[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/

[Murph27]

I just did a quick search and found this site – https://sportdogfood.com

I have never heard of this brand – just found it by a web search and thought I’d pass it along.

[Amelia Z]

Thanks, I did research that brand but that food is for very active sporting dogs-protein is high.

[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]

Wellness Cores has legumes (peas, 4th on the list) which we need to stay away from.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Amelia Z-
Sorry, to hear about your dog. Yes, this topic has come up a few times recently on this site. It is very interesting to have someone on here that has a dog that actually may have been affected by this new finding. I am very interested because my dogs are part golden retriever.

May I ask why your dog cannot have food with grains? Or, why Royal Canin or Purina is off your list?

[Tyrionthebiscuit]

It looks like the SportdogElite 2.0 is only sitting at 29% protein with no peas or legumes.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Amelia
Do you have any idea how any of the other dogs that are in the study eating Royal Canin or Purina are responding? Have their taurine levels gone up at all?

[Amelia Z]

Yes, I think some taurine levels have gone up but I don’t know if it’s the food switch or the taurine supplement. Here’s a link to some of the cases. Alittle confusing….
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1TNru_WWKf0TbZ8aYBgOJjsh4cziKZwdA6GEbXTUFJ_M/edit#gid=582733736

[Amelia Z]

Yes, you are correct. I have a call into the sport dog company. Don’t know how a “non” sport dog will do on this food. Not sure if it is too rich.

I haven’t feed grains to my dogs. Auggie was tested for food sensitivity and he is sensitive to corn. In general I don’t think grains are good for dogs. Dogs are carnivores, so the main source of protein in their diet should be meat. Grains are inferior sources of protein. Diets with higher grain and carbohydrate content can lead to weight gain, allergies and other potential health problems. I believe grains can become moldy as well. Not to mentions they are sprayed with pesticides. The problem is pet food manufacturers need a filler in the foods, so it’s either grains or legumes. Very few kibble is free of both of these.
As far as Purina and Royal Canin. just look at the ingredients, junk! I don’t trust either of these companies, it’s all about the money. Purina who makes Beneful, shouldn’t be on the market.
Royal Canin 1st two lines of ingredients: (doesn’t sound like something I would eat)
Brown rice, chicken by-product meal, oat groats, brewers rice, corn gluten meal, wheat, chicken fat, natural flavors, powdered cellulose, dried plain beet pulp, fish oil, wheat gluten, dried tomato pomace, vegetable oil, sodium silico aluminate, calcium carbonate, potassium..
The 1st ingredient in food should be a named protein (chicken, beef, pork etc) NOT rice in my opinion. My older golden who is 7, always had yeasty ears. The past couple of months I am only giving them kibble one meal, their other meal I am giving them freeze dried-Orijen regional red. I use to clean his ears every other day. Now, no yeast in 3 weeks. Coincidence, I don’t think so. I do believe that kibble is the worse type of food to feed, so I have been researching other options. I know the big push is to go raw, but I just can’t do that yet, which is why I am giving one meal freeze dried. Although, it’s getting pretty expensive.

[Mark C]

I too am looking to switch my dogs food away from Foods laden with legumes. To that I have kind of narrowed down to is Dr. Gary’s (available on Chewy) and the nutro ultra. My only problem with those foods they’re kind of low in protein but I can always supplement that. Actually on the Dr. Gary’s I’m looking at the senior/reduced fat which is what my four guys need. I’ll definitely also take a look at some of the foods that were mentioned in this string. I don’t know something nags at me and I keep thinking purina…..I don’t want to feed that. However; maybe it’s not that bad after all I don’t know

[Nicki C]

What about Honest Kitchen Limited Ingredient Chicken? It has sweet potato and quinoa, no legumes, peas, etc. would that work? I have two female Shih Tzus, 9 years and 1.5 years

[Amelia Z]

No, not for me. Will never feed them Purina. Although if I don’t find a food fast enough, inadvertently I will be feeding them Purina through a sell out.
Just found out that Champion pet foods is looking to sell to Nestle. This is disappointing and now even more reason to switch!

Nestlé in talks to buy Champion Petfoods

[Amelia Z]

Hi, thanks for the suggestion. Actually I am testing with honest kitchen. My only concern with it is it has high carbs which will increase their glycemic index. I may just feed them that one meal and a raw and/or freeze dried another. There are alot of potatoes in that food. If I feed just that to both my dogs, it would cost $350 a month.

[Amelia Z]

Oh, BTW I was also looking into Farmina. I spoke with a rep yesterday and he tells me that they are adding pea fiber to their formulas. Their feel it’s a soluble fiber and helps with digestion. Bad timing on their part. So I guess now that’s out!

[Murph27]

Have you looked at First Mate? Like the link for Sport that I suggested, I have no experience with this brand.

This might not work since it has potatoes, but here is one example of their kibble:

Limited Ingredient Pacific Ocean Fish Meal – Original Formula

Here is one without potatoes (but it has oatmeal):

Cage Free Chicken Meal & Oats Formula

They have a food selection guide that weeds out ingredients such as peas:

Diet Selection Guide

Again, sorry that I have not tried this brand – just trying to help.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 4 months ago by Murph27.

[Amelia Z]

checking it out. thanks!

[Nadine H]

Farmina low grain has 32% carbs. I have my two great danes on this food and they are doing very well on it. I order directly from Farmina. No legumes in this food.

[Nadine H]

I just page back and saw the comment about Farmina adding pea fiber. Is that to the grain free? We get three bags a month of the low grain so I sure hope they’re not changing that one.

[Nadine H]

Sorry about another post, this is the third now, 🙂 The grain free has had pea fiber but not the low grain. I’ll be emailing the co. to ask if they are adding pea fiber to the one I feed. We went though so many foods until we found Farmina, really don’t know what I’ll do if they are going to add the pea fiber. I don’t know if just one pea ingredient is also a bad thing. Some of the no grain brands are loaded with peas, chickpeas, lentils, pinto beans etc. and that isn’t good. I’ve read that that a dog lacks the necessary enzyme to efficiently absorb plant based foods.

[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/

[crazy4cats]

Hi Amelia-
Have you checked out any of the Fromm Gold recipes. They do contain grain, but they are a respected company that has been around for a long time. I trust that their grains are top quality and you need’nt worry about them being contaminated. Has your dog improved at all yet with the diet change?

[Tami S]

I operate an animal rescue so I know the food that many people feed their dogs and their experience with it. There are dogs that I know of personally that lived to be 18 or 19 years old on pedigree. I am also concerned with the legumes and the pea protein and it was confirmed by my vet that this was going to happen many years ago with the legumes. I alternate my dog’s between Eukanuba and Royal Canin and so far they’re doing excellent.. and I want what’s best for my dogs just like you do. I realize that Eukanuba and Royal Canin are not at the top of the dog food advisor list but they have some advantages over those that do in my opinion. I’m looking forward to hearing your response.

• This reply was modified 6 years, 4 months ago by Tami S.

[Nadine H]

I am so disappointed that Farmina is adding pea fiber. They are adding 1%. Can’t imagine why they are adding it. I really don’t know what to try next. My two danes go through quite a bit of food so cost can be somewhat of an issue. We went through several brands trying to stop loose poo and Farmina worked great. They didn’t do well on fromms and several others that people really like. My vet has Great Danes and he feeds Purina and recommends it.

[Amelia Z]

Thanks for the suggestion, but I prefer to stay away from grain. I did find a grain free, legume free kibble.
https://www.earthbornholisticpetfood.com/dog-food-formulas/venture/alaska-pollock-meal-pumpkin
Also this one, but protein is high.
https://www.instinctpetfood.com/dogs/ultimate-protein/instinct-ultimate-protein-cage-free-chicken-recipe
This one has limited grains and no legumes….
https://www.natureslogic.com/ingredients/manufacturing-locations/

Although, I don’t think I will feed these this but it’s good to have a kibble as a secondary choice. I am sticking with Honest Kitchen. My boys love it. And the ingredients are very good. check it out. https://www.thehonestkitchen.com/dog-food/meals

As far as Royal Canin, in my opinion it’s a low quality food. The 1st 10 ingredients in the golden retreiver formula: (ugh!)
Brown rice, chicken by-product meal (Can include chicken intestines and/or chicken feces.), oat groats, brewers rice, corn gluten meal, wheat, chicken fat, natural flavors, powdered cellulose, dried plain beet pulp. Doesn’t sound like anything I would want to feed my boys.

If I had a rescue, I certainly understand that cost would be a fact. I believe that genes has a lot to do with age, just like people. But I think there are alot better choices out there. There is no denying these facts:
https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2013/07/17/feather-meal.aspx

Royal Canin Says…

The big pet food manufacturers donate billions of dollars to vet schools, so why wouldn’t veterinarians recommend their food. In fact, many of these companies give free food to the vets. (good advertising for them). I truly believe we need to be cautious when it comes to dog food. I don’t trust what any of them say. Time & time again foods contain products that are hurting/killing our animals. The cancer rate in dogs continues to grow, along with a million other problems. Why are dogs living less now than they did 30 years ago?!?! Garbage in, garbage out.
And yet another story:
https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2018/07/23/feeding-turkey-feathers-on-pets.aspx?utm_source=petsnl&utm_medium=email&utm_content=art1&utm_campaign=20180723Z1&et_cid=DM223723&et_rid=372609563

It’s all very scary! Sorry to be so long winded, but it’s a nightmare just to pick a food.

[Amelia Z]

Well, here’s an update. I found a food with no grains, no potatoes, no legumes, low carbs and it’s 90% meat. It is in between raw and freeze dried. I just started it so we’ll see how they do. It’s called the Real Meat Company. (http://www.realmeatpet.com/) It looks and smelled good. Here are the ingredients in the beef:
Ingredients
Beef, Beef Lung, Beef Liver, Ground Beef Bone, Vegetable Glycerin, Pumpkin, Inulin (from Chicory Root), Mixed Tocopherols (used as a preservative), Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Parsley, Rosemary, Selenium Yeast, Copper Proteinate, Niacin Supplement (Vitamin B3), Manganese Proteinate, d-Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Riboflavin Supplement (Vitamin B2), Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Vitamin A Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Iodate (source of Iodine), Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Vitamin D3 Supplement.

[Mark C]

I’m curious if anyone has heard of or has experience with Pinto Canyon? http://flintriver.com/catalog.asp?catid=10&ID=194

Marketing hype makes it seem like a quality food minus peas, potatoes, etc. I’m seriously considering giving this a try and would love some opinions.

Here are the ingredients for the chicken grain inclusive:

Fresh deboned chicken, Chicken meal, Ground brown rice, Oatmeal, Ground dehulled barley, Ground whole flaxseed, Dehydrated alfalfa meal, Chicken fat (naturally preserved with Mixed tocopherols and Citric acid), Calcium carbonate, Natural flavor, Sea salt, Potassium chloride, Zinc proteinate, Iron proteinate, Dried Bacillus coagulans fermentation product, Vitamin E supplement, Beta-carotene, Inulin, Copper proteinate, Monosodium phosphate, Spinach, Manganese proteinate, Apples, Bananas, Blueberries, Broccoli, Cranberries, Dried kelp, Sweet potatoes, Niacin supplement, d-Calcium pantothenate, Vitamin A acetate, Riboflavin supplement, Calcium iodate, Vitamin B12 supplement, Thiamine mononitrate, Pyridoxine hydrochloride, Vitamin D3 supplement, Sodium selenite, Folic acid, Rosemary extract.

[Amelia Z]

I use to feed my dogs flint river many years ago and so did my vet. She said they were out of business which is mentioned on their home page in 2016. My only concern would be that you can only buy them on line. Not for me though, since it has grains and legumes in the grain free formula. Other than that it looks ok. Good Luck!

[Linda K]

I feed my 11-month-old dog Zignature Zssentials. He has a history of off-and-on, come-and-go vomiting about twice a week after eating when he was younger. The breeder was feeding him (gasp!) Iams puppy! The vet said he had “a sensitive belly,” advised me to try Hills I/D for 30 days, and then slowly wean him onto another limited ingredient food. I chose Zssentials, and he has not vomited a single time in three months. The listed ingredients are turkey, turkey meal, salmon, duck meal, chickpea flour, peas, chickpeas, alfalfa meal, flaxseed, sunflower oil, salmon oil, and then a bunch of other stuff. THe protein is 32%, fat 16%, fiber 5.5%, moisture 10%, calcium 1.2%, phosphorus 1.0%, omega 6 fatty acids 4.5%, omega 3 fatty acids 2.0%. The omega 6 and 3 are not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient profiles. I don’t know if the quantity of chickpeas and peas is particularly high since they are not first on the list of ingredients. Dog Food Advisor rates Zssentials, catfish, and pork formulas 5 stars.

I do know the FDA has come out with a statment indicating they are investigating a potential connection between diet and cases of canine heart disease (DCM), and they implicate as suspect diets frequently listing potatoes or multiple legumes such as peas and lentils early in their ingredient lists. As I read the alert, the low taurine levels caused by grain-free diets is the target of their finger-pointing. However, more research must be done.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Linda K-
You could always talk to your vet and possibly have a taurine blood test to see how your pup is doing. It’s probably tough for you to switch foods after finally finding something that works well. The test might set your mind at ease.

It is pretty early in their investigation into this matter. I’m choosing to skip on grain free until more is found out. But, my vet did not seem too overly concerned since there is no definitive answer yet. My dogs do fine on food with grains though. So, it’s not a big deal to switch foods. Good luck!

[Heidi L]

Try checking out Nature’s Logic. That’s what I’m feeding my dogs. No GMO, Chickpeas and peas! High quality at a reasonable price for what it is. I think it’s made in Nebraska. Check out their website!
Tell me what you think.

[Nadine H]

I would take your pup off of Zignature. It has been mentioned to many times as possibly having a connection . Heidi I agree with you, Nature”s Logic is one of the better foods. I talked to them last year and they were very helpful. I didn’t feed it because calcium was to high for a dane puppy.

[Linda K]

Thank you, Nadine H, Heidi L, and Crazy4cats! I just spoke to a vet nutritionist who is the daughter of a friend of mine. She said stuff we already know about this issue, including that the FDA as a body really knows nothing about dog food and its ingredients. They are concerned primarily with making sure that what the manufacturer says is in the food is actually in the food, so vets and nutritionists are not really concerned about this admonition from the FDA. However, she added that if AAFCO had made the same possible connection conclusion, “the veterinary world would be on high alert.” In addition, she said that all the dogs affected with DCM that brought about this announcement from the FDA are from the same state, so it is thought that perhaps there was something amiss within that state’s supply. She recommended that I continue to feed my dog Zssentials, at least until more definitive conclusions could be made. She said it might make me feel better if I were to ask my vet for a taurine test, but she said most dogs are “OK” with taurine, and few companies add taurine to the dog food because most dogs don’t need it. It is deficient in cats much more frequently. I shall look into Nature’s Logic. A local pet store gives samples of all the dog food they carry, so I can try it and see if my dog, Mr. Persnickety himself, will even eat Nature’s Miracle. As crazy4cats suggested, it is difficult to make a change when we finally have found a food he will eat, not throw up, AND make his poop textbook perfect.😏

[Linda K]

Amelia Z, did you find a suitable food for your dog? Is it grain-free?

[Amelia Z]

YES, I did! The Real Meat Company. beef, all meat, grain free, no legumes, no potatoes, low carbs.
http://www.realmeatpet.com/product.php?pg=4
I did find some kibble brands but decided not to stay with kibble. BTW, my boy’s echo looked good on wednessday, almost normal!!! I changed his food, suppplemented with taurine and L-carnitine and he’s doing good.

[Linda K]

Hi Amelia Z,
I have been looking at The Real Meat Company air-dried beef recipe dog food. Because my research seems to indicate that chicken and turkey have higher taurine values, and my immediate goal is to raise his critically-low taurine value, I am interested in the turkey. There is a turkey and a turkey and venison formula, as well as a chicken formula. However, he seems to be very itchy when he eats chicken. Would you mind sharing with me the kibble brands you indicate you found? I’d be most grateful. Thank you.

[Amelia Z]

No problem, Linda. Although, I am giving him meat, I still plan on supplementing with taurine. Not sure if any food would give him enough, but apparently the supplementation is helping and that I am no longer feeding him food with legumes. Has your dog been echoed? What’s his taurine level? Auggie’s was 125. I am having his taurine tested again next week, since it is 4 months since the last test.
FYI….
https://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2018/07/09/link-between-dog-food-taurine-deficiency-and-dcm.aspx

This is the kibble list:
https://www.earthbornholisticpetfood…k-meal-pumpkin
Also this one, but protein is high.
https://www.instinctpetfood.com/dogs…chicken-recipe
This one has limited grains and no legumes….
https://www.natureslogic.com/ingredi…ing-locations/
ALSO, First Mate https://firstmate.com/product/pacific-ocean-fish-meal-original-formula/& Sport Dog – https://sportdogfood.com/working-dog-grain-peas-free-turkey-formula/ (they were having manufacturing issues because of an increase in sales due this the legume free issue) so if you go with this better check with them about this.
Also, Famina ancestrial grains but they told me they are adding pea fiber to their new formula (are they crazy?), hopefully they will change their minds.

[Nadine H]

I called Farmina about the pea issue. It’s only 1% so it shouldn’t be a problem.

[Amelia Z]

Probably, but I’m not chancing it. We’ve come too far.

[Linda K]

Amelia Z, you are a wealth of information, and I thank you once again for sharing it. Again, I marvel at what a good gig I have. You do the work and share your expertise with me and the rest of the people on this forum. I am looking carefully at all those dog foods. You asked me what my dog’s taurine level was. Believe it or not it was a mere 16! Normal at our lab is 120-160, and “critical” is 40! I am a wreck, watching him every second for any signs of strange behavior. I have often said I am not good at most things, but I can worry as well as anybody on the planet. The cardiac ultrasound cannot come soon enough. Meanwhile, he has begun chewing on his paws. I hope he’s not allergic to the taurine (gasp) or the egg the doctor told me to give him every day. My husband says he is a nervous wreck and reacting to my waking him up ever two minutes to make sure he still wakes up. I am in awe of you and your seeming calm demeanor. Thank you so much!

[Nadine H]

I really wish more info would come out about Zignature. That food has been mentioned more then once regarding heart issues in dogs.
So fortunate Linda that you caught it in time.
As far as Farmina it’s the best kibble that I’ve found so far and with all the research I’ve done 1% isn’t an issue for me. I had thought about adding NL for one meal a day but
I called Natures Logic the other day and asked about ash levels. The beef was over 20% and the other flavors were also higher then I like. I’ve always tried to stay around 7%. I think they have good food and I plan on getting back with them at some point to find out what they say about the high % of ash in their food.

[Linda K]

Amelia Z, I forgot to answer one of your questions. On 9/14, my dog is having what the vet called “a cardiac ultrasound.” I am hoping he means an echo. I think my vet is walking in extremely unfamiliar territory with all this talk of taurine deficiency-related DCM. By his own admission, he has never in 25 years had a taurine-deficient dog. Of course, it was I who insisted on the taurine test over his rancorous protestations, so I’m not sure he would have even been aware of the taurine deficiency in any dog in his practice. You know so much, and have experienced so much, and you are awesome!

[Amelia Z]

Good you insisted. Yes, a cardiac ultrasound is the same as an echo. Good Luck! Well, now I am concerned about my other Golden, so off for a ultrasound for him on 9-11. Hopefully, he will be ok!

[Linda K]

Amelia Z, what concerns you about your other Golden? I refer to myself as “a seasoned veteran” when I have done the same things time and time again. You know the signs, and you can’t be too careful. I’ll hope so much that he’s OK. Please keep me posted. I’ll be thinking about you on 9/11.

Thank you again for sharing your findings with me. I am going to change to Real Meat Air Dried Turkey Recipe dog food. I ordered it from PetGuys today. It was a little cheaper than at the Real Meat Company. It’s expensive stuff, but my boy is worth it. I’ll happily save pennies wherever I can, though.

[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.

[Amelia Z]

Don’t know if anyone has read this but it’s worth a read.
https://www.whole-dog-journal.com/issues/21_9/features/DCM-in-Dogs-Taurines-Role-in-the-Canine-Diet_21901-1.html

[Linda K]

Thank you, Amelia. I couldn’t find the turkey recipe on Chewy. The beef recipe is probably more popular, and after I get my boy all weaned to the new food, I’ll order some beef recipe too. The turkey recipe is $13.35 cheaper for 10 pounds on PetGuys than on the Real Meat Company web site. Somewhere I read not to feed “exotic” foods like kangaroo, and I don’t think his belly or his skin like chicken. I do mix in some organic fruits and veggies sometimes. He really doesn’t seem to care for blueberries or apples, but he’ll eat bananas and cantaloupe. He loves green beans, broccoli, and cauliflower, but they give him horrendous gas, so I usually stay away from those. He loves carrots, so I often buy the diced bags and soften them in the microwave before I feed them to him. I hope he likes this new food, too. He has an annoyingly snooty history of refusing to eat that which would make me very happy!

Probiotics have been a source of much consternation to me. My vet, of course, swears by a Purina brand, Fortiflora, but I’ve never been terribly impressed with Purina in general, or Fortiflora specifically. My daughter has a black lab, and she swears by Fido-vite flexx, but I am not impressed with the ingredients. But she also feeds Purina Pro Plan sport, and says “everyone” where she lives feeds Purina Pro Plan to their black labs. I’ll try the probiotics brand you suggest and hope we like it better.

What is the difference between taurine whole blood value and the taurine value my dog had? Is the normal range breed-specific or size-specific, or is it an entirely different value?

Thank you for the reminder to SLOWLY wean. I am so eager to get him off the Zignature, that I might plunge headlong into the new food and miserably regret it.

I feel quite sure your Golden is OK. For all the reasons you mention, and because you know your dog, and you know what to watch for. Please keep me posted.

[Amelia Z]

Hi, Linda. Was thinking about you. Did you get the food and does your boy like it? I hope you are going slow! You say your dogs taurine was 16. Was that whole blood or taurine?

[Linda K]

Hi Amelia!
The dog food came on Thursday, and we started it VERY SLOWLY on Thursday evening. I do believe he LOVES it, and I can’t thank you enough. His poop is still picture perfect too! Color me happy! Has your boy had his echo yet? I remembered it was today, and I had planned to ask this evening how it went. I asked the vet’s office whether it was whole blood or taurine. The tech’s response was “plasma.” So I know no more now than I did before I asked. I alsolearned that I won’t get the result of his echo until “maybe Friday the 21st.”When I squawked at that news, it was explained that the cardiologist who comes from a nearby large university to do the test goes back to his office and prepares the report, which he sends to my vet’s office, and “since it’s being done on Friday, it may be a wee before we get it. But the vet “will call me after he has a chance to study it.” I may have to find another vet. I’m getting annoyed. Please let me know how your boy’s echo came out. I know you have Augie. What is your other dog’s name? Is it Augie who is getting echoed today? My thoughts are with you and your boys today. Please give them a good belly scratch from me! Thank you for your post!

[Amelia Z]

OMG, I’m so happy he likes the food. I was alittle hesitate to recommend something in case there is a problem but I’m glad there is not so far. He is having it at 5:30. FINGERS AND PAWS CROSSED. His name is Kodi. Auggie is the boy that was diagnosed with DCM 2 years ago and his echo was a couple of weeks ago. And they said it was almost normal. BTW, when you get your boys echo, ask if you could be in the room. The cardiologist I take Auggie to does let me, but I get the results before we leave. The cardiologist I am going to today lets us stay in the room and show us on the screen what is going on. I really like that! If not, ask if you could at least know if it is normal or not. That you are not waiting until the 21st. Are they nuts!! The 21st ok to get the report, but he knows when he’s doing the echo if his heart is enlarged or not. They could at least tell you that.
As far as the blood, if your vet’s office is stating it’s plasma-ok, but you need a whole blood also. Dr. Stern said he really looks at the whole blood. (which is more important than plasma). Why didn’t they do both. Where was the blood sent?

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