# Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Venison and sweet Potato



## Abigail Lilly (Jul 24, 2012)

I am interested in knowing if anyone still feeds Natural Balance LID Sweet Potato and Venison canned food? My 8 year old maltese is doing so well on it after switching foods due to IBD issues, but I am concerned about the company after the kibble had many recalls and finding out that the sweet potatoes come from China. :huh:


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## Summergirl73 (Sep 18, 2011)

We have used Natural Balance with Bella (and our Lucky boy ~ now at the bridge). We haven't done the Sweet Potato, but we like the lamb. Bella is not a fan of the kibble but is slowly accepting the can. She loves the "roll". Unfortunately the roll caused her serious issues with dehydration. That caused some pa ee pee accidents. 

It's a good food and worth the try  .


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## aprilb (Jul 9, 2010)

I feed that to my Lily who has IBD and food allergies. It is the only food she can tolerate. How did you find out that the sweet potatoes come from China? I sure don't like hearing this. If I knew where I could buy venison, I would make my own food for her.


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## LoveLucy (Mar 18, 2012)

Lucy has been on the L.I.D. Duck and Potato since April and is doing really well on it. In the future, I might try introducing the fish and sweet potoato to see if she can get some protein rotation hoping to avoid her developing a sensitivity to the duck. (She can't eat chicken at all.) I tried some Lamb and her stools got bad again. She eats the dry kibble with a big spoon of the canned mixed in. She LOVES it. She also gets the roll, diced up, for treats.


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## LoveLucy (Mar 18, 2012)

Are you sure those sweet potatoes are from China? I think it was sweet potatoes in some treats (not NB) that were from China. And speaking of that...why on EARTH would they import sweet potatoes, something so easily grown locally, from China? These manufacturers are really getting carried away and it's starting to piss me off. To put it mildly.


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## shellbeme (Mar 1, 2011)

I would e mail the company and confirm. They are VERY potato heavy so I would check the ingredients on whatever you are feeding, I had thought sweet potato was in most of their formulas-but I could be wrong.

Acana has come out with some limited ingredient formulas if you are looking for something like that. One is lamb and one is duck, I could have sworn they had a third but I don't see it on their site, I have purchased a bag though. The singles formuals are fairly new. I do not believe they are grain free, however I believe it's a single source of grain. You may check the ingredient list and see if it will work for you.

Champion Petfoods | ACANA | Our Products


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## munchkn8835 (May 23, 2010)

Going to find out if my favorite pet store has the new Acana LID. Ollie is back to his not eating, scratching his ears and licking his legs. Here we go again!


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## Abigail Lilly (Jul 24, 2012)

I called Natural Balance and spoke to Heather Acuff. She is very professional and knowledgeable. I was told that the sources of their ingredients was proprietary because other companies steal their sources. she also elaborated saying that the ingredient is tested before it goes into the food and that each batch is tested by Natural Balance after is it manufactured. You can input your Best Buy date and read the results of the test on their website. I read online that 80% of the sweet potatoes used in this country come from China. I feel that they would have told me if they were not from China.


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## Abigail Lilly (Jul 24, 2012)

LoveLucy said:


> Are you sure those sweet potatoes are from China? I think it was sweet potatoes in some treats (not NB) that were from China. And speaking of that...why on EARTH would they import sweet potatoes, something so easily grown locally, from China? These manufacturers are really getting carried away and it's starting to piss me off. To put it mildly.


Love Lucy....Yes, I totally agree. You know it's all a financial game. Sourcing ingredients from China is cheaper I am sure or they would get them here. All of the plants in the USA that manufactured Vitamin C closed due to being outpriced in China. So now ALL of the vitamin C in our pet/people foods/supplements comes from China.


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## LJSquishy (Feb 27, 2008)

I feed NB canned & dry. It is one of the only foods London can tolerate due to past digestive issues. I think there are much better foods out there if your dog doesn't have tummy problems, but I've never had a problem with it.


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## SammieMom (Nov 13, 2010)

munchkn8835 said:


> Going to find out if my favorite pet store has the new Acana LID. Ollie is back to his not eating, scratching his ears and licking his legs. Here we go again!


Donna,
did he stop while you were gone? Not saying he is allergic to you. Just that maybe it's something in the yard/walks/home and not food related. How did he do while you were gone? I would try not to switch his foods too often (jmo)
glad to see your back.


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## Abigail Lilly (Jul 24, 2012)

I had the same issues with Abby (IBD,IBS) which is what caused me to switch to Natural Balance LID's. She is eating the Venison and Sweet potato canned presently. I noticed you mentioned loose stools, so assume your baby has IBS issues too. Have you tried the Phytomucil Powder by Animal Essentials? I gave it for the 3 months recommended with a 2 day break each month, and it cured Abby. Now I only give it occasionally when the stools are a little softer. It healed the colon....it contains soothing herbs for the GI tract. $12 bucks and no more over night vet stays and diarrhea costing hundreds!


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## mysugarbears (Aug 13, 2007)

Abigail Lilly said:


> I am interested in knowing if anyone still feeds Natural Balance LID Sweet Potato and Venison canned food? My 8 year old , maltese is doing so well on it after switching foods due to IBD issues, but I am concerned about the company after the kibble had many recalls and finding out that the sweet potatoes come from China. :huh:


 

Barbara may i ask who your source is that the sweet potatoes came from China? This had been bugging me so i called Natural Balance and spoke with a Laura and the only ingredients that she could confirm that came from China were the taurine, folic acid and the vitamin C, she didn't know the source of the other ingredients. I don't feed Natural Balance to my dogs, but was just curious.


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## Abigail Lilly (Jul 24, 2012)

mysugarbears said:


> Barbara may i ask who your source is that the sweet potatoes came from China? This had been bugging me so i called Natural Balance and spoke with a Laura and the only ingredients that she could confirm that came from China were the taurine, folic acid and the vitamin C, she didn't know the source of the other ingredients. I don't feed Natural Balance to my dogs, but was just curious.


 The company will NOT tell you where the sweet potatoes come from. the internet shows that 80% of all sweet potatoes come from China, therefore I logically concluded that they would tell us if they did NOT come from China. Call and talk to Heather Acuff. She will tell you that where the ingredients come from (more detail described in my post on page one), is proprietary because they don't want companies to steal their sources.....SILLY! If the ingredients did not come from China, they would simply have to say that they don't outsource. I don't care where they get them as long as it is NOT China....I am NOT a supplier. I am not going to steal their source. They are the only company that I have called that will not tell me their source of sweet potatoes or anything other than vitamins which mostly come from China as there is no other producer anymore. :angry: I am considering changing to Addiction Herbed Duck Confit. Which food do you use? :biggrin:


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## mysugarbears (Aug 13, 2007)

Abigail Lilly said:


> The company will NOT tell you where the sweet potatoes come from. the internet shows that 80% of all sweet potatoes come from China, therefore I logically concluded that they would tell us if they did NOT come from China. Call and talk to Heather Acuff. She will tell you that where the ingredients come from (more detail described in my post on page one), is proprietary because they don't want companies to steal their sources.....SILLY! If the ingredients did not come from China, they would simply have to say that they don't outsource. I don't care where they get them as long as it is NOT China....I am NOT a supplier. I am not going to steal their source. They are the only company that I have called that will not tell me their source of sweet potatoes or anything other than vitamins which mostly come from China as there is no other producer anymore. :angry: I am considering changing to Addiction Herbed Duck Confit. Which food do you use? :biggrin:


I agree Barabara and i don't like the fact that they won't tell and we as a consumer have a right to know where the ingredients come from for our furkids food. Currently i feed mine Primal Raw but, with 5 pups it gets quite expensive so i'm looking to go back to Dr. Harvery's Veg-to-Bowl but, i have to call and find out the source of where the ingredients come from. It's as close to home cooking as i can get.


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## Abigail Lilly (Jul 24, 2012)

What do you think of Addiction Raw or canned? It's really a great food I think. I am trying to decide if I want to switch. they are very open about the sources of ingredient!


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## mysugarbears (Aug 13, 2007)

Abigail Lilly said:


> What do you think of Addiction Raw or canned? It's really a great food I think. I am trying to decide if I want to switch. they are very open about the sources of ingredient!


 
I used to feed both the Addiction Dehydrated Raw and Canned, the place where i ordered it from eventually only had one flavor available and they no longer offered free shipping, so shipping cans of food would have been very expensive. Unfortunately there isn't a distibutor in my part of Florida or else i would still be feeding it.


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## aprilb (Jul 9, 2010)

I tried switching my Lily to California Natural venison, which is similar, but she could not tolerate it..go figure..Addiction is a good food. My Lily has allergies to chicken, beef, eggs, corn, wheat, soy, and milk..and she can't eat lamb, or duck..a lot of the foods have one or more of these items..so I don't know what to do..I do not want to feed NB..but I also have to watch her fat and amount of protein..low fat and moderate protein. She does best on a LID. If anyone has any suggestions, I'll listen..thank you.


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## LoveLucy (Mar 18, 2012)

I do think NB is decent in that they test each batch in their own lab. However don't these people understand that people would pay more for safer foods made here? If they would certify NO INGREDIENTS FROM CHINA most people would pull out their wallets happily. How much could this really save. Think of the transport cost and the cost to the environment of using all that fuel to transport goods readily available here. THAT WOULD BE SAFER. Its truly mind boggling. I think I see a soapbox I'm being compelled to climb on...i


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## mysugarbears (Aug 13, 2007)

LoveLucy said:


> I do think NB is decent in that they test each batch in their own lab. However don't these people understand that people would pay more for safer foods made here? If they would certify NO INGREDIENTS FROM CHINA most people would pull out their wallets happily. How much could this really save. Think of the transport cost and the cost to the environment of using all that fuel to transport goods readily available here. THAT WOULD BE SAFER. Its truly mind boggling. I think I see a soapbox I'm being compelled to climb on...i


 
I totally agree with you, i know i for one would gladly pay more if it meant that none of the ingredients came from China. I was thinking of putting Chloe back on NB because of her allergies, i was feeding Primal Raw but, in all honesty she did so much better on the NB LID Sweet Potato and Fish and also the Sweet Potato and Venison. She had chewed her feet so much that they were rusty red from the saliva and with the NB i got her feet back to white and she's been chewing again and is back to having a rusty red foot, not as bad as before but bad enough.


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## Abigail Lilly (Jul 24, 2012)

Yes, I am sure the sweet potatoes come from china. They will only tell you that they cannot reveal their source and say it's so it does not get stolen. I don't think this is a valid reason. All that NB needs to say is that they don't source in China, and they won't. Logical conclusion is that they do source from China. Call Heather Acuff from NB and she will tell you this.


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## Rocky's Mom (Apr 10, 2010)

LoveLucy said:


> I do think NB is decent in that they test each batch in their own lab. However don't these people understand that people would pay more for safer foods made here? If they would certify NO INGREDIENTS FROM CHINA most people would pull out their wallets happily. How much could this really save. Think of the transport cost and the cost to the environment of using all that fuel to transport goods readily available here. THAT WOULD BE SAFER. Its truly mind boggling. I think I see a soapbox I'm being compelled to climb on...i


I buy Castor and Pullox and it says it's made in the USA. It is organic chicken, peas and flaxseed. I'm wondering if they can get away with the label saying Made in USA if some ingredients are and others are not?


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## SicilianRose (Jun 8, 2008)

Miss Daisy used to eat NB sweet potato and duck, then the recall happened. When I was looking for an alternative I was amazed as to how many dog treats and foodshad a lot of recalls in the last few years. I switched her to Acana Duck and Barlett Pear and she loves it. Since the switch she has been eatting more kibble than usual and her breath is starting to smell a lot better, lol.


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## MaxisMommie (Jul 30, 2012)

*Well I feed Maxi NB. He has pretty much eaten all of the LID flavors and he does great on it so I don't plan on trying to fix something that isn't broken. I mean yes all of these crazy recalls and getting potatoes from China crap has happened but personally I think it is just to stir up some drama. Society goes crazy with those statements on everything it seems and I really don't think there is anything wrong with this food. *


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## wolfieinthehouse (Dec 14, 2007)

My dogs were eating the venison sweet potato until the last recent recall and I switched them to a cheap-o Purina One lamb and rice that they can handle until I am up to regrouping.


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## mss (Mar 1, 2006)

After eating Natural Balance chicken and sweet potato, my little old mini schnauzer went from normal bloodwork to very high triglycerides and now has to be on a super low fat prescription diet. As I recall, after the fact I was dissatisfied with the lack of information on the label. Maybe it's better now (a year later, perhaps?), but I'd be cautious about thinking that a similar product is low or even moderate fat if they don't give you that information.


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## LoveLucy (Mar 18, 2012)

You know, this thread got me very interested in the duck and pear food by Acana. But I read the ingredients, and they're about a mile long--all very healthful ingredients, but by no means limited. I feel like if I tried this food and Lucy had a bad reaction to it, I would have no idea which of the ingredients she was reacting to. I guess I'm going to stick with what's working...


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