Is Science Diet OK? Trying to decide on the best dry dog food. - Page 4 - YorkieTalk.com Forums

Bitsy · 02-15-2005, 06:32 PM

The Nutro Ultra is also what I finally was able to get my Sophie to eat and she really does like it. I'm sold on it now and I am really glad that it has great ingredients and is available locally.

I just cannot believe the change in her eating and digestive problems since she stopped eating SD and is now on Nutro. I switched it all at once since the SD was what was causing the problem. It was an automatic switch from sick to perfectly well...amazing!!

lickthestar · 02-16-2005, 06:07 AM

My honest opinion -- i would avoid the beet pulp and the gluten. There is some controversy surrounding beet pulp...they feed it to horses, but is it good for your yorkie?! not sure. People go either way. Like I mentioned before, Neura 95% is the BEST natural food I've found. The ingredients are:

Lamb, lamb broth, guar gum, ground flax seed, potassium chloride, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, vitamins a e d3 supplements, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, riboflavin, niacin, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, vitamin b12, calcium pantothenate, choline chloride, calcium iodate, folic acid, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, sodium selenite, d-biotin.

It's just meat and vitamins. I do leave him dry food all day to munch on though. He's back to eating the innova dry food...i only give him a handful. you might want to check out www.petfooddirect.com

Carters Mom · 02-16-2005, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bitsy

I just cannot believe the change in her eating and digestive problems since she stopped eating SD and is now on Nutro. I switched it all at once since the SD was what was causing the problem. It was an automatic switch from sick to perfectly well...amazing!!

Bitsy:

What kind of problems was she having? I'm hoping Carter's scratching and licking dimenishes. Granted, it isn't excessive but I'd still prefer to see some improvement.

Also, did you see any change in the appearance of her coat?

Bitsy · 02-16-2005, 08:24 AM

Carter's mom,
My Sophie was only on SD for about 3 days. (No change to her coat, no scratching or licking.) Her problems were NO desire to eat the SD and extreme diarrhea. If someone has a dog already on SD and they are doing great with it, then there might be no need to change. However, if there are any issues at all, then I recommend a change (gradually if possible) since the ingredients in SD are not that good and since there are a lot of healthy choices readily available that are not that expensive.

Seems like there are lots of folks on this site with good knowledge of the best dog foods....I'm just so glad my internet search pulled this site up so I could get so much help. We really could have put her through a lot of stress not realizing it was the food that was causing the diarrhea. My vet was the one who recommended the switch to SD. I'm not too pleased about that. They should know better.

Carters Mom · 02-16-2005, 09:05 AM

Thanks for the info!

Gracie'sMommy · 02-16-2005, 09:16 AM

This is what I feed Gracie, which is Wellness Puppy Food.

Product Description

You're never too young to start eating right! In fact, good nutrition should begin early on. That's why Old Mother Hubbard created Wellness Puppy Food. Specially formulated to meet your puppy's growing needs, it contains increased protein and fat levels to meet the caloric needs of active puppies, like yours. Plus, it is nutritionally balanced to support the development of strong muscles, bones, organs and teeth. Yet, great taste is equally important. With ingredients like deboned chicken, pears, brown rice, oatmeal, Beta-Carotene and Vitamin E, your pet will experience puppy love! Like having a new baby, a new puppy raises lots of questions. With more than 75 years of pet experience, our packaging answers many common questions new pet owners have.

Product Ingredients | Ingredient Index | Vitamins/Minerals

Deboned Chicken, Salmon Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Oatmeal, Barley Flour, Ground Brown Rice, Canola Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Tomatoes, Flaxseed, Peas, Carrots, Whole Sweet Potatoes, Bananas, Whole Apples, Whole Pears, Garlic, Beta-Carotene, Potassium Chloride, Zinc Proteinate (a chelated source of Zinc), Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Proteinate (a chelated source of Copper), Copper Sulfate, Niacin Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate ( a chelated source of Manganese), Sodium Selenite, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Acetate, Riboflavin Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid.

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein Not Less Than 28.0%
Crude Fat Not Less Than 17.0%
Crude Fiber Not More Than 5.0%
Moisture Not More Than 11.0%
Omega 6 Fatty Acids Not Less Than 3.25%
Omega 3 Fatty Acids Not Less Than 1.83%

As Served Per Cup (percent per cup)
Protein: 29.1%
Fat: 17.8%
Fiber: 3.6%
Met. Energy: (Kcal/kg) 3,636

Carters Mom · 02-16-2005, 09:19 AM

Do you purchase it locally or online? I didn't see it at Petco but saw the Old Mother Hubbard treats which didn't make any sense to me.

schatzie · 02-16-2005, 09:31 AM

Yesterday I called our local Petsmart and Petco to find out if they carry Wellness brand dog/puppy food. Both stores do not carry it. Infact, I believe it was the person at Petco who advised she had never even heard of that brand of food.

Doing my research on it, the food looked real healthy and good. I just personally did not want to be tied down with only having the option of purchasing the Wellness over the internet. Also, it was over $20.00 for shipping and I could not justify the means for that.

Luckily, I am real pleased with the findings of Nutra Ultra at Petsmart thanks to other posters and my research of so many dog foods.

Breeze · 02-16-2005, 10:08 AM

For foods like Wellness when the larger petstore chains do not carry it you may be able to find it a smaller pet store in your neighborhood. I also refuse to buy anything in a pet store that sells puppies so I am careful to watch out for that as well.

schatzie- Great to hear about your update on your pups liking their new food!!

KK'sMom · 02-16-2005, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bitsy

Carter's mom,
My Sophie was only on SD for about 3 days. (No change to her coat, no scratching or licking.) Her problems were NO desire to eat the SD and extreme diarrhea. If someone has a dog already on SD and they are doing great with it, then there might be no need to change. However, if there are any issues at all, then I recommend a change (gradually if possible) since the ingredients in SD are not that good and since there are a lot of healthy choices readily available that are not that expensive.

Seems like there are lots of folks on this site with good knowledge of the best dog foods....I'm just so glad my internet search pulled this site up so I could get so much help. We really could have put her through a lot of stress not realizing it was the food that was causing the diarrhea. My vet was the one who recommended the switch to SD. I'm not too pleased about that. They should know better.

I am supposed to pick up my new baby (8 wks) on Saturday. The breeder
had to wean the pups early as mom had "FOUR"!! and ran dry. They have been feeding them SD and Nutrical. I have been visiting regularly and they seemed to be eating well and gaining. I called today the lady said how they are picky eaters and she wasn't sure if they were ready. She said they were really having to coax them to eat. Now I wonder if it's the SD!! I reassured her that this isn't my first Yorkie and I will be with her 24/7. After reading this post I think I will try to convince her to let me have her and try the Nutra
Natural Ultra or something else mentioned here. I definitely plan to get the Nutrical. Any more suggestions from anyone?!
My eight year old Katie was stolen Nov. 18, '04 and I have waited for this baby sooo long. I really think I can get her up to par with all this help!
KK'sMom

Bitsy · 02-16-2005, 10:39 PM

KK's mom, first, I am SO sorry your 8 yr. old was stolen....how sad.

I'm sure you are VERY anxious to bring home your new little baby.

My Sophie came from a litter of 4 too and the mom dog stopped nursing them around 7 wks. That is why the breeder (so kindly) let me take her home just before she turned 8 weeks. (She knew that I would be with her 24/7 as well and she also knew how much I wanted to love and care for this puppy properly.)

If you are able to bring her home (and I hope you are), then I would really try the switch to the Nutro. (My puppy ONLY likes the canned food. She does NOT like the dry kibble with water to soften it up at all.) Since this is not your first Yorkie, and since you seem knowledgeable, then maybe she will let you bring her home. Also, you will be with her 24/7, so that should make a big difference too. Do you know how much she weighs now?

I was talking with my girlfriend's today and I told them that I feel like I've become a dog food expert in the last week

....it's amazing how much difference there really is in the different brands.

Carters Mom · 02-17-2005, 04:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bitsy

I was talking with my girlfriend's today and I told them that I feel like I've become a dog food expert in the last week

....it's amazing how much difference there really is in the different brands.

Because of innovative and technology gains in the last decade, we are able to have a no-boundaries community of Yorkie lovers that can share knowledge 24/7. The Internet has prepared us all to become the very best parents to our furbabies that we can be.

I feel I'm more able to be a responsible dog owner now than ever before because I have a support system in place that spands the globe. What could only be read about in periodicals and conveyed to you by vets can now be discussed in full with others that have first hand experience or have gained knowledge through research and are willing to pass the information to others.

What a great world we live in! I would have never thought back in the 80's when www became a reality that it would evolve into what we know today as being "online."

Thanks to all those who share!

Edited to add: I think I'll move this to its own thread. Hope you don't mind.

Bitsy · 02-17-2005, 05:19 AM

Lisa,
I totally agree!!
Last night Sophie was sneezing and then she sounded all wheezy and was really bothered by this. It freaked me out. I had read about reverse sneezing, but she seemed like she was having trouble breathing. I was ready to jump in the car and take her to the vet emergency hospital. After I made sure she wasn't actually choking, instead of heading to the vet I did a search on this site. There were others whose puppies had the same exact thing and I was able to read about it and know that she was o.k. It is great to have access to SO much knowledge. (I did hold Sophie until the wheezing subsided and she was ready to go to sleep. Yawn....another late night for me!)

miezzi · 02-17-2005, 12:38 PM

Today, we went to petsmart and I decided to by the natural choice lamb and rice wet food. Luigi has been on the ID prescription bland diet. Usually I mix 1/2 the bland and 1/2 the hard food. He usually eats it all but it takes him a very long time. And eats the hard food 1st. Then the bland food. So today I gave him 1/4 bland, 1/4 lamb and rice and 1/2 hard food, and mixed all together. (Still not sure how his tummy will take it). But he ate everything that was in his bowl. And the hard food was the last to go. He loved it. He didn't even wander away from his bowl. So does anyone use the hard natural choice puppy food. I think I may try that next. Only after he gets used to this switch!!!!

Carters Mom · 02-17-2005, 12:44 PM

I mixed Carter's SD with the Nutro NC Ultra for one feeding and have given him the Ultra not mixed since. His poop has maintained the same consistency. He's loving his new food!

02-15-2005, 06:32 PM	#46
Bitsy Ultimate Banner! Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: US Posts: 6,122	The Nutro Ultra is also what I finally was able to get my Sophie to eat and she really does like it. I'm sold on it now and I am really glad that it has great ingredients and is available locally. I just cannot believe the change in her eating and digestive problems since she stopped eating SD and is now on Nutro. I switched it all at once since the SD was what was causing the problem. It was an automatic switch from sick to perfectly well...amazing!! __________________ Bitsy loves Sophia and Peyton

02-16-2005, 08:24 AM	#49
Bitsy Ultimate Banner! Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: US Posts: 6,122	Carter's mom, My Sophie was only on SD for about 3 days. (No change to her coat, no scratching or licking.) Her problems were NO desire to eat the SD and extreme diarrhea. If someone has a dog already on SD and they are doing great with it, then there might be no need to change. However, if there are any issues at all, then I recommend a change (gradually if possible) since the ingredients in SD are not that good and since there are a lot of healthy choices readily available that are not that expensive. Seems like there are lots of folks on this site with good knowledge of the best dog foods....I'm just so glad my internet search pulled this site up so I could get so much help. We really could have put her through a lot of stress not realizing it was the food that was causing the diarrhea. My vet was the one who recommended the switch to SD. I'm not too pleased about that. They should know better. __________________ Bitsy loves Sophia and Peyton

02-16-2005, 09:05 AM	#50
Carters Mom YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: LA Posts: 1,568	Thanks for the info! __________________ Lisa Proud Marine Mom Carter, Cooper & Crissy's Mom and Sebastian's Nana Never underestimate the warmth of a cold nose!

02-16-2005, 09:16 AM	#51
Gracie'sMommy Senior Yorkie Talker Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Columbus, Ohio Posts: 191	This is what I feed Gracie, which is Wellness Puppy Food. Product Description You're never too young to start eating right! In fact, good nutrition should begin early on. That's why Old Mother Hubbard created Wellness Puppy Food. Specially formulated to meet your puppy's growing needs, it contains increased protein and fat levels to meet the caloric needs of active puppies, like yours. Plus, it is nutritionally balanced to support the development of strong muscles, bones, organs and teeth. Yet, great taste is equally important. With ingredients like deboned chicken, pears, brown rice, oatmeal, Beta-Carotene and Vitamin E, your pet will experience puppy love! Like having a new baby, a new puppy raises lots of questions. With more than 75 years of pet experience, our packaging answers many common questions new pet owners have. Product Ingredients \| Ingredient Index \| Vitamins/Minerals Deboned Chicken, Salmon Meal, Menhaden Fish Meal, Oatmeal, Barley Flour, Ground Brown Rice, Canola Oil (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Tomatoes, Flaxseed, Peas, Carrots, Whole Sweet Potatoes, Bananas, Whole Apples, Whole Pears, Garlic, Beta-Carotene, Potassium Chloride, Zinc Proteinate (a chelated source of Zinc), Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E Supplement, Copper Proteinate (a chelated source of Copper), Copper Sulfate, Niacin Supplement, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate ( a chelated source of Manganese), Sodium Selenite, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Acetate, Riboflavin Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Folic Acid. Guaranteed Analysis Crude Protein Not Less Than 28.0% Crude Fat Not Less Than 17.0% Crude Fiber Not More Than 5.0% Moisture Not More Than 11.0% Omega 6 Fatty Acids Not Less Than 3.25% Omega 3 Fatty Acids Not Less Than 1.83% As Served Per Cup (percent per cup) Protein: 29.1% Fat: 17.8% Fiber: 3.6% Met. Energy: (Kcal/kg) 3,636 __________________ Julie

02-16-2005, 09:19 AM	#52
Carters Mom YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: LA Posts: 1,568	Do you purchase it locally or online? I didn't see it at Petco but saw the Old Mother Hubbard treats which didn't make any sense to me. __________________ Lisa Proud Marine Mom Carter, Cooper & Crissy's Mom and Sebastian's Nana Never underestimate the warmth of a cold nose!

02-16-2005, 06:07 AM	#47
lickthestar YT Addict Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NY Posts: 360	My honest opinion -- i would avoid the beet pulp and the gluten. There is some controversy surrounding beet pulp...they feed it to horses, but is it good for your yorkie?! not sure. People go either way. Like I mentioned before, Neura 95% is the BEST natural food I've found. The ingredients are: Lamb, lamb broth, guar gum, ground flax seed, potassium chloride, zinc oxide, ferrous sulfate, vitamins a e d3 supplements, zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, riboflavin, niacin, copper sulfate, manganous oxide, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, vitamin b12, calcium pantothenate, choline chloride, calcium iodate, folic acid, pyridoxine hydrochloride, thiamine mononitrate, sodium selenite, d-biotin. It's just meat and vitamins. I do leave him dry food all day to munch on though. He's back to eating the innova dry food...i only give him a handful. you might want to check out www.petfooddirect.com

02-16-2005, 09:31 AM	#53
schatzie *Moderator Emeritus* Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Tontitown Arkansas Posts: 4,909	Yesterday I called our local Petsmart and Petco to find out if they carry Wellness brand dog/puppy food. Both stores do not carry it. Infact, I believe it was the person at Petco who advised she had never even heard of that brand of food. Doing my research on it, the food looked real healthy and good. I just personally did not want to be tied down with only having the option of purchasing the Wellness over the internet. Also, it was over $20.00 for shipping and I could not justify the means for that. Luckily, I am real pleased with the findings of Nutra Ultra at Petsmart thanks to other posters and my research of so many dog foods. __________________ ~~~~ Schatzie and Ransom ~~~~

02-16-2005, 10:08 AM	#54
Breeze Puppy Luv Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Canada Posts: 2,678	For foods like Wellness when the larger petstore chains do not carry it you may be able to find it a smaller pet store in your neighborhood. I also refuse to buy anything in a pet store that sells puppies so I am careful to watch out for that as well. schatzie- Great to hear about your update on your pups liking their new food!!

02-16-2005, 10:39 PM	#56
Bitsy Ultimate Banner! Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: US Posts: 6,122	KK's mom, first, I am SO sorry your 8 yr. old was stolen....how sad. I'm sure you are VERY anxious to bring home your new little baby. My Sophie came from a litter of 4 too and the mom dog stopped nursing them around 7 wks. That is why the breeder (so kindly) let me take her home just before she turned 8 weeks. (She knew that I would be with her 24/7 as well and she also knew how much I wanted to love and care for this puppy properly.) If you are able to bring her home (and I hope you are), then I would really try the switch to the Nutro. (My puppy ONLY likes the canned food. She does NOT like the dry kibble with water to soften it up at all.) Since this is not your first Yorkie, and since you seem knowledgeable, then maybe she will let you bring her home. Also, you will be with her 24/7, so that should make a big difference too. Do you know how much she weighs now? I was talking with my girlfriend's today and I told them that I feel like I've become a dog food expert in the last week ....it's amazing how much difference there really is in the different brands. __________________ Bitsy loves Sophia and Peyton

02-17-2005, 05:19 AM	#58
Bitsy Ultimate Banner! Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: US Posts: 6,122	Lisa, I totally agree!! Last night Sophie was sneezing and then she sounded all wheezy and was really bothered by this. It freaked me out. I had read about reverse sneezing, but she seemed like she was having trouble breathing. I was ready to jump in the car and take her to the vet emergency hospital. After I made sure she wasn't actually choking, instead of heading to the vet I did a search on this site. There were others whose puppies had the same exact thing and I was able to read about it and know that she was o.k. It is great to have access to SO much knowledge. (I did hold Sophie until the wheezing subsided and she was ready to go to sleep. Yawn....another late night for me!) __________________ Bitsy loves Sophia and Peyton

02-17-2005, 12:38 PM	#59
miezzi I Love My 3 Lovebugs! Donating Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: north east ohio Posts: 4,776	Today, we went to petsmart and I decided to by the natural choice lamb and rice wet food. Luigi has been on the ID prescription bland diet. Usually I mix 1/2 the bland and 1/2 the hard food. He usually eats it all but it takes him a very long time. And eats the hard food 1st. Then the bland food. So today I gave him 1/4 bland, 1/4 lamb and rice and 1/2 hard food, and mixed all together. (Still not sure how his tummy will take it). But he ate everything that was in his bowl. And the hard food was the last to go. He loved it. He didn't even wander away from his bowl. So does anyone use the hard natural choice puppy food. I think I may try that next. Only after he gets used to this switch!!!!

02-17-2005, 12:44 PM	#60
Carters Mom YT 1000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: LA Posts: 1,568	I mixed Carter's SD with the Nutro NC Ultra for one feeding and have given him the Ultra not mixed since. His poop has maintained the same consistency. He's loving his new food! __________________ Lisa Proud Marine Mom Carter, Cooper & Crissy's Mom and Sebastian's Nana Never underestimate the warmth of a cold nose!