Dog food allergy question... (English Bulldog, natural, ears, test)

[JillBoBill]

Sorry to resurect this thread (and maybe someone already said this), but....

Hills / Science Diet pays big wads of dirty, sticky money to vet schools to have would-be vets sit through diet classes. Why do you think Vets push Hills so hard? Don't get me wrong, it's an okay food... but you can find better quality dog foods for the same price.

Did they do allergy tests for the dog? I was told one of the most common canine allergies is to poultry (chicken, duck, turkey) - right next to wheat. My allergy-stricken mutt eats a fish/sweat potato food and does great on it. It's way better than any of that Hill's garbage - even the lipstick-on-a-pig brand the vets push.

[pugluvr]

Originally Posted by JillBoBill

Sorry to resurect this thread (and maybe someone already said this), but....

Hills / Science Diet pays big wads of dirty, sticky money to vet schools to have would-be vets sit through diet classes. Why do you think Vets push Hills so hard? Don't get me wrong, it's an okay food... but you can find better quality dog foods for the same price.

This is very true. And some offices even get a cut back for selling the brand in their office as well. That's why a lot of vets out there do not know about the high qualities of food, the ingredients that are in them or about the raw diet. Their nutrition was taught to them by a Hills employee. So of course they think corn is ok, by-product is ok, etc.

[need4Trees]

Yeah... And isn't just Ironic that our Vets are not educating us, we have to and Must go out and do the research our self for the high quality Healthy pet foods (and homemade recipes for that matter) that do Not take our pets down the road to death, a road that the vets get major bucks for, for treating many aliments/diseases that occur from malnourishment... UGH!!!

Just wish that there was some sort of regulation.
They were so much better years ago when "we" fed them "our" table scraps. (since our food was better then too)...

Well, baby steps I guess. Can only do what I can, and what you can and want to. I was Lucky to become aware of the pet foods a few years ago by reading one great book. So now I know!!!

[Travel'r]

Originally Posted by need4Trees

Yeah... And isn't just Ironic that our Vets are not educating us, we have to and Must go out and do the research our self for the high quality Healthy pet foods (and homemade recipes for that matter) that do Not take our pets down the road to death, a road that the vets get major bucks for, for treating many aliments/diseases that occur from malnourishment... UGH!!!

Just wish that there was some sort of regulation.
They were so much better years ago when "we" fed them "our" table scraps. (since our food was better then too)...

Well, baby steps I guess. Can only do what I can, and what you can and want to. I was Lucky to become aware of the pet foods a few years ago by reading one great book. So now I know!!!

I think more consumers (pet owners) should be calling for regulation.

Worse than them not educating us is pushing it on clients when they should be WARNING us that these animals are not designed by nature to eat the garbage which they are telling people to feed. I think it should be illegal for a vet to be selling that stuff to begin with because they are (obviously) not qualified in nutrition -- let alone "prescribing" it, which is really fraud because there is no medicine in it to justify the huge price for cheap filler-laden allergens. One poster on here posted that a bag of that stuff was $75.00 now! I think that is criminal.

It is a huge conflict of interest. Could you imagine a doctor being allowed to "prescribe" junk food in his lobby? What if we humans believed them and ate a strict diet of over-priced corn chips and the doctors refused to blame the diet for all the resulting health and urinary tract problems and just over-drugged us instead?

I find it amazing that through all those years studying, a vet is telling people that a carnivore (and obligate carnivore feline) should be eating things which they are not even able to digest to begin with. -- AND are allergic to! Illustrations of a carnivore's digestive tract are not hard to come by, I'm sure.
It is downright unethical for them to be selling it; that the pet food undustry funds the universities; and that the veterinary assocoation are huge stockholders in the stuff which keeps our pets sick(er.)

Our vet kept our dogs healthy for decades and he never pretended to know about food.

[dukie46]

I just found out that my 1 1/2 year old black lab mix has food allergies. He had been eating Science Diet original food (and never ate that much of it). I feel so bad now that I know he was probably allergic to his food for about his first year of life! I switched him to the Science Diet Nature's Best Lamb and Rice since the first 5 ingredients were different than in the original food and it was natural. He just had to go back to the vet because he had scratched off a patch on the top of his head. The vet told me that to do a real food trial I had to stop feeding him any treats/rawhide, too. I am only allowed to give him carrots (which he will only eat sometimes at night... not when I go to work). His eye still tears up every time he eats. He's itching less, but he just stopped the antibiotics a few days ago. He has had soft stool, and he's occasionally thrown up on this food, but I don't know if that was from any treats/rawhide. I'm almost out of his current food, so I'm trying to decide if I should stick with the Nature's Best for the 3 month food trial or switch to something like Natural Balance (probably the fish and sweet potato). How does the Natural Balance compare with the Nature's Best? I like that the Natural Balance has treats that go with it. I know he would prefer them to the carrots. He always looks at me like "seriously? that's supposed to be my treat?!?"
My cats have been prescribed Hill's w/d for their bladder issues (switched from IAMS weight control)... but you guys are making me think I shouldn't be feeding them that!

[pugluvr]

Dukie46-how long have you been feeding the new Nature's Best Lamb & Rice. It does have some soy products in the ingredients, one of them being I think the 3rd or 4th ingredient and dogs can be allergic to soy. So, I wondered how long you have been feeding the new food. Also, your treats may have corn in them and that could be causing the allergy too. It really could be anything but usually the top ingredients that dogs are allergic to are corn, wheat and/or soy. Some can be allergic to poultry as well.

[need4Trees]

Originally Posted by Travel'r

I think more consumers (pet owners) should be calling for regulation.

Worse than them not educating us is pushing it on clients when they should be WARNING us that these animals are not designed by nature to eat the garbage which they are telling people to feed. I think it should be illegal for a vet to be selling that stuff to begin with because they are (obviously) not qualified in nutrition -- let alone "prescribing" it, which is really fraud because there is no medicine in it to justify the huge price for cheap filler-laden allergens. One poster on here posted that a bag of that stuff was $75.00 now! I think that is criminal.

It is a huge conflict of interest. Could you imagine a doctor being allowed to "prescribe" junk food in his lobby? What if we humans believed them and ate a strict diet of over-priced corn chips and the doctors refused to blame the diet for all the resulting health and urinary tract problems and just over-drugged us instead?

I find it amazing that through all those years studying, a vet is telling people that a carnivore (and obligate carnivore feline) should be eating things which they are not even able to digest to begin with. -- AND are allergic to! Illustrations of a carnivore's digestive tract are not hard to come by, I'm sure.
It is downright unethical for them to be selling it; that the pet food undustry funds the universities; and that the veterinary assocoation are huge stockholders in the stuff which keeps our pets sick(er.)

Our vet kept our dogs healthy for decades and he never pretended to know about food.

I agree!
Great Post!!!
It is a sad sad thing.
I hate seeing all the doggies that come it to see me that have many many skin problems at the age of 1 year, or sometimes less and some that are older and they say that, Oh yeah he/she has always had skin problems, or he has bad allergies all his life, he always chews on his feet, he's weird..... ETC.
Once in a while I ask what they are eating, and usually it is well, not the best food. When I suggest a change in food, some are responsive to try and others may say, we have tried everything and he is getting shots from the vet now... Some people really do Not think Food could have any effect on skin and/or any other issues. Well, we are what we eat... True, and Toxins come out of our body through skin, ears, nose too.
Ugh. I feel so badly for these precious animals.

What can we do!!?? But I guess educate ourselves and Others that want to learn! Cause if they don't want to hear it then nothing will come of it.

Better food costs more, and that is a factor for so many people. In turn Vet bills are increased from Poor food, malnourishment= more health problems, lower immue system... etc.

[Magershy1]

My cocker spanial and pit have been on Natural balance sweet potato and venison (which is grain free) and they absolutely love it! It is a little more on the expensive side, atleast for me especially since my pit eats about 5 cups a day, but to give you my opinion. My pit gets yeast infections in his ears all the time (on average once every 2 months) and his hair is falling out on his back ( which is also food and environmental allergies) and this helped with his coat alot. I also give him cod oil every other day to help with his coat! I will always preach that GRAIN FREE food is the best for your dogs health, it doesnt contain all that crap (by products, corn and wheat gluten, and preservatives) that the others do, especially Hills!!! I recently just switched my cocker to wellness core because he is epileptic, but I would definitely recommend the Natural Balance, it is a great food!!

[dukie46]

I now feed my "allergy dog" Natural Balance Duck and Potato. It has helped a lot! He got all the fur back around his eyes. He does currently have a hot spot on his head, but the vet said that is most likely from environmental allergies.

[need4Trees]

Great for you both, dukie46 and Magershy1, for switching to a food that will benefit your loved one more!

Still going ok? Less allergy type skin problems? Hope so!