Diet Change

[Gabrielle_AnimalLuver]

So Cowboy's on Hills J/D now.... you may commence scolding.

Being a vet tech and NOT feeding Hills at my clinic is like A CRIME. They convinced me to try it cause 1. I get it at cost and 2. Everyone swears by it for managing arthritis and the O3 is so high I won't need to buy fish oil.

So far I haven't personally noticed a difference in the arthritis. And the O3 source is flax not marine so, I'm sceptical as to the digestibility. But his stools ARE nicer.... So I'll give it a bit more time.

I do wish there was a clinic that didn't hate on holistic foods so much. But the ones that don't are lil clinics where I wouldn't be able to do physio or surgery or, really any of the things I spent 3yrs in school for.  

[Shanna66]

some animals do better with the cheap fillers instead of full on good food.

and you do what you need to to keep your job so you can keep buying good stuff for your animals. maybe later down the road you can convince your coworkers to give good foods a try

plus science diet isnt satan's dog food, its just more like overpriced purina is all, which is still an ok food. at least it isnt alpo or old roy.  

[Gabrielle_AnimalLuver]

Shanna66

some animals do better with the cheap fillers instead of full on good food.

and you do what you need to to keep your job so you can keep buying good stuff for your animals. maybe later down the road you can convince your coworkers to give good foods a try

plus science diet isnt satan's dog food, its just more like overpriced purina is all, which is still an ok food. at least it isnt alpo or old roy.

yea I don't hate hills. I just wish they wouldn't use their clinical trials and completely balanced with vitamin&mineral supplements as an excuse to not include some more wholesome ingredients. But yea, at least it's not a purina or pedigree. I just wonder, am I more open minded to Hills/ Medical being decent foods because of all the research behind them. Or am I comforming and at what point do I draw the line? Choosing a clinic to work in is so difficult cause you strive for one with similar views as your own. On the plus side, no animal is EVER euthanized without a GOOD reason. We're allowed to refuse clients who want to euthanize healthy pets. My clinic is the only one I know that actually encourages people to wait till their dogs are full grown before neutering. We also have a very high pain management protocol. On the downside. Vaccines are yearly, despite the fact that 3yr vaccines are available. And they don't accept that vaccines protect for life. Even at 10-15yrs old they still vaccinate unless the client wants to spend a fortune on titers. Plus, the mentality is that if a food is not vet exclusive, or made by Hills or Medical. Then it's McDonalds/ Garbage. They're convinced that Acana is just as bad as Pedigree. Those 2 aspects really irk me cause personally I'm more of the minimal vaccination view and of course I think there are some very good holistic foods. And that 60% carbs is outrageous.

I'd be curious to know what the clinics are like out in BC and Alberta  

[Shanna66]

Gabrielle_AnimalLuver

Shanna66

some animals do better with the cheap fillers instead of full on good food.

and you do what you need to to keep your job so you can keep buying good stuff for your animals. maybe later down the road you can convince your coworkers to give good foods a try

plus science diet isnt satan's dog food, its just more like overpriced purina is all, which is still an ok food. at least it isnt alpo or old roy.

yea I don't hate hills. I just wish they wouldn't use their clinical trials and completely balanced with vitamin&mineral supplements as an excuse to not include some more wholesome ingredients. But yea, at least it's not a purina or pedigree. I just wonder, am I more open minded to Hills/ Medical being decent foods because of all the research behind them. Or am I comforming and at what point do I draw the line? Choosing a clinic to work in is so difficult cause you strive for one with similar views as your own. On the plus side, no animal is EVER euthanized without a GOOD reason. We're allowed to refuse clients who want to euthanize healthy pets. My clinic is the only one I know that actually encourages people to wait till their dogs are full grown before neutering. We also have a very high pain management protocol. On the downside. Vaccines are yearly, despite the fact that 3yr vaccines are available. And they don't accept that vaccines protect for life. Even at 10-15yrs old they still vaccinate unless the client wants to spend a fortune on titers. Plus, the mentality is that if a food is not vet exclusive, or made by Hills or Medical. Then it's McDonalds/ Garbage. They're convinced that Acana is just as bad as Pedigree. Those 2 aspects really irk me cause personally I'm more of the minimal vaccination view and of course I think there are some very good holistic foods. And that 60% carbs is outrageous.

I'd be curious to know what the clinics are like out in BC and Alberta

i think the bolded parts are much more important than diet. and at least they realize that purina is a cheap quality food, shame they dont realize that science diet isnt much better, it just has a bigger price tag.

i hope you find a better place to work sometime, but until then the place you are at now sounds decent. still sounds better than my old vet even with the science diet issues  

[Akari_32]

They're new food, Ideal Balance, isn't half bad. There are certainly worse for the price ($12 for 5 pounds?), but there are also better. Using coupons, I bought 8 bags of it for pocket change. Usually my guys eat Innova ($10 off any bag coupon!), but they are currently having recall issues, so I needed something to tide the dogs over until its resolved.

If you'd like, if its an option at your clinic given the price you already pay, I can link you to a site that has all kinds of dog food coupons, Hill's veterinary diets included. smile

Shanna, Alpo is made by Purina... lol  

[Shanna66]

Akari_32

They're new food, Ideal Balance, isn't half bad. There are certainly worse for the price ($12 for 5 pounds?), but there are also better. Using coupons, I bought 8 bags of it for pocket change. Usually my guys eat Innova ($10 off any bag coupon!), but they are currently having recall issues, so I needed something to tide the dogs over until its resolved.

If you'd like, if its an option at your clinic given the price you already pay, I can link you to a site that has all kinds of dog food coupons, Hill's veterinary diets included. smile

Shanna, Alpo is made by Purina... lol

lol i didnt realize. i havent looked at the label on stowrm's cans that closely. ive been avoiding looking at whats it it. free dog food is free dog food so im trying not to be picky about it  

[Akari_32]

Shanna66

Akari_32

They're new food, Ideal Balance, isn't half bad. There are certainly worse for the price ($12 for 5 pounds?), but there are also better. Using coupons, I bought 8 bags of it for pocket change. Usually my guys eat Innova ($10 off any bag coupon!), but they are currently having recall issues, so I needed something to tide the dogs over until its resolved.

If you'd like, if its an option at your clinic given the price you already pay, I can link you to a site that has all kinds of dog food coupons, Hill's veterinary diets included. smile

Shanna, Alpo is made by Purina... lol

lol i didnt realize. i havent looked at the label on stowrm's cans that closely. ive been avoiding looking at whats it it. free dog food is free dog food so im trying not to be picky about it

Lol Yep, it is XD Free dog food is fantastic, indeed. I payed a under $4 for three 6 pound bags and 20 cans of Pro Plan. Innova needs to hurry up and figure out their recall crap, though. Bentley misses his red meat and the big dogs are getting sick of their food being changed every couple weeks LOL  

[Shanna66]

Akari_32

Shanna66

Akari_32

They're new food, Ideal Balance, isn't half bad. There are certainly worse for the price ($12 for 5 pounds?), but there are also better. Using coupons, I bought 8 bags of it for pocket change. Usually my guys eat Innova ($10 off any bag coupon!), but they are currently having recall issues, so I needed something to tide the dogs over until its resolved.

If you'd like, if its an option at your clinic given the price you already pay, I can link you to a site that has all kinds of dog food coupons, Hill's veterinary diets included. smile

Shanna, Alpo is made by Purina... lol

lol i didnt realize. i havent looked at the label on stowrm's cans that closely. ive been avoiding looking at whats it it. free dog food is free dog food so im trying not to be picky about it

Lol Yep, it is XD Free dog food is fantastic, indeed. I payed a under $4 for three 6 pound bags and 20 cans of Pro Plan. Innova needs to hurry up and figure out their recall crap, though. Bentley misses his red meat and the big dogs are getting sick of their food being changed every couple weeks LOL

ive only gone through 2 cans of bear's old food so far. ive still got a few left. they give stowrm horrible gas though so i really have to space them out or i think hubby and i would die lol. stowrm loves the canned food, its the only thing she will eat all in one sitting instead of playing with like her dry food  

[Akari_32]

The big dogs love canned food. Its harder for Bentley because he's allergic to chicken and possibly grains (I'm currently trying him on Wellness Simple Lamb and Oatmeal to test the grain theory, and because I had $12 off worth of coupons for an size bag of Wellness, so I went for two 4 pound bags wink ).

The big dogs can eat a freaking car and be fine, but even certain bones upset Bentley's tummy. He only gets his food, and special treats, poor dude lol I sneak him appropriate people food every now and then, though :p

However, I usually, when feeding canned food to the big guys, I get a big bowl, 5 cups of dry food and a can or two of wet food (depending on if its in "gravy" or not, or if we have to clean out the fridge), and then split it accordingly between them. Some times Haley gets a tummy ache from too much canned food, so its gotta be rationed for everyones sake XD