[KingRottweilers]

So I have been a HUGE Victor Dog Food advocate for 10+ years. Always had great success until about the last 3 to 4 years. I started noticing smaller than normal litters.

That is when I started looking at everything but was not too worried figured its just mother nature. Next I noticed (on some not all) irregular heat cycles, 7 to 13 months between (cycles). Some would get pregnant and carry to term but I had started seeing an upraise in stillbirths and birth defects. Finally (especially the last 2 years) The 1 out of 3 were getting pregnant.

I don’t know how much time & money we spent at the reproduction vet only to be told, I don’t see why they are not pregnant, try again next time.

We spent a fortune importing our Rottweilers and it was getting to be very disheartening to see all our work and planning going down the tubes. Rightfully so our Clients were getting upset how long it was taking to get their puppy.

We re-evaluated our entire breeding program, retired some young dogs and imported some more. All the imported dogs were pregnant or got pregnant on their first heat cycle with us. In that time we try to slowly mix in Victor (since it is beef based) with their chicken based. By the time they have produced their first litter while they are nursing we were making the final switch to Victor.

Next time they came into heat no pregnancy was achieved.

After seeing a post on my facebook feed from another breeder how her proven bitch didn’t get pregnant and I knew she fed Victor I reached out.

We both decided to switch to two different kinds of food and protein. I went with a Mix of Wellness and Diamond Naturals, She went with ProPlan Active Dog and we both decided on the Chicken as the main protein.

I hit all my Rottweilers with Doc Roys Vitamin B-Strong for a week. Sure enough my females started coming into season and they were all getting pregnant.

Since I had 8 bags of Victor left over I figured I would just do a 3:1 ratio (3 parts Chicken based, 1 part Victor). I had three females that I did not plan on breeding. If they did produce a litter I would not have minded at all but was not counting on it.

First female did not get pregnant, shortly after breeding her she started picking the Victor our of her bowl and leaving it on the ground.

Second female did not get pregnant and would still eat Victor if you gave it to her. Of course you could give her anything and she will eat it.

Third female, got pregnant, carried the litter to day 62 and it looked like they dropped into place for birth. Two days later on day 64 she gave birth to 8 stillbirths and 1 live that passed away within 24 hours.

Next three female I feed then 100% chicken mix no victor at all!

All three gave birth to healthy litters, only had one loss amongst the three litters. Litters were 6, 9 and 11 puppies.

So from my own testing and results I think it is fair to say,

Oh the other breeder saw the same results with ProPlan, to this date she has not had less than 9 in a litter.

As I was saying, with my testing and results I think it is fair to say the food was / is the issue with it comes to Victor.

I did call their customer service and I was told “Victor Dog Food is for the average pet owner that wants to give their dog a high quality food without breaking the bank.”

I asked what about the breeders that produce these pups and promote you, they replied “Unfortunately some of our blend may not be acceptable to all breeders.”

So after 13 years, I have used my last bag of Victor Dog food as I personally believe there is something in there that causes reproductive issues with my breeding stock.

[Ana W]

Hi! There are several options for affordable kibble that you may want to consider for your shepherd mix:

Diamond Naturals: This brand offers several grain-inclusive options, such as chicken and rice, lamb and rice, and beef and rice. A 40-pound bag typically costs around $35.

Blue Buffalo Life Protection Formula: This brand offers several grain-inclusive options, such as chicken and brown rice, lamb and brown rice, and fish and brown rice. A 30-pound bag typically costs around $50.

Victor Classic: This brand offers several grain-inclusive options, such as chicken and rice, beef and rice, and lamb and rice. A 40-pound bag typically costs around $35.

Hill’s Science Diet: This brand offers several grain-inclusive options, such as chicken and barley, lamb and rice, and beef and brown rice. A 30-pound bag typically costs around $50.

It’s always important to transition your dog to a new food slowly, to avoid upsetting their stomach. Start by mixing a small amount of the new food in with their current food and gradually increasing the amount over several days. Also, be sure to choose a formula that meets your dog’s specific nutritional needs based on their age, activity level, and any health issues they may have.

[Mutts and Cats]

Hi Aimee. Thanks as always for taking the time to provide so much information.
The CBD I have been using is a broad spectrum, by Joy Organics and the total CBD content is 75 mg/ml (2,250 mg/bottle). It is $100/bottle, so does get expensive for a dog the size of mine. I’m hoping that these almost daily partial seizures (or pre-seizures?) will stop and then I will stop the CBD completely. His next blood draw is 3/1 so I am hoping that his liver enzymes will have come down at least a little. He went 2 weeks with no CBD and now has been on ½ the previous dose for almost 2 weeks. Hopefully that is enough of a reduction to have an impact on the enzymes. If there is no reduction, I will probably have an ultrasound done.

I’ve been doing more reading on partial, or focal, seizures. I’m not sure if that is what he is having, or if this shaking is just part of his pre-ictal seizure phase. The exact same thing proceeds his full blown seizures, which are classic generalized tonic-clonic. When he has a full seizure the shaking only lasts a few seconds then he goes into the seizure. Now the shaking lasts a few minutes, but no seizure.
Some sources emphasize that a partial seizure affects only part of the brain, so symptoms like shaking are one part of the body, or one side. With my dog, it is just generalized, pretty violent, shaking and he remains fully conscious. But other sources describe symptoms like shaking without loss of consciousness as part of a partial seizure and that it is fairly common for dogs to start with a partial seizure that then turns into a generalized. So, I don’t know . . .

We got through yesterday without a shaking episode, and today he hasn’t had one yet. Small victories, I guess. I do feel that these things – whatever they are – are not as hard on him as the seizures he was having. Just wish I understood what is going on. I’m also dreading the next full blown seizure and afraid it will be a cluster of them again. Sorry for so much seizure discussion (on a dog food forum).

I do continue to agonize over dog food too. I finally confronted Steve’s about the high calcium and phosphorus contents for their Turkey recipe (and Turducken to a lesser extent). I kept procrastinating, knowing that I would probably get a reply that would cause me to lose confidence in yet another company. No surprise – that is what happened. I guess it is more a matter of this food not being a good fit for my dogs, since I want to continue feeding turkey necks. So I am feeding less of Steve’s and will probably use up what I have then not buy more.

Well, sorry for the rambling (even more than my typical post). Thanks again. M&C

[Stephane P]

My dog was diagnosed with Immune Mediated Hemolytic Anemia(IMHA) this past week, and I am looking for the best dry food dog kibble for her. Coupled with her disease that robs her of her red blood cells, she is also a tripod, so finding a food that can regulate her weight as well as immune support is also a necessity.

I have been using Victor dog food for the past year, but I found out one of the ingredients is “blood meal”, which based on research, gives me reason to go away from the brand itself, but it isn’t entirely discounted if I can’t find a proper alternative. I was recommended other products by specialists, Hill Science being one, but I noticed it was recalled in 2019. Royal Canin being another, but it was recalled due to vitamin D toxicity. Purina being the last, but I’m told it isn’t the most healthy dog food available.

This is a tough ask as I am nitpicking quite a bit, but I was wondering if you knew of dry dog food that would help her immune system, keep her weight in check, that is FDA and AAFCO approved, had no issues in the past and no controversial ingredients.

[ormond2012]

what are some suggested food you can give me for a new XL bully puppy I was researching dog food for bullies and a lot of people suggest victor dog food some others suggest Purina pro plan but I can’t find victor Readily available in my area you can only find them at small chain pet stores and online If I can try and find victor in my area I will use It but if I can’t I’ll have to go to PetSmart because its local in my area what are some good high-quality dog food in PetSmart.

[MARCIA H]

Patricia might be right, and a vet visit is a good idea in any case. The only Victor food I’ve ever studied and recommended is the Victor Ultra Pro 42. It’s the only Victor food that’s grain-free. The rest contain quite a bit of grains, which are just cheap fillers that dogs don’t need and don’t benefit from. Too much fiber from all these grains could be causing the constipation. You’re doing a great job with the extra water, etc.

I hope this helps and that your dog gets back to normal very soon!

[Mike D]

Hi folks,
I have a 2 yr old female German Shepherd (about 65 lbs) who I’ve had a very difficult time finding a dry dog food that she will eat. About 3-4 weeks ago I switched to Victor Hi-Pro and she loves it (finally!) However, a side-affect has been terrible constipation. I mean her poops are super hard and I can see she’s having a hard time. I started adding a lot of warm water to her food to try to make sure she’s getting enough water (she’s not a big water drinker, even though we change her water throughout the day and make sure it’s always available). But that wasn’t working, so I read about adding canned pumpkin to help. I started this 2 days ago, gradually increasing it to about a half a can. I can tell it’s helping, as even though her stools are still hard, they are slightly softer than they were. Also, she keeps biting at her tail/bum area, and it looks a bit red down there, which I imagine is due to the irritation in the anal area due to constipation, but I’m no vet.

Anyway, all that is background info to ask if anyone else has had a similar experience and if so, did you switch to another Victor formula that remedied this?

I’m hoping for a simple solution, like just switching to a different Victor formula (and not having to do the, “get these really hard to find ingredients and blend them up a special way, preparing a week ahead of time…”-type stuff).

Would love to hear from anyone who’s had a similar experience and found a solution.

Thanks!

[Michelle C]

Hi! What brands make their foods in factories / plants that they actually own, and in the USA? …Versus subbing the production out to a factory that they don’t have any control over. List any that you know, please. Victor brand is one…

[Gem F]

CORN is NO NO for.any canine, esp w chronic diarrhea! Its totally undigestable & is a CHEAP filler in ANY dog food. I have rescued wolfdogs that are more sensitive to most commercial foods as it is.
NO GRAIN – another NO NO – they use mostly subsitutes that are on the list for Dilated CardioMyopathy – As is ‘Taste of the Wild’, which is technically cheaper made food trying to pass for premium. I’ll stick with FDA’s findings (see post I replied to similar question below).

So far American Natural Pro has been on the top of my list, usually lamb or fish WITH GRAIN (never a recall & no FDA DCM warning ingredients) Others that are similar to note (& still affordable) – Eagle Pack, Victor & a VERY LIMITED few Nutro – but read all ingredients first.

————————–

JUST AS AN FYI – I would be super cautious
about grain-free foods & any ingredients in the 1st top 10 that are pea, legume (chickpeas, lentils, ‘beans’, potato (incl sweet), etc. bc of the FDA & Vet study implicating those ingredients/ types of dog foods to CANINE DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY, after a long list of reported dog deaths & severe permanent damage (also in cats) fir breeds NOT PRONE to DCM. I think they’ve updated their findings more recently as well & they do have charts providing all the names of the DOG FOOD BRANDS also implicated – and MOST of them are big, top brands – esp grain free.

I too am in the same situation w my Wolfhound mix since the day I got him… Haven’t found a food yet, that works on its own (& over his 2 years on earth) have been theu countless brands – esp with the RED FLAG INGREDIENTS in mind. American Natural Premium was close, but then 2 of my 3 started scratching endlessly – so we’re back looking for the one out there that has to exist (fingers crossed! )
As another FYI – just to give your pooch a little break at least (they’ve got to be more than a little sore having such a chronic issue) – get a bag of OLEWO Carrots! Prepare & use EXACTLY as instructed (there are some lazy ppl out there trying to make shortcuts that will not help). A little expensive but soo WORTH IT! I make weekly batches (then refridgerate) & use coconut oil, then mix in either a small can of pumpkin or pureed baby food carrots, sometimes butternut squash so they’re not as dry & mix well (I also make a batch in a gallon zip bag to mix/coat well for 3 dogs at feeding time). It is a total Godsend, though am seriously hoping to find ‘the’ food that we can some day use wout the Olewo Carrots… (& trust me, other types of carrots – pureed, grated, whatever or even just pumpkin on its own does NOT work anything like the Olewo does) Chewy & Amazon (a little cheaper/ bugger bags)

*************

Look into the more recent updates at the FDA on this study that has resulted in those ingredients being responsible. ALSO, aside from how bad peas are – they are also a CHEAP way of mfg’s CHEATING in falsely boosting ‘protein content’ – as the USDA testing dog foods ‘assume’ protein present is animal based… a little loophole they’re going to have to address ASAP as welk!

In July 2018, the FDA announced that it had begun investigating reports of canine dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) in dogs eating certain pet foods, many labeled as “grain-free,” which contained a high proportion of peas, lentils, other legume seeds (pulses), and/or potatoes in various forms (whole, flour, protein, etc.) as main ingredients (listed within the first 10 ingredients in the ingredient list, before vitamins and minerals). Many of these case reports included breeds of dogs not previously known to have a genetic predisposition to the disease. The FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine (CVM) and the Veterinary Laboratory Investigation and Response Network (Vet-LIRN), a collaboration of government and veterinary diagnostic laboratories, continue to investigate this potential association. Based on the data collected and analyzed thus far, the agency believes that the potential association between diet and DCM in dogs is a complex scientific issue that may involve multiple factors.

[Steven R]

Hello,

I have a 4 year old, 103lb, Cane Corso named Odin. We are wondering what would be the best recommended food for him? He has a chicken allergy, which makes the hunt a bit difficult for us.

Here is some background:
He has been using Victor Hero dry food for a long time, which we know is fantastic, but possibly not specifically for large breeds. Last month he ended up having bloat (GDV). We have been aware of this possibility for years and have taken all the precautions. Luckily, we were able to notice the bloating just in time to get him to an emergency surgery in time for him to survive! The vet said that we had likely done nothing wrong, it seems to be bad luck. Since his surgery, however, we have noticed he burps a lot more often. We are wondering if the fat content of Victor might be a bit too much for him? We just want to make sure we avoid any foods that may cause bloat, and this website is by far the best and most thorough we have ever found. We appreciate any and all help you can provide. Thanks!

[Sara G]

Hi, I know this question was several years ago but I just wanted to give you my experience and opinion. I feed my dogs a part raw part kibble diet. I have fed several brands of dog food through the years, and the best one I have ever fed is the Ol Blue Builder. I have fed Diamond Naturals, Victor, Sportmix Premium and the wholesome and I believe Purina at one point. All of theses foods fell short in my opinion for several reasons. The Diamond Naturals made them poop way too much as did the Sportmix Wholesomes. The Sportmix Premium also caused alot of poop and it was very dark and very smelly. I fed the Victor before they changed alot of their recipes and I had no trouble with it but could not tell really any difference in it and the Ol Blue to pay $20 or $30 more a bag. Now about the meat and bone meal issue. All dog foods unless they state that the meat in it is boneless then the beef meal, chicken meal, Pork meal etc has bone meal in it. It must state that the meat is boneless or it does contain bone plain and simple. So even most high end dog foods do contain meat and bone meal they just cover it up and say chicken meal, beef meal, etc. I actually appreciate Ol Blue for being honest about what is in their food and not trying to hide anything. So unfortunately in the dog food world the more it cost does not necessarily mean the food is better quality. Purina is the poster child for this.
My dogs have all done great on the Ol Blue. Their poop is very firm minimal and doesn’t hardly have any smell. In a day or so after they poop it turns a very light color and will turn to powder if you step on it. This is what happens to dogs fed an all raw diet. So what that tells me is that the food is mostly meat, fat and bones with enough starch to keep the kibble together. Starch has to be present in all kibble to keep it together whether the starch is corn, peas, rice etc. The corn they use is non GMO which I believe does make a difference. They also have 2 recipes that do not contain corn. I have toured the mill talked to the people and seen where it is made. It has never had a recall and everything is sourced locally. My dogs have all done great on it and I have several different breeds and ages. I have tried high dollar dog foods and none of them worked as well as Ol Blue. If you can’t get Ol Blue in your area then Valu Pak Free by Specialty Feeds is also a good feed. It is my second favorite dog food. It is in second place because they poop more after eating it. Hope that helps that’s just experience and opinion on it.

[sienna11711]

Hi all, any bit of advice or insight?

9 year old spayed female boxer, 56 pounds, eating 3 cups of Victor Professional Formula daily.

For the last 9 months we have been dealing with:

Behavior-wise
-restless
-sleeps a lot less during the day, wakes up earlier to eat
-clingy, doesn’t stop following me
-frantic and fearful when outside
-extreme reactivity to dogs that gets WORSE with more food (I know this sounds crazy)
-flinches when being pet
-will nip at strangers who get too close to her body (not always, still likes people a lot and always wants to say hi)
-will nip if you try to pick her up or move her
-doesn’t play or cuddle
-pees a lot on walks

Digestion/health-wise
-ravenous, always looking for food
-eats other dog’s poop on walks
-previously regurgitated kibble everyday, hours later
-previously struggled with chronic UTIs (low immunity)
-frantic in the AM about eating
-drinks excessively after checking empty food bowl
-shedding excessively
-anal glands leaking and peeing herself while she sleeps
-fat such as fish oil makes her nauseous / may vomit
-cannot digest real food period (ie. rice and boiled chicken, cooked veggies, cooked ground turkey, or raw meat)
-with the above food her stool is orange and slimy
-stool has changed over time since adoption at age 7 from pooping way too much but now it is normal, firm, brown

Labwork
-consistently low T4 despite using levothyroxine, took her off in Jan 2020
-T4 goes up into normal range when she is on anxiety medicine
-extremely high/out of range TLI
-high cPL
-has, at times, had very high PSL randomly
-no diabetes, no cushings, NOTHING glaring us in the face

-We have tried every digestive supplement you can think of and many different foods including grain free, with grains, dehydrated cooked, dehydrated raw, actual raw, and actual cooked
-We have worked with an animal behaviorist who does not think this is purely behavioral
-She lost 8 pounds eating up to 2 pounds of raw a day
-She is much less reactive on cooked food and raw, but will rapidly lose weight and be even hungrier
-We have also tried Hills Science Diet wet food for IBD, orange slimy stool
-She can only really “digest” kibble

Chronic low grade pancreatitis was brought up to me on another forum but her stool is totally normal, so not too sure.
I do think that whatever “this” is affects her thyroid function but the thyroid itself is not the root cause- vet agrees
I just recently began putting enzymes in her food and incubating 20 min with warm water– will see if any improvement

[Beverly S]

I was feeding Victor professionals , with Blood meal in it . I breed 2 different breeds and have been breeding these breeds 18 years and 10 years the other breed. I have had 5 dogs from different litters and different breeds with same congenital defect with kidneys not formed correctly and small . I have had breeding’s from same sire and Dam and no problem with previous breeding when Dam’s were fed another dog food . I am convinced that the dog food has caused this problem . The sires and dams did not have a problem or any of there litter mates . Not all pups were effected , but 2 in one litter out of 10 pups and another litter 1 pup from a litter of 8 . and another litter different breed there were 2 pups had same issue from a litter of 7 pups . The problem showed up at around 12 months of age on all dogs and they all had to be put to sleep. Is there other breeders had similar problems ? I was also feeding pups Victor professional . I will never feed it again to any of my dogs !!

[Yumi Z]

I see that “Taste of the Wild High Prairie Grain-Free Canned Dog Food” has been one of the Top 10 Best Wet Dog Foods by Dog Food Advisory Editor’s Choice…

That’s why we switched from Nutro Ultra Large Breed Adult Chunks in Gravy Canned Dog Food last Summer for our girls – 11 years old Australian Shepherd and 5.5 years old White German Shepherd…

We have been feeding couple scoops of canned food mixed with dried food.

However, we’ve noticed there is I or 2 cans out of a case seemed to be a BAD one as our girls have had a diarrhea and/or bad gas issue once in a while…

And it has been happening more frequent over last few months…

Then, this past week, our Aussie had worse than usual diarrhea and although she usually has a good appetite, she didn’t eat all her dinner, then the next morning, she just sat in front of her breakfast refused to eat…

That totally alarmed us… and when I took our WGS for a light jog in the morning, she had pretty gooey liquidy poop… then after returned home, she looked little sick… and I realized she must had some issue since the previous day as she had bad smelly gas 3 times which was unusual for her…

That’s when we realized that the canned food was bad AGAIN…

So, we fed just dry food with chicken stock last night & this morning, and they ate fine…

After I consulted with Chewy customer services, we decided to change to VICTOR Beef & Vegetables Stew Cuts in Gravy Grain-Free Canned Dog Food.

We hope this will work.

I thought to inform you about this as the Taste of the Wild Canned Food is listed at the top… and I didn’t want any other pups to get sick over it! 🙁

[Dennis M]

I would like to nominate Victor dry dog food, they are based in Texas. I add a scoop to a can of Blue Stew and mix it up. My dog cleans her bowl everyday.

[Carol F]

Jan K,
I have now switched to Pro Plan sensitive stomach Salmon. I found that the Victor Food Bags are made from Mylar, which cause fertility issues!!! You can Google. Also phytoestrogens, peas, lentils etc cause these symptoms and infertility along with cancer!! The Pro plan bags are made from plastic #5 which doesn’t cause this issue. Obviously these are very common and well known issues and known for decades, in people, dogs, cattle etc. good luck.

[Carol F]

I’m having same issue since I switched from Diamond Naturals to Victor Professional!! Split heat and no ovulation!! These are proven bitches. Something is not right with Some dog foods. I’m going back to Pro Plan or Diamond Naturals. It’s been 1.5 years since I’ve had puppies and I have 5 females!!!!

[Carol F]

I switched from Diamond Naturals which is 4health, to Víctor. The fertility issues in dog food is from peas, lentils, etc, according to Jean Dodd’s DVM reports. I don’t see anything in the Víctor that would cause issues. I hate switching again. Victor has also researched this and can’t give me an answer. I’ve been having a lot of split heat cycles with no ovulation. Did you run Ito that?? Glad things are going well for you.

[STEFANIE]

Hi Eszter, and everyone else:

First of, hope everyone is doing fine and staying at home. We are facing difficult times, but Im sure we will all get by in a couple of weeks (or months, depending on the evolution of a number of facts that right now are very unpredictable). Here in Brazil, and in my city Rio de Janeiro, the government has imposed rigorous restrictions, which part of society has been collaborative, and another part is just simply not aware of how serious this is. All in all, we have started our quarantine in a very early stage, and we are all hoping this will bring us a positive outcome in the medium-long turn.

As for your dog Eszter, I am very glad he has overcome all of these surgeries and is out of risk. In our case, my Border Collie (Maui) had a really really hard time with the post-surgical phase – we really did not know he would survive at all. He had aprox. 75% of his small intestines removed (basically all of his jejunum and ileum – only his duodenum was kept). In Brazil there were no registered cases of survival for dogs/cats that had this amount of small intestines removed, so he is really the first recorded case here – which is a victory, but was REALLY hard since we had NO IDEA of how to handle the first couple of months.

Since his ileum was removed, we did in fact suffer with his fesses. In the first two months, he went to the bathroom on average 20x a day, in practically liquid form. He lost A LOT of weight since the first surgery (he had 3 in total), and after his 1 month hospitalization, he only weighted 9kgs! (he started with 17kgs). He was practically skin and bones.

Now, it has been almost 2 years since he was released from the clinic, and since then we had a LONG JOURNEY. But this is a story of success, and now Maui is VERY strong. He weights 21kgs, all of his vitamins are great, and he goes to the bathroom 2 or 3 x a day! His stool is still very mushy.. the first one of the day, we can collect, the other 2, is king of a puree.. which makes is hard, however, since he got his ileum removed, there is almost no expectation that his stool will someday get back to being 100% “collectable”. He does ingest and absorb most of the good vitamins, what is the best part and it very clear since he is healthy, strong and his exams are all good.

It is hard to say exactly what will be best for your puppy… since every case is singular, but in our experience some things were essential for this positive outcome:

1) cooked Home food instead of kibble: We cook it weekly . Daily portion is about 1.2kgs (separated in 3x of 400g each). In summary each portion contains 1/3 meat without fat (in Brazil we use a meat called “Patinho” and “coxão mole” and “lagarto” – all red meat. We tried giving him chicken, but it led to 3 or 4 infections or gastroenteritis, so we never tried again. Fish was also ok, but I though he did not gain weight); 1/3 carbohydrates basically sweet potato, cassava, and a little of parboiled rice, and 1/3 vegetables: carrot, chayote, zucchini, beets, spinach or kale, string bean…

2) Pancreatin: With every meal, we give him a capsule of Pancreatin. Humam type (https://www.amazon.com/NOW-Pancreatin-10X200-250-Capsules/dp/B000776KK0)

3) Food supplements: With every meal, we give him a serving (In Brazil, we use the brand called Food Dog : https://www.petlove.com.br/suplemento-vitaminico-botupharma-pet-food-dog-adulto-manutencao/p/destaque?sku=1949715&utm_campaign=GS_&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIsrKigKmx6AIVghGRCh3VlQutEAQYAiABEgLdP_D_BwE)

4) Probiotics: it really depends on your dog which type is best, and the amounts…

5) B12 vitamin replacement: in the beggining every week, and now he takes the shot every 1 or 2 months;

6) Metronizadol (in Brazil, called “Flagyl”): Initially I think he took 400mg per day. Now he takes 250mg every 3 days – which is still a lot, but it keeps him from getting intestinal infections.

I think this is it. If you wish to send me an e-mail, please feel free. I had great help from Karen and Abby (they are part of this forum too). We exchanged many many emails, info and experiences since both of our dogs had similar problems – this was a HUGE relief for me and I am very VERY thankful for all the help I had from them.

Wish all of you the best,
Stefanie and Maui
email: [email protected]
instagram account: @brotherscolliebr

[Michelle D]

I have been through several types of food with my 1.5 year old Beagle. When he was a puppy we had him on Science Diet and then Fromm. He had urinary crystals and was placed on Royal Canin Urinary S/O. He had problems with scratching his face, chewing paws and ear infections. I chose not to use the Apoquel the vet suggested and asked if food could be changed. After neutering him at a year old with the vet’s approval, we took him off the urinary diet and put him on Victor grain inclusive Ocean Whitefish. The itching and ear infections stopped but he gained weight and had gastritis a couple times. He was placed on Science diet canned low fat gastrointestinal and had some paw chewing and face scratching so switched to Pro Plan Sensitive Salmon. The itching, paw chewing occurs when he goes outside sometimes but not nearly as bad as it was. However, he needs to lose weight. He is a 15 inch Beagle and 37 lbs. The vet only wants him to have a cup a day and said I could use green beans. They only like the Big 3 food companies so I am limited on recommendations. Of course he acts like he is starving all the time and has started some bad behaviors in an attempt to steal food. I am searching for a weight management food, but most have chicken. I am not sure if the allergies were to chicken, corn, wheat or soy…they possibly could be environmental also. I have read up on so many foods here and then read reviews with scary stories in the comments sections and just don’t know which way to go. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thank you.

[GSDsForever]

Hi Victoria.

First (so I don’t forget it!), no, you cannot use cooked pancreas for EPI. It *must* be raw for the active enzymes needed. Vets know this — it’s a special exception recommended in otherwise normal, healthy dogs with EPI.

In your dog’s case, an older dog with cancer, I wouldn’t worry about trying to use pancreas. Just stick with the Enzyme Diane/other prepared enzymes as they are highly effective. For B12, a lot of dogs use WonderLab pills vs the injections.

I share your vet’s concerns about DCM and the connection to many current grain-free/high legume formulas, your dog’s heart murmur, as well as raw for your dog, and agree with his guidance. (Also, while I am respectful of raw feeding, I prefer gently cooked homemade food as ideal anyway and don’t find a benefit for my dogs in raw.)

It’s just hard to capture all those criteria — along with low fiber, low insoluble fiber necessary in particular for EPI dogs — in commercial kibbles, especially here in the U.S. at this time.

Aside from what HaleyCookie pointed out well (Thank you, HaleyCookie!), the starch binding in kibbles, I think companies add to the problem. They just don’t want to spend the money, chance cutting into their profits by including more quality animal protein, which is expensive. Or they don’t think that the public will buy the products at a necessarily higher price — and, here, they might be right.

I mentioned those particular GF formulas ONLY as something you could potentially do part homemade with, and that other EPI dogs are using with success.

Another formula currently being re-released and available again, which *might* work for you with some tweaks (you’ll need lower % fiber in an EPI dog; perhaps you can accomplish this diluting it with what you add homemade?):

Farmina LIGHT Chicken & Pomegranate with Ancestral Grains
34% Protein/11% Fat (6.4% Fiber)
https://www.farmina.com/us/dog-food/n&d-ancestral-grain-canine/113-chicken-&-pomegranate-light-medium-&-maxi.html

I really like Farmina and my German Shepherd is doing very well on their food. I use a different formula, higher in fat and low in fiber (typical of most Farmina formulas).

A board certified veterinary nutritionist I would recommend is Lisa Weeth, DVM DACVN.
http://www.weethnutrition.com/about-us.html
https://weethnutrition.wordpress.com/

You can work with her long distance, through your vet. She is very supportive of homemade diets and experienced with them, and is also more open minded, fair, unbiased across a variety of commercial diets and brands imo. I think you would get a better diet from her for the money than from some other prominent services/DACVNs.

You can get a good feel for what she’s like from her nutrition blog, both her blog and Q&A section (click on “comments” at the top), in that 2nd link. You might ask her some questions there, about a commercial kibble or your current homemade additions; she’s pretty gracious and generous in her answers. (Your questions would tie in to her recent blog entries on DCM & diet, also one on grains.)

I like Susan Wynn, DVM DACVN, also but she left private practice in nutrition in January 2019 to work for Nature’s Variety.

I think the expensiveness comes from the pre-diet formulation blood tests & work up you’ll need to submit (costs dependent upon your own vet), but I think they need that to ensure that a major health issue is not present so that when they formulate a custom diet for your dog it is safe and appropriate, does not make an underlying health problem worse. And, as you’ve already seen for yourself, multiple health conditions & diet parameters, not only require review of all your medical file, but presents a diet more challenging, complicated to formulate. In your case, if you have any of those blood panels, etc. already done recently, then you’ve already spent that money. Talk to her assistant & ask about costs, what is included, your concerns. (They were very helpful with me.)

With Just Food For Dogs, the cheapest by far is doing their DIY — where you buy their recipe + balancing supplement. I just don’t know whether any of those would be appropriate for your dog, with her conditions and the diet parameters. They have good customer service (and knowledgeable veterinary staff) if you want to ask them.

I was encouraged by — and have considered using a couple of their diets myself — an independent review I read from a guy who broke down his total costs for a large breed dog about mine’s weight, showed the receipts and shopped at Whole Foods no less(!), to feed one of the formulas the DIY route. With this diet, you do feed lower total calories because it is fresh whole foods gently cooked, using highest quality ingredients, and is therefore highly digestible. So, his cost was lower than what I would have assumed for a large dog.

• This reply was modified 6 years ago by GSDsForever.
• This reply was modified 6 years ago by GSDsForever.

[Victoria M]

Thank you both so much for all that information! It is a LOT to try and balance out and I definitely can’t do it alone.
Gimme good ol’, reliable cancer any day – at least treatment is pretty specific. 🙁 I’m so exhausted – Bella is doing better than I am at this point!

She currently is on Enzymediane and weekly B-12 injections. I am feeding her ~90% Hills W/D and 10% cooked food:
99% lean ground turkey, homemade beef bone broth & riced, frozen broccoli and cauliflower medley. If things ever settle down I plan on upping the amount of fresh food and decreasing the kibble.

Her vet does not want her on grain-free food. She has a mild heart murmur that he’s afraid might get worse or turn into DCM. He’s also worried about raw food and her compromised immune system. (Can ground pancreas be cooked and still work?)

I was really hoping there was a simple, decent commercial food that checks at least the major boxes that maybe I missed in my research. I had her on the Annamaet Lean and also tried Nulo, but both had legumes as first three ingredients, and ….eew! Major gas, bloating and horrible blow-out diarrhea resulted.

I looked around for a veterinary nutritionist, but don’t know who to trust. They all want quite a bit of money for just a consult. I may reach out to the vet that used to do her acupuncture and see if she recommends anyone.
I’ll also try Just Food For Dogs.

Thank you again!!
Victoria & Bella
New Hampshire, USA

[GSDsForever]

Victoria,

You poor thing and your poor dog! That is certainly a lot to be trying to treat at once & in selecting a food.

Have you thought about feeding a therapeutic homemade diet, via your vet & you doing a consult with a board certified veterinary nutritionist (DACVN)? I wouldn’t recommend them all equally, but there are some good ones.

Those are some tough dietary parameters to meet all at once, particularly through a commercial kibble/can and from a quality reputable company, and you might have better luck with feeding homemade.

You might also look into the Vet Support Diets or a custom therapeutic diet from Just Food For Dogs, via their board certified veterinary nutritionists and other vet specialists.

Bear in mind that with EPI, the diet should also be low fiber, especially insoluble fiber — per veterinary guidelines. The main keys for the EPI part, are the pancreatic enzymes on the food + B 12 supplementing.

I would strongly encourage you to reach out to EPI4Dogs. Olessia, the lovely owner of that foundation & moderator, in fact has an EPI dog with diabetes that has been well managed on a combination homemade/fresh and Annamaet’s Lean. Dogs with EPI are no longer recommended to to have low fat, but as Olessia’s dog has needed low fat due to the diabetes, she will be able to help. The enzyme preparation that many use there is called Enzyme Diane, which is less costly. Many of the dogs in that group have done very well, and there is a wealth of knowledge and encouragement, hope there.

I believe most of the EPI dog owners there are feeding grain-free. The issue is with fiber though, as many whole grains found in commercial dog foods are high fiber and much of that fiber is insoluble, which EPI dogs cannot handle. The dogs also notably do not do well with peas, which also happen to be nearly all insoluble fiber. (Ditto for lentils.)

Among whole grains, a very very small amount of oats (higher in soluble, at ~50%), amaranth, or sorghum would be lowest in both fiber and % insoluble fiber; otherwise, white rice (refined). Lowest fiber grains like brown rice and corn contain almost entirely insoluble fiber. Cassava, white potato, and sweet potato are more balanced in soluble/insoluble fiber than most grains — and the fiber in sweet potatoes reduces to half in canned, vaccuum packed.

Elizabeth Hershey DVM, DACVIM is an outstanding, nationally known board certified oncologist you might wish to have your local vet reach out to. She is integrative and evidence based, as she is trained in both traditional western medicine and eastern/Traditional Chinese Medicine, includes diet, and typically combines her approaches. She does have success where other oncologists have not.

If I think of a suitable grain inclusive commercial food from a company that I personally would recommend, I will post it.

[Carmyn D]

I have fed this to my dog for about 6 months. But I give it to him as a topper essentially. My dog eats Victor senior formula or Iams Proactive. I mix 3 spoon fulls of pure being into the dry kibble and he likes it just fine. I only started doing this because back then I had to get my dog treated for heart worms and he had lost his appetite. My vet suggested giving him wet food. I chose Pure Being as it claims to not have artificial colors which can cause cancer.

So far in almost 6 months he has had no diarrhea. The one time he did get diarrhea is when I gave him a cheaper brand of canned food.

[Tracy H]

I have two English Cream Golden Retrievers who are almost pure white in color. After reading the Best Dry Dog Foods of 2019 that the dog food advisor published, I changed their food to one listed. I am giving them VICTOR Hi-Pro Plus Formula Dry Dog Food and they love it! We are now going on 3 months eating this food and they are turning pink. I googled why my dogs are turning pink and I found one article saying it could be from yeast in the dogs food. Hi-Pro Plus add Selenium Yeast to their food…. Could this be the culprit? Just wondering if anyone else out there is having similar issues? Thank you.

[joanne l]

Did you ask a Vet? I don’t know if they require a special food or not. I never heard of that breed. I hope someone here can help you. I just found this on the internet:
Food/Diet. The Blue Picardy Spaniel is a medium-sized breed so you should choose a high-quality dog food formulated for dogs of its size. It is also important to remember that this is a high-energy hunting breed, so an active, working breed, or high-performance blend may be more appropriate.
Maybe try Victor puppy food. It can be found on Chewy’s website.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 4 months ago by joanne l.

[joanne l]

Okay I just checked on chewy.com and Victor is gluten free and has grains, also Natures Logic is gluten free. Just check on chewy’s website and select gluten free dog food. You will see grain free but also grain in.

[joanne l]

look into Victor, I know Purina pro plan is good. there is a list of grains that are gluten free check it out and then read the dog food ingredients. Merrick Classic with grains maybe good too, What are you feeding right now? They are big dogs so I hope you find something soon.

[snowtigga]

Thanks, everyone!

We don’t free freed. However, if we don’t remember to pick up their bowls when they’re done (3 areas, 3 separate bowls), *someone* who shall remain nameless but is formally called Reggie, will occasionally go over and finish it for them.

I put these foods in my cart at chewy as possibilities. Didn’t Wellness have recalls?
I’m taking into consideration that because it’s labeled “senior” doesn’t mean it’s the best choice. I’m trying to keep with a 23%/11%/5% guideline that DFA (or somewhere) deemed as being good for a senior ratio.

I’ve also got my little dog to consider, too, and I’d rather not buy her different food than the boys if I can help it.

Health Extension Lite Chicken & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 30-lb bag
VICTOR Senior Healthy Weight Dry Dog Food, 40-lb bag
Wellness Complete Health Senior Deboned Chicken & Barley Recipe Dry Dog Food, 30-lb bag
Royal Canin Golden Retriever Adult Dry Dog Food, 30-lb bag
Holistic Select Adult Health Chicken Meal & Brown Rice Recipe Dry Dog Food, 30-lb bag
American Natural Premium Original Recipe Dry Dog Food, 40-lb bag
Dr. Gary’s Best Breed Holistic Senior Reduced Calorie Dry Dog Food, 30-lb bag

I think for today we’re going to get a small bag of the Health Extension (Vet’s Choice). I like that they don’t have any recalls and that they’re a small family business. There’s not a lot of fruit/veggies but I’ve got to compromise on something since I don’t think there’s a dog food out there that has it all.

I also appreciate the personal recommendations as that goes a long way over the impersonal articles.

[Robert M]

I emailed them and asked the same thing. Well asked they analyze the entire Kahoots brand of dog food. Based on the research I have done, I have determined that Kahoots pets foods are made by Mid America Pet. And from what I can tell, they are also the makers of the Victor brand of pet food. It also looks like Kahoots tweaks the Victor recipes a bit, so you cannot rely entirely on the DFA analysis of the Victor brand of foods. But, it does at least show that Kahoots brand of food is a good high quality of dog food.

[Sarah B]

Yes, chicken is in most foods, especially the grain-inclusive ones. Even Victor has chicken fat; but I’ve read that dogs don’t necessarily react to fat even if there is a chicken allergy. Hope it works out and your dog is a fan!

[malinda r]

https://breedsy.com/dog-food-without-peas-lentils-legumes-potatoes/

The link above mentions some good foods without peas/legumes. Victor, Sport Dog Food and Farmina seem to have a decent reputation. I read that Sport Dog Food is a favorite among working/sporting dogs, so may be rich for a lower key dog. I am curious about several of these and will be looking at their ingredient list to see what they got.

In the end they may find a different factor as a probable cause, instead of peas/legumes….so I am not going to be too extreme in my choices. Feed a decent food that is low or absent for peas/legumes, don’t feed the same food all the time, use some toppers, give some wholesome human grade food once or twice a week.

[Amber J]

Hi, everyone! I have three senior dogs (two are 13 years old, one is 9 years old), so it’s a bit tough to find reasonably priced senior dog food that works for all of them. Everyone is healthy but it’s hard to find dog food that works well for each dog’s bowels. They don’t have any grain or protein sensitivities that I’m aware of. Two of them have arthritis , but they are otherwise healthy. I use 6-8 cups of dog food a day, so super expensive food is not feasible for our household.

Since our two older dogs have arthritis, I like to see glocosamine, chondroitin, and omega’s in their food. I also like to see supplements that support muscle health, and plenty of fiber/digestive support ingredients. I was feeding them Victor Senior formula, but with Victor’s recent formula changes, all of the dogs are constipated and having a hard time pooping. I switched to Kirkland Senior formula, but their stools are a little too soft for my liking (especially as the person who has to scoop their poop out of the grass).

We have a wonderful local company who sells a senior dog food that seems like it might be okay, and is reasonably priced. I bought a 5-lb bag to test, and even my one picky boy loves it; he’s picking that kibble out and leaving the rest. Does anyone have thoughts on whether this food looks like it would be highly rated by Dogfood Advisor, or whether there are ingredients to avoid? Any other recommendations on reasonably priced senior/mature dog food that might work? I was looking at Fromm but it seems like they have some questionable history with their food.

Here’s the link to the local food: https://www.zamzows.store/products/grandma-zs-chicken-and-vegetable-senior-dog-food-35-lb

Any help would be most appreciated.

• This topic was modified 6 years, 6 months ago by Amber J.

[Mike H]

I tried this dog food for my Blue Heeler and my Rottweiler. Mid way into the second bag, I noticed both of my dogs coat starting to dull, I also noticed poor stool quality with both of my dogs. I gave this food a try because I read that is was made by Diamond. I have had luck with Diamond brands in the past. However, recently my Blue Heeler formed a food allergy to the Diamond Naturals Chicken and Rice formula that she had been eating for years. Now I am on the hunt for a food that will work for both of my dogs, again. As stated before, I was a bit disappointed with the results of this food, but that is the way it goes. I cannot give this food a positive or negative review since my Blue Heeler was not allergic to it. But it does seem to me that Diamond possibly cut some corners when producing this food, as I have always had good coat, and stool quality with the Diamond Naturals Line. I believe I am going to try Victor feed next, It seems to have positive reviews, and has a fair price point.

[crazy4cats]

Joanne-

Purina has beef and rice formulas. I have fed a Beneful recipe and I believe there are ProPlan and Purina One beef foods as well.

If you are interested in Victor, write down a list of questions and contact the company who makes it. If you are happy with their responses, then feed it! The WSAVA is trying to stress that it is important to check out the company making your pet’s food. You cannot tell enough by ingredient panels. It’s impossible to know the quality of the ingredients and how much of each are actually in the food. I have no idea how ingredients work together to keep a dog healthy. I’m trusting the companies who employ experts and do feed trials.

Btw. WSAVA does not approve foods. They have a list of recommendations for pet food manufacturers to follow.

I really hope that there are other foods that are “safe” to feed other than the Purina, Hills, RC, Iams and Eukanuba. But, it is up to the other brands to prove it to me. Good luck!

[joanne l]

Anyone use Victor dog food?? I know you guys like Purina, hills, and Royal Canine. But I wanted a beef and rice food. This one looks good, but I never used it. I don’t know if staying with just a food that is WSAVA approved is going to solve anything. Then you are limited what to use. I am just staying away from grain free and dog food makers that were not around a long time right now.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 6 months ago by joanne l.

[anonymous]

Really?
You don’t know by now that these folks are going to tell you that Victor does not meet the WSAVA guidelines.

Just a suggestion, make a list of all the grain-inclusive dog foods that appeal to you.

Call your veterinary clinic and leave a message for your veterinarian to call you back when he has a minute.
Ask his professional opinion as to which would be the best product for your dogs.

Odds are that he will advise you to buy in small bags (one by one, none of this rotating crap) and through trial and error see what one the dogs do best on.

After all, he is the veterinary healthcare professional that has examined your dogs and knows them best 🙂

PS: I have never used Victor, never heard of it till I came on this forum, maybe it is only available in certain parts of the country.

[Elizabeth D]

I’m currently feeding two of my dogs Fromms Classic and my pup with digestive issues Wellness Complete Health Large Breed. I recently lost my lab who was on Zignature and he did really well on it. I just don’t understand why Dog Advisor doesn’t have a list of top recommended grain inclusive foods or if they’re saying that those just don’t make it to the top.
I’m kind of interested in Victor-I’ve seen a lot about them recently and I’d love to get all three dogs on the same food if possible.

[darren j]

Through the years we have had issues with yeast (licking paws excessively, red sore paws, itching ears, red inside ears, black stinky stuff inside ears, sores on belly and moreso in groin area, our first attempt at solving this was repeated trips to vet (antibiotics, oatmeal wash, anti-microbial shampoos, scraping for mites, trying just about every dog food out there from cheap to high dollar, grain free to organic so on and so on, what we found is that some dogs can eat just about any dog food out there and be just fine but other dogs are more adversely effected by the non meat products in the dog food and once they develop the yeast it can take awhile sometimes up to 1 to 3 months to clear it up, we found that zymox helps for the ears, coconut oil helps for paws, also keeping the dogs from getting wet (wet conditions help to breed yeast), but these are just like bandaids and do not eliminate the underlying problem and through years of trial, error, experimenting and research we have found the problem is THE FOOD, and that when a dogfood says its 26 or even 30 percent it is not telling you how much of that 26 or 30 percent protein is coming from meat and how much of that is coming from other sources like grains, veggies(peas) or other non-meat items, and one of the reasons the more expensive grain free foods can make it worse is because peas carry a large amount of protien and many of those foods are loaded with peas, and just just because meat is the first ingredient does not necessarily mean that there is more meat than grain or other stuff (example 30% meat, 25% potato, 20% peas, 15% percent beets = a dog food that is 30% meat and 60% grain/veggie/starches but still is allowed to put meat as the number one ingredient and list the protein at 26% but actually half of that protein is coming from non-meat sources which turn to sugar in the dogs system and promote yeast, the only food we have found so far that has cleared this up is Victor Hi-Pro Plus (I am not a Victor salesperson by the way nor do I work for Victor or any affiliate), this food actually tells you on the front of the bag how much of the protein comes from meat and how much comes from other sources(there is at least one other brand of dog food that tells you this but I don’t remember the brand), it would be nice if every dog food had to do this because then we would have a better idea about which dog foods would be best for yeast sensitive dogs, we have also fed raw to clear this up as well but if your going to feed raw I highly suggest you research that thoroughly, as we have had a blockage caused by feeding to much weight bearing bone at once, and I believe you are supposed to freeze the meat for days before thawing and feeding there are also many other things to know before feeding raw, and a whole chapter could be written on the pros, cons and different aspects of to raw or not to raw.
disclaimer…I am not a vet, this is only from experience with our own dogs here at badlands kennels, so I am sure we only know a little about dog health, but we love all dogs so if this info can help to make any of your furry family members happy and more comfortable then job well done.

[Emilee C]

I switched to Wildology a month or two ago, were on our second back for our two dogs.i tried the hike brand first and then the Sprint, I wanted to like it so bad. I was feeding one of mine TOTW and the other Victor Performance, I wanted to put them on the same food and did not want a grain free and Victor was not sold in stores by me, plus this food seemed like it was good. Both of my dogs coats are dull, the one that was on Victor I don’t see much of a difference besides the dull coat. They poop a LOT more. But then my 10 month old baby has been 100% not himself the past week. For the first time in his ENTIRE LIFE, he has been putting his nose up at his food. This is a dog that will eat celery as if it’s a steak, the first time he did that I should’ve known something was off. I’ll be getting new food at the store on the way home today and ordering Victor from Chewy.

[Sanne]

I don’t know about sites as I do not follow what any ratings say, that is just not how I choose my dog food.

Everyone has different budgets so it is hard for me to say what is affordable without knowing yours. An adult food could work for your dog though. Seniors don’t really have special dietary needs. Some less active ones could do with less fat and calories but there are also adult foods that are not high in those. Glucosamine and Chondroitin added to most senior foods is pretty useless. The amount the dog would have to eat just to get a reasonable amount is ridiculously high.

That said, Victor Senior is IMO a pretty affordable food with a good nutrition analysis. Good level of protein for a senior, lower fat without being too low (not enough could cause skin problems), phosphorus and sodium levels are good, good amount of L-Carnitine, and calories are quite low.

[Sanne]

Hi Ashlee, you should not attempt to create a homemade diet for your dog (especially a pregnant one) without first consulting your vet. If your vet is not educated enough on the topic, they can point you to one who specializes in nutrition. There is a lot more to homemade food than just cooking some meat rice and veggies together.

In the meantime, I would get her on a good puppy food. Something with a decent level of fat, calories and protein. Foods like Farmina puppy, Annamaet Ultra, or Victor Nutra Pro to throw a few examples out there.

[Sanne]

Schedule is honestly usually just based on what is convenient for the person. I see nothing wrong with three times a day.

I feed add ons with my dogs food daily and I started when they were pups (anything from raw meat, veggies, tinned sardines, boiled eggs). The only advice I have is to make sure no more than 25% of her daily calories come from added food, that is the guideline my vet set for me. Otherwise you have to make sure your add ons are also complete and balanced. I also would not try adding all kinds of foods at once. Add one thing for a few days and see how she takes to it. If you start adding all kinds of stuff at once and her stomach does not agree with something, you won’t know which food she is reacting to.

We do not have that kibble brand here so I cannot comment on whether it is good or not as I am not familiar with it. For puppy food, I do like Farmina puppy, Annamaet puppy, and Victor puppy

[Sanne]

Take a look at Victor Select dog food. Awesome stuff. Their Beef, Chicken, Lamb, and Ocean formulas are all 23-26% protein and grain inclusive. These are typically $40-$50 for 40 lb bags or around $25 for 15 lb, depends on store/location. Some of their Classic Multigrain formulas meet your needs too and are typically even a bit cheaper

[Susan]

Hi,

Congrates on your rescue puppy,

look at “Wellness Complete Health Puppy Formula & “Wellness Core Puppy”

For Dogs

“Canidae” Turkey Meal & Brown Rice Large Breed Puppy
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products/canidae-all-life-stages-large-breed-turkey-meal-brown-rice-dry-formula

“Victor”
https://victorpetfood.com/products

[Sanne]

Absolutely not bad to try it at all! Don’t beat yourself up over it, some dogs are just soo much more sensitive than others and there isn’t much we can do about it. Honestly, the ingredients do not look awful in that food at all. It may be a little low in meat but dogs do not NEED high amounts of meat to be healthy. I would have no problem trying this food if my dog was miserable on everything else. If it works, it will be oh so worth it to see your dog have relief. Trust me, if it works any guilt you have about feeding it will be gone. The “best food in the world” is garbage at the end of the day if your dog’s system is not happy on it.

A few years back, I tried to feed my dogs some 40% protein 20% fat grain free type foods. I was dead set on feeding my dog these kinds of foods because they are supposedly so high in meat which is supposedly the only way to feed a dog. So much wasted time with my dog being miserable, gassy, huge loose stools, itching. I finally said F it and started from scratch. Dumped the high protein food, stuck with something between 25-30% protein 11-16% fat and rice, millet, or barely for the starch since this is kind of similar to what she was on as a pup. What a difference. Such small firm stools that took a maximum of 20 seconds to pass. No nasty residue left behind. It may not have the highest meat content but who cares?? My dog is like a normal dog, no poop or skin issues, no stressing about what might happen next on this food lol. As an example of what I like to see in a food, while I was in the States I fed my dog Victor Senior and that worked so perfectly for her. The brands I feed now here in Europe all have very similar ingredients/analysis.

Geez I let this get very long, sorry sometimes I ramble on 🙂 I just wanted to let you know I know where you are coming from and do not let the guilt get to you over the brand/ingredients. Both you and your dog will be happier for it

[Jan K]

I switched to Victor about two years ago. I was looking for a kibble that would work well for my breeding girls and also for my puppies. I was feeding Hi-pro Plus. I felt like my Samoyed dog did well on it and produced full, healthy litters. However, I had an Aussie that I lost to post whelp liver failure. It came out of the blue and we never realized the problem until it was too late. So that leaves me with lots of questions, particularly about protein levels and quality assurance. Talking to others with a similar experience, some necropsy done, ( I didn’t think to do that: I was so stunned). Two possible causes were copper toxicity and a toxic fungus that grows on grains possible cross contamination at the manufacture. I switched to Victor Professional, reducing the protein from 30% to 26%. Victor gets good ratings here. I just don’t know who to trust: manufacture, dog food ratings or antidotal information.

[joanne l]

Did anyone hear or use health extension dog food?? It looks good chewy sells it. I am looking for a back up food for him. I am thinking of this food or Victors. I know Victor’s is good from what I hear from you guys, but health extensions no one ever really talked about this brand. Just trying to find out if anyone ever used it. The ingredients look great. Oh and their grain free doesn’t not have too many legumes either. But I would still use grain in.

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

[Sanne]

I use Farmina Light for my older dog who needs less calories. Fat is around 11% I think. My dog does great on it

Victor Select has a Senior/Weight Management food that also looks really good. Fat is around 12%

Those are the only two I’m familiar with enough to recommend

[Susan]

Hi,
yes a few posters on DFA I dont see them post on here anymore, feed Victor dog food…
Pitlove has a dog who has sensitive stomach & allergies, her dog does really well on Victor grain formula, her dog Bentley didn’t do well on the grain free formula’s but I dont know which Victor formula he ate, it might have been 1 of the Victor Select formula’s ??

Have you tried “Aldis Pure Being” Head to Tail Chicken & Brown Rice ? it looks good aswell, also Wellpet make the Wellness Simple Lamb & Oats no barley in it..