[Susan]

Hi Isabella,
there might be too much organ meats in the pre made raw your buying read ingredients, also too much bone, my boy cant have too much organ meats- liver, heart, kidney, or bone causes diarrhea with him or the fat is probably toooo HIGH in the raw you’re feeding …
The fat in raw diet, cooked meal & wet can foods & dog rolls hasn’t been converted to dry matter like a kibble has, so when you see say-5%min fat, I times the fat % by X 4 = 20%min-25%max fat you’ll get an ruff idea what the fat is, also it depends on the moisture %, if the moisture is 78% max & under the max fat will less, if the moisture is 79% or more then the max fat will be higher.
Or contact the Pet Food Company & ask them which raw formula has the lowest amount of fat you’d be looking for 3% 4% max fat to get around 10-16% fat, ask can you have the fat converted into dry matter.

Best to make your own premade raw diet my vet said cause most pre-made raw is high in fat, when you make your own raw you control ingredients, organ meats, & fat unless you find a local small business who makes pre-made raw with fresh human grade free range meats.

Turkey & Pork is really good lean white proteins when the fat is removed & buy green fresh vegetables – parsley, broccoli, celery, small spinach leaves, apple, peel de seed cut up apple & put veggies thru a blender, blend into a pulp & put veggies/fruit mix into ice cube trays – 1 spoon & cover ice cube trays, then freeze & take out night before put in fridge or use as needed, add 1-2 veggie/fruit mix spoons to 1 cup meat also buy tin Salmon drain the salmon & put in container & store in fridge, add 2 spoons salmon per meal to help balance diet & add Omega 3 to dogs diet.
Or look for Freeze Dried Raw or Air Dried Raw- Ziwi Peak has their Venison formula for Skin & bowel problems & has the lowest fat% but fat is still too high for my boy, in Australia we have Prime SKD rolls – Kangaroo & Pumkin, Wild Boar & Pumkin, Salmon & Tapioca, Duck & Sweet Potato, Crocodile & Tapioca, Kangaroo & Potato, Turkey & Flaxseed rolls, these rolls are really good for dogs who suffer with food sensitivies then you start an food elimination diet what you need to do.
I dont know if there’s same type of rolls you have in US??
So you’ll know what ingredients your dog is sensitive too?? as food sensitivities cause farts, sloppy poos, wind pains, yeasty ears, yeasty skin, rubbing bum on ground, anal problems, vomiting itchy skin,.
Food sensitivities can take 20mins for dog to react after eating a food, up to 6 weeks to react??
Id start a food elimination diet now Winter is coming best time as environment allergens are at their lowest so less chance confusing results.

“Sudocrem” is excellent its an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, healing cream for skin problems, Eczema, Dermatitis, itchy dry red skin, Sudocrem acts as a barrier & protects skin from Allergens normally dogs who get Hot spot suffer with Environment allergies & yeasty ears, skin paws can be from environment allergies & food sensitivities..my boy suffers with both..
Weekly Cool Baths in a medicated shampoo are the best you can do to wash & cool skin, if dog is really itchy then bath twice a week in medicated shampoo, I use Malaseb medicated shampoo, it kills the yeast & bacteria on skin, days you do not bath buy baby wipes that have aloe extract leaf & vitamin E, wipe the dog down after being outside wipe off allergens, before bed wipe dog down & apply the Sudocrem to stop any itchy skin & heal red itchy skin even ears I use cotton tip & lightly apply Sudocrem & before going outside apply Sudocrem it acts as a barrier to protect skin from allergens.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sudocrem-Antiseptic-Healing-Cream-125g/553023443

I like “Canidae Pure Fresh Pork -16% fat or Canidae Pure Fresh Duck & Sweet Potato 16-17% fat or Canidae Pure Fresh Salmon & Sweet Potato has highest fat% 18-20% fat a lot of dogs doing really well on Canidae Pure formula’s I buy the Canidae Pure Senior for my old boy.

You can also try “Gastro Elm” alot of people say its really good firm up sloppy poos acid reflux etc its Slippery Elm powder, Dandelion Root Powder and Marshmallow Root Powder.
https://www.gastroelm.com/

[Nicole R]

So I have been led to this forum because my Aussie Doberman mix, Buddy, started these gulping episodes, and they stress me out so bad. His first attack started shortly after he turned a year old. He got the gulps and did the frantic swallowing, licking thing, but this was also accompanied by a bad allergic reaction where he had hives on his mouth and testicles. Took him to the vet, they gave him a shot to clear everything up and he was fine for the next month or so until last week.

I’m wondering if these gulping episodes are stress related because they didn’t start again until after a very scary incident happened with one of our other dogs. We have a Rhodesian Ridgeback who slipped out of his collar while on a walk and ran into the street and was hit by a car. Fortunately he is okay, but he did have to get a few staples in his leg and it was just a super scary and intense situation all around. The very next night after that happened, Buddy had a violent attack where he licked, gulped, tried to eat carpet, made the most aweful retching sound and vomitted 4-5 times. I gave him Pepto and Benedryl and after about 2-3 hours he finally calmed down. He started doing this on a daily basis so I took him to the vet and they are saying Acid Reflux, and prescribed Faotidine and Calming Care Purina Pro Plan. I also put him on a sensitive skin and stomach food, just in case it is food related, and I’m feeding him smaller meals, 3 times a day. I also give him one Claratin a day because he does have post nasal drip and is allergy prone.

We are on day three of this regimen, and Buddy still gulps sometimes throughout the day, but he is not vomiting anymore, and he is keeping his food down which is great. He does seem to get more anxious in the evening, and I’ve found that when the gulping and licking starts to escalate and he’s trying to eat the carpet, I put him in a pen we have set up in our back room and he calms instantly. Everything stops and he just chills out. He slept in the pen for a good portion of his puppyhood, so I think it’s a safe haven for him and definitely stops the episodes in it’s tracks. Which makes me wonder if they are neurological or anxiety triggered? If so, is giving him Pepcid and anti-acid even necessary? I like the calming probiotic the vet prescribed, but I really don’t want to keep drugging my dog, and I’m truly at a loss here and not sure how to proceed. Thanks for reading my story.

[Cara G]

My Mattie is doing well now after a lot of experimentation by my vet. Hopefully this can help someone else’s pet! My vet took her off the Royal Canine GI low fat and put her on the Royal Canine Urinary after her bladder stones(calcium oxalate) were surgically removed. This was a huge mistake to switch her food!! She developed the Pancreatitis which is SO much worse. We immediately returned her to Royal Canine Gastrointestinal low fat dry and wet food, plus I give her several Royal Canine GI snacks a day. She is also on one Denamarin pill each morning an hour before eating her first meal. I have to give it to her with a small amount of her GI wet food. Then twice a day after eating she gets a syringe of the compounded prescription Ursodiol (my vet sent the prescription to my pharmacy to compound). She finally is back to her old self and feels wonderful! We check her liver enzymes every two months now and they continue to go down. We also check her urine which is now normal. The following is what we are doing to prevent future bladder stones from forming: I feed her four small meals a day. A scoop of dry with water twice a day and 1/4 can of wet with lots of water twice a day. The water has her peeing the crystals out before they can form stones! I do have to take her out more frequently but it is so worth it! My vet recommended the wet in addition to the dry because it has so much more water in it than the dry. Plus he recommended to add even more water to it, which I do. My Mattie is 11 pounds and my vet has told me exactly how much to feed her so she will not gain wait. I give her 1/4 cup of dry twice a day and 1/4 of wet twice a day. So far so good!!

[Holly O]

Has any of the Acana Wholesome Grains dry dog food been reviewed yet?

[crazy4cats]

We like Purina One in our family for a budget friendly dog food. They have a sensitive skin and stomach formula that might work for you: https://www.purina.com/purina-one/dogs/dry-dog-food/sensitive-systems-real-salmon.

Best of luck to you and your furry family.

[leamlass]

I would really like to change my dog’s food from dry kibbles to either freeze-dried or some other healthier form of food, but I am on a limited income being a widow and are not sure what to do. I already try to feed her the better brands that I can afford, but I think that raw will be better for any dog.
Can anyone help me with this.

[ipek Y]

Hi Can somebody help me? I have a shih tzu, 1 year old. the pet shop advised me a dry food for white dogs , Nature’s Protection. It is a brand made in european union/ lithuania. I am happy because it really reduced the tears of my dog and the red color around the eyes dissapeared. But ı wonder if it is not healthy for my dog. I check the ingredients. 40% salmon, but also has sugar beet pulp, technological additives as rosemary extract, tocoperol extraxts from vegetable oils, 1b306 i, ect.
Crude protein 25%,crude fibres 3,5%,crude fat 15%, ash %9.5, calcium %1,5, phosphorus 0.9%,potasium 0.6% , sodiun 0.4%, omega 3fatty acid 0,5%, omega 6 2,62%

If somebody understand if it is ok / or not can you please write me? Or does any of you have advise good food for white dogs with tear problems?

[Sheila V]

No, she hasn’t always been on Freshpet. I have tried other dog foods, even the weight-loss ones but she seems to do the best on Freshpet….when she was on other foods (especially the dry food) she drank lots of water and was pooping 2-3 times every day, a couple of times she pooped in the house. On Freshpet she has one healthy bowel movement a day, usually on her morning walk.

[Dr. J. Davis M]

My GSD has been on the Nutrish Turkey, brown rice, and venison dry for a year now and doesn’t itch or inflame at all. During the pandemic, this variety became unavailable for some reason, so for the last few months I switched him to beef variety with some chicken variety in it. He itches more than I’d like but less than on any food w/fish oil or omegas. Once the turkey returns to the shelves, I will get him back on that. FYI: I first became aware of his allergy when vet suggested I put him on Omega 3 for his greasy fur and itching. The next morning, his whole stomach was inflamed and he was itching worse than ever. This is when I contacted all the manufacturers, and the only one I found that used neither was Nutrish Turkey formula. I mix some of his food w/wet once a day so he gulps it up. I did not want to put him on any meds and this food has worked well to keep him from having to do that. I hope this helps.

[Susan]

Hi Joshua,
when a dog suffers with food sensitivities its the protein in the meat or plant matter the dog reacts too, fats don’t have any proteins in fat, so look for foods that use Canola oil, Sunflower oil, Chicken fat, Flaxseed, Hemp Oil, Coconut Oil & Vitamin E,
High Omega 3 in diet helps dogs skin, too much Omega 6 & not enough Omega 3 can cause skin problems, Omega 3 % should be 1/2 the Omega 6%.
Baths are best, bath your dog twice a week to wash off any allergens off skin, paws, head etc also use a shampoo that’s an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial shampoo kills the yeast & bacteria on smelly yeasty dog, also use baby wipes the days dog hasn’t had a bath, Cool baths relieve dogs itchy red skin…

Sudocrem sold Walmart online only is very good, protects & stops itchy red skin, paws , Sudocrem protects dogs skin & paws from allergens, it’s an anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, healing cream that stops yeast & bacteria.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sudocrem-Antiseptic-Cream-125G/182504923

Fish oils aren’t good when added to dry kibbles or pet foods as they go rancid very quickly, that’s why pet food companies started adding Fish Meal to replace the fish oil.

Look for a limited ingredient freeze dried food or a Kibble like Canidae Pure Wild Boar is good so is Canidae Pure Sky Duck & Sweet Potato kibble.

[Tabby W]

My 7 year old staffy bulldog mix (Boss) needs to lose some weight. He had a torn ACL and has gained weight. He was chunky when we rescued him but I want him to be fit. He is recovered now and his goal weight is 55 lbs from 70 lbs.

He is going to be exercising a lot more, BUT I am also switching his kibble because I don’t think he loves nutro that much, and I think the new kibbles I’ve selected are of better quality.

I would like to feed a mix of Earthborn Unrefined Rabbit and Perfectus Chicken. I love both of these foods for different reasons and have decided to try to go with the best of both worlds. He loved the samples, and his stomach did well. I initially was just going to mix them evenly (they are both 25 lb bags) but someone told me that the calories would be too high evenly mixed because Perfectus has higher kcal/cup.

SO, the advice I’m seeking is: in cups or ounces, how much of each food should get in a day? I can feed him once or twice, but he often skips breakfast, and eats later at night only.

Perfectus – 407 kcal/cup
25% protein
14%fat
5% fiber
12% moisture

Earthborn- 370 kcal/cup
23% Protein
15% fat
8% fiber
10% moisture
.10% taurine
Plus other great stuff

Thanks in advance, and Boss says thanks too! Lol

[Susan]

@ Wonderuspups,
A Colonoscopy is different to an Endoscope Stomach you just need a empty stomach, not empty bowel the camera can only go down esophagus & maybe small bowel only if the sphincter flap is open to enter small bowel for dogs.
Patch has IBD not IBS..
When Patch is having Endoscope + Biopsies, he eats his Dinner night before then no more food after 8pm, no water after 12am, next day he goes to vet 10am, his Endoscope app is at 11am, blood is taken for anesthetic check.
then I get a call from his vet nurse who’s looking after him after his procedure to tell me Patch has woken up come around 3pm to pick him up then he’s back home eating small meal 3-4pm & running around, there’s no pain with Endoscope/Biopsies, he stayed on his Acid Blocker meds weren’t stopped same with me.
I have Endoscope every 5 yrs, no food after 12am I’m at hospital 8am next day, back home 11am same day & I have to take my meds before I leave home that morning, when I was younger I was told to stop my ant acid medication 2 weeks before Endoscope & my god the pain I had bad acid reflux, when my scope/biopsies was finished & I woke up the Gastro Dr told me to take my ant acid medication as soon as I get home, cause my esophagus & stomach is red & inflamed..

Turmeric is hot spice, I cant take it & I’d never give to Patch as it would upset his stomach. Same as Apple Cider Vinegar makes acid reflux worse if dog or person is making too much Hydrochloric acid in their stomach, coconut oil can cause bad acid reflux as well its a hard fat, not a soluble fat.
You have to be very careful with animals as they cant talk & tell owner they’re in more pain after having natural herbs etc.. The only supplement I’ll use is Slippery Elm powder cause I’ve tried it & CBD oil, I always try things first..

@ Sienna.
I’d be trying medications before trying any holistic supplements, Turmeric can cause stomach upset, if your dog has Ulcer Turmeric will make pain worse.
Patch was eating Earthborn Holistic Ocean Fusion & the fish made his acid worse he cant eat any fish kibbles they’re higher in Omega Oils, also dogs who suffer with Pancreatitis have problems with oily fish + fish oils, they can cause a Pancreas flare, if you follow Dr Judy Morgan her old dog he’s since passed away, he kept having Pancreatic flare every month so Judy stopped everything in his diet & did Elimination Food diet & re introduced everything slowly & it was the Fish Oil causing his flares… look at Turkey & Potato kibbles, Pork & Potato kibbles
Here’s Canidae Pure Wild Boar but the fat is 15-16%???
https://www.canidae.com/dogs/canidae-pure-grain-free-dry-dog-food-wild-boar/

Patch does really well on the Canidae Pure Senior it has the lowest fat- 10.80%max are you 100% sure she cant have Chicken you’ve don’t a proper elimination diet?

There’s also 4Health Special Care Sensitive Stomach, there’s NO meat + kcals are low
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/4health-special-care-sensitive-stomach-formula-for-adult-dogs-8-lb-bag?cm_vc=-10011

4Health has Lamb & Rice Kcals are 328Kcals per cup easy to digest ingredients fat -12%min.

Sometimes we have to put aside our strong beliefs & do whats best for the dog, I’m feeding Patch Eukanuba Senior kibble Eukanuba made in Australia, ingredients are slightly different to USA Eukanuba, it has Corn & Wheat & Patch isn’t wanting his grass he normally wants after Dinner, I’m going back to what Patch was first put on when I rescued him 2012 + I know Eukanuba makes low residue kibbles easy to digest ingredients.

[Susan]

Hi Sienna,
May I ask what kibble did you try, what is the fiber % & what is the Kcals per cup, did you give any Slippery Elm Powder or Gastro Elm made into a slurry given 20mins before eating?
When she wants to keep eating , to me this is when Patch has his pain, he follows me into the kitchen, into lounge room, after he has eaten, I have to tell him Patch you have just eaten -Go away now, go to sleep or we go on a walk if its around 9.30am or 5pm, I have him in a strict routine it helped with his anxieties as he knew whats happening next & know the exact time he has his meals, the cat has to be in bed & quiet by 8.30pm or he starts stressing & shaking.
Sometimes I massage his stomach & bowel area while he’s sitting near me waiting while on the computer & sometimes he has wind/gas he farts. He’ll eat the same food & be fine in the morning but at night he’s whinging, he’s pacing, crying, talking, I keep the grass he likes in bowl of water in kitchen for about 5 days,I get tea towel & I dry a few pieces grass & I ask him do you want grassy, he often says yes & takes the grass blade side of his mouth, so he can chew the grass the grass settles whatever is wrong then he often goes to sleep, but since starting Eukanuba Senior he’s stop wanting his grass, so ingredients in the Eukanuba must be OK & aren’t making him feel sick. Our Eukanuba is made Australia now not US so our ingredients are a bit different but it still has corn.
If you’re in America vets don’t do Endoscope & Biopsies they send you to a specialist who cost a lot of money apparently- $2000-$3000, Australia $700-$900 Vets in Australia NZ & UK study longer to become vets, Patches vet is from America she had to do extra studying when she came to Australia to be a vet here.
Biopsies Patch has 2 biopsies 1 on stomach wall & 1 small bowel if the flap is open only cost $60 each biopsies, its the Endoscope that cost the money, this is why some people just ask their vet can they please try the triple therapy medications diet change & see if dog gets better, most vets say OK as nothing else has worked, the Metronidazole does help, has she ever been on medications? low dose Prednisone? this takes away pain makes them sleep. Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Low Fat, low fiber a low residue diet & it can take 1-2 weeks to see a change the meds are needed.

[Susan]

I forgot Boiled White Potato helps firm poo, soothes stomach & bowel, Sweet Potato has more fiber Patch need less fiber that’s why I mix 1/2 white & 1/2 Sweet potato.
Change your vet, get all your dogs records & find a good vet who deals in IBD.
Start a kibble -“Wellness Simple Turkey & Potato kibble- not Wellness Simple wet cans as they’re too high in fat, fat in wet can, raw, dog rolls, freeze dried,air dried dog/cat foods hasn’t been converted to dry matter, so say 5%min fat is around 20%min-25%max fat when converted to dry mater fat, Times – X – the fat by 4 you will get a ruff idea what the fat% is??
You need the Triple Therapy medications, the Metronidazole is an anti-inflammatory & kills bad bacteria in stomach..

I just read a part of your last post your vet blaming Behavior – are you in USA??
Slippery Elm Powder & Mashmallow root made into a slurry will help firm poos, stop acid reflux, soothe stomach & help firm poo, given 20mins before meals,
Get 1/2 a teaspoon Slippery Elm Powder put in cup boil the jug slowly add the boiling water in cup & quickly stir & stir till you make a slurry, not too think or really thin, pull up 5mls in a syringe put the syringe side of mouth towards the back teeth, alot of dogs do REALLY well on Gastro Elm here’s the link, helps with sloppy/diarrhea & Acid reflux, Soothes stomach & esophagus start the Potato Kibble, Wellness Simple Turkey & Potato..
https://www.gastroelm.com/
Also look for the Pepto Bismol give 5ml in syringe 20mins before meals 2 times a day or try the Slipperly elm powder?Gastro Elm till you find a vet who can write script for the triple therapy meds, Im trying to write everything as I think of it, your poor girl, your vet is an idiot.. I know what poor Patch goes thru & I’ve been thru…some vets are just idiots, don’t talk with other vets when they have a hard case…their pride is too big.

[Susan]

Hi Sienna,
Your girl sounds just like my Patch, who I rescued November- 2012. He was weeing blood when I got him & Ultra Scan showed Urinary Crystals he was put on Royal Canine S/O Urinary Wet & dry kibble for 6 weeks to dissolve the crystals & he was desexed, I adopted him cause I didnt see any health problems probably cause he was on the R/C Vet Diet as soon as the vet said his crystals have dissolved feed him what he was eating before this is when my nightmare begun & he was always STARVING HUNGRY eating cat poo… I kept thinking Pancreatitis, but all times we checked his Pancreas its good, he cries whinges after he eats, wet food is the worst if comes back up cause it digests quicker & cause his lower sphincter flap isn’t closing properly the food comes up his esophagus & throat causing acid reflux, a Acid Blocker- Pantoprazole-20mg given in morning really helps Patch even stopped his vomiting finally in 2018 Patches stories are thru DFA Forum section how I nilly put him to sleep 2018 he was 10yrs old but we have really good vets in Australia who wouldn’t put Patch to sleep till they worked out what was happening now.
Vet changed his PPI to 20mg-Pantoprozole it works heaps better then Omeprazole , I take Pantoprazole for my GERDS & asked my vet can we please change his PPI as they all work different till you find the right one for yourself & dogs would be the same + my gastro specialist told me Pantoprazole is best when Lower Esophageal Flap isnt closing properly.

Have you done Endoscope & Biopsies yet? you need the Biopsies so vet can diagnose properly. Or ask vet can you please try the triple therapy meds for Helicobacter all dogs have Helicobacter BUT when a dogs immune system is compromised the Helicobacter takes over the dog stomach also Patch suffers with Environment Allergies in Summer causing his immune system to crash by Autunm cause its been working overtime fighting his allergies this causing bad acid reflux as well, Patch does best on an easy to digest kibble.
Canidae Pure Senior, Wellness Core Large breed adult but they changed their recipe & added Lentils Patch cant eat Lentils he gets Diarrhea, he does really well on Potato & Sweet Potato kibbles.
Patch suffers with IBD, LES =Lower Esophageal Sphincter Flap doesn’t close properly in between his stomach & esophagus causing BAD Acid reflux, 1 yr after I rescued Patch I was told my boy has IBD I didnt believe vet so I asked can we do Endoscope & Biopsies, the Biopsies came back IBD, Helicobacter Pylori he was put on Triple therapy medications for 21 days, Metronidazole & Amoxicillin given every 12 hours with a meal & a PPI -Pantoprazole or Omeprazole-20mg given in the morning before breakfast, a gluten free, low fat diet is best, no high fiber diets, 8 yrs on he still has Pain stomach area, doesn’t eat poo no more as soon as we fixed his Helicobacter & kept him on a PPI the poo eating all stopped , your girl has Pain in stomach & food relieves her stomach pain, the Helicobacter lives in their stomach walls, food stops the pain BUT 20-30mins later they’re starving again how I know is I suffered with Helicobacter when I was younger, get her on the Metronidazole, Amoxicillin & a PPI will help her you’ll see results 5-7 days..then when medications are finished after 21 days continue with teh PPI or you’ll have to do the triple therapy meds over & over again I did research & Drs found when humans stayed on their PPI medication their Helicobacter didnt have the right environment in the stomach.
There’s a few of Patches post thru DFA Forum back 2015-2018..
I havent had time yet to read your posts, I have to feed Patch now its 7pm he’s waiting, he eats 5 smaller kibble meals a day 7am,-1/2 a cup kibble, 9am-1/2 cup kibble, 12pm he either gets 1/3 cup kibble or 1/2 boiled Sweet potato, 1/2 boiled white potato with his lean Pork rissoles but he prefers his kibble some days, 5pm 1/2 cup kibble, 7pm-1/3 cup kibble 9am a dry piece of Milk Arrowroot Biscuit then at 10pm he gets 1/2 his Quick Eze Rapid Chew ant acid lollie every single night they have also found Pepto Bismol kills off the Helicobacter
Hes doing well on his Eukanuba Senior kibble we have just started 3-4 weeks ago, I have to rotate his kibbles as soon as he starts showing he has his stomach pain I change his kibble.. also the Kcals in the kibble need to be under 360Kcals per cup or he gets his pain right side..
are you on Face Book??
join “Acid reflux in Dogs” https://www.facebook.com/groups/1635198406751056
I’m on there you can msg me on f/b if you want…You’ll see Patches photo hes a English Staffy & my name is Susan B

[patrocle]

Anyone has any feedback on this product? Wild Earth, i think is new out and they have been at that tv show “shark tank” just curios if any good or… looks expensive too.

Have 4.5 old Siberian Husky and he is a picky eater, i mean he not touched his dry food in months.

Here is a link to that new dry food:
https://wildearth.com/products/clean-protein-dog-food

Thanks,

[WondrousPups]

Just bumping this question up to the top as I’m having the exact question, and would appreciate learning what other folks who mix dry kibbles with fresh food on a regular bases.

I’ve already followed the Acroyali’s link, and it recommends books such as “See Spot Live Longer the ABC Way” by Steve Brown and “Feed Your Best Friend Better: Easy, Nutritious Meals for Dogs” by Rick Woodford. I’ve read See Spot Live Longer the ABC way some time ago, and I’ve adapted weekly fresh food day as the author recommends (I’m only doing it more like monthly rather than weekly, though.)

Right now, I am more interested in Rick Woodford’s approach – using dry kibble as a base, and adding freshly prepared food as much as 50%. I haven’t read his whole book yet, but I agree with his analysis that commercial dog food is supplemented with 200% – 600% of essential vitamins and minerals that it is safe to add excess of 10%-limit (by calorie) of fresh food to each meal. Does anyone using this approach? How long have you been feeding this way, and what has been like for you and your fur babies? Thank you for your input!

[Lily H]

Hi all.
I’m a dog mom to a 2.5 year old golden retriever who lost 2/3rds of his intestines, including his ilium about six months ago. They aren’t entirely sure the underlying cause but his intestines strictured and we almost lost him. I’m so thankful to have found this forum because there is so little information out there.

Our poor guy is pretty consistent these days but he seems to still be losing weight. We tried a number of commercial prescription diets (hills, Royal canin, Purina em) but the dry food kibble just gave him extremely liquid diarrhea which led to some rapid weight loss. We’ve been doing chicken and rice but I can’t help but feel like he’s not getting enough nutrients so we are going to consult with the nutritionist again. (For those in the US the university of Tennessee has animal nutritionists and they do remote consultations and diet plans for between $100-300).

Baker is on about eight medications a day (I’d be happy to share if anyone would like the list). But the thing I’ve noticed makes the biggest difference in his stool is the fiber powder we give him with each meal. He pops about 3 times a day and because he’s eating 2000+ calories a day the bms are quite large. I’m hopeful that over time his diet can help firm things up and that he’ll start absorbing some of the calories.

I have a couple questions for the group of people are still active. First, when did people start noticing their dog gaining weight again? Was it a time frame or once related to another metric?

Second, Baker has recently started having a lot of pain/trouble with his hind end and possibly his spine. We saw a neurologist and she didn’t think it was a disc problem. Xrays said it could be possibly mild hip dysplasia. It’s just crazy to think he has another, unrelated problem. I’ve noticed he seems uncomfortable when he poops because the stance is hard on his back end and I wonder if any other chronic diarrhea dogs have had similar issues from the amount of time spent in that awkward position?
Thanks all!

[marv R]

Elizabeth R above—We have had Aussies for years in Portland OR. Our vet says Science Diet is the best. I am not so sure. ALL of our dogs prior to the two still living have died from cancer. Ours are now 13 years old but about 4 years ago we started giving then half dry science diet and half home made. Home made is 5 pounds of ground human grade turkey, 2 cups barley, 5 eggs, 2 tablespoons of olive oil (Im still not sure if that’s good or bad) a light amount of peas and carrots. Its boiled to get the barley cooked and eggs are added at last minute. These dogs are cancer free as far as we know. I don’t think the science diet is any better than all the other commercial foods that cost less but how to tell? We are all in the dark.

[Angelo C]

Hello!

My dog is 95 lbs, mix of Rottweiler, German Shepherd and Lab.
She’s currently on Taste of the Wild dry kibble. I’ve been wanting to get her on a mix of dry and wet.
I want to transition to a different kibble brand, Orijen brand dry kibble and Taste of the Wild wet canned food.

Is this safe/”smart” to do? I’m really attracted to the Orijen brand, unfortunately Orijen doesn’t offer any wet canned food and I want her to have a mix of wet food too.
Thank you in advance!

Best regards,

Angelo

[Patricia A]

There are different types of stones with different reasons for formations. However, hydration is a big key in all stones to prevent recurrence. Helpful article below for Calcium oxalate stones.
Nutritional management of Calcium Oxalate stones

While it can be difficult to completely prevent your dog developing calcium oxalate stones (particularly if they have a genetic predisposition to it), there are some things that you can do to decrease your dog’s chances of developing bladder stones, and to prevent them coming back in dogs who have previously had them.

Keeping your dog well hydrated is vital. This dilutes their urine, which in turn dilutes the levels of chemicals that promote stone formation, and so decreases the chance of your dog developing bladder stones.

You can help your dog drink more water by placing a few bowls of fresh water in different locations around the house. Always make sure the water is fresh and that you change it regularly.

In the ideal world we are aiming to maintain urine specific gravity <1.020. I always encourage my clients to buy a refractometer, which makes it very easy to measure your dog’s urine specific gravity.

The food your dog eats also impacts on the development of calcium oxalate stones.

To decrease the chances of your dog developing bladder stones, you should avoid feeding foods that contain high levels of oxalate such as spinach, sweet potatoes, organ meat and brown rice. Instead, include foods with lower oxalate levels like apples (peeled), wild rice and meats and fish in their diet. It’s also a good idea to boil vegetables and discharge the water before giving them to your dog – this helps to reduce the oxalate levels in them.

Restricting calcium is another strategy for reducing oxalate levels in the urine – a reduction in calcium should be accompanies by a similar reduction in oxalate levels. However calcium restriction should be done very carefully, as too much restriction can be damaging and may lead to health problems including osteoporosis.

Other dietary measures that can be taken to help prevent formation of calcium oxalate stones are reducing dietary sodium (salt) and avoiding excess vitamin D. This is because excess sodium and vitamin D promotes excessive urinary calcium excretion. Therefore moderately reduce dietary sodium, stay away from high sodium treats and do not supplement with vitamin D.

Vitamin C supplements are not recommended because when vitamin C is metabolised and broken down, it produces oxalate – therefore avoiding vitamin C supplements avoids an increase in oxalate levels.

Vitamin B supplements are water soluble and are excreted in the urine. Therefore in all cases of urinary tract stones it is prudent to give a vitamin B complex supplement.

There is still some debate surrounding magnesium and bladder stones. Some studies have shown that magnesium in the urine impairs formation of calcium oxalate stones. But other studies have shown that when given to healthy dogs, magnesium supplements resulted in an increase in urinary calcium levels. So because there is no definite consensus, restricting or supplementing magnesium is not recommended and so both should be avoided.

It’s important to note that not all of the oxalate in your dog’s body stems from their diet. Some is produced naturally by your dog’s body, mainly the liver. Nonetheless, avoiding incorporating foods with high levels of oxalate in your dog’s diet is an important preventative step against calcium oxalate stones.

Including fiber in the diet may reduce absorption of some minerals and so should be considered as part of any dietary changes being made. However, take care not to increase levels too much which can result in overfeeding.

Calcium oxalate stones cause the bladder to become inflamed by rubbing up against the bladder wall. To help reduce this inflammation, you can give your dog fish body oil supplements. However, avoid liver oil as this contains vitamin D which should be avoided (see above).

There are a few veterinary prescription diets designed to (theoretically) reduce the likelihood of calcium oxalate stone.

You can also prepare you dogs food at home using the same high quality ingredients that you eat. There are several health benefits of making your dogs food at home. By feeding your dog a home-prepared diet rather than a dry kibble diet, you can increase the amount of water they are drinking. And as mentioned above, increased water consumption makes urine more dilute and can help prevent stones forming.

A home-prepared diet is also the only way you can truly control what is going into your dog.

If you’d like to try cooking for your dog, the best way to ensure that the diet is meeting all of your dogs nutritional needs is to get your recipe from a qualified nutritionist. Dietary manipulation to address a health problem should be done by someone who will work with your dog.

[T B]

Hi, we got our first 2 rescues in 2006, and they started doing a lot of scratching after a few weeks, one of them developing a hot spot. After doing some research on possible food allergies we switched them to Wellness grain free dry & canned recipes and it stopped their itching immediately. We’ve fed all our dogs Wellness exclusively ever since.

[marilyn s]

HI,

My 12.5 old mini poodle had a severe case of pancreatitis and was in hospital for 3 days. She is now on a diet of boiled chicken, rice, scrambled egg, and dry Royal Canin Gastrointestinal….low fat, high protein diet. I just found out she has poor kidney function and needs to be on a low protein diet for that…so I need to somehow combine these 2 issues. Does anyone have a suggestion? The vet said the pancreatitis was the more important issue. She doesn’t like wet dog food.

Thanks,
marilyn

[Thomas Carroll]

My male Labrador Retriever is 14 months and 20 days old. I have been feeding him “Taste of the Wild High Prairie Puppy Formula Grain-Free Dry Dog Food” since I have had him at 12 weeks old.

When should I switch my Labrador from puppy dog food to adult dog food? Is it supposed to be when he has stopped growing? The sire is 110-120lbs and the Dam is 90-95lbs. My dog is a male and I would guess that he is close to 80lbs now.

[Lisa V]

I posted about my dog last year, I didn’t not mention that we were on our third round of some type of auto immune disease/PLE/Lymphangeictasia, I only mentioned 2 rounds. He started at age 4 and he is now age 9. I wrote that last year we decided to take him off meds, he is still on Metronidazole twice/day but that’s it. We also give him a B-12 shot once/month. The next day his stools are good. His vet from Tufts said he would die within days or weeks. That was almost 1 year ago and he’s still doing well. I mostly feed him boiled chicken breast and rice (not instant if possible) with steamed veggies (I steam and puree veggies before mixing with the rice). I also cook up some beef or chicken liver and add that to the rice mixture. We used to use a GNC supplement but that appears to have been discontinued it was awesome! His stools have softened over the last few months since that product was discontinued so I’m experimenting again with enzymes and supplements but haven’t found anything great yet, but sometimes his stools are loose and sometimes they are pretty good, they have shape. I supplement a little in the morning with added Hydrolized protein dry food because it has some vitamins and texture that he likes. However, it seems that the more kibble he gets, the looser the stools are the next day. If I kept him on pure chicken, rice, liver and pumpkin he’d probably have better stools. I am home so I try to feed him 3 smaller meals/day, lunch is canned Salmon/mackerel. Maybe go real simple for a few days. Good luck!

[Kathy W]

I too was a Flint River Ranch customer for my 3 Alaskan Malamutes. I was devasted when they went out of business. I followed as Life’s Abundance bought them, then something happened and they stopped producing it, etc etc.
I had my dogs all settled on another high end dry dog food – not easy with these guys – and found Pinto Canyon. Spoke to their rep who was fantastic. Bought a supply and tried it. Dogs were happy with it. It didn’t disrupt their stomachs (which we can attest to how bad that is when cleaning up the yard).
Trying now to decide if I want to switch the pack back to Pinto or leave as is. It definitely costs more and the market must be tough to make it in or they never would have gone out of business.
Family member is getting a puppy so we will probably go Pinto Canyon.
I too wish the site would review this food, but as quoted in a blog above –

“However, we do receive a fee from Chewy.com for each purchase made as a direct result of a referral from our website.”

No wonder smaller companies have a tough time making it.

[Tom W]

I’m high risk so I try to avoid going out during this Pandemic. I had been buying a food at Costco but it wasn’t Kirkland but DFA gave it a 4 star rating. Now I don’t go to Costco because I’m also disabled and cannot wait in the line to get in plus the crowds. Plus due to the nature of my disability it’s really hard to deal the the large sacks of food. Last April I thought I found a good food for my 25lb 16-year-old mutt on Amazon it was Blackwood and it was only $15.32 for 15lbs. I should have realized that price is too good to be true because this month it’s double that price.

I can afford to spend up to about $20 for 15lbs if the dry food is good quality. I always try to stick to foods that DFA gives 4 stars or better. I was only paying about $25 for a much bigger bag at Costco before.

Any suggestions or am I expecting to much?

[Karen H]

My 9 year old labrador used to have this every month. I felt so sorry for her and I can recommend the Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Sensitive Stomach Dry Dog Food i found here https://whydopets.com/best-dry-dog-foods/loose-stools/

[Karen H]

Hi

Sorry for bumping an old thread, but i’m looking for a low sodium diet for my labrador. She’s 9 and my vet asked me to change her diet. I have found https://whydopets.com/best-dry-dog-foods/low-sodium/ but it only shows where I can buy it in USA. Do someone have recommendations that ship to Europe?

Thanks
Karen

• This reply was modified 5 years, 6 months ago by Karen H.

[William G]

Good day to everyone. This website was referred to me by a fellow Dog Lover for info on Proper Nutrition.

For the record, I have 2 dogs, an elderly male Jack Russel Terrier and a “middle aged” female Pit Bull Mix. I am seeking advice from fellow members regarding specific recommendations for both Dry & Wet food for these 2 different breeds and ages.

I’m overwhelmed at this point with all of the options, choices, formulas, etc. to feel comfortable just “picking one” at random.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations, advice, testimonials, comments that will help me get started “Doing it Right”.

Regards,

William

[marilyn s]

I have a 12.5 year old mini poodle who just had a severe case of pancreatitis. She is now on a low fat diet, 1 scrambled egg, Royal Canin GI kibble, and boiled white chicken. Before this, I was giving her a Crananidin pill and Hills CD dry food and chicken. Does anyone know if i can still give her the Crananidin pill? I called the company and they weren’t helpful. Thanks.

[aimee]

Hi james,
You have it correct in your first example . If the Fat to protein ratio is 60 % that would be equivalent to 6 parts fat / 10 parts protein. How this would play out then is for a food with as fed 24 % protein the fat content would be 60% of that
24 x .6 = 14.4 the ratio would 14.4/24 = .6 expressed as a percentage 60%

In the examples that Pugs mom gave you Wellness Core reduced fat 11% fat / 37% protein = 29.7% which is why she said ~ 30% The percentage of calories from fat is about 25% when those numbers are plugged into the balance it converter.

For B/D 19% protein and 16% fat the FTP ratio is 16/19 = .84 or84% However the % calories from fat are not 84%, she misspoke, the percent calories contributed from fat using the balance it converter is ~34% calories

For the Wellness dog food review the 42% fat to protein ratio was calculated using their avg fat content of 16% and their avg protein content of 38% 16%/38% = .421 or 42%

What does it mean? Well the higher the fat to protein ratio is, it can mean that the % of calories that are coming from fat may be higher than expected and percent of calories from protein lower than you might expect when looking at the GA or dry matter basis alone. For example a food with 35% protein and 40 % fat a ratio of 1.1 it may appear to be a high protein food but 25% of the calories are coming from protein and ~70% from fat.

Hope that helps

[pugmomsandy]

If you look at Core Reduced Fat Dry, there’s approx 37% protein and 11% fat so approx 30% of its calories are from fat versus protein.

Then look at Hill’s B/D Dry with approx 19% protein and 16% fat with a resulting approx 83% of the calories coming from fat vs protein.

Fat has 2-2.5 times the amount of energy(calories) as protein. Look at the “Estimated Nutrient Content” box in the yellow portion of the reviews and the Calorie Weighted Basis numbers.

Ideally, FPR is near 50% give or take and caloric distribution from protein and fat should be near the same (give or take).

You can also calculate energy basis with this calculator:

https://secure.balanceit.com/tools/_gaconverter/

Puppies and active dogs require more fat and higher FPR where as seniors/lapdogs or dogs with a health issue can use lower amounts of fat and a lower FPR, and then some health issues (like Hill’s B/D for brain health) offers a moderate fat with high FPR food.

I feed moderate to high fat and various FPRs to my pug. Hope this helps a little. I’m not a technical person.

[Chipy]

Hi Jake,

I am sorry to hear that you are going through this with your beloved pup, and understand that you would like to provide him with some immediate relief.

Allergies and skin problems are often the signals that the body is out of balance. Dr. Dobias has written several articles on the topics of allergies and paw licking that I have shared with you below. Many dog lovers are surprised to learn about the underlying cause of these common issues and the natural protocols that can be super helpful.

WHY ARE SKIN ALLERGIES IN DOGS OFTEN MISDIAGNOSED?
https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11014037-why-are-skin-allergies-in-dogs-often-misdiagnosed

WHY DOGS LICK THEIR PAWS – NATURAL APPROACH TO TREATMENT:
https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11015041-why-dogs-lick-their-paws-natural-approach-to-treatment

5-STEP HOLISTIC APPROACH TO PAW LICKING IN DOGS:
https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11014073-what-you-should-know-about-paw-licking-and-chewing-in-dogs

Apoquel can look like a miracle for dogs with allergies and their human companions watching them itch, however the negative effects of this drug are now well documented.

I recommend that you seek the guidance of a local holistic/integrative vet to help you with alternative treatment options and also have your dog’s spine checked by a chiropractor – as issues with spinal health are related to skin problems in dogs. I have included some links to help you find holistic practitioners in your area:

VetFinder – Find a Holistic Veterinarian

http://www.civtedu.org/directory/

Regarding diet, it’s best to avoid processed food (kibble and canned food) entirely and provide a fresh, raw or cooked diet for your dog. Dry dog food/kibble is is an extruded, highly processed product full of synthetic ingredients and starchy carbohydrates, which are very often the main cause of allergies. Every medical professional knows that fresh food is always healthier than processed food!

Fine tuning your dog’s body with a species appropriate diet and essential nutrients is the key to supporting his health and well-being. The best diet is as nature intends; fresh meat and bones with some vegetables and leafy greens, along with all natural vitamins, minerals, omega-3’s and probiotics;

Here is a link to a quick and easy Natural Diet Course which contains videos and articles full of information on this subject and an online Recipe Maker which will help you build healthy meals for your pup with the ingredients you have available:

https://peterdobias.com/pages/course-rawdiet

https://recipemaker.peterdobias.com

We switched to home-made meals many years ago and it was the best decision for our pup. I hope you will find these free resources helpful and wish you and your boy the best in good health.

Chipy

[Mike Sagman]

Hello Paul.

Thanks for your thoughtful question. I’m assuming you’re asking about 2 different lists. We publish a list of Best Puppy Foods and a separate list for Best Dry Puppy Foods.

Many times, we create a “best” list but find there are many more foods that are eligible… so we include some of them on other lists.

For a more detailed answer to your original question, “How are best lists made?”, please be sure to visit our Frequently Asked Questions page. You can click the “FAQ” link in the red navigation bar at the top of any page on our website. Then, choose the topic, “About Our Best Dog Foods Lists” to answer your question.

Hope this helps.

[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! 🙁

[jamie L]

i am also trying to feed my dogs no dry food, only wet/canned meat and then I add in vegetables, quinoa, rice, etc….trying to keep them off dry food, but am very worried I am not giving them enough of something…I give them an organic supplement with their foods…I rotate supplements, and only pick the highest grade ones I can find with ORGANIC ingredients. So, same question……is canned wet food enough, or do I also need to supplement my dogs with Calcium???

[Jake G]

Hello Everyone,

I am new to this forum but I really wanted to reach out to see if I could get some good advice. My 5 year old Golden has battled allergies since he was a pup. He also had puppy strangles so I do know if that had any long lasting effects or if the allergies are genetic.

I also used to think it was environmental because he use to do better in the winter. However, the past couple years its been basically year round. So I am thinking it could be food related. He has really dry skin around his eyes and muzzle while also licking his paws with some scratching. He does not have dandruff and no red marks around his stomach or anywhere else. The major areas are around his eyes and muzzle like I mentioned…does this give any indication if it might be food related or environmental?

I give him apoquel here n there but I worry very much about the long term use. Are there any natural allergy relief? I know I read some things about Callogen and Quercetin. Also thinking about putting him on a hydrolized diet but would rather try something else that has more nutritional value.

Any advice, comments or pointing me in the right direction would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Jake

[Dene C]

To Karin K
If you get a spray bottle with water and spray the dry cat food just before you sprinkle the powder on it and after, it will adhere to the cat food better. I tried this product for my dog and saw absolutely no improvement whatsoever, but she also did not have any negative affects. I did get a refund.

[Karin K]

I’ve been using Nutra Thrive since January for my 5 cats and 3 dogs. It is somewhat challenging to administer it on the dry cat kibble, and I’m pretty sure none of my cats get the recommended amount since I just sprinkle some of it on to the food set out for them. I also notice that some of it just ends up as a greenish mess on the bottom of the bowl that I am unsure about trying to re-feed. However, I do notice that 4 of my cats have a shinier, smoother coat. Otherwise, I have not noticed much of a difference, but the improved coat is a good sign. Two of my three dogs’ coat has improved, though these two also started hacking – in reading others’ reviews that seems to be more common , and I would love to see some explanation for that. What I don’t like about this product is the outrageous price – I take enough supplements myself to doubt the cost justifies the product. It will definitely lead me to discontinue use and find something less costly, especially in a financially challenging time. And my reason to dislike this company is the inefficiency of the website: without consumer login there’s no way to manage one’s orders. So when I cancelled one of my orders (to place a subscription instead) I did so by contacting customer service on the site, as well as contacting them by phone. Now I’m being told that their records do not indicate my cancelling this order! What a scam! Again, I don’t know that all this hassle justifies the product – I will definitely start my search for something else. Years ago I feed my dogs supplements discussed in Dr Pitcairn’s book on natural health for pet – it might be time to go back to that.

[Antonio A]

Hi Aimee
i have similar issue for my 9 years old JRT. she was rushed to the vet as she was feeling very ill, the pancreas levels were very high and the kidney levels too (CRE and BUM) first we started giving low fat diet and the pancreas seems to be ok now, but now the kidneys are not good, CRE level is 3.8 and BUM is 78. i have been Hills K/d and Hills K/d dry food mixed together for a week now and just also saw that this is high in fats that might damange the pancreas again!!
Please help in recommending best diet for the dog for both the kidneys and the pancreas and thank you very much

[JENNIFER D]

Have you reviewed any of the new Earthborn Holistic Ancient Grains dry dog foods? We currently feed our dog Earthborn Primitive Naturals, which has taurine added. I was wondering how the new Ancient Grains line compared.
Thank you!

[Rachelle B]

Thanks for the reply, Patricia! I was never told exactly what it was, but found out actually fairly recently that had to be it. He was having uncontrollable watery diarrhea with like you mentioned, a LOT of jelly-like blood in it.
When I took him off the food completely, it was boiled white chicken and rice. I don’t think the chicken was more so the problem than the rice purely because I actually kept giving him a little chicken with his dry food, I just decided to take him completely off the rice.

I definitely don’t think this time was the same incidents as November and February! It is a firmer stool now, just spots of mucusy blood in it. I ended up taking it to the vet today and she agreed that it’s more than likely his stomach just adjusting to the Z/D diet. She said we’ll give it another 7 days fully on the new food before worrying about the blood, as long as he keeps acting normal.

And yes, I’ve started feeding him 4 times throughout the day now and it plus Prilosec before bed has completely stopped the regurgitation + throwing up of bile for several weeks now. I just worry in the future if I’m not able to keep that schedule (right now it’s easy because of the quarantine + even after the quarantine, my work is only 5 minutes from my house — but I worry if there’s any changes to that in the future where I can’t come home and feed him for lunch, because he refuses to eat unless I’m at home with him).

I’ll definitely keep that food in mind, I appreciate it! I’m trying to do what I can to help him without introducing too many things at once and making it worse.

I just wish now I knew exactly what the problem was, IBD, food allergy, or something else! That’s a big reason too why I posted this out here in case anyone else has come across this same situation with their dog. But I’m crossing my fingers after this food change is fully accepted by his tummy, he’ll go back to a normal lifestyle and maybe be a healthy, young, 4 year old pup again. <3

[Matt S]

Hi All!
I live in the UK and have a gorgeous 5year old Golden Retriever who I’ve always fed raw. He’s my 3rd Golden, my first two both reaching 14 years old, but both of them fed complete biscuit diet, with the odd treat of tinned meat.
My supplier here is filled TPMS, ( TPMS.co.uk )and I buy boxes of 25 x 1lb packs of mince beef and minced lamb. Info on the boxes are as follows.
Beef:- protein 16.2% oil 14.9% moisture 65.2%
Lamb:- protein 13.5% oil 16.3% moisture 66.7%

All seems well and his coat is fantastic and although he weighs 96lbs he’s not overweight. He has 1 pack a day with a cup of kibble.

Reading about pathogens in raw dog food (with the current corona crisis going on) has made me wonder if going dry/tinned would be safer?

I’d love to hear your thoughts on the above food I’m giving him. If I can add photos I’ll add one of the food and label showing all details.

Cheers
Matt

[kathryn B]

My6 month olf LhasaPoo does not seem to be interested in her food. I feed Merrick Classic Puppy with grain mixed with Whole Earth canned. I have tried different flavored Whole Earth cans and even feeding just dry or just wet. She did finish one 4 lb bag of dry and 12 cans prior, but now turns up her nose.Time to change brands ?

[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.

[Maureen R]

Greetings! Thank you so much! After some research I believe my dog hahas allergies as well as DLE. Due to the current situation my vet is not open and only emergent cases are being taken. So I am going to work on treating her naturally with organic food, vitamin e niacinamide and keep an eye on her flaking, runny sometimes inflamed nose. She coughs sometimes sneezes. I live in the Finger Lakes New York and just in the last week her nose has become terribly flaky and bled once. I softly ran a q-tip under the front to see if there was something in there and there was what seems to be a hardened scab that came out. Today I am going to try a 25 mg benydryl to see if she has relief. She has a bit of eye discharge. Nothing from the nose or eye indicates infection for example, no green or yellow or smelly stuff. Wishus luck and thankyou all.

[Donald M]

Nature’s Recipe Adult Chicken Meal & Rice Recipe will help your best friend thrive. This delicious dry dog food helps your dog maintain lean muscle mass with high quality protein from the #1 ingredient, premium chicken meal. Wholesome rice provides a lean source of carbohydrates that helps support your pet’s energy levels while barley and oatmeal round out the flavor and supply fiber for optimal digestion. Best of all, this recipe is free of corn and wheat, two ingredients that are commonly associated with food sensitivities.

Dog benefit…
Real chicken is the first ingredient, containing high-quality protein that helps support muscle development.
Rice provides a lean source of carbohydrates for sustained energy.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 8 months ago by Donald M.

[Stephenie S]

So my year old lab puppy has had diarrhea through every food I’ve tried with her. I had her on Wellness in the beginning but she got a rash on her stomach and I took her off that. I put her on Earth Born and that caused diarrhea. I had her on Merrick for a while and that caused diarrhea. My mom gave her one of the Nutro carrot dog treats which caused diarrhea so I started checking dog food for carrot and was able to find a dog food called Open Farm. It has been great for her she hasn’t had diarrhea but now she is having patching fur and brittle nails. So I’m at my wits end I turned to a website like this bc I’ve tried every dog food that’s whole foods, not grain free, no carrot, doesnt have bad ingredients and the last one had fish so her dry skin shouldnt be dry. I need help anyone have any suggestions but it’s been a long battle.
Thanks
-Steph and Behr

[Chao L]

This is the first time I write a review for a product that we can’t find much info online. At least we don’t know which comment online is real. But this is real!! As soon as I put the powder one scoop for each cat (as recommended on the bottle), they Smelled the food and walked away. My cats are not picky on food at all. I tried both on wet food and dry food. They wouldn’t eat the food. For wet food I chose feline natural and ziwipeak, dry food Fromm. My cat breed is one 3yr old rag doll, one 3yr old ragamuffin and one 1yr old domestic from shelter in case you are wondering. All three cats from different breeds wouldn’t eat the food after I mixed the powder in. What are the odds! The only one time that they ate a portion of the food with the powder is after I turned the AC to a colder temperature than usual for a day (sometimes pets are not that hungry in warmer conditions). They went to the wet food and started eating. But they only ate a portion of it, didn’t finish the meal that they normally would without the powder. As soon as they are done they went straight for the water! 3 of them. They don’t do that usually after eating the wet food. I even tasted myself the powder is very salty/umami flavored (just like MSG). This is completely unnatural for a pet supplement to be that flavorful. Highly doubt what’s inside that chicken stock flavor. Unless someone test it out in a research paper saying it’s safe for pets I’m not giving it to my cats any more. I know this is a review place for dog Nutra Thrive and I don’t know if the umami/salt flavor is any different than the cat Nutra Thrive powder but thought would be better to bring up the issues or concerns that I have so far. I read a lot of comments above saying their dogs energy level went up after eating this product but that also aligned with my suspicion, which the salt level is very high. Every animal will get hyped once they consume too much salt. Just like the effects of caffeine.
No I wouldn’t recommend this powder at least cat version to anyone.