# Now! vs. Acana



## nycmike

After researching and reading around, I have decided that I want to try either Now! or Acana. My question is which is better and safer for a lil pup. I will obviously be weaning the pups off what the breeder has fed them gradually. But my experience is more with larger breeds, so i'm not sure what is a proper balance of protein/fat for a growing toy breed pup. Now! has a lower protein/fat ratio and it has a all life stages small breed formula. Which in your opinions would be a better choice? And yes, I know everyone has their likes and dislikes but I like reading what people suggest.
Thanks all!!!


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## Bailey&Me

They are both really great foods. I haven't tried the Now! with Bailey long term but I am familiar with it and know it's very high quality. Bailey has eaten Acana Pacifica and Grasslands before and did fine with both. Personally, if I had to choose between the two brands for a new puppy, I would probably go with the Now! at first because it's lower protein and fat than the Acana...they also have a puppy formula if you're interested. Acana is extremely high quality too, don't get me wrong...but I have read conflicting things about higher protein foods, especially for young puppies...so just to be safe, I think I would go with the Now! at first. Later down the road, when your puppy is older, you can certainly try the Acana to see how he does on it. Just my opinion


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## poochie2

I will give you my honest opinion because that is what you are asking.
Go with the NOW brand as it had moderate levels of protein and grain-free. I have researched this type of food like crazy and my malt has been on it for several months now and doing amazing. Acana is much higher in protein and that was putting her kidneys out of balance.....my vet even reccommended the NOW.


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## munchkn8835

Ollie likes Acana and they are coming out with a Bison one soon


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## dwerten

which one do you suggest for losing weight? Lucy and Demi are newman's own organic and i am feeding 1/2 the recommended and they are still gaining weight. I think it is due to the high grains possibly. Both girls are healthy and just had blood work but with dex being so sick i am scared to do a diet change for them right now  I have to go low fat and that is what i was feeding with newman's own organic as if dex eats poop it will not affect him with his pancreas and low protein due to his kidneys. He has not been doing the poop eating since on home cooked diet but still want to be careful. It is a juggling act with 4 dogs with issues ugh.


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## dwerten

Bailey&Me said:


> They are both really great foods. I haven't tried the Now! with Bailey long term but I am familiar with it and know it's very high quality. Bailey has eaten Acana Pacifica and Grasslands before and did fine with both. Personally, if I had to choose between the two brands for a new puppy, I would probably go with the Now! at first because it's lower protein and fat than the Acana...they also have a puppy formula if you're interested. Acana is extremely high quality too, don't get me wrong...but I have read conflicting things about higher protein foods, especially for young puppies...so just to be safe, I think I would go with the Now! at first. Later down the road, when your puppy is older, you can certainly try the Acana to see how he does on it. Just my opinion


yeah there is alot of conflicting info on the higher vs lower protein affecting kidneys. What I am learning is it is the quality of the protein and that high phosphorus can be the culprit as dogs with kidney failure have to be on low phosphorus diets and a very digestible protein so home cooking is highly recommended. It is all so confusing sadly but I keep trying to learn more but dex was on 18% protein and 8% fat diet on purina ha and he still went into kidney failure so go figure  Also the protein was hydrolized so it was broken down even further.


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## Orla

I've never heard of Now! (I guess it's not sold here) but Milo is on Acana Grasslands and is doing great on it!


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## dwerten

Orla said:


> I've never heard of Now! (I guess it's not sold here) but Milo is on Acana Grasslands and is doing great on it!


i just pulled this up as had not heard of it either so checking into it 

NOW! Grain Free Pet Food


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## Bailey&Me

The people at my local store always tell me that Petcurean products (Now! and Go! brands) are their top sellers in this area...very, very popular here apparently. Bailey has loved the samples he's tried in the past. I had my cat on their grain free dry cat food for a while and he was obsessed with it...he now eats only canned food...but this was the only dry food I've seen him get super excited about. 

Petcurean Pet Food


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## poochie2

When my malt had 2 UTI's and crystals in her urine my vet told me that Vanilla needs to be on a low phospourous, moderate calcium diet. Well I researched every brand and found the NOW pet formula to be the lowest in phosphorous 0.7 compared to others that had 1.7 and 2.0. NOW is also made in Canada and the plant where they make it is very good.


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## jadey

which now formula are you guys feeding your babies?


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## S&LP'S Mommy

Ive been looking for NOW foods at pet boutiques in NYC and I still havent found one that sells it.

Anyone know of a place?


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## edelweiss

I did notice that it has "dried rosemary" in the ingredient listing---so for dogs prone to seizures this would perhaps be a red-flag.


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## LJSquishy

Sasha11 said:


> Ive been looking for NOW foods at pet boutiques in NYC and I still havent found one that sells it.
> 
> Anyone know of a place?


If you go to Petcurean's website, How your pets diet affects their life Dog and Cat Nutrition Dog and Cat Health and Nutrition you can search by city for stores that carry their food. There are a lot of them in your area. 



edelweiss said:


> I did notice that it has "dried rosemary" in the ingredient listing---so for dogs prone to seizures this would perhaps be a red-flag.


I personally do not feel that rosemary has a connection to seizures in dogs, there has been no scientific research that I know of to support that claim. But, I know one or two people on SM think it's connected.


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## edelweiss

LJSquishy said:


> If you go to Petcurean's website, How your pets diet affects their life Dog and Cat Nutrition Dog and Cat Health and Nutrition you can search by city for stores that carry their food. There are a lot of them in your area.
> 
> I personally do not feel that rosemary has a connection to seizures in dogs, t*here has been no scientific research that I know of to support that claim. *But, I know one or two people on SM think it's connected.


The absence of scientific research is not a valid argument as studies would by necessity demand a control & non-control group. No one that has a dog who suffers seizures would be inclined to submit to such testing---especially if they are convinced their dog suffers seizures as a result of the control substance.
One example for me that is personal: I suffer SEVERE leg cramps from taking statins---my cardiologist does not believe this is the reason as there is no scientific evidence to prove it. I only know that when I am off statins for sometime I do not suffer from these awful cramps, and when introducing again (even a different type of statin, I have the same bad reaction.
I cannot speak from experience w/regard to rosemary or rosemary extract---but I do know that some whose dogs have issues w/rosemary are convinced that seizures were percipitated by it's use. It is true that ALL dogs do not suffer (perhaps are not allergic?) and for that we can be thankful.


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## poochie2

edelweiss said:


> I did notice that it has "dried rosemary" in the ingredient listing---so for dogs prone to seizures this would perhaps be a red-flag.


Rosemary is the very LAST ingredient in this food and it is present in most dog foods but in an extreme small amount....not enough to harm any pet....unless they are actually just sensitive to that particular ingredient.


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## edelweiss

poochie2 said:


> Rosemary is the very LAST ingredient in this food and it is present in most dog foods but in an extreme small amount....not enough to harm any pet....unless they are actually just sensitive to that particular ingredient.


To be clear---I am NOT saying it is not a good food. I AM saying that dogs who have shown averse reactions to rosemary should be aware of its content---regardless of the amount. I don't know if it is present in MOST dog foods as I have not made a comparative study. I think some companies have removed it/replaced it due to some complaints of sezures.


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## wooflife

poochie2 said:


> When my malt had 2 UTI's and crystals in her urine my vet told me that Vanilla needs to be on a low phospourous, moderate calcium diet. Well I researched every brand and found the NOW pet formula to be the lowest in phosphorous 0.7 compared to others that had 1.7 and 2.0. NOW is also made in Canada and the plant where they make it is very good.



This is really good to know - Did you have to call all the food companies to get the information. I know Acana has all the info on their website however none of the other companies do.

Thanks


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## poochie2

wooflife said:


> This is really good to know - Did you have to call all the food companies to get the information. I know Acana has all the info on their website however none of the other companies do.
> 
> Thanks


I have researched most of the top quality kibble like a nut..... alot of the info was on their websites but I did have to contact some companies by phone to ask not about the calcium level cause the info was on the websites but on the phosporous levels. Again, Now small breed formula had the lowest of 0.7. My malt did not do well with Acana because of the formulation. The calcium to phosporous level was too high and it caused her problems.


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## S&LP'S Mommy

Thanks!



LJSquishy said:


> If you go to Petcurean's website, How your pets diet affects their life Dog and Cat Nutrition Dog and Cat Health and Nutrition you can search by city for stores that carry their food. There are a lot of them in your area.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I personally do not feel that rosemary has a connection to seizures in dogs, there has been no scientific research that I know of to support that claim. But, I know ne or two people on SM think it's connected.


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