Grain free dog food (dry)

[poiuytrewq]

Can anyone recommend a dry grain free food please, preferably one that doesn’t cost the earth.
My dog has had skin problems for years and we have trialled lots of food and settled on Alpha Sensitive which is salmon and potato (off the top of my head) that he’s been doing really well on.
He was also on a low dose of steroid daily. At Christmas the vet wanted to stop the steroid, he wasn’t keen on long term use and the skin had improved vastly. On stopping things were ok, slight licking of paws but nothing much. Stupidly I gave some different food as the Alpha was out of stock and it all flared up again. Obviously swapped back ASAP but seems that was too late.
Just been back to the vet and he’s on steroids again for two weeks. Personally I’d like to go back to long term. This is my disabled dog and he’s exceeded his life expectancy by 2.5 years so far already so I’m more concerned about quality of life now than side effects years down the line. Being itchy doesn’t feature in my idea of fun life! I didn’t see my normal vet but hopefully next time (2 wk) I can, I think he’d agree.
In the meantime I thought I may try some other food, something totally grain free and see how we go from there. Any suggestions that I can look at please?

 

[Stiff Knees]

Perhaps you could try Eden. www.edenpetfoods.com. My labs are on it and do very well. 🐾🐾

 

[CorvusCorax]

My old dog had terrible skin and was fine for a while on certain foods, but it always came back. The thing that suited him best was an own-brand, very low protein (19%) fish and potato formulation for old/senior dogs, which tend to have less protein in them, if that helps, protein from dry food makes them very 'hot'.
To be frank I agree with the vet, steroids just mask the problem, you're better trying to get to the bottom of what is causing the itching and fighting it that way, they're not meant for long-term use. It could be pollen or a certain type of plant, carpet fibres, something in the water, the bacteria on his own skin, or he is trying to 'scratch an itch' related so something he is feeling internally. The dog I am talking about also had physical problems as a pup, in a normal scenario he would have been PTS but he was 'fixed' at great expense, he was never really 'well', bless him, had a lot of other things going on as well as the skin thing, which eventually manifested itself as anal furunculosis.

 

[hattie2525]

Laughing Dog do very nice grain and wheat free food. We swapped our fox terriers on to it years ago to try and alleviate itchy skin after having a chat with them at Burghley.

 

[BallyJ]

Our old Lab had awful skin and was on apoquel for most of her 12years.

We in the last 2 years found AVA

https://www.petsathome.com/shop/en/...VkArTCh2_pQ7pEAYYASABEgIJFPD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Not sure if it is the best food but it worked well for us! and we managed to cut her tablets down.

 

[AmyMay]

You could try Fishmongers Finest which is from Pets at home. It has none of the ingredients that trigger Daisy’s chewing.

But to be honest the only thing that’s completely worked is a raw diet.

She’s only back on kibble because she’s going to a friend whilst we go on holiday and she wasn’t up for raw feeding.

 

[Mister Ted]

I feed AATU to my terrier.It is a high quality wet and they also do dry,although I dont think dry is good for dogs personally. I have kept dogs for 30 yrs. and this is the best I have used.Depending on the size of dog of course may means it is over your budget.

 

[CorvusCorax]

You could try Fishmongers Finest which is from Pets at home. It has none of the ingredients that trigger Daisy’s chewing.

But to be honest the only thing that’s completely worked is a raw diet.

She’s only back on kibble because she’s going to a friend whilst we go on holiday and she wasn’t up for raw feeding.

A raw diet made mine scratch himself raw and left him bleeding. He had no hair in a strip from his throat to his belly
As a rule I'm a big fan but in some cases it's not ideal, it's very hard when the root cause isn't known.

 

[AmyMay]

Yes, CC, what works for one won’t necessarily work for another. My dog’s done well on it, provided no chicken or lamb is fed.

 

[CorvusCorax]

Yep chicken is a trigger for my younger one who is generally quite robust. Minefield!

 

[Cinnamontoast]

Is it definitely the grain causing issues? Chicken is a very common trigger. Many dry foods have chicken fat added to make them tastier. There’s also a lot of studies recently on how grain should be included. I’m sure someone will be along shortly with a link to the last discussion or you can scroll down to find it, it wasn’t ages ago.

 

[Aru]

Why change from the fish based food if it's been suiting him up until a new food was added?
You might be better off to get the itch and potential secondary infections back under control then return to the food he was doing well on.

True food allergies are quite uncommon in dogs.
Around 15 percent of true allergy dogs have an actual food allergy on its own. Intolerances are a bit more common but much less severe. However, most itchy dogs have multiple sensitivities. Many show environmental issues plus of minus or food intolerance. Certain breeds are also genetically predisposed to an allergic skin disease as well.
Finding the cause is always the most helpful thing with these guys and with summer often leads to flare up from pollen levels etc if its an environmental issue.

The base foods that tend to be safest are fish based for those with less severe signs or chemically made proteins that the body struggles to mount an allergic response to(prescription diet style foods) omegas and vit e supplements can also help with the integrity of the skin barrier to try and reduce you risk of infection.
Protein allergies are much more common than grain so id definitely be more wary of using a chicken based food than a grain inclusive one. I posted a tread on here towards the start of the year discussing on the grain free foods and current medical concerns being raised with them. Jurys still out on the exact cause of the heart failure in the dogs affected but the foods are still being researched as the main linking factor at this point.

Steroids are very much a bad idea when used long term. There are much better options out there now for chronic itchers.
Apoquel tablets. cytopoint injections for the ones where the trigger cant be found or controlled. Even antihisamines and malaseb baths are all safer options depending on the degree of issues and the trigger.

 

[Roxylola]

CSJ do complete tripe and another grain free one about £20-£30 a bag I think, depending if you have a supplier locally or if you order direct. I fed that before I switched to raw and the dogs did really well on it.

 

[twiggy2]

Why not just return to what you know works for your dog?

 

[poiuytrewq]

Why not just return to what you know works for your dog?

It worked for him alongside a mild dose of steroid. I’m wondering if I can get something better that will maintain good skin once we get back to that without the need for ongoing treatment.

 

[twiggy2]

Mine was allergic to so much that I put her on purina HA and she was good in it so I have left her on it, it's now been over 3 yrs,

 

[SpringArising]

I use Pooch and Mutt, Millies Wolfheart and Lily's Kitchen - dog likes all of them and doesn't do his incessant itching. Pooch and Mutt is probably the one he prefers and it's the one that smells the freshest/most potent.

 

[JillA]

Ask in your local pet shop - there is one my neighbour sourced but it is formulated so that each outlet labels it as their own. Aldi did one by Langhams but I just looked and couldn't find it on their website - worth a trip if there is one near you

 

[Britestar]

Skinners do a grain free, and it would probably be easily available.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Alternatively someone has suggested I cook minced beef, rice and veg. Would this be a plan? I like that I’d know exactly what’s going into it?
Anyone do this? Can I cook up a weeks worth and refrigerate?

 

[Roxylola]

I'd skip the rice, but to be honest if you are going that far, why not go raw?

 

[JillA]

Alternatively someone has suggested I cook minced beef, rice and veg. Would this be a plan? I like that I’d know exactly what’s going into it?
Anyone do this? Can I cook up a weeks worth and refrigerate?

Pet shops stock raw minced beef and chicken these days, our local Wynnstay have a fridge full of it. Less expensive than that sold for humans

 

[teacups]

Pero does gluten-free dry food, price good cf ingredients . There is a lamb and a chicken variety, order it online e.g
https://www.waitrosepet.com/dog/dry-dog-food/pero-high-meat-lamb-rice-12kg

 

[Thistle]

Millies wolfheart

 

[vmac66]

Farm and pet do their own brand grain free.. One of my dogs is allergic to wheat rice and soya. Its reasonably priced. A 15k bag lasts to large dogs 3 weeks.

 

[Goldenstar]

I have my dog on Canagan which grain free not because it’s grain free but because unusually for a lab he’s picky and he likes it .

 

[rabatsa]

I came across this one yesterday https://shop.burgesspetcare.com/dog/paul-ogrady/Paul-O-Grady-s-Grain-Free-Chicken/61 not got a clue what it is like though.

 

[twiggy2]

Do you know for sure that grain is the issue and the only issue.
My lurcher reacts to chicken, beef, pork, venison, lamb, duck, salmon, white fish, all grains, dairy, house mites and dust mites (I may have forgotten something too) and there are many things that were not tested for. In fact the only thing tested for that she did not react to was egg!
I tried exclusion diets but for obvious reason they did not work for her.

 

[Clodagh]

Alternatively someone has suggested I cook minced beef, rice and veg. Would this be a plan? I like that I’d know exactly what’s going into it?
Anyone do this? Can I cook up a weeks worth and refrigerate?

In Australia mine lived on rice, veg and whatever meat was knocking about, often kangaroo, camel or donkey! They looked great on it.

 

[Andie02]

Avoid potatoes rice and sugar beet and any cereals. Acana has worked for our girl along with Forthglade Just range of wet food, we took her off the steroids and after much research refused Apoquel which the vet suggested.