# Photos of Natural Balance discrepany from bag to bag



## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

I opened a new bag of NB duck and potato today. We just finished up the previous bag, but I saved some kibbles to see if there would be an inconsistancy between the two. Sure enough, there is. NB had given me the speil about how different batches of potatoes sometimes are a different color slightly from the pervious batch, etc. But why is the size different??????? See in the pics the difference: kibbles on the left are from the new bag, the ones on the right are from the bag we just finished. See how the new ones are considerably larger than the other ones? And considerably lighter in color. And note, too, that when I gave Ollie the ones from the new bag mixed in with the old bag, he picked out all the NEW ones and inhaled them. So I guess they TASTE and SMELL different too? I don't get it....

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[attachment=22717:attachment]


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## precious paws (Jun 7, 2006)

That does seem like quite a difference. Do you know what company makes the natural balance kibble?


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## Lacie's Mom (Oct 11, 2006)

Pam - to top that off, I just picked up a new bag of Duck and Potatoes for the girls over the weekend. The kibble from this bag is the larger size (like your new bag), but the color is very, very, very pale -- like the the skin on the white potatoes not the baking potatoes.

The girls seem to eat it OK, but it interesting how much variation there is.


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## saltymalty (Sep 14, 2004)

Maybe the food came from a different extruder? Or maybe it was baked longer? I don't know, but it seems to fit with their explanation that different batches will look different due to the natural ingredients. Heck, Corn Pops always look different each time to me too....I don't mean to make light of your concerns, but I do think that there will be product differences in just about every type of processed food. The cat food thing though, was very strange. What was their response to that?


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

> Pam - to top that off, I just picked up a new bag of Duck and Potatoes for the girls over the weekend. The kibble from this bag is the larger size (like your new bag), but the color is very, very, very pale -- like the the skin on the white potatoes not the baking potatoes.
> 
> The girls seem to eat it OK, but it interesting how much variation there is.[/B]


It's weird, isn't it??? It just doesn't seem right...

What is also weird is a grown woman with a family and job and home to take care of who sits around taking photos of kibble


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## Deanna (Jan 14, 2005)

Yeah.. I get the color difference, but the size difference has become a real issue in my house. Molly is tiny- she has good teeth on her but she has a tiny mouth. The bag before this one, I had to snap every single piece in half so she could eat it! If I crushed it or softened it she wouldn't eat it- so yup, 2x a day I stood at the counter and snapped each piece of kibble in half.


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## camfan (Oct 30, 2006)

> Maybe the food came from a different extruder? Or maybe it was baked longer? I don't know, but it seems to fit with their explanation that different batches will look different due to the natural ingredients. Heck, Corn Pops always look different each time to me too....I don't mean to make light of your concerns, but I do think that there will be product differences in just about every type of processed food. The cat food thing though, was very strange. What was their response to that?[/B]


re: the cat food--they said the dog food was processed on the same equipment following the cat food so come pieces of the cat food that were left behind got mixed in w/ the dog food.

Anyway, I'm sure your theories could be right. But what would make Ollie pick out all the pieces of the new kibble mixed in with the old kibble--it is not only a different color and shape (which Ollie could care less about) but if obviously must smell and taste different too?

At least Sugar Pops are regulated a lot more closely by the FDA than dog food is...heck, HoHo and Twinkies are regulated better.....


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## momtoboo (Jan 30, 2006)

Boo ate NB Duck & Potato for over a yr without any problems. While I did notice the variation in color & size, Boo never had any problems with it. Hannah had a hard time eating it though because she is a smaller Malt. As of Sun., I no longer feed them NB though. I just didn't trust it anymore.


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## saltymalty (Sep 14, 2004)

At least Sugar Pops are regulated a lot more closely by the FDA than dog food is...heck, HoHo and Twinkies are regulated better.....



The scary thing is that human foods really aren't that well regulated by the FDA. The FDA regulates everything except meat, poultry, and processed egg products. Those items are regulated by USDA. Take a look at what the GAO reported back in 2004: http://www.gao.gov/highlights/d0551high.pdf


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## sophie (Jul 9, 2006)

Sophie eats the NB duck and potato, too. And, yes, we, or should I say hubby, has to break them in half for her - I can't - they're too hard. The new bag though is bigger and lighter in color, but also not as hard and I can break them in half for her. It's almost like they are not baked as much as the old bag. She is losing interest in it again, and having to break them in half is the pitts. Plus, she'll only eat it by hand.



Does anyone feed Royal Canin with the Westie on the bag?


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## coco (Sep 20, 2006)

Does anyone feed Royal Canin with the Westie on the bag?
[/QUOTE]


I fed the one with the yorkie on the front. Then I read the ingredients,and it had beet pulp in it. Not only that, but some of theirs has been recalled, so I switched. When I first read this, I was thinking it was what I fed Coco. Anyway, never mind... LOL I feed her Blue Buffalo chicken and brown rice now. I got worried about the Royal Canin.


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## sophie (Jul 9, 2006)

> Does anyone feed Royal Canin with the Westie on the bag?



I fed the one with the yorkie on the front. Then I read the ingredients,and it had beet pulp in it. Not only that, but some of theirs has been recalled, so I switched. When I first read this, I was thinking it was what I fed Coco. Anyway, never mind... LOL I feed her Blue Buffalo chicken and brown rice now. I got worried about the Royal Canin. [/QUOTE] 



Mary Ann, does Coco like the Blue Buffalo? What size are the kibbles? I saw that at Petco today.


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## Krystal (Feb 3, 2007)

That is so weird! Have you asked NB about the difference? 

Not to be gross, but the stuff on the right looks like poo!







hehe


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## charmypoo (Sep 11, 2004)

The old one looks like they were over cooked and burnt









I don't know why there is such a difference but I would be concerned! I have been feeding Canidae and Sparkle absolutely loves it. The others kids eat it but I haven't noticed much difference.

Ceasar came out with a dry dog food and my friend gave me a bag. The ingredients are so so but gosh .. my kids love it so much. They are itty bitty pieces too. Has anyone tried it?


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## phesty (May 30, 2006)

Since all of these issues and the recall stuff, I decided to switch Josie to Wellness. I'm finishing up the last of her NB Duck and Potato right now and will start on the Wellness soon. I'll let you know how it goes. I'm just not comfortable feeding her a food that varies so much from bag to bag. Sure, it could just be because of the "natural ingredients" but it could also be something more major. I also noticed that Josie started tear staining for the first time ever when we started her on Natural Balance. I don't know anymore, I just went with the most expensive (and prettiest bag) in the specialty shop from a company that has had no recalls. We'll see how it works out.


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

> The old one looks like they were over cooked and burnt
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Cesar would have to have had a major turnaround for the kibble to be considered a high quality food, though. The ingredients that are in their wet food are mostly meat by-products and salt. They leave out so many of the good things that a high quality food has. They have taken a really bad food and marketed the heck out of it as if it were a premium food . . . 

Regarding the Natural Balance kibble... I would think there would be tolerances that would be allowed for size and color, so that the product has some consistency to consumers. I have been feeding kibble for over 15 years and I've never seen even a slight difference in size and shape. I think what's going on with the NB is odd.


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## precious paws (Jun 7, 2006)

> Not to be gross, but the stuff on the right looks like poo!
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## MissMelanie (Feb 13, 2006)

Since late last year I had noticed differances from bag to bag of Natural Balance Ultra. And our last bag was VERY great for Wookie, but our new bag that I just opened is really different this time, thicker and a bit larger. I had to break Wookie's food in half from every bag but this kibble is to thick for me to break with my fingers. BOOO! I had spoken with Brit once about Natural Balance being different from bag to bag. She may know more about this.



Brit where are ya?

enJOY!
Melanie


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