What To Feed My Hounds?

[Guest SonjaAndStella]

Hi! I have two hounds (litter mates) that are 4 years old. I've had them on Science Diet sensitive skin and stomach, and my boy is doing well on it, but my girl still has feces that are soft. Prior to putting them on this diet, they were both having intermittent diarrhea (always clears up with pumpkin and time). I don't have the time or money to feed raw. I'm a veterinary student and I get a discount on Hill's and Purina products, so I would LIKE to use one of them, but if I could get a good deal on another product (I've seen posts on here about Iams green bag???), then I would go for it. I'm concerned about too many fillers being in the food though, and i would like to stay away from chicken.

 

If anyone has useful comments, I greatly appreciate them! I'm SO tired of researching dog food and I'm ready to find one and stick with it!!

 

Sonja

[greysmom]

Being a vet student, I'm assuming you've eliminated all medical reasons for their continued digestive issues, like worms.

 

Cheaper means more fillers are in the food, so you'll have to evaluate what you want there, but it might also mean a higher fiber content, which it sounds like you do want/need. If it's only a fiber issue, you can add something like beet pulp to their regular food - it adds more fiber than canned pumpkin - or the current miracle additive, olewo carrots. Iams green bag has chicken in it, I think, so you'll want to avoid that if they have an intolerance, but it's a commercial food that has a higher fiber content due to beet pulp.

 

Many people have had success with the various Costco/Kirkland formulas, and they have several that might work for you, in kibble and canned foods. Others have also used the Purina Sensitive Stomach formula, but it also has chicken, I believe. We had good luck with the Blue Basics line. I spent a couple hours at PetSmart one afternoon, just reading labels and evaluating different foods for my girl. I bought 5 or six things to try - get samples if you can.

 

If they do have a chicken intolerance, it might explain their continued problems, as I believe the Science Diet does have chicken in it, even though it's way down the ingredient list. My chicken-intolerant dog can't have *any* form of chicken, even tocopherols for presevatives. And you'll need to check all their treats. Chicken is in EVERYTHING!

[Guest SonjaAndStella]

I'm definitely willing to put in enough money to buy them decent, good quality food with minimal fillers, I'm just unfortunately not able to afford Fromm's or a raw diet right now! Thank you for the beet pulp idea. I saw online earlier that the Iams proactive comes in a lamb formula, so maybe I should give that a try? It does have chicken by-product meal and corn gluten in it. The Science Diet does unfortunately have chicken in it, as it's main ingredient.

 

Thank you!! I always really appreciate hearing from everyone on here!

[Hubcitypam]

Maybe try Purina Pro Plan sensitive stomach? It is salmon based - don't see any chicken in there and you could get your discount. It didn't work for my sensitive stomach boy though. The green bag Iams (which is chicken based and even the red bag lamb has chicken in it) fixed him, but every dog is different.

Wal-Mart has a Pure Balance line that the sainted Dog Food Advisor looks kindly upon. Maybe try the salmon and pea one? A lot of irritable tummy dogs do well on fish based foods and it's got beet pulp.

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/pure-balance-grain-free-dog-food/

Edited February 16, 2016 by Hubcitypam

[Guest SonjaAndStella]

What do you think it was about the green bag that worked? I would be all for it if it didn't have the chicken by-product! Maybe the beet pulp? If so, I can look for that in other diets.

 

Thank you!!

[RedHead]

I don't think there is anything magical about the Green Bag other than it has a larger amount of beet pulp added. Psyllium husks are another additive that you can try if you can't find beet pulp (as it is sold in stores for humans ). Start with a tsp in warm water over kibble and work your way up as needed. I don't feed kibble so have no experience, but a lot of dogs seem to do well on the Purina ProPlan formulas.

Edited February 16, 2016 by RedHead

[Hubcitypam]

It is the high beet pulp. It regulates the water in their intestines...or something like that. Over the years more than a couple of people have tried to add beet pulp from the feed store but you have to buy it in huge bags for horses. One GTer was giving it away for cost of postage.

As far as by products I'll say again that my neighbors pay good money for by products at the grocery store. Chicken feet, pig tails, fresh green unbleached tripe (that people pay a ton for canned}, fresh pig ears and snouts, tails, kidneys, livers, calves hooves, hearts (which are pricey) kidneys, beef tongue (which was often in our fridge when when I was growing up) etc. They're all alive happily eating by products.

[Guest picopaco]

Have you tried giving them probiotics? I think this is helping my sensitive stomach girl.

[GeorgeofNE]

What makes you want to steer away from chicken?

 

My boy eats Taste of the Wild pacific stream. Second greyhound I've had on it. He loves it, and his poos are spectacular!

[Guest SonjaAndStella]

I wanted to steer away from chicken because in case it is a food allergy, I'd just like to cut out chicken, eggs, and beef (since they're more common protein allergens), and grain, just because I'm tired of switching her food! I'd rather cut out everything it might be at once and just be done with it. I switched her to 4health grain free whitefish and potato at the beginning of this week, and so far her BMs are more normal and not runny! Yay!! I swear she's also softer already (her coat is normally coarse). I'm hoping she continues to do well on it! I really appreciate everyone's suggestions! 4health also has beet pulp in it, which I'm happy about.

[GreytTerp]

It's definitely different for every dog, but we swore that our guy had a chicken/all poultry intolerance before we caved and started on IAMS green bag. He has done great for 2 years now on the green bag, and I just add in small amounts of a fish-based food to balance it out from time to time. It's so hard to find a food that actually has no chicken-derived anything in it. Good luck!

[Guest k9soul]

I recently moved to Zignature limited ingredient formula. They do have ones without chicken (I'm on the turkey formula). So far mine have done well on it. Cole started having excessive gas on the TOTW I was feeding before.

 

Here's its ingredient list: Turkey, Turkey Meal, Peas, Pea Flour, Chickpeas, Sunflower Oil (preserved with Citric Acid), Pea Protein, Flaxseed, Natural Flavors, Dried Beet Pulp Potassium Chloride, Calcium Chloride, Salt, Chorine Chloride, Minerals (Zinc Proteinate, Iron Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Poteinate, Cobalt Proteinate), Vitamins (Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Folic Acid, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement), Blueberries, Carrots, Cranberries, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols

 

They have formulas with duck, fish, kangaroo and lamb. I felt better moving away from a food with so much potato as I was suspicious of that possibly being a cause of the gas issue.

[GreyTzu]

We have fed Purina One lamb and rice for years with no issues.

[krissy]

I've had fantastic success with Hill's J/D. Beautiful coats (the omegas are good for more than just joint health!) and they never have as good poops on anything else. It's a great active adult food, but also a good senior diet, which is nice because it means no transition potentially. I have my young agility dog on it as well as my almost 11 year old.

[GreyhoundGirl]

I tried all the expensive foods and it gave Mason horrible diarrhea. We finally settled on the green Iams bag. He did great on it until Butthead went on a hunger strike. We just switched (back) to Putrina Sensitive Skin and Stomach and he's doing great on that too. (Molly has a cast iron stomach and can eat anything.)

[Guest Moonie12]

I am in the process of switching Moonie from Science Diet z/d to Zignature the duck formula. He has had no luck with any food. I recently had him tested for food allergies and duck is one of the three proteins he is not allergic to. I really hope it works! It's almost half the price of that Rx z/d food.... that made his stomach rumble and gave him bad diarrhea. I have read that some of the Zignature formulas have a high percent of sodium so pay attention to it if you don't want extra potty breaks. I do like the limited ingredients this brand offers.

[Guest SonjaAndStella]

I so appreciate all of your input! She's been on the 4health whitefish and potato for a few weeks now, and she hasn't had any diarrhea so far. Her poo is still softer than my boys is, and I'm trying to decide if that's just how hers is going to be. It could definitely be better, but it's not diarrhea, so that's something.

[lukasmom]

Look up olewo carrots here on greytalk. Have had great sucess with it. All natural organic dehydrated carrots. Good stuff.

[Guest SonjaAndStella]

Okay! I do have another question... it seems like not a lot of people on here feed Mister Buck's pet food. I'm wondering why?? I think part of the proceeds go to a greyhound rescue and the food has no fillers and has beet pulp. Is there something I'm missing about it??

[Hubcitypam]

I must have my head in the sand as I had no idea many people fed Mr. Bucks. I had to Google it. Beet pulp is very high on the ingredient list so it might be worth a try. With Rex it wasn't the runs so much as something I had to hose in the yard as opposed to scoopable.

[Loves2dogs]

Hi all; just got a notice from Dog Food Advisor about a recall:

 

Nestle Purina has announced it is voluntarily recalling select lots of its Beneful and Pro Plan dog foods because they may not contain the recommended level of vitamins and minerals.

 

Just heard on the news last night that one of the Nestle plants is moving to Mexico, not sure about dog food but plan to stop buying Oreo cookies.

​

Regarding what to feed, when I got my first Grey almost 4 years ago I had to switch to chicken kibble because she had horrible poops from lamb & rice that I had started her on. I've always rescued Afghan Hounds and the lamb & rice was fine with them (over 30 years). At the time I got Carrera I still had one Afghan so they both were switched and things have been pretty good now....I do have to add pumpkin every once in a while....seems to get soft poop when it starts to get hot here (?). Now that I've adopted Recon and my last Afghan has passed, I've been forced to give up Fromm's Chicken ala Veg and went to Kirkland chicken, the cost just got too prohibitive because he is a real food hog! Afghan's just don't eat like Greyhounds. His poops are on the soft side most of the time, didn't notice any difference in changing brands....so I deal with it & keep a stock of pumpkin around which he gets most everyday. I also give them yogurt once in a while. It seems Greyhounds have a problem with soft poop, maybe just the way it is.

 

 

[Guest SonjaAndStella]

The Mr. Buck's is around $1/pound and they ship it to you! I'm not sure if it will work for my girl or not. It has a little chicken in it, but I can't be sure it's the chicken that bothered her.

Thank you for posting about the recall!!

[Hubcitypam]

The Purina recall is for wet food not kibble.

[Guest SonjaAndStella]

What makes you want to steer away from chicken?

 

My boy eats Taste of the Wild pacific stream. Second greyhound I've had on it. He loves it, and his poos are spectacular!

I've seen so many controversial comments on here about TOTW, about recalls and such. I love their ingredient list and the fact you can get it on chewy.com for a discounted price. You've never had an issue with it??

[JenniferS]

My girl gets Taste of the Wild Pacific Steam and does well on it - she poops a lot, but it's mostly good poops. I have had several dog walking clients whose dogs (all breeds) were not liking their Blue Buffalo, they switched to Taste of the Wild and loved it!