Purina Vetrinary Diets vs Acana

[Stephanie]

Inane been feeding my puppy Purina Vetrinary Diets mixed with a tiny bit of wet food for digestion. I went to a pet boutique to get him a harness and the lady insisted that Acana puppy food was better and cheaper and gave me a sample. He seems to prefer it even when not mixed with wet food and it's more convinient to pick up when I need to. The bit of research I did on google seems to support that it's a good quality food. Should I make the switch? And if I do, do I need to continue mixing it with wet food?

[runlikethewind]

Hello.. You have to make your own decisions on food but my opinion is yes, change. There is no harm in adding some wet food to the dry food I personally believe.

[Shellie]

It's all in the ingredients list, really. In general, Purina dog foods are full of artificial colors and grains instead of meat and proteins. So it's a lot of "filler" going into your dog and not too much nutrition. Foods like Acana have meat at the top of their nutrition label, no artificial coloring and very few filler type ingredients. Some don't have grains at all in case your dog, like mine, has alleries to grains. It's a much more nutrient dense food (Acana and other premium foods) so you don't have to feed as much to give your dog all the nutrition he needs, which may be why the boutique lady said it was less expensive to feed. I don't find it cheaper - and I do happen to use Acana grain free - but in the long run, it's really no more expensive either since my dog can eat less than she would with Purina brands but is still getting all she needs and then some nutritionally. Another benenfit of premium foods is less "output" in the yard.

There are a lot of great dog foods out there though. Acana is one of the best for sure, but doing some research will help you find a great dog food that is just right for you and your dog. Here's a site that may be of some help to you: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/

As for mixing with wet food, it would not be necessary but if it's something you want to do, or your dog enjoys, then there's no reason not to.

[doxienana]

Here's a site that may be of some help to you: http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/

I LOVE this website!!!

Debbie

[Shellie]

I'm glad you found the website helpful Debbie. And I love the picture at the bottom of your posts! I have never owned one, but long-haired dachsunds have a special place in my heart.

[josie1918]

Stephanie, I am unclear as to what you mean by purina veterinary diets. If you are referring to the prescription diets, I don't think you would want to change it. While the veterinary field is frequently accused of being greedy, etc. what do you think the woman at the botique is hired to do? Sell dog food. Nutrition is medicine and if your dog is on a prescription diet, it is on it for a reason. While I understand completely the desire to feed organic, holistic, raw etc. dogs with certain diseases simply cannot do what is the current rage, sort of like diabetic people must adhere to certain dietary guidelines, or they become sicker.
One thing should be made clear, pet food companies are pretty much all in it for one thing profit. Holistic dog foods, which are now the rage, scare me a little, due to the fact that here in the United States, the term holistic has NO legal definition as it applies to pet food and thusly cannot be regulated. Also for those using organic dog foods, in order for it to be truly organic, it must have the USDA organic seal on the package. I have yet to see one that does.
And finally my big rant and rave, country of origin of INGREDIENTS. Not where the pet food is manufactured, but where do the ingredients come from? If you cannot get the manufacturer to give you a straight answer on where the chicken, beef, vegetables etc are harvested from, my guess would be I probably don't want my dog eating it. There are a lot of considerations with the meat used in pet food, many countries still use pesticides, herbicides, and air pollutant levels that of course are in the meat from the animal subjected to it, that have long since been banned elsewhere as known toxins, and cancer causing agents. Just some things to think about when selecting a dog food

[Shellie]

You make a good point Josie, that's exactly one of the many reasons I personally use Acana - they use only fresh, locally grown and raised products for their food.

[josie1918]

Shellie, I am glad you found a food you like, that works well for your dog. I had to go through a lot of them before I found one that worked for my dog. Either allergies, a nasty coat, or behavioral changes always seemed to be an issue.
Sometimes it takes a while to find the right food.