“This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links.”
Nestlé Purina PetCare Company (Purina) today announced that it has filed a lawsuit in federal court in St. Louis against The Blue Buffalo Company Ltd., for false advertising, disparagement and unjust enrichment – including violations of the Federal Lanham Act (15 U.S.C. §1125(a)).
Blue Buffalo’s promotion, advertising and packaging repeatedly and unequivocally state that its pet food products contain “NO Chicken/Poultry By-Product Meals.” In its complaint, Purina alleges that testing conducted by an independent laboratory revealed that several of Blue Buffalo’s top-selling “Life Protection” pet food products contained significant percentages of poultry by-product meal. Testing was done from samples of multiple formulas of Blue Buffalo pet food purchased at retail stores on both the East and West Coasts.
The complaint also alleges that testing shows Blue Buffalo “LifeSource Bits” contain poultry by-product meal and corn. In addition, several Blue Buffalo products promoted as “grain-free” actually contain rice hulls, despite Blue Buffalo stating on its website that its “grain-free” products will “free your pet from the grains and glutens that cause allergic reactions in some dogs.”
The complaint estimates that Blue Buffalo spent approximately $50 million in 2013 to promote its claims that Blue Buffalo ingredients are superior to competitors. As a result, Blue Buffalo charges premium prices for its products – significantly more than the pet food products they use for comparison purposes on the Blue Buffalo website.
The lawsuit follows a March 2014 decision of the National Advertising Division (NAD) of the Council of Better Business Bureaus, which found that Blue Buffalo is engaging in misleading advertising practices with respect to its claims about competing products. The NAD decision recommended that Blue Buffalo correct its television ad campaigns by removing all of its allegations that Blue Buffalo’s competitors are misleading consumers.
A copy of the complaint and exhibits can be found at a website Purina has created to highlight its concerns: www.petfoodhonesty.com.
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Shirl
says:Our Mini Schnauzer has been on BB food for 4 1/2 yrs. We have had no problem what so ever with it. Well aside from the fact he is becoming a little bratwurst ( needs more exercise). We recently adopted a 5 yr old Lhasa Apso from our local shelter ( she was a puppy mill breeder, poor thing). I am transitioning her onto the same BB my male eats, and boy is it rough going ( I think the food is too rich compared to what she has been getting in the past). So it is Chicken rice and Cottage cheese with very small amounts of kibble( bought BB for sensitive tummies) in there ( like 6 pieces). I added a few more pieces last night ( maybe 14 in total) and boy did we both pay for that move.
I sincerely hope the allegations are not founded because we have been very happy with your product.
Leena
says:A year and a half ago I fed (Conagra/Nestle/Purina)Baneful to my dog – it made him shake, hunch up trying to walk, drink incessantly, lethargic and pant non-stop. I’ve never seen a dog contorted in that manner. My other 5 yr old dog started peeing in the house. After stopping the food and switching to Blue they were both better. The vet suggested feeding the premium dog food such as Blue and I did. Though I’ve begun making my own food for my old guy who a year ago we were sure he wasn’t long for this world. Now he’s doing great! No gas, lots of energy and he’s happy. My other dog eats Blue and Hundenflocken. He hasn’t peed in the house since. A friend mentioned his dog got into Purina Baneful from a friend’s dog bowl and within a week started having seizures. They removed the Baneful and no more seizures. So, Purina is actually just trying to point fingers elsewhere to get the focus off of the hot seat they are in and how horrible their product/poison really is. Too many have switched to Blue from the toxic Baneful and it must be hurting their bottom line. The coupons for free Baneful are all over Twitter and with information that the Purina plants in Ft. Dodge Iowa any way use products from the rendering plants that aren’t fit for any consumption is no wonder. Dead pigs that have sat for up to 1-2 weeks before being picked up, animals from the vet who have been put down, road kill, toxic moldy corn – that’s in the grand food people actually pay for and feed their dogs from the Purina Corporation(owned by Nestle, owned by Conagra pals with Monsanto). Purina poison won’t ever be found in my pets diets. So, Blue’s competitor Purina IS misleading consumers. Check your food! Test for aflatoxin. It is a poison that comes from corn that has gotten mold and is a common problem in corn based pet food. Symptoms are excessive drinking, shaking, vomiting, seizures, lethargy, inability to “hold it” and eventually death. Major organs like the liver, kidneys are the first to be affected and eventually the heart. Love your dog? Don’t feed them poison! Purina – you should be ashamed of yourselves when all you have to do is change the recipe and no more dogs have to get sick or die. The money they’re spending on this frivolous law suit could be better spent fixing their recipe.
Kathy
says:Carna4 and Nature’s Logic are the best I’ve found through the years. My dogs were getting sick from almost every brand until I found these 2 brands AND they love the taste!!!
mini
says:My Welsh Terrier will eat anything, so long as it has GMOs.
Carol
says:Kristen,
I think you should research Purina, Hills, Royal Canin and Iams before you push them. Just pull up the recall lists on these foods and see what you can find out. I wouldn’t feed that crap to any animal, especially not my own beloved dog.
Purina made my dogs very sick, I stick to Pet Fresh
Tami
says:The only way to go..RAW!! Dont knock it till you research it 🙂 Less expensive, easy to prepare and in MY opinion much safer and healthier, plus you know/control everything your babies eat! I know this is not for everyone and there is a lot of disagreement with the raw diet, however it can be tweaked to fit your needs. I have a 75 lb bully breed and a 5 lb chorkie. Both are on Raw and love it, vet says they are very healthy 🙂
Mark Holland
says:I agree that raw is the way to go. Have raised two pyrs on raw after switching from Blue Buffalo. Feed 2lbs of un-enhanced chicken or beef per day. Their coats are smooth and glossy, “digestive issues” disappeared, breath is fresh, teeth are self-cleaning. Keep an open mind and do some research. Though prices isn’t the issue for me, it’s true that it’s cheaper. Especially in the long run (vet bills!)
Claire
says:I feed Earthborn holistic grain free food. I also feed Nature’s Variety grain free frozen raw bits, and Stella & Chewey’s dry raw. I have Pomeranians and each one has a specific eating problem. With these foods they are all doing very well.
I have tried Blue and my dogs would not eat it. I also use to use Taste of the Wild which is a great food as long as its not made in a Diamond plant.
Christine
says:Too funny Claire, I feed my 2 dogs the same exact foods as you do. Earthborn, Nature’s Variety frozen raw bits, and Stella and Chewy’s freeze dried patties (which I’m assuming you meant as dry raw).
Jean
says:If the use of vitamins and minerals all sourced from China wasn’t enough — maybe this will wake people up
Mary
says:unsubscribing due to your one-sided reporting … and absolutely still committed to BB
Kat
says:So nice to see biased reporting from the Dogington Post. Blue Buffalo has issued a response – twice, but those statements weren’t included in this article. Taking sides with the big giant chain, huh? Whether the allegations are true or not will be up to the courts. Unfortunately the smear campaign will go far and wide before it even gets that far.
BlueBuffalo Nestle Purina Response
patty skupaka
says:I don’t think the courts would take tis case if the findings weren’t proven to be true. Big companies think they can get away with sneaking ingredients in pet food. I for one do not believe their follow up responses when you can’t believe them period.
Esther
says:I got this in my email today. I guess this is why Purina is suing Blue. They’ve cornered the market on crap food and are now trying to reinvent themselves. They’ve got to discredit the competition so people will take this new food of theirs seriously. $62.99 for a 24lb bag of grain-free salmon (which still has chicken meal in it). Thats more than what I pay for Fromm! justrightpetfood.com
“You’re invited to try a new personalized
dog food, Just Right® by Purina®.
You’re one of the first to hear about a new dog food unlike anything we’ve offered before—Just Right® by Purina®. It’s a personalized dog food that combines your first-hand knowledge of your pet with our nutritional expertise. We’ll even ship it to your door for free. Create a blend for your dog by registering with the invitation code below.”
frederick davidson
says:for those of you that are really looking for a top of the line grain free feed for your pets try taste of the wild i am a disabled army veteran and my wife has done owner trained for my service dog and before we ever started she did ALOT of research on all feeds and taste of the wild was the best
Nicole
says:Definitely consider Taste of the Wild, I 1000% agree with Frederick Davidson here. The nutrition is balanced properly, the food really IS grain-free, and it’s greatly improved the skin condition of my allergy-prone dog.
Economics-wise, the 30-lb bag is $42.99 at my local feed store, but the best part of a quality dog food is you feed less… my two 65-lb dogs each get 2 cups a day to maintain weight, so 30 pounds lasts over a month with two large dogs. That’s compared with $55-60 for Blue’s 30-lb bags for a poorer nutrition profile and bigger feeding recommendations.
Obviously there’s no one-size-fits-all brand, but anyone looking for a quality food should definitely take a good look at Taste of the Wild.
Wyatt
says:I have got to agree with you on the ” Taste Of The Wild Food ” I changed to it about 6 months ago, my two Russel’s love the Kibbles and the wet food.
There has been some health benefits from doing so, no more watering eye’s and the larger of the two had a lump on Her side for about two yrs. that kept getting bigger, this disappeared in just a couple of weeks after the food change. And we did take Her to the vet a couple of times just to have it checked, he said leave it alone as long as it wasn’t hurting Her, but the food change corrected the problem.
Tyna
says:Wow. I have been greatly disappointed by all the diatribe that went SO off-course in the replies to this article.
Bottom line – all pets (dogs, cats, and anything you care to add to your family) are, just like us, individuals, and there is no one-food-fits-all. Do your research, read labels, and find a food that agrees with your pet.
This article was discussing false advertising, NOT whether a commercially-prepared food is better or worse than raw food.
Dr. Jacqueline
says:It’s about time! As a veterinary dermatology specialist, I know that over-the-counter pet food is unlikely to solve medical problems and it is illegal for the companies to claim that it will (you require FDA approval to make a medical claim). Advertising prays on the desperation of pet owners who just want the best for their pet, but in reality, seeing a specialist is the best way to fix a medical problem if your family vet can’t do so. We just can’t afford advertising space on TV, so no one knows about us. Please don’t waste your money on fancy food- see a veterinarian if your pet has a problem.
Phillip
says:Let me guess…..you recommend Science Diet?
Suzanne
says:Phillip … My thoughts exactly.
Janet Newcombe
says:What should be against the law, is DR.’s having a degree and practicing “medicine” without any nutritional education. You are all schooled in USING BAND-AIDS! Surgery does NOT cure CANCER, nor do your pharmaceutical drugs! The only food you most likely promote (the same company that pays you kickbacks for every bag of “Rx” food you sell) is Science Diet. From a nutritional stand-point, SCIENCE DIET IS GARBAGE.
Sincerely,
Janet M Newcombe
Manager, Celebrity Pets Holistic Care
Kirsten P
says:It’s crazy to think that surgery AND pharmaceutical drugs saved the lived of both my mom AND sister-in-law from cancer… I mean, I guess we could have tried rubbing some saffron on their temples. What I CAN tell you is that I think your negative attitude and rude comments have definitely put a lot of people off who faster reading this article were looking for helpful information in choosing a new food. You ha the opportunity to put the business you work for out there in a positive helpful light, but instead used it to trash someone. I certainly won’t be looking to you for any advice.
Janet
says:I did not use my company name to trash anyone. I dedicate my LIFE to canine nutrition and go head to head with veterinarians all the time. Pills do NOT cure cancer or any other ailment for that matter. Do you think God made a mistake on the way the body works? Maybe alittle education wouldn’t hurt you at all Kristen P.
Pathetic
says:Just cause u work/own a pet food store means nothing. Ppl went to school for years and your calling doctors out and trying to challenge them? U actually get commission from sales, vets don’t and we have tease arch to back up everything. Clean out your mouth and your head and stop trying to go up against vets, u don’t have schooling like they do and they have the education of nutrition you don’t. Shut your mouth.
Sharon
says:I did, and my vet did what any responsible vet did. I WANTED to test him and had already figured out what some of his food allergies were. She suggested I go the rest of the way on my own, and I did. My dog was originally from a puppy mill and is a breed prone to allergies, and finding out what he’s allergic to by trial and error was probably as expensive in the long run as doing the tests. HOWEVER, his diet is better than anyone else’s in this family. I never fed my pets garbage anyway- he was already on a premium diet, but chicken, beef, even salmon are out, as well as potatoes and a few other things are out. He eats Nature’s Variety Limited Ingredient Lamb- and he loves it.
Kristin
says:That’s funny, Dr. I switched my dog to a grain free food, Fromm and guess what? He stopped getting skin infections. He was allergic to grain. He’d itch and lick and have yeast infections. A pet store owner recommended it to me because a vet couldn’t tell me because they wanted to keep charging me money to treat my dog. He’s scared of the vet to this day because the so called Dr would scrape his infection with a glass slide to look at it under a microscope to charge me even more money. I’m sure there are some dogs that need a dr but mine needed no grain. I’m just glad I had help figuring it out and I found a great new vet.
Kristen
says:I started feeding BB about a year ago and so far it’s the ONLY food that has solved my Greater Swiss Mountain Dog’s “digestive” issues. He went from loose stool every day and horrible gas, bad appetite, upset stomach, etc to the complete opposite…normal stool, minimal gas, no stomach grumbling, good appetite, shiny coat, etc. I’m sticking with this food because whatever is in it, it’s working for my dog. I don’t care what’s in it, my dog is healthy and showing it!! Some people are sensitive to some foods and other people are not. Do what works!!!
frederick davidson
says:Kristen we have found that the best all natural pet food is one called taste of the wild they don’t even advertise in all the year’s we have been feeding it i have yet to see one commercial it is a great food
Billy
says:Lucky you. We’ve been feeding our Swissy BB for 4 months ang his stools have never bend less consistant. Swissy diet is a hard thing to master. Congrats on finding what works for yours.
It’s understandable that all pet parents would be concerned if they felt that a trusted brand was not as they had portrayed themselves. We all love our pets ans want the very best for them. But why is everyone jumping to the conclusion that these allegations are true? Purine certainly has something to gain by filing this lawsuit, in fact even if it’s proven false, will blue buffalo ever completely recover their upstanding reputation? This may well be a marketing scheme for purina to boost it’s own sales and destroy a competitor. I’ve fed my dogs blur buffalo all their lives and I believe and trust in their company. They are innocent until proven guilty, and they are entitled to be believed as such by their loyal customers. If you use blue buffalo and you stop buying it because you “heard” something or “read” something, you are supporting negative propaganda. Do what you feel is right for your pets by all means, do your homework, don’t jump on a bandwagon!
tracy
says:Purina normally doesn’t engage in negative advertising – which Blue Buffalo does. Many dog food companies, not just BB advertise they are ‘by product free’ and are not if you actually understand the way ingredients are classified (often to be misleading, same as in human food). Purina is not going to launch this kind of lawsuit if they have not got good grounds to support it. That said – there is no “PERFECT” universal dog food. If your dog does well on a food, feed it. But if a company misleads consumers about their products – they should be taken to task – it’s called truth in advertising. As a dog professional – I am asked questions about food all the time – I don’t push any brand – I teach owners how to understand the food labels or styles (ie raw) , and how to recognise marketing gimmicks. I believe Wellness brand was chastised for the same misleading style of advertising years ago. By products sound like a bad thing – truthfully, they are not – they are valuable natural sources of beneficial ingredients such as glucosamine (found in cartilage). Which is why they are probably found in the ‘lifesource bits’ of BB. PURINA, Walthams,and Royal Canin do the vast majority of research into animal nutrition. Most other companies create formulas based on this research then, make them appealing to the current trends such as holistic foods, grain free, gluten free. Love your pet? Don’t buy based on marketing, buy according to what is working best for your dog. 🙂
Linda Marks Rogers
says:Thank you Tracy for your comment. So true that pet parents should follow their hearts and feed what is best for their pets. We fed BB for awhile and it did not work for our baby’s digestive issues. We finally got Science Diet to work and it has been doing great for some time now. I have heard so many of you trash this one and that one, but I believe that it is up to the dog’s to choose what is best for them! In the long run they are the one’s that have to be happy and isn’t that what we want for them? 🙂
kim bratten
says:I don’t care what this says. Their food saved my dog from a lot of pain and suffering. When she was little she was stung by a bee and had an autoimmune reaction. She swelled up so bad she bled from her limbs and almost died. She was hospitalized, almost died, and $3000 later she finally came home. After the bee sting she became allergic to everything. She itched, scratched, bit herself, pulled out her hair. She got ear infections all the time. I tried every kind of food and variety. One day the girl at Pet Smart told me to try Blue Buffalo White fish and oatmeal. It was a miracle. She doesn’t bite or scratch anymore. No more ear infections. (unless she cheats and eats other dogs food. Then she is back to having reactions) She is so much happier and I believe 100% they are a superior product. I am so grateful to them and so is Ginny. Thank you so much for your product.
Beth
says:Kim,
Thank you very much for your endorsement of Blue Buffalo White Fish.
I am going to try it for my elderly dachshund. It is sad to watch her
scratch and moan. All the dry flakes.
I love her so much and want her to be comfortable.
Beth
Jan
says:I have a question for all those that feed raw or home cooked meals. The calcium to phosphorus ratio is very important to get correct. How do you do this? How do you make sure it is a balanced diet that will allow your pet to live a long and healthy life?
Janet
says:ALWAYS talk to a real Veterinarian concerning diet and NEVER the internet
carol
says:Most vets are not schooled in nutrition. Most vet schools are funded by large manufacturers like Purina and Eukanuba…the students are practically brainwashed to use these products.
Helen
says:Hahahaha. This is so funny. Why don’t you look at a Vet school student’s curriculum? They are absolutely schooled in nutrition. They even have the option to specialize in nutrition and become Vetrinary nutritionists. The classes are not taught by Purina or any other pet food company either. I think you are the one who has been brainwashed by whatever website you read that on. Maybe you should think about what sort of training the food companies who don’t have a veterinary medicine background have. That would worry me more .
Phillip
says:Please…every vet in the country tells people to use Science Diet….which they happen to all sell. I hate to tell you, but anyone with the least bit of nutritional training knows that Science Diet is definately not a superior nutritional product. That’s why Hills goes out of their way to make sure their natural line, Ideal Balance, is in no way associated with Science Diet.
Jess
says:Jan, talk to a veterinary nutritionist to formulate a complete and balanced diet.
krista
says:Hilary’s blend is a nutritional supplement formulated to mix in with homemade diets. Developed by a veterinarian specializing in nutrition. Good luck.
Bertha
says:There is no more complete calcium to phosphorus ratio than that found in bone. Feed your dog a raw meaty bone!
DrC
says:NEVER feed bones! We see broken teeth and bone shards in intestines every year! This makes dogs VERY ill and can even kill them. If you have to feed a bone feed it ground in the food.
Bertha
says:I’m not listening to you DrC because clearly you have little practical experience. What part of “RAW” meaty bone did you not understand?
Erin
says:I’ve been using Blue Buffalo for 3 years now. I bought it for the reason that it was supposed to be better for my 3 Great Danes because it has no chicken by products and is grain free. Now I find out that it’s all been a lie? WOW Wish they had to give their customers money back on all the food they’ve purchased at the premium prices they’ve charged. They should also be forced to drop the prices to a more competitive level. When I think that I’ve used a 33 pound bag a week for 3 years, all I can say is WOW.
How do you know it’s a lie and why are you so quick to be angry when you don’t know the truth yet? Give them a chance to defend themselves. How are your dogs liking their food? Are they healthy? Are they happy?
Brian Adamson
says:I have a Pit bull named Lola that had skin problems, as well as chronic ear infections that would go away for short periods of time but always came back. She also had awful gas and her poop was almost never firm. I learned that pit bulls tend to have food allergies and corn is one of the biggest causes of food allergies in dogs. Unfortunately almost all national brands of dog food have corn listed as one of the first ingredients. I started searching for a grain free dog food that was not terribly expensive, but had all of the ingredients for a healthy dog. It took a lot of searching but I finally found a dog food that she likes and has everything she needs. Taste of the wild is a grain free food that has real meat (Bison, Venison, Duck, Salmon etc. depending on the formula)listed as the first ingredient, no grains of any kind and it also has chelated minerals. Chelated minerals are much easier for your dog to digest so they are absorbed much easier. A 30lb bag is about $45 but it is worth it. No more skin problems, no ear infections, smaller solid stool and I no longer need a gas mask to be around her. There are many quality dog foods out there so it is best to do a lot of research and try out several brands to see which one works best for your dog. A great site to check out is dog food advisor. DogFoodAdvisor they give very detailed analysis and reviews of just about every dog food out there. They also explain what the ingredients listed for each dog food are any why they are or are not good for your dog. I hope this helps anyone having trouble finding a dog food they can feel good about giving their four legged friend
Kt
says:Do any of you cook?
Handle raw meats, chicken or even worse…..raw hamburger. Have any of your 2 legged family members been to the ER as a result of your poor hygiene?
I wish I could afford to feed a totally raw diet to my 90lb dog instead of half n half……just saying!!
Jackie Connelly
says:Correct me if I am wrong but when food has filler in it isnt the dogs poop larger? We started feeding them BB and noticed how their coats are shinier and poops are smaller in girth. No I didnt measure it. I feel duped right now. I did so much research and our vet agreed to use BB. What should I feed them? We have a 3 yo mini pin who is 20 lbs and an akita/chow mix who is 60 lbs. Thanks.
Jess
says:Jackie – you should feed whatever food you are comfortable with and that your dogs do well on. There’s no one magic ‘best food’. What matters most is that the diet is complete and balanced (look for the AAFCO label on the bag, some pet foods are actually scientifically tested to be sure that they are nutritionally complete and others are ‘formulated to meet’ AAFCO standards).
If you’re comfortable with BB, then keep feeding it. If the knowledge that the company may have been using misleading advertising means you no longer feel that you can trust them, then I would look for another manufacturer, with whatever company ethos you feel fits you and your dogs best – just check for that AAFCO label! Lots of dogs do great on BB! Lots of dogs do great on Purina, too, and on Royal Canin, and on Hill’s.
krista
says:I have toured the Royal Canin plant in ontario. A person could eat off the floor it is so clean and controlled with testing the product before it enters the plant. I like companies that have veterinarians doing the research on the food, such as royal canin/medical, hills/science diet. The price is comparable to the other fad diets out there charging alot for “grain free”, etc. Did you know that corn is the most highly digestible carb for animals when it is ground and added to the food? There are so many lies aout there about diets. People think by products are bad. Jello is a by procuct because it is made from gelatin.
Good luck
Bertha
says:Yikes lady! Personally I would have much more confidence in actual scientists, oh say like Biochemists researching my pet food! Your corn comment is just whack! And Jello is a by product with absolutely no nutritional value -what is your point?
M
says:The royal canin plant does have biochemists at their lab, veterinary nutritionists are highly trained scientists that work with the diets and feeding trials, ground corn IS over 90% digestible and diamonds are a byproduct of the mining industry.. Far from useless!!!!
Patrick
says:I work for an all natural pet food store! If you can’t feed your dog or cat raw then feed a grain free, potato free kibble. Kibble isn’t the best for a dog, Raw food is! Like someone said in an earlier post, animals get the best nutrition eating an animal they killed in the wild, but now there is Primal/Stella and Chewy and other raw animal food. Vets recommend Science Diet and Royal Canin because they get paid to! Both those foods have bad ingredients in them that no animal should eat! Plus Vets want your pet sick so they have a job! Do your research! If you care about your pet then you will educate yourself on proper nutrition! We can’t eat junk food every meal everyday of our lives, so our animals shouldn’t either!
Pamela
says:True, expensive, but true!
DrC
says:I’m so sorry you feel that way. As a veterinarian this really hurts my heart that you feel that we want your pet sick. I have dedicated my life to making pets healthy, not sick. AND WE DO NOT GET PAID BY THESE COMPANIES FOR SELLING THEIR FOOD!! We do it because they are GOOD BALANCED nutrition for our pets.
Raw is NOT the best food for your pet in most cases. I have clients that have their pets on raw food and if its not done correctly it can make them AND you very sick.
Dogs in the wild live until 5 or 6 years…I would hope that you want your pet to live longer than this, and proper nutrition is the key to their health. Our dogs ARE NOT wild and they ARE NOT wolves. They are OMNIVORES meaning that they eat meat AND other things in the wild as well.
Check out this website to learn more…
Pet Food Nutrition
You can make the choice to take your advise from your breeder or the kid at the petstore or the person down the street…but none of these people has gone through 8 years of university training in animal health…just be careful that the advise you are getting is accurate, backed by science, and safe! We all love our pets very much and want them to live long and happy lives, whether you are a veterinarian or not.
Sunni
says:Good for you doc,I don’t believe anything about vet wanting to keep pets sick to treat them. I have 2 vets in my immediate family and they are not about that at all. Dog food is such a contriversal matter but doing your homework and seeing what agrees with your pet is key. Who has time to fee raw, it takes a lot prep and frankly I don’t have time. I have show dogs, who are very healthy, have beautiful coats and great temperments. I rely on my vet to give me good direction and they certainly do.
Me
says:Just curious, but what do you mean Science Diet is balanced? Seems pretty grain-heavy to me. Not supporting the other person’s claims that vets want sick dogs. That’s just nuts. Or that raw is the best. No food is the best.
But I’ve seen so many dogs with healthier skin from grain-free or at minimal corn-free foods. Science Diet has been promoting corn for years. And by healthier skin, I mean dogs on corn heavy diets tend to be greasier and stinkier. Tend to shed more often.
I was also under the impression that Science Diet gives vets numerous items for free or highly discounted prices. Vets don’t get paid by Science Diet, but they don’t seem to pass up free/cheap “prescription” food.
Do they do much nutritional studies in vet school? Again, I was informed that vet schools were more on overall health, diagnosed diseases, urgent care, etc. Not much focus on diets. And any seminars on diets would be sponsored by Science Diet or Purina.
Jess
says:I can’t speak for every vet school, but the one that I have attended has a full academic course on animal nutrition that was not in any way sponsored by a corporate interest.
DrC
says:I see upwards of 20 pets per day in my office and the number of them on kibble diets is large…only a small percentage of them have skin issues.
As for the impression that Science Diet gives us items for free or heavily discounted…not true!
We have to pay for the food just like you guys do when you buy it from us at the vet. These companies like Hills and MediCal invest a lot back into the veterinary profession and on nutritional research, but that does NOT mean that they shove these food products down our throats at school. Not ONCE at school did I feel that we HAD to feed their foods to make animals healthy. I came to that conclusion after doing research for myself.
I would never say that feeding things like Raw food etc are NEVER a good idea. I have several clients with dogs on raw or home cooked foods, and some do well, but some do not.
I understand the science and testing behind the diets I recommend, I feed my own animals these foods and I have a 17 year old German Shepherd and a 3 year old cat, and they are both very healthy and happy with no issues.
It is also a misconception to look at the top three to five ingredients on the food label as these are NOT listed on a Dry Matter Basis. If you take the water content out of meat and look at the actual NUTRITIONAL components like protein/fat/etc. it would not be in the top 5 ingredients for many foods. This is how these companies trick people into thinking that their food is better…when it’s not
We do have courses on pet nutrition in veterinary school and it’s a misconception that we don’t.
I feel so sorry for my poor clients who are wanting to do the best thing for their dogs but are getting different stories from the vet, the pet food store, the breeder etc. It’s crazy.
Patrick
says:Continue to feed corn based food and other by-products which is just filler and junk. How many dogs and cats die of cancer and heart disease in the wild? That is because we as consumers are feeding bad foods from Purina, Iams, Eukanuba, etc.
Cats need moisture and kibble is the worst for them! Can and frozen raw is best. It takes a baggie and 2 seconds to feed raw. Put it in the fridge and allow to thaw, then feed! Pretty difficult???? Not even!
Chuck W
says:Dogs and cats don’t often die of any disease in the wild. They are killed by predators once they are no longer able to defend themselves. Their life expectancy domesticated is much longer than their life expectancy in the wild. You are welcome to feed your dog or cat whatever you want, but a good, balanced diet, easy on the fat meat and easy on sugars and corn is probably best. The cheap dog food will not be as healthy as more balanced (and pricier) foods, but in any event, your pet will last longer at home than in the wild if you treat them well, give them the exercise they need, and keep plenty of water available for their needs, especially on hot days.
Vet tech
says:Brovo Brovo. Very very good post
DrC
Maggie Mae's Mom
says:All of my dogs(GS)died of old age/hip problems. We fed them what we could afford. I’ve been buying 4Heatlh from Tractor Supply it says grain free and I’m ready to go back to Purina.
D Purcell
says:Thank you for replying! Raw is NOT always the answer and has become such a trend that people are jumping into it without speaking to their veterinarians first. Each dog is an individual. The answer may not be in ‘all raw’ OR ‘all kibble’ diets.
Live2Groom
says:Sorry Doc but as a groomer I see probably more pets a day than you. I may not have medical training but I can say the majority of dogs we see on grain free diets are healthier with MUCH less skin problems. I almost always ask my clients what they feed based on the pets skin. Those with the fewest health problems are on Wellness, Blue Buffalo, Nature’s Recipe, Nutro ornother premium grain free foods. Those with the worst problems are on foods like Purina Dog Chow, Pedigree or the worst issues with Beneful (what an awful food!!!) And a good percentage of dogs on science Diet have skin issues. I often recommend they switch to grain free and almost every time the dog improves!! The ones who dont are often diagnosed with another allergy such as grass. I almost NEVER see dogs on premium grain free foods have skin issues. So I must wonder why vets keep recommending grain heavy diets like Hills… hmmm…. its something my vet and I have argued over. And Ive never been given a straight answer. In fact I switched vets. Because my dogs have beautiful skin and coats on grain free kibble!!! Why would I switch to an inferior food if my dogs are healthy?? Why would they push me to do so???
Helen
says:Ok Live2Groom, I wouldn’t ask my hairdresser for advice about any dermatological issues I had, nor any advice about my diet in relation to that. So why do you think you’re qualified to be dispensing that advice? Oh right, as you said, you see lots of pets in a day. Hairdressers see a lot of people in a day but that doesn’t qualify them to diagnose skin problems.
Don’t get me wrong, I am not disrespecting either profession. I think there is a definite need for it. I know I am horrible at grooming pets, and always refer them to a groomer. I am just saying that you need to know the limitations of your training.
I don’t understand some of the other posts too about vets just bring in it for the money. If they really just wanted to make money, why go through 8 years of University (or more to become a specialist)? It would be way easier and more profitable to be a drug dealer.
Kelly
says:DrC, can you provide a website (or even a research paper) that discusses dog food, and that has NO affiliation with a specific food company? The website you provided above is run by Royal Canin, I find that horribly biased. Even the research papers I have read regarding pet nutrition have been at least partially funded or involved scientists who work for Purina, Royal Canin, or Hills.
Bertha
says:I think that its great that you took the time to defend the profession, the poster’s remark was out of line.
However your bias is showing in terms of your remarks towards raw food. It’s funny in the last 20 years I’ve watched vet positions change from outright horror, to yes it’s true but people are not smart enough to do it on their own, to it’s now commercially available but think about the risk to your family!
It’s super that your training allows for you to assess and either accept or reject risky ingredients in food, but please know there are plenty of other vets and professionals that would not agree with your assessment of these risky ingredients and would advise their clients to steer well away from these ingredients.
I find your comparison between wild and domestic dog lifespans weak. Surely you are not suggesting that feral dogs are dying of malnutrition?
Jess
says:Patrick… raw food is NOT necessarily the best for dogs. Remember that they are no longer wild animals, a modern Chihuahua in a suburban home is not identical to a wolf out in Yellowstone. Furthermore, you could argue that humans shouldn’t cook THEIR meat or food either and should just eat raw because that is ‘natural’ – after all, meat didn’t come pre-cooked for our caveman ancestors before they figured out how to make fire. We all understand that properly cooking food helps protect us from catching dangerous pathogenic bacteria and parasites. It is the same for dogs. Can a dog do well on a raw food diet? Yes. But there are risks associated with feeding raw food that we need to recognize and acknowledge, and it’s not appropriate to say that it is ‘the best.’ It is just one option.
Veterinarians recommend diets based on their best judgement for an individual pet and owner. There are lots of opinions out there, but I will tell you that vets are NOT paid by pet food companies. Nor do they want your pets to be sick! Veterinarians put in A LOT of time, effort, and money in order to learn how to keep pets healthy and fix them when they are broken. Nobody goes to vet school and suffers through 4 years of incredibly difficult and expensive education in order to make animals sick. They do it because they love animals and are passionate about medicine. Vets care about you and your pet and want to work with you. Please keep your eyes and mind open.
Patrick
says:Raw Pet food is Best for an animal! Not raw human food! Most Vets know nothing about nutrition! It is a fact! Allowing a pet to consume sawdust is not good nutrition! That is what is in Science Diet! Corn does not need to be in pet food either! Feed your dog any commercial brand dog food for a year, then switch to raw dog food and see the difference in coat/skin/happiness/overall health! Plus it helps with many stomach issues and many other ailments!
We don’t just kill a rabbit or chicken and throw it in a bowl!!!! It is bone, meat, veg, and fruits in raw dog/cat food!
Jess
says:Patrick, that is an opinion, not a fact. Are you a veterinarian? Have you been to veterinary school? I am 4 weeks away from graduating veterinary school, I have been through the curriculum and I have been thoroughly educated on pet nutrition.
Humans are a type of animal. Dogs and cats, as well as any animal, are susceptible to foodborne illness JUST LIKE HUMANS are. I am not here to promote Science Diet or any one individual food or brand (although the facts are that Science Diet is a perfectly good food, is not ‘just sawdust and grain’ AT ALL and has been scientifically TESTED to provide complete and balanced nutrition in dogs).
Salmonella and Listeria contamination does not need to be in pet food. Here are the facts: Get the Facts! Raw Pet Food Diets can be Dangerous to You and Your Pet. These bacteria are a serious and real threat to YOU as well.
Animals can do well on raw food but ignoring the real and present risk is foolish and inappropriate. I feed my own personal dog Royal Canin. She is doing fantastically well, is very healthy and happy and has no ‘stomach issues’ or vague ‘other ailments’. Raw food is not the only answer.
Patrick
says:Jess, Any dry food/kibble is not the best type of food to feed. It has been through 2 heating processes that takes away a lot of nutritional value! I don’t eat the raw food that I feed my dog and dogs have very short digestive tracts and are not succeptable to salmonella, which you should know being close to becoming a Vet. My greyhound dog never smells and hasn’t had a bath in a year. How many dogs don’t smell like dog??? Poo is very minimal and easy to dispose. Large amounts of poo mean the dog or cat is full of stuff they don’t need and their bodies don’t digest! If you do feed kibble a probiotic/enzyme will help break down the food! How many customers/pet parents use a probiotic/enzyme? Probably about 1-2%!
I only sell and feed AAFCO approved raw foods! Not just a pile of raw food in a bowl that hasn’t been frozen/refrigerated!
Cindy Lamprecht
says:Raw vs dry, etc. Okay; got to comment; I lost not one, but two dogs to beneful food; my fault, wish I had known. zBUT; raw food being better is just not true. I worked for a wonder, compassionate vet, there is NO kickback for recommending certain foods; thats human doctors and big pharma; getting things confused people. However; COOKING a large soup pot of food, and freezing it into portions for your animals into single meals is a cheap, safe, healthy way to not have to deal with the heartache and guilt I am dealing with. How? Buy a farm raised turkey, organic; free range. Put into soup pot with the strainer bottom so when it simmers to the point he meat is coming off the bones you can simply life up and bones are off, meat is separated. GO thru it carefully though; you do not want them getting any bones; NOT ONE; they can lodge in the intestines, throat..anywhere and then its trouble. Once its soup/broth and meatstock; add in wild rice, and veggies; do NOT use baby carrots; they are a GMO fod; no such thing; just go try to buy some seeds. I add in dried cranberry, but just a handful. Mostly cut up *real* carrots, beans, peas, sweet potatoes, or..barley is great, and filling. Then? cool, gather your containers; and fill em up! cats or dogs; they will love it, and be safe. Raw foods risk diseases; venison is no longer safe; some kind of brain disease..not worth the risk. Pork is a no-no. Go for poultry. A Big stock pot, and a 13 pound turkey is going to fill up alot of containers..and NO worries. Dont be blaming the vets; I am a cancer Survivor and my former boss knew more about my illness than the doctors. They have to study everything, human doctors specialize. seems kinds “common sense” to me, but I also know how uncommon that is.
Jess
says:Patrick, thank you kindly for your condescension, but in fact dogs and cats CAN develop salmonellosis (‘susceptible,’ by the way). It’s not common but possible. Dogs tend to be sub-clinical or silent carriers instead, at which point they can transfer this dangerous disease to humans including children. Canine salmonellosis: A review and report of dog to child transmission of Salmonella enteritidis. Are you comfortable with potentially turning your dog into Typhoid Mary?
So you don’t eat the raw food personally. You do handle the raw food however. You do, potentially, kiss your dog after it eats. You do deal with canine fecal material. Children may also handle your dog, kiss your dog, and get fecal material on their hands.
I am VERY glad that you recognize the importance of AAFCO-approved foods, and I would like to thank you for being aware of the standards. I’m glad that your dog doesn’t smell and doesn’t need bathing. I’m glad he’s not pooping large amounts. And I appreciate that you want to share what has worked so well with your dog, to other animals. That does not result in a negation of the REAL risks of feeding a raw diet.
I think you’re misunderstanding my emphasis here. I am concerned that most people don’t know about or understand the risks. I am concerned about aggressive marketing of raw foods, without an explanation of the risks in addition to potential rewards.
Jess
says:Cindy – thank you!! You bring up some very good points.
A good home-cooked diet can be a really great option for someone who is concerned about the ingredients in commercial pet foods and wants to be sure that their pets only get the best human-grade ingredients. The only thing to be alerted to is that it is very, very, VERY hard to balance these diets; a study evaluating 116 different diets (even veterinarian-recommended home cooked recipes!!!) found that over 90% of them, once actually cooked, were nutritionally inadequate for dogs. This can be even tougher for cats, which have a very high dietary requirement for taurine and can develop serious heart disease if they do not get enough.
In order to be sure a home-cooked diet is nutritionally adequate, I would recommend discussing the diet recipe with a veterinary nutritionist (not just an ordinary veterinarian).
SL
says:Vets know nothing about nutrition? And you do, the kid in highschool who works at a pet store? Is that why vets receive more nutritional training than a doctor? People.. Seriously get an education before you go bashing a profession that has the most compassionate and caring individuals. Corn is an exceptional source of carbohydrate, energy, antioxidants and more..and is in fact very digestible… Even more so than other grains – barley and wheat for example. Contrary to popular belief corn is not the leading allergen for dogs with food allergies, it is most often the protein source in the food (chicken, beef or pork..). And for all you making a stink about byproducts.. Boy your pets must eat better than I do, you’re telling me you don’t feed you or your kids hot dogs? Sausages? What do you think those are made of? By products my friends are completely nutritional parts of the animal (chicken or beef) they are just not something we would typically eat.. Heart, liver, spleen, etc. as for raw food, you want to put yourself and your pet at risk for salmonella poisoning by all means, be my guest but don’t dare complain to your vet when your pet gets sick because remember, they don’t know anything about nutrition.. (That’s sarcasm for those of you who don’t catch my drift)
Bertha
says:Again with the pathogen scare (I get so tired of this argument, come on you are supposed to be educated!); and humans are not dogs and as such have very distinct and different physiology.
“Salmonella and Listeria contamination does not need to be in pet food” bravo! it doesn’t have to be in human grade raw ingredients either! Why is it that these outbreaks are always traced back to manufacturing plants? How often to you hear of a family poisoning itself because of poor food hygiene, please just give me one report on how feeding the family dog raw food, killed the owners! oh, right according to the AVMA they are never reported. UGH!
Patrick
says:Any food that is cooked once or multiple time will lose it’s nutritional value! I have not gotten salmonella and neither has any of my hundreds of customers that feed raw to their dogs or cats. Primal and Stellas has never had a recall of their products! There are 2 options frozen and freeze dried raw! It’s a fact that dogs who have many issues with certain grains and even proteins do better on a raw diet. So the hundreds if not many thousands of customers that our company has and no dogs have gotten sick from eating raw or the owners/kids/??? haven’t either!!! I think that shoots down the theory that raw will make your dog/cat and humans sick! Again we aren’t feeding a dead chicken/mouse/rabbit freshly killed and thrown in a bowl! We have 26 stores in multiple states and we are fastly growing to educate customers on the power of the raw diet in an animals life. So why are our animals happier/healthier and different for the better on raw food? Have you read the ingredients on a bag of food? The most important are the 1st 5!!! They should be meat, organ, bone, muscle, fruits, and vegetables. They should not be by-product, corn, rice, animal digest, cellulose, etc. They(Purina, Iams, Dog chow, cat chow, Friskies, etc) also add in animals that have been euthanized to their foods! So as a future Vet I would not go to your office if you condone the use of these pet food brands! I will stick to an all natural raw or some all natural kibble!
karen
says:i have a suggestion after reading all the back and forth about raw vs, kibble!i’ve also done a lot of research on the subjects.. and i’m probably as confused as anybody. i lost my 14yr.. old golden to pancreatic problems, not the fault of either foods. my very on fault for feeding him to many fatty foods(treats, table foods with fats etc)..so at one point before this and at a time when a certain food was recalled i started boiling chicken, peas, carrots,a few crushed tomatoes,and green beans.i mixed this along with his kibble so he would be getting something from both.. i do that now with my adopted golden( she has a sensitive tummy). she gets taste of the wild and her portion of soup. so far so good.. and i learned the hard way with my other, i give her just boiled chicken or boiled liver for her treats…we didn’t have all these issues years ago, and not many choices of foods. and certainly not nearly as many problems. i think the companys just got so greedy that their quality of foods changed for $$$$$$ reasons.. i believe they started adding all kinds of fillers to lower their costs and raise ours..so bottom line is , can we really do much..except to watch our pets, be aware of their condition,watch for potty issues, if there not right ,will, we have to try something else. like us their systems are all different
Your horrible
says:You lost all credibility before this, but when I read they out euthanized animals into their food? Your are sad and pathetic to think that ppl who like animals would actually do that! Your are horrible and if people actually believe you they are small minded and aren’t doing their own research and you don’t do your research. That is a completely false statement and I feel very sorry for you. Your stupid I would throw rocks at you. Then steal your animals and take them to a safe place, and feed them SCIENCE DIET.
Johnny
says:Patrick, you are a goddamn idiot. Send us your address so we can have the spca confiscate your abused pets and shut down your (parents) stores. Raving lunatic.
Bertha
says:Karen, you know there are a lot of different conditions and illness that may contribute to pancreatic issues. Yes we know that fatty foods can sometimes tip the scales, but I guarantee you that a golden retriever that lived to be 14 years did not die because of his diet. Please don’t carry that around, if your vet told you that, find another!
Tom L.
says:I agree with Jess. Raw food is for wild un-domesticated animals. Our dogs and cats are domesticated and thus do not require raw food. My dogs are show dogs. I have been feeding Blue Buffalo for several years now and having been raising dogs for 45 years and having tried several types and brands of food, Blue Buffalo has given me the best results. Yes, it is expensive but I am feeding MY dogs and nothing, beyond reason, is too good for them.
Vets do not need to get paid for selling inferior food to your pets, they easily make up for the cost by over charging for simple vaccines and unnecessary testing. Charging $400+ to spay a healthy dog or $4000 to repair a simple broken leg is outrageous! There must be a governing body established to regulate the overcharging of these procedures and what vets can demand for straight forward procedures.
Patrick
says:Raw is not for un domesticated animals! It costs more and I assume you didn’t want to feed based on cost! I can prove that a dog or cat looks better, feels better, and is happier on raw!
Jess
says:I do condone and recommend the use of commercial diets, I feel far more comfortable feeding my own animals food that I know is safe, at much lower risk of contamination, and that has been tested to ensure that it is nutritionally balanced. I have the most confidence in the major four companies (Royal Canin, Hills, Purina, and Iams). I won’t tell anyone NOT to feed raw food, only that they need to be aware of the risks involved. It’s a personal decision and as long as they ARE aware, and are feeding a complete and balanced diet, I am happy.
Claiming that none of your customers have ever had a problem does not negate the research that shows that multiple brands carry contamination, and that cases have occurred involving disease in humans and animals. The FDA clearly recommends against feeding raw foods. I am glad that you have not yet had a recall among the products you sell, if that continues to be true, I may direct future clients who have a strong desire to feed raw food diets to Primal or Stella products. However I will continue to place an emphasis on accurate information and client education. I believe this is the only professional and honest course of action.
If cooking food removed its nutritional value, we as humans would all be dead.
To Tom, I am going to go out on a limb and guess that you have never performed either an ovariohysterectomy OR an orthopedic surgery. For a large breed dog, $400+ for a spay is not at all outrageous. These are actually very difficult procedures (some veterinarians actually refer out spays on dogs over a certain weight limit, as they can be so difficult). They are time consuming and challenging.
As for orthopedic surgery… that requires a very high degree of skill and potentially some very complicated surgery. It’s not necessarily simple or straightforward.
Please remember all the things that go into a surgery (surgeon time by the hour, technician time by the hour, anesthetic agents, pain medications, use of facilities, surgical materials, sterile gowns/drapes/gloves/etc., cleaning the instruments, and MANY more hidden costs!) Ultimately you get what you pay for, not all veterinary practices provide the same level of care, some will perform procedures much more cheaply but in order to do that they MUST cut corners with the care of your animal. Perhaps the patients are not monitored under anesthesia or during recovery by a dedicated technician. Perhaps appropriate pain medications are not provided and your animal may be suffering during the procedure.
I would invite anyone who is concerned about the price of surgical procedures and veterinary care in animals to compare with the at-cost price of the same procedures in human beings (Before insurance kicks in. Remember most of our animals don’t have health insurance of any kind). I promise you it will be an eye opener!
Erin
says:I used to work for a vets office and they DID get money from hills….so maybe you don’t but others actually do.
KV
says:Erin, I have been in the veterinary field for 14 years as a kennel technician, ER tech, and finally as a veterinarian and never once have any of the clinics I have been involved with received money from Hill’s.
That is a poor, unprovable attack. Quite pitiful really. If you have the training and knowledge to improve animal’s life then let your results speak for themselves. If you do not, then be careful at spreading rumors and unresearched testimonials. It is people with that kind of misconception that harm animals in the name of pride and ignorance. BTW, I have treated Salmonella from raw diet before. The animal had a 105 F fever for days with blow out diarrhea. Salmonella + on Canine diarrhea panel. The owner had been as “sold” on raw diet as many of the people in this post.
One more piece of information. People that contract Salmonella from pets on raw food diet typically have autoimmune disease, are geriatric, or undergoing chemotherapy. Many times the human Dr’s that diagnose them never think to ask if the family dog is on raw diet. So its hard to say a certain raw brand has “never caused disease.” Frankly, I would be shocked if an MD made the connection. Just a thought.
Bertha
says:I call BS on you KV, you know very well that many animals carry salmonella and shed it, you can’t possibly determine the origins of infection with any degree of certainty. It’s more likely the dog got it from a turtle than from eating raw food.
Christine
says:Yes DO your research and educate yourself on pet nutrition. I am assuming from this post that you have little to no education on pet nutrition yourself. As a RAHT I find your comments deeply offensive. Maybe if you wene taught by someone actually trained in animal health care you wouldn’t have such a biased, inaccurate, and ultimately detrimental way of seeing the veterinary industry. Shame on you! If veterinarians did what they did for money, they wouldn’t all be driving shirty cars and be thousands of dollars in debt. If you are going to chirp about doing research then hold yourself to the same standard and DO IT!
Penelope
says:You are nothing except stupid if you really thinks vets get paid to promote food and only sell it to make your animal sick. Vets are there for PREVENTION wellness!!! And if you feed your pet crap food they are there to fix them!!
Raw food can not only make your animal sick but you as we from salmonella. Good luck with that.
Me
says:You do realize that you can get salmonella from kibble too, right? Any food can make your pet sick. Raw isn’t always the best for dogs. Same with kibble or canned or home cooked. All depends on that dog.
Monica
says:Your statement is ridiculous. Perhaps there are a few vets out there that practice that way…but to lump them all into such a statement is just dumb. I also use raw food for my dog but don’t blame the vet for any illness my dog may get.
Melissa
says:This post is an unfortunate example of mis-education for pet owners. Veterinarians can sell any food they want to, and yes they make a profit, as do pet stores for selling food, but you condemn veterinarians for making a profit? Clinics are private businesses, just like the one you work for. The reason veterinarians choose to carry the food they do, is because they are scientifically proven and tested to deliver what they state on the label. Ask about the science, testing and proof behind what they sell, and they can tell you – that has value for me. I don’t believe corn is a poison or that meat by-products (e.g. nutritious organs that wild animals would happily gobble up) are bad for pets, but marketing and bad advice would have us think so. Ask questions and be sure it’s backed up with actual proof.
Patrick
says:There is no reason for corn or by-products in pet food and if you think since a Vet carries it, it is good you are hugely mistaken. I suggest you eat processed foods for an entire year and see how you feel and how sick you will become, or for that matter eat junk with no nutritional value for the rest of your life and your life will be shortened and not feel well until you die. This is what happens to dogs and cats. Please give me scientific proof that grains and by-products are necessary for the life of your pet. Some grains are ok short term.
Melissa
says:I think a lot of food has some corn, grains and by-product in it, and I think a lot of people are completed miseducated on what that means. Balance is more important than demonizing one ingredient. Organs are a nutritional source of food, and the idea that our pets need to eat like us is ridiculous. Some pets are allergic to grains, great, feed them accordingly. But pet food is being sold by MARKETING TO OUR OWN PREFERENCES. Do you think wolves eat the thigh meat, or the “breast” and leave the rest of the animal? Seriously? Ever seen a carcass after a fox or coyote are finished with it? They eat everything but the tail and the colon. They eat the food inside the stomach of the animal they’re eating too – grains, grasses, etc. Is eating a full corn diet healthy for pets? No, of course not. And by the way, MANY people in the world live on diets that are far less nutritious than the ones we feed our pets. So that’s probably not a good comparison, but it is a good example of how we’ve been marketing to believe our pets should only be eating chicken breasts, lamb chops, and GOD forbid no grains. I don’t buy it, and my healthy pets are proof I don’t need to. I am rationale and educated, whatever your pet thrives on is the right thing.
Gordon
says:Corn isn’t even healthy for humans… no nutritional value, and the thing is pets process sugar far differently than humans… cat’s especially don’t process it well, yet it’s the main ingredient in many big store brands… this leads to endocrine disease. I have had many cats with pancreatitis, which makes sense from all the sugar these foods contain. The main pet food companies also use too much salt as well… why? Because the animals love the taste.
Amy
says:Hello there. I just want to clarify (as a veterinary technician) I do not get paid by Hill’s or Royal Canin. Veterinary clinics support these companies because they come in and talk to us. They show us the research and educate us on the most up to date data. So if these companies would ever bother to contact us and set up time to explain to us why they think they are making the best food we would listen and we would ask questions (just like we do all the other food reps that come in).
And I find it distrusting that you think vets want to make animals sick. Have you ever talked to one us of? We bleed into our jobs. We work long stressful hours and are severely underpaid for what we have to know and do. I hate seeing animals come in sick because they are in pain and yes it’s cost more money then a vaccine (remember we have bills to pay to keep the clinic running, and this is medicine your buying not a pair of jeans).
And for the record, vets do not recommend raw food because it’s incomplete nutrition for how domestic animals’ digestive systems have changed. Your tabby cat is not a lion, your chihuahua is not a wolf. Those animals in the wild also don’t have a long life span. They also consume more ‘byproducts’ then you’d like to believe. They eat organs, they eat skin, they eat intestines (full of partially digested vegetation and grains) so that they can get most of their nutrients. In addition to raw being incomplete, it’s also a health risk. There is major risks of salmonella for anyone in the household not just the animal eating it.
If you want to start eliminating allergies you have to go right to the source; the breeder. It saddens me greatly at how many people breed for money and do not take into account health or temperament of the parents. Allergies are hereditary just like joint problems, eye problems, skin problems, etc.
I hope people will start researching animals digestive system/nutritional needs from non-food companies before looking at companies websites. They all have gimmicks to make their food sound like the best and it’s very easy to be blind sided by that. So please look at the actual facts, not the snazzy catch lines and cute pictures.
Steph
says:I don’t agree that vets are in business to keep animals sick, but I have several (respectful) questions for you Amy, only because you are answering in a manner that seems level headed as possible ^^
My mom has been a pet sitter since I was about five or so, we have had many animals ourselves and I, too, now work at a pet food store. Over the course of about 24 years I have helped my mother care for countless numbers of pets and have seen many different types on many different diets. No, I don’t think one food is right for every pet, but I have noticed that the ones of raw diets have seemed to live longer and with greater quality of life. I have also seen many that were on “plain” kibble that have thrived as well, but the raw diet animals haven’t seemed to need nearly as much health attention as others. Granted… pet sitting experience isn’t a scientific study, and I’m kind of straying from the questions…
Specifically! The raw foods we sell here have all been certified by AAFCO as meeting nutritional needs for animals of all life stages and they ALL go through processes that kill out the harmful bacteria like salmonella using pressure instead of heat (the process is called HPP, is scientifically researched and actually quite interesting), and several of them use “hold and verify” testing even beyond that to make sure that their products will not harm animals OR humans. They include organs, produce, and the enzymes that will help animals digest everything properly (to cover the ‘partially digested vegetation and grains’ you mentioned). So many people have come in with problems that their vets have used steroids and other temporary fixes to deal with, have switched their foods, and seen amazing results. AGAIN! I adore my vet, and I am not saying they are dumb or subversive or out to get you at all. I guess I am just wondering if this is the type of raw food you all are referring to as being so horrible? Or is it more the people who try to go out and by raw, random meat from a butcher and put together meals themselves (which I agree, is ridiculously hard to try and accomplish on your own and have the results end up in a way that -is- beneficial and doesn’t carry the hazardous bacteria problem.)
Anywho, just wondering. Thanks 🙂
Lisa
says:Yeah that’s what vets do, they go to school for 8 years, rack up immense amount of debt, make shit for money, work long hours dealing with know it alls like you, and they do this all just to go around making pets sick.
Patrick
says:Yup! Animals didn’t get cancer and heart disease until they started eating bad kibble! Anything with by-product, corn, cellulose, animal digest, etc. is not GOOD for an animal or human!
Try eating those things for a month and I guarantee you will get sick!
WE are ignorant to what we put in our bodies let alone our pets!
Google Dr. Karen Becker from Chicago she is a holistic Vet that believes in raw!
Jess
says:Animals have always been getting cancer and heart diseases of various kinds. Hate to break it to you. (They are also living far longer with modern commercial diets and preventive veterinary medicine than they ever have in the history of the human race. Lifespans of animals even a few decades ago were much shorter.)
carol
says:Personally, I think more dogs are dying from cancer then when I was a kid in the 60s and 70s. Our dog back then ate Alpo for God’s sake and still lived to 13 years old. I am a raw feeder and believe in it wholeheartedly, however, I believe the leading cause of cancer is from the heartworm/tick/flea preventatives that we have been using the past 20+ years. Just my opinion.
Daryl
says:Patrick, you seem rather unintelligent and could benefit from something the rest of us do called thinking. A simple thought would tell you in the wild animals consume Huge amounts of animal by product. They literally eat every part. So your assertion that wild animals don’t eat that is pretty stupid. Your arguments are weak and based on opinion and not information. In short you know nothing about animals health and look very stupid to most people here.
Melissa
says:Thank-you Darryl.
Amanda
says:Another Thank You for Daryl
Nicole
says:You have no idea what you are talking about, so you work for an “All natural” pet food store so you must automatically have science based knowledge that a raw diet is best for a pet? Hmm that is very interesting indeed. I suppose that you have done all the necessary nutrition calculations for the particular animals to determine heir specific requirements and I’m sure you must also have factored in all different medical conditions that will affect nutrient requirements as well? And this will certainly make you qualified to discuss nutrient needs with clients? I in no means condone blue buffalo but how dare you come on here and say vets want to keep pets sick to maintain a job! Any vet worth their salt will NOT prescribe a diet simply because they are paid to, which by the way is not the case. In fact maybe you should go back and do your homework instead of coming on here spewing useless propaganda that someone else has fed to you because you have nothing pertinent to add to this post.
Julie
says:Seems like you have animals but are paranoid when it comes to veterinarians, that’s got to cause problems. If you don’t trust your vet then you should find a different one, it’s sad that people have to use their paranoid opinions to bash a great profession. I trust my vet and I have 4 beautiful dogs. It saddens me that you anyone would consider themselves experts on a subject that they have such minimal experience with. BB should be ashamed of themselves for misrepresentation but in the same instance aren’t those of us that are pushing raw food without spending the millions of dollars in research to be able to promote raw be as well? If this teaches us anything it should be to be careful of what and how we promote the food we feed our family both 2 and 4 legged.
Lee
says:You own an all natural pet store that sells the food you recommend, and you are claiming veterinarians have a conflict of interest? Bwahahaha!
Rebecca Miller LVT
says:I am a Licensed Veterinary Technician and have never worked at a veterinary practice that got PAID to advertise or promote ANY foods. The practice PAYS that company to carry those foods. Also, raw diets can be detrimental to a pet’s health. If you wouldn’t eat raw meats (due to the possibility of E. coli and other bacterial infections, not to mention parasites) then why make the animal eat it? You have to be very careful with uncooked meat products. You have to do your research, people.
melissa
says:Actually, if you worked in the vet industry you would know that vets are not “paid” to sell any specific brand of food. In fact they make very little money off of the diets they sell – but not working in the industry you wouldn’t know that – best to know what you are speaking of before commenting. Vets sell the diets they sell because they believe in them. The see the results and they know the research these companies put into the food. Quality of ingredients come into play, and pet food labels, as well as commercials, are very misleading. But hey, why trust your vet, they’re only doctors. I’m sure the 16 year old at the pet store knows more.
Mikala
says:Patrick, I loved this article, until I read your post. I am so embarrassed for you that I chose not to share this, in the hope that others will not read your comment. Shame on you, I hope your pets never need medical care since we are only in it for the money, according to you. I bet you are the kind of person who buys all of your pet’s vaccines at tractor supply and listen to a cashier’s advice, am I wrong?
Tara
says:Patrick, I would love to know what your credentials are and what education you have received on nutrition that makes you think that you know more about pet nutrition than the veterinary professionals!! I am an educated veterinary professional that has worked in the veterinary profession for over 10 years and can tell you with absolute 100% certainty that Veterinarians DO NOT get paid to recommend Hills or Royal Canin veterinary diets! Maybe you should do your research before making false claims about veterinarians. Dogs are NOT carnivores they are omnivores. You want to talk about research, then please show me the scientific data on raw foods proving that they are effective in providing the multiple benefits claimed on the packages or to show that these diets are nutritionally complete and adequate for our pets. Oh wait, there isn’t any!!!! There have been documented cases of both pets and people becoming sick linked to feeding raw diets and RESEARCH has shown that routine cleaning of dogs bowls from pets being fed raw food may not adequately kill the salmonella present. Salmonella could be still be cultured from 67% of dog food bowls even after being through a cycle in a dishwasher or after soaking in a 10% bleach solution for five minutes. Veterinary diets such as Hills and Royal Canin spend there money on what’s important like science and research rather than advertising. Hills and Royal Canin research and test every single diet that comes out of there plants. The ingredients are tested for quality and safety before they are allowed to come into the plant. The bag you buy today is going to have the exact same nutritional content as the bag you buy 6 months from now. Many pet food companies can not provide that. I have seen first hand both dogs and cats becoming extremely ill and even dying from urinary complications due to being fed grocery store foods as well as the expensive foods purchased at natural pet food stores. The most common thing I have seen is male cats with urethra blockages due to crystals that have formed in the urine after being fed a diet that has come from a store like what you work in Patrick. Many of these cats have died. Veterinary brands foods have done the research needed to provde healthy nutrition to prevent these issues from happening, NOT to ensure that a pet will get sick so veterinarians can make $$. We make $$ removing the bladder stones and unblocking male cat urethras, when pets eats the food that comes from the store that people like you work in. I not only speak for myself but many others in the veterinary profession that we do not do what we do to make $$. We do what we do because we love animals and we want to provide the absolute best care to our four legged family members and to be a voice for those that can not speak for themselves.
Bertha
says:Enough already, anyone who has ever run a business knows how this works. You may not be paid directly, but when you sell a company’s food, you make money of the sale in form of commission, it is in the business’s best interest to recommend the foods that yield them the biggest gross or may provide additional incentives like free seminars, lunches etc.
Barbara
says:Most Vets do not have the educational background in animal nutrition.
Kt
says:I agree with most of what you say, the food may contain the same nutritional content In every bag but not necessarily the same quality of nutrition…..protein is protein and buyers don’t always buy from the same “bulk bin” shall we say. Every company knows how to get around the Ingredient and analysis lists, hence the reason there is always more chicken in a chicken meal than in a chicken first ingredient diet….why? Because it’s weighed as raw chicken, What happens to chicken when dried, it shrivels up to nothing, giving the second ingredient a larger %. BB paid a lot of money to get their brand out there and it worked….kudos for them. Great advertising…..bit fat liars
krista
says:I would love to find a vet or tech staff that gets paid by a pet food company! I would feel horrible also to know that I helped my pet develop osteo arthritis because I didn’t feed it a balanced diet or if I had a part in my children getting e coli from playing in the back yard where my dog pooped when it ate raw food. It’s amazing that pets are living so much longer with researched pet foods rather than having to find their prey to kill. What do animals in the wild eat when they eat the whole animal– the organs like kidneys, liver, all the parts, which is in the pet foods when its called chicken meal, chicken by products.
Deryck
says:The University of Florida already proved this years ago……people will never change, they will continue to over pay for a dog food no better than generic store brand dog food. SCIENCE DIET IS KING, and always will be. Good day.
John
says:Our dog loves Blue Buffalo food
DrAmy
says:Please do not expect any medical professionals to be impressed by your claim you have not taken your dog to the vet except to be neutered. To us that means you are not having regular physical exams, not providing vaccines against infectious and zoonotic diseases, and not providing heartworm or other parasite prevention. Color us DISMAYED.
Paul Seamons
says:We have also fed raw for 16 years and rarely have cause to visit the vet. We vaccinate our puppies according to Jean Dodds protocol and boost 12 months later. No more vaccines after this and no neutering.
Our dogs do not get external parasites and we have started internal parasite control with DE. We only attend a vets when we have a problem, which is very rare.
KV
says:Dodds, bahahahahahah. That makes sense. All of her followers are the same. Gullible.
Dr. O
says:I hope you know that by not vaccinating your pets for at the very least rabies you are likely breaking local and state laws that require this vaccination for you and your pet’s safety. If your animal were to bite someone, it would either require a 6 month quarantine which can be very costly or it would have to be euthanized and submitted for testing. It’s up to you if you want you animals to get the other diseases vaccines prevent, but you are putting everyone’s life at risk when you don’t vaccinate for rabies.
Erin
says:Avoid all of these recalls and problems and feed your dog a raw, species appropriate diet. A combination of muscle meat organ meat consumable bone and fat….just like they are designed to eat. Would you eat processed, non human grade food every day for every meal? NOPE! That’s what all kibble is. I have been feeding my 4 dogs raw for almost a decade. They have no odor, are incredibly healthy and have only been to the vet to be neutered. Their urine doesn’t burn the grass and their poop turns to dust after 2-3 days because their is no chemicals and toxins in what they are eating.
Jess
says:Erin, raw food diets have also been associated with recalls due to contamination issues. While I can understand your preference for raw foods, and I won’t tell you that you’re wrong to feed your dogs what you’re giving them, it’s important to understand and acknowledge the risks associated with raw food – risks to your pets AND to you from handling the raw food.
As human beings we have cooked our food for millennia, recognizing that it helps protect us from dangerous and potentially deadly food-borne bacteria and parasites. That is not ‘natural’ – after all, ‘in the wild,’ our caveman ancestors surely ate raw meat. However, we all recognize that cooking food is safer than the ‘natural’ way. Our dogs and cats are domesticated from their wild cousins, they no longer live in a ‘natural’ situation. So why do we insist on treating a suburban Chihuahua as if he is a wolf in Yellowstone?
Veterinarians recommend diets that are complete and balanced bsed on scientific studies to determine the nutritional requirements of dogs. There are commercially prepared raw food diets out there that are complete and balanced (most home-cooked diets, as in over 90% of them, are NOT complete and balanced and will ultimately lead to nutritional deficiencies, potentially severe or lethal). If you have chosen one of these AAFCO-cooperative brands and are feeding a complete and balanced raw food diet… good for you! It’s clear that you love your pets and really want to do what is best for them. But be aware that contamination is a real and significant risk.
Patrick
says:I only feed and sell AAFCO foods!!!!
Jess
says:Then thank you for making sure that your products meet AAFCO standards! The risk of contamination is still REAL and should be considered, not handwaved aside. UNDERSTAND it, and if you desire to take that risk for your pets, OK – but it doesn’t disappear.
wondering
says:Does it say on the label that it meets the requirements stated by affco?
DrCulbert
says:The best person to contact about what to feed your pet is your VETERINARIAN!
What many people don’t realize is that the veterinary diets that they sell are EXCELLENT nutrition for your pet…better than anything you can get in the petstore because they are TESTED and follow AAFCO guidelines, which many MANY foods companies do not do!
There is 100% NO regulation for pet food, so there’s a lot of crap out there. The people who sell these foods play off of your fear as pet owners and want to give your pets the best possible nutrition. Please don’t listen to them. They are not educated in nutrition.
Veterinarians have been vilified as being “brainwashed” by Hills and MediCal but it’s simply NOT TRUE! I have done my research on home cooked diets, raw diets, etc and I do not have any wool pulled over my eyes. I feed my own pets MediCal Royal Canin and I would never tell you to do the same if I thought it would hurt your animal. Contrary to popular belief, vets are out there to HELP you and your pet because we love and have dedicated our lives to helping animals, not trying to make them sick.
The veterinary based diets are not only the best foods out there, they are actually CHEAPER than the store bought diets when you figure out how much food you need to feed your pet in a day. On a cost per day basis, we are often cheaper!
Please PLEASE don’t fall into the best marketing trap ever created by these pet food companies! Contact your trusted veterinarian to help you to keep your pets as happy and healthy as possible!
TC
says:All one needs to do is read the ingredients in those foods you list to know it is garbage. My own vet 6 years ago handed me ‘How to Grade your Dog Food’ list by Whole Dog Journal.. we thought we were doing our than puppy a service by feeding it SD puppy.. he opened up our eyes. We switched and tell everyone to RUN from anything SD or RCanin.
Talk about marketing.. WHY does SD and RC push into Vet schools so hard? so that they can say vets carry us so we MUST be good. Not so.
With foods being listed as most content to lesser content, ingredients matter. First 3 in SD Puppy : chicken meal, barley and wheat.
.. really? so while the chicken meal isn’t bad, they immediately list 2nd and 3rd ingredients as fillers. There is no nutritional value in either, and with many dogs having allergies just seems NOT nutritionally smart. 4th ingredient is pork meal, another ‘okay’ but than the 5th is corn, and the 6th is sorghum, leaving 7th ingredient as corn gluten meal. Than pork fat, chicken ‘flavor’ fat, and beet pulp.
But I am not a vet. I am a consumer. And a dog trainer. And I want what is best for my animals. None of which is above as a puppy food to be sure! much less an older dog who needs ‘FOOD’ not ‘feed’. We are what we eat after all, and I say animals deserve the same.
Nicol
says:I appreciate your point, but my dog will never again be eating what our vet recommended. We adopted our basset from the local humane society where he was fed Science Diet. When we took him for his first vet visit they also recommended Science Diet. After a few months of loose stools and anal gland problems I decided to do some research and switched him to Blue Buffalo’s wilderness line. His bathroom and anal glad problems straightened right out and he acts like a much younger dog!
I really do love our vet and value his opinion, but I will not be feeding my dog what he sells in his office. :/
Jess
says:Some animals do just great on Science Diet, others don’t. Ultimately the best diet for your dog is an individual decision, based on what you’re comfortable feeding and what your dog enjoys eating and gives him his best performance.
Blue Buffalo has a statement on their food bags that they are formulated to meet AAFCO standards for complete and balanced canine nutrition. It appears that they have some problems with dishonesty in advertising, however, which is concerning.
Terry
says:Dr. Culbert, I have to respectfully disagree with you, I have spoken with MANY Veterinarians and believe me when I say, not all Veterinarians are created equal, most either don’t know or don’t care about what is good food for your pets, most that I have seen recommend Science Diet and only because they are getting a kick back from that company. I once had what I THOUGHT was a very wise Veterinarian tell me to feel our Rotties OLE ROY because “Rottweilers cannot handle rich food” 🙁 WOW what an eye opener that was for me.
Jess
says:Veterinarians do not get kickbacks from Science Diet. Different veterinarians have different opinions on dog food. The majority agree that a dog food that meets AAFCO standards for complete and balanced canine nutrition is best.
The ‘big four’ companies, Hills, Royal Canin, Purina, and Iams all make products that are laboratory tested in dogs to ensure complete and balanced nutrition. Most other products are not tested this way. That is why veterinarians like to recommend these products – because there is some scientific basis to validate them. Are they right for all dogs and all owners? Not necessarily. The ‘best food’ comes down to an individual decision that should ideally be made with the concerns of both owner and veterinarian taken into account.
Gerry
says:Vets? They push Iams and Purina, lol, those dog foods suck. I will take Blue over the nasty crap that is made my IAMS, PURINA with their “meat”.
Kathy
says:I agree with you Gerry!
Jess
says:Gerry and Cathy – Iams and Purina are two of the ‘big four’ companies that actually test their foods in dogs to be sure that they are providing complete and balanced nutrition by AAFCO standards. Other companies may make great foods, but don’t always have the resources to perform this sort of validation, so you have to go on faith that their products are ‘formulated to meet’ those AAFCO standards.
That faith may be justified but ultimately it is a decision that must be made on faith. Veterinarians like to recommend products such as Hills, Royal Canin, Iams and Purina because that is based in science.
The best dog food is a decision that really depends on the situation of both dog and owner. Iams may be the best dog food for one person, Blue Buffalo may be best for you and your dogs. It’s important to hold companies to honest standards of advertising, however. Purina is suing Blue Buffalo because they are NOT being honest with their customers over the ingredients of their dog foods. That ‘meat’ (by which I believe you most likely mean by-products) is in Blue Buffalo as well – despite their claims to the contrary. Would you rather just not know when you are being lied to?
Bertha
says:Let’s just open this door on testing shall we? Firstly, testing to see what chemicals and garbage we can get “away with” putting into our pet food. Secondly using “lab test subjects” (the very companion animals you are supposed to be helping to live longer, happier and healthier lives)and often times maiming them, keeping them in horrible confinement, carrying out invasive tests. Thirdly randomly deciding (often according to budget) when to stop the feed trial (usually 3 years -last I checked our dogs and cats live 10-20 years). Finally slaughtering these poor test souls.
BTW: I’m old enough to remember the taurine fiasco which blinded countless cats because major food manufacturers didn’t realize taurine is essential to a cat’s diet. All those owners guilt-ed out of feeding their cats as they always had, were convinced if they really loved their pets they would feed this new food, commercially prepared by “scientists”… and then of course there is the old “you mean if we don’t exclude all protein and fat from the diet and replace it with peanut hulls and other filler the pet won’t lose weight??? -that should have worked!”
Kelly
says:Just an FYI, Natures Variety has gone through AAFCO feeding trails with their raw food. So if you will only feed/recommend foods that have passed a feeding trial, better add them to your list!
Nature’s Variety
Also, Pukka’s Promise is a fantastically well-researched book, if anyone is interested.
Denise
says:Dr. you said, “On a cost per day basis, we are often cheaper!”
We? Who is we? I didn’t know that vets produced and sold food. Do you perhaps work for one of these “veterinary diet” companies, or do you mean “we” as in vets that sell pet food?
My vet sells prescription foods that my cat won’t touch. For all I know it contains roadkill, with ingredients like “meat by-product.” It might be good if I had a pet vulture.
Kathy
says:My VETERINARIAN recommended Blue Buffalo…..so now what?! Clearly vet’s aren’t doing their research either!!
Jenn
says:Veterinarians are the least likely that I would speak to about nutrition, because they are not taught nutrition. They are sold on Hill’s because they support their education, so I understand why they do it, but don’t tell the general public that you are the here all end all of nutrition, because you aren’t. If you continue to “educate” yourself, then you are allowed to have a say, but if you haven’t continued to study nutrition then you need to and don’t poo-poo those that have continued to educate themselves. Everyone needs to understand this about your Veterinarian and judge for yourself. The same can be said of the other side of the coin, but we all need to ask these questions so that what we do for our pets what we are comfortable with and not just because one person or another said so. JMHO 😉
Parker
says:Um, Sorry but this isn’t true. As a student in Vet School right now, We are definitely taught nutrition. We hear about food everyday. We are taught how to read labels, how to judge food, what is good vs. bad for your food. I know more about pet foods than I ever wanted to. We have an entire Nutrition class for goodness sakes. However, that being said, your vet may not have had to take such a class. You may want to find a younger, more up to date vet to deal with if you don’t like yours.
Any Veterinarian worth their salt will try to steer you away from Raw diets and lower quality pet foods. WHY? Because we are taught and trained to know what is good for your pet! We don’t go to school for 4 years of college and then 4 years of strict professional Veterinary School to not know what we are talking about.
Also, please don’t ever act like you know more than your veterinarian because you did your own “research”. It’s very insulting that people think petMD and WikiVets is better than our professional trained education.
Patrick
says:Tell me why Raw pet food is bad for an animal? Didn’t animals eat raw food for 1000’s of years in the wild? Mice, deer, rabbits, birds, etc. are eaten everyday and animals are fine even when entirely consumed.
Patrick
says:Parker,
I probably know more about pet nutrition than you or most Vets! I work for a company that trains and educates daily on pet ailments and how to cure and help. We had a dog that had tumors coming out of it’s muzzle and the only thing our customer used was Reishi mushrooms and the tumors went away. They didn’t go to a vet for treatment by using medicine that was prescribed and would have probably put you kid through college. Just a few boxes of our mushroom powder for $25 a box.
Proper pet nutrition based on ailment is what we do!
Christine
says:Patrick, does your natural pet food store promote the same scare tactics and client shaming that you do? Or is this your own self righteous adventure?
KV
says:Patrick,
What you are describing is classic papilloma virus. It is a self limiting disease. BAHAHAHAHAHA. If you wait a few weeks they go away. Good job though with your mushroom powder…..25.00 profit for you! WOW
Jess
says:Patrick, I would be careful about what you go about claiming to do. Bear in mind that practicing veterinary medicine without a license (if you claim to be treating to ‘cure’ any animal disease as a layperson, that is EXACTLY what you are doing) is ILLEGAL in this country. Illegal. In some states it is a felony offense.
There is a reason that supplements, such as your Reishi mushrooms, are legally required to have a statement on the label: “This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”
Congratulations on ‘treating’ self-limiting papillomavirus infection though.
bree
says:Is this kid delusional?!? You feel you are more educated than a DVM because YIU GET PAID by a company that wants you to peddle THEIR PRIDUCT. Are you being educated by a veterinarian or another crack head that thinks he knows more than one also? Please stop, you are making the company you work for LOOK HORRIBLE! I am embarrassed for you right now. Sad. Just sad.
Barbara
says:And what Vet school did you attend ?
Kurt
says:This is hilarious. I thought fan boys only existed in tech when arguing about Apple vs Windows with mostly unsubstantiated claims. Now I’m observing people arguing about pet food?
“All brands are crap except for the one I buy!”
Again, hilarious!
Amy
says:You must be new to the internet. I see back and forth everywhere, followed by a comment like yours, Kurt. I’m sure everyone here is speaking respectfully and out of love for his or her dogs.
I can’t tell you how many of my contacts feed their pets Blue Buffalo. I wish I could reach all Blue Buffalo customers-any customer for that matter, and educate them on the importance of reading labels. I just recently partnered up with a company pawTree which does in fact offer an all-natural, grain free, corn free, soy free, by-product free food. REAL meat is the first ingredient in their food. They have 18 claims no other dog food out there can claim that make pawTree the very best. See the claims here mc.rltools
Lanita Reitsmaq
says:In all this discussion no one mentioned Wysong . . Amy comments out there .
Pam Jacobs
says:LOVE Wysong…my 3 little guys THRIVE on it.
Patrick
says:Wysong is great food especially for cats with kidney issues!
Jess
says:Wysong is a high protein diet. It might be a great food for cats in general, but it is manifestly NOT appropriate for cats with kidney disease, who require (among other adjustments) lower protein and phosphorus contents in their diet.
Will someone just tell me what to feed my mini dachshund, she was very finicky in the beginning too! I tried every brand in the beginning to no avail, she turned her nose up after trying it once! Thank goodness Pet Smart ha a no ask rerun policy or I’d have an over flowing of dog food that she wouldn’t eat!
Now she seems to like the Purina Healthy Weight brand! She’s eating it but I don’t think it’s weight conscious because she’s not losing any! She only eats 1 cup a day.
Donna Campbell
says:I have used healthy weight for a while and my 2 dogs love it…however, I have changed now because of cautions about deadly corn mold found in too many purina products!!! I don’t know where to go to find the best quality but not break my bank…I spend $80 a month on rimadyl…and heart worm preventive and flea/tick protection…it’s tough!!!
where did you hear the purina mold in corn issues..i also use purina for all my 5 goldens including my pup that 11 weeks..now im scared where can i find what foods are bad im hearin ya on the $$ for 5 dogs hw and fl and rym too for my 3 yr golden hd.. lmm
Angie Smith
says:I feed my mini Doxies Merrick brand food. They love it and they are all very healthy. Plus, the two with skin allergies are totally allergy free now.
Stephanie Kidwell RVT, LVT
says:There are many websites you can go to to find about food recall. I feed my 3 dogs Ideal balance from Hills. They are doing amazing on it and love it. They have also been on Royal Canin and did well on that too. But we moved and had to switch their food.
Karina
says:One cup a day is an enormous amount for a mini dachs. Obviously she has no problem eating. I would only offer her up to 1/3 cup a day… It’s fairly easy. Less food = less weight on the pet.
Dovedox
says:I use Wellness Core Ltd Ingredient for one of my doxies and Wellness Core Reduced fat for the other. They both have various food allergies and both seem to enjoy the taste. Even the cat goes after it! I like the fact that Wellness no longer uses Diamond Plants and has not had a recall since. They have great customer service as well.
Pat
says:Why not ask your veterinarian instead of total strangers on the Internet?
K9FindM
says:My vets have never been able to help me with my working dogs diet – they have always referred me to Science Diet or Hills. Owners and Handlers of several breeds, experience and background or more educated than most vets.
Pam Jacobs
says:One cup a day is too much food for a mini! Get her on Primal Raw (comes frozen). Full of fresh meat, fruits/veggies (kind of like what she would find if she hunted down a deer and ate the deer and the contents of the deers stomach..ugh I know…but that’s what the wolves do) and vitamins…truly a great balance of nutrients. Comes in 3 lb bags, frozen in 1 oz portions in Beef, Chicken, Turkey & Sardine, Lamb…Feed her according to the weight she SHOULD be on the back of the bag. AND it’s shipped right to your door, and she will LOVE it.
Hahaha…couldnt resist this..W
hen have you seen a mini dashy chasing and hunting down a deer…omg just pee’d my pants
Dorie, Purina BENEFUL Healthy Weight is the commonest BENEFUL type reported as causing sickness and/or death in my group. And we have a LOT of sick doxie owners! PLEASE consider something else! If you buy a grain and potato free food then your doxie will eat up to half of what she eats right now of that filler laden BENEFUL stuff. Consider the following brands: GREAT LIFE, BACK TO BASICS- Potato free varieties only, BROTHER’S COMPLETE, ZIGNATURE DRY DOG FOOD from $1.96/lb WILD CALLING From $2.59/lb VICTOR GRAIN FREE DOG FOOD – From $1.65/lb PRECISE HOLISTIC COMPLETE GRAIN FREE DRY DOG FOOD from $2.58/lb ORIJEN From $2.59/lb NUTRISCA –All Grain-Free Varieties from $1.83/lb NATURE’S VARIETY INSTINCT – All Varieties including Raw Boost from $2.17/lb INNOVA PRIME –All! From $2.13/lb and HORIZON PULSAR from $1.52/lb That’s plenty to be getting on with I think. These foods contain NONE of the really bad stuff, ie NO Byproducts, NO Corn, NO Wheat, No Soy, NO Color, NO Propylene Glycol, NO Sorbitol, NO Glycerin, NO Animal Fat, NO Animal Digest. They are also free of Rice and every other grain, and contain no potato.. most have a low to very low Glycemic Index ..
Mary Anne
says:Beneful made my Golden sick and took years off her life. Now I know better. I saw a new bag of it in the pet store once full of mealy worms and stopped buying it.
Misty
says:Talk to your vet. I work with dogs and found that if they are not eating I will add a little warm water or grilled chicken.
Patrick
says:TRy Earthborn, NV Instinct, Orijen, Evo, and Fromm if you want to feed kibble! Choose grain free! No corn, soy, wheat, rice, barley, etc
Martha
says:I have a new Westie who is now 7 months old I started with Blue and then went to 4 health. I have ended up on Merrick and also adding a teaspoon of Dream Coat and a teaspoon of Missing Link. I have owned 4 Westies and all had skin issues. I am determined to get it right this time. The California Westie diet uses these two supplements to get severely allergic dogs back on track. So far so good.! I like Merrick. good company!
Mike Mayo
says:seems like there are a lot of “experts” makings comments on all of these different foods. I have been feeding my 2 Goldens Blue Basics for a few years, and all I know is they have been doing great on it. They may do just as well on something different, but at this point I feel comfortable feeding them this food.
Im a pet photographer and I have seen many dogs that look like they are doing great (beautiful coats), and I’m sure they all eat different diets. I think if we feed our pets the best we can and love them, that will suffice.
I feed raw, and therefore don’t have to worry about all this stuff…But if I had to go back to kibble it sure as heck wouldn’t be Blue! Not because of this study, which I think is dumb and probably full of lies…but because of their ingredients now days. They use canola oil, and in every single flavor they use carmel and/or carmel coloring…My dog doesn’t need sugar in his diet, and why would you add coloring to food? Oh that’s because it’s a marketing gimmick for the humans…Please if you HAVE to feed kibble do your homework and read the ingredients, ask questions, please don’t just take one persons word for it. There are great places to learn the truth about pet food(s). Good luck to Blue hope they smother Purina!
Treanna
says:Our dog is so picky and finding food that keeps his interest has been a 6 month battle…I was almost ready to go the raw route lol. We got a sample of different brands first instead of getting a bag and him hating it. You can check out the dog food advisor site. I used it and found out a lot about other brands and the garbage some companies are allowing people to feed their pets!! Its disgusting really.
DOROTHY
says:I have been feeding my 2 blue heelers ages 14 and 3 Shih-tzu’s all Nutro Max oatmeal formula for sensitive stomach and Wilderness Salmon or grain free and they all seem to do great. Yes it is a little pricey but they don’t eat as much so im not buying it as often. The main question is ,is all this grain and corn being grown with MONSANTO’S GMO AND CHEMICALS? Which just as it does in humans causes all kinds of diseases!! I try to get grain free and as natural as I can get including making homemade treats because it seems not only can you NOT trust these company’s for human consumption but now your pets aren’t even safe. THIS COUNTRY IS GOING TO HELL AND REAL QUICK ALL FOR A DOLLAR.
Agreed, Dorothy! I advise people.. AND their pets.. to steer clear of anything containing CORN, SOY, CANOLA, SUGAR and COTTONMEALl. Unless the label says “Organic” they WILL be GMO and also contaminated with Round-Up.. the body of evidence for its damaging effects is now massive!
Sandra
says:I have 2 doxies, a cattle dog and a foxhound. After much researching I decided to feed Taste of the Wild Pacific Salmon and they have all done wonderfully on it. Dachshunds can have many allergy problems but both are healthy and happy on this food.
Frank
says:Make sure you understand what is in your food.
At one time we fed Taste of the Wild Pacific Salmon to our late, highly allergic, Flat Coated Retriever. He had seven major food allergies, seventeen allergies in all including food, plants, and environmental contaminants. He had to be on single source protein dog foods which contained no fowl, no lamb, no beef, and many other food ingredients.
One of his allergies was to brewer’s yeast. One of the ingredients, formerly, in Taste of the Wild was saccharomyces cerevisiae. After our dog had allergic reactions to a food that, ostensibly at first glance contained none of his allergies we dug a bit deeper. Guess what, saccharomyces cerevisiae is brewer’s yeast. They use brewer’s yeast to increase the protein content of pet foods.
My biggest problem with the current formulations of Taste of the Wild, is all of the supposed “probiotic” ingredients they contain. These include, several strains of lactobacillus fermentation products, which I normally I have no problem with though they too can cause overgrowth of allegedly beneficial digestive bacteria. However, I am not so fond of their use of enterococcus faecium, and Trichoderma longibrachiatum. I’m not going to into detail, but look them up and see if you really want to be feeding that to your dog.
Elaine
says:Just feed your dogs Orijin. Done.
SWJ
says:Gosh, isn’t Purina the pot calling the kettle “black”? I fed my show dogs Pro Plan for many years, and then about 6 months ago noticed they weren’t doing as well as they had. Sure enough, there was now corn in the food. Before that, they’d added “soy shreds” to the food. My dogs ate around the shreds. Out of curiosity I fed Pro Plan to some pet mice. They ate the kibble but refused to eat the soy shreds. What with the soy and now corn, I’ve quit feeding Pro Plan to my dogs, and their condition is starting to improve to be back where it used to be.
Per Tudit
says:Please stop with all these “designer” breed names. They can all be replaced with “my mongrel eats…” but congrats on paying out the arse for a mutt.
Shelley
says:Do you have a point in there somewhere?
Seth
says:IF ONLY they knew that it’s not the grain that causes the allergy, but the protein in the diet! Silly dog food companies that spend ALL their money on ads, and NONE on their food.
jess
says:actually grains such as corn and wheat can absolutely cause allergic reactions in our pets
S McMi
says:They haven’t in my 14 year old healthy dog that eat Kibble & Bits!
jess
says:Then your dog doesn’t have an allergy to those ingredients
Jess
says:Dogs can develop allergies to both meat proteins AND to grain products. S McMi, I’m glad your dog is doing so well! Clearly Kibbles & Bits is the best food for him. But unfortunately while one dog may be just fine eating beef and corn, another dog may not do as well. That’s why diet choices must be tailored to the individual pet and no one single diet is ‘best’ for all.
Rania Gollaknet
says:Actually It IS the protein portion that causes the allergies, such as corn gluten and wheat gluten. Other proteins can also cause allergies such as chicken and beef, (which are more common allergens).
Megan
says:Actually, protein is the main cause for food allergy. The “fillers” that are in the diet are there so your dog gets full faster, and doesn’t eat as much. But for some reason people think that a normal weighted dog is too thin and a morbidly obese dog that looks like an ottoman is perfectly healthy., so they feed them as much as they want whenever they want. By tthr way blue buffalo is owned by the Pepsi company. And if you want a good dog food, do the research and find out which companies actually purchase their ingredients and do their testing in the US you would be surprised that purina and hills and iams and so on actually do and are vet approved.
Esther
says:Are you for real? Purina, Hills and Iams are absolute CRAP, unless you’re feeding it to cattle. Hills is vet approved because vets get kickbacks from Hills for displaying and selling it in their offices. They also make huge donations to vet programs across the country and have basic control over nutritional curriculum. Most vets know little about actual nutrition unless they take it upon themselves to research, as it is not a focus in their schooling…thanks to Hills. But again, Purina, Hills and Iams are absolute CRAP food.
Esther
says:Oh, and you also delusional if you think they purchase their products in the US. Pet food industry has basically no regulation. They can slap a “made in the USA” sticker on anything as long as it was *packaged* here. You’re the one who needs to do some research.
Jon
says:Esther’s evidence-based medicine is amazing…Purina and Hill’s give vet schools a lot and are the most learned about foods in vet school. Part of the reason is that it is a good source of nutrition information (Purina has an online training program) that is usually reviewed by nutritionists both at Purina and the schools prior to assignment to the students. So it’s probably super unreliable and whatever weird natural food is available would be much better. Vets are mostly going to familiarize themselves with a few brands of food that they know the most about cause they may not have time to look up even 20-30 dog food brands that are always changing…something about learning about medicine for 5 major species and expected to know about another 20 species…lazy vets. Purina and Hill’s also have huge research facilities for why they produce the foods the way they do. Could there be bias in those studies? Certainly, but I just haven’t seen much research come from Blue Buffalo or Orijen. Go ahead and post a study or two from them but in the grand scheme there’s not many.
Just some thoughts and feed your animals a well-balanced diet. Then if it develops allergies to a protein (the immune system is much more likely to develop allergies to proteins. PS: vegetables have proteins too. It’s how vegetarians get protein in their diet and continue to live.), change the diet to a novel protein or hypoallergenic diet to see if it improves after 6 weeks.
Seth
says:Jess, where do you get your information? Currently there is only one breed (the irish setter) that has a recorded “grain” allergy.
Esther
says:I think some people don’t understand that there’s a difference between and allergy and a reaction.
connie
says:The protein in a grain (such as wheat) can trigger the same kind of IgE response as the protein in meat.
Ashley
says:Grains and by-product meal are not bad for your pets in general. There will be some that don’t handle certain things well, just like people, but overall, they are not bad for them. The important thing is that your animal is happy and healthy on whatever food they are eating (grain free or not). Whether that is BB, or Purina, or some other brand, as long as your animal is healthy on it. I knew a Doberman breeder who swore by Dads, some super cheap food from walmart, and her show dogs did well on it. Price is just a number. It’s how your animal looks and feels that is important.
Rob
says:Let me explain something to this comments section that seems lost on almost all of you….I will use bullets to keep it simple for some of you.
-Purina is losing market share to the Blues and Prices of the world.
-Purina funded this “independent study”.
-Based on this cooked study they bring legal action that will never see a court room and will likely be thrown out.
-Articles like this are written.
-Idiots like you comment on it and “share” it on social media
-Purina gets the cheapest advertising it could ever hope for
Now as for the dog food….stop arguing and read the ingredients, if you see stuff that once had blood pumping through its veins as the first few ingredients, feed it to your dog. If you don’t and that’s all you can afford- feed it to your dog.
-Otherwise, just shut up and stop doing Purina’s bidding for them.
Seth
says:There have been numerous, serious independent studies, that have tested NUMEROUS products for chicken, beef, and pork proteins. The main reason for this is food allergies in animals is linked to the major protein, not the grains. The “novel protein” or “limited ingredient diets” from many of our “name brands” have contamination, which is a major concern to VETERINARIANS who deal with this issue on a daily basis. If you are uneducated, do not comment.
Lacey
says:Well said!
sistaelle
says:Well said. Purina is pure crap. Blue Buffalo is about the best kibble out there.
Melissa
says:bluebuffalo.com/news/nestle-purina-response
I’ll stick to my Rachael Ray and haft the process go to animal shelter all five my dogs love it
Jeanie Lochner
says:Dog Food Advisor › Choosing Dog Food › Meat Meal — The Mysterious Meat Concentrate Most People Know Little (or Nothing) About
Sandy Dobbs
says:My mini Schnauz has always had a ‘delicate’ stomach. Blue agrees with him. And, since he’s very finicky, he loves Blue. I’ll be open to the results of all this but do believe it will still be better than the crap Purina puts in their food. We’ll see.
Jeni A
says:The most effective way to be sure of what you are feeding you pets is to make your own pet food. There are many websites that tell you how to do it. One that my veterinarian recommended is Balance IT which was developed by a vet who specialized in pet nutrition. If you do a quick search, you’ll find other resources too. It is by safe the cheapest and most reassuring way to feed your pets.
Seth
says:Jeni,
Just be aware that even home “cooked” diets can be very deficient in essential vitamins and minerals.
Kathy
says:Seth, I’ve fed my dogs my own mix of raw food for 15 years. These are dogs that compete at the highest levels of hunt test, agility and obedience trials and they are in much better condition then during the decades I fed kibble. No allergies! It is no more difficult to include essential vitamins and minerals in their diet than it is in mine.
Jamie
says:I tried switching my dogs over to BB but it seemed like they were constipated and it just didn’t agree with them. Idk if it’s the formula they use or what but I am currently switching them back to wellness. I’ve never had a problem with that food! I had heard that BB was bought out by some company. Maybe that has something to do with this? Just glad I’m switching them back to wellness
Melissa
says:I have been using blue buffalo for quite a while and my cat loves it. I won’t change it till I see the outcome of the lawsuit . just because Purina claims to have tested it- well we shall see. Sorry but I don’t trust them.
Meredith Whitney
says:Purina anything by them sucks. And the first ingredient is corn.
ruth
says:Well ya better trust them, if it was grain free my cat wouldn’t shit itself like she does, and it apparently has meal crap another thing that gives her the shits. Switched to SD grain free, no more shits….don’t need a lab to tell me what my cats ass knows. You keep believing the poppycock they feed you, and you go right ahead and feed the over priced crap to you dog.
Melissa
says:Why would I believe Purina? My cat has had the best results with this food. Just because it didn’t agree with your cat doesn’t mean they are right. Just because they put it in a lawsuit doesn’t make it true. I compare bags and ingredients and that is how I decide what to feed my fur babay. If and that is a huge if , it is proven true only then would I reconsider what I give him but it still won’t be Purina!
Eryn
says:I agree. I was feeding my cats and dog Friskies and some Purina dog food my 3 cats and 1 dog. Their fur was coarse and the dog food made my baby so thirsty. He was drinking all the time. Plus, my dog had rashes and we tried everything the vet recommended outside of switching foods.
When we switched to Blue, his rashes went away and all my fur babies fur was softer and their energy levels were great.
I don’t care what Purina says, with all their by-products, I’m sticking to Blue. I’ve seen the results and they work.
This food wasn’t recommended to me by a vet. It was recommended by a friend with 3 dogs. The vet suggested Science Diet. I’ve used that before but Blue seems much better.
Angela Dunavant
says:My cats are doing very well on Blue Buffalo so I plan to keep them on it. My overweight cat lost 2 pounds and is more lively than I have seen him in a while.
S.R.
says:I’m sorry but Blue is crap. We tried on 3 different occasions to feed this to my 4 dogs. Each dog ended up with severe diarrhea, put one in the hospital and gave another hives. And yes I know how to integrate the new food. I train service dogs and have been a dog owner 25+ years. We will be sticking to what food I know will be safe and healthy for my pups and it is definitely NOT Blue!
KatV
says:Salesperson swore our finicky Golden would LOVE it…well he HATED it…He took one smell of the stuff and walked away from it and sat down….Would not eat any of it even with other foods mixed in that he did like.
ann
says:I knew something was up….. my pup was allergic to all the blue buffalo kinds of food. She has a very bad allergy to chicken…. no matter which kind i bought she would have horrible asthma attacks immediately after eating it.
Shelley
says:I have ONLY fed my Cavachon Blue Buffalo since I got her at 10 weeks old. I have nothing but great things to say about “Blue” I also feed it to my cats. One is 14 & the other is 3. They both were throwing up when I fed them Purina foods. I switched them to Blue & they are no longer throwing up & their fur is amazing. Purina is just mad because Blue is soooo much better & Purina is garbage food.
linda harling
says:so what about purina’s claims and ads?!
ruth
says:they all got that junk in it, read the package ingriedients…the only one I have found that doesn’t is the grain free by science diet
Anna
says:Science Diet is garbage as well. The premium brands: Orijen, Nature’s Variety, Fromm, Honest Kitchen, and others. Do some real research. Science Diet is just as bad as the other junk at the average big-box pet store.
jon
says:Science Diet? Really? Thats rated one of the worse brands on the market.
Joanna
says:Regardless of the advertising (and advertising generally doesn’t affect me, in other words, I don’t believe anybody’s advertising), Blue Buffalo HAS made a difference with my oldest dog. She had started limping and holding a leg up because it hurt her. Now, she walks just fine because of Blue Buffalo.
Trust me, 90% or higher of ALL companies mislead you and their advertising is NOT 100% in INTEGRITY.
I’m not worried about it. …just saying.
Urban Sidhe
says:I got tired of the bladder infections and dry skin both my cat and dog had while on Blue. I switched to Simply Nourish. All the good stuff, none of the bad.
Stefanie Marquez
says:It seems many of the comments here are way off-base. No one is saying that BB is not quality dog food, and no one is claiming that Purina is somehow better for dogs than BB. All Purina is doing is calling out BB for false advertising. If indeed BB is misleading consumers, the company SHOULD be called out for it-just as many of you anti-fast food snobs, I’m sure, would be highly overjoyed if McDonald’s got used for false advertising. We all like to see the “bad guy” go down, but when it’s a supposed “good guy,” everyone freaks out. Like I said, no one is saying that BB is bad, and no one is intimating that you all are stupid for paying top dollar for BB, even though it may not be all it’s cracked up to be. As a scientist, kudos to Purina and whoever else was involved in the product testing. If the testing was accurate, we should all be thankful.
Merissa Shelburne
says:I started feeding my dogs Blue Buffalo for a couple of months now. I have a border collie/Labrador mix that could not walk due to hip problems. We had to lift her back legs up so she can go out and do her thing. When I started feeding my dogs Blue Buffalo, in less than a month I noticed that she was not limping anymore and can just get up and go outside. I told my husband and he actually told me that he did realize that he no longer needs to lift her hip up. Blue Buffalo is definitely a high quality dog food and all my dogs love it!o
Ronnie
says:Purina suing Blue Buffalo for using byproducts? The irony and hypocrisy is laughable. I have been using Blue Buffalo for my dogs for the last 10 years in my rescue. Not once have any of the dogs suffered from anything relating to the food they were eating. Do your research on the products you are feeding your dogs, because grocery store brands (purina, beneful, etc) are the most over produced lacking in quality dog foods you can feed your dog. The best comparison to Purina is fast food. You eat to much fast food as a human and you get sick, gain weight, suffer from health issues, etc. Feed your dog the fast food of the dog food world, and you are sure to subject them to the same.
FMB
says:You are missing the point! False advertising is false advertising. No matter the product! There will always be room for improvement in all pet food!
ruth
says:ya get rid of the grains, the fillers and junk and maybe pets wouldn’t get sick from eating sub standard stuff. dogs and cats need meat proteins not grain, they are not pigs, sheep or cattle.
Charlotte
says:Ronnie, you are so wrong. Purina is one of only 3 pet food companies to employ a veterinary nutritionist. Does Blue Buffalo? No. Purina makes a range of foods from grocery store brands to the top line of Pro Plan. Blue Buffalo does not test feed any of their foods before making claims. Purina is one of only a few companies that test feeds their top foods. I for one would rather stick with a company that test feeds, has a veterinary nutritionist on staff, and whose top line was fed last year to over 90% of the top show dogs in the country. Check you dog food bag. Look for the AAFCO statement in the fine print. If the food is some of the few that are test fed, you are better off. Here is an article from a board certified veterinary nutritionist not aligned with any pet food company. PetDiets AAFCO Guidelines
Connie
says:Thank you, Charlotte. You took the words right out of my mouth. My vet tried several times to contact Blue with some questions regarding mine and a couple of other clients. He wanted to speak with a nutritionist, but the only people they ever let him talk to were sales reps. At that point, I took my geriatric foster dog with severe GI issues off Blue and on Purina EN prescription, and she has thrived, grown her coat back and gained weight. Now, I’m a believer in “tincture of time”, especially with dogs. Maybe she just improved on her own. But I also believe in transparency and information sharing. Purina supplied all the info he asked for, Blue supplied none.
Esther
says:Pro Plan top of the line? You lost any credibility after that statement.
Greta Pompa
says:Pet food horror stories abound. Susan Thixton is a tireless advocate for pet food quality and nutrition. Google : thetruthaboutpetfood.com
Pet owners must band together to demand transparency and truth in pet food ingredients and manufacturing practices. The lobbyists are working to protect the multi-billion dollar pet food profits, with no regard to the animals that eat this poison.
Nancy Pierce
says:I recently lost my little dog who was with us for almost 18 years. Both of my dogs have been eating Blue Buffalo pretty much, for their entire lives. My little dog died of old age. My other dog, who is almost 11, is mistaken for a puppy constantly. I know what I feed them has to do with their longevity. No one can tell me that Blue Buffalo is not quality food.
My go to has become DogFoodAdvisor It gives you the facts and teaches youa bout all the ingredients. Then you can better make up your mind. Just keep terriers away from grain, especially corn. Their skin will eventually react and it will cost you money and heartbreak and cost them their comfort.
Jeff
says:You do know that DogFoodAdvisor is propaganda and ran by a dentist with an agenda.
The rescue I work for tries to keep all our dogs away from grain. They are terriers and terriers are super sensitive to grain, especially corn. We tend to go by DogFoodAdvisor which gives you the facts and explains them. Personally I feed my Cairn Orijen, Ziwi Peak, Fresh Pet (I researched them myself because I didn’t trust anything sold in Target except their toys which are great ). I also supplement with home made raw. IMHO I believe that that rotation of foods is super good for him. He does have allergies but they are environmental. This time of the year he would be miserable but I give him 10mg of zyrtec twice a day (dog’s have different metabolism’s than humans that is why twice a day) and that is like magic for him. Once the pollen is gone he is fine.
I have a friend who once asked someone in line at Walmart who was buying Old Roy if he knew that he probably was slowly euthanizing his dog with the food he is feeding. She was a bit much but she sure got her point across after taking out her phone and showing him what all the ingredients are.
All in all I think, at least for now, using DogFoodAdvisor is the best guide for the perplexed dog parent. Give it a look.
Diana Branson
says:Purina has NEVER been a good food, no matter how much advertising they do, it will be equivalents to cardboard. I feed mine BB and always will, we just went through this today at the store comparing it to wellness, and its protein is higher, the second ingredient Brown Rice, where wellness had tons of other ingredients after its meat product. Its also 6 dollars cheaper. But Purina? I would not throw that stuff into a river for catfish to eat. Its rock bottom, and that is why Purina is doing this to BB.
Dan l
says:My boxer had similar problems as a puppy. I refused to use hills and went with Origen and he has been crystal and allergy free since.
Vicki Reynolds
says:I need help. My 8 yr old Bichon has developed crystals in her bladder and some in kidney due to a really bad infection. The vet wanted her on c/d food from Hills science, but my dog would not eat it unless it was mixed 50% with current food.. Vet then said put her on Royal Cainen. It was so full of fluid that my dog could not even have time to ask out and she just started going all over the house.. Now she is on w/d hills science. Once again, I can only get her to accept. 50% mix. Every 3 months we have to go in for ultra sound of bladder and kidneys and a sterile urine collection. I would like to put her on completely good raw vegetables, protein from baked chicken and mix in a broth that contains some parsley because it is supposed to be good for cleaning kidneys in humans. Have any of you had these problems. She also gets hot spots on feet in summer and is put on allergy medicine. I love her and want her to be as healthy as she can. I welcome any suggestions.
Rick Valesko
says:Also look at lemon oil for the kidneys
Cathy
says:My dog had digestive issues too. I started him on Fresh Pet, in the refrigerated unit at BJ’s also sold at Pet Smart. He loves it and has no digestive issues now.
alana ellingwood
says:I have a papillon with addisons disease and his list of problems are many, but a few are runny bloody stools and dry skin with periods of thinning hair, about a month ago our vet switched him to a raw diet ( there are many kinds, I am using natures variety). It has made a big difference in his coat and he hasn’t had one bloody stool since we switched him. He is a fussy eater too but he loves this and gets so excited at meal time.maybe this could help your bichon? Good luck
Nikki
says:Since your dog has a medical condition it would be best to speak with a Veterinarian with a Nutrition Specialty if you want to start your dog on a home-made diet (UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine). It is expensive (~$200), but I believe UC Davis Veterinary school allows for phone consultations for your pet, where they can put together a home-cooked balanced diet for animals with medical conditions. I wouldn’t just put together some veggies and meat for a dog with both kidney and bladder issues, you need a diet low in certain minerals, high in others due to the bladder issues and with a different protein composition in order to not overload your pet’s kidneys.
Cindy
says:Start feeding her raw diet.. its more work (though you can buy frozen raw patties) and its more expensive.. but if you mix in raw fruits and veggies… its the best way to feed your dog -esp with medical issues. Do your research on it. I have seen raw diets work miracles.
connie s
says:Vicky,
This post is about both the crystals and the atopy:
1. What allergy medicine? Do you mean steroids, or antihistamines?
2. What kind of crystals? Struvite, calcium oxalate?
3. Are you doing what you can to keep this dog’s U.T. flushed? Baited water, wet food, etc.?
4. Are you doing what you can to keep seasonal outdoor allergens outside and not inside where the dog breathes them 24/7? For example, after walking or playing on grass or meadows, the dog can walk through a pan of clean water on the way inside and then have her feet gently but thoroughly dried. Then you can wipe her undercarriage (belly and pits) and legs with an unscented baby wipe. The bedding or blanket she uses needs to be laundered to get rid of what pollen, etc., is already there. The dog can be bathed often — even just thoroughly rinsed — for the same reason. (No, frequent bathing of an atopic dog is not drying to the skin. Use a shampoo with correct pH for dogs and rinse well.)
Do you have a spray topical such as Vetericyn to help break an itch cycle?
Have you considered a derm vet? You may suffer from sticker shock, but derm is a specialty for a reason.
Joke
says:I’d love anyone to actually prove that Purina isn’t better than every “natural” food out their. One ounce of actual proof vs online propaganda. Compare results vs new foodie ingredients. All the top show and sporting dogs are fed … Guess……. Purina & no they aren’t paid. Keep paying for marketing and I’ll keep raising beatiful champion dogs.
SHARON
says:I agree 100% I have always fed Purina for 22 yrs. My dogs look great no skin issues beautiful shinny coat! If its good enough to feed my dogs Champion parents its good enough for her. I have english bulldogs and never have had loose stool, which is why everyone says not to feed a Bulldog Purina, and never recalled like all the rest of those out there.
Some purina dog foods have been recalled at one point or another.
Patricia
says:Purina is disgusting garbage and if you even compare the stool from two dogs one on Purina one on a better quality food the difference is quite clear.
Purina’s Inedible Animal Food
Anne
says:I raise and show herding dogs. I used Pro Plan and could never get coat, had hot spots, one bitch’s coat always looked fried, they had gas…. you name it. Started feeding BB and dogs coats look great, no gas and dogs feel great. Also able to dramatically cut the stuff I had to add to Pro Plan to make my dogs look reasonable.
My brother called me when he got a rescue lab. Vet had him on Pro Plan but my brother said the gas was almost to much to bear in the house. He switched to BB and the dog is no longer gassing them out of the house and better quality stools.
My horse vet always said never to feed Purina grains as they always bought whatever was cheapest…..not whatever was best!!!!
Kelly
says:I can’t say enough about. The Wellness Core product. My dog loves it and is energetic, shiny fur and scarfs it down.
Jeff
says:How ironic, Purina saying somebody else’s food contains byproducts… Purina is the fast-food of pet foods… Back in the early 90’s my Vet told me that Purina cat chow was absolute garbage. I avoid Purina products just like I avoid treats manufactured in China!!!
Amy
says:I fully agree with you, Jeff! My thoughts exactly!!!
Kathie Yeagley
says:I have fed my Westies nothing but Flint River Ranch Lamb Rice & Millet. One of girls had serious allergy issues and FRR Lamb Rice & Millet did wonders for her. It’s not cheap but my furkids love it and their vets approve of it. No, I don’t work for them nor do I have any connection to them except through ordering the furkids food from them.
Here is a list of who makes what (doesn’t include recent purchases/take-overs not yet completed)
List of Major Dog Food Manuafactures and Their Brands
Will
says:It’s a shame what companies will put into their foods. Not all is horrible, but some is downright garbage. Looking at the cost we feed our cats raw ground meat and bone and this is far cheaper than BB and FAR better for them. Look up a company called ‘Blue Ridge Beef’ and see if you can find a supplier close. There are plenty of other raw options, that with a good supplement (for fill in the vitamins/mineral needs) and you’ll be much happier when you have clean the litter box!
carla vacc
says:I have never heard a recall on Halo Dog and Cat food maybe try that ..it cant hurt I have been feeding that to mine since he has problems with chicken and grains …
Eric B.
says:I often wonder if we’re all off our rocker. We recently lost our cat of 16 years. The poor cat had bladder issues her whole life and we fed her some of the best foods on the market. The rest of the animals are on various kinds of “Blue Buffalo” food.
But a few years ago my inlaws lost their cat as well. 19 years old. Outdoor cat, no vaccines, and the absolute cheapest food they could find.
It’s really doesn’t matter for us though. Our rescue Flatty turned her nose up to just about everything but Blue Buffalo so that’s what we use.
Bertha
says:Every animal is different. Why can some people eat junk food and not gain weight while others get diabetes? Common sense should prevail.
Shari
says:BB went or is going IBO – which means the product will change and the ingredients will change to cheaper quailty. What should follow are consumers who used the product should sue as well.
Joyce Garrett
says:Blue is not cheap. Shame on you. They will just put the food in another bag, and sell it as something else. They do no care about your pets. Its all about money. What a shame. Is $19.00 for a 4.5 bag not enough?
wondering
says:humm…that much for a bad of food? wondering where it is all going…o I know! into all those stupid false adds they put on tv. Wondering why hills and purina dont have so many stupid adds like that…O i know! cause they r putting that good money into research and testing. your welcome.
In addition to the Natural Balance dog foods I just posted about, I give Buddy as much RAW FOOD as I can. That is the most healthy and allergy free way to go, but requires a little more effort. I have several good articles about raw food for pets on my website. Check them out here:
“If you care at all for your beloved pets, don’t believe the ads from the $10 billion per year U.S. pet food industry when it comes to the health of your loving pets. Rather than being scientifically designed to provide everything your pet needs for good health, as advertised, commercial pet foods actually lack sufficient minerals, enzymes and vitamins for good health – and usually contain ingredients and additives actually harmful to pet health. ”
RawFoodLife
Check out Natural Balance Pet Foods, Inc.
By fr the very best formula I found for my allergy-sensitive dog, Buddy. Here is the FULL ingredients for the fish flavor:
Sweet Potatoes, Salmon, Salmon Meal, Canola Oil, Potato Fiber, Natural Flavor, Salt, Salmon Oil (a source of DHA), Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, DL-methionine, Choline Chloride, Natural Mixed Tocopherols, Taurine, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Proteinate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B-1), Manganese Proteinate, Manganous Oxide, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Riboflavin (Vitamin B-2), Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Folic Acid.
They also have chicken, beef, vegetarian and even BISON!
Jpk
says:Except that they have Diamond Pet Food comanufacture their product. At the same play that their 2005 recall was made at….. Ingredients are only one part of the equation. Google aflatoxin and diamond.
ACole
says:Natural Balance uses only human grade ingredients and test all of their foods for way more than is required by law. That is their “Buy with Confidence” program. I lost 2 dogs to Pro Plan with Cancer and dementia and then my new dog had chronic ear infections and chewed himself raw for 4 1/2 years with nothing from the vet working to remedy it. After 2 weeks on Natural Balance, ears cleared up, body healed, hair grew back and it’s been 7 1/2 years with no problems. I was also given a Jack Russell that was having seizures and after 6 weeks on Natural Balance hasn’t had a seizure in 5 years! Google Top 12 Worst Pet Food Brands and see what’s on that list! You’ll be shocked.
Deb Brown
says:If it’s being sold in the pet food aisle at your average grocery store, you probably don’t want to feed it to your pet.
Check DogFoodAdvisor for dog food reviews and make educated decisions. (I am not affiliated with that website but it’s a great tool.)
Erica
says:It definitely is! I feed all my babies Merrick, dog food advisor gives it 5 starts and says enthusiastically recommended, plus my babies love it, u can’t beat that 🙂 I also feed my cats the senior Merrick bistro
Erica
says:Stars not starts lol
Jennifer
says:Blue Buffalo is also a 5 star on that list, by the way, so…. Who to trust?
Joanne Sheppard
says:I have a real problem with Purina accusing another company of using inferior ingredients. Sounds like a lot of sour grapes to me.
Purina’s pet food is subpar and instead of fixing THEIR problem, they go after other companies. This is not the first time they have shot down a better product than theirs.
Debbie Daniel
says:Couldnt have said it better myself.
Melissa
says:Its not that they are shooting them down for being better it is because they are accusing the other companies of false advertising. So purina took upon themselves to test their product and what do you know blu was actually lying themselves.
ACole
says:I don’t like Purina but they are not accusing Blue Buffalo of using inferior products, they are accusing them of false advertising. That is what this lawsuit is about.
wondering
says:and yet the company will lie to all of its customers to get that extra amount of money and your going to trust that they r giving you the right food for your pet? thats sad.
I have 2 dogs. A Maltipom Mix ..7 years old and a Shih Tzu..3 years old. That is the only food I have ever gave them. I am in shock. A few months ago our Shih Tzu was diagnosed with pancreatitis. The Vet. Said he had to much fat in his blood. We are extremely careful of what treats we give our dogs, nothing made in China, only the U.S. And Canada. I thought this was one of the top best dog foods there is. I still have have of a large bag of it. It is going in the garbage. Could that have been the reason my dog got sick? Tormented and disgusted by this disturbing news. I hope that company gets everything they deserve. I live in Canada. Cannot get Merrick dog food in the part where I live. Any suggestions for a best seller????
Thanks.
Karen Foster
says:Orijen…made and sourced in Canada!!
Angelica
says:Rice hulls won’t cause pancreatitis. That’s caused by excessive fat. No fat in rice.
Rice is a cereal grain. Cereal grains are not the same as wheat grain. No gluten. Rice hulls would pretty much just add fiber.
While I think it’s not right that they are claiming their food to be “grain free” it’s still a fairly decent food and 1 million times better than anything Purina has ever produced.
Actually it is a cereal – “any plant from the grass family that yields an edible grain, such as barley, corn, oats, rice, rye, wheat”. Grain free would have none of these. That is not true on the label. If labels are to mean anything, and marketing claims mean anything, they must be true. Whatever Purina’s motivation, the company made a false and misleading statement. People buying it to avoid such things may look no further than the ‘grain free’ label. A *LOT* of money made in the pet care world.
Natalia Stefan
says:You can also try Fromm’s. My Shichon is on it and loves it. I get the grain free formula.
Lisa
says:Nature’s Balance. It’s made by the Dick Vann Patten family, they started the company in the 1980’s. We by ours at Petco not sure if you have that stire but you could order online.
Thanks!
Sara Eckert
says:I also feed my three labs Dick VanPatton’s food. I use the venison and sweet potato. It’s taken me a long time to find something which suits all three, but finally I have. Seems to be working well on my guys. May not have “5” stars, but I do believe it is a good food, and I have no problems with my guys being on it.
Mom2Cavs
says:Just an fyi….Natural Balance was bought by Del Monte recently. I’m not so sure that this food is as good as it was when I used to feed it.
ACole
says:None of the recipes or ingredients have changed in Natural Balance foods. They have just introduced a new and improved meat roll with fruits and vegetables. Great variety for my dogs who love it and are healthy. STILL all human grade ingredients, nothing from CHINA!
They also have a grain-free assortment for dogs with grain sensitivities.
Angela
says:Orijen or Acana. Made in ALberta, all natural ingredients with no grains. It’s the next best thing to raw. I have seen great changes in my dogs since switching to Acana.
Pam
says:I tried Orijen and Acana on my Ibizan Hound. The protein level was 38%, he had a large amount of protein in his liver and kidneys. The vet said it is way to much protein for a dogs system to handle that it was harming his liver and kidneys. Anyone else have this problem. My dog really loved the food but I dont want to harm him either.
Bertha
says:Pam if your dog has underlying issues, listen to your vet. Large amounts of protein that may be harder to digest will not be a good thing for an animal with compromised kidney or liver issues. If routine blood work suggested the dog was on the higher end of the scale but he is otherwise healthy, it could be totally normal for him.
Cherie
says:I feed my GSD puppy WELLNESS CORE GRAIN FREE. It also received 5 stars from petfoodadvisor and is slightly cheaper than Blue Buffalo. GSD are prone to allergies so I wanted to be careful from the start. He’s now 8 months old and his fur is soft and super shiny. Unfortunately for me I was topping it with Freshpet roll and he started getting hot spots. Stopped the Freshpet and now top with Wellness core canned. His hot spots are now disappearing. I personally suggest the Wellness for sure!
toni
says:orijen, acana, I think it’s champion that owns them all. great food, but, u have to know your crude analysis percentages. some of them are 33-38% protein. very high, good for puppies, not so much for older dogs. I try to stay around 25% protein, no grain, and the first 6 ingredients are the ones that are most important.
Val
says:Try NOW FRESH Grain Free Senior. Made and sourced in Canada. 100% China Free. And it uses coconut oil as a fat source which does not utilize the pancreas. My little Jack Russell had pancreatitis attacks two years ago. I put him on NOW FRESH Senior with my vet’s blessing and he has not had an attack since then. NOW FRESH Grain-Free Senior Recipe for Dogs
Shannon B
says:Try Now! fresh made by Petcurean – all fresh ingredients ( no meals which are rendered meats ) made in Ontario ! This food is far superior to Orijen !
This is disturbing… I always look at the company that is making the accusations first. If you go to dogfoodadvisior/review, you will note that most all of their products are given a one star out of five! Blue gets four or five stars. I’ll wait to see how this plays out. Being a behaviorist/trainer, a lot of my clients ask what I feed my pets. I want them to make their own decisions and send them to this site.
Billt
says:Did it ever occur to you the 4 and 5 star reviews are based on peoples belief in their advertising?
Joke
says:You do realize that dog food advisor is run by a dentist, not a vet, who has his own agenda. Possibly working with blue or these million companies that have popped up over night that throw the latest human food in a bag with no testing and sell for $10 a lb.
Esther
says:The guy who runs dogfoodanalysis doesnt work for anyone and he does a completely UNbiased analysis on each food exclusively on the ingredients listed on the bag.
wondering
says:is he a vet?
Shalimar
says:Nutro sensitive stomach has been great for my Chocolate Lab who is now 15 1/2 and my Weimeraner who is 14 1/2. Tried BB a few times, and it didn’t agree with them.
Solice Walker
says:That exspains why my cats are pulling theyre fur out & iching all the time .My dog developed allergys from this food that i so believed in.Who do i trust now when itcomes to feeding my pets the right food? I cant afford to try every food out there.I love my pets & want them to stay healthy no iching or allergies or pulling fur out.What do i use to feed them that they will like?
Michelle
says:I have been feeding my cats Blue Buffalo Duck since I adopted and unfortunately lost my blind cat who had intestinal issues when I adopted him (why I changed food). My cat, Shadow has been losing fur (can’t say it started happening with the switch to this food) and has been very itchy. I am mortified that it could be this food and will start the switch to something else immediately. My other cat Monster, no problems at all. I thought Shadow was stressed over a new cat in the house as he is very sensitive, but now that you mentioned your cats are having the same problems, I think the food may be the culprit. Ugh. So annoyed with these companies deceiving the people.
Bertha
says:I wouldn’t jump to conclusions, take your cat to the vet and look for other causes to his itching.
Renee Clarke
says:The Tractor Supply 4Health is a great food with very comparable ingredients to foods like Canadae and Merrick and has a great price. I do have one dog on Blue and, although I don’t appreciate being lied to, it is the only food that keeps him from having runny stool so I will keep using it.
Makes me wonder about foul play.. or should that be “fowl play” by Putrina and its allies? Think on this.. in Dec 2012 ex-Nestle Kurt Schmidt, former Deputy Executive Vice President of Nestle Nutrition became CEO of Blue Buffalo, a move that raised eyebrows amongst observers. Blue Buffalo is one of the largest of Purina’s competitors, having a high standing in the industry, and it would be simply wonderful for Nestle Purina Pet Care if they were taken down with a massively expensive lawsuit wouldn’t it?
Even better, a sale of BB has been rumoured for some time now. Decreasing confidence and a lawsuit could see the company’s share prices.. and therefore value.. plummet dramatically, making it a cheap buyout. Blue Buffalo Co. Ltd. IS likely headed for an IPO in 2014, according to this article, with an outside chance that the premium pet food business could be sold, according to industry sources… There are a number of potential acquirers for a growing business in a growing sector. NESTLE SA has likely taken a look at Blue Buffalo, a source said, and Mars Inc., Colgate-Palmolive Co., Procter & Gamble Co., in addition to private equity-backed Del Monte Foods Co., could be potential bidders.
Colgate owns Science Diet, while Mars owns Royal Canine in addition to Nutro, and Procter & Gamble’s pet food businesses include Iams and Eukanuba. NESTLEis parent to pet food giant PURINA, which includes the Pro Plan brand
Blue Buffalo Could See IPO Sale in 2014
Is BENEFUL by Purina KILLING or SICKENING Dogs? Post YOUR Story!
Cemorr
says:IF this is true, and not just a complaint by Purina because BB is kicking their butts on many levels, it makes all of us look bad that are out in the stores repping the product line every week.
I fed BB to my GR for years, only switched to Wellness because of the higher levels of glucosamine and chondroitin, not because I ever thought BB had a bad product.
Brenda
says:I too switched to 4Health dog and cat food from Tractor Supply over a year ago. My pets love it and their allergy problems have gone away. Blue Buffalo did not seem to help my boxer at all and was way too expensive.
Mandy
says:I have a chocolate lab and he’s been on Merrick since we brought him home as a puppy. Never heard a bad thing about Merrick and our dog loves it. Our vet always says he looks very handsome and is one of the healthiest patients she has.
Eric M
says:There are plenty of bad things about Merrick dry food.
Rose
says:Merrick? Will google it, been giving mine blue buffalo(4.5stars, I believe) mixed with a taste of the wild (5star rated), because the dog advisory gave it 5 stars, and 1 of my dogs have allergies..since giving them “grain free”, haven’t had to take my girl in for shots, but she still has moderate allergies…this is disturbing I spend time and good money, making sure my dogs food is healthy for them, they take advantage of people that love their pets….nowhave to research another brand,not sure if I’d seen Merrick at tractor supply store, but will look for it…
Jennifer
says:Also look into Earthborn. VERY cost efficient, grain free food! I have an english bulldog so I wanted to feed him the good stuff from the beginning and i am lucky to have worked for a holistic pet supply store and learned SO much! FROMM is one of the best and least heard of. They have been around for over 100 years, they are family owned in Wisconsin, and have NEVER had a recall. Earthborn was better for me because it didn’t have the insanely high amounts of protein that ALL of the other grain free “good foods” had. They do a LOT for the environment too. Merrick has a great rep so far but it is VERY new. It was started by a lady that helped start Nutro..
Tracy
says:Or ditch the kibble completely and go raw. Then people will no longer need to worry about what is being put into their pet food….. I have 3 happy healthy raw fed cattle dogs and 2 raw fed cats and I no longer worry about what goes into them.
Sheryl Bowman
says:It’s quite common when a “newer brand”/small company starts putting out pet food starts making a name for themselves that they either are forced to sell their product to the larger companies or the larger companies will try to cause them legal problems in hopes to run their competition out of business.
Nestle/Purina pet products are still inferior products and if they were pulled for testing and the results revealed……….even fewer people would be purchasing them than they are now.
No one that loves their pets feeds Purina!
Erika
says:Umm… I’m sorry but I take offense to your comment. “No one that loves their pets feeds Purina!” I love my pets as if they were my children. Always have and always will. All my pets, both dogs and cats, eat Purina. I have tried some of those higher end brands. (and yes… I know how to introduce new brands to my animals. And my animals won’t eat it or get sick on it.) I have had multiply vets tell that it’s one of the best brands out there and tell me to stick with it. Both my dogs and my cats are healthy and live very long lives.
Not all of us can afford those high dollar brands such as Blue Buffalo. And even if I could, I don’t see any reason why I would change brands when the one have always fed has proven to be a good one.
So don’t sit there and try to say that people don’t love their animals just because they feed them a certain type of dog food!
Vicki
says:I agree with you 100% I have always fed my dog food from the grocery store and he has never had any major health issues. He is 14 years old and shows no sign of any problems. He is still very active. As most intelligent people know expensive doesn’t always mean better. I also do not like someone implying that I don’t love my dog just because I can’t afford to feed him the most expensive dog food. My dog is fine and I think giving lots of love and a good home is what is really important. I can’t stand people who think they are better than everyone and have no problem letting others know that
We feed our dog Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea and our previous Pup who had serious food allergies and skin issues the same thing.
I am very upset by this. I rescue maltose and yorkers and I want to give them the best. I will be researching while looking for another dog food. I have been loyal and recommended to several people.
Sarah
says:Make them drop the costs as well, due to them ripping so many of us off for their false advertisements
Lynne Ostergren
says:I don’t like being lied to. I’m switching food to Merrick.
Col. K.D. Frazier
says:I use Blue despite the extreme high price because I want only the best for my dog … Blue has lowed the pounds and raised the price several times , I believe .
Anyway; I need a grain free food as my dog does have allergies .. and I’ve noticed his itching a bit more with this last batch of Wilderness Salmon from Blue …
Guess I will need to re evaluate my choice of food for my dog …. it won’t be Blue anymore ….
Monique
says:I switched from Blue grain free to Tractor Supply grain free 4health about a year ago and haven’t had any problems the price difference is substantial and from what Blue Buffalo is. If you have a TSC (Tractor Supply Co.) in your area might want to check it out 🙂
Debbie Daniel
says:4 health is bottom of the list on dog foods. i would never feed that to my dog.
buy orijen grain free…
Lisa
says:Bottom of the list? Really? The 4health grain-free rates 3.5 stars on DogFoodAdvisor. While that may not be the best, it certainly doesn’t rank at the bottom of the list. I feed the 4health large breed dry – it’s a good compromise between price and quality.
Maybe a little more support for the folks who are doing the best they can and a little less vitriol.
kristen
says:Try Merrick Dog Foods- they are priced similarly, are company packaged, everything is sourced in the US, and they have a lot of grain free and a few limited ingredient options. My dogs love it and look great. I feed it to my foster dogs to get them healthy, and it works so fast. Merrick is a great company.
Debbie Daniel
says:Blue Buffalo is by far superior food..but its better than Purina anything. Homemade diets are the best.
Jeff
says:You’re funny debbie, based on what actual proof is any brand better than the other – Price?????? I can almost guarantee that if you were to give 100 random dogs Purina and 100 any of the countless new brands (that all source from the same co-manufacturers geesh) Purina would out perform all of them. Just because they dont have mango, or avacodo or quail meat doesn’t mean they aren’t effective. Not everyone can afford to feed $50 bags and not everyone can feed raw or should they as most are to uneducated to know how to properly do so. Also as a % more dogs die on raw then any other form of diet, due to owner ignorance. Show me one ounce of actual proof and I’ll get off my soap box. Until then I’ll keep raising my champion show dogs on Pro Plan.
Eryn
says:I was feeding my dog some Purina crap. He had rashes and we couldn’t figure out what he was allergic to. We went to the vet several times and tried cortisone shots and were just short of putting him on steroids before we tried Blue.
His rashes went away. His energy levels were great and his coat was softer and fuller.
A friend with three dogs recommended the brand to me. Not some vet or ad. I learned from someone else that had seen very positive results about this food.
The “actual proof” you’re asking for is in the pets. Not the advertising or the price. There are hundreds of comments on this thread “proving” that Blue does do wonderful things for pets.
To make it clear, because the food is better for your animal you don’t have to feed it as much as you would with some other brand. So the $50 bag you mentioned lasts a very long time. This is someone with three cats saying one bag of 15lb indoor cat food last twice as long as one 16lb bag of Friskies by Purina.
Esther
says:After reading many of your comments, Jeff, I’m convinced you work for Purina.
Kristen
says:I’m sorry, but I get a rash from milk, does that mean that it’s crap? I’m also allergic to Bananas, does that mean that they’re crap? No, it means that I can’t eat them. Just because your dog doesn’t do well on a food, doesn’t mean that all others shouldn’t benefit from good nutrition. Purina, Hills, Royal Canin and Iams actually pay the extra money needed to run a AAFCO feeding trials on real dogs to see how their food performs. Don’t waste your time reading posts from the misinformed. Strike up a conversation with your dogs Veterinarian, that’s what they’re there for, that is what they went to school for.
Does the guy who owns the pet food specialty store have a degree in Veterinary Medicine, unlikely.