overwhelming. It’s difficult to tell which information is valid. The real question is do I want to give something with good quality or something with less toxin. What a hard choice!

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After losing my 10 years old to lymphoma earlier this year, I really started to take a close look at the dog food. I have been feeding them primarily Hill’s Science Diet since they were puppies because that’s what vet has recommended.

I went to a local pet store, I was told Orijen is the best out there in addition to the raw diet. I bought Origen and small bags of Stella and Chewy, Primal, and Honest Kitchen to try. My the other 10 year old end up with pancreatitis. She was put on IV therapy, metronidazole, and Science Diet ID can food. Then, I was told to put her on low fat Purina One Smartblend Weight management kibbles.

It has been a struggle to find low fat, good ingredients, and no/low toxin dog food. It shouldn’t be this hard.

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I understand.

However, if I pay over $1 for each piece of No Hide chews, I expect there is no rawhide. Otheise, I can pay $10 or less for 50 rawhides.

Company has been dishonest and misleading the consumers.

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Aimee,

I get emails from Truthaboutpetfood.com Their email from 7/27, 2017 stated that a PHD leather chemist said that” No-hide chew is absolutely rawhide split material”.

A dog has died from the treat stuck in the dog’s throat.

I used to buy No-hide chews. Not anymore.

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Thank you, Susan. I can use more wet can food. I already used Natural Receipe wet foods as topper per your earlier recommendation. 😀

Both kibbles I used are low fat. Horizon Amicus Senior and Weight management. Protein 33% Fat 11.67% minimum and 13.33% maximum Fiber 4.25% calorie 400. Purina One Smartblend Healthy Weight. Protein 31% Fat 11% minimum 13.6% maximum Fiber 6.25% calorie 320. All in dry matter.

The lower of protein and fat means higher carbohydrates which means fillers. Many of the best low fat dry dog foods recommended by this site have carbohydrates between 50-61% with the exception of Premium Edge Healthy Wright with 38% carbs 49% protein and 13% fat in dry matter.

I guess I can also broil some chicken or turkey breast.

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I have been feeding my 10 yeas old schnauzer who has pancreatitis history 2/3 of Horizon Amicus Weight Management and 1/3 of Purina Smartblend Healthy Weght(this one is recommended by my vet). She is doing ok with it.

However, Horizon Amicus Weight Management has 400kcal/cup which it’s pretty high. She has gain some weight. I would like to try a different low fat food with less calories. Any suggestions?

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Very nice gustures from those companies.

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Exactly. It looks like many that we can get from the grocery stores scored very well. Purity but not so good in ingredients. Many of the expensive brands have good ingredients but are more likely to be containmented. What a hard choice!:)

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Oh. Anon101.

I originally gave my dog with lymphoma 2% low fat spoonful of cottage cheese with a sprinkle of turmeric following the budwig protocol. He won’t eat it, but my other dogs did. So I continue feeding them the same. I believed cottage cheese is fermented. Is that correct?

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It’s CleanLabelProject.org report. Sorry. Orijen received one star out of five.

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Hi Susan, What kind of Green Lipped Mussel do you use on Patch?

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I feel the same way. The more I read the more I don’t know if I am feeding them the right food. Too much conflicting information out there.

I was gong to try Fromm, but I decided not to because all the bad reviews out there. I already trying to get them off Orijen due to the bad report from the Clean Project report.

In the end, they all are process food even the raw diet. Is one really better than the other?

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Pet food stores need to stop telling people that Orijen and Acana have the best dog food because inexperience pet owners most likely will buy what pet food stores tell them to. Not everyone know about this website and the Clean Label.

I addition, you will think pet insurance companies will be jumping on those toxic pet food manufacturers. If those dog food are making dogs sick or die, pet insurance companies will be paying.

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C C, I am sorry about your Sheltie. I also lost my miniature schnauzer a few months ago to lymphoma. He was on Hill’s Science diet with topper of other kibbles, wet food, or human food all his life. At that time, I thought science diet was the best. It was recommended by multiple vets. I later learned that was not the case. I agree with you that vets just aren’t trained regarding food issues or other ways to treat diseases, just dispense drugs… I know first hand on that. My schnauzer was misdiagnosed by our regular vet. Three visits within the same month and the vet though he has hurt his back and put him on steroids which
probably was one of the reason that he was not responsed to the chemotherapy later on. It was the ER vet who diagnosed him with lymphoma. The vet oncologists just followed the protocols to dispense medications like the assembly line.

Back to the topic. I am in the process switching from Orijen puppy to Horizon Amicus puppy, but has to deal with sloppy stool. Horizon Amicus is make in Canada. It was not tested by the Clean Label. I don’t know if I make the right choice? Do you know anything about Horizon dog food? There are so many information out there and it’s very overwhelming and confusing. I am so new on the dog food issues. I was blinded by the dog food marketing for years.

Btw. I have a new discovery this morning. I have been soaking the kibbles in water. I noticed the soaked kibbles smells really bad. Since I soaked Orijen and Horizen Amicus together, I couldn’t tell which one is it. Both kibbles smells ok when it’s dry. So, I soaked them separately this morning. It was the Orijen. 10 minutes into soaking, the kibbles smells bad but the kibbles are still pretty hard. Horizon Amicus still has the same herb smell as the dry and it’s very soft.

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This is very scary. My puppy has been on Orijen(same manufacturer as Acana) puppy food for about 2 months now. I hate to think I am feeding him the poison. Where can I take the food to get it tested? I wish Clean Label Project would publish their findings in detail info.

I never use Orijen made in Canada, so I don’t have anything to compare to.

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I wonder if the dog food reviews/recommendations for best dog food from dogfoodadvisor.com also take the reports from cleanlabelproject.org into consideration.

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I use Orijen puppy since he was 6 weeks old with no problem. Tootsie roll stool. 3-4 times a day. Groomer noticed his beautiful fur. I have heard a lot of bad things about Orijen lately. I am trying to mix some Horizon Amicus puppy to Orijen puppy food. So far so good.

I wish I can feed a Orijen senior to my 10 years old. Unfortunately, it may be too rich for her. She has pancreatitis history. Our vet put her on Purina One Smartblend Healthy Weight Management. I feel so bad to feed her that, but don’t know what to do. I do add a little Natural Receipe wet food to make it taste/smell better.

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I like to supplement my 10 years old small breed with Dasuquin. How do I know whether I need Dasuquin or Dasuquin w MSM?

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I gave my dog a spoonful of cottage cheese with a sprinkle of turmeric as afternoon snack.

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Susan,

You may be correct. Supermarket pet food are better quality ingredients but not the best ingredients. They will not kill your dogs with toxins and contanimates, but they are usually full of fillers that may not be good for long term health. Do we want to pay more for expensive brands with toxins and contaminates or pay less for dog food that’s lack of nutrients? What a hard choice!

The Clean Lanel Project report said grain free dog food are usually with most toxins. Do Dog Food Advisor recommended dog food also taken Clean Label Project report into consideration?

Pet food companies that cut corners and buying cheap, toxic, and contaminated ingredients should be shut down immediately. They shouldn’t be allowed to be in pet food business.

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I just spent some time going through the report. A lot of grocery store dog food received 5 stars while many of the expensive food received only one star. So the report purely based on the containmentation, not the nutritional value?

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My 14 weeks puppy has been on Orijen puppy kibbles since I got him when he was 6 weeks old. I have been slowly adding Horizon Amicus puppy kibbles for the past week. I am now using 3/4 Orijen puppy and 1/4 Horizon Amicus puppy kibbles pre soaked in the water overnight. No problems. 4 stools a day. Toosie roll like.

Horizon Amicus puppy dry food is actually one of the puppy dry food recommend by the website. I like to get him off Orijen puppy food if possible because all the things that I read about Orijen lately. It’s also very rich. I have tried to add Freshspot as toper, but it didn’t go so well.

I noticed even with homemade food. You have to add it slowly. I gave them some cooked ground turkey with broccoli. They have soft stool for a few days. I now use it as a toper.

As for my 10 years old, she has pancreatitis history. Our vet put her on Purina One Smartblend Healthy management kibbles. I have been adding a little Natural Receipe wet food and I also pre soaked the kibbles. The ingredients on Purina One is terrible, but what choice do I have? I must keep fat level low so she won’t have another pancreatitis.

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I am trying to transition my 3 months old puppy from Orijen puppy to Horizon Amicus puppy small breed due to the high protein in Orijen and some other things that I read about Orijen USA. It has been over a week now. His stools finally have firm up and I think I will stop given him pumpkin. I hope this will work.

I first tried to transition him to Zignature Zissential. No success. His got diarrhea every two hours, so I switched him right back to Orijen puppy.

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Thank you for the replies. I guess it must be the different mixture of ingredients in the kibbles that make it harder to transition.

Susan, When you rotate the kibbles, do you give one kibble at a time for a month or so and then move to the next kibble or do you mix the kibbles together?

I have tried the raw diet – Stella & Chewy’s, Primal, and The Honest Kitchen. It triggered pancreatitis on one of my dogs. The fat content is too high. I now use homemade cook of ground turkey and fresh vegetables as a topper.

When I tried to transition a new kibble, the stool is always sloppy and frequency almost double. Is this normal? It’s especially hard since I am trying to toilet train my 14 weeks old puppy. He is like a stool manufacturer. 🙂 Organic pumpkin is great. I also see pumpkin for dogs and cats at the pet store. Are those have the same ingredients?

Anne, What is the steel ball that you put it in his food? Two of my dogs also inhaled their food.

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I haven’t try Fromm. My 14 weeks old puppy is currently on Orijen puppy. How does Fromm compares to Orijen?

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I am not a big fan of Diamond pet food since that containmentation in mid 2000’s that killed and sicken many dogs.

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