Dog Community

Puppy feeding question

Posted : 12/18/2006 12:43:37 PM

Hi, Our now 11 week old puppy Misty was started off on the Nutro Natural balance puppy food, and I started transitioning her over the Canidae about 8 days ago. (we have had her three weeks) When I took her for shots today, the vet went on and on about how bad this food must be if it's an "all life stages" food (granted, I don't even think she had ever heard of it, since it was written in the chart as "Can A Day"!) and even though I tried to explain my reasoning for using this brand, she insisted that I should switch Misty over immediately to either Science Diet puppy, Iams Puppy or Eukanuba puppy. When I told her I will not feed my dog a corn based food, she started telling me something about puppies not being total carnivores and that they eat the intestines of some animal that is an herbivore, and how they need some vegetation in their diets too. Corn is really not a vegetable in my opinion.
Some of the members of another forum I go to really like the Chicken Soup puppy food, so I may consider that. I will not use any of those ones the vet recommended though. Why do they recommend such crappy foods???? So the dogs will have skin allergies and other ailments and need to be treated more often? I really wish I could find a holistic vet practice!
Oh, and Misty has gained 5 lbs in the three weeks that we've had her, so she is obviously thriving on her food. I just don't get it.
Would you switch to something else, or stick with the Canidae? I could get the chicken soup food and transition her over to that since we have about 10lbs of Canidae left. I know there are some other fabulous foods out there, it's just SO hard to get them. I can easily get CS food, but I have to jump through hoops to get anything else, even the Canidae.

Roxie865

Posted : 12/18/2006 12:50:38 PM

As I've read on the forum, most vets do not know much about nutrition. Hell, even my vet told someone it was fine to feed her cat Meow Mix. And of the three he recommended, SD is the worst (IMO).

"Can-A-Day" ([sm=rotfl.gif]) is really good, and if your dog actually likes the taste, I'd continue with it. I've read how many dogs, including my own, wouldn't touch it. CS is good, too, but its k/cals are lower than Canidae's. If I'm not mistaken, they cost about the same here, which makes Canidae the better deal. You don't have to feed as much, so you spend less.

lisa4kids1pup

Posted : 12/18/2006 1:14:02 PM

I think I might do a mix of the chicken soup and the canidae since the CS is much easier for me to locate. I guess that seems weird, but I think once she gets to about 6 mos, I will want to keep her solely on the Canidae, so it will be an easy transition back to it if we have kept it in her diet the whole time. I don't know...but I do know that I am going to print out the labels of the two foods and send a little note to the vet. I really think vets should be better educated in the area of nutrition, as that's such an integral part of dog/cat health. I know our old vet years ago didn't bat an eye when we were feeding our dog Mighty Dog and our cat was getting those packets of that softened food....I forget the name of it. We fed him Meow mix or Purina too. I never gave it a second thought...now, I do. I won't even buy biscuits or treats with corn or wheat in them! I am the same way with my kids most of the time, however we do eat the occasional fast food meal on the go. At home, we have fruits, veggies, 12 grain bread, cheeses, etc... and very, very rarely ever buy soda.

stormyknight

Posted : 12/18/2006 2:00:32 PM

I told my former vet that I was feeding Chicken Soup to my dog and they looked at me with a dumb-founded expression. I asked if they had ever heard of it and they said no, then suggested Iams or Science Diet. I said thanks but no thanks, she's doing good on this food. They seemed to think that because they had not heard of it, then it must not be okay. I ended up switching vets as it became such a point of contention and my current vet has been very supportive of my decision to feed any healthy food that I please. [

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sooner

Posted : 12/18/2006 2:05:00 PM

I try to keep nutrition conversations with my vet limited to

Them "What do you feed?"
Me "Lamb and rice kibble"
Them "Okay"

And that has always worked. I wish vets would be more interested, but until they stop recommending junk, I'm not going to look to them for food advice.

lisa4kids1pup

Posted : 12/18/2006 2:19:39 PM

ORIGINAL: stormyknight

I ended up switching vets as it became such a point of contention and my current vet has been very supportive of my decision to feed any healthy food that I please. []

I am going to call around to the few vet practices in the area and just ask what their beliefs are with regard to food, and see what they say. The old vet we had recommended Royal Canin, but when I said we were feeding Chicken soup at the time (with our former dog who passed) she said "Oh, that's a fine food". Unfortunately, we moved so I cannot use that vet anymore!

(

lisa4kids1pup

Posted : 12/18/2006 2:22:03 PM

ORIGINAL: sooner

I try to keep nutrition conversations with my vet limited to

Them "What do you feed?"
Me "Lamb and rice kibble"
Them "Okay"

And that has always worked. I wish vets would be more interested, but until they stop recommending junk, I'm not going to look to them for food advice.

That's how I feel mostly...I actually stopped seeking out feeding/child rearing advice for my kids from the pediatricians as well. I just felt that I did enough reading and research to know what was best, and if it isn't best, than I have to suffer the consequences later.
I would have never even stated what we were feeding her if they hadn't asked. The funny thing was, I answered "Canidae" with such pride, and then they acted as though I was feeding her arsenic.

ColleenC

Posted : 12/18/2006 3:04:32 PM

I would completely disregard what the vet said about foods. They are not trained nutritionists at all. I prefer to always feed an all life stages food. My mentor, who has his PhD in Animal Nutrition, feeds an all life stages food. If your dog is doing well on the Canidae, don't change. It will cause more upset than good. Don't change what is working. An example, I have a friend who has a Golden Retreiver who is about 14-15 years old (I can't remember if she got him in 3rd or 4th grade). He is still as active as he was as a puppy and has no health problems at all. He has been feed just generic store brand dog foods and Dog Chow. It works for him. I know some people would try to persuade them to feed better food, but he is doing great. So, why change what is working?

Pam

Posted : 12/18/2006 3:21:27 PM

My breeder feeds Canidae ALS to all her bulldog pups and adults. My pup was on it until 4 months. Her poop was beautiful. But she was spitting the round kibbles all over the floor becasue of her teething was hurting her (28 lbs). I swtiched to INNOVA puppy because the kibbles were thin and triangular and no more mess all over the floor. So I just stuck with Innova Puppy. The ingriendents are about the same.

I do add 2 T canned EVO or Canidae, she goes nuts for her food .

starsenchis

Posted : 12/18/2006 3:57:27 PM

Can A Day

Oh, I love it, I love it, I love it- HAHAHAHA
What great laugh!!! I don't think I've laughed so hard in a long time. Thanks for sharing, hehehe.

Heathr6913

Posted : 12/18/2006 4:00:29 PM

I am going to call around to the few vet practices in the area and just ask what their beliefs are with regard to food, and see what they say. The old vet we had recommended Royal Canin, but when I said we were feeding Chicken soup at the time (with our former dog who passed) she said "Oh, that's a fine food". Unfortunately, we moved so I cannot use that vet anymore!

(

I called every single vet in the phone book here (and this is a big city so it was about 4 pages of vets) and I did not find one that recommended anything good. It was science diet, pro plan, and dog chow. I think I may have gotten one eukanuba but that's all. It was sad really.

jenns

Posted : 12/18/2006 6:32:41 PM

ORIGINAL: lisa4kids1pup

When I took her for shots today, the vet went on and on about how bad this food must be if it's an "all life stages" food (granted, I don't even think she had ever heard of it, since it was written in the chart as "Can A Day"!)

[sm=rotfl.gif] That is hysterical! And sad at the same time.

shanmcd

Posted : 12/18/2006 6:41:58 PM

let me guess, your vet probably sells those foods out of the office...right?

I agree that if you are doing anythong "wierd" like refusing to feed your dog popular corn-based dog foods, keep the nutrition info to a minimum at regular check ups...you know if your dog is thriving.

I have the worst time with a new pet sitter! they have a REALLY hard time with the raw diet thing..."wait, DON"T cook it?!?! Are you SURE???"

lisa4kids1pup

Posted : 12/18/2006 7:22:35 PM

ORIGINAL: starsenchis

Can A Day

Oh, I love it, I love it, I love it- HAHAHAHA
What great laugh!!! I don't think I've laughed so hard in a long time. Thanks for sharing, hehehe.

It gave me a good chuckle when I saw it too!

lisa4kids1pup

Posted : 12/18/2006 7:23:15 PM

ORIGINAL: Heathr6913

I am going to call around to the few vet practices in the area and just ask what their beliefs are with regard to food, and see what they say. The old vet we had recommended Royal Canin, but when I said we were feeding Chicken soup at the time (with our former dog who passed) she said "Oh, that's a fine food". Unfortunately, we moved so I cannot use that vet anymore!

(

I called every single vet in the phone book here (and this is a big city so it was about 4 pages of vets) and I did not find one that recommended anything good. It was science diet, pro plan, and dog chow. I think I may have gotten one eukanuba but that's all. It was sad really.

I guess I won't waste my time then. There is a holistic vet, but it's a good hour and a half away, so I am not sure I will try her