Should I Change Brands??

[Sam&Bella]

I am feeding Bella Diamond naturals Large Breed Adult Lamb and Rice. I know that its not on the recommend food lists because of the recalls. I have been doing some research and feel I can do better with her food. Not that there is anything wrong with Diamond. (besides the recalls) I was also thinking of switching because of her allergies, just in case it has to do with her food.

I would prefer it to be around the same price as a Diamond 40lb.(about $50) bag. We are on a very tight budget and can't spend a lot of money on dog food. Also, I would like to have something with lamb in it only because she is used to it.

Does anyone have any suggestions for dog food around that price? Or should I even switch at all!

Thank You!!

Any comment is appreciated!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Well, I wouldn't feed any Diamond Food, not just because of the recalls, but because of the sourcing and quality control. 

I can also tell you that the chances that Bella has food allergies is very, very slim. Only 1 dog in 100 has food allergies, and typically they don't show up until a dog is 2 to 3 years old. But if she has any signs of allergies, a grain-free food containing some fish, or one with an Omega 6:3 ratio of less than 5 to 1 is your best bet. And if she does have allergies, you absolutely do not want a lamb based food, because that would be what she's allergic to, lol, lamb. Switching proteins is what you do when you suspect food allergies. They develop food allergies to proteins that they have been eating for a long time.

As far as prices go, I'd check the pricing of some of the foods on our recommended list on Chewy.com. I can tell you that there are not going to many as cheap as the Diamond, and probably none that are grain-free at that price. Then again, you may feed less of a better quality food, which can cost less in the long run. 

[Sam&Bella]

Thank you Karen! I did not know that about diamond. I thought that it was a "better" food. I was also thinking of Wellness. Would that be a good choice, and what formula? I saw that it was on the recommended list.

I have one more question, I would like to start giving her fish oil supplements like you suggested for her skin, what brand would be ok?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I use human fish oil supplements. Nature Made Omega 3 minis. They're softgels. If you prefer a pump type oil that you spray on the food, I like Alaska Naturals. It's usually cheaper online than in stores.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Wellness has three lines. The least expensive one is also my least favorite, the Complete Health line. Their Core line is grain free, but it's going to be a lot more expensive than your current food. There's also their LID line, Simple Solutions, which is what I feed. I personally think it's a great product, but the pricing may not work for you.

You might look at Canidae and Fromm, too. 

[Sam&Bella]

I did look at them too, I really wish we could, but right know we can't:( I know that this was at the bottom of the list, but I was looking at reviews of TOTW Pacific Stream (I think that's the name) and it looks ok, plus, it improved the dogs skin. Would that be better than her current food, or not?

Sorry for all the questions!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

TOTW Pacific Stream might be better than the current Diamond formula, just because it's fish based and grain free. But as far as the brand goes, it's the same company, which is why it's not recommended. You'd be better off just switching to the Diamond Naturals Grain free Whitefish formula, it's just as good and probably cheaper. 

https://www.chewy.com/diamond-naturals-grain-free/dp/47139

[Sam&Bella]

I have to change this comment again:) We(our family) were talking about this last night and thought we should just stay with Diamond. I think that because she uses 40lbs($50) and TOTW and whitefish only have 30lb bags($50), We are going to have to buy two bags to last 2months.(she eats 40lbs in 2 months) We are going to change the formula of her Diamond Naturals line instead, and give her fish oil.

I wish I could change brands now.. It will happen eventually!

Thank You for all of your help and suggestions!!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Sam, you really never want to have more than one month's worth of food open unless you can freeze some of it. ESPECIALLY if she does have any type of allergy. Foods that contain grains also contain storage mites, which are a very common allergen, and that in itself could be part of the problem if you are seeing allergy symptoms in Bella.It's one reason that dogs with any allergy symptoms do better with grain free foods.  Jack is allergic to storage mites, and his dermatologist has told me not to even bring the bags into the house, and never to have more than a month's worth open, even in air tight containers.

The grain free foods cost more because meat costs more than cereal. With food, you really do get what you pay for . 

One thing I would ask you to consider is that down the road, a better quality food could save you $ in vet bills. 

[Sam&Bella]

Her allergy type symptoms seem to have pretty much gone away, but occasional itching. I just thought I would put the food in consideration just in case.

The reason I wanted to change in the first place, is because I know that there is better options. I will do some research and see what I find. I will be sure to let you now what happens:)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Allergy symptoms that come and go are usually indicative of seasonal allergies, also called inhalant or environmental allergies. That's the 2nd most common type of allergy in dogs, and it's one that is often triggered by things like dust mites and storage mites. Just something to consider. Often, you hear someone say that their dog's allergies improved when they switched foods. That could very well be because they switched to a grain free food, and the dog has storage mite allergies, not food allergies, and so when they switched to a better quality food with less cereal matter, the symptoms improved. 

[Sam&Bella]

That makes sense. She might be a allergic to the mites. I would love to go with the Wellness CORE or Fromm but they don't have 30lb and a little to much...

I was just looking at Wellness Complete Health Whitefish and Sweet Potato 30lb. A little more money, though. Would that be a good choice?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Up above I mentioned the three Wellness lines. Complete Health is my least favorite. It's better than Diamond, and it's a great brand, but the C.H. line does have grains and there have been a fair number of dogs here who didn't do well with it digestively. If I could choose a food for Bella, it would be Wellness Simple Solutions Salmon-Potato. Jack does great on it, it's one of the best foods out there for both allergy/skin issues and for sensitive stomachs. And you wouldn't need fish oil, the Omega 3 content and ratio is fabulous. But it is considerably more money. $50 for 24 lbs.