Nature's Variety

[rottnelmo]

My vet (she is a holistic vet with an expansive knowledge in nutrition) suggested that I try Nature's Variety Chicken and Rice. Elmo seems to be having an allergic reaction to something, so she suggested this food. It is an all organic food, a plus on my end and hers. I am also doing a partial raw with Nature's Menu (I was going to do Steve's, but have decided to try Nature's Menu)

Here is the ingredient list for the food:
Chicken, Brown Rice, Barley, Oatmeal, Chicken Fat (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid), Flaxseed, Chicken Liver, Menhaden Fish, Suncured Alfalfa Meal, Montmorillonite, Flaxseed Oil, Freeze Dried Chicken, Freeze Dried Chicken Liver, Freeze Dried Salmon Oil, Sweet Potatoes, Cottage Cheese, Apples, Carrots, Peas, Whole Eggs, Kelp, Parsley, Artichoke, Inulin, Rosemary, Sage, Clove, Fermentation Products (Lactobacillus Acidophilus Fermentation Product Dehydrated, Bifidobacterium Thermophilum Fermentation Product Dehydrated, Enterococcus Faecium Fermentation Product Dehydrated), Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Cobalt Amino Acid Chelate, Calcium Carbonate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (a source of Vitamin C), Carotene, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Calcium Pantothenate, Niacin Supplement, Folic Acid, Riboflavin Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfite Complex, Biotin, Choline Chloride, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Ferrous Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, and Vitamin B12 Supplement.

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS
CRUDE PROTEIN (min.) 24.0%
CRUDE FAT (min.) 14.0%
CRUDE FIBER (max.) 3.0%
MOISTURE (max.) 10.0%
CALCIUM (min.) 1.34%
PHOSPHORUS (min.) 0.87%
VITAMIN E (min.) 129.3 IU/kg
VITAMIN C* (min.) 50 mg/kg
OMEGA-6 FATTY ACIDS* (min.) 1.94%
OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS* (min.) 0.55%
*Not recognized as an essential nutrient by the AAFCO Dog Food Nutrient Profiles.

Let me know what you think! Thanks!!!

Beth

[mmgy]

Hate to be the one to break it to you, but it's not ALL organic! All organic pet food would cost $5 a pound.

I like NV, but I put my dogs on it in January---well, about 75% NV, 25% Canidae--to try it out. Three gained weight. Two (my girls!) are still on reduced rations, and not happy!

NV is about 40% meat, Canidae about 60%. I've decided I'm not too keen on the kibble. Their canned and raw are another story completely....we've been very happy with those.

BTW, I'm surprised she would recommend a food with so many ingredients, when you're trying to figure out a food allergy. Why not California Natural, or go back to Canidae? They both have much simpler formulas.

[rottnelmo]

The bag states organic inside and the research I have done I cant find what is actually organic...is it the fruit and vegetables? or the meat?

She wanted to try him back on a food that was not potatoe based, we had been feeding him Natural Balance Duck and Potatoe.

If this doesnt work or the allergy gets worse, then I will be trying California Natural.

I guess I wanted to try it, because I liked that it was organic...that may not matter now...

B

[Rott-Wiley]

I use Steve's Real Food. I feed 10 cubes per meal along with Innova and raw (human grade natural) food. I can't say enough good things about Steve's. It's the first thing my dog picks out of her bowl. I would highly suggest you try a bag and see how your dog likes it.

[mmgy]

Since the FDA (or USDA?) re-wrote the "organic" rules, pet food mfrs are somewhat left out in the cold. Most of them are waiting on the AAFCO to decide how they want to interpret the new rules as they apply to pet food. So in the meantime, from what I understand, many mfrs are taking a low-key approach, and not emphasizing the "organic" angle as much as they did a few months ago.

For what it's worth, I got this info from a phone conversation with the president of NV.

[rottnelmo]

Originally posted by Rott-Wiley
I use Steve's Real Food. I feed 10 cubes per meal along with Innova and raw (human grade natural) food. I can't say enough good things about Steve's. It's the first thing my dog picks out of her bowl. I would highly suggest you try a bag and see how your dog likes it.

I have tried Steve's and thought it was great. Elmo *loves* it...he does the same thing as your girl, eats the cubes first and then his kibble. I was feeding Natural Balance Duck and Potatoe with 10 cubes of Steve's per feeding.

After talking with my vet, I have decided to try the Natures Menu route and do my own veggie combo. I want to be more hands on...so I can eventually go completely raw, but I *really* like the prepared foods, plus hubby doesnt want to deal with making the raw meat ourselves! He feeds him both meals during the week, so I have to make him comfortable and make the meal time managable!

Thanks for all of your inputs...I will see how he does on NV, we can always switch!

[Rott-Wiley]

Here's what I do, twice a week I juice up a batch of different veggies and freeze the pulp and juice in an ice cube tray. Then during the week I feed her 2 cubes of the veggies along with 10 cubes of Steve's (the veggie cubes must be about 3 times bigger then the Steve's). I feed that along with Innova kibble and raw food. My wife wouldn't bother to juice up anthing for the dog but she doesn't mind feeding the cubes. She only feeds the dog maybe once every other month or something like that so this really isn't an issue for anyone of us but you may want to give it a try.