# Input needed on choosing between Limited Ingredient formulas



## kimrisa (Jan 17, 2010)

Before I commit to grain free for my 7 month old bullie, I thought I might try a limited ingredient formula to help with food sensitivities (loose stool). Here are my top two choices. I'd prefer a higher calorie one for my pup so I'm leaning toward the Wellness but the Blue Basics has a slightly higher fat content, is made with brown rice and has a higher fiber content. I've listed the ingredients and guaranteed analysis. Not sure what's more important fo for weight gain...calories for fat content. Any advice on which is best to bulk up a still growing bulldog pup? Thanks!

WELLNESS SIMPLE SOLUTIONS--Rice and Salmon formulaGuaranteed Analysis 
Crude Protein Not Less Than 20.0% 
Crude Fat Not Less Than 12.0% 
Crude Fiber Not More Than 3.0% 
Moisture Not More Than 11.0% 
Lycopene* Not Less Than 0.20 mg/kg 
Omega 6 Fatty Acids* Not Less Than 1.75% 
Omega 3 Fatty Acids* Not Less Than 0.75% 

*Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles.
Calories Analysis 
This food contains 3600 kcal/kg or 405 kcal per cup ME (metabolizable energy) on an as fed basis (calculated

Ground Rice, Salmon, Salmon Meal, Canola Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols, a natural source of Vitamin E), Tomato Pomace, Calcium Carbonate, Potassium Chloride, Natural Fish Flavor, Vitamins [Vitamin E Supplement, Beta-Carotene, Niacin, d-Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Riboflavin, Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Folic Acid], Minerals [Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Iron Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Copper Proteinate, Manganese Proteinate, Manganese Sulfate, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite], Choline Chloride, Taurine.
This is a naturally preserved product.

Blue Buffalo Basics Salmon and Potato:Ingredients: Deboned Salmon, Peas, Whole Potatoes, Whole Ground Brown Rice, Salmon Meal(natural source of Omega 3 Fatty Acid), Flaxseed (natural source of Omega 3 and 6 Fatty Acids), Canola Oil (naturally preserved with Mixed Tocopherols, a natural source of Vitamin E), Tomato Pomace (natural source of Lycopene), Natural Fish Flavor, Oatmeal, Whole Carrots, Blueberries, Cranberries, Barley Grass, Dried Parsley, Alfalfa Meal, Dried Kelp, Yucca Schidigera Extract, L-Carnitine, L-Lysine, Turmeric, Oil of Rosemary, Dried Chicory Root, Calcium Carbonate, Beta Carotene, Vitamin A Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate (Vitamin B1), Riboflavin (Vitamin B2), Niacin (Vitamin B3), d-Calcium Pantothenate (Vitamin B5), Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B6), Biotin (Vitamin B7), Folic Acid (Vitamin B9), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Calcium Ascorbate (source of Vitamin C), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Choline Chloride, Sodium Selenite, Calcium Iodate, Salt, Caramel, Potassium Chloride, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Bacillus subtilis, Enterococcus faecium. 

Guaranteed Analysis: Crude Protein 22.0% min, Crude Fat 14.0% min, Crude Fiber 5.0% max, Moisture 10.0% max, Calcium 1.0% min, Phosphorus 0.9% min, Omega 3 Fatty Acids* 0.9% min, Omega 6 Fatty Acids* 2.0% min 

*Not recognized as an essential nutrient by AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles. 

Calorie Content(ME Calculated, as fed):
3,553 kcal/kg 
377 kcal/cup


----------



## buddy97 (Mar 29, 2010)

kimrisa said:


> Before I commit to grain free for my 7 month old bullie, I thought I might try a limited ingredient formula to help with food sensitivities


if i had to choose between the two, id opt for the wellness also. personally i think a food where most of the protein is from meat is important for the adding weight in the form of muscle. unfortunately the limited ingredient diets are light on meat and usually lower calorie.

the C Natural grain free chicken looks to have an even more limited ingredient list than either of those, more meat, and higher calories. it is a higher Ca food, and that characteristic makes it a poor choice for growing large breed pups because of issues with skeletal development...i just dont know enough about Bulldogs to say that would be ok (like is there much more skeletal growth remaining at 7 months?)....if you do go grainless, orijen is the only grainless that controls those Ca levels.

maybe you could just try the wellness and see if that helps get his digestive system settled. you could always try a grainless food down the road at some point.


----------



## kimrisa (Jan 17, 2010)

Thanks for the great advice, Derek!! It is very helpful.


----------



## meggels (May 30, 2010)

kimrisa said:


> Thanks for the great advice, Derek!! It is very helpful.


LOVE your bulldog! 

I am the mother of a french bulldog, so I think you and I probably have similar issues. 

I was trying him on various foods, trying to get a good stool outta him. Most of his stools looked like soft serve icecream coming out (sorry to be graphic lol). It was so frustrating.

I finally decided to do him on a grain free diet and he's been on Acana for a week or two now and I am FINALLY starting to get decent stools out of him, and he's not even 100% on Acana yet, still transitioning. I've also added 1 tsp of plain organic yogurt to his breakfast and that seems to be helping.

That's my suggestion. I know you wanted to try a limited ingredient first before grain free, but I thought I'd share my story since we have similar breeds and problems apparently :smile:


----------



## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

I see your still having issues with tummy problems and your bulldog, I'm here only to give helpful advise as you have had the issues for awhile.

I have English bull terriers a decendent as you may of the bulldog, and they have a very high rate of food allergies and sensitivities, I tried for a long time to make kibble work for my female to no avail, I had to look to other sources and went to a raw diet.

My dogs have thrived on the diet, I now have 3, all from the same litter, 2 rescues and my original female. Just wanted to put that info out there for you as you have had issues with your bulldog since January, if you need more info go to the raw section and ask a few questions. Good Luck!


----------



## kimrisa (Jan 17, 2010)

Great posts...thanks so much! Hmm...it sounds like the bulldog/bullterrier breed is notorious for tummy sensitivites....

Meggels: I love French Bulldogs almost as much as English. They are so darn cute with those pointy ears!! How about a photo of yours...?LOL regarding the soft serve...I can totally relate. My DH is SO sick of me harping about my bully's poop but it's been an ongoing problem. I have not closed myself off to the idea of grainfree. I was planning to wait until he's a year old since most grain free foods are not considered als but I'm going to take a look at Acana. That's not a food I'm very familiar with. Right now.I just want decent poops so I'm not closed off to anything. I tried yogurt in the past but it seemed to make his situation worse...but it might just be in conjunction with the wrong food. Question about grain free...does it cause dogs to lose weight? I don't want my bully to get too thin. He's at a good weight (around 44 lbs) and I wouldn't even mind a few more lbs on him. All the bouts with loose poop hasn't exactly helped him in that area....

Whiteleo: I'm also considering RAW but since my dh isn't really on board with that it will probably be my last resort if the limited diet/grain free doesn't work out. I have heard from several people that RAW was the only answer for dogs with gastro issues. I will be checking out the RAW board to get some info since I know nothing about it!!


----------



## meggels (May 30, 2010)

kimrisa said:


> Great posts...thanks so much! Hmm...it sounds like the bulldog/bullterrier breed is notorious for tummy sensitivites....
> 
> Meggels: I love French Bulldogs almost as much as English. They are so darn cute with those pointy ears!! How about a photo of yours...?LOL regarding the soft serve...I can totally relate. My DH is SO sick of me harping about my bully's poop but it's been an ongoing problem. I have not closed myself off to the idea of grainfree. I was planning to wait until he's a year old since most grain free foods are not considered als but I'm going to take a look at Acana. That's not a food I'm very familiar with. Right now.I just want decent poops so I'm not closed off to anything. I tried yogurt in the past but it seemed to make his situation worse...but it might just be in conjunction with the wrong food. Question about grain free...does it cause dogs to lose weight? I don't want my bully to get too thin. He's at a good weight (around 44 lbs) and I wouldn't even mind a few more lbs on him. All the bouts with loose poop hasn't exactly helped him in that area....
> 
> Whiteleo: I'm also considering RAW but since my dh isn't really on board with that it will probably be my last resort if the limited diet/grain free doesn't work out. I have heard from several people that RAW was the only answer for dogs with gastro issues. I will be checking out the RAW board to get some info since I know nothing about it!!



Haha, here is a picture of Murph (sorry to hijack)










Acana is made by the same company as Orijen. It's lower in protein though. I think all formulas are between 30-33% in protein and it's an all life stages food. TOTW is also all life stages which I've had good luck with in the past. 

I would suggest getting him on a probiotic, even if it's NOT yogurt. They make powdered ones that you could put on top of his food. 

I noticed you are in Stamford, I'm from CT as well (up in Litchfield County). 

There's not many stores that carry it in CT (though I don't get why since many carry it's sister brand, Orijen...) but there is one in Bridgeport. There's also several places to purchase it online.

Here's a link to the product page, it's the three grain free varieties. It's only been a few weeks, but I'm really pleased with it so far and hope for more success!

Champion Petfoods | ACANA | Our Products


----------



## buddy97 (Mar 29, 2010)

meggels said:


> TOTW is also all life stages which I've had good luck with in the past.
> 
> [/url]


nice dog, btw.

i would say that most larger breed owners do not consider TOTW an all life stages food as the Ca levels are too high (whereas Orijen, for example, has more controlled levels). however, i dont expect bulldogs have the same skeletal developmental issues as large breed dogs have, so my guess is it is less of an issue.


----------



## meggels (May 30, 2010)

buddy97 said:


> nice dog, btw.
> 
> i would say that most larger breed owners do not consider TOTW an all life stages food as the Ca levels are too high (whereas Orijen, for example, has more controlled levels). however, i dont expect bulldogs have the same skeletal developmental issues as large breed dogs have, so my guess is it is less of an issue.


oh, thank you for pointing that out. 

the only "puppy" i've had on TOTW is a little mix *my girl Abbie* who is only 35 lbs now, so a few months ago she was even lighter and is not a large breed by any means, more like the size of a cocker spaniel lol, so I didn't even think of that. Thanks for pointing it out!

i always get confused on what a large breed dog is i have a boxer, and I kinda consider him large but I know others wouldn't lol.


----------



## kimrisa (Jan 17, 2010)

Awww...Murph is so darn cute! I want one <g>. How old is he?

I've been to Litchfield! It's not too far from us. We stayed at a lovely B&B several years back. Beautiful town! 

I tried Geneflora probiotic several months back but it didn't help but maybe there's a better one out there? Coincidentally my mother sent me a link for a dietary supplement called The Perfect Form by the Honest Kitchen which apparently "works miracles" with firming up poop. I might give it a try in conjunction with whatever food I try. They say it works best with Grain Free. I'll take another look at the Acana. I've also been revisting the possibility of Natural Balance sweet potato and Salvon, even though I've heard they've changed their formula lately and some people aren't as happy with it as they used to be. Alas, the search continues!


----------



## meggels (May 30, 2010)

kimrisa said:


> Awww...Murph is so darn cute! I want one <g>. How old is he?
> 
> I've been to Litchfield! It's not too far from us. We stayed at a lovely B&B several years back. Beautiful town!
> 
> I tried Geneflora probiotic several months back but it didn't help but maybe there's a better one out there? Coincidentally my mother sent me a link for a dietary supplement called The Perfect Form by the Honest Kitchen which apparently "works miracles" with firming up poop. I might give it a try in conjunction with whatever food I try. They say it works best with Grain Free. I'll take another look at the Acana. I've also been revisting the possibility of Natural Balance sweet potato and Salvon, even though I've heard they've changed their formula lately and some people aren't as happy with it as they used to be. Alas, the search continues!


He just turned 9 months a few days ago :smile:

I tried him on the Natural Balance, but he wasn't really crazy about it, and I don't blame him. It didn't look at all appetizing to me either  And I really don't like how meat is never the first ingredient except for one formula I think...just doesn't sit right with me.


----------



## kimrisa (Jan 17, 2010)

meggels said:


> He just turned 9 months a few days ago :smile:
> 
> I tried him on the Natural Balance, but he wasn't really crazy about it, and I don't blame him. It didn't look at all appetizing to me either  And I really don't like how meat is never the first ingredient except for one formula I think...just doesn't sit right with me.


He's only a few months older than Tuffy. My parents switched their dogs from Natural Balance to Orijen for the same reason--they didn't care for the taste of the food. It would literally sit in the food dish all day long! Thanks for the feedback and enjoy that beautiful boy!


----------

