Dog Community

Nutrisource

Posted : 8/16/2008 12:38:07 AM

I started my GSD pup out on Nutro Natural Choice, but couldn't get him to eat any of it. From there I went to Diamond Naturals and he ate it but developed terrible dry and itchy skin. So, I switched him to Nutrisource large breed puppy (he is 14 weeks old). I have been having tremendous success with this brand-his coat is no longer as dry, he is eating all his food, his scratching has almost ceased to exist AND his missing hair from the itching is starting to grow back. My question is, is this a quality dog food? I have realized that once a month I will be driving through a large town that does sell alot of higher quality dog food brands (still over 100 miles from here) and can find something better, but I can buy the Nutrisource locally (35 miles away). This is the ingredient list for the large breed puppy:

Chicken, chicken meal, white rice, brown rice, whole grain wheat, corn gluten meal, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), barley, oatmeal, beet pulp, fish meal (a source of fish oil), natural flavors, flax seeds, potassium chloride, dried egg product, brewers yeast, sunflower oil, salt, proteinated minerals (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, cobalt proteinate), yeast culture (saccharomyces cerevisiae, enterococcus faecium, lactobacillus acidophilus, aspergillus niger, trichoderma longibrachiatum, bacillus subtillis), DL Methionine, vitamins (vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3 supplement, vitamin E supplement, niacin, pantothenic acid, thiamine mononitrate, pyridoxine hydrochloride, riboflavin supplement, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of vitamin K activity), folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12 supplement), glucosamine hydrochloride, taurine, ascorbic acid (vitamin C), chondroitin sulfate, choline chloride, yucca schidigera extract, calcium iodate, sodium selenite, rosemary extract.

I do realize there are a few questionable ingredients: corn gluten meal, chicken fat, beet pulp, etc. but are they in too high of a proportion to the rest of the ingredients?

I have been supplementing with a packet of Nutro Natural choice wet food daily, but would like to switch that to Evanger's 95% wild game meats that I used to feed since I will be able to buy them once a month now or can order them online.

Any input/suggestions would be very much appreciated. I hope everything I have said has made sense.

brookcove

Posted : 8/16/2008 8:41:07 AM

Chicken fat is fine. Beet pulp is actually fine too - it's got a function as a prebiotic and gi conditioner. Not one of my favorites for this purpose, but it's okay. Corn gluten meal annoys me because it's a way to raise the protein levels without adding more meat. I know why they do this (it's not just to lower the costs for them, though it does help), and there's much better ways to do that.

I only use a food with corn gluten meal if I have no choice in the matter - and lately I've been making all my own so I have lots of other choices!

brookcove

Posted : 8/16/2008 8:43:16 AM

I didn't see the menadione - that's strike two on this food. I'd be looking elsewhere as this point, not waiting for an arbitrary third strike. There are much better foods in the price range. Does anyone around you sell the Diamond Naturals line?

ron2

Posted : 8/16/2008 9:05:29 AM

brookcove
I didn't see the menadione

DL Methionine

That's what it is in the op's ingredient list.

tony

Posted : 8/16/2008 9:44:57 AM

Listen to what your dog tells you, he will know what works better for him than anybody on the internet will.

brookcove

Posted : 8/16/2008 12:34:27 PM

ron2
brookcove
I didn't see the menadione

DL Methionine

That's what it is in the op's ingredient list.

Oops, no, what I meant was (wasn't awake yet), I didn't see the menadione that is listed the first time I responded. Menadione and DL Methione are two different things.

Menadione is fake vitamin K - or rather it is a chemical that the body can convert into vitamin K. Current research indicates there is no need for this possibly risky ingredient as a healthy probiotic environment will produce vitamin K right in the GI. The question is whether the conversion process is actually a healthy one - similar to the idea that melamine is a protein (nitrogen) source, but basically the effort to convert it shuts the kidneys down as it tries to handle the by-products.

Menadione is obviously not that bad, but I figure why make my dog's kidneys work when they already have a system in place to produce what they need naturally from whole foods? If you feed your dog just a bite from your dinner every so often, or an egg or yogurt every so often, or a little homemade treat like my stews, he'll produce plenty of K all on his own with no risk to his kidneys or liver.

DL methione is an essential amino acid, a precursor (with lysine), to taurine and carnitine, both required for heart and circulatory health.