[RescueDaneMom]

karink- Nutrisca may not be on the list for several reasons. It is possible that the company did not get back with her when she reached out to them for the “actual” calcium and phosphorous levels. It is also possible that they did give her the actual levels and they were too high to be included on the list. I would choose a food from HDM’s list that is potato-free rather than using Nutrisca. I’m sure HDM didn’t include it for a reason.

Regarding why a food may or may not be on this list. The criteria used is this:
-Rated at least 4 stars by the Dog Food Advisor.
-No more than 3.5 g. calcium per 1,000 kcal.
-Labeled for “growth” or “all life stages.”
If a food is not on the list,they either did not meet the criteria or they did not provide HDM with the “actual” levels (not the min stated on the bag or website) of calcium and phosphorous when she contacted them.

Regarding protein, it is not a criteria for the list. There is no minimum protein percentage to make the list. The focus is on the calcium/phosphorous, not % protein. 30% is a personal limit for some.

[RescueDaneMom]

The Cane Corso is considered a large breed dog because it will grow to 80lbs or larger. You should be feeding a food that is appropriate for a large breed puppy. They need to grow slow so they don’t develop bone problems. I would suggest you go to the Diet and Heath Issues forum and read through the Large and Giant Breed Puppy Nutrition thread for more info. See here: /forums/topic/large-and-giant-breed-puppy-nutrition/

A member, Hound Dog Mom, took a lot of time and effort to create a list of appropriate foods for large breed puppy growth. I would look through the list and see what is available to you. You may want to choose a food that is very different to what you are currently feeding (different protein, different carbs, etc).
Here is the list: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFTXhUdi1KazFzSUk/edit?pli=1
It starts with grain-inclusive foods, then grain-free foods, and raw foods last.

I have a Great Dane (aka German Mastiff). He has done well on Annamaet, Earthborn Holistic, The Honest Kitchen (a dehydrated food, not kibble), Primal (raw), and Stella & Chewy’s (raw). You can’t go wrong if you pick anything from the list I provided. I would get small bags to see if he likes it first. You can also buy food online at places like chewy.com or petflow.com if you can’t find what you want locally.

I hope this is helpful Good luck!

[RescueDaneMom]

I googled Belcando because I had never heard of it either. It is made in Germany. It looks like an OK food but I wouldn’t switch to it from Acana. They say “All protein sources come from animals deemed fit for human consumption.” But I don’t like that they use “poultry meal” or “poultry fat.” It doesn’t tell you what kind of poultry it is- chicken, turkey, or duck?

[RescueDaneMom]

I use amazon occasionally for dog food but chewy.com and petflow.com are my primary online sites to get dog food from. I’ve heard wag.com is good too. I didn’t have a good experience with doggiefood.com and will not be ordering from them again.

[RescueDaneMom]

jking- Earthborn only has 2 varieties that are appropriate for large breed puppy growth which are the Meadow Feast and Coastal Catch.

[RescueDaneMom]

Here are some more…

Canine Caviar Open Sky Grain Free Duck and Chick Pea Dry Dog Food
INGREDIENTS: Duck Meal, Chickpea, Duck Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Menhaden Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Sun-Cured Alfalfa, Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Culture, Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Culture, Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Culture, Sun-Cured Kelp, FOS (prebiotic), Calcium Proteinate, Sodium Chloride, Lecithin, Choline Chloride, Parsley, Fenugreek, Peppermint, Taurine, Selenium, Whole Clove Garlic, Vitamin E, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin C, Papaya, Rose Hips, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Niacin, Beta-Carotene, Manganese Proteinate, Vitamin D3, Biotin, Vitamin A, Riboflavin, Vitamin B-12, Potassium Proteinate, Folic Acid.

Canine Caviar Wild Ocean Grain Free Holistic Herring and Split Pea Dry Dog Food
INGREDIENTS: Herring Meal, Split Peas, Borage Oil, Menhaden Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Sun-Cured Alfalfa, Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Culture, Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Culture, Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Culture, Sun-Cured Kelp, FOS (prebiotic), Sodium Chloride, Lecithin, Choline Chloride, Parsley, Fenugreek, Peppermint, Taurine, Selenium, Whole Clove Garlic, Vitamin E, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin C, Papaya, Rose Hips, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Niacin, Beta-Carotene, Manganese Proteinate, Vitamin D3, Biotin, Vitamin A, Riboflavin, Vitamin B-12, Potassium Proteinate, Folic Acid.

Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet Duck Meal Dry Dog Food
INGREDIENTS: Duck Meal, Tapioca, Peas, Canola Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid), Natural Flavor, Montmorillonite Clay, Coconut Oil, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Vitamins (Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin Supplement, d-Calcium Panthothenate, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Sodium Selenite), Choline Chloride, Green Tea Extract, Rosemary Extract.

Great Life Dr E’s Limited Ingredient Grain Free Duck Dry Dog Food
INGREDIENTS: US Duck, Tapioca, Yams, Bok Choy, Zucchini, Blueberries, Freeze Dried New Zealand Mussel, Freeze Dried Kale Sprouts, Freeze Dried Red Clover Sprouts, Inulin, Enzymes (Amylase, Protease, Cellulase, Pectinase, Lipase, Phytase, Xylanese, Hemicellulase, Alpha-galactosidase, Invertase) Probiotics in a micro-encapsulated complex (Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product Dehydrated, Lactobacillus Rhamnosus Fermentation Product Dehydrated, Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product Dehydrated,Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product Dehydrated, Bifidobacterium Thermophilum Fermentation Product Dehydrated, Bifidobacterium Longum Fermentation Product Dehydrated, Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product Dehydrated, Bacillus Subtillus Fermentation Product Dehydrated), Vitamins (Dl-methione, Lecithin, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamone Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Folic Acid) Minerals (Calcium Pantothenate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acids Chelate, Manganese Amino Acids Chelate, Cobalt Amino Acids Chelate, Selenium), Wild Salmon Oil

Great Life Dr E’s Limited Ingredient Grain Free Buffalo Dry Dog Food
INGREDIENTS: US Buffalo, Tapioca, Yams, Bok Choy, Zucchini, Blueberries, Freeze Dried Buffalo Liver, Freeze Dried Kale Sprouts, Freeze Dried Red Clover Sprouts, Inulin, Enzymes (Amylase, Protease, Cellulase, Pectinase, Lipase, Phytase, Xylanese, Hemicellulase, Alpha-galactosidase, Invertase) Probiotics in a micro-encapsulated complex (Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product Dehydrated, Lactobacillus Rhamnosus Fermentation Product Dehydrated, Lactobacillus Casei Fermentation Product Dehydrated,Lactobacillus Plantarum Fermentation Product Dehydrated, Bifidobacterium Thermophilum Fermentation Product Dehydrated, Bifidobacterium Longum Fermentation Product Dehydrated, Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product Dehydrated, Bacillus Subtillus Fermentation Product Dehydrated), Vitamins (Dl-methione, Lecithin, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamone Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Niacin Supplement, Folic Acid) Minerals (Calcium Pantothenate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acids Chelate, Manganese Amino Acids Chelate, Cobalt Amino Acids Chelate, Selenium), Wild Salmon Oil

Castor and Pollux Ultramix Grain Free Duck Sweet Potatoes and Whole Peas Dry Dog Food
INGREDIENTS: DEBONED DUCK, TURKEY MEAL, LAMB MEAL, SALMON MEAL (SOURCE OF OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS), SWEET POTATO, PEAS,
POTATO, DUCK FAT (PRESERVED WITH MIXED TOCOPHEROLS), POTATO PROTEIN, PEA PROTEIN, NATURAL FLAVOR, BANANAS, CARROTS, APPLES, CRANBERRIES, BLUEBERRIES, ORGANIC ALFALFA, SALMON OIL, MINERALS (SALT, ZINC AMINO ACID COMPLEX, ZINC SULFATE, IRON AMINO ACID COMPLEX, MANGANESE AMINO ACID COMPLEX, COPPER AMINO ACID COMPLEX, POTASSIUM IODIDE, COBALT AMINO ACID COMPLEX, SODIUM SELENITE), VITAMINS (CHOLINE CHLORIDE, VITAMIN E SUPPLEMENT, VITAMIN A SUPPLEMENT, VITAMIN B12 SUPPLEMENT, D-CALCIUM PANTOTHENATE, VITAMIN D3, NIACIN, RIBOFLAVIN SUPPLEMENT, BIOTIN, PYRIDOXINE HYDROCHLORIDE, FOLIC ACID, THIAMINE MONONITRATE), DRIED CHICORY ROOT, YUCCA SCHIDIGERA EXTRACT, DRIED LACTOBACILLUS PLANTARUM FERMENTATION PRODUCT, DRIED LACTOBACILLUS CASEI FERMENTATION PRODUCT, DRIED ENTEROCOCCUS FAECIUM FERMENTATION PRODUCT, DRIED LACTOBACILLUS ACIDOPHILUS FERMENTATION PRODUCT, ROSEMARY EXTRACT

Unfortunately, the restrictions you have limits your choices. The foods I have posted I found through a quick search on petflow.com for grain-free foods. I looked at the descriptions and ingredients. Most times if one formula in a line has flax or eggs in it then the rest do too (though not all the time). This is by no means an exhaustive list but just the ones I found quickly that I would feed if I were in your position. Again, I hope this is helpful. Chicken-free, grain-free, yeast-free, flaxseed-free foods DO exist but they are all on the pricey side and may be costly to feed to several big dogs. If you aren’t opposed, it might be cheaper to make a homemade diet that you would have complete control over the ingredients.

[RescueDaneMom]

Another food free of chicken/eggs, grain, yeast, and flaxseed.

Canine Caviar Wilderness Grain Free Venison And Split Pea Dry Dog Food

INGREDIENTS: Venison Meal, Split Pea, Lamb Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Sun Cured Alfalfa, Aspergillus Niger Fermentation Culture, Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Product, Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Culture, Sun-Cured Kelp, FOS (prebiotic), Calcium Proteinate, Sodium Chloride, Lecithin, Choline Chloride, Parsley, Fenugreek, Peppermint, Taurine, Selenium, Whole Clove Garlic, Vitamin E, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin C, Papaya, Rose Hips, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Niacin, Beta-Carotene, Manganese Proteinate, Vitamin D3, Biotin, Vitamin A, Riboflavin, Vitamin B12, Potassium Proteinate, Folic Acid

[RescueDaneMom]

Acana Pacifica is also grain-free, chicken/egg-free, yeast-free, and flaxseed-free.

INGREDIENTS: Boneless salmon (natural source of EPA, DHA), salmon meal, herring meal, russet potato, peas, whitefish meal, sweet potatoes, salmon oil (preserved with vitamin E), sun-cured alfalfa, boneless herring, boneless flounder, natural fish flavors, pumpkin, turnip greens, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, apples, organic kelp, cranberries, blueberries, juniper berries, black currants, chicory root, licorice root, angelica root, fenugreek, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, peppermint leaf, chamomile flowers, lavender flowers, summer savory, rosemary, vitamin A, vitamin D3, vitamin E, niacin, zinc proteinate, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, vitamin B5, iron proteinate, vitamin B6, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12, selenium, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product.

[RescueDaneMom]

Just to clarify a few things first:
No chicken- does this include eggs too?
No brewer’s yeast- what about “yeast culture,” “hydrolyzed yeast,” or other yeast products?

Acana Ranchlands is grain-free, chicken/egg-free, yeast-free, and flaxseed-free.
INGREDIENTS:
Deboned beef, beef meal, green peas, deboned lamb, lamb meal, whitefish meal*, herring oil, field beans, red lentils, whole potato, salmon meal, deboned bison, beef liver, lamb liver, sun-cured alfalfa, pea fibre, whole apples, whole pears, sweet potato, whole pumpkin, butternut squash, parsnips, carrots, spinach greens, cranberries, blueberries, kelp, chicory root, juniper berries, angelica root, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, peppermint leaf, lavender, rosemary.
* ACANA’s whitefish meal contains wild-caught flounder, halibut and cod.

I know Ranchlands is pretty pricey. This is all I could think of off the top of my head. I’ll keep looking. It would help if you could clarify the ingredients. Hope this helps!

[RescueDaneMom]

You could try Victor GF Yukon River Salmon & Sweet Potato. It is grain-free, gluten-free, and poultry-free. It’s also on the affordable side. On Amazon it’s $58.95 for a 30lb bag. It sounds like it would be similar to the Nutrisource Seafood Select minus the poultry ingredients.

[RescueDaneMom]

Here are 2 formulas by Great Life that have no potatoes, no peas, and no fish.

http://www.petflow.com/product/great-life/great-life-grain-free-buffalo-dry-dog-food

http://www.petflow.com/product/great-life/GrainFreeDogFoodOpenRangeChicken

[RescueDaneMom]

Your welcome. Yes, it might be tough because so many grain-free foods are including peas and other legumes now.

[RescueDaneMom]

Ok, so you are looking for a food that is free of fish, peas, and potatoes that is acceptable for a large breed puppy, right?

You could try the Earthborn Holistic Meadow Feast. There is no fish or potatoes (white or sweet) in it. If there is no improvement, then it could be the peas.

If you don’t mind grains, Nature’s Variety Large Breed Puppy has no peas or potatoes but it does have salmon oil. Pinnacle Chicken & Oatmeal has no fish or peas but does have potatoes. The Victor Select Chicken Meal or Lamb Meal are both free of peas, fish, and potatoes. They are budget-friendly too. On Amazon the 40lb bag of Chicken Meal & Rice formula is $55.

You might have to go through the list of appropriate foods for large breed puppies and look at the ingredients in each one. Then you can determine if the price is right and if you can get your hands on it. I wish you the best of luck!

[RescueDaneMom]

Here is the link to the top rated puppy foods: /best-dog-foods/best-puppy-foods/
I don’t shop at Petsmart so I’m not sure what they have there. I skimmed the list for what I thought you could find at Tractor Supply/Petco.

Tractor Supply:
4Health puppy formula (4 stars)

Petco:
Castor and Pollux Natural Ultramix Puppy (4.5 stars)
Castor and Pollux Organix Puppy (4.5 stars)
Halo Spot’s Stew Wild Salmon Puppy (4 stars)
Halo Spot’s Stew Wholesome Chicken Puppy (4 stars)
Holistic Select Nourish Puppy (4 stars)
Holistic Select Small & Mini Breed Nourish Puppy (4 stars)
Holistic Select Grain Free Adult and Puppy Health (4.5 stars)
Nature’s Variety Prairie Puppy Chicken Meal and Brown Rice Medley (4.5 stars)
Solid Gold Just a Wee Bit (4.5 stars)
Solid Gold Hundchen Flocken Puppy (4 stars)
Wellness Super 5 Mix Just for Puppy (4.5 stars)
Wellness Super 5 Mix Small Breed Just for Puppy (4.5 stars)

Note: I think the Wellness is called Wellness Complete Health now instead of Super 5 Mix. I like the look of the 4Health (it’s lamb), Castor and Pollux Natural Ultramix Puppy, Wellness Puppy, Halo Chicken Puppy, and Nature’s Variety. I would also use any of the canned foods by the brands above. Just make sure the can says for puppies or all life stages.

I hope this helps.

[RescueDaneMom]

Looking for a food that will be appropriate for a large breed puppy will narrow things down quite a bit for you. Here is the list a very knowledgeable member, HoundDogMom, put together: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFTXhUdi1KazFzSUk/edit?pli=1
Grain inclusive foods are first, grain free foods start of page 3.

Good luck! 🙂 And I agree that you will probably get the best prices online. I like chewy.com and petflow.com.

[RescueDaneMom]

Well assuming that it is the lamb, you could just pick a food from the list of appropriate large breed puppy foods and give it a try. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a LID diet, but I would stick with grain free. You could try the Earthborn Holistic Coastal Catch, Wellness Core Puppy, Zignature Trout & Salmon, or any of the others that suit your fancy that don’t use lamb.

[RescueDaneMom]

You are so very welcome! I hope everything works out. Keep us updated on how she is doing. I love Earthborn Holistic and Fromm! Good choices. 🙂 Best of luck to you and your girl!

[RescueDaneMom]

Wow, I agree, not an ideal situation but I commend you on how you are handling it. You are right, first thing is to get him to the vet asap! I agree with you regarding your dislike of Diamond foods. I have personally never had a puppy that young so I’m not sure how feeding goes. Here is a link to the best puppy foods on this site: /best-dog-foods/best-puppy-foods/

Good luck and let us know what the vet says!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 5 months ago by RescueDaneMom.

[RescueDaneMom]

HoundDogMom took a lot of time and effort to research foods appropriate for large breed puppies. She made a list here: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFTXhUdi1KazFzSUk/edit?pli=1
It starts with grain inclusive and grain free starts on page 3. I would start there. Some of the brands that you can find in stores like Petco/Petsmart that are on there are: Nature’s Variety Instinct Rabbit meal and Limited Ingredient Turkey, Wellness Core Puppy, and Halo grain free surf & turf. The Timberwolf Southwest Chicken and Herbs is on her list too. If you are concerned about having food on hand. You could always have a backup bag of food on hand. I used to do that for my Dane. When he got down to half a bag of food, I would buy another one just so I had it. I always ordered his food online so I never wanted to run out. Also, chewy.com and petflow.com have lots of choices for food, great prices, and fast shipping. I always got my food within 2-3 days.

Hope this helps! 🙂

[RescueDaneMom]

I feed Honest Kitchen and Primal raw frozen grinds. I’m looking at trying Darwin’s next. I currently give my dog eggs, cottage cheese, kefir, canned sardines or pink salmon (preferably in water with no salt added), and Tripett canned tripe to help with variety.

[RescueDaneMom]

I am not a fan of TOTW because it it made by Diamond and they have a big recall history. If you shop at the big stores like Petco and Petsmart, I would consider Merrick Grain Free, Wellness Core, and Nature’s Variety Instinct. I fed my Dane a rotation of different foods including: Acana (Grain Free), Earthborn Holistic (Grain Free), Go! Fit & Free (by Petcurean), Horizon Legacy, and Annamaet (Grain Free). My Dane is a picky boy when it comes to kibble so I was somewhat limited. Other brands I like but he didn’t: Fromm (Grain Free), Nature’s Logic (has smaller kibbles), Orijen, Evanger’s (Grain Free), and Zignature (Grain Free). I would recommend going through the 4 and 5 star reviews to see what you like and what may work for them. If you want to try one of the brands that aren’t carried in Petco/Petsmart, I would get it online from chewy.com or petflow.com.

I know you want to get her off TOTW ASAP so you don’t want to gradually mix in another food. The faster you switch the more likely she is to have some GI upset like diarrhea. To try to avoid that, you can add a tablespoon of canned pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) to her new food- that will help with the diarrhea because of the fiber. I would also get digestive enzymes and probiotics and add them to her food to help with the switch.

On another note, your GD rescue that is 7 months old should still be on a restricted calcium/phosphorous food for slow growth. See this list for large breed puppy appropriate foods: https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwApI_dhlbnFTXhUdi1KazFzSUk/edit?pli=1
Luckily, the NV LID Turkey is on there.

Good Luck! And please post any other questions you have. Hopefully we can help! 🙂
-Caroline

[RescueDaneMom]

I have a 7.5yr old Dane. Luckily the only thing I have found that he is allergic to is mango and bee/wasp stings. My sister has a dog that we suspected had a chicken allergy but it turned out that it was flea allergies. From the research I did at the time, the best thing to do is put your dog on a limited ingredient diet such as Nature’s Variety Instinct grain-free, limited ingredient diet. It comes in turkey, lamb, duck, and rabbit. Because the TOTW formula you are currently feeding is lamb based, I would choose one of the other protein sources to try. I believe if it is truly food allergies you should start seeing some improvement in as little as a week but it can take 4-6 weeks for all the symptoms to completely clear up. Once all of the symptoms are gone, you can add one ingredient at a time and watch your dog’s reaction to see what she is allergic to. That’s my two cents. Hopefully someone else with more experience with allergy dogs will chime in. Good luck!

-Caroline

[RescueDaneMom]

pugmomsandy- I tried the Annamaet Salcha (grain-free poultry formula) awhile back and Max loved it. I didn’t try the other varieties because Max only likes poultry-based kibbles. If I recall, they had a medium size kibble. Not small like Nature’s Logic but not large either like Orijen or Acana. I would recommend it. 🙂

[RescueDaneMom]

11 pounds is about 5kg so using the formula she would need 220 calories minimum. Since she is a growing puppy I would double it which puts the calories at 440 which would be between 3/4 and 1 cup per day. Sounds to me like you’re right on target with your feeding. Sometimes you have to use your best judgement. The feeding guidelines on the bags aren’t always appropriate for your individual dog. If I fed my dog what the bags tell me to he would be extremely overweight. It looks to me that you need to feed on the high side of the bags suggestion. Good luck! 🙂

[RescueDaneMom]

I looked at the link you provided. According to the analysis, it is a very calorie dense food. It has 537 calories per cup. I’m not sure how many calories growing puppies need but 1/4 cup would only provide 134 calories. This seems low to me but I’ve never had a dog from a small puppy. I’ve always used a formula I found in a PetMD article to calculate about how many calories I should be feeding.
http://www.petmd.com/blogs/fullyvetted/2009/april/counting-calories-fat-dog-weight-loss-and-role-intelligence#.UnGbJPljum6

The bare minimum you want to feed is the calories needed in resting state.
Base calories/day (resting energy requirement) = 30 x (your dog’s weight in kg) + 70

Going by the feeding guideline in the link you provided, you are in the first category of 2-5lb (1.2-3kg) which recommends feeding a puppy 1/8-1/4 cup per day.

Using the low weight of 1.2kg:
30x(1.2)+70= 106 calories

Using the high weight of 3kg:
30x(3)+70= 160 calories

The bare minimum to feed is 106-160 calories. Because this is a growing puppy I think you could safely multiply the amount of calories by 2 (an active intact dog can have a multiplier of 1.4-see article). I think you would be safe feeding 212-320 calories per day which would be just under 1/2 cup (2/5) to a little more than 1/2 cup (3/5).

If you are worried about your puppy getting overweight, you can cut back on the food and see if she is still acting hungry. I would feed her based on her body condition. Feed her enough to keep her from being hungry yet still looking good. You don’t want her to look like a roly poly puppy. If she is really active and burning a lot of calories you may be feeding her exactly the right amount at 1 cup per day.

Good luck and I hope this helps!

• This reply was modified 10 years, 6 months ago by RescueDaneMom.

[RescueDaneMom]

Oh! I never did the autoship so that’s why I didn’t know about it. I’ve never been a frequent buyer until recently. I used to use it as a topper for kibble. Now I’m using it as the main food and topping it with raw and other fresh foods. Good to know! I will ask her the next time I pick up food. I think I saw the new envelopes for the rewards the last time I was in but I didn’t ask about it. My thought is if you’re going to buy it anyway you might as well get a free box every now and then. Thanks again!

[RescueDaneMom]

Shawna, thank you again for the info! I will give those Bravo meats a try when we run out of Thrive. There’s a really great independent pet store 30 min drive from me that carries THK, Bravo, Primal, and other great brands.

My parents are usually the ones feeding Dozer. I don’t think they’ll go for the raw egg. I don’t know if Dozer would eat raw egg. We’ve given him eggs cooked over easy and he wasn’t overly thrilled. Max, on the other hand, LOVES eggs.

I just bought six cans of Tripett the last time I was at the store. Max loves it. Dozer does too. We gave Dozer some of the green beef tripe with duck and salmon to entice him to eat his food and pills after a rough chemo treatment.

I just started to try different supplements for Max’s arthritis. In addition to his Glucosamine, MSM, Chondroitin, & ASU combo, he is getting an herbal supplement that has boswellia, cat’s claw, tart cherry, and white willow. I was going to try a bromelain/curcumin combo next.

Marie, I didn’t know there was a ‘concierge club.’ I’ve ordered it from Chewy and Petflow. Recently I’ve been getting it from a reseller who also carries the Primal frozen grinds. She emails me when she’s ready to order and I give her my order and I get it the next week. It’s been pretty convenient. Plus her prices are better than the independent pet store where I used to buy it from. No overhead I guess as she sells it out of her house.

Thanks again for all the feedback. Y’all are awesome!!! 🙂

[RescueDaneMom]

Thank you for the input! I’ve tried Preference. Dozer was on that before the Embark and Thrive. I think we went through about 3 boxes before we started trying others.

I did get a small box of Force for free with my UPCs. I used half the box before I knew Max had arthritis. He loves it but I don’t want to add to his inflammation so I’ve stopped feed it.

I filled out the THK survey too and said the same thing!! I would love if Max would eat the Thrive because it doesn’t have white potatoes but he doesn’t like that one. It’s weird too because he likes quinoa when I make it in homemade food. I think it may be because it’s not cooked in the Thrive. That’s the only thing I can think of because he likes and has eaten all of the individual components in that food yet he turns his nose up at it.

[RescueDaneMom]

Hi Marie-

For Dozer I rotate between Embark and Thrive. He has had a box of each so far and we just started another box of Thrive. I’ve been hesitant to add Love because he doesn’t tolerate beef well. He’s fine with pieces of meatball but he’ll throw up pieces of steak. He turned his nose up at some homemade food I made with ground beef but I think that could have been because of the tomato I put in it. However, I just ordered a box of Love for my Dane, Max, and I was going to give Dozer a little to see how he does with it. Max used to eat Keen but I’ve switched him to Embark as well and want to rotate with Love. I just found out he has arthritis so I’m keeping him lean and on a grain free diet. So far so good!

-Caroline

[RescueDaneMom]

Thanks Cyndi! We’re going on 9 months and Dozer is still responding very well to the chemo. He is also loving his Honest Kitchen and whatever else I make him! 🙂

[RescueDaneMom]

WOW! Thank you so much for the detailed response, Shawna! Great information and very helpful!

-Caroline

[RescueDaneMom]

Thank you very much Cyndi! I really appreciate it. 🙂

[RescueDaneMom]

I know this is a long post with a lot of information, but does anyone have any feedback for me? My vet is pretty useless when it comes to food advice/nutrition.

[RescueDaneMom]

Yay! It works!

Thanks again,
Caroline

[RescueDaneMom]

Thank you very much for your quick reply!

Testing…

http://DogFoodAdvisor.com

[RescueDaneMom]

Thank you!!!

[RescueDaneMom]

I think any incorporation of raw or fresh foods is a good thing. I’ve just started adding raw to my dog’s diet. I think it’d be easier for you if you stick with the 20% rule. You can add up to 20% (by volume I think) of additional fresh foods without throwing off the balance of nutrients in commercial kibble. That way you don’t have to worry about adding extra supplements and such to make the food complete and balanced. I think it has also been said that you can feed one meal of raw and one meal of kibble and still be ok with vitamins/minerals.

I add the following things to my dog’s food (not all at the same time): lightly cooked eggs (over easy), cottage cheese, kefir, canned sardines in water, and canned pink salmon. I will also add some canned tripe by Tripett.

I also add commercial raw, either Primal or Stella and Chewy’s. Lately I’ve been using the Primal grinds (muscle meat, organs, and bone) which are not complete and balanced. If you used more than 20% of this in a meal than you would need to balance it. You can get Primal from an independent pet store. See primalpetfoods.com for more info. Also a bonus, the bones in the grinds are ground up so small that there is no hazard of choking!

If you are interested in learning more about raw food there are two books that are always recommended: “Real food for Healthy Dogs and Cats” by Taylor & Becker and “Unlocking the Canine Ancestral Diet” by Steve Brown. They have recipes for raw and cooked foods. I have made one batch of raw using Taylor & Becker’s recipe. I wasn’t too difficult but I had to go to two different stores to get what I needed. It is easier for me right now to use the Primal grinds instead of making my own raw food.

In my opinion, commercial raw food is a good compromise if you don’t want to go full raw. Yes it is still processed, but very minimally and much less than kibble. It is also convenient for those that are busy or simply don’t have or want to take the time to source raw meats and make their own raw food meals from scratch.

These are just my opinions. There are others here that have way more experience than I do such as HoundDogMom, Pattyvaughn, and pugmomsandy. They may have more feedback for you.

[RescueDaneMom]

I would agree that food rotation is best. I would find at least two other brands (more is better) of foods you like and start rotating them. From what I heard, vets only take one class is nutrition. The rest of their information on dog food comes from sales reps of the companies that they sell (Hill’s Science, Eukanuba, Purina, etc). My vet plainly admitted to me that he knows nothing about the new natural or holistic dog foods on the market today. He recommends Purina! Ew! The only way they will know is if they do the research themselves.

I wouldn’t feed my dog Hill’s or Eukanuba. I think Blue is a much better food than those two. To minimize the vitamin/mineral deficiencies or abundances found in Blue, I would rotate brands of food used. I don’t think there is any reason for you to panic about using Blue. I’ve used it for one of my dogs with no problems.

[RescueDaneMom]

Regarding Blue Buffalo, what recipe are you feeding? The rating for Blue varies quite a bit between the different lines. Blue Wilderness is 5 stars.

[RescueDaneMom]

Soprano1-

I am by no means an expert. I would suggest checking out the dogaware website at dogaware.com/health/kidney.html. I haven’t figured out how to post links yet so bear with me.

According to my research on dogaware, dogs with early stage kidney disease only need slight diet modifications. The following text is copied from the website:
“Early Renal Insufficiency: In general, creatinine values up to about 2.0 (177 µmol/L) are indicative of mild, or early stage, kidney disease (or early renal insufficiency, as my vet terms it). In cases like these, it may still help to make dietary modifications to reduce phosphorus if blood phosphorus level is above 4.5, but these reductions do not need to be as drastic as when the values are higher, and it is probably not necessary to do other treatments at this stage, such as sub-q fluids (unless your dog is drinking so much that she is having trouble staying hydrated, such as getting up during the night to drink). Adding calcium to each meal if you are feeding a home made diet (to act as a phosphorus binder) would be advisable, and possibly antacids, particularly if your dog is showing any signs of inappetence or gastric problems. I would also give fish oil supplements (body oil, NOT liver oil), at the rate of 1,000 mg (300 mg combined DHA and EPA) per 10 lbs of body weight, along with Vitamin E (50, 100 or 200 IU for small, medium and large dogs), and discontinue any Vitamin A and D supplements (including cod liver oil) added to commercial foods. Additional recommended supplements include a B-complex vitamin and CoQ10, which may be beneficial for dogs with kidney disease.”

There is a table on the website for commercial foods with phosphorous amounts listed. There is only one blue buffalo food on there and it has too much phosphorous. See dogaware.com/health/kidneynonprescription.html

I looked up your previous food (Purina NF) on the same site. It says that food is for Late Stage Kidney Disease. The protein content is 15.9% on a dry matter basis. There are prescription diets that are better suited to Early Stage Kidney Disease. I don’t know why your vet wouldn’t have put your dog on one of those. I think Patty was right and the food was doing more harm than good in your case.

You report that your dog is doing well on Blue right now and you have a recheck in November. If it were me, I would continue to feed Blue and see what her values are at the recheck. If her creatinine and BUN are slightly elevated, I would consider switching to one of the foods on the list of non-prescription foods. My choice would be the Wellness Complete Health Super5Mix Chicken Recipe and/or Wellness Complete Health Super5Mix Whitefish & Sweet Potato.

I hope this is helpful. Again, I would really recommend checking out the dogaware site. There is so much information available. I would read through it before going to your recheck in November so you can be prepared.

[RescueDaneMom]

Patty-

That’s good to know! I thought something seemed off. My sister’s dog has only slightly higher than normal range creatinine and BUN numbers. I thought that one of the KD diets was overkill at this stage.

-Caroline

[RescueDaneMom]

My sister’s dog was just diagnosed with early stage kidney disease. The vet wanted her to feed a prescription diet but the ingredients in it were horrendous. I did a lot of the research for her because she is super busy. I found the best information on dogaware.com. Under the health tab at the top, click on “kidney disease” and you will find a wealth of information. My sister is homecooking for her dog now. She was using The Honest Kitchen pre-mix and adding low phosphorous meats to it but had decided that homecooking is cheaper and she has more control over what she feeds. She is on a tight budget.

Best of luck to you!

[RescueDaneMom]

Thank you both for the suggestions. I’ve never thought of using horse supplements. I found that Actiflex makes a K9 formula too. Do you think the Actiflex 4000 is better than the Actiflex K9?

[RescueDaneMom]

Forgot, I also feed Max 3 times a day. He has never liked to eat a lot at one meal.

[RescueDaneMom]

I rescued my Dane when he was 2 as well. He was only slightly underweight. He was 140 and now weighs 160 at 7 years old. Max is my first Dane and I followed the advice of The Great Dane Lady at first. I like the supplements that she recommends. I use the “Filling in the Wholes” and Nzymes granular supplements which can be purchased from firstchoicenaturals.com. You can also get probiotics and digestive enzymes from them. My mom’s rottweiler that is undergoing chemo treatment is on the 4 in 1 probiotics.

When I first got Max, I put him on a diet of high quality kibble (one of Great Dane Lady’s suggested) and used The Honest Kitchen as a topper. He loved it. It was also a great improvement over the Diamond food he was being fed. I have to agree that she suggests too many kibbles with grain that have high carbs. I would also agree that the licking and chewing at his butt and hips could be a food intolerance. Chicken is the most widely fed protein so it might be worth it to try a different protein. My Dane loves turkey and duck. Earthborn Holistic has affordable priced grain-free foods.

I wish you the very best of luck with Bauer. Great Danes are awesome, quirky dogs with so much personality. I think you will really fall in love with the breed. Keep us updated on his progress!

[RescueDaneMom]

Very enlightening! Thanks for posting.

[RescueDaneMom]

That happened to me with the Supplements forum. I went back to it the next day and it was fine. Very bizarre. Must have been a glitch as it has resolved itself.

[RescueDaneMom]

If you are interested in doing homemade food, balanceit.com may be worth a look into. I think they can provide custom diets for dogs with particular health issues.

[RescueDaneMom]

I just started using an herbal joint supplement from Swanson’s that has devils claw in it. I would agree with pugmomsandy. Rotation is good. My dog has been on Dasuquin for years now. It has been the only thing that has worked. I tried Liquid Health’s K9 Level 5000 supplement on two different occasions. It didn’t help him at all. His joints started popping after being on it for a few days and he was getting stiffer. Now I have him on a number of products from Swanson’s that replicates what’s in Dasuquin. He gets glucosamine, chondroitin, MSM, and Avovida as well as an herbal supplement I just started. His joint popping and stiffness has gone away, but my vet also put him on Rimadyl as he suspects he has arthritis. Btw, my dog Max is a 7.5 year old Great Dane weighing in at 158 pounds.

[RescueDaneMom]

InkedMarie, have you seen any improvement since you eliminated chicken, white potato, and grains?

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