kone

So I've been searching for a food that my 4 yo yellow lab seems to tolerate well, i.e. firm well-colored poops vs stringy and runny and light like he's had almost since going to adult food. Finally have found one that is an LID and grain-free dry food. This food has chickpeas, peas, and sweet potatoes among top six or so ingredients, however. Feeling like I need to go back to the drawing board and find something lower in these due to DCM scare. Now I'm reading some foods are replacing processed grains with unrefined "ancient" grains like quinoa, and things like blueberries, carrots, and kale. Anyone else overthinking this? Nothing is too good for my dog! lol

Fwiw we feed him a little less than a full cup 2 x day which doesn't seem like a whole lot for a 70# lab (to me) but at one point a few years back vet suggested we might be giving him too much and his system was just running it through without digesting.

pcheesesteak

I and Love and You dog food. No fillers. I and Love and You.

Have a Corgi that used to have terrible gastro problems. Switched to 1/4 cup pumpkin and 1/4 cup I and Love and You. Overnight fix, no exaggeration.

saltyreefer

I took my 3 1/2 yr old lab off grain free (taste of the wild) after the issue with heart problems with it. I am
now feeding Purina pro plan and switching a 1 yr old yellow lab to it. . But I also boil chicken to go with meals and switch it up with chicken livers
and add a little sweet potato also. 90% of the time they have one of these added and get a baby carrot
for a treat sometimes too. Their stool is solid
And white rice at times when I have it.

kone

thanks. we tried pro plan last few months and he had very loose stools. Our daughter's lab ears pro plan focus without issue.

saltyreefer

Did you slowly switch your lab over to the new food? !/4 new first week, 1/2 second week and so on?

Fish'nFool

Purina ProPlan Performance or Focus.

Stay away from grain free.

Loose stools initially might be due to switching to a higher protein % in the ProPlan. Food change should be gradual.

cummins28

Royal Canin makes breed specific foods. My Shepherd is sensitive to certain foods he is on Royal Canin shep mix and has been doing well.

I like pro plan also.

Chewy.com is the cheapest place we’ve found it.

kone

yup! Thanks

saltyreefer

My vet swears by Royal Canin and says he visited the factory. He has nothing but good things to say about it.

bluffman2

I feed my Belgium Mal Nutrena Loyall Life 26/16....shes 52 lbs and 2 cups a day keeps her fit.....she gets worked 1-2 hours per day when the weather permits.....
Chicken and brown rice, no corn,wheat or soy.

Fishoi

How about Sport mix? Ace sells it. Cost is not bad at all great reviews. Would this fall under the “bad” food?

kone

The concern is that when there's no grain, corn, wheat, soy then there's likely lentil, legumes, peas, etc, which are linked to DCM.

bluffman2

• Made without corn, wheat, soy, artificial colors, flavors and preservatives and include no byproducts.
• #1 ingredient is chicken
• Fruits & vegetables including carrots, sweet potatoes, and blueberries

Lilman11177

was going to suggest very same thing

captain28570

Zignature Zssential Formula Dog Food

by
They have many variety's. Made in the USA. The only company that my Mom found that had never had a recall.

mystery

pretty much all vets are saying at this point, just do purina pro plan or royal canin or science diet. i went with purina sensitive skin. i was feeding $100 per bag orijen before for years. vet said once heart issue id'd, its too late, and they have seen a bunch of cases as of late

ps. this has been discussed on THT previously. i recommend reading and not re-hasing. some very good info.

schoolsout1

There’s a big thread I started a year or so ago. I switched my dog to Purina pro plan and haven’t looked back

schoolsout1

one of the worst offenders

schoolsout1

Grain Free Dog Food

Finfever21

My almost 2 yo lab has been on pro plan since he was a puppy with no issues to date. Now treats, that's another story.