brookcove
Posted : 6/4/2006 5:25:37 PM
Hot here in NC but probably we are getting more rain LOL!
If your dog is healthy he probably can benefit from increasing the protein energy versus the carb energy in what you offer (compare ratios of carbs to proteins from formula to formula). It is possible there is a Nutro formula that would accomplish this. It's not really the grains
per se that makes it most hard for your dog o lose weight - it's forcing him to get his energy from carbs rather than protein and fat as he's supposed to.
Simply look for a higher protein ration and then offer slightly less than the recommended feeding rates as calculated by comparing the Kcals per cup between your current food and the new one. Always consult your vet and ask him or her about increasing your excercise levels, also.
Now you CAN get protein from plant sources rather than animal sources, which is the main way less expensive foods save money. So if you wish to play around with this also, follow some of the excellent advice on this forum to learn how to interpret a label and get what you are looking for. Even the most apparently well-meaning manufacturers play games with labeling to make their foods look as good as possible and it's not just Purina the Evil Empire that does this. [
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For instance, you might see a food that has a meat listed as the first ingredient. If you are interested in ensuring as much meat is being fed to your dog as possible, you have to take into account the facts that
a) Just meat includes the weight of the water and labels list ingredients by weight - the rest of the ingredients are almost always dehdyrated in some form; and
b) Manufacturers are allowed to split ingredients and list them seperately - so rice might be listed three times right after the meat as rice, rice bran, and rice flour - but it's all rice and if you put it together very likely it would weigh MORE than your meat without the water (which is how it is incorporated into the kibble after all).
I can't remember the Mordanna site but I'm sure someone can help you there - or you can glance around and find it pretty quickly.
You will drive yourself crazy looking for the PERFECT food. The best food works well for your budget, does what you were hoping to accomplish for your dog, and suits your lifestyle and shopping choices. I do not feed foods with shark cartilege in them, for instance, and I prefer foods without beet pulp because it puts a red tinge in my black dogs' pretty coats. [
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Good luck!