Want to change Samson's food but I don't know what to.........

[TessaAndSamson]

So ever since I read about the Natural Balance recall I've been thinking about changing his food. Needs to be grain free, I want it to be fish based and ethoxyquin-free. Taste Of The Wild looks good but they won't commit to saying it's ethoxyquin-free. The companies that do guarantee their fish based foods are ethoxyquin-free seem to have WAY too much protein. I'd love to feed him Orijen but it's like 40% protein! Same with Wellness and Fromm is even like 30% protein, their surf & turf grain free food. I should keep the protein level around 25% right? I'm so lost

 

[sheshistory]

These are all really good questions and I am anxious to hear because at the vet appointment today, the vet suggested a hypoallergenic diet for Linus due to his chronic ear infections and itchy paws. I figure it's probably a good thing to get the puppy started on something better too - although we've had good results with gas, bowel movement, etc with our current food. I am also concerned with protein content, especially as the little one hits a growth spurt but feel totally lost as well!

 

[bullmama]

Great questions Tessa. How energitic is Samson? He is full grown, so the protien should not be as much of an issue. I am feeding Jesse the Grain free Fromm right now, and it is going very well. My problem is the only place that sells it in Tucson is 17 miles of stoplights away.... Looking to find out how I can get it delivered at a REASONABLE price, because I want to keep her on it for at least a month to see the effects, and I may try Tidus on it as well.

I was not overly impressed with TOTW Pac stream- did not see any difference in appearance at all.

 

[TessaAndSamson]

Samson has a few energetic hours of the day where he is bucking around like a little bull and doing his little "piggy run" sprints, the rest is lazy bulldog time. I don't mind spending a little extra money and being in the LA area most foods are readily available. I was considering TOTW because my mother-in-law has a lab that just developed allergies so she put her on TOTW pacific stream and its been great for them. So is protein just an issue when they are young? Would it be ok to put him on such a high protein diet like Orijen where it is 40%???? Looks like a AWESOME food!

 

[bullmama]

I would stay away from anything over 30-32%, but I cannot say for sure if a 40% protien is too much. I know a few people who are feeding RAW, and that is probably even higher! It is all trial and error until you find the perfect food.....

 

[cali~jenn]

This is the lifelong questo of a bully owner I swear! Food is so frutstraing isnt it?!?! The only problem we had with totw pacific is it caused cutty to have crazy acid reflux and he would just spit up piles of food randomly like in bed. EWE! We even tried picking up the food early so it was well digested and still had this problem. So wierd cuz that is the first and last so far that he has ever had that problem with. The orijen is too expensive for me unfortunately but it is supposed to be a great food. I am not sure about all the protein contents tho either to tell you the truth. Where is Lindathedogsmaid, she will be of some help here I bet.

 

[Lindathedogsmaid]

feed him the fromm surf and turf, he will do fine on the 30% it digests diffeant than a lot of foods. and give it six to 8 weeks to see a different action on the paws and itching, what meat do you have him on now and what brand.

 

[TessaAndSamson]

I have him on Natural Balance Sweet Potato & Salmon

 

[Lindathedogsmaid]

it is the brand and how it is made, does it have any grain in it at this time? you can email me direct at bullysmum@gmail.com
often it is not only what is in it but how it is made. I will look at the ingredients now and see what I think he is reacting to , I would recommend fromm duck and sweet potato, just in case it is the salmon that he is reacting to . i will get back to you after I read the ingredients. I know that hardly know anyone I know feeds that brand because it is not up to snuff, nor is any other thing that the 6 star foods that are listed on this site. and I have researched them all and at one point or another tried most of them.

 

[TessaAndSamson]

Thank you Lindathedogmaid, I just emailed you!

 

[Lindathedogsmaid]

please any of you can email me direct at bullysmum@gmail.com
and in answer to your to expensive question. I never give more that a day to any of my Bulldogs, for the good food, they get enough ,and have done so for years and years as well as many foster dogs.
so in the long run a 50.00 bag of food is actually cheaper. and by the sounds of your regurgitating dog, he /she is reacting to the food, it is not agreeing with them. what brand and meat is involved? I bet it is not Fromm,or natures variety, or great4life, or natures Logic. I would not feed any other food on the market !!!!
I had a frenchy that would do extreme vomiting about 10 times a day, had been doing that for 3 years when he came to me as a foster, and I tried even pills to calm ,checked out the pallet, tried several different foods, and finally started him on Fromm and overnight he stopped, just like that. I was shocked because I had just switched to it after researching it and talking to the manufacturer. I was so excited and I called the old owner and let her know for the other frenchy she had too.
it is not only what is in it ,,it is also how it is made, Bulldogs can eat fish from two differant companies and react to one and not the other. that is how fussy they are.!!!

 

[Lindathedogsmaid]

please remember this----dogs can get E-coli and salmonella just like humans can !!
SO if you cant guarantee the source of your meat or eggs. DO NOT FEED RAW ~~~~~~
natures variety is one of the leading makers of raw food, BUT it is only as good as the delivery driver that may or may not keep it from thawing out partially, like I had happen to me once, and the store took it back and apologized, and admitted that they had issues with a batch! BUT I HAD 3 SICK DOGS FOR 3 DAYS!!! never again.

 

[TessaAndSamson]

Thank you Lindathedogsmaid, I am no longer torn! Gonna try Fromm, getting a bag this weekend!

 

[Gertie's Mom]

I searched and read and ask questions for a couple weeks before I finally chose Nature's Variety chicken and brown rice for Gertie and Arrow. All their varieties are 26% protein and I liked that. I didn't want Gertie or our St. Bernard on too high protein. Gertie has been eating 1/2 and 1/2 her old food all week and she already isn't pooping so much. With her old food, she went about 4 or 5 times after each feeding. She's also nice and firm, and doesn't poop so much at each trip outside. With her old food, she was firm and then she'd be less than firm, for no reason, and she would leave a HUGE pile. Sometimes I'd think, Holy Cow, where is it ALL coming from?!? So far, I'm very happy with it for Gertie. Arrow, unfortunently, must be allergic to something in it, so he's back on his old food. I'm going to try to switch him to something better, his old food only has 2 stars. But for now he's fine on it. The 5 star food didn't agree with him at all.

 

[Lindathedogsmaid]

the reason that he may be not doing good is an allergy to chicken. but with the good foods , and especially the grain free, the protein will be higher, but it is metabolized different. what I do is use a senior type such as Fromm senior reduced activity, food. it is lower in protein but still the great food. I would not be to concerned about a 30 or 32 % food it is the natures variety -Instinct that puts the weight on, But by feeding that in the winter months then putting them on senior in the spring , they soon lose the weight. But after finding Fromm foods, I do not feed Instinct by natures variety any more. the fromm family has pre and pro biotics and I do not have to add anything for the immune system.