This is the most ridiculous statement....I truly feel that Royal Canin prescription food has saved my Harley's life. We could not find the origin of his GI problems and after extensive tests at Texas A&M, the final suggestion was to try him on RC Hypoallergenic Hydrolyzed Protein food. Since putting him on this, no more bloody stools or vomiting....it's been several years and I've put all 3 of my pups on it. They have great teeth and no more GI upsets. I don't even purchase the food from my vet. If the vet you trust suggests the prescription food, I'd follow the advice...if you don't trust the advice, I'd find a new vet - not new food. Good luck!

The production/testing/research done along with the staff that is involved with the production of Farmina, apparently follows the same template the RC facility follows. I think the issue is not that people think RC is the "end-all-be-all" food....I think it has more to do with the "think tanks" that see the words "corn" and "by-products" and "meal" and immediately castigate RC as junk food that is "nothing of value" and "over priced". People that have actually researched the food, nutritional requirements for dogs, and are familiar with the nutritionally sound research that goes into producing the food, and those that have actually fed RC for over 40+ years with "sound, evidenced based outcomes" in our own pets/breeders, we may get..... a little indignant with the "across the board" condemnation of RC. For MY dogs, it has always been the best choice for them and their off spring, it is highly palatable and they all LOVE it! I have never had a dog with any allergies to the food, or inability to digest the food...if there were any issues, then for THAT individual dog, I would be trying to find something my dog could eat and thrive on. Thank God, to date, I have not had that issue!

I have to agree with those that don't see any price gouging with prescription foods. I spent over 20 years in manufacturing of commodity and specialty products and there is a good reason why specialty products cost more.

The ingredients (fixed costs) are very similar when comparing commodity and specialty items, but the variable costs are completely different. You can take a commodity item (in this case, regular dog food) and make it in huge quantities. It's very automated and there is such a large demand that they can make a lot of it before switching to make another type. They may even have separate production lines so that they don't have to switch at all. The packaging can be ordered in larger quantities. They can use established distribution channels to regular retail outlets.

Now take prescription food lines. They have several different varieties that are formulated for various specific needs. It required more R&D and testing compared to the normal dog food. And the demand for it is miniscule when compared to the regular dog food. That means small batch production, and lots of smaller production runs with downtime in between to thoroughly clean equipment (wouldn't want any cross-contamination when it comes to medical needs). Packaging is procured in smaller quantities since the need isn't there for large scale production. And the distribution channels? You can't use the regular ones, you have to ship in smaller quantities to every big or small vet practice out there.

Are their margins higher on the specialty products? Of course they are. They should be. Their specialty product that has (thankfully) very little demand compared to the demand of the commodity food and solves a problem SHOULD have a higher margin. But I bet if you looked at the overall profit on the specialty food it would be dwarfed by the overall profit of the regular food. The regular food sold in massive quantities has a MUCH greater impact on their bottom line. And I don't think it makes much of a difference on the bottom line of a vet practice, either.

It's just a different ball game all together, and there is a reason why it costs so much. I'm just grateful that it's out there the few times that I've needed it. If you think it costs too much, then you always have the option of home cooking, just do it under the guidance of a proper consult.

Hi,
Do you think it is a better product for gastroenteritis than the Purina EN or the Science Diet formula for gastroenteritis. I forget the name. My Joey has been on the Science Diet formula first and I changed him to the Purina one because the Science Diet did not seem to be helping him with his Diarrhea as it should have. I appreciate your advice on this. Thank You.

Was your Dog food Science Diet or Hills prescription ID? My Zoey is doing well on the ID after our scare and 40 hours of IV s. She had diarrhea and vomit and very very lethargic. They put her on Hills rx ID and loves it , always has been a picky eater but not with this ! She is her old self with the best lookin poop in town!
I don't give her nothing else ...there is a kibble ID and biscuits.....I also bake 3 very thin lid size canned dog food in 350 oven for 30 min as her "doggie cookies".
She runs for the kitchen when she smells this in the air....I am amazed.
Good luck I know you have to be careful listening to other peoples advise and suggestions but it does help to relate to each other with our experiences, and if mine helps anyone else that is why I bother to post...good luck

I don't disagree with this. I would feed RC in a heartbeat over, say, Orijen or EVO. But my dog doesn't do what I feel is his best on RC so prefer not to feed it but their RX foods are among the best IMO.

Not everyone has to like Farmina, and I agree the person can be overbearing and annoying. But I trust them like I trust RC- only their ingredients and guaranteed analysis' would work better for my dog.

I just don't see how Farmina could be written off as "soup de jour" but RC is not... When they both have fairly similar credentials.

Contrary to popular belief, there is not a 100% markup on dog food. It is not a big money maker, definitely not for a vet. If you were to open a pet store, the primary purpose of selling food would be to bring in customers in hope they would buy the more profitable items.

My problem is if he works for them he is making them seem less credible by first bashing other food and second by saying lies like prescription food is just something vets make money on.

He was on the Hill's Prescription ID at first. He took antibiotics for a short time.However he never had all the problems you say your Zoey had. In fact I have read some articles on the problems a dog gets when he has gastroenteritis and all he had was really bad runny stools. Now when they did tests I am not sure what the results were and I think I want to call the vet and talk to him about what all they did and why they think he has gastro...It did not completely stop the diarrhea so I looked online at the foods for this problem and the Purina one sounded better. His stools still are not always firm and solid but he is better and seems to feel good. I also put him on Naturvet enzymes with prebiotics and probiotics hoping for good results. Thank you for your kind answer. I appreciate what you had to say.

If he feels better and acts normal that is all that counts just be sure the food your giving him doesn't already have the probiotics in them...
Good luck

I can not honestly say if it is better than the two you have mentioned. I do not believe I am professionally qualified to make that determination. Years ago, I grew up feeding my pets Purina....it may have been the only dog food around, I can not remember! I can say I had pets that lived long healthy lives, one was a hunting dog, and he did beautifully on plain old Purina. I switched over to Royal Canin many, many years ago, when I first heard of them, back in the '60's.....I think I was initially impressed with all the science that went into their formulations, then I was impressed with the extensive research and testing of each formula, the vet and animal nutritionists involvmnt, and the more I read of the facility overseas, and actually had the opportunity to get up close and personal because of my fathers position in oil business (I met many, many people that were influential in the business world) I felt very impressed with the actual care and concern and science that went into this company and the staff that worked to make this food the best it could possibly be, for our pets. I switched over to RC and have never fed any other food..... I do not make it a personal goal to bash other dog foods....I just try to relate to people how good I feel RC is, because of the effort that actually goes into the research/production/testing/making and distribution of their product, under strict quality control and management. If I had a dog with a condition that required a prescription food, I personally would confidently without hesitation, give RC. I can honestly say I would be devastated if it did more harm to my pup or if it did not help the condition it was formulated to treat!! But if it did not work, I would move onto whatever my vet recommend next!.....but I would be heartbroken over the failure of the RC!!!!!

Yorkie Mom,
I want to thank you so very much for answering my post. I can see that you feel really strongly about using RC food. I looked at the RC prescription food for gastroenteritis and they have more than 1 formula so I would not even know which to choose. I did talk to my vet and it seems he feels he is doing well enough on the Purina EN and will need to be on this prescription food permanently. If it ever does not seem to be helping him in the future I will ask his advice on which of the RC formula's to give him. It would be nice if he did not need prescription food though. I had hoped it was just a temporary situation. Thank you again for your assistance.

Do you have any specifics regarding the GI issues. I would definitely be suggesting a more natural diet when dealing with digestive issues. Processed foods no matter how that are labelled still tax the already unhealthy organs. I refused that particular food, switched to a holistic vet and fed cooked chicken then weaned to raw with the support of a good probiotic and digestive enzyme and curcugen to heal his pancreatitis. My Teegy is now 100% rawfed and no more digestive issues. Logically you want to feed something that is easily digestible in order not to cause any further upset. It's not an easy decision for an individual to make when your vet is recommending a "specialty GI food". It's your call and I'm very glad with my decision.

Hi Teegy,
Thank you so very much for responding to my post. The vet said he has gastroenteritis. Over a year ago,all of sudden in May he started having runny,loose,watery stools. No other problem though. I took him to the vet and they kept him for a few days. He had been having this form of diarrhea for several days. I don't remember what tests they did but I was told he had Gastroenteritis. I talked to this vet the other day to see if I could get him off this prescription food and he said he just might start the problem again. He is doing better now and I have put him on Naturvet Digestive Enzymes with prebiotics and probiotics. So my best thought on this is to keep him on what he is eating. He seems healthy. He is active and plays and eats well and drinks well. So,Lord willing this is the best I know to do for him. Thank you again for your thoughts and advice about what you did for your dog. Glad it worked out so well for you. Silver Lace

Cheers you are most welcome and hope your baby remains healthy and happy

Teeny, what was the problem with you little one? I would love to put Zoey back on a raw diet but not with this vet. Zoey has had two bouts of pancreatitis in two years - not from raw food but fat treats that I had given her.

Teegy also had two bouts of pancreatitis. I switched vets and in hindsight it was the best decision ever. Any questions I asked about holistic or homeopathic medicine and the raw diet were poopooed and sorry I'm not built that way.
The vet I am with now has been in practice for over 50 years, is completely holistic but will provide mainstream medicine if the condition requires it and supports a raw diet. It really is best to find someone who supports raw feeding so you have the support and good instruction regarding the health of your pet. Many raw feeders I know out of the states tell me vets who care for farm or large animals seem more behind raw and natural feeding if you can't find a holistic one. feel free to PM me if you wish.

I would not switch a dog with a compromised immune system to raw food it's just not safe or a good idea. It's funny how some people like to bash these prescription foods that keep many many dogs alive, happy and healthy. To many people think they know what a dog needs when they have taken no classes or gotten any degrees in pet nutrition!

You are completely and utterly wrong. I spoke in great detail with my very experienced vet and my dog is completely happy and healthy. I think it's a shame that people who have not experienced the situation to speak so negatively and unfortunately are quite ignorant in the realities of the good it has done for so many dogs. Raw is not a miracle but it has certainly brought a lot of very sick and emaciated dogs back to health in a right balance where all the prescription foods and drugs have failed. I hear about it every day from all the hundreds and thousands of raw feeders I interact with daily.

I have heard so seriously horrifying raw stories no need for me to take those risks. In your opinion I am wrong but when a huge vet association comes out and says we no longer support raw feeding because of the risks it's not something to ignore. Considering you are pretty much against any medicines and even heartworm prevention I would take EVERYTHING you say with a grain or salt because a lot of the stuff you suggest is just not safe. So in my opinion you are wrong.

Some of us think you're the one that's wrong and that holistic vets are the ignorant ones. You do your arguments a real disservice when you reject life saving preventative meds like heartworm preventives and promote things like Amber fossil that IMO are quackery.

Well vets get financial support for their training and organizations check out the sponsors on their websites. Of course they want you to feed your dogs prescription they sell in their clinics. You feed a dog a natural diet that offers no threat to their digestive system they won't get sick. I wish more and more vets were like mine. As for the heartworm issue my dogs are not in a high risk zone there is absolutely no need for me to administer pesticides that could tax their organs especially since Teegy has already had issue with pancreatitis. They have healthy and happy immune systems. I know so many people who live in the country in high mosquito zones who use natural means of repellant and have done for years and no heartworm. You need certain conditions for that and it's not here. You say I'm wrong I say your wrong. I already figured out that you and I and several others will always have opposing opinions. I can live with that.

Teegy, thanks for your response to my question.

This whole vets make a lot of money for selling prescription food is completely false information and I wish people would stop spreading that hogwash. Most vets are here to help dogs not make them worse or just make money. These natural means that you have posted have either been dangerous, nontested, and from a person trying so scare and trick people into buying his stuff. People living in a high risk heartworm area and not using preventive is just not smart and I love my dog way to much to risk it. It's not something to play with and all these people say how bad the preventives are but have yet to acknowledge how much worse the treatment for heartworms are and how much more dangerous they are. Opinions are one things but lets not forget the facts............

If everyone on this thread do not mind, I'd like to offer my 2 cents for whatever it is worth..I do believe when a dog has compromised immune, raw is really not a good idea. I have friend's Shih Tzu who almost died from being fed raw...it just doesn't work for every dog especially those with compromised immune.

I myself has always believe in feeding good food and has been feeding Stella & Chewy till he got sick 2 weeks ago...bloodwork came back as pancreatitis and he was on IV for about 2 days in total and multiple subcutaneous injections after.

We tried Hills I/d at first but he wouldn't eat that and one of the vet techs told me the finicky ones usually like Royal Canin so we tried that and he loves it. Needless to say he is on Royal Canin Low Fat Gastrointestinal wet as prescribed by our vet with tiny bits of boiled chicken breast and BacPak Plus digestive enzyme powder. He has never been better and he used to be really picky. Now his appetite totally opens up and he is like a different dog. In hindsight I think he wasn't feeling well in the past and thus the reason why he waa picky. I just started him on some of the RC low fat dry(moistened for easier digestion) and he loves it as well. The funny thing is he also loves his no fat plain yogurt, blueberry, broccoli, pears now when he wouldn't eat any fruits and veggies in the past.

He eats 4 times a day now-small meals and his poops are looking great. No more diarrhea and greasy looking poop.

The way I see it, if there's a medical condition and you are prescribed a food, stick to it. You can always add tiny bit of fresh food that agrees with your yorkie's tummy if you are worried about not getting fresh food but use the prescription food as your base. Just remember to brush their teeth if you are feeding lots of moist food. I just use a baby toothbrush with nothing on it for now until he gets better I might use doggie toothpaste then.

Potter,
Great post about your success that came from listening to good advice from your veterinarian. I'm so glad your baby loves the RC gastro. My boy eats that sometimes as well and he too has done fantastic on it. At almost 14 and two bouts of pancreatitis that almost killed him, I'm not taking any chances and you shouldn't either. It is a difference of opinion whether raw is better and whether a particular brand of raw is better. I am in the camp that says no it is not better for MY dogs. It could be better for someone else's dog if they believe that it is. For my dogs, I am good w/ feeding home cooked food and kibble at times and when I feed kibble it is from the "big three" companies. And no, I don't buy them at my vet's office.

I use a prescription food for all 3 of mine and purchase it from my vet. I've had discussions with my vet regarding raw, home cooking, RX foods and LI foods over the years. The RX food is actually less expensive at my vet than I can buy it at the locate vet stores or even online.

you are most welcome

Thanks 107Barney. It was very scary when he was sick. I was so scared that I might lose him. It was touch and go for a week or so. I am happy to hear that your Yorkie is also on RC and is doing well and he is 14! I hope my boy has a few more years to go as he is 8 this year.

Is THIS true?!
 

OMGoodness! STILL being pulled in both directions!
Science Diet ID vs Royal CAnin...

Just when I thought I was on the right track with getting my sick Zoey better and eating good on SD ID ....I stop into a dog food store to check out the bully pizzles and this one gal says she was a vet tech ( now owner of store) and after telling her about Zoeys ER stay and how much better she is on The I D ....she feels the need to ask me if she is going to be on it the rest of her life and I said yes....she said they ARENT suppose to be on ID for long term!!and if I knew the vets in this state get free seminars and training if they carry their food!
Oh here we go again...... Helllllp!

What am I suppose to think now?!