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  • I have fed only grain free foods for years to my 5yr old lab mix and 8-10 yr old golden mix. Out of caution just had their taurine levels tested and both came back in the critical low range. Vet has recommended taurine supplements, but was at a loss to recommend a food other than something not grain free. I would appreciate any suggestions, so many foods out there not clear on what would be good.
  • At this point, I would simply do the taurine supplementation as recommended because the exact relationship between DCM and grain free foods is not clear. In fact, to date, not all dogs with DCM eating grain free were taurine deficient. Please recheck with your vet. And so changing to another grain free product may not resolve the problem.  
  • I am concerned about the new discovery of DCM related to Grain-Free diets, I have Dobermans, 2 of them. Where can I turn to figure out what to feed these guys? I’ve have lost my other 2 to DCM in the last 18 months.
  • Your first stop should be with your Veterinarian and together you may consider having a cardiac consult and measuring their blood taurine levels. Not all dogs with DCM fed grain free diets have had low taurine levels and not all dogs with DCM got better with taurine supplementation. So it is more complicated than simply a taurine deficiency in some cases. All are still working it out. But first start with an evaluation of your dogs.

  • Is there anything high quality for a food that has no fish oil or anything fishy for my Anatolian Shepherd mix. She has been eating Blue Wilderness but we found she is allergic to fish in any form. Please, any input is very appreciated.
  • "a high quality dog food" is in the eye of the beholder and nothing more. There is no lack of personal opinion or self-proclaimed pet food experts or made up "rating systems" by those who wanna be a nutritionist in their next life but none are valid. There is NO official system of evaluation or certification on pet food product quality. Can we just put that aside?

    For your dog, yes there are of non-fish dog foods

  • My 11 year old mini poodle is on Royal Canin Fish & Potato RX canned for food allergens (beef and soy, via elimination diet) and fat intolerance (she gets acid indigestion symptoms). She is under the care of a Veterinary Dermatologist for food and environmental allergies.

    Would you recommend getting her Taurine levels checked to be safe? Is that file with the UC Davis info only for Golden Retrievers?

    Thank you. We will be discussing this with her primary care vet as well.
  • If you are feeding the Royal Canin adult PW canned food, if you look in the ingredient list, you will see that Taurine has been added to that food. A large international company like Royal Canin with an army of Veterinary Nutritionist has known of this potential problem for quite some time, tests their food accordingly, and colony dogs fed their food. DCM can occur in any dog however G Ret seems to be more vulnerable – possible a breed susceptible.  I do not know for certain if they are accepting samples from non G Ret.

  • Is there someone, even for a fee, that can analyze what I am feeding my dog and tell me if it is deficient is any way?
  • Please know that if you concocted your own homemade diet or obtained it from a book or off the net from someone who is not a veterinary nutritionist, there is a 95% chance the diet is not nutritionally complete and balanced according to a 2013 UC Davis study https://www.ucdavis.edu/news/homemade-dog-food-recipes-can-be-risky-business-study-finds/.


    You have several options:

    1.     We can analyze your homemade recipe and correct it for $350 – includes nutrient corrections

    2.     You can send it off to the Lab for the full (~32 nutrient) AAFCO profile for $2500 – does not include nutrient corrections

    3.     You can send it off to a Lab for a partial (~10 nutrient) profile for $50 - does not include nutrient corrections

    4.     You can purchase a recipe online where you select the ingredients close to what you are currently feeding for $25 is correct from the start.
     



     
  • Are you familiar with Young Again cat food? I am looking to feed my 3 month old kitten the next best to a homemade diet. Right now I do a half can of Instinct wet kitten food in the morning and Young Again ZERO kibble as “free choice”, monotoring to make sure his intake doesn’t exceed the recommended amount. It’s an incredibly nutrient dense dry food with a lot of claims of illness prevention and even reversal (urine crystals, diabetes, etc.). My weary feeling is in just how high the protein content is, the trace carbohydrate content (I understand cats are obligate carnivores) and the small “mom & pop” company. I’ve done ALOT of research and this is the food I chose for many reasons. I’m just looking for a professional opinion on the adequacy of meeting my kittens nutritional needs and carrying him through his adult life. Here is a direct web address to the ZERO variety of food that I am feeding: https://www.youngagainpetfood.com/phone/zero-formula.html
    Your insight and opinion is much appreciated. Many Thanks, Amanda
  • This statement indicates the food on paper meets AAFCO recommendations for growth and adult maintenance.

    "Young Again is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles for All Life Stages."

    Apparently the food has not been fed in any actual feeding trials so your cat is a test.

    It is very energy dense which is what happens when you provide calories as fat and not carbs ... so most adult cats will become fat on this diet unless fed restricted amounts despite their claims. And if the cat becomes obese (no matter how that happens), the risk of diabetes is high, which of course again runs counter to their claim. I cannot tell you any more than that.

  • I am looking for a good puppy food for an 8-week old Pomsky that doesn’t contain any fish or fish oils as my wife is allergic and breaks out into hives when licked. We want to feed him with the best!
  • This is no small task given the importance.
    If you would like us to work up a search proposal, I'd be glad to do so.
    Will you not also need an adult food?
     
  • In the comment section below it was answered to someone that dogs cannot get all the nutrients that they need only from homemade food, hence they need supplements. I have a hard time thinking it may be so, then wild dogs and wolves that live and feed in nature are malnourished?
    Thanks.
  • Yes mostly ... the diet need only minimally support them to meet their evolutionary duty - reproduce and that can be done by 18-24 months of age. So the hit or miss diet need only meet that low standard.

    Today people want their dogs to live "forever", disease free and thrive, so the demands on the dietary intake to meet these goals is very different than their ancestors and feral canines.
     
    Actually, what I say is that no one can meet AAFCO, NRC or FEDIAF daily recommended nutrient intakes in a homemade diet without using supplements. So now you have to decide if these 3 independent canine nutrient think tanks know what they are talking about when it comes to daily nutrient intakes that promote wellbeing in dogs through 15-20 yrs of life.
     
    Important to note: none of these 3 organizations have a food or supplement to sell you.
     
  • I have been told large breed puppy food can be bad for my dane puppy. People tell me to switch to adult food saying the puppy food is too high in protein.
    Should I stick with diamond large breed puppy, or switch to the adult brand.
    15 week's. Male greatdane/stbernard mix.
    Thank you!
  • 1. Protein intake is not the problem with Developmental Bone Diseases in large breed dogs .... so these "people" are about 20 yrs out of date.
    2. Yes stick with a large breed puppy food because the problem is really Calcium intake and AAFCO has set the maximum at 1.8% Ca on a dry matter basis to help protect these growing dogs.
    3. Adult brands actually contain too much calcium when you do the math correctly based on calorie intake, so that is not advisable until 12-15 months of age.

  • Why is iodine added to canned cat food? I currently feed my 2 cats First Mate canned cat food but the carbs on a caloric value are 19%. I am thinking of switching to Rawz but I see they also add iodine. Can you review the ingredients in Rawz, see below and let me know if this food is safe to feed. It is AFFCO approved and my 2.5 yr old kitties are healthy so far.
    INGREDIENT: Chicken, Chicken Liver, Chicken Broth, Fenugreek Seeds, Natural Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Vegetable Broth, Taurine, Tricalcium Phosphate, Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Niacin Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, Thiamine Mononitrate, Manganese Proteinate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Ethylenediamine Dihydroiodide, Folic Acid.

  • Why is iodine added to canned cat food? AAFCO requires a minimum amount of iodine in cat food and so if there is not a sufficient amount coming from the ingredients, regulations require that it be added.

    and let me know if this food is safe to feed? 

    'Safety' depends on the manufacturer following good manufacturing procedures, which is NO where on the pet food label.
    If you are asking are the ingredients 'safe to feed' ......... yes unless the manufacturer is in violation of AAFCO regulations which specifies which ingredients can be used in cat foods. Only approved ingredients may be used.
     
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