New Wellness Core

[Vicki]

Wellness is a wonderful product.

[Jannie]

I feed my girls raw and use this for their snack. They love it and they are so much more healthier.

[Tayda_Lenny]

I feed this to Tayda and Lenny along w/ the occasional raw about 1-2 times per week. I did have them on 100% raw but have switched back to a mix. They are LOVING the wellness and I swear their coats are soft and shiny and very healthy looking! Seems they are not shedding as much either anymore, but that could be because its getting cold out now!

[Sharla]

They are also coming out with a Core canned food. It is suppose to avail sometime this month. Also, they are also taking a price increase this month. So if you need food I would buy it soon. In San Diego it went up approx 10-15 % depending on the item

[Tayda_Lenny]

The store I get Tayda and Lenny's food from is increasing their Wellness core by $10 per 26 lb bag. I used to get it for $45 and now its $55! I got two bags this time around…..

[chiya]

Since we are discussing grain free food, I would like to add my two cents worth. I been using Blue Buffalo Wilderness for a few months now, I am extremely happy with my brat pack's soft shinny coat, they love the taste, I love that they have the life source bits with added vitamins and antioxidants, I add a little Wilderness canned for extra good taste. I can't be more pleased! I often mix in some Blue Buffalo Fish/Sweet potato kibbles, poo are nice and firm! Two paws up!!!!!!! I paid $48 for a 28 lb bag at Petsmart.

[gbroxon]

@chiya:

Since we are discussing grain free food, I would like to add my two cents worth. I been using Blue Buffalo Wilderness for a few months now, I am extremely happy with my brat pack's soft shinny coat, they love the taste, I love that they have the life source bits with added vitamins and antioxidants, I add a little Wilderness canned for extra good taste. I can't be more pleased! I often mix in some Blue Buffalo Fish/Sweet potato kibbles, poo are nice and firm! Two paws up!!!!!!! I paid $48 for a 28 lb bag at Petsmart.

I was considering Blue Buffalo Wilderness awhile back (as a go-to if I forgot to thaw some raw), but it had a grain (oatmeal) in it. It's been removed from the recipe?

[Faita]

Hi There,

My dog is half basenji and half shiba inu. She has tried wellness and does not eat it. I have tried a new product called ORIJEN. It is considered high in protein equivalent to EVO which is 42% protein. I know that basenji's are at risk for falcones disease so i wonder if the high protein will be hard on my dog's kidneys. It is a grain free diet and it apparently one of the top products out for dry kibble. I was hoping to get some ideas on what others think of it. She loves it so much that when i mixed it with her wellness..she picked out all the Orijen and left the wellness behind.

Thanks so much for any help in this!!!

[AnandaKiora]

No, high protein diets will not be harmful to her. With Fanconi syndrome dogs actually loose essential nutrients so the need a high protein diet (and daily vitamin supplements), kind of the opposite of regular kidney desiese. There is a test you can have done to tell if your dog has the gene that causes Fanconi's. Maybe someone can chip in and tell us if it is available to mixed breeds?
It is good that you found a high quality food your dog likes, some B's can be real picky…not mine though, she is a chow hound! I have heard good things about Orijen and I think some of the other members feed it to their B's as well.

[tanza]

@AnandaKiora:

No, high protein diets will not be harmful to her. With Fanconi syndrome dogs actually loose essential nutrients so the need a high protein diet (and daily vitamin supplements), kind of the opposite of regular kidney desiese. There is a test you can have done to tell if your dog has the gene that causes Fanconi's. Maybe someone can chip in and tell us if it is available to mixed breeds?
It is good that you found a high quality food your dog likes, some B's can be real picky…not mine though, she is a chow hound! I have heard good things about Orijen and I think some of the other members feed it to their B's as well.

The Fanconi test is available for any Basenji, but again, since the gene is recessive and not known (as far as I know) in Shiba's, I don't think that the test is necessary.

Dr Gonto, who developed the Fanconi Protocol, I believe recommends lower protein

[tanza]

@AnandaKiora:

No, high protein diets will not be harmful to her. With Fanconi syndrome dogs actually loose essential nutrients so the need a high protein diet (and daily vitamin supplements), kind of the opposite of regular kidney desiese. There is a test you can have done to tell if your dog has the gene that causes Fanconi's. Maybe someone can chip in and tell us if it is available to mixed breeds?
It is good that you found a high quality food your dog likes, some B's can be real picky…not mine though, she is a chow hound! I have heard good things about Orijen and I think some of the other members feed it to their B's as well.

The Fanconi test is available for any Basenji, but again, since the gene is recessive and not known (as far as I know) in Shiba's, I don't think that the test is necessary.

Dr Gonto, who developed the Fanconi Protocol, I believe recommends lower protein

[AnandaKiora]

That' not what it says here: http://basenjicompanions.org/health/images/Protocol2003.html
but maybe there's a newer one with revisions?

[Tayda_Lenny]

Dr. Gonto does prefer lower protein diets. The protocol does say "high protein" is required but "high" in this case means something like 25-30% protein. Here is what he responded to one of my inquiries about food when I wrote that I was feeding Wellness Core and that she had elevated BUN and Creatinine levels:

" Yes..that damned diet with TOO MUCH PROTEIN TO BE HEALTHY FOR ANY DOGS KIDNEYS (in my humble, personal opinion). I am already in contact with Wellness to find out what research they used to back such an outrageous formula. I bet her kidneys were simply dumping and unable to process that insanely high amount of protein in that dog food. What are these Wellness people thinking? My daughter is an Olympic athlete and I would not have her on that high of a protein diet!!! Eskimo sled dogs, dogs that work the hardest and live in the harshest climate of ANY dog on earth…they eat seal blubber and stews made from elk and some winter wheat. Even those HARD working dogs eat a diet only about 35% protein!!!"

And in a separate email chain when I asked him how he felt about raw feeding he answered this:

"No problem with all natural raw food. That is, if your dogs go out, run down a gazelle and kill it, then eat it where they felled it...fine. But I am guessing you are talking about a slab of meat from a hormone filled cow, slaughtered in a filthy, bacterial laden slaughter house and processed with tools oozing in a host of bacteria, mold and fungus and then stored for a few months before you buy it "fresh" in a supermarket??? Would YOU eat that raw? Would you feed it to your child? WHY NOT.....your ancestors ate it that way, right? Must be good for you...right? After all, they DID live to the ripe old age of 23 or so...IF they were REALLY, REALLY lucky. (just like dogs in the wild, who sometimes make it to seven or eight....all diseased up and sore covered...but HEY....."IT'S ALL NATURAL"..yahooooo. "

[nomrbddgs]

Yes, he's sarcastically funny! hahahahaaha I guess I have to revise some of my thinking. I never thought about the hormone laden meat we get. AHhhh something else to add to my mix!

[renaultf1]

@Tayda_Lenny:

Dr. Gonto does prefer lower protein diets. The protocol does say "high protein" is required but "high" in this case means something like 25-30% protein. Here is what he responded to one of my inquiries about food when I wrote that I was feeding Wellness Core and that she had elevated BUN and Creatinine levels:

" Yes..that damned diet with TOO MUCH PROTEIN TO BE HEALTHY FOR ANY DOGS KIDNEYS (in my humble, personal opinion). I am already in contact with Wellness to find out what research they used to back such an outrageous formula. I bet her kidneys were simply dumping and unable to process that insanely high amount of protein in that dog food. What are these Wellness people thinking? My daughter is an Olympic athlete and I would not have her on that high of a protein diet!!! Eskimo sled dogs, dogs that work the hardest and live in the harshest climate of ANY dog on earth…they eat seal blubber and stews made from elk and some winter wheat. Even those HARD working dogs eat a diet only about 35% protein!!!"

And in a separate email chain when I asked him how he felt about raw feeding he answered this:

"No problem with all natural raw food. That is, if your dogs go out, run down a gazelle and kill it, then eat it where they felled it...fine. But I am guessing you are talking about a slab of meat from a hormone filled cow, slaughtered in a filthy, bacterial laden slaughter house and processed with tools oozing in a host of bacteria, mold and fungus and then stored for a few months before you buy it "fresh" in a supermarket??? Would YOU eat that raw? Would you feed it to your child? WHY NOT.....your ancestors ate it that way, right? Must be good for you...right? After all, they DID live to the ripe old age of 23 or so...IF they were REALLY, REALLY lucky. (just like dogs in the wild, who sometimes make it to seven or eight....all diseased up and sore covered...but HEY....."IT'S ALL NATURAL"..yahooooo. "

Thanks for posting that…quite honestly, ever since you posted in the other thread about what Dr. Gonto said about the food having too high a protein level, I certainly am rethinking again the food choice for my kids. I've had them on Orijen (6 fresh fish)...the protein level of that is 42% (if I remember right) and if he thinks Core is too high I can only imagine what he'd say about that. Not to mention, EVO or Solid Gold (Barking at the Moon). It's a tough call because all the grain free foods seem to be super high in protein...Core is a little more moderate. Granted, Ruby is a clear and Brando is a carrier, but I've kind of always wondered about the kidney aspect of high-protein food even relative to a healthy dog.

BTW, I had started giving Ruby Core (Ocean) in the last month because she had put on a couple pounds...she has since lost the weight, so the Core seems to work for her. Boy, and after reading what he said about raw (he's so funny), I think the only way I'd do it is if I was doing organic...heck, I personally don't eat meat or fish that isn't organic (for the very reasons he wrote) so why should the b'kids.

Can I ask, what food did you switch Tayda to?

[Tayda_Lenny]

Per Dr. Gonto's suggestion, I switched her to a senior food… I chose Innova Senior. http://www.innovapet.com/product_line.asp?id=1674 It has about 18.5% protein and also has the probiotics that are supposed to help against urinary tract infections (which Fanconi dogs are prone to). I'm anxious to see how it affects her blood work when I take her back in a couple months…

I know, I never knew about the potential adverse effects of high protein foods on the dogs kidneys. And I would not have known if not for the bloodwork for Fanconi. Her regular bloodwork from a year ago showed she had elevated BUN and Creatinine levels also, not above normal, but at the high end of the normal range. The vet chalked it up to her having had a few treats right before the blood draw - which now I'm doubting. I'm hoping this switch of food will bring her levels down...

Also, FYI, Dr. Gonto mentioned to me that he feeds his own dogs Nutro Ultra http://www.ultraholistic.com/index.html

[renaultf1]

Thanks Michelle.

[lvoss]

I have never thought that comparing wet diets to dry was a very good idea. A big difference between what sled dogs eat and a grain free kibble is the moisture available.

Here is an interesting article about high protein kibbles, http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=protein_myth

I do think it is really important no matter what kibble you feed, that you make sure your dogs are getting enough water. I have noticed that my basenjis, like my cats, are not always very good about drinking water. So I feed my dogs much like I feed my cats, they get one meal of canned food a day, and I try to add water to kibble meals.

[AnandaKiora]

This is similar to how I feed my dogs. Kiora, and Ananda (coyote mix) both drink pretty sparingly. they share a can of moist food a day and they get warm water in their food to hydrate them and swell the kibbles a bit.

IMO Wellness core has very moderate protien, especially compared to other kinds of grain free kibbles. I chose it because though my dogs are excersized daily they aren't athletes and they don't need a huge amount of protien. Wellness core has 34% protien..only 45% more then the amount you said was reccomended. here is the analysis:
Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein min. 34%
Crude Fat min. 14%
Crude Fiber max. 4%
Moisture max. 10%
Calcium max. 2%
Phosphorus max. 1.4%
Vitamin E min. 150 IU/kg
Omega 6 Fatty Acids* min. 3.25%
Omega 3 Fatty Acids* min. 0.70%
Glucosamin Hydrochloride* min. 250 mg/kg
Chondroitin Sulfate min. 200 mg/kg
Total Micro-organisms* min. 80,000,000 CFU/lb
Crude Protein min. 5 mg/kg

And here is the analysis for a can of Wellness 95% Salmon
Guaranteed Analysis (Label Statement)
Crude Protein
Not Less Than
8%

Crude Fat
Not Less Than
6%

Crude Fiber
Not More Than
1%

Moisture
Not More Than
78%

Now if sled dogs are eating 37% protein in stew form…...hmmm.
Here's the analysis for some Chicken breast Jerky treats:
Ingredients
100% fresh chicken breast meat

Guaranteed Analysis
Crude Protein 80.0% min
. Crude Fat 2.0% min.
Crude Fiber 1.0% max.
Moisture 12.0% max.

Now I'm not saying that a wild dogs diet is 80% protein but if you removed the moisture from all that elk and seal blubber it's pretty hard to imagine it only has 37% protein. The chicken jerky has 46% more protein then Wellness Core , and 2% more moisture.
And how is a comparison to the amount of protein a human consumes even a relevent comparison? Humans are omnivores, dogs are carnivores...they may be able survive omnivorously but it isn't a natural state for them like it is for us. I only eat meat a few times a week, I certianly wouldn't expect my dogs to eat like that. If my dogs were athletes I wouldn't hesitate to feed them kibbles with 40 or 50% protein, a bit closer to the levels they might get naturally.

I totally agree about the raw food. I wouldn't feed my dogs raw from the grocery store either. I would only feed raw if I could feed organic.
Now maybe I could see this protein statement being valid to healthy dogs of breeds that have been bred away from their natural state like Bulldogs or Yorkies. But for a healthy specimen of a natural breed like a Basenji? I seriously doubt that B's in Africa are only getting 25-30% protein.
As far as the Fanconi regimen if Dr.Gonto has such a specific percentage of protein that he reccomends it should say it right there. everything I read about it said High, High, high protein. If high protein isn't what he means then why is the information available so misleading?

Also if high protein is bad for dogs no one ever told my dogs that because they have never been in better health with grained kibbles then they are now.

[AnandaKiora]

Oops my bad I thought it said 37% for sled dogs when it actually says 35%. Nevertheless my argument remains valid.