help me choose: which of these are "better" (janetmichel3009)

 I would choose the food that is closest in ingredients and nutrient profile to the prescription food since your dog digested it better than what she had been eating.  Also, corn is not a filler.

From what I understand , corn is a filler and also high in sugar. This is what I was told in checking on foods for our allergic dal. Also,more corn--more dog waste.

maizysmom

From what I understand , corn is a filler and also high in sugar. This is what I was told in checking on foods for our allergic dal. Also,more corn--more dog waste.

Corn is highly digestible when processed as it is for pet food. It also has nutritional value and thus is not a filler.

White corn has no sugar... yellow has a small amount, more than wheat but less than barley or brown rice.

Janet, I agree with jessies_mom... the one that is closest to the food you're currently feeding would probably work best. Otherwise, just from the information available, I would lean toward the Optima. 

Punch in--corn filler in dogfood---go to #8 and see what it says about corn.  It states this on other sites .

Corn is NOT good for allergies.She is better  off homecooking,than any of those 3

maizysmom

Punch in--corn filler in dogfood---go to #8 and see what it says about corn.  It states this on other sites .

Corn is NOT good for allergies.She is better  off homecooking,than any of those 3

maizysmom, I don't know where you are getting your information, but it is incorrect. I don't know which search engine you are using or what link #8 is, but it really doesn't matter. There is quite a bit of internet propaganda out there concerning corn.

The following quotes come directly from a reputable source, the book Small Animal Clinical Nutrition:

"There have been only six confirmed cases of allergy to corn in dogs reported in the veterinary literature out of 253 total cases."

"Corn is a nutritionally superior grain compared with others used in pet foods because it contains a balance of nutrients not found in other grains.  Corn provides a highly available source of complex carbohydrates and substantial quantities of linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid important for healthy skin.  Corn also provides essential amino acids and fiber.  In a survey of veterinary dermatologists, corn was not listed among the ingredients most often suspected to cause food allergies.  A review of over 200 confirmed canine cases of food allergy in the veterinary literature revealed only three were caused by corn."

"Several reports (3) indicate that dogs and cats readily digest starches in commercial pet foods.  In studies, dogs were fed foods in which 30 to 57% of the food came from extruded corn, barley, rice or oats.  The starch was nearly 100% digested in the small intestine."

OK-- I punched in   corn filler in dog food  When it came up I saw # 6 not #8 and that was by Flint River Ranch.

I know we were told this before.   I have internet explorer.  My mistake was that it was #6 for that info.

..while corn may be very digestible...I still don't want to see it as the main ingredient in a food I feed my dog. I want to see meat. The problem is most of the companies that use corn, use it as their main protein source. That is what I don't like.

Also,I 'm not argueing, but I'M going by what I was told and now read.  With allergies your head starts to spin---I've never read so many food labels in my life as far as dog food.

maizysmom

Also,I 'm not argueing, but I'M going by what I was told and now read.

You have to consider the source though. The Flint River Ranch article doesn't cite a source, their information directly contradicts research studies, and they have a monetary interest in making corn look bad.

OTOH, the study ottoluv posted was conducted by the Department of Animal Sciences, University of Illinois and Small Animal Clinical Nutrition is a common veterinary study textbook and reference text.

Corn is by no means a complete protein source and should not make up the bulk of a food. It should be used as a supplement in a meat based food, as it is missing some amino acids that are found in meat. However it is not a filler, does not contain a large amount of sugar, and is not a common allergen.

aww man... you guys are confusing me......

anyways, just checked the ingredients of the food moca was doing well on, and none of those come even close to it. i'm hesitant about homecooked, cause i have a chaotic lifestyle and barely even cook for myself. right now i feel like i'm up for it, but my sister, who helps me with the dogs, is leaving soon and my job situation is also about to change, meaning i will be more busy. i WANT to do everything i can for my dogs, but i'm afraid, that i'm just not diciplined enough.. this really sucks....

i dont know what to do. any ideas?

ps: oh yeah. i don't order stuff online. i dont have a credit card, and even if i did, i still wouldnt use it to order stuff online.... that's just me...

well, the science diet is probably the worst of the bunch-- chicken then corn means it's almost entirely corn because the chicken is mostly water. Corn's ok as an energy source for dogs, but if it makes up the bulk of the food your dog is NOT getting anywhere near the amount of protein the food claims it contains, because corn is deficient in certain amino acids.

The optima has chicken then chicken by-product meal, which means it's mostly chicken by-products. Far superior to corn, but who knows what is really in it.

Eukabana looks about the same as the optima, but I like the grains in the optima better than the flour in the eukabana.

Why don't you just stick with royal canin? it's usually decent. Give the dog benadryl for the allergies (probably environmental), and supplement the royal canin with some of your food- you must eat something. Fish, eggs, meats are all great things to supplement a dog's diet with.  

i'd want to stick with royal canin, but her digestion is kinda weak on it. i did find another optima formula. "lamb&rice for joints" or something like that. it's the only one without any corn. i think i will try it. you never know...

janetmichel3009

i'm hesitant about homecooked, cause i have a chaotic lifestyle and barely even cook for myself. right now i feel like i'm up for it, but my sister, who helps me with the dogs, is leaving soon and my job situation is also about to change, meaning i will be more busy

  Homecooking is not anywhere near as "difficult" or "involved" as some people make it seem. It's basically EXTREMELY simple.  Food can be made all at once in batches and then frozen for later use.  I used to make up veggie patties and freeze them, just had to thaw one out ahead of time to feed that day.  Easy to make... using virtually ANY fresh veggies....bok choy, lettuce, spinach, broccoli, carrots, sweet potatos, potatoes, green beans, peas, squash etc ( No Onions, Mushrooms )... you can mix in any combination you feel like into a blender or food processor then add some fresh fruits... blueberries, cranberries, apple, melon, apricots, figs etc ( no grapes ).... mix the entire thing up...add in your supplements....something similar to MISSING LINK is probably the easiest to use... make into patties sized appropriately for your dog , put on wax paper and freeze.  Meat can be cooked, crockpotted or whathaveyou ahead of time as well and portioned out into containers or ziplock bags.  Just PLAIN meat... chicken, liver, gizzards, lamb, rabbit, fish, duck, etc.  You can buy complete vitamin tabs, fish oil caps, etc at most pet supply stores.  If you just take a few hours out each week to prepare for the week , feeding your dogs can be as simple as just thawing out a portion in the fridge before bed for the morning meal and putting another in the fridge to thaw out for the evening meal.
 

Those are literally the only dry foods available to you? I would just pick the cheapest (since they all seem similar) and then supplement with raw...