Learning the Hard Way - Canine Nutrition - Big Dee's Tack & Vet Supplies

“Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust. They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made.” – Roger A. Caras

I remember the day I got my first dog, a little Lhasa Apso we named Dixie. She was a present for my sixteenth birthday. Soon after began the roller coaster of extreme joy coupled with daily frustrations of the responsibility that goes with raising and training a puppy. After watching commercials for dog foods boasting their high quality, I selected a brand I believed to be premium.

I was elated to add Dixie, a Lhasa Apso, to the family!

Noticing Changes

After a couple years, Dixie began itching uncontrollably to the point that her skin would crawl when you touched her. Mortified that she was so miserable, I sought a veterinarian’s help. I was given a list of things that she felt may be the cause – one of which was dog food. After a month or so on Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream, Dixie was back to normal!

Taste of the Wild Pacific Stream comes in a 14 lb and
28 lb pound bag. It is also available as a canned food.

When I got my second dog, a Rottweiler Labrador mix named Foose, I chose a line of dog food that was extremely popular among breeders at that time. Vet appointments soon became a regular thing due to recurring ear infections. One vet told me to clean his ears more, and the next told me I was cleaning them too much. Finally, one veterinarian suggested a change of food. After switching his diet to the one that had provided so much success prior, I impatiently waited for results, but to no avail. I eventually found relief with one of the Blue Buffalo lines.

Helping Others

After years of researching nutrition, attending seminars, and working with veterinarians (as an undergrad pursuing veterinary medicine), I was able to use my experience to assist customers find a diet best suited for their four legged family member. For the average dog, a diet without corn, wheat, or soy was commonly recommended. Switching between the different lines such as chicken, lamb, beef, and fish was also encouraged (gradual transition to reduce the chance of digestive upset).

For those with allergies or sensitivities, grain free or limited ingredient diets with salmon as the main protein, was the preferred choice. Finding a diet for these situations is extremely difficult and typically a long process. Everyone thinks that because grain free is commonly recommended that it WILL fix the issue. But keep this in mind – if your child is allergic to peanuts and you cut out all egg in their diet, your child will still have an allergic reaction when consuming peanuts.

Every dog is different; they are not all allergic to the same thing.

Since allergy tests are commonly inaccurate in relation to food allergies, an elimination diet trial is still the most accurate method. Make sure you give the new food some time to see if it helps – it can take over a month to see results. Treats should also be eliminated, because that will have an impact as well. Once you see results, you can then make small changes to see if there are any issues. Other health conditions can occur that could affect your food trial (conditions that require medications), so it is important to work with your veterinarian in these situations.

Quality Matters

For a 50 lb dog, the higher quality recommends 2.25 cups per day, whereas, the economical bag recommends 3.5 cups per day.

Does this mean that diet issues are the only reason to recommend higher quality pet food? Not at all! When you look at a bag, always look at the recommended feeding guide. One thing you will notice is that on cheaper quality dog food, you need to feed a lot more of it. Therefore, that cheap bag is not as economical as you think. That coupled with the potential recurring visits at veterinarian offices should help motivate you to feed something better.

We carry several brands of dog food and treats!

Here at Big Dee’s, we have a large selection of high quality pet food to meet your needs. All of our lines are free of corn, wheat, and soy. We have a vast array of grain free options as well. If there is something that you want that we do not carry, reach out to us by phone or message us on Facebook and we can see if we can get it.