# Dr. Harvey's pre-mix food discussion



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

I thought I'd start a new thread about Dr. Harvey's pre-mix, since a couple of people seem to have had issues with it. 

Before we start a panic over Dr. Harvey's, let's discuss in one thread, in case there is an issue with the food. I think it would be helpful to count heads. 

If you feel that your dog got sick from it, please post whether it is the Veg-To-Bowl Grain-free food, or the regular food with the grains.

If you have been feeding it with no issues, please post as well, so we can see how many haven't gotten sick, and how many have. Please make sure you post which type you are feeding. 

Thanks.

PS I feed Veg-To-Bowl occasionally. I haven't fed it in over 2 months. No issues then.


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## kathym (Aug 5, 2006)

I fed Baci the Canine Health ..This was the second bag that i had gotten ,the first there was no problem..Baci did eat out of the second bag before this happened however last week he got very sick 2 times after he ate the food..
Refer to my topic for day by day details of what happened.


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## donnad (Aug 22, 2006)

I have been feeding Chloe and Summer the Canine Health with no problems. Chloe has been on it since last August...Summer since February.


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## mysugarbears (Aug 13, 2007)

I feed mine the Veg-To-Bowl with no problems. I feel Noelle's tummy upset was due to eating Acana Pacifica for breakfast and dinner for a couple of weeks due to work schedules. I usually feed Acana for breakfast and Dr. Harvey's Veg-To-Bowl for dinner and have been doing so with no problems.

I have tried the Canine Health and mine didn't do well on the grains at well. All 3 were very itchy and watery eyes and staining, plus chewing on their feet. I switched to the Veg-To-Bowl and haven't had any problems since.


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## CrystalAndZoe (Jul 11, 2006)

Mine have been on Dr. Harvey's for over 2 years with no problems. I did not even transition them to it. I've not transitioned any of my fosters or even Callie when I got her. They all did great on it.

I will say that some dogs digestive systems just seem to need some grains. I tried to get Jett on the Veg-to-Bowl instead of the Canine Health and after a few months, his stools got too soft. And his energy level decreased. Both he and Callie do better on the Canine Health. Zoe does great on either.

I just got in some new bags this week and will of course report if my dogs have any problems with the new batch. 

For those who use Dr. H or any pre-mix for that matter, I always worry if they know to use super lean meats. Do they trim off all the fat? Do they drain off any fat after cooking it? Using too fatty of a protein can cause many problems. For that reason I don't like to use ground meat because you have no idea how fatty the meat is. And do they only keep 3 days worth out in the fridge? A batch can go bad in the fridge just like any of our food. Some people, like my dad, can eat food that might be on the 'verge' of not being good with no problems. Other people, like my mom, can just look at food that might be 'on the verge' and get sick. I'm guessing the same can be for our fluffs too. Also, how do people store the pre-mix? I keep mine in an air tight container in the fridge or freezer, as Dr. Harvey recommends.


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

the percentages of fat should be listed right on a ground meat package. All the packages of ground meat that I purchase list the fat content.


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## kathym (Aug 5, 2006)

All my Chicken comes from either a butcher that i use or from Citarella's the prices are sick but they are what they are in NY.
last week it was chicken breast made like chicken in the pot.Tues night he had only Chicken and rice he was fine..


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## Snowball Pie's Mommi (Oct 16, 2008)

Nikki's Mom said:


> I thought I'd start a new thread about Dr. Harvey's pre-mix, since a couple of people seem to have had issues with it.
> 
> Before we start a panic over Dr. Harvey's, let's discuss in one thread, in case there is an issue with the food. I think it would be helpful to count heads.
> 
> ...


A great idea to have started this thread, Suzan. Thank you.

This might be considered off topic ... but, after reading more about Dr. Harvey's ... i am seriously considering trying it with Snowball. I always worry that he is not getting enough nutrients, and Dr. Harvey's does sound as though it covers everything except the protein (which is easy to prepare) and oils. Of course, before I would make any changes to Snowball's diet, I would check with his vet first.

I do have one question. On Snowball's allergy test about a year or so ago, peas did come up as an allergen ... and, I notice in Dr. Harvey's ingredients there are some peas. Do you think it would hurt Snowball to have a little bit of peas ... or, are there a lot of peas in the food? Should I call Dr. Harvey?

Thanks if you can give me feedback. And, I apologize if this is considered off topic on this thread. (sometimes it's difficult for me to decide or to determine where the boundaries really are with certain topics)


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## mysugarbears (Aug 13, 2007)

I use ground lamb, ground beef and salmon for their protein sources. When using the ground meats i boil the meats and the salmon i bake in a little coconut oil. Since Chloe is allergic to poultry i can't use any chicken or turkey. I make a batch for a week and divide it up for daily portions and put in the freezer in glass anchor hocking bowls. I don't even do 3 days worth in the fridge just one daily and the day before put the bowl for the next day in the fridge to thaw.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Snowball Pie's Mommi said:


> A great idea to have started this thread, Suzan. Thank you.
> 
> This might be considered off topic ... but, after reading more about Dr. Harvey's ... i am seriously considering trying it with Snowball. I always worry that he is not getting enough nutrients, and Dr. Harvey's does sound as though it covers everything except the protein (which is easy to prepare) and oils. Of course, before I would make any changes to Snowball's diet, I would check with his vet first.
> 
> ...


Marie - I don't know if food allergy with pet is like food allergy with people but it Snowball's allergic to peas I would think even a little of them is an issue. With mild food allergies for people, intestinal issues like diarrhea or vomiting are a problem. With severe allergies it can be anaphylaxis and throat closing. I don't think I would use a food with any peas if there is an allergy. JMO.


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## Snowball Pie's Mommi (Oct 16, 2008)

Snowbody said:


> Marie - I don't know if food allergy with pet is like food allergy with people but it Snowball's allergic to peas I would think even a little of them is an issue. With mild food allergies for people, intestinal issues like diarrhea or vomiting are a problem. With severe allergies it can be anaphylaxis and throat closing. I don't think I would use a food with any peas if there is an allergy. JMO.


I thought so, too. Snowball ate snap peas every day ... that was his favorite treat .. but, we gave it up after the allergy tests were done. I guess I was just hoping that we could finally find a food that I could be assured would give him all of the nutrients that he really needs to be the healthiest that he can be. 

Yesterday one of our stores said he should be on Oma's Pride raw food diet. I think when I scanned Dr. Harvey's website that the Oma's Pride brand is associated with Dr. Harvey's? The sound of raw food kind of scares me with all the recalls that occur with even human foods. 

Thank you, Sue, for your feedback. I appreciate it. :tender:


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

Snowball Pie's Mommi said:


> I thought so, too. Snowball ate snap peas every day ... that was his favorite treat .. but, we gave it up after the allergy tests were done. I guess I was just hoping that we could finally find a food that I could be assured would give him all of the nutrients that he really needs to be the healthiest that he can be.
> 
> Yesterday one of our stores said he should be on Oma's Pride raw food diet. I think when I scanned Dr. Harvey's website that the Oma's Pride brand is associated with Dr. Harvey's? The sound of raw food kind of scares me with all the recalls that occur with even human foods.
> 
> Thank you, Sue, for your feedback. I appreciate it. :tender:


I'm worried about going too far off topic here but in answering Marie - human allergy testing is based on three things. Skin test, blood test AND history. If he was eating peas all along, and wasn't sick, despite the RAST test he might not be allergic. Did he get better after you took him off peas? If he did then it would be a pea allergy. My own son's skin and blood tests showed he had somewhat high numbers for wheat but he ate bread and pasta often and was fine. He did react though if it was in raw form -- making playdough out of flour and handling it. Also he had concerning numbers for peanut but he isn't allergic to it and ate it with no problems. So it's usually a mix taking history into account.


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## mom2bijou (Oct 19, 2006)

We've been using Dr H's Canine Mix since around January or February. I always mix in organic chicken, grass fed beef, salmon, lamb or ground turkey. Lately they have been snubbing a lot of the proteins but gobble down the chicken. To change it up I've also used the veg to bowl but I prefer the Canine health mix. 

I add probiotics (about 1/8 tsp) to one meal a day and add 1/2 tsp oil to one meal a day as well. Oils and proteins I change up weekly. 

When I'm really rushing and can't make food then I'll give them Orijen or Acana. It's funny they actually enjoy getting kibble every once in awhile but in the end I think they prefer the idea of homecooking w/Dr. H's. 

As far as reactions....I've never had any. Just some snubbing of proteins. Other than that though, no stains, tummy problems, etc. I do sometimes wonder if they are a bit overweight from the food. I give them just about 1/4 cup of cooked food 2 times a day. Any less seems so little but my vet said not to let them gain anymore weight. Ben is 7 lbs and Emma is 6 lbs. Other than that though, no complaints from us!


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

If your dog is allergic to peas, I would not give Dr. Harvey's. Honest Kitchen makes a pre-mix you might want to check out.


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

We use Dr. Havey's and having had any problems. Use Veggie-to-Bowl with boiled chicken, salmon, sardines, ground turkey or ground lamb as the proteins. Lacie has a problem with beef, so I do not use beef as a protein for the girls. I also use coconut oil, virgin olive oil mustly as the oils.

The last bag that I got was about 6 weeks ago. Maybe there's a problem with a particular batch -- maybe not.

Anyway, the girls haven't had any stomach problems recently (and let's hope they don't.)


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## kathym (Aug 5, 2006)

I hope that Harpos mom Rhonda checks in with us I would love to hear what happened today at the Vets..


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

kathym said:


> I hope that Harpos mom Rhonda checks in with us I would love to hear what happened today at the Vets..



I'll email her.


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## Alvar's Mom (Mar 5, 2007)

Alvar's been eating veg-to-bowl for 2.5 years or so with no issues at all. I store the pre mix in an air tight container in the fridge.


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## cyndrae (Aug 30, 2009)

I have been feeding Lilly Dr H for awhile now. I tried the one with grain and then tried the all vegs. Now I'm mixing 1/2 and 1/2. She has not had any problems but she is a picky eater so sometimes she eats and sometimes she doesn't. I add chicken or a little tri-tip on the weekend that I actually cook.  mostly chicken though. Oh and I add sweetpotato sometimes and rice sometimes


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## mysugarbears (Aug 13, 2007)

cyndrae said:


> I have been feeding Lilly Dr H for awhile now. I tried the one with grain and then tried the all vegs. Now I'm mixing 1/2 and 1/2. She has not had any problems but she is a picky eater so sometimes she eats and sometimes she doesn't. I add chicken or a little tri-tip on the weekend that I actually cook.  mostly chicken though. Oh and I add sweetpotato sometimes and rice sometimes


 

Chloe and Riley always eat their food really well and then there's Miss Picky Noelle who eats sometimes and sometimes she doesn't like your Lilly, but i only give her 20 minutes to eat and if she doesn't i pick it up and she eats at her next meal. 
It looks as if the ones that posted here have had a good experience with Dr. Harveys food. Still waiting to hear about Harpo i hope he's doing ok. 
I was feeding the Paw Naturaw dehydrated bison, but it was so expensive for all the pups if i had one pup i could feed it no problem. The thing with the PawNaturaw is that Noelle would always eat her food up and even gobbled it down. I think i'm going to just have Noelle on the PawNaturaw since she loved it so much and continue the Dr. Harveys and Acana for the others.


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## PreciousPrince (Feb 27, 2006)

I've been feeding the Canine Health over 2 years and haven't had a problem.

Marie - there aren't many peas in it, and it would be easy to pick them out as you make each batch.


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## poochie2 (Jan 14, 2010)

Is Dr. Harveys pre-mix the same as Grandma Lucy's pre-mix?.....Are they the same company? The foods looks exactly the same.


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## Snowball Pie's Mommi (Oct 16, 2008)

Snowbody said:


> I'm worried about going too far off topic here but in answering Marie - human allergy testing is based on three things. Skin test, blood test AND history. If he was eating peas all along, and wasn't sick, despite the RAST test he might not be allergic. Did he get better after you took him off peas? If he did then it would be a pea allergy. My own son's skin and blood tests showed he had somewhat high numbers for wheat but he ate bread and pasta often and was fine. He did react though if it was in raw form -- making playdough out of flour and handling it. Also he had concerning numbers for peanut but he isn't allergic to it and ate it with no problems. So it's usually a mix taking history into account.


That's what I am thinking, because things have always stayed the same ... so, I doubt it was peas. He used to eat a lot of them, too ... I mean the snap peas. Now, what I was careful about is making sure they came from the USA. Anyway, you have given me something to think about and discuss further with Dr. Krisi. I would never put him on anything, of course, that might make him sick or, God forbid, harm him in any way. But, since this discussion has come up about Dr. Harvey's ... and, how many mom's seem to be happy with it for their fluff babies ... I wanted to consider trying it for Snowball. But, again, I wouldn't without approval from Krisi.

Thank you, Sue. I appreciate your thoughts and experience with this.


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## Snowball Pie's Mommi (Oct 16, 2008)

PreciousPrince said:


> I've been feeding the Canine Health over 2 years and haven't had a problem.
> 
> Marie - there aren't many peas in it, and it would be easy to pick them out as you make each batch.


Oh, thank you, Ashley!! :tender: That's exactly what I was wondering. 

The other night my husband came home with frozen mixed veggies when I had asked for carrots. It had peas and carrots ... so, I took out the peas for Snowball.


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## Snowball Pie's Mommi (Oct 16, 2008)

Nikki's Mom said:


> If your dog is allergic to peas, I would not give Dr. Harvey's. Honest Kitchen makes a pre-mix you might want to check out.


Thank you, Suzan. :tender:


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## Toy_Dog_Mom (Dec 15, 2008)

Hi, everyone ~

Sorry ... I didn't know how to start a new thread, so I thought I'd piggy-back here with an update on Harpo so you all could find it! Thank you all so very much for your concern!

Luckily, it seems he's just having a bout of gastroenteritis. His fecal test was negative for any type of worms, and all his blood work came back with normal ranges. He didn't show any signs of dehydration, nor is there any indication of pancreatitis, thank God! He's on Metronidazole (liquid med) for the next 5 days, along with the good old boiled chicken & rice diet (a little kibble is OK).

I wanted to add that I'm certainly not blaming the Dr. H's grain-free, because he and Mimi have been on it for 7-8 weeks now. They're on their second bag, but they're about halfway into it, so I would think a problem would have shown itself earlier if there was something wrong with the food. (And Mimi has been just fine.) They both LOVE it, and I've been pleased with it, too.

I have to say, I've been preparing a portion of the Dr. H's as needed for each meal. I see here that most of you prepare a batch at a time. That's something I may consider doing; I hope my method hasn't caused a problem. Sometimes my two gobblers get so impatient while the food softens in hot water, I end up giving in before waiting a full 10 minutes. I do find that the food is till somewhat coarse at that point. I usually feed the Dr. H's grain-free with either boiled chicken or a canned food like Wellness salmon or Natural Balance sweet potato and fish. I also switch up the oils, alternating Grizzly Salmon Oil or CocoTherapy coconut oil. While variety is good, I'm starting to wonder if too many changes have been too much for his system - ??? We've switched foods several times in the past, and he's not had this result. There were some new treats in the past two weeks, also. I think for a while we just have to go with a blander diet.

Sorry to go on ... and thanks again for your concern for Harpo. Mommy will sleep a little better tonight.


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## cyndrae (Aug 30, 2009)

I have a question....has anyone noticed an increase in tear staining while using Dr H?


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## pammy4501 (Aug 8, 2007)

We have been using Veg to Bowl here too, for all three. I adjust the protien down a little for Lola and add more veg. No troubles. I make the one pound recipe and store it in the fridge in a sealed glass bowl. I use very lean protiens. Usually ground chicken, bison and lamb. Also sometimes salmon or eggs. Pretty happy but wouldn't mind trying the food Hunter's Mom wrote about, the Artisan.


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## Bailey&Me (Mar 8, 2010)

I have not tried Dr. Harvey's pre-mix yet but it's on my list to try in the future. I do have a question about it though - is it okay to mix in some canned food instead of fresh meat? Of course, I do plan on using fresh cooked chicken or beef the majority of the time but I was wondering if it would be okay to use canned food once in a while.


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## kathym (Aug 5, 2006)

When Baci got sick the bag was almost half used that is why I gave it to him the following day.
The way his food is prepared is daily using the highest quality of protean anyone can buy.
All his blood work was fine except 2were a little off considering he was dehydrated in earlier posts ref back
Stool test was fine that's when my Vet said it had to be the DH food When I spoke to Dr Harvey himself he even said there is always a chance that Bacteria can be in it .Again he was so nice to me and said he is going to have the food tested. I have not gone to the PO office yet but will get there before the weekends


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

poochie2 said:


> Is Dr. Harveys pre-mix the same as Grandma Lucy's pre-mix?.....Are they the same company? The foods looks exactly the same.



Dr. Harveys does not have the meat added. It is a pre-mix.

Grandma Lucy's does have the meat. It is a complete meal.


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

If you use canned *dog* food that is nutritionally complete, with Dr. Harvey's, you are giving them way TOO MANY vitamins. Dr. Harvey's is a food pre-mix which has the vitamins in it. It was meant to be given with a protein and oil only, not a canned dog food. I know that Evanger's makes a canned meat product (not nutritionally complete) and that is fine. How do you know the difference? Because a canned meat product for dogs states on the label, "For supplemental or occasional feeding only." - The only thing in it is meat, no vitamins. 

If you want to use human canned meat with Dr. Harvey's, like canned salmon or canned chicken, (the human variety) that's fine. But canned dog food has vitamins, and so does Dr. Harvey's. Too much of a good thing isn't good.

If you want a complete food similar to Dr Harvey's where you don't have to add anything, then Grandma Lucy's is an alternative.


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## Bailey&Me (Mar 8, 2010)

Good point, Suzan. Thanks for the reply. I forgot to mention that the canned food I was thinking of using for this purpose was Evangers 100% Buffalo (I believe it actually does say on the can that it's for supplemental feeding only) or maybe the Before Grain which is I believe a similar product. I chose these two for the same reason you mentioned, because I didn't want to over-do it with the vitamins. I'll try human canned too. Thanks


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## pammy4501 (Aug 8, 2007)

Nikki's Mom said:


> Dr. Harveys does not have the meat added. It is a pre-mix.
> 
> Grandma Lucy's does have the meat. It is a complete meal.


Actually Grandma Lucy's (now called Artisan) does make a pre mix. It appears to be very similar to the Dr. Harvey product.


Grandma Lucy's :: Dog Menu :: ARTISAN Grain-Free Dog Food :: ARTISAN Dog Food (PRE-MIX) - 3lb


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

pammy4501 said:


> Actually Grandma Lucy's (now called Artisan) does make a pre mix. It appears to be very similar to the Dr. Harvey product.
> 
> 
> Grandma Lucy's*::*Dog Menu*::*ARTISAN Grain-Free Dog Food*::*ARTISAN Dog Food (PRE-MIX) - 3lb



Oh, I didn't know that. Thanks, Pam!


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## BellaWella (May 2, 2010)

No they are not the same.. I started Dr Harvey's First then found out about Grandma Lucy's so I thought Id give it a try since it seemed it would be easy for me to make and it's still a better food then dry or canned, plus they sell it in stores where I have to order Dr Harvey's online. Well my puppy hated Grandma Lucy's. Ate it once and never went back.. I also didnt care to much for it cuz all I smell is garlic in the mix... Im sticking with Dr Harvey's and haven't had a problem yet.


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## MaxnMinnie (Aug 5, 2010)

i thought it would be better to post here instead of making a new thread
i recently purchased the canine health and have feeding it to my dogs for 2 days haha i had a question about the mixture

when i add 8oz of water to it, the mixture is still liquidy after sitting out.. is this normal? i thought the mixture was supposed to have an oatmeal-like consistancy... would it be because my water isn't hot enough? I follow the directions that say for 3 scoops use 8oz of hot water.

thank you.


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