# Any thoughts on Avoderm or TOTW



## kimrisa (Jan 17, 2010)

I've finally got my English Bully's loose stool under control (Thank you Perfect Form by Honest Kitchen!) but now we're dealing with skin issues (bad chin acne and red blotchy muzzle) so I'm looking to boost his immune system by putting him on a premium dog food. I've heard that TOTW grain free is a good choice, as is Avoderm (although that food has avocados which I've heard can be fatal to dogs so I'm unsure about that one...). Any thoughts/kibble recommendations for a dog with sensitive skin?

Here is a photo which shows my poor, red-faced squishy faced boy...


Thanks!


----------



## meggels (May 30, 2010)

Something grain free. I wouldn't even consider avoderm for an english bulldog. Also would get him on a fish oil supplement.


----------



## dobesgalore (Oct 21, 2009)

I wouldn't trust Avoderm just because of being made with avacados. There are plenty more foods out there to choose from.


----------



## ruckusluvr (Oct 28, 2009)

avoderm is too grain heavy, and i do not feel it is a good food. so i would not recommend it.

taste of the wild "wetlands" is a good formula.
Id also suggest adding fish oil to his diet.


----------



## Guest (Jul 30, 2010)

I like TOTW, too. Let us know how it goes!


----------



## kevin bradley (Aug 9, 2009)

in this comparison...

TOTW.

Hands down.


----------



## Unosmom (May 3, 2009)

I know of someone on another board that dealt with severe allergies in a bulldog and nothing works besides Natural Balance, while I dont like this food, it seems that her dog does best on limited ingridient because everything else makes him yeasty and itchy. But because its a low protein food, she does add extra meat to it like sardines or other fish, and whatever protein source he's not allergic to. I think she also started adding ACV to his water which has helped a lot. I can email her to find out the details if you'd like, he dog seems to be doing quite well on this regimen. 

I would start out with a fish based formula, if you still want to try TOtw though.


----------



## RCTRIPLEFRESH5 (Feb 11, 2010)

kimrisa said:


> Here is a photo which shows my poor, red-faced squishy faced boy...
> 
> 
> Thanks!


aww ur porr dog =p
but yeah id say taste of the wild is a great cheaper food. but do not buy the pacific stream formula, it is trash.


----------



## Jacksons Mom (Jun 13, 2010)

Awww, your poor baby! 

Out of the two, DEFINITELY Taste of the Wild.


----------



## kevin bradley (Aug 9, 2009)

RCTRIPLEFRESH5 said:


> but do not buy the pacific stream formula, it is trash.




Oh, RC. Whenever I need to smile, I come out here and look for you :biggrin:


----------



## buddy97 (Mar 29, 2010)

RCTRIPLEFRESH5 said:


> do not buy the pacific stream formula, it is trash.


id still consider it a step up from most grain inclusive foods, but in the context of grainless foods, most of which are higher in meat content, calories and protein, it is rather underwhelming.


----------



## kimrisa (Jan 17, 2010)

*No Avoderm?*



meggels said:


> Something grain free. I wouldn't even consider avoderm for an english bulldog. Also would get him on a fish oil supplement.


Hi meggels,

Would you mind elaborating on why you wouldn't use this food for an EB? Is it the avocodo thing?

Thanks!


----------



## kimrisa (Jan 17, 2010)

Thanks Unsomom for this info. This is very helpful! I've also been considering Natural Balance. I'd love to hear what formula her dog is on (some people I know have had some problems with the fish and sweet potato formula because they think they changed it) and would also like to know what she adds to the kibble. I tried fish oil in the past but Tuffy's delicate tummy rebelled. He's prone to soft poop as well as skin issues! I will take you up on your offer to find out her dog's exact regimen if you don't mind! Any info I can get would be most appreciated...


----------



## kimrisa (Jan 17, 2010)

Dobesgalore..I love your avatar pic!!


----------



## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

Kimrisa, me again! how long are you going to keep going through this with your dog? English Bull dogs, which my dogs are decendents from are incredibly sensitive and have loads of allergy issues, do the right thing and look at the right section.:wink:


----------



## kimrisa (Jan 17, 2010)

What's the right section? Are you talking about RAW? Elaborate please I guess I'm slow on the uptake! As for right now, the vet thinks it's NOT food related and has taken away his toys for a week to see if that's part of the problem!!


----------



## whiteleo (Sep 7, 2008)

O.K Good luck!


----------



## kimrisa (Jan 17, 2010)

Whiteleo...what was the point of your post?


----------



## RCTRIPLEFRESH5 (Feb 11, 2010)

kevin bradley said:


> Oh, RC. Whenever I need to smile, I come out here and look for you :biggrin:


u ever gonna watch my speech


----------



## RCTRIPLEFRESH5 (Feb 11, 2010)

buddy97 said:


> id still consider it a step up from most grain inclusive foods, but in the context of grainless foods, most of which are higher in meat content, calories and protein, it is rather underwhelming.


plus i doubt its cheaper than the other two formulas,since fish is a more expensive food


----------



## Eurobox (May 17, 2010)

While switching your dog to a better food is great, I think the type of bowl you are using can have a major impact. I have boxers which are similar to EB, and we have similar issues with dog acne. The best advice is to use a stainless steel bowl (nothing else) and wash it often!! Wash their wrinkles with a mild soap solution after eating, and keep all toys clean. :smile:

If you add ACV to the water, just make sure it is organic with "the mother" still in it. I use Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar, and I feed Taste of the Wild.


----------



## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

has he had this condition before? if so, do you remember what he was eating?


----------



## magicre (Apr 7, 2010)

kimrisa said:


> What's the right section? Are you talking about RAW? Elaborate please I guess I'm slow on the uptake! As for right now, the vet thinks it's NOT food related and has taken away his toys for a week to see if that's part of the problem!!


i must have missed this part when i posted....kimrisa...if your vet doesn't think it's food related, why then would you switch what seems to be working for your dog, poop wise, at least?


----------



## ruckusluvr (Oct 28, 2009)

i would NEVER say TOTW pacific stream is "trash"
nutro is trash (and things worse than that)


----------



## kevin bradley (Aug 9, 2009)

RCTRIPLEFRESH5 said:


> u ever gonna watch my speech


which one is it on Youtube? Are you the kid in the Oklahoma shirt talking in the living room?


----------



## kevin bradley (Aug 9, 2009)

ruckusluvr said:


> i would NEVER say TOTW pacific stream is "trash"
> nutro is trash (and things worse than that)


thats why RC makes me chuckle. We throw words around too quickly. In the whole scheme of things, any of the TOTW are pretty decent. 

...I've had this addiction recently to flipping over bags while I'm in the store lately just to laugh(and cry). The one that blows me away every time the most is Science Diet. On the trash scale relative to price, it has to be #1....


----------



## buddy97 (Mar 29, 2010)

kevin bradley said:


> In the whole scheme of things, any of the TOTW are pretty decent.
> .


i look at TOTW in the context of grainless foods, since many people are cross shopping those. in that scheme of things, i think TOTW Pacific Stream is kind of the Pedigree/Beneful of the grainless dog foods.

of course it is much better than those, but like those foods occupying the bottom rung of grain inclusive foods, i think that TOTW variety occupies the bottom rung of grainless foods (excluding things like the Natural Balance LID's which are positioned as an alternative for severe alergy dogs and are just a big bag of potato heaven).

yes, in the entire spectrum of dog foods, there are probably alot more foods worse than TOTW Pacific Stream than there are better.


----------



## luvMyBRT (Mar 8, 2010)

Here is something I find interesting...

Lucky was eating TOTW bison formula and she did really well on it. I think in total she ate two bags of the kibble. I have recently switched her over to Acana Wild Prarie. She LOVES this kibble too. However, I have noticed that I can hardly find her poops anymore to clean up! They have shrunk in size a lot! They look like little chihuahua poops to me!

This leads me to wonder exaclty how much meat is really in TOTW...?? 

Just something I found odd....


----------



## ruckusluvr (Oct 28, 2009)

my dogs have VERY tiny stool on TOTW wetlands. the other formulas make big poops.
i have started home cooking for my dogs, again they have big poops.


----------



## RCTRIPLEFRESH5 (Feb 11, 2010)

kevin bradley said:


> which one is it on Youtube? Are you the kid in the Oklahoma shirt talking in the living room?


no...i posted it on here....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hi_uiZfDwrU


----------



## meggels (May 30, 2010)

kimrisa said:


> Hi meggels,
> 
> Would you mind elaborating on why you wouldn't use this food for an EB? Is it the avocodo thing?
> 
> Thanks!


No, it's because it's grain inclusive. Having a frenchie, which can obviously have very similar issues, I think grain free is the way to go.


----------

