Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Emily Trupiano on March 25, 2011 at 6:01pm

I work at a vet, and yes, even though Science Diet does make special foods for sick animals, most of their food is junk. The cats that live at my work (I think we have 11 or 12 of them) are all on Science Diet, and they have terrible skin and coats. I am 100% certain that if they were on a higher quality food they would look healthier. 

 

I'm not sure how corn is digestible to dogs. It's not really even digestible in people. When my dog got in the trash and ate corn, I saw every kernel on his stools. I know all dogs are different, but I still wouldn't feed my pets food with corn as a major ingredient. It's filler food.

 

You can definitely see a difference between an animal that's on a food like Alpo or Purina and one that is on a higher quality food like Blue or Wellness, or a raw-diet. I've worked in grooming also, and when we've suggested to our clients to make the switch, we've seen great results. Shinier coat, healthy skin, less tear stains,etc. Some "natural" food companies may be gimmicks, but for the most part I'm very happy with the higher end brands.

 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Beth on March 25, 2011 at 6:28pm

Corn in its whole state is not so digestible, because of the tough outer hull, but in the extruded state it is. 

 

Just like you can't digest wheat if you were to go chew on a wheat stalk, but you can once it's been ground down to flour.

 

And you must know there is a huge range of foods in between Alpo and Wellness.   I'm talking about feeding a food that has the primary ingredient and protein source as a named meat/ meat meal (chicken, lamb meal, etc) and a by-product or corn further down the list.

 

If you fed your dog rice right off the stalk, with the bran still on it, it would pass through his stool mostly undigested too.  Same with oats, yet they digest the oatMEAL ok.  Try giving your dog oats like that found in horse feed and check the poop and see what you see.  :)

 

Here's a picture of oats before being processed for eating:

 

Your dog would not digest them much more than the whole corn kernels, so to compare the digestibility of whole corn to that of oatMEAL is not a like-to-like comparison.  Oats are dried and have the hulls removed and are rolled out and boiled before they are used as food.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brittany and ruger on March 25, 2011 at 6:54pm

i know people get constopated when they eat whole grains

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Sam Tsang on March 25, 2011 at 7:32pm

Not true, whole grain contains insoluble fiber, it absorbs water, eases constipation.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brittany and ruger on March 25, 2011 at 9:51pm

ow ok well maybe they dont

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brittany and ruger on March 25, 2011 at 9:52pm

i thought they did but could b wrong sorry

Permalink Reply by Emily Trupiano on March 25, 2011 at 11:21pm

Yeah, I definitely gave two ends of the spectrum between Alpo and Wellness. I fed my first dog Nutro Natural Choice chicken and rice for a long time actually, and I think the first ingredient was chicken meal. He did ok on it, but when I switched to Blue Buffalo I saw a huge difference. And he was less gassy, that sold me. haha.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Beth on March 25, 2011 at 7:09am

We feed Iam's dry food, but when it comes to canned cat food I don't like it.  Too much "animal liver" (which animal? I don't like the ambiguity) and other stuff.  Chicken liver I'd be fine with, "animal liver" makes me queasy.

 

Soooo, we end up buying Blue Buffalo and Merrick and stuff, even though I'm pretty sure that the Granny Smith Apples in there are more for me and  less for the cat.  I'm quite confident that Granny Smith Apples don't provide anything my cat needs, really.   Still, I wanted a canned food with high meat content, and the choices there are limited to a few and so in go the apples.  :)

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brittany and ruger on March 25, 2011 at 7:47am

sorry wrong reply box

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brittany and ruger on March 25, 2011 at 12:07am

i dont think you offended ne one i was just wondering what the big deal with chicken by product N corn gluten was thanks for the info though and everyone has thereown opinions on food just like you said thank you though 

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Rachael & Waffle on March 25, 2011 at 1:27am

No offense taken.  All the stuff I spew out is actually a work in progress. I try to qualify what I say with what others believe; I recognize this may be a fad, but it's a fad that is working wonderfully for my dog (sans the infection).  WHY it is working may be wrong, and you're right-- I shouldn't be spreading info that doesn't have a clear and solid source.  :0  Maybe I will get my act together when I'm finished reading these 50 articles on dog diets. Haha.

• ▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Beth on March 25, 2011 at 6:34pm

And Rachael I think it's very cool that you feed Waffle what you feel is the best way possible.  Honestly raw makes me squeamish because of the microbes.  I guess if I had to be pressed, I would think the best diet for a dog would be a home-cooked diet that followed a nutritionists guidelines and had vitamin supplements.  But I don't cook often enough for myself, let alone my dog!  :)    So I go with a commercial food.

• ▶ Reply

• ‹ Previous
• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next ›
• Page