My Bluetick Coonhound Dale (the 4 yr old) was on Nutro Venison and Rice/Oatmeal until recently when I had to switch due to issues with Nutro – and my dogs were getting sick off of it when they never had before. My 9 yr old Bluetick that had thyroid issues started losing weight rapidly (like meany of the dogs on the consumer site) but we figured her thyroid levels needed adjusted as she was still eating with gusto and playing – she died before we could get her to the vet. My other two dogs had upset stomachs and were eating grass and throwing up so after reading the consumer site – I thought it best to switch dog foods. For years – Nutro was a good food and my dogs did well on it – until Pedigree Mars took it over recently is when my issues with it started. I just hope that they don’t have an issue with the Nutro also having problems with salmonella and are choosing not to disclose it because Nutro Natural choice is supposed to be more holistic of a dog food – I wouldn’t want to see more dogs getting sick.
Anyway – I switched to Canidae and everyone is doing well on it, except Dale looks a little more tubby than he did on the Nutro Venison Rice Oatmeal – like he has an intolerance to the barley and the millet in it. I was told that dogs can have an intolerance to grains and even if they don’t show an allergy symptoms it can make them gain weight. So I was thinking I would either change to the Merrick Wilderness (lower protein- 24% – he had no issues with rice/oatmeal in other dog food), Canidae grain-free (since they are doing well on it save for the grain and I might stick with Canidae because of that – 34% protein), or Merrick Before Grain Buffalo (32% – and the ingredients sound good for grain – free plus I hear good things about Merrick).
I was considering grain-free because a lot of people advocate feeding either grain free or Raw and say their dogs do well on it. Now the Merrick carbs sound good as they are complex carbs and brown rice which most dogs tolerate well (better than barley or millet) – so that was my other option for feeding. Does anyone have any opinions or experience (save for the Canidae grain-free that isn’t out yet?)
Merrick Wilderness:
Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein (Not Less Than) 24.0%
Crude Fat (Not Less Than) 15.0%
Crude Fiber (Not More Than) 2.5%
Moisture (Not More Than) 10.0%
Calorie Content:
3661 kcal/kg (calculated) – One pound provides 1660 kcal of metabolizable energy (calculated). One cup (100 grams) provides 366 calories (Caloric content calculated using Modified Atwater Method).
Ingredients:
Buffalo, Oatmeal, Barley, Salmon Meal, Venison, Whole Brown Rice, Canola Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols – a source of Natural Vitamin E and Ascorbic Acid, a source of Vitamin C), Flaxseed, Freeze Dried Potatoes, Freeze Dried Carrots, Freeze Dried Peas, Freeze Dried Apples, Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Lysine, Guar Gum, Sea Salt, Choline Chloride, Zinc Amino Acid Complex, Whole Blueberries, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Dried Venison Broth, Whole Garlic, Chondroitin Sulfate, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Natural Venison Flavor, Chicory Root, Marigold Extract, Lactobacillus Plantarum, Enterococcus Faecium, Lactobacillus Casei, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Natural Celery Flavor, Iron Amino Acid Complex, Vitamin E Supplement, Manganese Amino Acid Complex, Natural Caramel Color, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Copper Amino Acid Complex, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin D3, Niacin, Lecithin, Ribofl avin Supplement, Biotin, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Cobalt Amino Acid Complex, Folic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate, Sodium Selenite.
Wilderness Blend is formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Dog Food nutrient profiles for all life stages.
Canidae Grain Free ALS
CANIDAE All Natural Ingredients
Chicken meal, turkey meal, lamb, potatoes, peas, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), lamb meal, ocean fish meal, tomato pomace, natural flavor, choline chloride, sun cured alfalfa meal, inulin (from chicory root), lecithin, sage extract, cranberries, beta carotene, rosemary extract, sunflower oil, yucca schidigera extract, dried enterococcus faecium, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried aspergillus oryzae fermentation extract, dried bacillus subtilis fermentation extract, saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation solubles, vitamin E supplement, iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, copper sulfate, potassium iodide, thiamine mononitrate, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, ascorbic acid, vitamin A supplement, biotin, calcium pantothenate, manganese sulfate, sodium selenite, pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6), vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin, vitamin D supplement, folic acid, cobalt proteinate, organic selenium, papaya, pineapple.
Merrick Before Grain
Guaranteed Analysis:
Cru
Sorry – looks like it cut some of my ingredient list off of this question . Also here is the consumer link on Nutro issues:
http://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/nutro.html
