Purina Beneful Scare

[Natalplum]

I have seen on the news and Facebook about Beneful dry kibble make dogs sick and even dying from it. Both my basenjis eat Beneful dry kibble along with Beneful dinner entrees. I am immediately stopping this food. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should feed them?

I'm attaching the link to the news story
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/lawsuit-claims-purinas-beneful-poisoning-killing-dogs-n312176

Thank you!

[CrazySenji]

I work at a vet and we have gotten calls about this ALL day. There isn't any proof of these allegations yet and as far as I know no recent recalls. That being said, it's a terrible food and would have recommend switching anyway!

I feed my dogs "Wild Calling" and both have been doing well on it. Noticeable improvement in my older dog's coat quality with added bonus of him actually eating it.

[agilebasenji]

My basenjis have always done well on grain free kibble. The last two I had lived 16.5 years. Right now, I'm feeding Taste of the Wild

[tanza]

Regardless if it turns out to be true…. it is still junk food for dogs.... Grain Free here too... I love Fromms

[DebraDownSouth]

I think Beneful is far from quality, but so are the majority of dog foods sold. I understand people want to have a reason for a dog dying… but again, no proof. And unlike the chicken treats from China that have a lot of solid evidence of harm (including 2 countries that banned them and the problems disappeared almost completely) ... even if they do not yet know WHY, Beneful has been fed by a gazillion people to a gazillion dogs without problems. Even the best dogs foods have had recalls btw, so nothing is perfect. But at least if you are feeding high quality food and stay alert for recalls, you up your chances for doing best by your pets.

http://www.snopes.com/critters/crusader/beneful.asp

[Natalplum]

Thank you for the advice. I'm going this morning to pick up Fromms. How much should I feed them? I have a a 7yr old male that is 18lbs and an 8 yr old female that weighs 20lbs. Normally they are fed 1/2 cup of dry kibble along with 2 tsp of wet food, twice a day.

[tanza]

@Natalplum:

Thank you for the advice. I'm going this morning to pick up Fromms. How much should I feed them? I have a a 7yr old male that is 18lbs and an 8 yr old female that weighs 20lbs. Normally they are fed 1/2 cup of dry kibble along with 2 tsp of wet food, twice a day.

Start with the same amount… you might need to adjusts as you watch weight loss or gain.. there is no real amount that works... it is different for each dog...I have used Fromms for years... that said, I change up food every 3 to 4 months.. so I never have to worry when I can't get one or the other... and I stick to anything grain free... but you have to read the labels and make sure it is really grain free with no additives... And I add veggies.. both steamed and raw... and raw meaty bones...

[DebraDownSouth]

You also want to mix them at the start and slowly switch to FULL new. Because I have always changed my dogs food often and give them other stuff, they don't have to. But dogs that are predominately on one food can get diarrhea if you switch too fast.

[CrazySenji]

We've seen a lot of pets recently who's owners switched too quickly because of this beneful thing.

[Buddys Pal]

If the Fromms does not seem to work….. here is a good link for you to get great label reading skills to make an informed decision : http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=labelinfo101

[kjdonkers]

Kibble isn't lethal, but grain free IS important.
Having said that, we did switch our B's from a good variety of kibble to fresh meat and bones/cartilage: where we live (Netherlands) there are several good brands of fresh meat in many varieties, and we supplement that with lamb ribs with meat, chicken, turkey and beef throats and the like, for additional nutrients and their chewing needs. From what I read it is a good practice to give about 5 different animals in a 2 week period, so they get everything they need. They also like vegetables (good fibers!) like cauliflower, broccoli, carrots, cucumber, cabbage. And a raw egg now and then.
Results: better coat, much less poop (about 40%) and much firmer. And possibly in the long run, less health problems.
Basically, it is no different from us humans: eat fresh (no processed foods), and eat what you were designed to eat - for dogs that is fresh meat (no matter what the kibble marketeers say). Strangely, many vets are against fresh meats.

[tanza]

Very good kjdonders… and very true for people that can do this.... harder in the US at places to do this... but it is a great practice... I do use grain free kibble but try to supplement with fresh ....

[eeeefarm]

What is interesting about these nutritional debates is that dogs actually adapted "to thrive on a diet rich in starch, relative to the carnivorous diet of wolves" ( http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v495/n7441/full/nature11837.html ) Dogs survived as scavengers for thousands of years, and yet now we think we need to feed them a precisely formulated diet, which must be carefully controlled and balanced. In fact, we worry more about what we feed our dogs than what we feed our kids! Up until the middle of the last century, most dogs were fed table scraps, and they did just fine. I'm vegetarian, so table scraps will not work for me. Accordingly, I feed a dehydrated diet, which is as convenient as kibble, but not so over processed. If I still ate meat, I would probably just feed him my leftover scraps, some veggies, and yes, some grain.

[tanza]

Table scraps really equal to pretty good food when you think about it…. people think that table scapes are "crap"... not so... look at what you/people are calling scapes.. it is really leftovers... for the most part.. so in the days when table scaps are/were given to the pets.. it was really pretty good stuff...so I disagree with people that say they fed table scrapes and that was not "good" stuff

[eeeefarm]

@tanza:

…...it is really leftovers... for the most part.. so in the days when table scaps are/were given to the pets.. it was really pretty good stuff...so I disagree with people that say they fed table scrapes and that was not "good" stuff

Yes, precisely. The dog would eat what you eat. Maybe not the choicest cut of meat, but the trimmings. Nothing unhealthy about that. Dogs tended to eat what their masters ate, so in the North, for example, sled dogs would eat a lot of fish, or perhaps caribou, rabbits, etc. In Scotland, doubtless sheepdogs got their share of porridge, along with meat scraps and other veggies! Dinner plates scrapped into the dog's bowl is something I have seen often on farms…..with a few meaty bones thrown in.

[DebraDownSouth]

I remember many years ago a vet saying not only COULD you share some of your own healthy food with your dog, that he thought you SHOULD. Keeping a dog confined to one taste when their taste buds make our ability a joke was just wrong… it was a way to really give them pleasure. Unless it is not good for them (ie chocolate etc) or I am too selfish to share (lobster)... they get a bite of nearly everything I eat. Hasn't made picky eaters, not fat, and I frankly feel better about sharing.

[tanza]

Agree, Debra…. it is pretty boring to eat the same thing day in, day out... even for a dog....

[Chealsie508]

I second the Fromms! Loved it, the company is so transparent, easy to reach and very willing to help you with questions and concerns- so aside from being grain free and of good quality..its a win-win
I was forced to switch because Oakley has very specific dietary needs and unfortunately Fromms doesnt make a low protein, grain free option (I wish they did). Good Luck