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Itchy Shelties and food

Discussion in 'Commercial Food' started by patriciamor, Mar 10, 2015.

  1. patriciamor

    patriciamor Forums Novice

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    For several years I've been feeding my Shelties so-so food, el cheapo Old Roy's Weight Loss from Walmart. Could that be the cause of their extreme itching? I am on a fixed income so I can't afford the expensive stuff. Is Costco's Kirkland dog food better? I feel so sorry for them when they're scratching all the time. My female is 12 years old and my male is 9 years old. Any comments would be appreciated. Pat
     
  2. Silaria

    Silaria Forums Sage

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    The cheap food could be the source of the itching since, if you read the ingredients, it will contain wheat and corn based products/by-products/glutens which are known allergens for dogs. Wheat and corn in dog food is little more than filler to bulk up food but adds no nutritional value.

    The foods from Walmart also has a good chance of being from, or sourced from, China. Products from China have caused a number of health issues in dogs and cats in the US ranging from sickness to death. (Not trying to scare you, just laying out facts.) Here are some facts specifically about the Ol' Roy food for you to read: http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/ol-roy-dog-food-dry/.

    I looked up the Kirkland food on the same site and it gets MUCH better reviews.
    - Kirkland Signature Dog Food (Dry)
    - Kirkland Signature Nature’s Domain (Dry)

    If you are looking at this as an alternative you can afford, it is DEFINITELY better than the Ol' Roy brand you are using. Be aware that if you switch to Kirkland you may need to reduce the amount of food you are feeding them because the ingredients are much better and will provide more nutrition per serving than what you are feeding now. That will actually SAVE you money because you won't be buying food as frequently. (That is one of the benefits of a higher quality food for us as owners.)

    Be sure to make the change to a new food gradually because sudden changes can upset their digestive systems. Many people start with 3/4 old food to 1/4 new food for a week or two. After that is a 50/50 split then 3/4 new to 1/4 old and finally all new. When I switch foods, I keep the blended foods in a separate Ziploc bag.
     
    Last edited: Mar 11, 2015
  3. corbinam

    corbinam Moderator

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    I second Sheri's excellent suggestions!
     
  4. tesslynn

    tesslynn Forums Enthusiast

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    better options

    have you checked with dogfoodadvisor.com...that is a great place to start. Even cooking for them simple stuff like an egg, brown rice would be cheaper and real food with nutrients rather than fillers. Cooking for a pet really isn't that much work, you can cook lots and freeze it. Aren't they worth the effort?
     
  5. tesslynn

    tesslynn Forums Enthusiast

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    If you really are brave and want to know what goes into producing kibble, check out the truth about pets food website...you might as well put scoops of dirt in a bowl and add some rotten trash or road kill, mix and serve...that is pretty much what dog kibble is...sorry, don't mean to be harsh at all, but it is the truth.
     
  6. jomuir

    jomuir Forums Enthusiast

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    We feed the Kirkland dog food, as well as their cat food. We used to give them the salmon/sweet potato formula but Roxie gained too much weight w/it so now they both get the reduced calorie version, I think it's chicken for the protein. They love it and it's decent quality at a great price. They also get frozen green beans (from Costco too) added to their kibble to bulk it up & a spoonful of wet Alpo. Fresh green beans when the garden is in season.

    For the itchiness, a lot of people give coconut oil, a tablespoon or so a day. Do a search on these forums alone & you'll get lots of info on it. Plus you can get the coconut oil for a great price at Costco too.
     
  7. patriciamor

    patriciamor Forums Novice

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    No more Old Roys!!!!

    Thank you everyone for your posts. I will change immediately to Costco's Kirkland brand and never buy Old Roy again! Despite their abuse with this crappy food, my boy Sam and my girl Blyn are very sprightly and playful, thank goodness. It took me a while to put two and two together but I guess Sam and Blyn are a lot smarter than me!
    Gratefully, Pat
     
  8. Ann

    Ann Moderator

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    That's a good choice, Pat, and your furkids should do well on it. Please let us know how it goes!

    Just another thought...if you can, consider adding some fish oil, flaxseed oil or coconut oil to their diet. About a teaspoon of coconut oil per day can help resolve a variety of problems, from dry skin to joint stiffness. You can find it in some supermarkets or pharmacies, where fish oil and flaxseed oil are sold as well. One small pill a day of either one (be careful not to overdose them on too much) should be all you need.
     

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