"Phyllis Stone" <nobody@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
news:YkpGk.2701$D32.277@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>
> "Dale Atkin" <labrador1@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
> news:PcfFk.517$wq4.16@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>>
>> There are a number of commercially available canned dog foods designed
>> for pets with sensitive stomachs or restricted diets. Your vet probably
>> has some, exactly which they have will depend on where you are, and
what
>> they like. (my own vets stock Medi-cal products, as well as Royal
Canin,
>> Eukanuba, and Hills... I'm pretty sure most of those brands have a
>> veterinary formulation for sensitive stomachs).
>>
>> Dale
>
>
> When we first got him he was on Hills from the vet. He got to where he
> always refused it. Right after that the china pet food caper happened
and
> I believe hills was on the list.
IIRC, there was one specific formulation, that wasn't very popular, but
used
for a very specific ailment (I don't know for certain which one). There's
a
big long company line about how it happened, which I won't bore you with,
but suffice to say, I think they've learned their lesson. Now if you go to
any talks from Hills, they talk about how 97% of their diets are
manufactured 'in-house' and how when they have to manufacture something
'out
of house' they make sure all the quality controls are the same, and that
they supply the ingredients.
> I decided to always cook his food as I had a cat who died of kidney
> failure. The Pet Promise we get from a health food store.
What do you know about 'Pet Promise' (I know nothing about it). Who makes
it? Who decides what goes in to it? How do they decide? Personally I'm a
little leery of 'small market' foods (I don't know if "Pet Promise" falls
in
this category), as you don't know if the person making it up just threw
together a bunch of things in a pot and hoped it was nutritionally
complete
and balanced, or if they actually knew what they were doing.
My own rule of thumb, is if the dog is doing well on it, then don't mess
with it, but you have to decide what 'doing well' means, and stick to it.
For me, it means stable weight, no GI signs, healthy skin and coat.
> He is back to eating again so it could have been one of those dog
things.
I really would consider putting him on a rationed diet. You can make the
ration what ever you like, but you should have a very good idea of exactly
how much of what he is eating every day. That way when the amount goes up
or
down, you'll know about it. I don't free feed personally, but then again,
I
have two labs, and I think they'd explode before they quit eating. How is
his weight? Loosing? Gaining? Stable?
> He is very very spoiled, I have tried to make up for his earlier neglect
> and life on the streets.
Just remember all the bad stuff that comes with being overweight,
including
all the nasty health issues and shorter life (I don't know if he is
overweight or not, but if he is... think about it).
> We once had a dog who had severe skin problems and I always wondered if
it
> was the dog food.
Possible... did you ever adjust his diet? Or see a vet about it? Lots of
potential problems, no way to know for sure at this stage.
Dale
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