[crazy4cats]

Hi Nona-
I agree with the other two posters. I don’t think you necessarily need to switch foods due to your dog being a senior. I think you need to find another food because it is healthy to rotate and add variety. And also to have another food to use in case you can’t get the current food. Like Marie said, seniors don’t necessarily need less protein like many senior foods have. They actually could use more high quality protein. Since your dog has been on the same food for so long, when you switch, you will have to transition very slowly. I’d also try to find something with similar fat and protein levels. I also really think that adding healthy toppers to dry food is a must. I use either canned, dehydrated, raw, eggs, cottage cheese, or sardines to every meal. Good luck!

[crazy4cats]

Well, now I’m confused. There is a veterinary royal canin formula actually called gastro fiber responsive that l have used. It was high fiber. But now that I re-read her post, she said my dog has fiber responsive diarrhea. So maybe fiber does cause her dog to have diarrhea and she is not using the fiber responsive food after all. My apologies. Hope she has it figured out! Lol!

[crazy4cats]

Actually, Sue, the fiber response Royal Canin is high fiber, not low. Its analysis is: Protein-21.5%, Fat – 14.5%, Fiber 12.5%. The average kibble is about 4%. This food has three times that much.

[crazy4cats]

How about Northwest Naturals?

[crazy4cats]

Hi Nicole-
The vet once prescribed this food for my pups also. It is so expensive for what is in the bag. My dogs were having loose stools as well. Turns out they had a terrible long lasting case of giardia. I assume that you have had a fecal test checking for parasites. If the high fiber helps your dog, you could always add it to another high quality food. You could add a little psyllium, chia seed or pumpkin to add fiber. If you decide to do this, please transition very slowly. I am currently feeding Victor grain free kibble. It contains montmorillonite clay which is known to help with loose stools. I have used different supplements that also help. I often use Gastriplex made by Thorne, Fruitables digestive supplement, Perfect Form made by the Honest Kitchen and probiotics that also help. There is a lot of information on dogaware.com for dogs with loose stools and intermittent diarrhea. Please let me know what you decide to do and how it goes. Good luck!

[crazy4cats]

Hi Judy-
I have been feeding Victor grain free to my dogs. I’m very happy with this food. I noticed that they also have a healthy weight food that looks promising. It is not grain free, however. It is a beef and rice formula. The guaranteed analysis is 27% protein, 11.5% fat, and 4.5% fiber. It is only 360 calories a cup. I wouldn’t hesitate to feed this to my dogs if they needed to drop some weight. There is also Premium Edge healthy weight dog food that looks great. But…it is manufactured by Diamond, who has had a string of recalls in one of their facilities in previous years. I fed the cat version of Premium Healthy Weight to my cats and they did great. But, I live in an area that has not been affected much by the recalls. There is also the option of feeding the dogs less! Or, cut back a little on the kibble and add a little canned to help make them feel fuller. Good luck with your pups!

[crazy4cats]

Chicken soup is manufactured by Simmons. 🙂

[crazy4cats]

Hi Ron-
I have heard of Vetri-Science, but not Vitality. But, I thought I would respond and bump up your post to see if anyone else can help. Good luck.

[crazy4cats]

Wow Naturella, and my family thinks my feeding schedule is complicated. That is awesome! Yes, we feed bully sticks and pig ears also as snacks. Forgot about those. Thanks for sharing!

[crazy4cats]

Hi-
Also check out Springtime garlic tablets or granules. Several regular posters on this site recommend as a holistic way to prevent fleas. Good luck!

[crazy4cats]

Hi weezerweeks-
How are those kittens doing? When you say subway, are you talking about a train type station, or a sandwich shop? Your situation reminds me of how I turned into a cat lady. I had a cat show up with her two kittens on my porch some twenty years ago. I’d never had even one cat before! She whisked them in behind our dryer and I was an instant cat mamma. Kittens are so adorable. They were probably only about 3 or 4 weeks old and already hissing at me. I kept all three and she was pregnant again before I knew it. We had another litter and I found homes for all of the new kittens and cried every time one left :(. I then got her fixed before she had more. But I don’t remember how long after she gave birth. Have you checked out any rescue groups in your area? They will usually take in a mom and kittens. I hope the mom works out for you. The poor thing! I get so mad at people’s treatment of cats. I’ve never seen one that I didn’t think was beautiful! I have rescued several also. Good luck!

[crazy4cats]

I know the feeling! This site is making me crazy too! Lol! Do you know how many calories that you feed per day? I feed mostly by calories. Most of the toppers I use are balanced and I can compute the calories, so it isn’t too bad. I use mostly canned, dehydrated, eggs, sardines and some raw nuggets. They do get a turkey neck about once amonth and a raw marrow bone once a week. I just count that as their snacks as I subtract a couple hundred calories from each to account for daily snacks as I have big dogs. I’d like to add more fresh as well, but like you not sure how much to add. I’ve been adding toppers for so long now that I could probably eye ball it though. They hardly have ever had just plain kibble. I actually have a chart on the wall in the garage on how much kibble to use depending on what topper is being fed that meal. I’m trying really hard to keep them lean as I’ve learned my lesson on other pets. Anyway, if you can compute total calories fed. Just are sure 80% is kibble because it sounds like you will be mostly using unbalanced toppers except for Honest Kitchen. BTW, you can buy raw nuggets add that are balanced also. Good luck!

[crazy4cats]

I believe that Nature’s Logic and Nature’s Variety don’t have peas. Mine don’t do well with peas either, but they do OK with Victor grain free as the sweet potatoes are the main binder and the peas are a little further down the list. When they are the main carb, their “output” is green. Yuck! Unfortunately, peas are getting to be a very popular ingredient. Good luck!

[crazy4cats]

Since, I have never used a retractable leash, please explain this. Can’t you lock it in place, so they can’t run off unless you let them. Don’t you have to push a button or something to give them free rein?

[crazy4cats]

Hi Sue B-
I’m curious, are your dogs hypo or hyper thyroid?

[crazy4cats]

Have you checked out Nature’s Logic? They use millet as their binder. I think it is a little cheaper, but still wouldn’t consider it as budget friendly.

[crazy4cats]

Hey Akari-
I get their monthly coupons, but they are for $1 off canned and $3 off dry. I thought I could only buy 1 can with the $1 coupon. Can I use it for more than one?

[crazy4cats]

Mine definitely shedding more now. But I thought it was typical due to temps finally rising.

[crazy4cats]

Yippee! Got my order today. I received all 4 boxes plus a bully stick to reach the minimum. Everything looks great. Still kinda wished I ordered more!

[crazy4cats]

Thanks for everyone’s concerns. We walk our dogs just about every day on a 6 foot leash with a prong collar. They still pull, especially if they see a cat or something! I was planning on using the retractable only when at the ocean where there are not many people. I do have long leads, but they are not automatic recoil. It’s funny how the people on the forum are answering differently than on the review side. LOL!

[crazy4cats]

Sorry, but I’ve tried just about everything with no success other than trying to pick it up right away. In fact it seems like the more digested and firm the stool is the more likely they’ll nibble. Yuck! They aren’t as bad as when they were puppies. But I still have to keep an eye on them. It’s so gross! I hope you have better luck than me.

[crazy4cats]

Jakes Mom-
They recently changed the packaging. Maybe the trial sizes on special were the old packaging that they are discontinuing. They still sell the 2 pound boxes on their site. They aren’t really considered samples as I have gotten samples from our feed store before when the vendor was there. They are much smaller. I haven’t got my order yet either. The tracking number they sent me said it would arrive on Friday. I sure hope I get everything that I ordered. I’ll let you know.

[crazy4cats]

So, I stopped by our local feed store today. They had Natures Variety Instinct 5.5 oz canned cat food at buy 2 get 1 free. I picked up 3 cans. I don’t think my cats have ever had it because its so expensive. I’m sure they will turn their noses up at it, but I’m hoping for the best! They like the cheap stuff better. Lol! I’m not sure if that special is being offered everywhere or not, but something to check out.

[crazy4cats]

Thanks, guys, I do understand the concerns. I’ve been reading up on them. I would never use them with our daily neighborhood walks. But thought on a beach, I could give them a little more freedom. I am worried they would take off running and break them though. Thanks for your input.

[crazy4cats]

Hey Akari-
I’m with you! I love goldfish also. I had a 50 pound tank a few years back with them. My favorite are the pearl scales. But, I also love shibunkins. They all ended up with some disease and I couldn’t save them. It was very sad. I just have a 20 gallon tank now with a beautiful angel, a few dwarf catfish and some black phantom tetras. But gold fish are still my favorite!

[crazy4cats]

Oh, how frustrating. I can’t even imagine trying to get a urine sample from one of my kitties. I wonder what is going on. I wish you luck.

[crazy4cats]

Yes, I use slippery elm for my dogs. I think it works very well. I’ve never used it by itself, however, always in a supplement. Right now I’m using Gastriplex made by Thorne. Also, ive used Perfect Form made by The Honest KitcheN and Phytomucil by Animal Essentials that also contain it. I think it really helps with loose stools with my two lab mix dogs. I’m not sure if they have leaky guts or IBS due to giardia parasites and many treatments of antibiotics to get rid of them. It’s funny you asked about it because I was thinking of starting a thread about it also. Only becasuse I worry about the long term usage of it. Also, I’ve read that plantain, DGL, and marshmallow root are also helpful. Dogaware.com has much info on the subject.mgood luck!

[crazy4cats]

I don’t think it would have been on the original list if it had any ingredients from china.

[crazy4cats]

I have a box of Thrive and don’t have any issues either. But, I don’t think it even contains alfalfa though. I think Patty’s right about them removing after the poster showed several pictures and responses from THK’s customer service. My guess is that it will be back on the list after they investigate. I ordered the sample boxes a few days ago. I’m hoping that they do not contain the alfalfa pieces like she was posting a while ago.

[crazy4cats]

I read on a previous reply that they do not explain why a food isn’t on the list. Only, that it didn’t meet their criteria at this time. I’m guessing that this is due to legal reasons. Most likely, avoiding any type of legal action from a company. But, again, that is just my guess. Now, to answer the other question. I am using the honest kitchen as a topper a couple times a week. I also think the texture is weird and looks and smells a little weird. But, my dogs eat it just fine. I’m trying to feed a variety of toppers with their kibble. This is a very convenient topper as all you do is scoop, add water and stir. It is a little expensive so I only use occasionally at this time. I’m not worried that it is not on the list at this time. My dogs do well with it. Good luck!

[crazy4cats]

Nice cook book.
At first, I thought they were recipes for dogs. I laughed out loud thinking that if I started making meals for the dogs that looked like that, my human family would be irate! Lol! None of our meals come even close to looking like that. They definitely are pretty dishes.

[crazy4cats]

I ordered some chews also to reach the limit for the deal. I’m sure my dogs will love them. They love everything! They really can’t have very many toys because they destroy them and sometimes swallow parts of them. I have been using The Honest Kitchen recently in the evening as a topper because I had an $8’off coupon. It’s very convenient. I just put 1/4 cup on top of kibble and add about 3/4 cup water and stir!

[crazy4cats]

Hi-
It’s so hard when you lose your favorite pet. Everyone is different too. I have friends that were so sad they had to wait for years to get a new pet. Me, when we lost our previous dog a few years back, our house was so sad and miserable, we just had to fill it with a new pup. Well, we got two new pups. LOL! Yikes, don’t ever get two at one time, BTW. It definitely took our minds off our loss. Did you get your new puppy yet? She’s so cute! What is her name? Best wishes.

[crazy4cats]

Tina-
My last few online orders have been from Petco. They have a lot of online specials and they also have their pet pals club where you get a $5 coupon for every $100 spent. I have bought my last couple bags of cat food and a case of canned dog food with no issues. Also have used Amazon and wag with no issues at all. It’s quite convenient. Go for it!

[crazy4cats]

Jakes’s mom-
Are you gonna just give him the turkey neck or will you cut it up and put in his food? I have done both and I think I am leaning towards cutting it up from now on. My dogs tend to be gulpers and they make me nervous when eating them whole. They, however, are a little difficult to cut up. I used some type of wire cutters to do it. We put vice grips on bully sticks when we feed those! I still have not got any hearts or gizzards yet.
Bobby dog-
If I remember correctly, on cat info, she recommends Forti Flora. That might not be your first choice, but if they like it, at least they will get some probiotic. I’m curious if my cats would drink kefir. I wouldn’t think so. My hyperthyroid kitty hasn’t shown any side effects from med yet, but she’s only been on it for a few months. She still vomits once in a while though. I found that I can’t feed her any type of canned with gravy or she brings it back up. It makes me feel bad. She’ll be 15 in August.

[crazy4cats]

Jakes mom-
Oh my gosh, a beagle/basset sounds adorable! We have a basset hound living two doors down from us. I’d never really seen one in person before. He’s so cute. I love to watch him walk! My dogs eat most everything too (they’re labs), but one of them actually spit out some raw broccoli and cauliflower the other day. He went in to the other room to do it. LOL! His brother, however, just ate them with no issue. I’ll have to chop it up and add to his food I guess. Just like I had to do with my human boys. I cut up a turkey neck to put in their kibble today. I guess that would qualify as a fresh meat day, wouldn’t it?

Akari-
I’m using the Wellness core duck and turkey (or whatever it is) right now also. My cats are doing fine on it. I have a much easier time switching foods with my cats than my dogs. It is expensive so I’ll prob only feed every third or fourth bag. I don’t mind having chicken in their kibble and I make sure no fish in the first at least three ingredients. Just nice having this food to have a break from both every now and then. Especially since most of their canned foods have chicken in them.

[crazy4cats]

Hi-
Shouldn’t the Fromm’s Family Classics be listed on the budget friendly list?

[crazy4cats]

Hi Guys-
So far, I’m giving my dogs two eggs twice a week each with their kibble, one can of sardines each once a week and I finely chopped up some broccoli and carrots the other night to add to their evening kong treat. I have not yet fed the meat hearts either and I have to come up with a more regular vege/fruit schedule. But, the eggs and sardines are a staple! I think the amounts on the chart are for once a week, so I probably could add another day of sardines. They are kind of expensive though. The ones they sell at Costco have olive oil. So, looking for a good place to buy them packed in water at a good price. I probably will continue just adding one of the items per day. I don’t plan on doing a whole day at one time. I like that it tells me exactly how much to give though. The chart states a little less calories than I usually feed. My dogs are not over weight though, so I guess I won’t worry too much about it. I give them a little canned every morning with their kibble and plan on adding a fresh food every night with their kibble. So far, so good!

[crazy4cats]

I saw that. And, I really like the way they listed all of the product lines that each brand makes now too. It definitely makes it easier to research the foods that way. Thank you!

[crazy4cats]

Jakes Mom-
Ok, I got it. My 14 year old cat has had a few teeth removed and she’s doing fine. My almost 3 year od pups have finally stopped chasing my 4 cats so much. I thought if I got them as young pups, they would get along better. Finally, they are settling down and leaving cats alone. A lot of people crinkle up their noses at me when I say I have 4 cats. Nice to know I’m not alone. Lol!

[crazy4cats]

Hi-
In my opinion and experience, it is safe to feed cat food to dogs as long as the fat level is not a lot higher than your dog is used to. Also, the calories are typically a little higher in cat food as well. Most likely due to the higher fat in most of their kibbles. It is not safe, however, to feed a cat dog food over a long period of time unless there is added taurine to the dog food. Have fun with your samples!

[crazy4cats]

Hi Cindy q-

First of all, have you had a fecal test at the vets yet? Sometimes parasites and worms can be the cause of loose stools. So, please rule that out first. Also try cutting back on the food a little. Maybe her growth has slowed down and does not need quite as much food any longer. Then… Have you tried adding any type of supplement to help? If neither one of the two first recommendations work, you could try to add supplements. I’ve used Perfect Form made by The Honest Kitchen, Gastriplex made by Thorne, Vetri-Pro BD made by Vetri Science, Fruitables Pumpkin Digestive Supplement and other digestive enzymes and probiotics that have helped. A website that was helpful to me when I was having these issues is dogaware.com. I wish you luck!

[crazy4cats]

Good luck Natasha!

[crazy4cats]

Hi Jakes’s mom-
Glad Benjamin is doing well. Is he a dog or cat?

[crazy4cats]

Maybe I’ll give the shredded chicken another shot. It just looks so much more real and natural than the pate stuff they love. If they don’t eat, I will mix in with pate then and see what happens. But, it’s usually about 11 or 12 hours later. I feed them at about 4 am when I get up for work and then again at 3 or 4pm when I get home. Do you think it still would be OK? I think I might get them more interested. Thanks!

[crazy4cats]

Wellness is already on the list.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Akari-
I also love when I find my cats in unexpected places. It always makes me smile. Except for the time when one of my cats had her head stuck in the spindles on our chair. And oh yes, or the time when she (same cat) got herself stuck in a mouse trap. LOL! Good thing she has 9 lives. Now about kibble, have you tried Earthborn? I’ve used both their with grain and without with success. Oops, I think there may be fish in those too. I don’t worry about it too much if it’s down on the ingredient label. Wellness Core turkey and duck formula does not contain fish, but it is expensive. I’m going to try Merrick Healthy weight next and it does not contain fish, but also not cheap. Good luck!

[crazy4cats]

Bobby dog-
I’m glad you are a little jealous of my new Trader Joes. Now you know how I feel when you guys all talk about the 4health canned cat and dog food at your dumb Tractor Supply stores. Lol!
I read in one of the above posts about someone’s cats not eating the shredded chicken in foods like Soulistic. Mine won’t either. Dang it. I was excited that it looked like a healthier food at a good price and they won’t eat it. Is there anything similar where the meat is more chopped than shredded that anyone has had luck with? I’d like to find something other than Pâté. Have a good night all!

[crazy4cats]

Hi Natasha-
Henry sounds adorable! The two kibbles recommended for weight loss most often on this site are Wellness Core weight management and Annament Lean. I have not used either, but maybe some others will chime in with their experience. Good luck!

[crazy4cats]

Also, on another note, we have a Trader Joe’s being built right now about 5 miles from my house. Woo Hoo!

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