Science Diet

[Supergram]

I was told by a Vetrinarian to feed my new Yorkie Puppies (Maggie and Marley) Science Diet for Puppies. The only problem is that I have looked around in YT and only found a couple of mentions of this brand and the comments were horrible. I am totally confused now as to what to feed them. Also, what is meant by "raw" food? Really enjoy this site and its good to be back.

[107barney]

Originally Posted by Supergram

I was told by a Vetrinarian to feed my new Yorkie Puppies (Maggie and Marley) Science Diet for Puppies. The only problem is that I have looked around in YT and only found a couple of mentions of this brand and the comments were horrible. I am totally confused now as to what to feed them. Also, what is meant by "raw" food? Really enjoy this site and its good to be back.

A lot of people do not like science diet because some of the ingredients affect dogs with allergies and/or food intolerances and yorkies are prone to both. I know my vet nutritionist does not have a problem with this company. Not sure what her view is specifically with respect to yorkies though.

I'm sure there are a lot of people on here to give you tips on food for a better brand, if you are concerned about the brand you mentioned. I don't feed dog food to mine so can't help, but in the past I've used Wellness or Merrick foods for my dogs and they liked them.

[Britster]

I personally dislike Science Diet and think it is entirely over-rated and vets simply feel 'safe' with it... at one point in time, I guess it was considered a 'top' brand. The ingredients are pretty darn terrible, imo, and on the same level as Pedigree and Purina. Every single dog I've known that eats SD (I'm a dogsitter, so I know a lot of dogs) poops like CRAZY!! That's the biggest complaint I've seen with SD is the massive amounts of poop. On the other hand, I dogsit a Rottweiler who is fed Taste of the Wild grain-free food and his coat is super shiny, not dry and flaky like alot of other Rottweilers I've seen, his teeth are fantastic thus far, and he poops 1-2 times per day and it's not that big or smelly.

I think my favorite kibbles are definitely Orijen and Acana. I love that company! Best of the best, IMO, but with that said, of course it's not going to work for every dog. Other kibbles I think are great would be Go! Endurance or Now!, Fromm, Wellness, Nature's Variety, etc. Good luck - I find it's alot of trial/error and finding what works best for your dog. Available at Petsmart is also Castor & Pollux which I think is a pretty decent food.

[huxtyns mom]

My vet also recommeded science diet, which is what we have been feeding mine since we got him and he is now 8 months. I'm not impressed with it. Huxtyn always seems to be gasy At first i thought it was his vitamins so i took him off of them and the problem still continued...I guess we'll have to see what else is out there

[Teegy]

I think Science diet must have a deal with Vets and give them kickbacks for selling it. I've read it's not the best food and I too feed my dog Orijen. The vet asked me what I was feeding him and when I told him, he didn't question me on it.
My friends who also have Yorkies said they thought it may be too high in protein for Teegy, but he poops twice a day, sometimes three and they are always firm.

[Mom of 3]

I too feed Science Diet to Gracie, who is 6 1/2 months old now. In the last week or so, she hasn't wanted to eat it. Not sure what to change her to. I have a dachshund that eats Fit and Trim, and of course she wants that. LOL!

[chestermama]

solid gold, wellness, merrick, natural balance are a few of the good foods with no by products and corn and all that stuff in it, iams, eukunuba and purina are all not so great either

[jrsygal37]

I think there are much better brands. I feel vets reccomend it because most carry it and the probably make some profit on it selling it. Wellness has been reccomended on here often. I was using chicken soup but now just use their dry kibble and homecook.

[lil fu fu girl]

Ingredients Lamb Meal, Brewers Rice, Whole Grain Wheat, Corn Gluten Meal, Brown Rice, Animal Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Dried Egg Product, Flaxseed, Liver Flavor, Dried Beet Pulp, Lactic Acid, Soybean Oil, Fish Oil, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, L-Lysine, Choline Chloride, vitamins (L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Potassium Citrate, Vitamin E Supplement, minerals (Manganese Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Taurine, preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid, Phosphoric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Rosemary Extract.


Out of the first five ingredients, 4 are grains. Corn being considered both a grain and a fruit. Being in the top five means that they contribute the most "bulk" to the kibble.



The lamb meal is every part of the lamb from hooves to ears ground into a meal. Because a kibble has a protein percentage listed, such as 23% or 28% "crude" protein, this does not mean that these "crude" proteins are proteins that are digestible by our pups. So, in essence, your pup could actually be digesting a much lower percentage of protein than that stated on the bag.



Also, the inclusion of animal fat is there because it adds flavor and taste to the kibble, not for nutritional benefit.


One of the big issues for me, among many with this food, is the addition of the Sodium Tripolyphosphate. This is a chemical compound added to the meat, in this case the lamb, to increase the meats PH, such that it will retain more water; and by retaining more water through an increase in PH it also changes the color of the meat to a darker red. Some unscrupulous corporations, use this compound to rejuvenate rancid meats,( the ph affects the ability of the myoglobin to oxidize to metmyoglobin, which is the brown/ gray color associated with spoiled rancid meats). NOT GOOD.



Just my opinions, for what its worth..

edited for: This is the lamb and rice puppy formula from SD

[kionini]

Originally Posted by lil fu fu girl

Ingredients Lamb Meal, Brewers Rice, Whole Grain Wheat, Corn Gluten Meal, Brown Rice, Animal Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Dried Egg Product, Flaxseed, Liver Flavor, Dried Beet Pulp, Lactic Acid, Soybean Oil, Fish Oil, Potassium Chloride, Sodium Tripolyphosphate, L-Lysine, Choline Chloride, vitamins (L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Potassium Citrate, Vitamin E Supplement, minerals (Manganese Sulfate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Taurine, preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid, Phosphoric Acid, Beta-Carotene, Rosemary Extract.


Out of the first five ingredients, 4 are grains. Corn being considered both a grain and a fruit. Being in the top five means that they contribute the most "bulk" to the kibble.



The lamb meal is every part of the lamb from hooves to ears ground into a meal. Because a kibble has a protein percentage listed, such as 23% or 28% "crude" protein, this does not mean that these "crude" proteins are proteins that are digestible by our pups. So, in essence, your pup could actually be digesting a much lower percentage of protein than that stated on the bag.



Also, the inclusion of animal fat is there because it adds flavor and taste to the kibble, not for nutritional benefit.


One of the big issues for me, among many with this food, is the addition of the Sodium Tripolyphosphate. This is a chemical compound added to the meat, in this case the lamb, to increase the meats PH, such that it will retain more water; and by retaining more water through an increase in PH it also changes the color of the meat to a darker red. Some unscrupulous corporations, use this compound to rejuvenate rancid meats,( the ph affects the ability of the myoglobin to oxidize to metmyoglobin, which is the brown/ gray color associated with spoiled rancid meats). NOT GOOD.



Just my opinions, for what its worth..

edited for: This is the lamb and rice puppy formula from SD

Thanks for this

[lil fu fu girl]

Originally Posted by kionini

Thanks for this

Sure... glad that you found it useful!