Dog Forum banner

Food/Treat Overhaul - Input Appreciated

2K views 8 replies 7 participants last post by  leaveittoweaver 
#1 ·
We adopted a 1 year old mixed breed (we think lab/beagle) in July. The rescue was feeding him Nutro Young Adult dry food with a tablespoon of Pedigree Chicken and Rice wet food mixed in so we started off with that and then transitioned over to Merrick Classic Chicken, Brown Rice, and Green Peas dry food and alternating Merrick Smothered Comfort and Cowboy Cookout wet foods can by can.

While it has helped with the health of his coat (it was very thin and flaky) and lessened his eye crusties, his anal glands have been filling up very quickly (the vet needed to express them twice in less than a month) and he's been itching and biting at his feet fairly frequently. He also developed a bacterial infection in his prepuce and possible UTI (we just finished a round of antibiotics and are awaiting results of a urinalysis to see if all is cleared).

We think there is a food allergy at play (the vet said poultry and beef are the most common culprits) and are looking to overhaul his diet....here is what I was thinking, any thoughts/feedback/suggestions appreciated....

Dry food: Fromm Four Star Lamb and Lentil. I've heard good things about the brand and like that it is chicken and grain free.

Wet food: Merrick Limited Ingredient Lamb. While I am hesitant to stick with them given their recent sale to Purina, my dog goes crazy for their wet food and I like the meat varieties in their limited ingredient line.

Treats (this is where I'm lost if we should make changes)....

Training treats: We are using Zukes Roast Chicken Training Treats, would likely switch to their PB or Rabbit varieties unless we find a better alternative.

Small treats: Currently use the Merrick Kitchen Bites or Candiae
Pure lines (tried different flavors). Would these be OK to keep using granted I stayed away from the poultry based varieties??

Larger treats: He gets one of these a day when I am leaving in the morning. I've been using the Nutro Chicken and Brown Rice Tartar Control Biscuits, which he loves, but I would like to replace while determining if going poultry free will help, but I haven't found anything of a similar size to use instead.

Any and all feedback is appreciated. Cost really isn't a factor here as anything is probably cheaper than the time/money spent in having the vet express his glands every two weeks.
 
See less See more
#2 ·
I'm a big fan of Fromm, although I am actually in the process of switching my dogs back to raw, and my vet can just deal with it. :p Acana and Orijen are also great brands with a variety of protein sources.

For treats, I find them all to be ridiculously expensive for what you get, so I usually go to the grocery store and buy a roast, or steaks, or chicken (although I see that might not work for you), cook them and use that.
 
  • Like
Reactions: KayWilson
#3 ·
Any and all feedback is appreciated. Cost really isn't a factor here as anything is probably cheaper than the time/money spent in having the vet express his glands every two weeks.
The remedy for the glands is simple. Organic prunes. I have used them for years for my hound. Get the organic ones because they don't have sulfur in them. I don't know why it works but it does. Simply cut up 3 prunes and add to the food 3 times a week. Don't worry it does not have the same effect on a dog that it does for humans. It just keeps the glands clean. A lot more cost effective than the vet visit. Also sound like a food change is in order if he is chewing his feet. I like Zignature for allergies because it is a single protein, grain free chicken free good foods. Make sure you use a single protein food, a lot of foods use the main meat then use some other fat. For allergies you need just one meat source food and treats.
 
#4 ·
ideally you want to have the same flavor treats as the food and with as few ingredients in the treats as possible some have so many ingredients in them! yes i found this out with my dog Jessie who has many allergies and intolerances to food. Got told the treats should only have 5 ingredients max well that was difficult!
 
#7 · (Edited)
So we have been using this food for several years and it has kept our dogs very healthy. Their coats are nice and thick and shiny. Besides this great food we also put Bentonite clay and probiotics in their food.
One of our dogs used to itch and bite his tail so agressively that he would have no hair on his tail at times.....We stopped feeding him "wet" food and added these items......No more problems. Here is a link to read about this great food and the company....
Life's Abundance - Improving the Health of People, Pets & the Planet
realname=20085278&cat=4&hdr=&Ath=True

So, Bentonite Clay will alkalize the body and remove toxins, help with allergies just to name a few things it is well know for.
All of our bodies inlcuding us humans should want a more alkaline body. Acidic bodies have more dis-ease and bugs love acidic hosts! Include the probiotics that will help to keep bellys happy with good bacteria in them.
 
#8 ·
Anecdotally, many people find their diet related issues are resolved by Pro Plan's Sensitive Skin and Stomach (in the Focus line). This formula is salmon based and notably free of the corn, wheat and soy that leads some people to criticize Pro Plan. It is supposed to be especially good for coat quality and is apparently fed by a lot of breeders who show in conformation.

I haven't fed PPSS myself (I used the chicken based formulas) but the reason I would try it to resolve anal gland issues is that Pro Plan has consistently produced the firmest smallest stools of any food I have tried with three different dogs over many years. Compared to my results with several "holistic" brands, the difference in stool firmness is night and day. The dog I'm feeding PP now is the first I've ever had that hasn't had issues with diarrhea. I was just thinking today that it was a relief not to be worrying about her anal glands because I'm confident that she is naturally emptying them when she eliminates.

Of course your mileage may vary and you should feel free to ignore my suggestion.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top