Royal Canin...(I can't believe I'm saying this)

Hey, I copied one of the studies that RC gave us and am posting it here (it's basically saying that the TDN of corn (and it's derived meals respectively) have more digestable nutrients than a few other grains (which I know is not comparing it to animal protein, but keep in mind there are sufficient animal protein in this diet as well):

PROTEIN
FAT
CRUDE FIBER
NITROGEN FREE EXTRACT (CARBOHYDRATE)
VITAMIN A
CAROTENE
LINOLEIC ACID
TOTAL DIGESTIBLE NUTRIENTS
CORN
8.0%
3.5%
2.9%
80%
2.2 IU/G
3 MG/KG
2.0%
80%
WHEAT
13.0%
1.9%
3.0%
77%
-
-
0.65%
79%
BARLEY
11.5%
1.9%
5.0%
76%
-
-
0.25%
71%
SORGHUM
11.0%
2.8%
10.0%
79%
-
-
1.2%
78%

*The table above compares the nutrient value of several grains commonly
used in pet food. As you can see, corn is superior in several areas,
versus the other grains:

- Corn contributes moderate levels of protein for muscle building
and maintenance.
- Corn contributes higher fat levels for energy and is rich in the
essential fatty acid ? linoleic acid, necessary for healthy skin and a
shiny coat.
- Corn contains a moderate amount of fiber needed for proper
digestion.
- Corn is rich in nitrogen free extract (carbohydrates) which are
used by the pet for energy.
- Corn contains both Vitamin A and Carotene, necessary for healthy
skin, bone growth and vision. Both act as antioxidants and as an immune
system booster.
- Corn contains a higher percentage of total digestible nutrients
and is therefore more bioavailable to the pet.

In conclusion, corn is a highly digestible grain, a great energy source
and an excellent source of linoleic acid making it a good choice for your
pet?s diet.

I wanted to highlight something that not a lot of people may realize but that you will in your education. And I know this from personal experience with my cat who, in her last year, had diminished function in her kidneys. A by-product of consuming animal protein is the release of nitrogen. The nitrogen is then filtered out in the kidneys and passed out in urine. When the kidneys don't work so well in an aged or sick pet, the nitrogen backs up in the system, causing lethargy and nausea. Protein from grains and other carb sources is referred to as NFE ( nitrogen free extract, as in protein and other minerals) and is a source of protein that is handy for ailing pets. In regular food, it too can help ease the burden on the kidneys, though, according to petDIETS.com, there is no evidence to support the idea that a high protein diet weakens the kidneys but that it could overburden weak or ailing kidneys. So, there is a reason, especially in rx diets for the placement of grains.

thanks ron

The more I am reading about this, the more I am happy with the food and the science and research they put behind it.  I also like that this food contains fructo-oligosaccharides which are "good sugars" that are a non-digestible carbohydrate that favors balanced intestinal flora and may help reduce the risk of diarrhea while improving palatability (for the picky ones). 

I just want to express a spat of excitement.....today (since I switched) was the first time he EVER finished a bowl of food [sm=eek.gif] []

Papillon,
I've been using Royal Canin Mini Special 30 for several months now for my Schnauzer and Toy Fox Terrier. The results have been great -- shiny coats and small stools. My understanding from talking to Royal Canin is that the Special 30 is both extruded and baked, an unusual combination that makes the kibble softer and easier to chew.

Above all, this is a food my pickier Toy Fox will eat. If you peruse the RC Web site (www.royacanin.us), you'll see that they use a new kind of palatability enhancer in certain lines of their dog food that goes beyond just typical digest.

By the way, I just joined this forum after lurking for a few weeks. What interested me are that there are a handful of posters like you who are willing to consider science and results rather than just ingredient lists or the latest dog-food fads. I went through a two-year journey on this subject myself when my last Schnauzer and Westie each died of cancer within three weeks of each other -- both just 10 years old and healthy until then. I started reading all kinds of dog-food forums and Web sites and thought that maybe the dog food I had fed (Nutro Natural Choice) had somehow contributed to their deaths. When I got my new dogs, I begin feeding them all kinds of ultra-premium and holistic foods -- including Innova and Canidae -- and even tried raw. I became a dog-food snob, trying to tell others to stop feeding mainline dog foods because they weren't good enough.

Eventually, I realized that I was feeding based on emotions rather than on logic. I began reading information on dog nutrition from veterinary nutritionists (i.e, petdiets.com), and these experts say that you don't learn a whole lot by reading ingredient lists. You depend instead on extensive research by large, reputable dog-food companies and judge a food based on the results when you feed it.

So I no longer tell people which dog foods to feed. And I've discovered that foods like Pro Plan (gasp!) and Eukanuba and probably even Pedigree (double gasp!) are perfectly nutritious by seeing how my own dogs do on them.

I choose Royal Canin because the company behind it does a lot of research and because it has a lot of quality controls in place -- and because my dogs like the food. The calorie count for Speical 30 is high (517 kc), so I can feed less and clean up less. Plus, I can't help but still be influenced by a nice ingredient list, even if nutrients matter much more than ingredients.

Hope your dogs do well on RC Mini Speical. If not, try another food they like.

glad to here y'alls dogs are doing well on RC. I feed a difernt RC kibble and mine also is doing great. He shnarffs it up like it is caviar. Looks awesome compared to when  I fed other brands and it has his skin/coat looking really good (finally).

My BIGGEST problem with RC, and yes, I did feed it, is that it COSTS as much or more than Innova, while the ingredients make it basically a mid-grade food.  The ingredients in RC do not justify the cost.
 
I think that the "science" with many of the food companies involves spending the LEAST amount possible and charging the highest price possible.  IF dogs were MEANT to eat corn as their primary protein source they wouldn't poop soooooo much of it out.  On a super premium, on homecooked and on RAW especially, my SIX german shepherds leave less than the cockers ever did.  And there were only FOUR of them.  On Purina Large Breed puppy, per the vet, it looked like I was running horses in my back yard with TWO pups.  On RC it was somewhat more reasonable, but still a challenge...which tells me that they weren't USING what they ate.....

kmitch-- That you so much for sharing! So far he has cleaned his bowl everyday since I switched, and he has only been pooping once a day with great stools.  I also have noticed that he seems a bit more energetic (didn't know that was possible) but I definately see a difference!  With the other premium foods I have tried, I never saw a difference....nothing was bad, I just never saw any great changes in anything about how he acted, ate, etc.  I'm very excited and hope that the results keep up (of course I will update as things progress).

As far as corn goes...I have no problems with it as long as it's not high up on the ingredient list.....if your dog isn't allergic to it, it is a good source of energy.