"possible" commercial Dog food issues

[Olesia711]

Recently there has been an uptick in dogs getting sick from commercial dog food...... diarrhea, a little blood in the stools, vomiting with a little blood, peeing with blood, and itches... to name a few symptoms.

There was a lot of talk earlier that this was Purina foods..... well...... now they are seeing the same issues with dogs on other food brands, some that we have recommended here.

To date, the dog food companies are denying anything is wrong... but in the meantime, others are submitting dog food samples to be tested.

Nothing has been proven yet.......

BUT................if you notice your dog (1) doesn't want to eat a food that he/she has always eaten before with gusto... DO NOT FEED, and share your experience with your vet... and report it to the dog food company so that there is a record of it, in case something IS going on. (2) if you dog has any all of a sudden like mentioned above, again, report it to your vet and/or the dog food company...

As i said, nothing has been proven, not sure if this is even dog food related.... but just in case it is..... we thought that this was something we should put out there for folks to be aware of... just in case.

[jilbert57]

Thank you Olesia. I read it might be due to the fact some of the same sources for ingredients are used by many pet food companies. Possibly.

Jill

[Olesia711]

yes, if this does have something to do with multiple different dog food brands... it sounds like it might be an additive or something of the like that many of these dog food companies use.

If/when we hear anything confirmed, we will of course update everyone.

I don't want to scare anyone needlessly, but on the flip side, i don't want to not say anything if there is something to be concerned about.

[Kissy1921]

I belong to a facebook group where members are posting the issues they have with the foods, now there are a lot of brands involved and some dogs have died.

They are currently advising NOT to feed any kibble, the list of foods they say to avoid is growing daily, now up to about 20 different brands, it's quiet concerning.

If anybody is interested the page can be found here https://www.facebook.com/groups/DuncanStrong

I believe it was originally started by a member who's dog was killed by the Hills Vitamin D poisoning some years ago, worrying indeed.

Am glad I am feeding home cooked .

[Patsy]

My terrier developed colitis last year . He used to be able to eat anything. He recovers after slippery elm and chicken and rice. Going onto so-called sensitive canned foods would last about six weeks on each before blood in his poo. For the last two months I’ve home cooked his food and he is slimmer and bounding around, also my other little dog has stopped having occasional morning bile throw ups, and become really frisky. Like you all comment, there is recently something strange about commercial foods. It’s never happened to dogs I’ve had before.

[Olesia711]

OMG... I am so glad you shared this Patsy.... my current dog, Cody, who does not have EPI or anything else we tested him for........ seemed to have a "sensitive" tummy.... i tried all different kinds of foods and adding high fiber to his diet helped the most.... BUT.....again, it was a prescription diet

...., he'd chew his feet not too bad but enough to annoy me... and his poos, although good most of the time after on the higher fiber diet...... some days he'd still have "those slightly "off" poos.... not too bad... just not ideal.

SOOOOOOOooo....... i decided to try that homemade puploaf recipe, the one that i don't have to add any supplements or vitamins or minerals because of the full range of ingredients.... and OMG..... not only does he LOVE it....he has never had such perfect poos every day, no more big poos, no more chewing, scratching, nothing, and he now more stamina but he also is not as "hyper" as he was... if this makes sense.
I think he may may have even gained some weight.... so i might have to cut back on the sweet potato / brown rice that i include in his meals in addition to the puploaf. Overall i am feeding much less than what the suggestions are too.... so it is not as expensive as i thought it was going to be,... actually it is costing me less!

In short, i simply got tired of dealing with "non-descript doggie gut issues" and also of hearing/reading about all these recalls or warnings........ i am tired of all the finger pointing at this or that etc, etc. And i honestly no longer know what to believe or trust..... so..... since i am in a position where i can, i now make my dog's own food where i have control over everything.. .... and things are MUCH, MUCH better!!!!!!!!

I realize not everyone can do this, and that is understandable.... but i am glad i can.

It is nice to hear someone else having the same wonderful improvement with their dog as i am seeing with my dog.

Again, thanks for your post!

[Patsy]

It cant just be a coincidence , can it.?
I joined a colitis forum and have noticed there are two directions… the people who depend on vet advice consisting of omeprazole , buscopan etc with Purina food, which causes panic because it is mysteriously in short supply. Then the others who go simple, like we recommend with epi. Basic plain digestible food like dogs used to have .
Ingredients on commercial food claim healthy ingredients, then there is a huge list of supplements for what is lacking in their ‘wholesome’ ingredients. Are they overdosing them? Are the trendy fruits and herbs necessary?
I hope I’m on the right track, having boiled up two weeks worth of smelly little meals of minced chicken, oily fish, a little liver and kidney , broccoli and green beans. No additives. They certainly get more meat and sleep soundly. And love it , instead of suspicious sniffs.
So with epi, there should be similar caution,
Kibble is another story.
This is purely my opinion, , not scientific , based on my dogs over many years, from when I was born in 1950!

[Olesia711]

Hi PAtsy,

Overall i think we have become so proficient in making commercial food for the masses.... that we have destroyed the quality in our efforts to produce quantity and for a profit too! (And i am not only referring to dog food but also to human grade food ).

I think the processing of the kibble at such high heats has destroyed many of the inherent vitamins and minerals in the food that is being processed... so they HAVE to add vitamins and minerals back in the food.

And then there are the food additives/preservatives, especially in the canned food...there is much research regarding how many of these additives alter the gut composition and gut structure to the point of triggering autoimmune conditions.....

And then there is the quality control that has grossly gone downhill.........

In short, a total mess!.

I am attaching an article from a few years ago, that really opened my eyes to all the damage being down by preservatives. THis study was a world wide study on foods (for humans) , BUT theses chemical food additives and preservatives that are used in the human food, are many of the same preservatives that are used in commercial dog food too.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/a ... via%3Dihub

damn scary!