# Food...it's driving me crazy!



## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

Ok, so I've been feeding my dogs Dr. Harvey's for maybe 10 years now.

It's a dehydrated food, you add hot water and hydrate it, add your own protein (and rotate the protein weekly) and your own oil (rotate oil also).


Anyway, I'm getting tired of the work. But what the heck is going on in the dog food world???? :w00t: Now I'm reading that grain free is bad??? something about the potatoes and beans inhibit the absorption of Taurine?? and Taurine is necessary or the pup may have heart problems? Is this right? I've joined one too many FB pages on dog foods and now I'm completely confused. :smilie_tischkante:

I can't believe I actually went to PetSmart yesterday and bought a bag of Purina Pro Plan kibble for Sensitive stomach and skin. Salmon. An experienced show breeder (of chihuahuas) switched to this and said her dogs never looked better!!!!!! PURINA! This just all sounds so wrong somehow...LOL!!! My plan is to eventually stop cooking meat and just mix this kibble with the Dr. Harvey's....well see...

Anyone else here making any changes to their food?


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## maddysmom (Mar 8, 2012)

I wouldn't worry about the taurine, if that's why your changing foods.
Here's an article if you want to read it.
https://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/176405475391/fda-dog-heart-disease#.XCkJ9us8KrV


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## edelweiss (Apr 23, 2010)

Just keep them on the good food & throw them a sardine once a week! That is my choice. I belong to the FB site (a bit slanted for my open mind) that is causing loud noises about this. I also read Dr. Jean Dodds & other articles to try to keep me in balance. There are no medical studies to my satisfaction yet! Time will tell..


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

If you read the articles about taurine, you'll see that the foods correlating (not causing) to taurine deficiency are all kibble. So, kibble is not something I'd use - grain free or not. I know it's a pain to cook, but my two have never been better than on honest kitchen base mix plus my own cooked protein. I cook a big batch every other week and freeze it in small containers so it's not so time consuming.


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

maddysmom said:


> I wouldn't worry about the taurine, if that's why your changing foods.
> Here's an article if you want to read it.
> https://drjeandoddspethealthresource.tumblr.com/post/176405475391/fda-dog-heart-disease#.XCkJ9us8KrV


Thanks. I started reading the article and got interrupted, will finish it when I can. 



edelweiss said:


> Just keep them on the good food & throw them a sardine once a week! That is my choice. I belong to the FB site (a bit slanted for my open mind) that is causing loud noises about this. I also read Dr. Jean Dodds & other articles to try to keep me in balance. There are no medical studies to my satisfaction yet! Time will tell..


I agree that every dog is unique and that I should find the perfect food for each pup. I just was thinking of taking a break from cooking so much of the time, and Abby is starting to not eat it!!! Dr. Harvey's is a good food, and I've tried several other dehydrated foods...they won't touch them. 



maggieh said:


> If you read the articles about taurine, you'll see that the foods correlating (not causing) to taurine deficiency are all kibble. So, kibble is not something I'd use - grain free or not. I know it's a pain to cook, but my two have never been better than on honest kitchen base mix plus my own cooked protein. I cook a big batch every other week and freeze it in small containers so it's not so time consuming.


Oh Maggie, I've been making this food for so long, I make large batches and mix it, large batches and keep it separate, large batches and divide into individual baggies. I'm getting tired of it, and Abby isn't eating it anymore.....I'm going to try to just hydrate the food and add kibble to it. ...just to see how they do. i know of a few top show breeders who feed this same kibble and say the dogs look better than ever.


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## Snowbody (Jan 3, 2009)

I've been scratching my head over the same thing. I too joined the FB page. The push towards Purina (and some other foods we would never dream of feeding them) just doesn't sit right with me. It's all the foods that we've steered clear of for years. And Nestle Purina is the maker of Beneful which has made so many dogs so sick (one of our family's dogs nearly died)...and many others died? I just can't swallow this.:blink: I know that they're a mega-company that has a lot of money and sway and this just seems bizarre to me. Too much of a boon for them.


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

Snowbody said:


> I've been scratching my head over the same thing. I too joined the FB page. The push towards Purina (and some other foods we would never dream of feeding them) just doesn't sit right with me. It's all the foods that we've steered clear of for years. And Nestle Purina is the maker of Beneful which has made so many dogs so sick (one of our family's dogs nearly died)...and many others died? I just can't swallow this.:blink: I know that they're a mega-company that has a lot of money and sway and this just seems bizarre to me. Too much of a boon for them.


...and what makes me even crazier is if you actually ask these "experts" which food they think is the best...they tell you to do your research. OMG, I'm not an expert and I don't want to research!!! :w00t::blush: :innocent:


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## maggieh (Dec 16, 2007)

Snowbody said:


> I've been scratching my head over the same thing. I too joined the FB page. The push towards Purina (and some other foods we would never dream of feeding them) just doesn't sit right with me. It's all the foods that we've steered clear of for years. And Nestle Purina is the maker of Beneful which has made so many dogs so sick (one of our family's dogs nearly died)...and many others died? I just can't swallow this.:blink: I know that they're a mega-company that has a lot of money and sway and this just seems bizarre to me. Too much of a boon for them.



Sue, I am suspicious of the whole issue and wonder if your last sentence doesn't say it all? After all, there's no research on whether the food causes heart problems, only anecdotes reported supposedly to the FDA. Who benefits from this? Purina. The FDA "warning" isn't backed by research but is clearly intended to cause alarm.


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## Maglily (Feb 3, 2009)

I thought this post was about all the Christmas foods 'we' have been eating ie the chocolate and nilla biscuits I just ate while wondering what to eat for lunch.
seriously though I feed the pets Rx foods from the vet and they do well, but I wish really they were on a regular food that was good quality...you'd think that was a simple thing to choose off the shelf. There's not much variety here like Dr. Harvey's or Honest kitchen and it would be a fortune to order.


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## Kathleen (Aug 4, 2011)

Pat, I had been cooking like you for years. Dr Harvey’s/Sojos/Honest Kitchen veggie mix mixed with organic chicken or beef. Cooking in batches and rotating.
Max recently was itchy, and the vet suggested trying a novel protein. So we tried Primal raw frozen Venison, and they all loved it. Licked their plates clean. Food is better digested. Bunnie’s fur has gotten fuller.
I am now rotating between Primal and Stella & Chewy’s raw frozen. A few different proteins. It costs about the same as coooking, and I am enjoying the break from all of the work. 
I originally started cooking because I wanted to be able to control the qualify of the protein, but Stella & Chewy’s uses organic, grass free so I am hoping the quality is similar to what I would buy.
I really worry about kibble. Not only the quality of the ingredients, but also the effect that the processing has on the nutrition.
Have you tried raw frozen? Maybe worth a try to see how they do and if they like it.


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## Matilda's mommy (Jun 1, 2005)

Pat I understand your frustration. Maddie is a picky eater, I home cook for her from time to time, I give her Stella and Chewy's but there are days she doesn't eat that. I tried Dr Harvey's when Matilda was alive but found it to be overwhelming at times with fixing protein. 

Geneva had a bout with HGE when she was young so her breeder told me to be very careful about changing her food. I have Geneva on Royal Canine, Maltese, bichon. Crazy thing Maddie likes it also. I sprinkle a little Stella and Chewy on the kibble. 

I ask my vet because I wanted to change Geneva's food, he told me to stay with the kibble she was on.

Sometimes I think talking with your vet might be the answer


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## maggie's mommy (Mar 12, 2006)

Paula, I agree with what you said. Maggie has been on low fat Royal Canin prescription food for sensitive stomachs for most of her life and has thrived on it. I talked to my vet about it and his feeling is that these companies such as Royal Canin or Hills spend millions on research. I know these brands are not generally recommended by sites such as Dog Food Advisor, but I will not change. I'm a believer in if it's not broke, don't fix it.


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

Ok girls,I'm joining you...slowly....


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## mss (Mar 1, 2006)

I am coming in really late here, but after reading the vet medical journal article and a lot of posts elsewhere, I am in the process of switching one tiny dog from a grain free kibble to a Royal Canin kibble for tiny senior dogs because I read that that company actually conducts feeding tests of its products. I had had one little dog on that same grain free kibble and although her digestion on it was great, she died on the operating table unexpectedly. Her little heart just stopped and they could not get it to start again. I have had quite a few small dogs who did well for years on Eukanuba, including one who lived to over 17. And more recently I have had my dogs on a Hills prescription diet for digestion and for lower fat. Anyway, I felt so bad about the possibility that the grain free diet may have contributed to the little dog's death that I am avoiding that for now and choosing a kibble that is from a manufacturer who already does significant feeding testing of its products. I don't see that anyone has posted a link to the journal article, so I will try.


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## mss (Mar 1, 2006)

Here's a link to the article, which I couldn't post via my new tablet.

https://avmajournals.avma.org/doi/full/10.2460/javma.253.11.1390


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## The A Team (Dec 1, 2005)

mss said:


> I am coming in really late here, but after reading the vet medical journal article and a lot of posts elsewhere, I am in the process of switching one tiny dog from a grain free kibble to a Royal Canin kibble for tiny senior dogs because I read that that company actually conducts feeding tests of its products. I had had one little dog on that same grain free kibble and although her digestion on it was great, she died on the operating table unexpectedly. Her little heart just stopped and they could not get it to start again. I have had quite a few small dogs who did well for years on Eukanuba, including one who lived to over 17. And more recently I have had my dogs on a Hills prescription diet for digestion and for lower fat. Anyway, I felt so bad about the possibility that the grain free diet may have contributed to the little dog's death that I am avoiding that for now and choosing a kibble that is from a manufacturer who already does significant feeding testing of its products. I don't see that anyone has posted a link to the journal article, so I will try.


Hey there!!! I also feel guilty that Archie died of heart problems. And after all of my going crazy (which I did!!) I went (like a sheep) with others on fb to Purina Pro Plan, Sensitive Stomach and Skin. But now I only have one dog on it because Ava, Asia and Abbey are on a perscription food, Royal Canin Hepatic kibble. Well anyway, Chyna's tearing seems to have stopped since she's been on the Pro Plan, that's a good thing. Too soon to tell about Asia though, because she's kind of a tom boy and I'm not positive her muzzle hair is staining, or just discolored because she's got her face into everything! lol!!


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## mss (Mar 1, 2006)

Hoping for the best for your little ones!  Mine likes the RC (and so do the others who get a kibble or two as training/bribing treats), so that makes things easier!


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