Not happy with my vet right now!

[brendaNbentley]

When I first brought Bentley to the vet and asked what food she suggested she had said any of the 4 main food companies she was fine with, Iams, Eukanuba, Purina and I think Science Diet. Anyway I started feeding him Iams puppy food, I was unaware of the need for a grain free diet until I started on YT and talking to people at the local pet boutiques. So last night we went to puppy training and one of the subjects was what we were feeding and right away the trainer said that feeding them a diet with alot of grain in it is like feeding a kid a diet of cotton candy. I think I should have gotten that information from the vet from the beginning. So now its time to decide which food will be best for him Thanks just needed to vent!

[lovespandp]

Well not to take sides, but a lot of Vets don’t think they same as we do. My Vet believes in Science Diet. He told me is he rather “old school” and doesn’t get into the hype. Does this make him a bad vet? No not at all. Lucky for you there are a lot of wonderful food’s that don’t have all the fillers.

[MandiesMom]

Sadly, as I have learned, not all vets are versed on what is best for small breed dogs.

To be honest, I feed my big dog Pedigree and always have. He's very happy with it and very healthy on it.

But a small breed dog has a more delicate system all around. The first vet I took her to told me that Yorkie's only have bad teeth because they are small and cute so people tend to feed them a lot of people food.

I'm serious. That is what the vet said. Are you kidding me? Quite the opposite. I would never give a small dog people food like I do my big boy. Their systems can't handle it. Has nothing to do with teeth. But, in turn, NOT feeding the people food wipes out that vet's theory. Such non-sense.

I'm still searching for a vet I have confidence in. Some just aren't well versed in toy breeds.

[Ldyrev1]

It's amazing how many veterinarians are not aware of the problems with low quality pet food. TBH I didn't understand either when I first started learning about how to care for a yorkie. I don't know if the vets we are hearing about are not specialized in small dog breeds or what but my own vet asked to see the ingredient list off the food I was giving our Princess Sophie (we feed Canine Caviar - puppy (a grain free food). She was impressed that I had done so much research on different types of food and this was after I was told that they work with yorkies all the time. She also was impressed with the ingredients in CC. Guess the yorkie owners they were referring to don't understand the problems small dogs can have with low quality foods. Anyway to make a long story shorter, it really pays to do your own research. Find out for yourself what you are feeding or wanting to feed your pup and make an informed decision. Not enough pet owners do this.

[Maximo]

A lot of Yorkies eat grains and do very well with them. My boys do. We tried a grain free diet and it did not work for them.

Find the food that works best for your dog.

As for teeth, a lot of that is determined by genetics. I don't believe that any one food is worse or better in terms of causing tartar.

[Nancy1999]

Grain has gotten a bad name because dogs don't eat grain in the wild, they can't digest it. Neither can humans! However, once it is cooked, it's digestible for both dogs and humans. There are SOME dogs that are allergic to all grains and do much better on a grain free diet, the carbohydrates come from vegetables instead of grain. Right now, I think it's more of a fad than anything, I do not believe that all dogs do better on a grain free diet, until there is some proof of it, and there is no scientific proof. Most people have a very poor understanding of nutrition and can be easy swayed, by a few facts mixed in with fiction. Whole grains are so nutritious and not only contain fiber that keeps digestive system healthy, but carbohydrates that are a great source of energy and even protein, that aids in muscle growth. So unless your dog has allergies, grain free isn't any better. The reason your vet thinks differently than most forum writer is that vet have to have a lot of science in their studies, and the learn how to read experimental studies and which statements contain truth and which don't. While individual vets are experts in nutrition, many vets are and your individual vet has learned to rely on these experts, not forum and blog writers. I'm not knocking grain free, it's helped some dogs tremendously. Some people can't eat peanuts, but it doesn't mean that everyone would do better without peanuts.

[JuneBugs Momma]

I feed Persmarts brand which is Authority. It is rated 4 1/2 out of 5 starts and is not over-the-top expensive. If you are part of their Petsmart Rewards, they constantly are giving me coupons for their food and treats (I just got a coupon for $5 off a bag of food).

I feed him the mini-chunk lamb & rice. He already has hardly any teeth and he is only around 3 yrs old so I mix it with some wet. Please also note a big thing is that there have NEVER been a recall on their products (unline Nutro, Innova, etc).

[Nancy1999]

Just want to add that there are plenty of studies that show that diet does make a difference in the amount of tartar on teeth. Canned foods are considered the worst because they are often sticky. Here's one study: Periodontal Disease and Diet in Domestic Pets Toothbrushing is the best choice, but the study found that "the best way to maintain healthy periodontal tissues in our pets is frequent toothbrushing. The use of a dental hygiene chew and/or a diet designed to reduce dental deposits can be useful adjunctive measures and should be recommended."

[Lovetodream88]

Well vets are taught very little about pet nutrition. I think science diets new balance food is awesome and I would be feeding that had my little picky eater liked it. Purina though well they are the makers of the waggin train chicken jerky that killed hundreds of dogs and made hundreds more sick and it took them years to finally pull it and it seems one of there foods is also causing some dogs deaths this would make me unable to trust Purina sense it seems all they care about is money. I think Iams is the one who was charged with animal abuse or something like that. My girl personally can not have grains because it makes her break out. I am feeding Now Small Breed and she absolutely loves it and she has never loved a food like this. I always suggest when looking for a food research the company, the ingredients, and then see how your dog does on it. The whole rating this is dumb because they have many foods that have been recalled and are made by bad company's rated at 5 stars.

[Verbena]

Originally Posted by JuneBugs Momma

I feed Persmarts brand which is Authority. It is rated 4 1/2 out of 5 starts and is not over-the-top expensive. If you are part of their Petsmart Rewards, they constantly are giving me coupons for their food and treats (I just got a coupon for $5 off a bag of food).

I feed him the mini-chunk lamb & rice. He already has hardly any teeth and he is only around 3 yrs old so I mix it with some wet. Please also note a big thing is that there have NEVER been a recall on their products (unline Nutro, Innova, etc).

I checked it out. Dog advisor website has it at 3 stars out of 5.

The chicken has brown rice, corn, oat groats, corn gluten meal, dried beet pulp on the first 7 listed. Too much grain and I do not like beet pulp. It can cause tearing eyes

[lovespandp]

IMO, the whole “ 5 star” rating is worthless. I have fed Peanut 5 star foods and he has done horrible on them. The most important thing about dog food is finding a food that works with your pet as a whole.

[lovespandp]

Originally Posted by JuneBugs Momma

I feed Persmarts brand which is Authority. It is rated 4 1/2 out of 5 starts and is not over-the-top expensive. If you are part of their Petsmart Rewards, they constantly are giving me coupons for their food and treats (I just got a coupon for $5 off a bag of food).

I feed him the mini-chunk lamb & rice. He already has hardly any teeth and he is only around 3 yrs old so I mix it with some wet. Please also note a big thing is that there have NEVER been a recall on their products (unline Nutro, Innova, etc).

Yikes, 3 years old and he hardly has teeth? Poor baby.. what happened?

[Nancy1999]

Originally Posted by JuneBugs Momma

I feed Persmarts brand which is Authority. It is rated 4 1/2 out of 5 starts and is not over-the-top expensive. If you are part of their Petsmart Rewards, they constantly are giving me coupons for their food and treats (I just got a coupon for $5 off a bag of food).

I feed him the mini-chunk lamb & rice. He already has hardly any teeth and he is only around 3 yrs old so I mix it with some wet. Please also note a big thing is that there have NEVER been a recall on their products (unline Nutro, Innova, etc).

At one age did you get your pup? Have you told the breeder about this? My guess is something went wrong in the early months of his life, he should have most of his adult teeth by the age of one. Milk teeth are usually gone by then, if not they are pulled by vet.

[MauiGirl]

Everybody has to find the right food for their own pet's needs. There is not one that is good for all; each has to be evaluated depending on the individual pet.

I would not fire my vet based on recommending a food brand I don't agree with unless it was a life threatening choice. I can research and feed my dog what "I" feel is best. In certain cases a pet nutritionist would be a better choice than a vet to determine your dog's needs.

But, I depend on the vet to diagnose and treat disease, treat injuries, and deal with emergencies. If a vet does these things well, I'd cut him a little slack in the area of pet food (which is controversial anyway).

[lovespandp]

Originally Posted by MauiGirl

Everybody has to find the right food for their own pet's needs. There is not one that is good for all; each has to be evaluated depending on the individual pet.

I would not fire my vet based on recommending a food brand I don't agree with unless it was a life threatening choice. I can research and feed my dog what "I" feel is best. In certain cases a pet nutritionist would be a better choice than a vet to determine your dog's needs.

But, I depend on the vet to diagnose and treat disease, treat injuries, and deal with emergencies. If a vet does these things well, I'd cut him a little slack in the area of pet food (which is controversial anyway).

Indeed!