[Susan]

Hi Ana,

I think your talking about Wellness “FISH” formula’s being high in Toxins, not all off the Wellness formula’s are high in Toxins & Contaminates…
There’s a “few” Brands that have FISH formulas that are also “VERY” high in Toxins, Contaminates & Heavy Metals, the Annamaet Lean has Herring fish meal in it, so chances are it will also be higher in Toxin & Contaminates then one of Annamaet other formula’s, also Annamaet Lean is very high in legumes, best not to feed no more then 20% Legumes when feeding a dry kibble….

There’s a heap of different “Fish” brands that have or are on the high toxin list it doesn’t mean all their formula’s are bad…
Earthborn Holistic, Fromm, TOTW, Purina Sensitive Stomach Salmon, Acana, Orijen, Racheal Ray, Halo, Diamond, Nutro, Natures Variety, Nulo, American Journey,Go, Open farm, Ol’ Roy, Kibbles N Bits the list goes on & on..

If your dogs can be feed home made raw or home cooked balanced diets this would be heaps better then feeding these dry processed kibbles or try & feed less dry kibble & more healthy ingredients, eggs, tin salmon, boiled sweet potatoes & fresh blended or cooked veggies etc there’s a really good video in the “Life With Dogs & Cats” group I’ve posted link below, feeding dogs fresh raw blended or cooked Veggies, vegetable fibers are more healthy for gut, the Video is called “Dont forget to feed your Veggies” & has Dr Jean Dobbs on the Video, really good information..
also reducing some of your dog dry kibble & replacing with healthy Green & Orange veggies will help lose some weight..lower your dogs carbs the Annamaet Lean formula has 50% carbs..

If you feed a dry kibble then it’s best to rotate between a few different brands that agree with your dogs, so if 1 of the dry foods you’re feeding is high in heavy metals, or not balanced properly, or is high in Legumes, your dog isn’t just eating this 1 brand of dry dog food 24/7, year after year…
I stick with feeding dry dog foods that are grain free & have white meats, Turkey, Pork & Chicken, these meats seem to be cleaner then fish, thats if the pet companies have a good suppliers….
Mycotoxins are poisonous chemical compounds produced by certain fungi found in grains,
so it’s not just the meats that have toxins, heavy metals, so when I see a brand that is Turkey or Chicken formula high on the toxin list & it has grains, I think Mycotoxins & Roundup
could be the reason why this chicken or turkey formula is high on the Toxin & Contaminates list… http://www.fao.org/wairdocs/x5008e/x5008e01.htm

DFA doesn’t believe in these testing & blocks the name of company & any links to this company that does the studies. I think its good this company is testing 299 most popular dog/cat foods & treats, its making these pet food companies clean up their act, keeps them on their toes.
DFA writes about it this company on the Orijen Review section. /dog-food-reviews/orijen-dog-food-usa/

We have just had another recall in Australia “Black Hawk” Salmon formula made by NZ Masterpet food company have admitted they change Fish suppliers, (probably went with a cheaper fish suplier) then all these poor dogs became very unwell, “Advance” Dermcare was using Tuna & a heap of dogs died Nov-2017 to March-2018 the surviving dogs all have Mega Eosphagus & little quality of life..

Join this new facebook group
“Life with Dogs and Cats” – Health, Training & Research
https://www.facebook.com/groups/lifewithdogsandcats/?ref=direct

It’s run by Dr Karen Becker, Susan Garrett & Rodney Habib & a few other people, group started about 3 weeks ago & already it has 5700 people, there’s a couple excellent video to watch, also on Planet Paws f/b page & Rodney Habib f/b page..
One video is about the latest UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine’s latest study: on Limited Ingredient/Allergy Diets, so Karen Becker & Rodney bought a few popular LID dog foods & had ingredients tested & “Natural Balance” Bison formula was “not” Bison meat, it was Beef, Horse, Pork, Goat, Lamb ot had every red meat in it….
Video is called “False Hope of Limited Ingredient & Allergy Diet” – video..

[Susan]

Hi Kyle,

Send Farmina an email & ask Farmina all your questions they would have vet nutritionist who would know which formula is best for your dog growing bones….
I think your better off sticking with the Medium Maxi formula’s for Large Breed, click on Puppy & see which medium maxi formula’s come up in the different Farmina range.

This Farmina Chicken & Pomegranate Puppy Maxi Large Breed Formula looks good
https://www.farmina.com/us/eshop/dog-food/n&d-grain-free-canine/92-chicken-&-pomegranate-puppy-maxi.html

The complexity is illustrated by the fact that not all of the grain free diet DCM dogs reported, are taurine deficient,
it’s only been a few grain free foods that were diet related “Zignature & Acana” it seems to be the Grain Free foods that are high legumes that are blocking Taurine for ‘Some Dogs’ NOT all dogs??

Vet diets have been using Potatoes for many years & very high amounts of potato, more potato then meat proteins in their vet diets & there hasnt been any dogs suffering with diet related heart problems who are eating these Grain Free Potato Vet Diets??

[crazy4cats]

Hi Lisa A-
I’m glad your vet notified you about diet related DCM. There is a FB group dedicated to this issue called Taurine-Deficient cardiomyopathy. The cardiologist that is leading one of the research groups from UCDavis belongs and pops in every now and then to give advice. There is also a team of mostly knowledgable admins that run the site. Check it out!

Many of the members whose dogs cannot tolerate chicken have transitioned their dogs off of suspect diets to the Purina ProPlan Sensitive Stomach Salmon recipe.

As I think Susan mentioned, Acana and Zignature have been mentioned quite often when people have reported their dogs either have either low taurine or actual DCM. Remember, it’s tough to rate an ingredient label. So, I have officially given it up and leave it to the experts to know which ingredients work well together to deliver an appropriate nutrient package to my dogs. Surprisingly, a number of raw and homemade fed dogs are also turning up taurine deficient.

At this point in time, I’d stay totally away from the suspect ingredients (legumes and potatoes) and stick with a brand that has been around for a while that has proven to be safe. I switched to Purina and will stick with either them or Royal Canin, Eukanuba, Hill’s or Iams. They all have veterinary nutritionists on staff, do research, feeding trials and own their own facilities.

Btw, I think the ingredients of Natural Balance look fine. It doesn’t contain any of the suspect ones. It contains some of the building blocks for dogs to synthesize their own taurine. I’m not sure about that brand though but if your vet is good with it, give it a go! Or, try out the PPP salmon formula. Good luck!

[Susan]

Hi Lisa,

I’d stay away from Zignature as it was 1 of the brands + (Acana) that had a few diet related DCM causes…
I didn’t know Zignature make a beef formula? they have Pork or Goat, Zignature is very high in Legumes, Legumes need to be avoid till they work out what ingredients are causing these heart problems, no more then 20% legumes, so more meat proteins in the first 2-3 ingredients, not plant proteins…

Have you looked at Pork, there might be more LID pork formula’s?? my IBD boy does really well on Pork, “Canidae Pure Wild”
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products/canidae-grain-free-pure-wild-dry-formula

Have you done a proper elimination diet to work out his food sensitivities when he was on a vet diet that agreed with him? it’s the only why to know 100% what meats he is sensitive too.. just add some raw or cooked meat with his vet diet he did well on this way you will know 100%

You have to remember when these grain free dry foods first came out they were all potato or sweet potato, tapioca & we didnt have any problems with DCM in dogs like we are having now with these newer grainfree dry foods that started to use Lentils, Chickpeas to replace the meat proteins.

“Natural Balance” grain free formulas are also pretty good for dogs with sensitive stomach/bowel, alot of people feed the Fish & Sweet Potatos or the Duck & Potato, these 2 Natural Balance formula’s are legume free…

I rotate between a few G/F dry foods that my boy does well on, my boy is doing excellent on the “Wellness Simple” Turkey & Potato at the moment, years ago he ate the Lamb & Oatmeal but started to do sloppy poos after 3 weeks, he doesnt seem to do well on grains formula’s as he has gotten older, he has a beautiful shiney coat, still holding his weight at 18kg-40lbs & only doing 2 firm poos a day on the Weillness Simple Turkey…

Oh did you look at the Farmina Vet Life formula’s
https://www.farmina.com/us/eshop-dog/dog-food/8-farmina-vet-life-canine.html

Hopefully they’ll have some answer soon, as there’s alot of stressed out people who own Goldens & Labrodors, this breed seems to be affected the most..

[crazy4cats]

Hi Katie R-
I am going to venture to guess that Pitlove was not referring to any Rx grain free kibble. I don’t know her, but have been seeing her posts for the last few years. She is a vet tech and supports Rx diets when needed. I’m sorry if you were offended. I am confident that she did not mean to.
On the taurine-deficient DCM FB site, this question has come up several times. The Admins in the group state that grain free Rx diets are safe. They are very well researched and tested. The dogs are in the care of a veterinarian and there is no concern with them causing DCM. I believe there are a couple on the taurine data chart.

There is so much information on that page. Unfortunately, it’s getting tougher to wade through all the posts because there are over 9,000 members now! The admins are in touch with Joshua Stern from UC Davis, who is also in touch with the FDA regarding this research. Today there was a post about a 3 year old German Short Haired Pointer that was just diagnosed with severe DCM who had been eating Acana Lamb. He lives in Canada. I hope it can be reversed with a different diet. So sad.

They have already proved that many cases are food related as the DCM can be reversed when fed a new diet. They just don’t know what it is about the food that is causing it yet. Fingers crossed it will be figured out soon!

[crazy4cats]

You can’t tell how much of what is in the food by the ingredient label. Manufacturers are allowed to weigh ingredients at different stages of processing making it impossible to tell. They know that consumers are now checking out ingredient labels and know exactly what we want to see and can manipulate them to our liking.

Many of the dogs that have been recently diagnosed with Dilated Cardiomyopathy coincidentally have been eating Acana. Cardiologists are researching right now if there is a connection. I’d steer clear.

[Louise D]

Wow! Not a good food and crazy expensive. The first ingredient is not chicken since all ingredients are weighed prior to cooking. It is more like the 5th, 6th or 7th after it loses it’s moisture weight. The next ingredients are peas, peas and animal bedding (Oat hulls). Save your money and buy a great food like Nature’s Select or Acana.

[Popeye D]

If bigger/more frequent poops are to be expected w/ Acana being so high fiber, does that mean it’s ok?

I feel like the dog poops more out than he eats in since starting Acana.

[Popeye D]

The shits are “healthy” — meaning solid. They’re just much bigger than usual. And, he’ll go 2-3 times a day now. I might mention that despite being 11yo, he runs ~20 miles weekly with me. The Purina-HA rx food had been fine, but I just figured that real meat kibble would be better for longevity and staying active as he ages? Acana claims that the bag of food is 60% duck, while the HA protein is like soy isolate or something.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 5 months ago by Popeye D.

[Susan]

Hi,

Acana is full of “Legumes” & is higher in fiber then Purina HA is.
Vet diets have ingredients to make poo smaller..

Acana Duck & Pear Ingredients
Deboned duck, duck meal, “whole lentils”, “whole peas” duck liver, duck fat, “lentil fiber” pears, pollock oil, “pea starch” natural duck flavor, duck cartilage, pumpkin, salt,

My boy does 2-3 small poos a day when eating “Canidae Pure Wild” “Nutra Gold Turkey or “Wellness Core” Large Breed..
When he was on a vet diet (IBD) he only did 1 maybe 2 small poos a day…

I wouldn’t be feeding a high legume diet, they are doing research at the moment, Legumes seems to be blocking the dog from absorbing Taurine & causing heart problems DCM.. Golden Retrievers & other large breed dogs seem to be affected…
Here’s the F/B group..look in “Files” click on “2018-10-05 COPY of Diet and Taurine TABLE”…. look at the Brands (Acana Duck & Pear) mark in light Orange that are Diet related for blocking Taurine.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1952593284998859/

How’s he doing eating a high fat diet now? the Acana Duck & Pear is 17% min – Fat, so max fat can be around 19-20% -fat.
Purina HA is 8%max – Fat, he’s a senior I wouldn’t go over 14-15%max for fat.

[Popeye D]

Hi. My 11yo black lab recently switched from Purina-HA (rx) to Acana Singles duck & pear. He tapered onto it and he’s been solid on it for a month+. His shits are healthy but huge AND frequent. 2-3 shits a day. It used to be once a day, pretty average quantity. The dog is above average active for his age.

Whats bizarre is I went from Purina 3-4 cups a day, to Acana 2-2.5. This is top shelf food. The adjustment period of 2 months is over and this seems unusual. Any insights?

[Susan]

Hi Vicki,

just becareful with Zignature it’s a high legume diet, they’re finding that high legume diets have been blocking the dog from absorbing Taurine & a few dogs have ended up with DCM who ate Zignature Kangaroo, Acana formula’s was another bad brand high in legumes, I’ll post the f/b group & its list is in their files below
Kangaroo, Venison, Bison are all expensive meats these pet food companies looks for cheaper alternative & add Lentils, Chickpeas to up the protein % & add less meat proetin & more plant proteins..

Make sure you rotate your dog foods every 3months so your dog isnt eating the same brand & ingredients 24/7…

Have you looked at Freeze Dried dry foods like “BIXBI Rawbble Freeze-Dried Dry Dog food”
& wet foods instead of feeding a dry processed kibble or rotate & feed a few different foods this is what I do with my boy, he has IBD & Food Sensitivities, rotating foods has strenghtened his immune system & now after 5yrs rotating he can eat anything as long as it doesnt have any ingredients he is sensitive too..

“Taurine-Deficient Dilated Cardiomyopathy” f/b group
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1952593284998859/

Once you have joined look in “Files” 2nd & 3rd PDF link called “2018-09-14 Copy of Diet and Taurine.pdf” the
Light Orange = DCM or CHF w/o low Taurine; diet related.

[C C]

There are currently class action law suits against the makers of Origen and Acana, Champion Pet Foods, but I’m not aware that the FDA has done anything since I still see the “food” being sold. They ignored my report to them, so I have made my choices narrowing things down with research from this website, cleanlabelproject.org, and truthaboutpetfood.com, the latter being one who shares the most about the FDA. It is a matter of experimenting with your choice to test for the diarrhea mentioned or other reactions, though I’ve not had that at all with a slow transition period adding the new food gradually. I also make chicken and add to her food daily and it is worth doing whatever needs to be done for our pet family members to have the best quality and healthy life. It’s an absolute abomination that pet owners are supposed to feed road kill and decaying sick animals in so many dog foods. Best wishes with your search.

[Vicki B]

My dogs have been on Acana free range chicken for the years I have had them…. but…. it has changed and with the lawsuit….. not trusting them so much anymore. My labs hair has been shedding ALOT more than normal and the Boxer has been throwing up/pudding poop. Had blood drawn on him and exray and all seems o.k…….I have switched my boxer to Merrick grain free lamb and he loves it…. but his poop tends to be softer….. not as firm as expected most of the time. Now I hear about issues with high calcium in Merrick… whats that about???

I have been think Zignature, although I know they have not been around that long…. just not sure what to try. I want to keep them healthy ……. Suggestions please……

[Vicki B]

So….. it appears it has been quite awhile since any feedback on the Acana has been posted here…. Wondering if all has straightened out or are there still issues. My Lab does not seem to have problems… been on it for a number of years , although the U.S.A. food does seem “different”….. my other dog… a boxer mix is having issues with throwing up and pudding poop and thinking it could be the food.

Not sure of what to change them to….. I have put the boxer on Merrick Grain free Lamb but he still has pudding poop on and off……
None of this might be the Acana…. but I am looking to change food anyway since I just do not have the faith in Acana that I use to have. My budget says I cant go more expensive….. not feeding two big boys…. but…. I have to make a change. He likes the Merrick…just not sure.

[crazy4cats]

Congrats on the rescue of your pup. It sounds like a beautiful mix. And probably a handful! The best way to figure out an allergy is through an elimination diet with an Rx hypoallergenic food.

Just a word of warning, there has been a FDA warning on dog food that contain a significant amount of legumes and/or potatoes. There have been many cases of dogs eating these types of diets that have been diagnosed with Dilated Cardiomyapathy due to low taurine. It is suspected that these ingredients may be blocking the absorption or inhibiting the synthesis of taurine.

There is a data table on a FB page that is gathering taurine test results. Acana and Zignature are both consistently showing very low results. I wouldn’t feed either! Kangaroo is very low in taurine. I’m glad it is not available.

[Michelle H]

I’m glad I found this thread. I’ve been feeding my black lab and golden retriever Acana for about 4 years. We started with Orijen but the cost became too much so we switched down. In the last year or so I’ve noticed my black lab having issues at dinnertime. It was like she was having trouble eating; she kept spitting out her food. I thought she was having trouble with her teeth so we took her to the vet and they said her teeth are perfectly fine. They did a general look-see and ultimately found swelling in her abdomen which led to finding a severe liver issue. We’re treating her with meds for that now. However, she’s still having trouble eating. We add water or homemade broth to it to make it softer. Now, my golden is starting to have issues, too. I see her spitting out food (and she eats everything!) and vomiting (she never gets sick). Oddly, my Ragdoll cat LOVES this food. He constantly sticks his face in their bowls and won’t stop eating until we pull him away. Seeing other folks with issues has led me to conclude it’s definitely time to try something new.

[Lorena]

Russell, if your dog was healthy why did you switch foods? Did you gradually transition to the new food? If you do a sudden change they will get diarrhea. Can you explain what symptoms she has? I ised Costco food for so long and I feel guilty for not noticing that throwing up once or twice a week is not normal. I thought it happened due to sensitive stomach. Ever since switching to Acana duck and pear my 3 dogs do so well. I recently started to mix 1/2 of American Journey salmon and sweet potato and they love it.

[Dennis T]

Yes I think I’ll definitely ask that group about it. That one document that shows the taurine levels of dogs on certain is interesting (Acana was not looking good!). I scrolled to the Canidae part and some of theirs wasn’t good either but I noticed their Grain Free Pure Sea limited ingredient diet seemed to be just fine on that list. It wasn’t highlighted in yellow or anything. This confused me because the ingredients in that food does contain peas etc. If the fish formulas for some reason are okay, I might try to get my girl on the newest formula of Canidae (Grain Free Ancestral Raw Coated Fish). However, I’m still cautious and waiting for some more info.

[crazy4cats]

It says in big letters for us not to share or reproduce it. Unfortunately, you’d have to join. It is a closed private group at least. It’s actually not a list, but a data table with real people and dogs’ names listed on it.

Which food are you curious about?

The worst offender is Acana by far, followed by Zignature. Both are full of legumes!

[Susan]

*Acana had 16 of their formula’s on the Low Taurine list & again the dogs just ate the same dry Acana food more then 1yr

*Fromm had 12 different formula’s that affected dogs Taurine levels & people are stopping their good dog foods & changing over to Fromm fomula’s.. 🙁
I notice these dogs who tested Low in Taurine were feed the SAME diet more then 6months over 1 yr..

*4Health had 4 of their forumla’s on the list

*Zignature had 3 formula’s (I think)

*Canidae had 3 of their formula’s where dogs tested low in Taurine, Chicken & Rice formula, All Life Stages grain formula & Pure Sky formula, then there were dogs that ate Canidae formula’s & they were “Fine” 1 owner added raw Turkey, eggs & cottage Cheese & his Taurine test came back fine, so this is telling me this is genetics…

I notice these dogs test that were Low Taurine were feed the “SAME” diet more then 6months, some more then 1 yr..

If you have a breed that is predisposed to heart problems, then I’d take your dog to see a vet & have a blood test done & take it from there, others that dont have a breed that’s prone to heart problems just keep feeding what you’re feeding & rotate & change brands with the seasons, don’t feed the same dry kibble more then 4months & dont Stress out….

Here’s the Taurine list.. you might need to be on f/b for it to work..

https://lookaside.fbsbx.com/file/2018-09-01%20Copy%20of%20Diet%20and%20Taurine%20Table.pdf?token=AWw34aBaca80R1PN-JJjiCu8YfP-Y_smfi4dMbEHiWCP-2XqM6C2nzYbmp0Qy8aEywUU1l4Oh4mH_6hQ8I9uTspCfOA6N4MVOyQ6Hsuj4wEb6d3QodPL57e1o-J9Nfh3ywUnQmmLEBnXEiK5K2e5WPjdKZlJhytf6y5_a_wOWQh1BQ

Here’s the “Taurine-Deficient Dilated Cardiomyopathy”f/b group then the Taurine list is in their “Files” Dr Stern gives some good advice..
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1952593284998859/

[crazy4cats]

My advice would be to stay away from Acana. It has WAY too may legumes on the ingredient list! FDA put out a warning that foods that contain a large amount of legumes and/or potatoes can somehow cause a taurine deficiency in dogs. Which in time could cause heart issues.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Joanne-
In my opinion, the big dog food companies are the safest to go with. They have the most money to do the most research, own their own manufacturing facilities, have the best safety protocols, employ certified veterinary nutritionists, do the most testing and buy the top ingredients.

Do not feed Acana or Zignature. They are full of legumes and show very poor results on Dr. Stern’s taurine data table found on the taurine-deficient FB group’s page.

Good,luck!

[Amelia Z]

Hi Linda!I believe he’s ok, but his taurine whole blood was 148 and it should be >250 for a golden. So I have to get the echo to be sure. But he was on acana grasslands all his life and he is 7, so I would think if he had an issue it would have shown by now. We’ll see.
So I hope your boy likes the real meat company or should I say his “system” likes it. Do you give him probiotics? My boy ALWAYS had very soft poop. He would start in one spot and walk all over the yard. UGH! I started with Mercola healthy pets – complete probiotics and there was a big change and now even better on this new food. Never thought I would see good poo from him! I’m sure you know to wean him slowly on this new food. It’s very rich because it’s all meat. I tried the chicken, no good for these guys (both of them very soft). Then I tried the turkey (soft, not as bad as the chicken though) but the beef is excellent for them. I will try the turkey again because they say it’s good to change proteins but if they can’t tolerate it then forget that. I also add fruits & veggies to their food as well. Do you? I buy from chewy.com, it’s actually 1.50 more than the pet guys for the 10lb bag-auto ship. So good to know they have it also. Let me know how he does on it.

[Stefanie F]

Well I am not sure what to do now. I have a 7 year old Bichon as healthy as can be. No vomiting, no loose stool healthy skin and a coat that is thick and lush. Blood work all comes back normal.

He has been on Acana Wild Atlantic and MEADOWLAND his whole life. Loves then both.

I just came across the info on the law suite and also info on possible buy out of company.

I just do not know what to do.

Should I keep feeding where my 7 year old is doing well or should I switch. If I switch what do I switch to?

My bichons comes from a chimpoin line his Mom took number 2 at westminster a few years back and the bichon that took this past years first place is from the same line. His breeder told me to stay away from Pro plan (he is one) get pushed with Pro plan by purina for advertising reasons. He only feed omas pride

Do not know if true or not and frankly do not care. I just want to do right by my dog and feed him a good healthy food.

I asked my vet what to do and she kind of Fluffed me off and pushed the dog food she sells as the best.

I just do not know what to do any more.

Should I switch or stay with acana?

If I switch to what omas pride woof any good or am I going to find that is rotten as well?

I really need some sound advice.

[Reese B]

Hi Joanne,
I heard from somewhere about Zignature being one of the brands dogs were eating too.(Nothing official, just the rumor mill.) I also read an article about a dog eating a “pork and squash recipe” who got DCM too. To me, that sounded like Acana.

I know it’s not definite prove of what brands are part of the investigation, but it’s enough for me to stay away from them until this is cleared up.

[joanne l]

This is so sad, some of these dogs were young with heart problems and some very serious. There is a few brands I think pointing to this: Zignatures, pure vita and Acana.

[Donna B]

Hi there. My Frenchie just turned 2 in July. I too got him when he was 5 months. I transitioned him to Acana Duck & Pear because I had my golden retriever on it as well at the time. He loves it. I’ve recently switched my golden over to raw. My Frenchie gets about a dime size of raw with his dry and he barks at me to hurry up while I’m preparing their bowls. IDK where you live, but perhaps if you have a locally owned specialty pet store in your area, they too could help. I absolutely love my vet, but “food” is not their specialty. All of my food research has come from this site as well as my local store owners. Frenchies can be prone to chicken allergies oddly enough. Perhaps give Hamburg and rice for a few days to give her digestive track a rest. That should help her stools get better. In the mean time decide on which food to go with and then you can begin to transition with the Hamburg and rice mix if/when her stools improve. Just some thoughts… Good luck!

[crazy4cats]

A week or two ago, Anon, you said the FDA alert was BOGUS. Followed up by Legumes Rock! Of course the post has been deleted along with many of your other posts on the review side of this site. It’s not a rumor, Acana was named in a report from UC Davis and I saw Acana and Zignature along with several other foods on the Diet & Taurine Table. Actually a few dogs fed Fromm are also on the table as having low taurine.

http://mckeevervetderm.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/543/2017/09/TaurineDef.Goldens.pdf

Susan K- If you join the Taurine-Deficient Dilated Cardiomyopathy FB group, you will see the most up to date spreadsheet for the Diet & Taurine Table. I know someone posted it on this site, but they ask not to republish it. It has been updated since it was posted here.

They are not saying the food has caused the low taurine levels yet. They are just collecting data so far. You might be right, it could just be Goldens tendency to have it. Or could be coincidental that a lot of dogs are just eating grain free foods these days. Who knows?

It’s always been thought that dogs made their own taurine from other amino acids and didn’t need supplementation like cats do. I wonder what is going on with these dogs??? I hope they figure it out soon!

[crazy4cats]

The two brands I’ve heard mentioned and seen on some spreadsheets are Acana and Zignature, not grocery store foods.

[Diana B]

I’ve always fed my dogs Acana because I came to feel that there were just too many recalls of American-made pet foods and too little oversight of ingredient quality. When the last one died, I went a year before adopting a new dog and just bought Acana for him out of habit. Tonight I had to go get a new bag of food and when I got home, I started reading the package information since the store didn’t have the formula I’d being using. I guess I’ve been out of the loop too long because I didn’t realize Acana had been bought by an American firm and is using mainly American-sourced ingredients.

This is exactly what I don’t want. I frankly do not trust American-made dog foods nor American-sourced ingredients. For my confidence level, there are just too few regulations for pet foods in the U.S., too many recalls of American-made pet foods, and too much factory farming in the U.S. to have confidence in American-sourced pet food ingredients.

So, are there any pet foods still being made in Canada of Canadian-sourced ingredients? And if not, are there any American-made pet foods that I might have reason to trust? Thanks for any advice you have.

[Carol C]

Well I have a golden retriever- I thought I was doing the best and spending money I didn’t have buying Orijen or Acana. Now I am reduced to Purina or Royal C – We (golden retriever owners especially) are advised no peas, lentils, POTATOES – alfalfa and the list goes on and on. I have no idea what to feed anymore! Everyone who has a golden especially should get taurine tested whole blood. I live in Canada and more of a choice in U.S for foods. Best is to rotate, and supplement with toppers as sardines, beef, chicken hearts, egg yolks and some plain yogurt.

[Amelia Z]

They are adding it to the ancestral grain formula. The grain free already has:
fiber vegetable of peas. Although I prefer grain free, I was getting desperate so I was going to try the ancestral grains and they said they are coming out with a new formula that will have pea fiber. I looked into sport dog that has no peas but thought it might be too rich since it is for sporting dogs. Although my goldens are a sporting breed, they are not SPORTING. But they are out of stock because of the issue of taurine and peas. So now that’s out. The more I read about kibble it really is the worse food we can give them. I am continuing to give them honest kitchen and wean them off the Acana. They seem to like it. I may give them that one meal and Grandma Lucy’s artisan Chicken for the other. This will definitely cost alot more but if it is better for them, I will do it. It certainly is worth my sanity. I can’t research any more. This is been going on for months and I am at my wits end!
Here’s some interesting info:
https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2015/11/08/best-to-worst-pet-food-types.aspx
https://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/dog-food-ten-scary-truths/

[Kathryn P]

We switched from Acana to Zignature and haven’t had any issues! We’ll be sticking with Zignature. I’m not sure if you saw my earlier posts but not long ago both my dogs became very sick from a bag of Acana (Appalachian ranch). They stopped being sick when we stopped giving them a Acana. The pet store gave me a full refund but since I didn’t have the codes from the bag, Acana couldn’t do anything. (I put the food in a seal tight container and throw away the bag) My pups were also on Acana since they were puppies. After researching it seemed A LOT of people were experiencing the same thing. I’m happy with Zignature!!

[Patricia A]

Just like to share this. By Dr. Karen Shaw Becker

Thirty years ago, researchers at the School of Veterinary Medicine at University of California, Davis discovered the link between taurine deficiency and dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), a heart muscle disease in cats.1 According to Morris Animal Foundation, “The veterinary community was stunned” by this news, in part because the UC-Davis researchers were able to prove that DCM was reversible when cats received the amount of taurine they needed in their diet.2

Of course, most holistic veterinarians and others knowledgeable about veterinary nutrition and who understand the link between diet and disease weren’t surprised. Taurine, which is an amino acid, is found in meat, and cats, as meat-eating obligate carnivores, haven’t developed the ability to make their own taurine.

This means it’s an essential amino acid for cats — they must get it from their diet, and 30 years ago when UC-Davis veterinarians made their discovery, we were well into the age of processed pet food, having made cats (and dogs) almost entirely dependent on humans for their nutrition.

Pet food formulators often guessed at the effects of extensive processing on nutrients. This is especially true for pet food (feed) that blends leftover pieces and parts from the human meat processing industry with other sources of questionable nutrients before they are rendered and cooked at high temperatures, depleting the nutrients that existed before processing, as well as altering the chemical composition of ingredients (and often creating toxic byproducts along the way).

Are Dogs With DCM Taurine-Deficient?
As soon as the UC-Davis researchers published their findings in cats back in the late 1980s, veterinary cardiologists began looking for taurine and other nutrient deficiencies in their canine patients with DCM.

No direct cause-and-effect relationship could be established, since the vast majority of dogs with DCM weren’t taurine-deficient. Taurine is not considered an essential amino acid for dogs because like many other species, their bodies have the metabolic capacity to manufacture taurine from the dietary amino acids cysteine and methionine.

To further confuse the issue, while the disease is inherited in certain breeds, for example, the Doberman Pinscher, in other breeds it is indeed linked to taurine deficiency. In the mid-1990s, UC-Davis conducted a study of American Cocker Spaniels with DCM and found low taurine levels in many of the dogs. The study authors wrote in their abstract:

“We conclude that ACS [American Cocker Spaniels] with DCM are taurine-deficient and are responsive to taurine and carnitine supplementation. Whereas myocardial function did not return to normal in most dogs, it did improve enough to allow discontinuation of cardiovascular drug therapy and to maintain a normal quality of life for months to years.”3

A 2003 study showed that some Newfoundlands had taurine deficiency-related DCM,4 and two years later, another study was published about a family of Golden Retrievers with taurine deficiency and reversible DCM.5 As veterinary cardiologists continued to encounter cases of taurine deficiency-related DCM in dogs, and continued to search for a common link, diet was thought to play a major role in development of the disease.

UC-Davis Is Currently Conducting Research on Taurine Deficiency-Related DCM in Golden Retrievers
The dogs receiving the most focus right now due to escalating rates of DCM related to taurine deficiency are Golden Retrievers. Veterinarian and researcher Dr. Joshua Stern, Chair of the Department of (Veterinary) Cardiology at UC-Davis, and owner of a Golden Retriever Lifetime Study participant named Lira, is looking into the situation.

He’s collecting blood samples and cardiac ultrasound results from Goldens both with DCM and without the disease. Stern agrees diet plays a role, but he also suspects there are genes at work that increase the risk of the condition in the breed.

“I suspect that Golden Retrievers might have something in their genetic make-up that makes them less efficient at making taurine,” Stern told the Morris Animal Foundation. “Couple that with certain diets, and you’ve given them a double hit. If you feed them a diet that has fewer building blocks for taurine or a food component that inhibits this synthesis, they pop up with DCM.”6

Dr. Stern has written an open letter to veterinarians and owners of Goldens that you can read here. In it, he briefly explains his research and recommends a four-step process dog parents can undertake if they believe their pet is at risk for, or is showing signs of DCM:

1. If you believe your dog is at risk for taurine-deficient Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) and wish to have taurine levels tested, please request a whole blood taurine level be submitted (lithium heparin tube) for analysis. The laboratory I recommend can be found here.

2. If you believe your dog is showing signs of DCM already, please seek an appointment with a board-certified cardiologist to have an echocardiogram and taurine testing obtained simultaneously — do not change foods, do not supplement prior to the appointment.

3. If you receive taurine test results that come back as low, please seek an appointment with a board certified cardiologist to have an echocardiogram performed to determine if your pet needs cardiac medications and the appropriate supplements to be used (DO NOT SUPPLEMENT OR CHANGE FOODS UNTIL YOU HAVE THE CARDIOLOGY EVALUATION COMPLETED).

If you live in close to UC Davis, we can arrange research-funded cardiology evaluations for your dog if you contact at this email address.

4. If you receive cardiologist-confirmed DCM results, please take an image of the food bag, ingredient list and lot number. Please also request a copy of the images from the echocardiogram from your cardiologist (ensure that you have full DICOM image copies on a CD). Please download and complete the full diet history form found at this link.

Please email the image of food bag, a three-generation pedigree, diet history form, copies of the taurine level results and medical record to this email address. A member of our laboratory team will contact you to discuss our thoughts and possibly request additional information, food samples or blood samples for further testing.

Stern wants to get to the bottom of this issue as fast and as medically appropriately as possible. He hopes to publish his initial findings soon and offer scientifically based guidelines for Golden parents regarding diet and DCM. If you’re interested in published research on taurine deficiency and canine DCM, Stern also created a collection of files you can download at this link.

A Particular Brand of Grain-Free Kibble Is Implicated in Some Cases of Diet-Related DCM in Goldens
Although Stern doesn’t discuss specific diets in his letter linked above, according to Dr. Janet Olson of Veterinary Cardiology Specialists:

” … [T]he majority of cases [of taurine deficiency-related DCM in Golden Retrievers] they [Stern and his team] are seeing at UC-Davis are from grain free diets that are high in legumes, like ACANA pork and squash [kibble].”7

Other sources, including a Golden Retriever owner in Mountain View, CA who contacted us, also mention the same food — ACANA Pork and Squash Singles Formula limited ingredient kibble made by Champion Petfoods. According to my Mountain View source, Dr. Stern has been following a group of Goldens with DCM who had been eating the ACANA formula, and a year later, after changes to their diet, taurine supplementation and in some cases, the use of heart medications, all 20+ dogs either fully or significantly recovered.

Consumers who’ve contacted Champion about the issue receive a response stating that taurine isn’t an essential amino acid for dogs, and ACANA and ORIJEN diets are formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles for all life stages. (Since taurine isn’t considered an essential amino acid for dogs, AAFCO dog food nutrient profiles establish no minimum requirement for taurine.)

Champion acknowledges that a taurine deficiency may contribute to the incidence of DCM in genetically susceptible dogs, but states their diets aren’t formulated for dogs with “special needs.”

Are All the Starchy Ingredients in Grain-Free Kibble to Blame?
Since grain-free dry dog food is a relatively new concept, it’s quite possible there’s something about the high-starch (carb) content in these diets that depletes taurine levels and/or makes the taurine less bioavailable. The problem might be related to a chemical reaction (called the Maillard reaction) between taurine and a carbohydrate during the extrusion process that depletes the digestible taurine level in the food.

And while legumes are being singled out as the potential problematic ingredient, grain-free kibble is often higher in both whole carbohydrates and purified starches (e.g., pea starch, potato starch and tapioca starch) than grain-based dry dog food. The higher the starch level in any pet food, the less protein is included.

In a study published in 1996 on the effect of high heat processing of cat food on taurine availability, the researchers noted, “These results suggest that Maillard reaction products promote an enteric flora that favors degradation of taurine and decreases recycling of taurine by the enterohepatic route.”8

Said another way: The byproducts of the chemical reaction between amino acids and sugars (carbs) in dry cat food alter the microbiome (gut bacteria), causing degradation of the taurine in the food, reducing its availability to the cat, and also preventing the taurine from being efficiently recycled by the cat’s body.

An earlier study published in 1990 that looked at taurine levels in a commercial diet that was fed heat-processed to some cats and frozen-preserved to others drew the same conclusion. The researchers stated ” … processing affects the digestive and/or absorptive process in a manner that increases the catabolism of taurine by gastrointestinal microorganisms.”9

Other Factors That Influence the Taurine Content of Pet Food/Feed
A 2003 study published in the Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition looked at taurine concentrations in the ingredients often used in both home prepared and commercial pet diets, as well as how cooking influences taurine content.10

The researchers reported that animal muscle tissue, especially marine animals, contains high levels of taurine, whereas plant-based ingredients contained either low or undetectable amounts. Also, the amount of taurine that remains after cooking is somewhat dependent on the method of food preparation. When an ingredient was cooked in water (e.g., boiling or basting), more taurine was lost unless the water used to cook the food was included with the meal.

Food preparation that minimized water loss (e.g., baking or frying) retained more of the taurine, however, it’s important to note that heat processing in any form destroys anywhere from 50 to 100 percent of taurine present in raw food. In addition, extended periods of storage of processed pet foods, and freezing, thawing and grinding of raw pet food also depletes taurine content.11

Another UC-Davis study published in 2016 evaluated the taurine status of large breed dogs fed low-protein diets (lamb and rice formulas), since they are now known to be at increased risk for taurine deficiency-related DCM.12 The researchers specifically looked at the ingredients rice bran and beet pulp used in many of these diets, and determined that while rice bran didn’t seem to be a primary cause of taurine deficiency, beet pulp may be a culprit.

Both rice bran and beet pulp bind bile acids (bile acids should be recycled, which effectively recycles taurine) in the small intestine, and increase excretion (which is undesirable) because it depletes taurine by interfering with the enterohepatic recycling of taurine-conjugated bile salts and lowers total body taurine levels.

Grain-free/”low-protein” commercial diets are very high in carbohydrates, which displace amino acids. They also contain anti-nutrients (e.g., saponins, trypsin inhibitors, phytates and lectins) that may interfere with taurine absorption. When you add in the high-heat processing used to manufacture kibble, it’s hardly surprising these diets aren’t an adequate source of taurine for many dogs.

How You Can Protect Your Dog
Those of us who are passionate about animal nutrition have been having a painful awakening for some time now about just how nutrient-deficient many dogs and cats are today. The taurine-DCM issue in dogs is yet another example that animals need much higher levels of bioavailable amino acids from a variety of sources than most are consuming.

Unfortunately, some processed pet food advocates are using the link between grain-free dog foods and DCM to try to push pet parents back in the direction of grain-based diets. Don’t be fooled. The problem with grain-free formulas isn’t the lack of grains! It’s the high level of starchy carbohydrates coupled with the extreme high-heat processing methods used to produce these diets.

Until we have much more information on the subject, my current recommendation is to supplement all dogs with high-taurine foods, no matter what type of diet they’re eating. An easy way to do this is to simply mix a can of sardines into your pet’s meal once a week. You can also find the taurine content of many other foods on page two of this study and also in this Raw Feeding Community article.

If you have a breed or breed mix known to be susceptible to DCM (e.g., Golden Retriever, Doberman Pinscher, Cocker Spaniel, Boxer, Great Dane, Scottish Deerhound, Irish Wolfhound, Saint Bernard, Afghan Hound, Dalmatian, Portuguese Water dog, Old English Sheepdog, Newfoundland), especially if you’ve been feeding grain-free kibble, or if for some other reason you’re concerned about your dog’s heart health, I recommend following Dr. Joshua Stern’s four-step process outlined above, starting with a visit to your veterinarian.

[Alex D]

How about Wellness Core? It’s in-between Orijen and Acana in terms of protein content I believe. We’re currently switching our Vizsla puppy to Orijen from Wellness Core because I want an even higher protein content since she’ll be joining me on regular long-distance runs as she gets older–and based on the feeding schedule, Orijen actually ends up being slightly cheaper than Wellness Core over the long run.

Nevertheless, our girl had no problems with Wellness Core and, but for Orijen being a step up in protein/ingredients, we’d stick with the brand.

[Amelia Z]

My 4yr Golden has DCM (dilated cardiomyopathy) he was diagnosed 2 yrs ago. I am feeding him Acana pork & squash and Orijen freeze dried regional red along with fresh veggies, fruits and supplements, pro-biotics etc. There is ALOT of talk lately about diets deficient in taurine possibly causing DCM. UC Davis is conducting a research study on taurine deficient cardiomyopathy in golden retrievers. I have enrolled my dog and he was tested for taurine and it showed that he was low. The cardiologist recommended supplementing him with taurine & L-Carnitine. He also recommends taking him off the acana due to the legumes. He states that the legumes are causing him to be deficient in taurine. He is feeding the other dogs in the study royal canine and purina. Two foods I would never feed. I have been researching for months, looking for a food that is grain & legume free. Not a easy task! I was testing honest kitchen but that is 37% carbs which is too high. Although I am supplementing taurine, I am afraid that the peas are absorbing it and I am going nowhere. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Here is some background on this:
https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2018/07/09/link-between-dog-food-taurine-deficiency-and-dcm.aspx
https://www.planetpaws.ca/2015/07/05/the-pea-problem-in-pet-food/

[Jason P]

Not official, but Champion is in talks to being bought out by Nestle, is pretty ironic and goes against their stance to pull their product from Chewy.com

Maybe since Nestle owns Purina, that qualifies as principles and pet specialty…

July 14, 2017

Dear Pet Lover,

Chewy recently sold their business to PetSmart, and, as a result, ORIJEN and ACANA foods will no longer be available through Chewy.

Like many of you, we are disappointed in Chewy’s decision to sell their business. The ownership change means they no longer meet our definition of pet specialty.

At Champion, our mission is simple: to be trusted by Pet Lovers and the people who serve them. We’ve always stood on principle, we base our decisions on our values, and we will continue to uphold our 25-year commitment to work with specialty shops.

We choose to focus our investment in our foods, including our research, unparalleled ingredients, and world class kitchens.

Our commitment to food is what sets us apart from multinational and marketing brands. We believe this is the reason Pet Lovers choose ORIJEN and ACANA.

We partner exclusively with specialty shops because they:

support innovative, research-driven foods;
understand our Biologically Appropriate philosophy and the unique properties of our foods;
value the research and innovation that goes into our kitchens and foods; and
recommend foods based on performance rather than profits.
We believe Pet Lovers’ peace of mind comes from knowing that the people making their pet’s food are willing to stand on principle over profit.

While it’s too late to reverse the Chewy/PetSmart decision, we have a strong network of pet specialists across America where ORIJEN and ACANA are always on-shelf. Visit ORIJEN and ACANA for a list of brick and online retailers in your area.

Feel free to contact us via email, [email protected], or by phone, 1-877-939-0006.

Sincerely,

Peter Muhlenfeld
Chief Brand Officer
Champion Petfoods LP

[Kathryn P]

Heard about this also! Acana Facebook page came out with a statement saying they don’t comment on rumors… why don’t they just say it’s not true if it’s really not true!? Seems strange

[Kathryn P]

Thanks for your feedback! I never had a problem until this one bag. I also don’t really believe the lawsuit that’s happening is related to this. I ended up switching to Zignature and haven’t had any problems since. They actually seem to like the food better! Acana has been helpful thus far with responding to my problem – although I’m not sure how much they can do bc I threw away the bag after I emptied it into a seal tight container. I was fully refunded from the store I bought it from.

[Sandy A]

What food would be a smart choice for a Lab with yeast issues? I understand grain free , potato free but have also heard these foods have been linked to heart issues. This concerns me. I currently feed Acana Chicken grasslands, potato and grain free. Is this a good choice. I was looking at the Kirkland Turkey and sweet potato but not sure. Advise? – thank you .

[Brandie B]

I have been feeding my 3 fur babies Acana for 5 years. My 2 Astorian shepherds, River and Cora have food allergic and stomach problems. Acana is the dog food my 2 can eat without getting sick. They go to the vet very year and Recently had blood work done. They have NOT had any issues and blood work was normal, since I put them on Acana. I have no plans on changing their food at this time because I believe in the Acana brand and have a hard time believeing this lawsuit.

[Kathryn P]

What food did you switch to? I’ve been researching other brands. There’s just too many negative factors for me to continuing to use Acana at this point. Thanks for your input!

[Susan]

Hi Kathryn,
Contact Acana & tell Acana which formula, batch nb, use by date etc so if Acana keep getting complaints then Acana will know they have a PROBLEM with this formula…
Which Acana formula was it? was it their Fish formula??

[Kathryn P]

I have 2 dogs who have eaten only Acana since they were puppies. One is 17 months and the other is 11 months. I never had any problems until I purchased a new bag 2 days ago. They both have horrible diarrhea – it’s so bad they neither of them can hold it. I called the pet store I got it from and they said that they had another customer call a couple days ago with the same problem. I came on this thread to see if anyone else had the same problem with their dogs loose stool. It seems like this suddenly happened to the dogs as it has now for mine. I don’t necessarily think this stems from the lawsuit, but something is definitely different with the food.

[Saundra H]

Well the Merrick won’t work as I forgot my female basset won’t eat sweet potato. Back to the store again. In the meantime, my female got very sick and after a $312 vet visit, she has intestinal inflammation. They put her on anti diarrhea medicine and ID canned food for 5 days. No way am I giving her anymore of the Acana. I have to assume all of the stomach upsets over the past 2 months (which is the amount of time they have been eating Acana) have been a result of this food being stored improperly during shipment. I told the vet about the temperature requirements for the food and she was shocked. You try to give your pets the best and it backfires!

[Saundra H]

Two bags last me 5 weeks, which is why I purchased two. I keep it in a sealed storage tote as well but I know there are times when it gets up in the low 80’s in the house if the humidity is low and the air is off. I am more concerned about how it is handled by the many hands it passes through before it gets to mine. Case in point, it is in the 90’s today and when I went to return the two bags, the pet food store had no air, it was broken. So obviously the dog food is not being stored properly. I told them the two bags I was returning had been in the heat for days but I am certain they will put them back on the shelf. I have no problem with the Acana brand, I agree it is exceptional dog food. But I think the temperature requirements are not realistic.

[Nita H]

I feed Orijen, a sister food to Acana. I keep it in the bag inside a sealed plastic tub. My A/C is set at 75 degrees and I have no trouble keeping it fresh. Buying quantities which last about 4 to 5 weeks keeps it fresh in my opinion. I still believe Orijen and Acana are the best brands available.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 9 months ago by Nita H.

[Saundra H]

I switched my dogs over to Acana Regionals Meadowlands a few months ago. They responded very well, their coats have never looked so good. However I noticed that they started eating grass, not after each meal but often enough to know it was not normal. I cut out all other foods/treats and only gave them the Acana and the grass eating continues. I checked the Champion Foods website and recommended storage for their dog food is “the best storage is in your home in a cool, dry place with a temperature maintained between 50-70 degrees Fahrenheit.” I made a mistake and left two bags in the back of my SUV in the barn for the past 4 days with temps in the 90’s. So I messaged Champion on Facebook to see if this was a concern. Here is their reply “High temperatures can negatively impact the nutritional integrity of our foods. It is difficult to say whether your bag of ACANA Meadowland would still be okay to feed. Depending on how warm the bags got while in your car, it could cause digestive upset.” So my concern is how this food is transported and how it is stored in my local store. I know that there is no place in my house that is between 50 – 70°. My air is set on 75°. And I am quite sure that the local pet store does not set their air that low either. So are my dog’s having intestinal distress because Acana food needs to stay below 70°? I am waiting for a call back from their customer service.

[Ryan K]

Hi Susan! Thank you for all of that info!

I am not sure that I would go raw or take him to a nutritionist. I might one day but right now I want to keep trying dry foods.

I should have mentioned before that I have been having a hard time with him and foods since I decided to take him off his old Zignature Kangaroo recipe and put him on rx Hydrolized protein by Royal Canin and Science Diet Z/D. Both of these cleared his skin up immediately but made him incredibly…OFF. He seemed very agitated and unlike himself when he was on these two prescription foods. He seemed almost restless and irritable. Someone mentioned that it might have been the super high % of Omega 3’s in those diets so I got him off of them and ever since I have been trying new foods. He has been a mess since that. I haven’t had him on one food that has worked well. I am not sure if those rx foods just really messed with his gut and now he has still not recovered or what but I need to get it sorted out. I made sure that the Prescription food by Hills has low Omega’s this time because that was a concern. I also noticed that while on the Hydrolized protein diets his poops were incredibly loose and runny. That was a big part in my taking him off the ZD and trying the Royal Canin Hydrolized. I didn’t like how soupy his poops were. He has anal gland issues so I would prefer him to have a food that gives him a more firm stool. But, at this point…I just need his stomach and appetite to normalize. That’s my priority. If I find something that he actually EATS and doesn’t seem irritated by I am sticking to it. He did well on the Kangaroo by Zignature but the lentils make him super itchy and his ears get very gooey and gross when he eats it. I had him on Orijen six fish for probably the first 2 years of his life (he’s 9 now) and he loved that but continually had ear issues…I realized it was the probiotics and stopped and they cleared up. I have had him on Acana which he likes but again…ear issues…skin issues….not fun.

I did get several cans of the prescription diet you mentioned. Oddly enough, he does not like it! It’s so weird because he normally loves canned food but he sniffs it and turns away. I am hopeful that the fact that he is still eating boiled chicken and rice that that is a good sign? If he’s not eating anything I would be very scared. I think maybe I am overthinking this and giving him too many options and messing his system up. If his triglycerides come back as normal and there is nothing to worry about I will go from there. If that is a problem…I am not sure what the next step is. I think I also need to get him more exercise. He isn’t overweight…the vet says he looks healthy…but, he is very sedentary. I have a fenced yard and he runs around from time to time but nothing very regular. I might start walking him around the neighborhood. Maybe that will work up his appetite and help regulate him a bit more.

Thank you very much for your amazing help!! 🙂