Sign in or Register
Search Forums
Recent Topics
-
free SVG files
by
Diana Malets
1 day, 2 hours ago -
IGGM ā About How To Get More CFB 26 Coins Fast
by
RyujiSaeki RyujiSaeki
1 day, 6 hours ago -
IGGM ā Get College Football 26 Coins With A Discount
by
abnerdd abnerdd
1 day, 9 hours ago -
What happen with my dog?
by
Liam Wonka
1 day, 12 hours ago -
eld.gg Diablo 4 Items: Whether youāre starting a new seasonal character
by
Kongyawen yawen
2 days, 8 hours ago
Recent Replies
-
Hazel fadi on Food mix recommendations and homemade food book recommendations?
-
Ellen Helen on Wordle Unlimited: The Addictive Word Game That Never Ends
-
shrew kppu on Frontier pets affiliate link
-
Liam Wonka on What happen with my dog?
-
lobster kkmu on Affordable Booklet Printing Company
-
Hazel fadi on Dog food Recommendation?
-
Alex Seen on How PETG Film is Revolutionizing Eco-Friendly Packaging Materials
-
ZHURAVEL ANDRIY on My Standard Poodle has only one kidney
-
ZHURAVEL ANDRIY on My Standard Poodle has only one kidney
-
Jammy Lee on Path of Exile 3.26: Secrets Of Atlas New Content
-
Jammy Lee on EZG.com: An Excellent Game Trading Website
-
Jammy Lee on Wordle Unlimited: The Addictive Word Game That Never Ends
-
Alice Adams on Homemade dog food questions
-
April Oder on Food mix recommendations and homemade food book recommendations?
-
Alex Seen on Low Sodium Fresh or wet food? Help pls
Christie B
Forum Replies Created
-
AuthorPosts
-
June 19, 2019 at 4:24 pm in reply to: Farmers Dog..anyone feed this? #140985 Report Abuse Edit Post Visibility
Christie B
MemberOK, I just visited their siteā¦$460/ mo. to feed my two dogs. I mean I wish I had money like that to spend. But I was also concerned about the ingredients. A lot of Legumes and Potatoes
Turkey, Parsnips, Chickpeasā¦
Crude Protein 9% min
Crude Fat 5% min
Crude Fiber 1.5% max
Moisture 72% maxBeef, Lentils, Sweet Potatoā¦
Crude Protein 11% min
Crude Fat 8% min
Crude Fiber 1.7% max
Moisture 66% maxPork, Sweet Potato, Potatoā¦
Crude Protein 11% min
Crude Fat 7% min
Crude Fiber 1% max
Moisture 72% maxJune 19, 2019 at 4:04 pm in reply to: Same Food, Loose Stools #140973 Report Abuse Edit Post VisibilityChristie B
MemberJoanne ā right now they eat Merrick Classic Beef Recipe Kibble with Merrick Big Texas Steak Tips Canned as a topper (I split the can between the two of them).
I usually buy the biggest bag and then if there havenāt been any issues, then I buy another and then rotate afterwards.
The previous rotation was Canidae Multi-Protein All Life Stages Kibble. Both dogs hated itā¦I had to sprinkle a bit of cheese on it just to get them to eat. It was a total waste.
Before that it was Instinct by Natureās Variety Be Natural Chicken & Brown Rice
The rotation before that was Blue Buffalo Adult Lamb & Brown Rice Formula.
The rotation before that was ProPlan Large Breed Senior Bright Mind (I had my 4 year old dog finishing the bag of Blue Buffalo Lamb). Surprisingly, my big guy wasnāt a fan of the Purina ProPlan formula, so I only used the 1 bag before switching.
I started to keep a record of when his drooling episodes occurred, to see if there was a pattern.
3/2- Purina (chicken) , 3/9 Purina (chicken) , 4/11 (turkey), 5/15 Canidae (multi protein)/Be Natural (Chicken) during transitioningI may have missed one or two in between, but they only seem to occur 1-2 times per month.
Iām pretty sure he had an episode while on the current Merrick Beef and Green Peas w/ Ancient Grains
I avoid chicken now (which is hard because it seems like so many formulas list chicken as a secondary protein ingredient).
I try to stick to beef or fish since they donāt generally add chicken. I also try to limit potatoes because my vet told me that they can be hard to digest and lead to stomach upset. Iām not quite sold on Merrick using Peas as their 3rd ingredient. Iād prefer it to be lower on the list.
I have a storage container with a lid to help keep the food fresh. I used to dump the food in directly, but I learned that itās better to keep it in the original bag and put the bag inside the container in case any issues with recalls come up so you can check the bag for the manufacturing info. The only time I noticed ābadā food was a bag of Purina Pro Plan from like 9 years ago when my dog was a pup. I didnāt notice until the container was almost empty, but it was infested with Pantry Moths and larvae/worms. Unsightly but harmless.
-
This reply was modified 6 years ago by
Christie B.
-
This reply was modified 6 years ago by
Christie B.
June 14, 2019 at 3:13 pm in reply to: Same Food, Loose Stools #140643 Report Abuse Edit Post VisibilityChristie B
MemberNot quite sure what I have all figured out since my question was about whether eating the same food for long periods of time can cause stomach issues.
If itās about the grass eating, I added it to specify that in addition to eating grass to induce vomiting when their stomachs are upset (which for my 1 dog is 1-2 times per month and the other almost never has any issues), my dogs usually eat grass daily. Which is something I had the vet check out and confirm that they were healthy and it was fine.
But thank you for the Fromm recommendation! Is there a particular Fromm formula that works best for you?
Christie B
MemberIāve had the worms in the bag of Purina food! I store my food in a plastic container with a lid and I was surprised to randomly find a moth fly out every so often when I opened it to feed my dog. It wasnāt until I got to the bottom of the bag that I finally noticed the small wriggly waxworms crawling about.
So the waxworms turn into Flour or Meal Moths and they generally find their way into food during packaging and storage. It can happen with an brand of food. Each female moth can lay up to 400 eggs. And when the conditions are right, your food is infested with worms. And they eat the food over the course of 2-3 months the chow down on the kibble until they cocoon for 2 weeks and emerge as moths. And the cycle continues.
Itās not a ādog foodā issue. Almost every grain silo worldwide has insect issues, including Meal moths. Most are treated with food grade Diatomaceous Earth or something equivalent. Itās not that the food is spoiled. Itās that some insect got dumped into the bag along with the kibble, settled down and decided to have a family.
It only take one female to ruin a bag of food. The worms are harmless, but I wouldnāt make my dog eat them.
Petco did refund me the bag of food.
June 14, 2019 at 2:19 pm in reply to: Same Food, Loose Stools #140640 Report Abuse Edit Post VisibilityChristie B
MemberI already discussed grass eating with my vet. Some dogs just like to eat grass he said, his dogs included. However, he cautioned that if you have a dog that normally does not eat grass, then eating grass is a sign that the dog has a stomach issue and is trying to induce vomiting.
My motherās dog never ate grass. But all of a sudden sheās eating grass, vomiting, eating more grass, vomiting, licking floors/carpetā¦
She needed surgery because she had an intestinal blockage. Turns out she was sneaking in the back room and started to literally eat the fibers of a throw rug. The vet saved the contents of her stomach. It was unreal how much stuff was in there. It literally looked like she had swallowed a mop head.
But my dogs have always eaten grass. Actually, my 1 dog always ate grass from the time I adopted him. When I adopted my other dog 6 years later, she never ate grass (she was 14 weeks old when I adopted her). She would follow my older guy around and do what he did. She started to copy his grass eating habits. Now they go out togetherā¦itās amusing to watch.
And yes, theyāve also eaten it with an upset stomach to induce vomiting or Iāll notice it in their poop.
But sometimes theyāre just hanging out in the backyard running around and playing and wind up wandering over to some taller blades that the lawnmower missed and lazily chew away.
My vet said itās fine as long as their blood results are good and they appear to be eating fine. And when my big guy has an upset stomach episode I can tell by his body language that itās going to be a bad night for him
May 23, 2019 at 9:03 am in reply to: Leaving Wet Food Out for Feral Cat #138709 Report Abuse Edit Post VisibilityChristie B
MemberI did speak to animal control. I confirmed that his left ear was tipped and they told me 99% of the time that itās a neutered feral cat. They donāt trap unless itās for sterilization, not just to check for a microchip since the chance that itās a pet is pretty slim. And they said that since the cat is bolting immediately upon seeing me, that heās probably feral.
I guess, if anything, I can leave dry food out instead of wet. I have a deck box I can place it on top of (it prevented the opossum from getting at the food).
May 16, 2019 at 2:51 pm in reply to: Cat who hates wet food #137790 Report Abuse Edit Post VisibilityChristie B
Membercrazy4cats- Iāve tried both Friskies and Fancy Feast⦠no luck. I had asked my vet after my catās hospital stay if he had to be on a specific urinary health formula and she said no. She didnāt think crystals were the culprit, but wanted to be cautious and add more hydration to his diet.
I do have a fountain that my cats and dogs drink from.
@Bobby dog- no they were the cat soups/bisques in pouches.For the past 2-3 months, a stray cat has wandered through my backyard at night. He comes and goes, often 3-4 visits from 11pm-6am. A FB community I belong to regarding feral and stray cats asked me to put out food to lure him to my back door to see if his ear is tipped. I did and now heās always looking for a midnight snack.
I buy Petsmartās store brand for the feral, usually a variety pack of chunks in gravy. I put the food outside around 11.
My cat is very interested in the smell when I open the cans. Last night, I put the bowl down and he went to town on the food. I put out another bowl for the stray outside.I tried feeding him the same food this morning, he wasnāt as interested. Iām at a loss.
And it doesnāt help that sometimes Mr. Stray decides to not visit, so I wind up wasting a can of food on him too.
May 15, 2019 at 11:02 pm in reply to: Grain Free (Topic 3) #137746 Report Abuse Edit Post VisibilityChristie B
MemberOn the topic of āthe big 4ā, I think itās important to go beyond the parent company and look at the ingredients on the bag to determine what food you should buy. Some product lines within a company are better than others. I donāt think you can rank Dog Chow the same as Pro Plan or Pedigree the same as Nutro.
Ingredients are important. 3 Chicken Formula Dry Food Ingredients Lists:
GROUND WHOLE GRAIN CORN, POULTRY BY-PRODUCT MEAL (SOURCE OF GLUCOSAMINE AND CHONDROITIN SULFATE), CORN GLUTEN MEAL, ANIMAL FAT (SOURCE OF OMEGA 6 FATTY ACIDS [PRESERVED WITH BHA & CITRIC ACID]), MEAT AND BONE MEAL (SOURCE OF CALCIUM), SOYBEAN MEAL, GROUND WHOLE GRAIN WHEAT, BREWERS RICE, NATURAL FLAVOR, CHICKEN BY-PRODUCT MEAL, DRIED PLAIN BEET PULP, SALT, CALCIUM CARBONATE, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, CHOLINE CHLORIDE, DRIED PEAS, ZINC SULFATE, DL-METHIONINE, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE, VITAMIN E SUPPLEMENT, NIACIN [VITAMIN B3], BIOTIN, DRIED CARROTS, L-TRYPTOPHAN, BHA & CITRIC ACID (A PRESERVATIVE), BLUE 2, YELLOW 5, YELLOW 6, d-CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE [SOURCE OF VITAMIN B5], RIBOFLAVIN SUPPLEMENT [VITAMIN B2], RED 40, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE [VITAMIN B6], COPPER SULFATE, SODIUM SELENITE, POTASSIUM IODIDE, VITAMIN A SUPPLEMENT, THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], VITAMIN B12 SUPPLEMENT, VITAMIN D3 SUPPLEMENT, FOLIC ACID
Chicken, brewers rice, poultry by-product meal (source of glucosamine), corn gluten meal, whole grain wheat, whole grain corn, oat meal, medium-chain triglyceride vegetable oil, pea fiber, dried egg product, natural flavor, fish oil, barley, fish meal (source of glucosamine), L-Arginine, mono and dicalcium phosphate, potassium chloride, salt, Vitamin E supplement, potassium citrate, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, manganese sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, calcium pantothenate, Vitamin B-12 supplement, copper sulfate, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, garlic oil, folic acid, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, choline chloride, and sodium selenite
Chicken, Chicken Meal, Pearled Barley, Brown Rice, White Rice, Oatmeal, Beet Pulp, Chicken Fat, Menhaden Fish Meal, Flaxseed, Dried Whole Egg, Cheese, Brewers Dried Yeast, Salt, Calcium Sulfate, Potassium Chloride, Monocalcium Phosphate, DL-Methionine, L-Tryptophan, Taurine, Chicory Root Extract, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Sodium Selenite, Sorbic Acid (Preservative), Vitamins, Minerals, Probiotics.
So the first one is a mess of āpoor qualityā ingredients and artificial colors. I would give that food a hard pass every day. In fact, I know someone with a Lab who has fed this food for the dogās entire life. This 10 year old has a lot of joint and mobility issues.
The second one has the dreaded by-product label (at least itās poultry and not āmeatā ) and lots of grains. Fish meal can be found a ways down the list for a boost of glucosamine.
The third has chicken and chicken meal as the first two ingredients, a plus for sure⦠and then Barley, rice, more rice and oatmeal followā¦not ideal.
Are any of these GREAT food choices?
Every single time I go to the pet store, I wander the aisles reading ingredients lists. All I see are legumes and potatoes. Are they causing DCM? Thereās no concrete evidence one way or the other yet. Was the my dog doing fine on Chicken and Rice for the first few years of his life before I found this website and gasped at the low rating his food received? Absolutely. Did I switch the grain free after reading through these forums? Sure did. Has he done ok with switch, all these years later? Nope. Heās developed allergies and sensitivities. But is it because of grain free formulas? I havenāt found concrete evidence proving that x and y caused the issues.
Itās a learning process to find what works best for your dog. Some canāt have grains, some can. My vet suggests feeding him boiled chicken and white rice when heās not feeling well. Is my vet stupid or just telling me what he knows from his 30+ years of experience might help my dog. Has he called grain free food evil? No, but he cautions against it only because the inclusion of legumes and potatoes are ārelativelyā new to animal nutrition and there isnāt enough research and studies done to prove that they are safe in the long term.
He told me that heās always given his dogs Pro Plan but have never pushed me to purchase any of the big 4 brands. In fact, he said the best thing I can do is read the ingredients list myself. And to transition food properly. And if my dog has issues after eating 1-2 bags of a food, to look at the current ingredients and find a food thatās different.
Christie B
MemberUgh. I was afraid of that. I originally did copy the post (I always do when I post because every once in a while it doesnāt go through). But I was at work when I wrote this post and after I copied it, I got distracted by a customer and then I copied something else to send in a text to a coworker, before realizing that there was a problem with my forum post.
It was such a long post too.
March 14, 2019 at 9:47 pm in reply to: Lipoma and odd Vet Exam #132667 Report Abuse Edit Post VisibilityChristie B
Memberanon, I did specifically ask for the vet I trusted. I was completely surprised when a different vet walked in the door. Had they told me that they were switching me when they called to confirm the appointment, I would have rescheduled.
If the doctor wanted to come to work so badly after having shoulder surgery then they should have made sure to stick her with smaller, easier to manage animals.
I thought about emailing the vet I wanted, so I could relay all of my concerns that werenāt addressed. Maybe heāll do the right thing and do another exam himself.
February 15, 2019 at 11:03 am in reply to: Feeding Guidelines w/ Added Toppers #130961 Report Abuse Edit Post VisibilityChristie B
MemberYeah, I put the majority of the recipe topper in the freezer. Maybe Iāll be able to use it for my other dog in the future. As for my big guy, he was mopey this morning and gulping, coughing and shaking his head and rubbing his face and sure enough when I checked his earsā¦yeast infection.
It doesnāt seem to matter what food I put him on. I try different proteins, grains, grain free, limited ingredientsā¦.it makes my head spin. I try a new foodā¦seems great. A few weeks later back to the drawing board. It seems to get worse with age.
Do I really go back and try the low quality brand he ate years ago with no issues? Do some dogs just not do well on good quality food?
These are the ingredients for the vet recommended food:
Chicken, brewers rice, poultry by-product meal (source of glucosamine), corn gluten meal, whole grain wheat, whole grain corn, oat meal, medium-chain triglyceride vegetable oil, pea fiber, dried egg product, natural flavor, fish oil, barley, fish meal (source of glucosamine), L-Arginine, mono and dicalcium phosphate, potassium chloride, salt, Vitamin E supplement, potassium citrate, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, niacin, Vitamin A supplement, manganese sulfate, thiamine mononitrate, calcium pantothenate, Vitamin B-12 supplement, copper sulfate, riboflavin supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, garlic oil, folic acid, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, choline chloride, and sodium selenite
I hate to try it, but I hate how the Benedryl my vet recommends for the symptoms knocks him out. He sleeps during the day while Iām at work, I donāt want him conked out when Iām home to play with him. And he absolutely hates when I have to clean out his ears. The more I try to make the healthier choice, the more it backfires.
Is it bad to try and see?
February 14, 2019 at 7:52 pm in reply to: Feeding Guidelines w/ Added Toppers #130953 Report Abuse Edit Post VisibilityChristie B
MemberEh, I donāt know if the current topper that I made is going to work. Dogs love it, yeaterday after dinner, my dog started to lick his chops and drool. I gave him a Pepcid and thankfully he didnāt go full blown miserable drool machine. He slept fine, and ate his food this morning. Then right before I left for work, I notice that he was doing that gulping/Iām about to vomit motions. So I let him out and he made a beeline for dead grass to eat. I felt bad needing to leave, but have him Pepcid and crosses my fingers that I wouldnāt have to clean up vomit when I got back home. I checked on him periodically through the day with the pet cam. He was excited to see me when I got home. Fed him, but used a bit of canned salmon instead of the homemade food. And a short time ago he made the vomit gagging routine but no vomit.
Maybe the toppers are too rich for him to stomach.
Back to the drawing board.
February 10, 2019 at 2:04 pm in reply to: Wet food vs Dry Kibble #130765 Report Abuse Edit Post VisibilityChristie B
MemberSusan,
I went to Judy Morganās youtube channel/. Walking around the supermarket today, I noticed that bonesless chicken thighs and trimmed cubed steak were on sale, so I decided to try her stew receipe. Couldnāt fit EVERYTHING she puts in it into my Insta Pot/Slow Cooker. But since hers is balanced as a meal and Iām using it as a topper that it should be okay as it.
I used: The chicken thighs, cubed steak and some chicken livers (I was looking for gizzards and hearts, but they were out of stock). Red Cabbage, Butternut Squash, Zucchini, Pears, Blueberries, Lemon, Parsley, Broccoli Florets, Red Bell Pepper- She basically says to use all colors of the rainbow. I did buy the Kale she used in hers, but it didnāt fit in the pot.I have it set for 4 hours on the slow cooker setting, to give some time to take a portion out to let it cool before dinner. I used 5 cups of water so hopefully Iāll get a good amount of broth to freeze. Iāll have to remove the meat and shred it all then mix it back with the fruits and veggies and hopefully the moisture will soften the kibble and make it more palatable.
Since the kibble is nutritionally balanced, I donāt have to worry about missing anything. Iāll have to see if itās more economical than canned food as a topper. If 1 can = 2-3 meals between the two dogs, then Iād need 5-7 cans per week. Thatās roughly $15-21 on a decent brand canned food @ $3 a can.
February 8, 2019 at 11:27 am in reply to: petco whole hearted #130645 Report Abuse Edit Post VisibilityChristie B
MemberI think Joanne meant that dogs tend to be allergic to the animal protein and not the grains. And that grain free foods use grain substitutes like legumes and potatoes, which are also foods wolves typically wouldnāt eat.
Although some dogs can display intolerance to anything in their food, including grains.
I know my dog doesnāt do well with lentils, chickpeas, or peas if theyāre listed too high on the ingredients list.
February 8, 2019 at 11:10 am in reply to: Wet food vs Dry Kibble #130644 Report Abuse Edit Post VisibilityChristie B
MemberHi Susan,
Thanks for the recipes. Iād prefer to make my own toppers and put my crockpot to use. If I donāt put anything on their kibble and leave it out, theyāll eventually get hungry enough to eat it. Today, I really confused them. I was running late to work so I put a whole large carrot in each bowl as both a ātopperā and a daytime ātreatā and I just peeked in on them 2 hours later on my petcam and neither bowl has been touched yet.
I bet by the time I get home later tonight, there will be carrot bits all over my carpet.
I used to boil (which Iāve been told time and time again kills the nutrients) skinless, boneless chicken thighs, but my big guy has food intolerance. I find a food thatās 5 star rated, and they hate it and refuse to eat it. I go back to my least favorite Blue Buffalo kibble and they gobble it right up. So I decide not to fight it, because there are worse foods out there. And both dogs devoured it up , no toppers needed. I was amazed. I went through a bag of Chicken. But I wanted something senior or large breed for my 10 year old, and they have a Senior Large Breed but itās chicken and if I stay too long with one protein, issues arise. So I tried their Large Breed Adult Lamb and their regular Adult lamb. Dogs loved it for a few days, but then didnāt show much interest. Had to add a topper. Now not even through 1/4 of the bag, the itching starts. Itās a big bag. Is it the lamb? Ugh. Itās a never ending cycle of trial and error. Iām watching him for the next few days to see if itās a fluke.
If itās not and I have to switch him to another food, maybe fish this time, how terrible would it be to feed my smaller dog the large breed bag of lamb so I donāt waste it all? Sheās about 45-50 lbs. (though she should probably be 35-40 at ideal weight).
Any brand have a senior large breed fish kibble? The BB senior and large breed guaranteed analysis % were similar, I just went with the large breed for the extra chondroitin and glucosamine
February 7, 2019 at 1:58 pm in reply to: Purina might buy champion pet foods #130585 Report Abuse Edit Post VisibilityChristie B
MemberDidnāt Nestle buy out Merrick a few years ago as well?
February 6, 2019 at 10:56 pm in reply to: Unexplained dog deaths #130541 Report Abuse Edit Post VisibilityChristie B
MemberI donāt even know why you havenāt seen your puppy in 2 daysā¦where was it? Donāt you feed it 2-3 times a day?
I can understand postponing annual wellness exams a few months because of losing a job. But an medical emergency, like the one youāre describing, requires vet assistance immediately. If you canāt afford to treat a dog that is that sick, then you should consider surrendering it to a rescue or organization that can get it the help it needs. What youāre describing doesnāt sound like something that will resolve itself on itās own. Pale gums are an indicator that something is seriously wrong. Inability to stand, sit upright, or walk is an indicator that something is seriously wrong. This dog needs medical attention before itās too late.
Christie B
MemberThanks.
Iāve been researching different ways to introduce and transition to raw (or at the very least away from kibble to something canned or refrigerated). Cost is killer. Two dogs, weighing 120 lbs and 45-50 lbs, equate to a lot of food.
My vet is 110% against raw diets, even long term cooked diets. Heās all Purina Pro Plan, all the time. He doesnāt even like that Iāve given my dogs supplements since normal kibble has everything theyād possible need.
February 5, 2019 at 9:30 pm in reply to: Dog food suggestions for senior dog and large breed puppy #130444 Report Abuse Edit Post VisibilityChristie B
MemberHi madima,
I have a 120 lb. 10 year old American Bulldog mix and 4 year old 45-50 lb. Catahoula mix. Like your two dogs, they have different nutritional needs. Iāve tried to find a food that both can eat (since they literally will investigate each otherās food bowls during feeding time).
My senior dog had had issues with chicken and itās really hard to find a Large breed Senior formula that doesnāt use chicken. And the ones that do are grain free and tend to use lentils or chickpeas in the first 5 ingredients and my dog winds up with stomach issues when he eats food with those ingredients. He did okay on CANIDAE Grain-Free PURE Meadow Senior Formula for a while.
I havenāt had a puppy in a while so I canāt recommend any large breed puppy formulas.
As for toppers, I rotate between canned salmon or sardines, eggs, boiled boneless chicken thighs or sometimes canned dog food [type thatās 96% *insert protein form*] when itās on sale⦠not too much of it because Iām trying get these guys to lose some lbs. I used to buy Stella & Chewyāa meal mixers or Instinct Rawboost mixers, but they were just too expensive in the long run.
January 31, 2019 at 11:44 am in reply to: Grain-free diets linked to heart disease? #130243 Report Abuse Edit Post VisibilityChristie B
MemberIāve been on a crazy food journey with my dog. When I first adopted him 9 years ago, the kill shelter that I got him from tole me that he was full grown (40 pounds). That was far from the truth as heās currently 120 pounds. My vet suggested Purina Pro Plan Large Breed Puppy for two years, followed by Pro Plan Large Breed Adult. My dog always had issues though with loose stools and itchy skin/biting paws/ear infections. I transitioned him to Blue Buffalo Large Breed Fish kibble and he did really well. Then I read about grain free and how it was so much better, so I came to this site to find the best foods. I read all these comments regarding Blue Buffalo and quickly started to look at their ā 5 star rated grain freeā foods.
Iāve tried them all.
Iāve given each of them at least 6 months with proper transitioning. I always had issues. Iād go to the vet, heād tell me to go off of the grain free and go back to Purina. But I can read the bag myself and it doesnāt look healthy at all. Blood results were normal. Iāve tried different proteins (chicken seemed to cause more issues). TOTW, Nutro, Instinct, Merrick, Solid Gold, Fromms, the list goes long.
I canāt even say that it has anything to do with grain free. Only, heās been off it for a few months now and heās eating right, has firm stools, and no skin issues. Iām at a loss. I explicitly chose foods from the 5 star list and now his food is rated 3.5 stars and heās doing well, but I feel guilty giving him something perceived as ānot goodā.
@Patti_S ā I do like the 96% single protein canned foods. I rotate using them as a topper with some canned salmon.
January 27, 2019 at 7:54 am in reply to: Looking for a good Skin and Coat Sup #130117 Report Abuse Edit Post VisibilityChristie B
MemberChewing paws could point to an allergy or sensitivity to something in her food. After years of trial and error with sampling foods, I realized that my dog Chance would do well on any foodā¦for a while. But after a while (usually on my 2nd or 3rd bag of the same food), he would start chewing on his feet, shaking his head, licking his legs, drooling excessively. My vet said allergies and told me to give him Benedryl.
I found out that if I switched his food to a different animal protein after 2 bags, or whenever I saw him start to chew his paws, (always transitioning properly) the chewing would stop.
January 26, 2019 at 6:55 pm in reply to: Mature/All Ages/Large Breed #130108 Report Abuse Edit Post VisibilityChristie B
Member@susan, I walked through Petco and looked at practically every bag of food they had. All the large breed formulas were chicken based. Almost all of the senior formulas were chicken based. The only one I could find is Nutro lamb based senior food.
What kind of issues did your dog have with Nutro brand?
And would you choose a large breed formula over a senior formula?
Petcoās resident āfood expertā asked what I was looking for when I went there the other day. I told him that Iām trying to transition away from chicken for the next rotation. They didnāt have a senior formula that wasnāt chicken based, but he showed me a Merrick bag that was high in protein and had 1200 mg/kg Glucosamine and 1200 mg/kg Chondroitin. I bought a small bag, just to see. I mixed a tiny bit in with their regular food. Neither dogs were interested at all, but eventually ate some of it. They literally turned away from the open bag.
But the gas was bad afterwardsā¦both of them. So bad. I think it was too rich. Most of the āseniorā formula labels had proteins at around 22-26% and fat at 10-12%. Merrickās was 38% protein, 17% fat. I liked that it had the Glucosamine and Chondroitin, but I think the fat content was too high.
Iām not even going to bother continuing with it.
January 21, 2019 at 4:53 pm in reply to: Mature/All Ages/Large Breed #129923 Report Abuse Edit Post VisibilityChristie B
Member@Susan Thanks for the advise. So far so good with his mobility. He still runs around and is pretty agile for a 10 year old large breed. I worry mostly about his front right leg, which is bowlegged. It doesnāt cause him any pain to stand or walk on it and he runs fine. I give him a senior Mobility Bites and Turmeric Curcumin supplements by zesty paws as a preventative.
The Mobility bites have 450mg of glucosamine HCL, 100mg of chondroitin sulfate and 5mg of hyaluronic acid per chew and he takes 3 per day.My dog get sick whenever lentils or chickpeas are in the first few ingredients, so itās hard finding a food that works (that heāll actually eat). It was the biggest reasons I switched to Blue Buffalo. Most of the grain free recipes have chickpeas or lentil as a main ingredient.
I guess I could always try to feed the two dogs in two different rooms, but every single time they leave like 1/4 of their food and then sniff around and eat each otherās.
Iām trying to rotate proteins because we start to have issues once we stay on one too long. Weāre just about done with chicken and I see the Pure Meadow lists chicken as the first ingredient.
I literally walked through Petsmart on Friday and read every label. So many grain free formulas listed lentils or chickpeas within the top four ingredients and when I found one that listed something like sweet potatoes, the main protein was chicken.
I was hoping to find something like lamb or duck. I know Merrick makes High Protein formulas, but Iāve heard some not so nice things about the brand. It rates good on this site. And I thought Merrick was going to run itās operation independently from Nestle Purina. But I could be wrong. The internet is filled with conflicting stories. But at this point, if the food is decent and itās working for the dogs, I should give it a try, right?
I hear horror stories about Blue Buffalo and Merrick on this site. Iād love to find a food that can be found in a local store like Petco or Petsmart (I live near both).
January 17, 2019 at 8:18 pm in reply to: Mature/All Ages/Large Breed #129802 Report Abuse Edit Post VisibilityChristie B
Member@InkedMarie, Iām not exactly a fan of BB myself, but it seems to be the one brand that causes the least issues with my dog.
Over the past 10 years Iāve tried many of the brands recommended from this site: Wellness, Merrick, TOTW, Canidae, Acana, Instinct, Whole Earth Farms, Nuloā¦
Blue Buffalo is the only one they seem to want to eat. It drives me a bit crazy. But considering my vet keeps pushing Purina Pro Plan, BB seems like a step up from that.
My big guy isnāt overweight but losing a few pounds couldnāt hurt. The rep was saying that Adult formula has more protein than Senior food and as dogs age they require less protein. And since heās over 100 pounds, he should be on a large breed formula.
December 22, 2018 at 7:10 pm in reply to: Grain Free Food vs. Blue Buffalo #128653 Report Abuse Edit Post VisibilityChristie B
MemberThanks for the suggestions.
I had previously known what anon101 pointed out, but that didnāt factor in my decision to switch from grain free. And as dr. tim pointed out, allergies are to a specific protein in the food.
All I know is that he was fine when eating Blue Buffalo, but the reviews on this site (and others) steered me away. And I tried a variety of foods, and different proteins, to see what would work. And for 3 years none of them did. And I always stuck to 5 star rated foods from this site.
I just wasnāt sure if there was something in grain free foods that was used as a grain substitute that he could have been sensitive to.
Heās been back to Blue Buffalo for almost six months now with no issues. I was just curious why the ābetterā foods didnāt work well for him.
Christie B
MemberYouāre right. I started writing something else and didnāt correct that sentence. My vet said 1mg per 1 lb. body weight. He said since my dog is so big to go out to Costcoās and buy a big bottle of human Benedryl because heād need 5 pills twice daily. So yes, my mistake, he want me to give him 250 mg per day. I just think itās a lot, but all internet searches show the 1 mg per 1 lb. dosage.
Once, when his itching was very bad, I gave him 3 pills. The itching stopped but he was completely lethargic for hours. I know when I take 1 pill, Iān ready for a nap a short time later. I didnāt trust going the 3-5 pill route in the morning when Iād have to leave him home alone to go to work.
-
This reply was modified 6 years ago by
-
AuthorPosts
Sign in or Register
Search Forums
Recent Topics
-
free SVG files
by
Diana Malets
1 day, 2 hours ago -
IGGM ā About How To Get More CFB 26 Coins Fast
by
RyujiSaeki RyujiSaeki
1 day, 6 hours ago -
IGGM ā Get College Football 26 Coins With A Discount
by
abnerdd abnerdd
1 day, 9 hours ago -
What happen with my dog?
by
Liam Wonka
1 day, 12 hours ago -
eld.gg Diablo 4 Items: Whether youāre starting a new seasonal character
by
Kongyawen yawen
2 days, 8 hours ago
Recent Replies
-
Hazel fadi on Food mix recommendations and homemade food book recommendations?
-
Ellen Helen on Wordle Unlimited: The Addictive Word Game That Never Ends
-
shrew kppu on Frontier pets affiliate link
-
Liam Wonka on What happen with my dog?
-
lobster kkmu on Affordable Booklet Printing Company
-
Hazel fadi on Dog food Recommendation?
-
Alex Seen on How PETG Film is Revolutionizing Eco-Friendly Packaging Materials
-
ZHURAVEL ANDRIY on My Standard Poodle has only one kidney
-
ZHURAVEL ANDRIY on My Standard Poodle has only one kidney
-
Jammy Lee on Path of Exile 3.26: Secrets Of Atlas New Content
-
Jammy Lee on EZG.com: An Excellent Game Trading Website
-
Jammy Lee on Wordle Unlimited: The Addictive Word Game That Never Ends
-
Alice Adams on Homemade dog food questions
-
April Oder on Food mix recommendations and homemade food book recommendations?
-
Alex Seen on Low Sodium Fresh or wet food? Help pls