# Wet food recommendations



## ilovekiki (Aug 12, 2020)

Hello beautiful people. 


Any recommendations for wet food for Maltese and is it good if i decide to feed my little one only wet food as she does not seem to be liking the kibble anymore. 
Do you think on a long run they would develop any health issues with wet food. 
Please suggest some wet food brands which are completely well balanced. 

Thanks
Valli.


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## bea (Sep 15, 2020)

yes, I am having the same problem / issue these is so many foods out there I have no idea what one to choose and what a good quality as well. so any maltese enthusiast out there help us out lol 
ps puppy food food recommendation please 
thank you


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

The very best foods are raw or minimally processed, just like for us humans, because the majority of the natural nutrients are not processed out. Wet and dry processed foods destroy much of the nutritional value, so they have to add in chemical nutrients to make up for it. 

Whole Dog Journal is a great resource for food recommendations.The subscription is around $20 - $30 per year but they have fabulous, detailed food reviews to help choose.

I use Honest Kitchen base mix, which is a dehydrated (minimally processed) raw and add lightly cooked turkey, beef or fish to it for my girls. Many "old time" Spoiled Maltese members actually use prepare their own meals using nutritionally balanced recipes for our babies.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

I have always fed my girls the Honest Kitchen and Ling Ling prefers sojos. Both foods are dehydrated raw.
If you go to dog food advisor, they rate the food and will actually break down the ingredients as well as how much protein, carbs and the fat content on a dry matter basis for you.


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## Kilo (Mar 5, 2019)

I use Purina Pro Plan Joint Mobility dry food and I like nutro hearty beef stew for the wet food. I'm only using such a small amount of wet, though. Just enough to make their dry food enticing.

I put a little under 1/2 cup of dry food in bowl. Then i put maybe two tablespoons of nutro hearty stew in a measuring cup and add 2 tablespoons of water to it. Then i microwave the measuring cup for 15 seconds and swirl.

First, i pour the beefy liquid over top of the food. (it helps dissolve his crushed up glucosamine pills that i spread on top of the dry food.

Then i spread out the hearty stew chunks evenly on top of the dry food.

They love it. Maybe not the most nutritional but the JM dry food was prescribed by the vet. I was very skeptical but it really did help his knee. The addition of his glucosamine supp has helped, too. 

The whole thing is like a warm beefy dish


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## ilovekiki (Aug 12, 2020)

Thank you so much for the deatailed process. I will try to do the same. Probably my girl is not liking the smell of her kibble so I started cooking chicken + rice + vegetables and still adding the kibble . She eats the homecoojed part and leaves the kibble. This is already 2 nd brand that I am trying.


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## Kilo (Mar 5, 2019)

ilovekiki said:


> Thank you so much for the deatailed process. I will try to do the same. Probably my girl is not liking the smell of her kibble so I started cooking chicken + rice + vegetables and still adding the kibble . She eats the homecoojed part and leaves the kibble. This is already 2 nd brand that I am trying.


How does she like the chicken/rice/veggies? 

For a while ive really been considering just cooking this for them because it honestly sounds like it would be the healthiest. Im a bodybuilder that eats 6-7 meals a day, many of my meals are chicken/rice/veggies or beef/rice/veggies and i make up a bunch of meals in bulk. It would be easy to get together something like this for them.

I guess the only reason i havent started is because i was unsure of the portion sizes when it comes to food like that. I have a 5lb maltese and a fat 17lb morkie.


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## ilovekiki (Aug 12, 2020)

She loves it. And kind of keep asking for more. My girl is 4.6 pounds now. I feed her 1/2 cup a day ( 3 meals) but when she asks more ,I am not giving her more as I am also unsure how much to feed . Taking it easy for now as I don't want to run into puppy obesity problems . I honestly think I need to add some suppliments in the food I cook.


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

Please research foods other than Purina. They have a LOT of fillers, grains, by-products, and other ingredients that are the hallmark of low quality foods. You've been given the suggestions of Whole Dog Journal and Dog Food Advisor - please use those resources.


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## ilovekiki (Aug 12, 2020)

Maggie's. 

I think so far Purina has good reviews. But I am not sure if I can switch to Purina wet food completely as no matter what I do my girl would not her kibble.


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

Please look at the dog food review sites. Purina is not a quality food because of the amount of corn and by-products.


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## Dowdster (Sep 23, 2020)

ilovekiki said:


> Hello beautiful people.
> 
> 
> Any recommendations for wet food for Maltese and is it good if i decide to feed my little one only wet food as she does not seem to be liking the kibble anymore.
> ...


I learned about Pat McKay and have switched my 2 maltese over to diet and supplements (essentials4all) very happy they are living healthy


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## Isabel Ricart (Sep 23, 2020)

I really like Zignature in lamb flavor and taste of the wild has good wet food


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## Luckymommy (Apr 18, 2021)

ilovekiki said:


> Thank you so much for the deatailed process. I will try to do the same. Probably my girl is not liking the smell of her kibble so I started cooking chicken + rice + vegetables and still adding the kibble . She eats the homecoojed part and leaves the kibble. This is already 2 nd brdryand that I am trying.


Lucky eats the toppers and not the dry food. Tru Dog did not work. I figure any dog food he eats is giving him the nourishment he needs. If he will only eat everything as a treat while we are walking, Dont care, Looking for more toys


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## Luckymommy (Apr 18, 2021)

ilf ovekiki said:


> Maggie's.
> 
> I think so far Purina has good reviews. But I am not sure if I can switch to Purina wet food completely as no matter what I do my girl would not her kibble.


I have had a time with Lucky. I settled on Purina proplan blended with shreds but he only eats the shreaded meaty pieces. Just this morning I added a spoonful of diamond delights on plate with cut up chicken, He ate it and then went to his dry food. So today he ate. Use freeze dried chicken for treats also Core tenders. I am so glad I am not the only one going through this. So sorry to say that, Just thought it was me. Lucky is a mix, Maltese Bichon. 18mo and 12# vet said he is perfect. lol. but she said, remember his tummy is very small.


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## Luckymommy (Apr 18, 2021)

We are still having eating problems. Lucky at almost 2years is still 12#. Some days he eats some days doesnt want. Drives me nuts. He is on second round of Flagyl for Diarrhea but on Forta-flora now. Not sure what could be causing diarrhea, at first thought it was from a greenie. After first round of flagyl was good for 3 days. Labs are all good. Possible allergy to chicken meal, Switched to lamb and rice. Not loving anything. Cannot believe how much food gets tossed in garbage. Any sugestions. Lucky is full of energy even in bitter cold all bundled up.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Luckymommy said:


> We are still having eating problems. Lucky at almost 2years is still 12#. Some days he eats some days doesnt want. Drives me nuts. He is on second round of Flagyl for Diarrhea but on Forta-flora now. Not sure what could be causing diarrhea, at first thought it was from a greenie. After first round of flagyl was good for 3 days. Labs are all good. Possible allergy to chicken meal, Switched to lamb and rice. Not loving anything. Cannot believe how much food gets tossed in garbage. Any sugestions. Lucky is full of energy even in bitter cold all bundled up.


If your vet didn’t tell you, be sure to give probiotics (forta flora) 2 to 3 hours after the flagyl, otherwise it’s not going to be a lot of help of replacing the good bacteria due to the antibiotics destroying it all.
Was he checked for giardia? They can lose their appetite and have occasional diarrhea from that. If you did, and they did the Elisa test to check for cyst, and all was negative, I would probably take him to internal medicine, instead of wasting time and money with the vet who does not specialize in GI issues. 
Does anything else seem off with him besides picky eating and loose stools? Was his cobalamin/folate checked? Anything off on his CBC? Liver checked?
IMO, a healthy dog will usually eat and not put their nose up when it comes to food. Whereas, he is 2 yrs old now, I would think something is going on and the vet is missing it.
Hope you figure it out 🙏🏻


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## Luckymommy (Apr 18, 2021)

thank you,, vet did blood workup. Only thing off was slightly dehydrated from not eating or drinking. She did full work up and the only thing was slightly dehydrated. Gave Hills low fat and liked at first but he liked chicken and rice boiked too at first too. I wish he was normal and gobbled up his food forta flora is powder, have ordered pill form Thes dogs are really not cheap. Thank God my vet is kind and gave me a months supply of probiotic.


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

Luckymommy said:


> thank you,, vet did blood workup. Only thing off was slightly dehydrated from not eating or drinking. She did full work up and the only thing was slightly dehydrated. Gave Hills low fat and liked at first but he liked chicken and rice boiked too at first too. I wish he was normal and gobbled up his food forta flora is powder, have ordered pill form Thes dogs are really not cheap. Thank God my vet is kind and gave me a months supply of probiotic.


From my own experience…the vets know the basics, which is why I push to go to internal medicine. I spent thousands with my vet playing the guessing game and one visit with an IMS, she was DX and treated. In my case, it was a life or death situation by the time I went to a specialist and that was because I trusted that my vet knew what she was talking about. She was way off In treatment.
If you think he is allergic to chicken, I believe Forta flora has chicken in it, so not a good choice if allergic. Proviable is another one you can get OTC now thru Chewys. It does not have chicken in it.
I know you don’t want to hear this and I’ve mentioned this to you before~a healthy dog will not put his nose up to food, especially home cooked food. There are many gi issues that don’t always show up on a CBC. An internist can order a GI panel thru Texas A&M which is a much more sophisticated, detail test. Costly but if is anything wrong, you will know and can move forward.


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## Luckymommy (Apr 18, 2021)

maddysmom said:


> From my own experience…the vets know the basics, which is why I push to go to internal medicine. I spent thousands with my vet playing the guessing game and one visit with an IMS, she was DX and treated. In my case, it was a life or death situation by the time I went to a specialist and that was because I trusted that my vet knew what she was talking about. She was way off In treatment.
> If you think he is allergic to chicken, I believe Forta flora has chicken in it, so not a good choice if allergic. Proviable is another one you can get OTC now thru Chewys. It does not have chicken in it.
> I know you don’t want to hear this and I’ve mentioned this to you before~a healthy dog will not put his nose up to food, especially home cooked food. There are many gi issues that don’t always show up on a CBC. An internist can order a GI panel thru Texas A&M which is a much more sophisticated, detail test. Costly but if is anything wrong, you will know and can move forward.


Thank you again.. I am not ignoring you. honestly.


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