r/DogFood

Hi everyone,

I’ve been really confused about food labeling here. My dog has potential pancreatitis issues so we’re feeding low fat. Advice is to keep it below 5% crude fat for wet food and below 10% for dry food. Now I keep seeing that you need to calculate crude fat. The label on the food over here gives the exact crude fat percentage (no min or max). Are the fat percentages on the packaging wrong?

Now I am really surprised seeing a lot of supposedly GI foods from WSAVA having 20% of fat. Someone also said for pancreatitis it should be below 20% when I thought that’s why too high. Someone even posted here saying they calculated the RC gastro low fat crude fat (wet food) and
it’s been way too high. I’m just really confused on all this.

Our vets have not been helpful at all here. One told us to just feed low fat if we want to and others have said to just feed whatever is agreeable with my dog and what he likes. None of them have apparently heard of WSAVA. People here have a very bad perception of WSAVA foods and trust anecdotes from friends and sometimes holistic nutritionists.

We recently have been transitioning to Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach: Salmon & Rice formula ALL BREEDS. We are doing this due to him potentially not being able to handle his current food. He’s been on boiled chicken and rice since diarrhea started which has helped and slowly switching him to this kibble.

Anyway, now I realize there’s also the same exact food but specifically for LARGE BREEDS. I know all breeds MEANS all breeds but is there any advantage to giving him the large breed food?

I wouldn’t even transition him to it until he has been having normal stools regularly with the all breeds formula (it has been a long month of on and off diarrhea). Just want to know if it’s worth it.

Thanks!

I am having trouble figuring out what my next steps should be in trying to find the right food for our seven year old dog. For most of her life she had been on different boutique diets and did well on them. Then I found this sub and read the wiki and decided to make the change to a WSAVA brand. After consulting with my vet we first tried RC breed specific but her stools were soft and she had a ton of gas so he recommended switching to Digestive Care or the equivalent from Hills.

He said give it a one bag trial. I thought it would work in the beginning but she still has soft stools, bloating (even with slow feeder) and while the gas is better she just doesn’t seem to be thriving.

What should I do from here? I know that constantly switching isn’t great but should I try something else before going to a prescription diet? My vet is ok with this. Any recommendations of what to try or other advice? I really liked Royal Canin and am disappointed that it doesn’t seem to be working for us.

Edited to add: Obviously I will be speaking with my vet about this but wondering if Hills biome or i/d would be good options, although not sure about the difference between the two? I‘m tempted by Hills Perfect Digestion but have been trying to find the right food since April and her digestive symptoms have not really eased up in that time and I’m reluctant to keep guessing.

Thank you!

My dog stopped eating his Iams Minichunk recently. We switched to Hills Science Diet Perfect Digestion 7+.

They sell a 3.5lb bag for $26 or a 22lb bag for $92. Almost every other formula from that brand has a 12lb bag for $62.

My dog just turned 7 (husky/border collie/rat terrier mix). He’s right about 30lb and is supposed to get 1.5c-2c per day.

The food is already so expensive that I want to get the cheapest option, but I feel like the 22lb bag will sit open (in a container) for too long and I’ve heard thats bad.

Is the 7+ part really that important? Would it be fine to just get the 1-6 12lb bag? My wife is worried about switching is food again, but my question is how different could the two really be?

Any help is appreciated!

Okay so he's a pitbull mix. My mom believes its a yeast issue, but his whole body will break out into rashes including in between his toes. I had found people suggesting Purina Pro Plan, and I found it in Salmon and Sweet Potato (he has allergies and that's safest). The issue is, although it did help, he's rapidly gained weight and still starving after feedings so cutting back isn't an option. Any recommendations on foods for dogs with skin issues that will actually be good for him?

My 1-year-old Labradoodle is the pickiest eater I’ve ever met. Looking for advice before I lose my mind. 😅

My Australian Labradoodle is about a year old, has always maintained a healthy weight, and my veterinarian isn’t concerned about her body condition. She’s just finishing her first heat (she will be spayed in October) so I know that may be affecting her appetite right now, but this has honestly been an issue for most of her life.

She doesn’t refuse all food—she’s just incredibly inconsistent.

Some examples:

-Last week she inhaled a bowl of Royal Canin Medium like she’d never eaten before.
-This week she won’t touch it.
-She’ll eat plain chicken out of my hand.
-She’ll eat freeze-dried foods like Dr. Marty’s or Maxbone from my hand (we use these as treats since they are low cal / but expensive)
-She often won’t eat those same foods from a bowl.
-She has even turned down eggs, salmon, sardines, beef liver treats, and a Beggin’ Strip at times.
-Sometimes she’ll lick a piece of food several times before eating it.
- She has also gone through phases where she eats food scattered on the floor more readily than from a bowl.

She has had a recent veterinary exam, bloodwork, urinalysis, and anal glands checked because she was acting off during her heat. Everything was reassuring.

My questions are:

Has anyone had a dog like this?

Did you eventually find a food they consistently ate?

Did feeding behavior (hand feeding vs. bowl, plate, puzzle feeder, etc.) make a difference.

Did anyone discover an underlying issue like reflux, dental pain, or nausea, or was your dog simply not food motivated?

I’m less interested in finding the “best” brand and more interested in hearing how people successfully got their dog eating a complete diet consistently without turning every meal into a negotiation

We recently were blessed with a rescue Mini-Schnauzer (literally rescued from middle of the highway in a thunder storm by a friend). She tried for about 10 days to find the owner, not chipped, no response on FB or local missing pet forums, etc... She could not keep it as she has a very big dog already, so "Bing Bing" has been with us for over a week now (about 3 weeks since first found). We started her vet journey yesterday since we have no idea of her history. But she was already fixed, tail bobbed, and has a short haircut and is the best behaved dog we have ever had.

The rescue friend was feeding her what her big dog eats, Val-Pak Free 28/20 from the local feed & seed store. She loves it but it's pretty high fat which I understand is not great for this breed (28% protein 20% fat). The vet said she looks like a pure white mini-schnauzer. I bought some Diamond Chicken & Rice small breed, but she does not like it and eats around it in the mix with the Val-Pak (mixing for transition).

What would be a better or best brand/style of dry food for a 10 pound, 1 1/2 to 2 year old mini-Schnauzer? From what I'm reading they require lower fat content than most breeds or they can have problems. Thanks

How long did it take your senior dog to stop drinking like crazy after starting a new dry food?

My senior chihuahua/terrier cross started Purina Proplan HA dry food 3 weeks ago (she had previously been on the PPP HA wet food mixed with Royal Canin selected protein, but the vet wanted her on a fully Hydrolyzed diet.)

I know there can be a transition phase, so I’m wondering how long it took your dog to get used to a new dry food, if ever?

Our dog was diagnosed with cancer and is on Palladia which has caused his appetite to change quite a bit. He will really only consistently eat chicken and rice, but I want to find him a tasty kibble to ensure he is getting the nutrients he needs. He used to eat Purina Pro Plan but started refusing that entirely. Are there any kibbles that your dog finds irresistible that he would want to try? We tried the Royal canin medium adult formula which he liked for a few days, and then stopped eating it. That seems to unfortunately be the trend with all of the foods we have tried. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

Hello! I have a 3-year-old pug who has had chronic issues with softer stools and has thrown up small amounts of bile 1-2 times a week. I have gone to the vet about this several times and he has had a metabolic panel sent to Texas A&M that all came back normal. I have tried to get answers from the vet for options for better dog kibble and it just seems like they tell me the same thing about my breed of dog being prone to IBS and such. Currently, my dog is eating hills science diet with a daily probiotic/prebiotic/omega 3s/fatty acid powder mix sprinkled on top. Any recommendations would be super helpful! I’m tired of my vet having me pay to sit in their office, say the same things, ask the same questions, and get no answers.

Upfront: We don’t actually know if our pup has issues with chronic pancreatitis. It’s an ongoing thing. However, to be on the safe side we’re feeding low fat.

Problem is he also started to get dandruff and generally a dry skin and dull coat. So we’re thinking to up it just a little bit. Anyone have any recs for lower fat foods? The RC digestive care we’ve been eyeing has 20% which sounded like a lot to me. We would wanna switch to WSAVA food but are unsure given all the options.

Dog loves freeze-dried dog food over kibble/softened wet kibble/blended kibble/kibble with topper/small kibble/broth kibble/wet food/thawed dog food/gently baked/etc.

Have spoken to vet (even new one after moving), nothing wrong with teeth, and they just said to keep feeding the freeze dried dog food unless theres an issue.

So, I am wondering if there's any other dog food with that freeze-dried texture out there...Just not raw. Vet doesn't know of any and told me to research.

I have already tried some supposed crumbly kibble out there. Not sure what other options I have other than freeze-dried. Not comfortable with raw.

Miniature poodle mix, age 5

Hi all! Was looking for suggestions. My little dude is a Pomeranian/Yorkie/Mini Poodle mix, 13 lbs. and has been having tummy issues, I'm doing a course of Proviable currently. His veterinarian said I should try a food for sensitive stomachs and I am looking for recs from others who have similar dogs and what you've used? Right now I have him on the PPP Small Breed Diet with shredded chicken. I've given him salmon food/treats before, including the PPP Sensitive Stomach one that's Salmon and he just doesn't have much interest in salmon. Thoughts?

Edit: Forgot to say I'm in a fairly remote place in Ontario, so I can't order from Chewy or anything like that because they don't deliver here.

Hello everyone,

Last year at his annual appointment, the vet told my Shiba (who was four at the time) needed to lose weight. He weighed 38 pounds and she said she'd rather see him at 32. She recommended lower calorie kibble and giving him green beans.

He HATES all fruits and veggies, so he refused the green beans, even cooked in beef broth. So we switched him to Acana Light and Fit kibble so he'd have lower calories. He gets one 5-calorie treat a day and nothing else. He goes on three walks a day and plays ball, so I don't think exercise is the issue.

After a year of this more disciplined eating and diet kibble, he only lost one pound, down to 37, so the vet fussed at me again. She said that kibble was also too high calorie.

She recommended first a Kirkland brand, but we don't have a Costco membership, then just said a whole bunch of numbers and ingredients at me, and I got lost in the conversation. She said her second most preferred food is Hill's Science Diet Adult Perfect Weight (in either the small breed or large breed varieties, even though my boy is not either). I am a bit skeptical of this because the vet has a huge Science Diet display in the lobby and clearly partners with them.

She really hated on the Acana food. I do worry about it being grain-free, and confused about why he didn't lose weight even though it was fewer calories and less food than he was eating before (which was Natural Balance Limited Ingredient).

Anyone have success with any of these kibbles or any other Shiba weight loss tips? I just want my boy to be happy and healthy.

Just want to start off and say that I have never lived with a dog or owned a dog (or any animal) in my entire life. This is my first ever experience at age 50, so I truly know nothing about dogs. I have a wonderful 10 month old mini golden doodle. According to the breeder, he is supposed to be 25-30lbs full grown, but he’s only a little over 10lbs. (I was told he was the runt, so this might be why he’s small.) My dog is a VERY picky eater. I feed him Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin & Stomach (lamb and oat). But he hardly eats and it makes me so nervous. He’s never been a good eater, even the breeder told me he’s a light eater. Does anyone have any recommendations for me to help him eat more kibble? I have been trying to crumble treats as a topper and that only helps a little bit. Are there any vitamins he should take? I am so worried he’s nutrient deficient and I want him to live a long and healthy life. He loves people food (we give him things like blueberries and PB, but minimally) and he loves to eat grass and mulch when outside. He seems hungry for anything BUT kibble. Any suggestions about feeding would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!

We have an almost 6 year old Male Carolina dog that has had GI issues since we adopted him at 6 weeks.

Aug 25’ He had dark blood in stools and was referred to Texas A&M veterinary clinic for potential anal gland removal . (No internal bleed)They put him on a hills z/d Hydrolyzed chicken diet and he went from 115 to 88 pounds in 6 months.

Jan 26’ He began vomiting randomly about 1x a week (randomly after he’d eat or drink) just exorcist type volume. It was random. So some days he was normal and then the following week or 2, puke fest.

Our vet switched him from the chicken z/d canned/kibble to soy. He ate it for about 2 weeks and puke fest returned.

We had chicken z/d kibble sent by mistake and he ate it for another couple weeks. In Feb’26 he started to skip meals and hide.

In March, he started vomiting large clumps of clotted blood and had large amounts of dark red blood in both vomit and diarrhea.

4 grand for the overnight emergency hospital stay and testing resulted in a terminal bile duct carcinoma diagnosis and possible ruptured ulcer.

We were referred to a new vet to handle end of life care and given 4-6 weeks to say goodbye.

In May he developed an infection/abscess/ blood pocket on his left rear leg so we took him in to see if cancer had spread and to get q.o.l. Opinion. He hadn’t eaten in 3 days and started peeing blood . Took him to our vet mid June.

Vet asked if he had been exposed to any rat poison. I made a joke that no rat poison, but he started this whole shift in health once he started the Hills Z/D food. She humored my conspiratorial approach and said “ let’s run bloodwork again” to rule out any possibility of poisoning.

She aspirated the leg and entire syringe of pinkish blood was removed. Tests revealed he had a massive infection in his leg and that his other bloodwork looked better than his hospital visit in March. He received 2 weeks of clindamycin. She couldn’t explain the bleeding or him withdrawing.

She told me to toss the Hills z/d and purchase Purina Pro Plan Elemental “EL” very expensive kibble. Feed him tilapia and sweet potato prepared plain with half normal portion of the new food. If his appetite returns, he should respond well to the EL since its amino acids and not chemically enriched.

Well 3 weeks later, he’s back up to 90 pounds and no large hematoma, no vomit or diarrhea or blood loss anywhere. He runs around and seems like a very healthy and happy dog. He returns Jul 15th for a new ultrasound and bloodwork to see anything changed internally.

Moral of the story, go with your gut. Don’t be afraid to ask weird questions if all else fails.

Hello everyone,
Do you by any chance, feed your pup or pups yeast free food or a yeast free diet? If so, can you please kindly tell me what you feed them or if anyone knows of any brands that have one. Thanks so much in advance and I look forward to your responses!

Hi all- first time poster here…. My German shepherd mix seemingly has a super sensitive stomach. She frequently has gas, a gurgle in her stomach, and loose stool - no diarrhea, but definitely not normal. We have run every test under the sun for her, and have her on a purina pro plan Gastroenteric veterinary diet. She was also on PPP hydrolyzed and it didn’t seem to make a difference. The vet thinks we should continue trialing different foods, as she does not think it is a health issue. The only time I’ve ever seen her have normal poop is when she is on strictly chicken, rice, pumpkin. She is 1 1/2 years old.

I don’t know where to turn or what to try next! Does PPP sensitive stomach work for your pups? Or the Adventedge? What about Open Farm? I know they have two different digestive options. I’m desperate to resolve this for her and trial a new option, but I want some recommendations before I pick one.