[crazy4cats]

Akari-
I’m the same way. Only a lot older! But, I do write stuff down now and then, just not all in one place! We need to hire Bobby dog to keep us in line!

[crazy4cats]

It comes in a roll and it has to be refrigerated. I believe three different sizes. You can slice it. It looks like pimento loaf to me. But, it sure didn’t taste like it. LOL! It’s convenient. They have it scored for you so you can measure out how much to feed easily. They actually have a pretty good website. I’ve seen it at Walmart and Fred Meyer. Check it out!

[crazy4cats]

Bobby dog-
Again, thanks. And to whoever asked, YES, I’ve used Fresh Pet. I really ( I mean my dogs, lol!) like it! But truth of the matter, I did taste it. It was not yummy to me. I just have a lot of canned and Honest Kitchen on hand to use up, otherwise I’d stick in my topper rotation. Never tried it with the cats, however. I should though. It’s just so frustrating when they turn their noses up. I always have to make sure the thyroid girl gets enough food.
So, I think my Buhner dog will be fine. They thought there might be something in his throat. But the X-Ray showed a lot of inflammation, but nothing stuck. He probably chewed up or ate something he shouldn’t have and scratched him all up. His teeth and gums were fine. They gave him an anti inflammatory shot. He was so good with the vet! Except he did express his anal glands on the wall when they were getting the X-ray! Oops! I hand fed him some canned tonight and he started eating a little. Hopefully whatever it was came out one end or the other already. My 19 year old son is out of school now and doesn’t keep a great eye on the dogs during the day thanks for asking!

[crazy4cats]

Bobby Dog-
Yes, I’m good today. Probably over reacted. Thanks for your vote of confidence. When she insinuated I was compromising the health of my dogs by boarding them and hiding from the truth about vaccinations, it was very frustrating. I just don’t want to dwell on the negative. I know the negative. Geez! LOL! On another note, for another thread, I think I will be taking one of my dogs to the vet today as he won’t eat. I think something may be wrong with his mouth or teeth. Shoot, if it isn’t one thing, it’s another!

Sharon-
Sounds like you are getting good deals through chewy for canned food. It’s so ridiculously expensive. I ordered a case of Chicken Soup from Pet Flow and a few of the cans were dented. That is the downfall of ordering, you can’t pick out the cans yourself! And, I also, wonder if there is something about the can taste that leads her cats to like the pouches better? Hmmm… Smart Cat!

[crazy4cats]

Bobby dog-
Ok, now I see your kitty in there! Very handsome. I just love kitties! LOL!

[crazy4cats]

Well, that article makes it sound great! I would try to not use that type of ingredient long term though.

[crazy4cats]

Hi 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. I’m not sure if it is recommended for dogs or not. Good luck.

[crazy4cats]

Hi-
I remember the link also, but I don’t have it. However, I just looked through the Solid Gold dry food review thread because I remember HDM stating a few times which lines were not made by Diamond. This is what I found: Barking at the Moon, Sun Dancer, Holistique Blendz and MMillennia are not made by Diamond. She (HDM) really likes Barking at the Moon and Sun Dancer. Hope this helps!

[crazy4cats]

Hi Weezerweeks-
What is up with your kittens? It’s been a while since your last update.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Dawn R-
Congratulations on your new pup! I don’t feed raw except for a handful of the commercial frozen nuggets a few times a week with their kibble. I just wanted to “bump up” your post so that others with more knowledge can chime in. Although, I would continue whatever the breeder is feeding for at least a few weeks until she gets settled in. Good luck!

[crazy4cats]

Akari-
Have you checked out the Swanson’s 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. 🙁

[crazy4cats]

I’ve never heard of pet supermarket. Do you guys have Petco and Pet Smart as well? That is a lot of pet stores!

[crazy4cats]

I just recently bought some (coconut oil) so I don’t have any real experience with it other than I think it tastes yummy! Lol! I mostly used supplements with slippery elm, l-Glutamine, DGL, and similar. The coconut oil is supposed to be very good for them. Give it a try! Also wanted to tell you that when I feed my dogs Victor with Northwest Naturals mixed in, their “output” is awesome! I only feed a few times a week because it is expensive and I have a lot of canned I need to go through. There are other frozen raw nuggets, such as Nature’s Variety that you could check out also.

[crazy4cats]

Anita-
I’m 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 don’t over feed. My cats are indoor only so they are more apt to get chubby. I don’t mix the dry and canned together in case they don’t 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 don’t 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!

[crazy4cats]

Eli-
I think it is only prescription food that will not be rated on this site due to being formulated for specific conditions. Don’t get too crazy trying to choose. Just get one and try it out! We can make ourselves miserable trying to choose and then the bag just lasts for a few weeks and then we can buy something else. No one food is perfect. Just make sure you control how much is fed and increase the exercise. It’s healthy to feed variety!

[crazy4cats]

Hi Regina-
Bummer! That doesn’t help any, does it? Yes, make sure you ask exactly what they tested for because they do have different tests for different issues. Did they send it out to a lab? ACV stands for apple cider vinegar. If you buy it, make sure to get the unfiltered kind. It contains the “mother” and is kind of cloudy. It is extremely strong, so make sure you dilute and start with a small amount. I don’t use it regularly, but I guess others do. I also see it listed in some ingredients. It is in the raw nuggets that I occasionally feed. As for avid, I don’t know what that is either. Good luck with your elimination diet.

[crazy4cats]

Akari-
Have you checked out the Variety canned foods at Walmart?

[crazy4cats]

Hi Tara-
Since you said he has bad gut bacteria, I’m assuming that you have had a fecal test done. It is common for a pup to get Coccidia and/or Giardia. Hopefully, those have been ruled out. I had a problem with loose stools with my dogs and feeding grain free Victor and adding probiotics, digestive enzyme and a supplement that contains slippery elm is very helpful. Victor is a budget friendly 5 star grain free food.
I feel like you need to figure out what is causing the diarrhea. Whether it be parasites, food intolerance or IBS, so you can fix the issue.
The dogaware.com website has a lot of great info on their digestive disorders thread. I wish you the best. It’s not a very fun issue!

[crazy4cats]

Yes, they are all 4 unless stated otherwise. As in this case, the grain free is 4.5 stars. I think the Wysong senior is also 4 stars.

[crazy4cats]

Oh, poor baby! How frustrating. There is a ton of great info on irritable bowel and inflammatory bowel on dogaware.com. Check out thei digestive disorders thread. My dogs never lost appetite when battling Giardia or Coccidia. Also never noticed any rumbling. So maybe something different is going on. But, I believe all the antibiotics and dewormers I used gave them a leaky and/or irritable gut. I used several of the supplements suggested on the above mentioned site to repair it and they are doing much better. Check out the website and I hope your get can come up with an answer from the test. Best wishes.

[crazy4cats]

Regina-
So did your pups have Giardia? Or was the Metronidazole just to treat the diarrhea? If they did have it, did you get another test to make sure that it was gone. My dogs took several treatments to get rid of it. Metronidazole is not very effective. I’ve read in several articles where it is only about 60 percent effective. Did you also give panacur or Drontal Plus at all? If you find out they still have it,please write back because I had to use a lot of holistic type remedies to rid them of it. I’d be glad to help you out. It can be very frustrating. Coccidia is much easier to clear. Good luck!

[crazy4cats]

The Vets Choice looks like a fine food to me. It is rated 4 stars. With any food, you just have to make sure they burn off more calories than they consume. Is your dog getting plenty of exercise? I didn’t check out the Wysong’s review. Maybe you could rotate between the two?

[crazy4cats]

I can totally understand your concern. Whole Earth Farms is Merrick’s “value” brand. The grain free was recently added to Whole Earth’s line up. Merrick has always been a reputable brand and a favorite in my area. I think making this list jinxed them. Lol! It does sound like they are having some issues. I feed my dogs the grain free Victor. However, it has chicken as the third ingredient. The first ingredients are beef meal and sweet potatoes. They have several other flavors as well. Another brand that might work for you is Earthborn. They have a few grain free recipes without chicken or turkey. Good luck!

[crazy4cats]

Yes, a very good idea. My pups have had both coccidia and giardia. I changed food several times thinking that was the issue and it wasn’t. These parasites aren’t killed with the regular dewormers. They need special meds. Definitely bring in a stool sample to rule these out. Giardia sometimes has intermittent symptoms. Good luck!

[crazy4cats]

The only thing cuter than a baby bunny is a kitten! Lol!

[crazy4cats]

Hi HDM-
How high do the temperatures have to be for mosquitoes to transmit heartworm? I haven’t used heartworm preventative before, but apparently it is starting to show up a bit now in the NW. Vets are starting to recommend it now, where they never have before. If I did decide to start it up, I would want to do something like you are doing as it is still not very common here. Thanks for your help.

[crazy4cats]

Anita-
I can totally relate to your ACV story. I did something similar. Man that stuff is strong and smelly! I can’t seem to make myself put it in my dog’s 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!

[crazy4cats]

Yeah, I thought about that too. I’d have to mix it really well and make sure it stays mixed, wouldn’t I?

[crazy4cats]

Hi pacer1978-
I try to feed my dogs fresh garlic a couple of times a week normally. But, now that it is flea season, I have been giving them a scoop of the Bug Off Garlic from Springtime Supplements every day. So far, so good. I did this last year also and they did not get fleas. As for Heart Worm, I don’t have any recommendations. Have you checked out the dogs naturally magazine or dogaware websites. I’ve gotten a lot of good info from those sites. Good luck and have fun on your vacation!

[crazy4cats]

Hi Everyone-
This time of year, I feel like I’m giving my dog a scoop of this and that. I’m thinking about combing them in a sealed tub to make feeding easier. The supps that I’m considering is the garlic granules, DE and Perfect Form. I’d mix the right percentages together in a tub and only have to scoop from one container when feeding.
Does anyone see any issues with this method?

[crazy4cats]

Bobby dog-
Yes, I have seen that benefit from MSM. I read hundreds of articles on remedies for Giardia when my previous vet gave up and said that my pups would just be carriers. Also, that they would write me a note if I needed to have a clean fecal test in order to board our dogs. He went on to tell me that I still could bring them in public where other dogs would be. I absolutely did not want to spread that parasite to anyone else. I don’t go to that vet anymore. So, I used every remedy that was suggested or that I read about and got rid of it. I think I read on the Springtime website that their garlic granules contained some natural MSM. Which of course I immediately liked.
Thanks for the heads up as I still have a little anxiety over getting those pesky parasites back!

[crazy4cats]

Hi Naturella-
I don’t want to hi-jack this thread, but I just wanted to acknowledge that I read your comment and to let you know that I have been to Lacey and have driven past it numerous times! Both of my boys have had baseball games and tourneys there. Washington is a beautiful state. You guys will have to come back for a visit!

Hi Susan-
I hope this thread has helped you find a way to get your favorite food!

[crazy4cats]

Hi Sue-
I just found an article in the dogs naturally magazine that recommends 1/4 tsp coconut oil per 10lbs body weight twice per day. Hope this helps.

[crazy4cats]

Hi-
Thanks for the heads up on the coupons! I used the cat litter one. I’ve been experimenting with different litters hoping to find one that isn’t dusty but still budget friendly. We’ll see how World’s Best works out.

[crazy4cats]

Funny! I just bought my first small jar of coconut oil yesterday at Fred Meyer. I have to be careful not to eat too much of it myself! It’s yummy and expensive! I see now that Costco’s big tub is a great deal. I wanted to start off small to see if I liked it first though. Now, I have to figure out how much to give to the spoiled dogs. LOL!

[crazy4cats]

Hi Susan-
I live in Washington State and some of the foods are available locally and many are not. You can print a list of the best of whichever type of food you are planning on feeding. Whether it be kibble, canned, dehydrated or raw. Bring it to the store with you. Some people buy food at a grocery store (ugh), feed store, big chain pet stores and smaller boutique type stores. You can certainly order online, however. I have ordered online from wag, pet flow, amazon, and petco with no issues.
Which food are you thinking about?

[crazy4cats]

Hey-
Glad to hear things are going great for your pup. I commend you for taking so much time to keep him healthy!

[crazy4cats]

Hi Bobby Dog’s mamma-
I hope Anita comes back to get all of that great information. I am definitely going to print it and give to my sister. She is having a terrible time with one of her dog’s skin and hot spots. Thank you!

[crazy4cats]

I checked out their web site. I saw they were at a few Costco’s. I was surprised as I work for them! I’m in the NW, I’d like to see them come our way. Especially to replace the Atta
Boy or Pedigree we currently sell. I’m picking up a 50 lb bag of Victor tomorrow and have a bag of Rotations coming from Petco next week. So I’m good on kibble for now. We go thru it pretty quick though!
Akari-
I shoulda known you would be checking out this good deal. Lol!

[crazy4cats]

Just tried the new Wellness divine duos that I received as samples at our feed store’s vendor fair last week. All four liked the pate part, but only two ate the chunky part. Dumb cats! They leave the best part.

[crazy4cats]

Wow! You were in meat heaven! You are so brave.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Regina-
I give my two dogs sardines once a week. They each get one tin with their kibble. I feed about a fourth of a cup less dry when adding the fish. They love it. They weigh about 80 lbs each. In my opinion, you can give canned tuna or salmon also. I’d be careful with too much tuna due to possible high mercury levels. Just remember to reduce the kibble to prevent over feeding. Good luck. I think you are in good hands on this site!

[crazy4cats]

Thank you also for the heads up on Zach’s. I’ll definitely check it out.

[crazy4cats]

Oh BTW, Travis, Nature’s Domain Turkey Stew (Costco), Pure Balance (Walmart) and 4Health (Tractor Supply) are all very budget friendly 5 star canned foods.

[crazy4cats]

I feed mine mostly Victor grain free kibble so far. It is fairly budget friendly depending on whether you have to order it or if you can find it locally. I’m trying to find another kibble to rotate with also. They have had some digestive issues, but are doing much better. I also add canned, eggs, sardines, frozen raw or dehydrated to their kibble every meal.

Yes, separating them as much as possible is a good idea to avoid separation anxiety in the future. One of mine has a lot more trouble being separated from his brother than the other. I actually think he’s glad to “get away” sometimes. LOL!

[crazy4cats]

Yes, please share some pics. I’m not sure how to add pictures on the forum, but fairly easy on the review site. I think some use photo bucket on the forum. I have brothers that are litter mates also. They are 3/4 lab and 1/4 golden retriever. Talk about a handful! Won’t do that again. But, they are almost three and things have settled down. They are like human brothers. Very jealous of each other, but can hardly stand to be apart! Sounds like you are doing great. Thanks for sharing.

[crazy4cats]

Hey Travis-
Sounds like you got a great deal! I’ve never used the food, but wondering if you checked out the Zach’s thread on the review side of this site. There are other comments and others would probably like to see your review there as well. Congratulations, I hope it works out. Also, you might think about finding another food to rotate it with to keep their tummies healthy after you have transitioned them to this food. Are your boys litter mates?

[crazy4cats]

Hi-
Two of my cats I got as pretty young kittens and they are indoor only. When they do accidentally get out, they also go straight underneath a vehicle and hunker down. It’s so frustrating. They get so scared and it’s hard to get them out. This hasn’t happened for quite some time (knock on wood). I keep collars on all four of my kitties now. I didn’t used to because I was afraid they would catch on something and strangle them. But…after one of our kitties disappeared a few years ago without a collar or chip, I decided I’d take the risk of keeping a collar on them. I can’t quit thinking that if maybe I had some ID on her, she could have found her way home. Unfortunately, I think it was a coyote that got her. She was 11 when she disappeared so she was very used to being outside. It was heart breaking. It still bothers me almost four years later. My cats don’t get to go outside anymore, but I have a kennel set up outside our back sliding glass door for them to get a little outside time. I had to take their bells off their collars because the sound gets the dogs too riled up. They think the cats are squeaky toys when they are running with bells on! LOL! The tags are expensive, but you will be glad when someone calls you if he gets out. They worked when my dogs got out a year ago. A neighbor stuck them in his small goat pen and gave us a call. Hallelujah!

[crazy4cats]

Hi Zach-
You might want to check out the down load that Betsy mentioned above. The see Sport Live Longer for $2.95. There are some good recommendations in that little book for people that feed kibble.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Zach-

I remember either hearing or reading something that said that if you are feeding eggs as a topper to kibble to not feed the shells as it will cause the meal to be out of balance with too much calcium. But, to only feed with the shells when it is part of a homemade diet to increase calcium levels to where they need to be.

I’m sure you will get more opinions. You just have to do your research and experiment with what you think is best.

Good luck!

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