Help with finding the right food for dogs LONG

[Brindlebtch]

()relics :

My advice for all you "vet" people out there: If you think you are a vet than start charging for your services...If you aren't then find a good vet and do what they say <---that would be me.

Then you better find a vet that doesn't peddle dog food or prescription diets in their lobby.

Honestly the vets I know are against raw diets and cooking for your dog, and WILL try to sell you whatever they carry because they honestly believe that it is the best stuff to feed your dog. Or at least that is what they will tell you.

My experience has been that it is better to do research and be informed than to blindly follow a vet's (or a human doctor's, for that matter) advice.​

 

[()relics]

()relics :

..I am told by my vet, who is mainly a large animal vet,

she definitely won't try to sell you dog food or dog vacinations or the newest test that tells how well your dog is...BUT she may try to sell you a supplement for your horses" that you can't live without"​

 

[Pupsnpullets]

Quote:
Excellent point, Brindle. Labs are notorious for thyroid problems.

I feed mine raw and have for quite a few years now. It really isn't too expensive for me. My budget is $1 lb maximum, for the meat and if I had hunters in the family like you do, Cheif's Mess, then it would be a lot cheaper. You don't, by chance, live anywhere near me, do you....?

However, I also, know a cat rescue lady who's personal cats lived for years and they were fed whatever was on sale. My friend, the dog groomer, has 8 shop cats that get fed whatever is on sale, too, and they're all healthy geriatrics. My point is that these two ladies both believe that by switching the food constantly (mainly for economic reasons) the cats seem to get all their nutritional requirements met. What one food lacks the next one makes up for. May there is something to be said for that. Perhaps that will work for dogs, too.

Keep up updated, please. Lots of good info is coming from this thread.

 

[gritsar]

I'm probably going to get slammed for saying this, but here goes. Our pet food choices are limited around here. I'm not sure I buy all the hype about the "back to the wild" foods. Sounds very much like the hype over eukanuba and iams back in the 80s. Back then if you weren't feeding the eukanuba or the iams, you were doing your dog a great disservice.
Our puppy gets iams dry mixed with a little canned for more flavor. He's doing fine, he's not overweight and the vet has pronounced him 100% healthy.
Because our one cat KiKi was having digestive issues, I tried them (both her and the other cat) on Iams for digestive issues. They wouldn't eat it. They now eat Meow Mix Wholesome Goodness and I've been fairly amazed at how well it cleared up KiKi's digestive issues and how beautiful both cats coats have become.
These foods work for us, without breaking the bank.
So what do I do with the money I save by not feeding the premium foods? I buy an extra bag of dog food for a local lady that runs a great rescue near us. You see, I'd rather my dog eat a decent food that's helping him grow into a strong healthy dog than to feed him something that may or may not be necessary, while another dog goes hungry for want of any food at all.

 

[Pupsnpullets]

Quote:
Now, why would you get slammed for these views?? Sounds as though you've doing what's perfect for you and other dogs get to benefit as well!

 

[Brindlebtch]

I wrote in #39
In 10-15 years there will be a study that finds something else is best to feed.

gritsar wrote
Sounds very much like the hype over eukanuba and iams back in the 80s. Back then if you weren't feeding the eukanuba or the iams, you were doing your dog a great disservice.

Ok! Make it 20 years!

gritsar, how on earth could we criticise anything to do with the genius puppy?

 

[gritsar]

Quote:
He's not only a genius, he's a great foot warmer! (Kat types as she looks down at her feet

)

 

[Wifezilla]

Then you better find a vet that doesn't peddle dog food or prescription diets in their lobby.

LOL

Exactly!

Read the label on a bag of Science Diet next time you are in a vet's office. Not much difference between that and a cheapo bag of Old Roy at Walmart.

Dogs did NOT evolve to eat corn. Cats especially did not evolve to eat corn since they are obligate carnivores! If a vet doesn't see how ridiculous it is to feed a carnivore CORN, it is very difficult forme to trust the nutrition part of their vet training. (What is that now days? 1 class sponsored by a pet food manufacturer???)​

 

[Pupsnpullets]

Quote:
Dogs did NOT evolve to eat corn. Cats especially did not evolve to eat corn since they are obligate carnivores! If a vet doesn't see how ridiculous it is to feed a carnivore CORN, it is very difficult forme to trust the nutrition part of their vet training. (What is that now days? 1 class sponsored by a pet food manufacturer???)

I believe so. It is definately sponsored by the pet food manufacture and sometimes the nutrional classes are an optional extra. Hopefully this isn't always the case ....

 

[Brindlebtch]

It is interesting, although not surprising, I guess, that nutrition for big industry species like cattle and pigs is known inside and out and the nutrition for the animals that live in our houses and sleep in our beds is still a matter of conjecture and opinion.

I guess that is a good example of 'follow the money'.