# Purina Pro Plan?



## MrBentleysMom (Dec 19, 2007)

Bentley has been on Purina Pro Plan since we got him. He doesnt seem to "love" it. When I asked the vet about switching it he said that I could change the flavor but really needed to stay on the Pro Plan. However, I havent seen anyone here that uses this food. I was wondering what the difference is and whether or not it would stunt his development or something if I switched to something else.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

I've used ProPlan for years with my big dogs and will continue to.


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## lillady (Jan 25, 2007)

If he doesn't love it-you can switch to a different food-just be sure to do it gradually as to not upset his tummy.


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## ClaBec Maltese (Feb 19, 2007)

I use Purina Pro Plan and love it. I had tried everything I could think of in my area and one or another dog would have some bad reaction to it. That is when a good show breeder friend told me about the Pro Plan. That most of the show breeders use it. So I gave it a try. And my none of my dogs have had any reactions like the other foods. I use the lamb and rice formula for adults and puppies. And it even helps with the tear staining. So I say try to switch flavors and see. I personally swear by the stuff.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

I personally would not use Purina Pro Plan,even though out of all the commercial foods, it's probably the best one out there. California Naturals has a lamb and rice formula that IMO seems to be a better made product. But it's a personal decision for each of us, and everyone is free to do the research on their own and feed what they want to their furbabies.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

> I personally would not use Purina Pro Plan,even though out of all the commercial foods, it's probably the best one out there. California Naturals has a lamb and rice formula that IMO seems to be a better made product. But it's a personal decision for each of us, and everyone is free to do the research on their own and feed what they want to their furbabies.[/B]


I've tried many super-premiums...and have only one dog who does well on any of them. I'm a strong believer in feeding what works.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

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Doing what works for each of us and each of our dogs is definitely the best way. I still have a lot to learn about all aspects of dog-raising and I'm always open to ideas, suggestions and advice.


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## momtoboo (Jan 30, 2006)

Hannah was on the Purina Pro Plan when I adopted her. After a few days,I slowly switched her to the same food that Boo is on,Natural Balance. She was healthy then & is healthy now. She did have a problem with gas when I got her but not anymore.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

> Hannah was on the Purina Pro Plan when I adopted her. After a few days,I slowly switched her to the same food that Boo is on,Natural Balance. She was healthy then & is healthy now. She did have a problem with gas when I got her but not anymore.[/B]



Nikki was on Purina Pro Plan when I got her 2 weeks ago, and she's now on Innova and California Naturals and she's doing quite well so I'll stick with that combo.


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## Furbaby's Mommie (Jul 10, 2004)

This website analizes dog food. The link is for Pro Plan Small Breed Puppy dry food. I would not use it. The 2nd ingredient is Brewer's Rice (a waste product of the alcohol industry), next Poultry by-products, most of the rest is corn or corn by products and dried beet pulp. :bysmilie: 

Pro Plan makes a new canned food called "Pro Plan Selects". That is the only one I would use.


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## dr.jaimie (Mar 23, 2004)

my dogs are on the sensitive skin and stomach formula of proplan and the puppys is on the puppy formula. all my dogs do well on it and i have many patients on it...compared to some on other diets the ones on proplan seem to have nicer coats which is what made me make the switch to proplan and i am happy i did.


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## MaryH (Mar 7, 2006)

I've been feeding Pro Plan Puppy Lamb & Rice to my crew for years (including the older dogs). Before settling on Pro Plan I tried every premium food and also fed raw. My dogs are not picky eaters, they will eat whatever is being served, but they did no better on any of the premium foods than they do on Pro Plan. The only time I noticed a difference was when I fed raw. Their coats and their nails grew like wild fire and my wallet shrunk proportionately!

My dogs all get yearly wellness exams, full blood panels every few years, teeth cleaned as needed. They are healthy, bloodwork is normal, weight is good, activity level appopriate for their respective ages, all is well. I'm a firm believer that fresh air, regular exercise, clean water, consistent diet, and dental work when needed will help a dog maintain good health for a long time. Food is important but is only a part of the picture.

MaryH


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## k/c mom (Oct 9, 2004)

I wouldn't use it, personally. The first ingredient is chicken but that includes water and the ingredients are listed by weight. So who knows how much chicken is really in there. And there isn't another protein until way down the list, "fish meal". Look at the by-products; look at the corn in several forms. There are lots of foods that have better ingredients ... again my opinion! It also seems to be higher in fat than the premium foods.

I prefer organic ... and certainly I would never use a food that has by-products in it. I think a lot of it is what we are comfortable with. Just like with our own food. I eat mostly organic foods, no meats at all, no fast food, no soft drinks, etc. So I tend to go in the same direction for my Malts. Everyone has their own comfort level.

Ingredients - Purina Pro Plan - http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_re...252&cat=all
Chicken, corn gluten meal, brewers rice, beef tallow preserved with mixed-tocopherols (source of Vitamin E), whole grain corn, poultry by-product meal, fish meal, corn bran, natural flavors, dicalcium phosphate, hydrolyzed sunflower oil, egg product, salt, potassium chloride, choline chloride, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, DL-Methionine, zinc sulfate, vitamin supplements (E, A, B-12, D-3), ferrous sulfate, riboflavin supplement, niacin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, biotin, thiamine mononitrate, folic acid, copper sulfate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, garlic oil, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), calcium iodate, sodium selenite. 

Guaranteed Analysis: 
Crude Protein (minimum) 30% 
Crude Fat (minimum) 20% 
Moisture (maximum) 12% 
Crude Fiber (maximum) 3% 
Linoleic Acid (minimum) 1.8%


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## Eli's Mom (Mar 20, 2008)

Eli eats Science Diet Puppy Small Bites (obviously)
It's what the breeder had him on and what I've kept him on.
I always felt it was a good formula but I don't know a lot.

My cat has to eat one of their Rx formulas from the vet's office.
This however, is purchased through Petsmart.

He has a lot of gas & I wondered about that.
I'm interested in learning so any good links, I'm open to learning.
Thanks-

Kelly


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## wolfieinthehouse (Dec 14, 2007)

Wolfie's breeder recommended it but I am fairly sure she is sponsored by the company. She even has it on her website (Purina Pro Club).

It made his poop very stinky and I switched him over to another brand.


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## Bonnie's Mommie (Mar 2, 2006)

> I wouldn't use it, personally. The first ingredient is chicken but that includes water and the ingredients are listed by weight. So who knows how much chicken is really in there. And there isn't another protein until way down the list, "fish meal". Look at the by-products; look at the corn in several forms. There are lots of foods that have better ingredients ... again my opinion! It also seems to be higher in fat than the premium foods.
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> I prefer organic ... and certainly I would never use a food that has by-products in it. I think a lot of it is what we are comfortable with. Just like with our own food. I eat mostly organic foods, no meats at all, no fast food, no soft drinks, etc. So I tend to go in the same direction for my Malts. Everyone has their own comfort level.
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These are the reasons I would never choose it, either. I also feed organic.


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## oiseaux (Feb 16, 2008)

Hi Michelle,

We were using Purina Pro Plan small breed chicken and rice since that's what he was eating at the breeder's and in talking with our vet he also thought it was a good food. Uno seemed fine on it, but I transitioned him from it within the first week because he poop was stinky from it (like with Wolfieinthehouse) and I also didn't like the dried beet pulp and such in it. He was on it 100% for a couple days before I transitioned him over to new food during a week long period to ultimately 50% Castor & Pollux and 50% Nutro small bites Chicken & Rice (I stopped the latter and returned it to the store). Then we went to 50% Canidae Chicken and Rice and 50% Castor & Pollux. Now that he's teething a lot, he doesn't like the Canidae (which is larger and harder so he selectively leaves it in his bowl - LOL!) Recently, he loves the samples we got of Evanger's Pheasant and Brown Rice (smaller kibble, great ingredients) so I'm transitioning him to that slowly. With all the quality food we've given him thus far, his poop has always been firm even with all the changes and is now no longer stinky :smilie_daumenpos: since we switched from the ProPlan. BTW - I also add in a few chopped (i.e. very finely diced) veggies periodically mixed in with his kibble (ex. green bell peppers, celery, carrots and sometimes fuji apples). His tear strains he came with are almost gone now on the new food and his fur is super soft. 

I would recommend you request samples from the pet stores or the dog food companies directly (email works great) and transition slowly over at least a week's time whenever you change food to see what he likes the most.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

One food does not work for every dog. For every dog that does great on Innova, none of mine can tolerate it. There is no one magical answer to what food to feed.


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## Nikki's Mom (Feb 13, 2008)

> One food does not work for every dog. For every dog that does great on Innova, none of mine can tolerate it. There is no one magical answer to what food to feed.[/B]



I agree that not any one food works for every dog. Can you go into more detail about what you mean when you say that none of your dogs can tolerate Innova? I'm curious because that's what I feed Nikki. Thank you.


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## jmm (Nov 23, 2004)

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Icky stool on it.


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