[Katz]

I have been doing some research on which dog food is best for my dog and I am about to go nuts so I have come here to ask those more prone to know the answer. He is 8 yrs. Old, sensitive tummy, has problems with anal glands... High Fiber Diet?? But then again what about his stomach? I am so confused:confused: HELP Please.

[N0help4u]

Purina One is really good. I gave it to my last two dogs when they got old and I could see a really big contrast in their health from the Dads I had been feeding them. They might still have a coupon for a free bag on their site. Type purina one challenge in the search engine to see if they still have a free coupon. Also the Beneficial is good too. Otherwise try asking at PetSmart about the better brands they sell and which would be best for your dog.
Also when a dog gets older and his knees are going bad give him Hylaronic Acid it works wonders. I even take it for my joints and swear by it. Vets give it to race horses.

[labman]

It is easy to get bogged down when trying to sort out dog chow. A big part of the problem is that some much of what is around comes from those selling dog chow. For some of them, no lie is too big, or too blatant. Then there is the cleaver use of half truths, and distortions. I learned much of what I know about dog chow before the internet became such a popular repository of disinformation. One of the most balanced presentations of info is at Articles 2 Be forewarned, some of the links take you to sites I consider to be full of nonsense. There are all sorts of opinions represented, some with no factual basis behind them at all. I think most people are intelligent to see through the junk science behind many claims. I just can't buy into much of what I read on the net about dog chow. I see too many dogs thriving on Pro Plan and other common brands to believe the negative things I read about such chows.

For your special case, perhaps you really need to discuss it with your vet. Chances are, Hills Science diet has a chow right for him. I am less familiar with what Purina has. You could check. Last month I got a measuring cup with my Xanthe labeled Purina Veterinary Diets. You might look at both Hills and Purina's websites and see what they say about sensitive stomachs and anal glands.

[bushg]

labman, your link is not working... here is one from woodhaven labs, I'm not sure if it is the same one Dog Foods - Or What In The World Should I Buy?

[labman]

OK, I have it fixed. Thanks for the heads up.

[froggy7]

If I wanted to switch my dog's food, do you do it the same way as with cats? (Add a small amount of the new food, gradually increasing until you are only feeding the new.) Or can you just switch them cold turkey?

Oh, in case anyone wonders, I've been feeding California Natural (mostly because I like the cat version for the cats). But I was poking around some of the other Natura brands based upon the handy link from Ruby (labman's still seems not quite right, although I could have probably found my way to the right page eventually), and some of their other lines look reasonable, and probably a bit cheaper. Especially since Trink doesn't seem to have the same digestive troubles that the cats do!

And, much as I hate to say this, what with the pet food recall earlier, I now look for brands that don't source their ingredients from China. That's just a personal thing on my part, but it's been a pain with the cats' favorite wet foods off the market. I'd rather not disrupt their lives again if something like that reoccurs.

[labman]

Yes, you need to stretch out the change in a dog's chow over a week.

I rechecked my link. What I posted takes you to where food and nutrition starts in their list of articles.

I still have yet to see any stronger evidence favoring the expensive chows than ''My dog is doing well on______.'' I know of thousands of dogs doing well on Pro Plan. On another site I see more questions from people with their dogs on expensive chows than the cheaper ones.

[Katz]

Thanks to all of you for your help and the websites. Hopefully I will come to some conclusion before to long. Thanks again guys. I love this site :)

[RubyPitbull]

Katz, it really is a personal decision. I didn't realize how difficult it was until I was faced with my rescue who has all sorts of health issues due to poor breeding and a very bad start in life. She is plagues with anal gland issues and a sensitive digestive track. I can only tell you what I found through trial and error. She is now on Hill's Prescription Science Diet W/D, which I can only buy directly from my vet. It's protein content is lower than most, and it's fiber content is the highest I could find. Although she was put on this food when she was about 3 years old, it is actually formulated for older dogs. It seems to have minimized her issues. Her anal glands still need to be expressed, but not as often as before. The vet and I have a bit of a difference of opinion on whether to surgically remove them. I don't want to put her through the procedure. I have been fortunate to catch and relieve the problem prior to the AGs ever becoming infected.