The Dog Food Comparison Blog

Reading the Dog Food Review at Ask Susan Peters I found
this information that she gives about: ORIJEN ADULT Dog Food from Acana Pet Foods

First, here is a list of the ingredients

INGREDIENTS

Deboned chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, russet potato, lake whitefish, chicken fat, sweet potato, whole eggs, turkey, salmon meal, salmon and anchovy oils, salmon, natural chicken flavour, sunflower oil, sun-cured alfalfa, dried brown kelp, carrots, spinach, peas, tomatoes, apples, psyllium, dulse, glucosamine Hcl, cranberries, black currants, rosemary extract, chondroitin sulfate, sea salt.

HERBS

Chicory root, licorice root, tumeric root, funugreek, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, zea mays, peppermint leaf, chamomile flowers, dandelion, summer savory, rosehips.

MINERALS

Iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate.

PROBIOTIC MICROORGANISMS

Dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product.

VITAMINS

Mixed tocopherols (source of vitamin E), choline chloride, vitamin A, vitamin D3, thiamine mononitrate, vitamin B12, folic acid, biotin.

Here is what her review said

    * Animal Digest – Plus 1 point = No Animal Digest
    * Corn – Plus 1 point = No corn
    * Wheat – Plus 1 point = No wheat
    * Soy – Plus 1 point = no soy
    * Gluten – Plus 1 point = No gluten
    * Extra Goodies – Plus 1 point = Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal
    * By-Products – Plus 1 point = No by-products
    * Animal Fat – Minus 1 point = Chicken Fat
    * Pet Food Recalls – Plus 1 point = No Recalls Acana Pet Foods
    * Class Action – Plus 1 point = No Class Action Acana Pet Foods

Dog Food Rating for ORIJEN Dog Food

Total Score = 9/10

Read the labels! Every pet food should be up to these standards!

Negatives found:
I don’t like the use of “natural flavor” because the pet food companies don’t tell us where this flavor comes from it is safe to assume the flavor is of the animal the product is supposed to taste of. Chicken flavor comes from chicken manure. Potatoes are a bad deal since pets don’t need potatoes in their diet this is another cheap filler. Animal fat is a bad deal because the fat is usually obtained from restuarant grease and other less desirable locations. Animal fat is used to get pets to eat a product that the pet would not normally have a desire to eat.

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Sadly, you just can’t be to careful about where you are getting your dog’s food.  The safest way is to make it yourself from ingredients that you are confident in.

Since March 16, 2007, more than 150 brands of pet food have been voluntarily recalled by a number of companies. Types of pet foods recalled include:

• moist (packaged in pouches) dog food & cat food

• canned dog food & cat food

• dry dog food and cat food

• dog treats

• dry ferret food

For a full listing of recalled pet food products, see www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/petfoodrecall/

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Of the top 10 most common reasons why dogs need veterinary treatment listed by Veterinary Pet Insurance (VPI) “Most could be helped or minimized by a change in diet” according to VPI field veterinarian Dr. Cori Gross.

These 10 most common health problems for dogs in descending order of frequency are:

Ear infections

Skin allergies

Pyoderma (hot spots)

Stomach upsets

Intestinal inflammation/diarrhea

Bladder disease

Eye infections

Arthritis

Hypothyroidism

Sprains

When it comes to feeding your dog, the quality of the food is more important than most people think.  Many people try to economize by feeding their dog the most inexpensive food they can find.  Unfortunately for you and your dog this is a false economy.  The problem with this is that a dog needs certain proteins, fatty acids, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients to have optimum health.

Without these nutrients you dog will likely have health problems and you will end up spending all the money you saved on dog food (and more) on veterinary bills instead.  And you and your dog will have to suffer the effects of his or her poor health.

Take the time to compare ingredients and make sure your dog is getting the best quality dog food possible.  (See the post on comparing dog food ingredients for how to make comparisons of various dog food brands.)  Do your dog and yourself a favor by making sure he is getting the nutrition he needs to live a long and healthy life.

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According to pet health experts, bad human habits, like eating too much, consuming food with poor nutritional value and exercising too little, are contributing to what is being called an animal obesity epedemic.  There is a need for owners to put their dogs on diets and exercise programs.

One of the main problems with obesity in our dogs is that they can end up with the same obesity-related diseases we humans get including: diabetes, cancer, liver disease and heart diseases. Owners think they are pampering their dogs when in fact they are shortening their lives.

One family learned this lesson with their seven-year-old Jack Russell terrier when they realize he was more than double his recommended weight.  He was so heavy he could hardly walk and spent most of his day sleeping.  After putting him on a strict diet for a year he lost 46 pounds.  Their dog is now playful and energetic dog, swims and goes on walks.

Other dog owners have had similar success helping their companions lose weight and improve in health.  The best strategy is to not let your dog get overweight in the first place, because putting a dog on a diet is not without it’s drawbacks.  Dogs on a diet may become craky like their human counterparts do when going on a diet.  Dogs often become aggressive or hyperactive and may bark incessantly to compensate for the reduction in available food.

The benefits, however, outweigh the negative aspects of helping your dog lose weight.  A very common problem of dogs that are overweight is diebetes.  This is compounded by the fact that many dog food producers add sugar and other sweeteners to their poor quality food to cover up the bad taste.  These sweeteners are something that a dogs digestive system was never meant to deal with and can increase the possibility of dog diabetes.  Again, keeping your dogs weight down and providing high quality dog food that is high in quality protiens and low in other additives will help keep your dog healthy and strong for years to come.

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The food she is using has to be ordered and the delivery is very unreliable. As she will get ill if she doesn't eat correctly, I get concerned when I have to feed her regular dog food. Is that anything I can substitute the chow with when necessary? Lean chicken, fish, etc. She receives two insulin injections a day, and is healthy otherwise.

Talk to your vet,and explain the problem to them.Your vet will be able to give you a good idea of what is safe to substitute if you run out of your regular food.He could also advise you if different food would cause the need to adjust daily medicine requirements.

ugh!! i dont remember….

It is

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/

good site to compare all the popular brands, and a lot of brands you've never heard of!

not to be taken literally. just for comparison

Depends on the food. Quarter pounder or beneful, give me a quarterpounder.

A double whopper with cheese or Timberwolf Organics, mmmm timberwolf organics.

It depends on the ingredients. If it's cancer vs heart disease, it's a tough call. We all know fast food isn't good for us on a daily basis, yet we give our dogs the same stuff every day. Better make sure its good.

According to the Association for Pet Obesity Prevention nearly half the pets in the U.S. are overweight or obese. The association states that 43% of all dogs are overweight and that 13 percent are obese.  Not surprising since many dog owners are overweight themselves and many dogs do not get the exercise necessary to maintain good health.  Couple this with the poor quality of dog foods that are often purchased and you have a recipe for weight problems.

Veterinarians agree that the main contributors to making animals fat are “eating too much and lack of exercise — just like in humans.”  Overfeeding can occur with the dog’s regular food or with getting to many additional treats.  When giving treats to a dog, the dog’s regular diet should be cut back accordingly.

Health risks related to dog obesity include:

Arthritis, ligament injuries, spinal disc problems, hip dysplasia, heart failure, diabetes, kidney failure, blindness, liver disease, pancreatitis, cancer, respiratory difficulties and heat stroke.

Many dog owners don’t even realize their dog is overweight. If you can’t easily feel your dog’s ribs underneath a padding of fat and no waistline is showing, the dog probably needs to lose some weight.

Older dogs that move less don’t need as much food as active dogs and the feeding chart on the dog food package should be used only as a loose guideline.  If you dog needs to loose weight, cut back a little and help him or her to get more exercise.  If you give treats use treats that are low in calories, such as carrots, ice cubes or green beans.  If you do choose to use commercial dog treats, pay special attention to the ingredients to make sure that you are not making things worse.

Remember that your dog values your attention just as much as a treat, so spending time with you exercising will make him just as happy and much healthier.  An added benefit will usually be better behavior on your dog’s part and he or she will live longer, be healthier (which will save money on health care) and be a more enjoyable companion.

Additional Dog Health Resources

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A lot of dog owners like dressing their dog up for Halloween and including their dog in the activities of the day.  One word of caution if this includes you.  First, be careful about any foods that your dog may have access to that he or she normally would not.  Most people know that dogs should not eat chocolate but their are also many other foods that can harm your dog or cause an allergic reaction.

Some of the other foods and drinks that can cause an allergic reaction or worse in dogs are alcoholic beverages, caffeine drinks, grapes and raisins, macadamia nuts, sugar.  There may be other foods that can cause a bad reaction in a dog depending on the breed so take extra care so you know what your dog is consuming.

Another possible problem can be caused by putting a costume on a dog.  Some costumes are made of materials or have dyes in them that may occasionally cause a skin irritation or allergic reaction to some dogs.  When exposing your dog to contact with a material they have never been in contact with before you need to be careful that it is not causing them a problem.

Involving your dog in your daily activities is a great idea and can help build your relationship and keep your dog active and involved.  Just make sure you are not exposing him or her to anything that might prove harmful.

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Found an interesting by Megan Drake at examiner.com about her dog being put on steroids. Steroids are often used on dogs to alleviate allergies; however, according to some veterinarians the prolonged use of steroids can cause many unpleasant problems of their own.  I would suggest doing some thorough research of your own if you are advised to put your dog on steroids.

Megan talks about the affects the steroids have had on her dog.  Of course, when we think of steroids we may think of bulked up athletes who are abusing steroids to get more muscle mass, but there are medical uses for steroids that may make them worth the well publicized side affects that can cause a lot of harm to people or dogs.

She says “How does one recognize a dog on steroids?  The ravenous appetite is a dead give away… so is constant thirst and frequent urination. (Kind of a pain when it comes to dogs)

Then she talks about the signs of a dog that has allergies and may need to use steroids.  Again, I would do some very serious research before taking this route.  The “Outward signs of need for canine steroids are constant scratching from allergies, patches of fur missing from disease (mine has Cushing’s disease) and the like.”

“My dog on steroids – Oscar Mayer – didn’t need an appetite booster to begin with; he can wolf down his meal in under sixty seconds flat and then start looking for his sibling’s bowls! Due to his severe allergies along with his Cushing’s disease he had lost about half his fur from his waist back. How do you balance the need for steroids and their side effects on your dog and your household?”

Then she talks about her efforts to take him off the steroids and some of the related problems.  Either way it is a difficult problem and one that needs to have both options weighed in the balance.

Here is the link to the rest of the story about her dog on steroids:

http://www.examiner.com/x-1513-Philadelphia-Dog-Advocate-Examiner~y2008m10d24-My-Dog-on-Steroids

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