[mycal0789]

I need some advice. I have an almost 3 year old golden retriever, I have had her on the Advanced pet diet select choice(ingredients below) for less than a year, but in the past 3 months she has had some really bad skin problems. She currently has a spot on her tummy that will not heal, she just finished her second round of antibiotics for that. But she is very itchy, and has had some spots on her neck that she itches frequently, I dont know if its the food or not, it could be anything.
I was going to try to change her diet to see if that will help the skin problems. I had a lady tell me TOTW was a good food for the price but i didnt like the fact that it was possible they used ethoxyquin. Then another person recommended Natural Balance Sweet Potato and Venison. I researched that a bit and found a lot of people who didnt think too much of it. My Main goal is for my dogs skin to be healthy, and in the process of changing diets I just want the best diet for my dog and I am having a really hard time deciding what that would be. I am willing to pay around 55-60 for at least a 30lb bag so anything that you could suggest would be fantastic.

Here are the ingredients for what she is on right now:

Advanced Pet Diets Select Choice-Lamb Meal and Rice Skin and Coat Formula
Lamb Meal, Brown Rice, Ground Rice, Rice Bran, Canola Oil (Preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Natural Flavor, Flax Seed, Yucca Schidigera, Dried Aspergillus Oryzae Fermentation Product, Dried Bacillus Subtilis Fermentation Product, Potassium Chloride, Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, Zinc Oxide, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Sulfate, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3, Manganous Oxide, Vitamin E Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate, Copper Amino Acid Chelate, Riboflavin, Niacin, Calcium Pantothenate, Folic Acid, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, d-Biotin, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite, Cobalt Carbonate

Guaranteed Analysis Crude Protein not less than 23.00% Crude Fat not less than 13.00% Crude Fiber not more than 3.50% Moisture not more than 10.00% Omega-6 Fatty Acids not less than 2.80% Omega-3 Fatty Acids not less than 0.75% Caloric Content Metabolizable Energy (calculated) 3,381 kcal/kg Metabolizable Energy (calculated) 360 kcal/cup
Nutrient Analysis Vitamins Function As Fed Unit Vitamin A Eyes / Coat / Bones / Skin 15,225 IU/KG Vitamin D Vigor /Bones / Teeth 1,450 IU/KG Vitamin E Reproduction / Fetal Growth 130.00 IU/KG Thiamine (B1) Nerves / Digestion 6.20 MG/KG Roboflavin (B2) Eyes / Skin / Enzymes 8.40 MG/KG Pantothenic Acid Growth / Nerves 21.00 MG/KG Niacin Nerves / Coat 65.00 MG/KG Pyridoxine Blood / Growth 5.10 MG/KG Folic Acid Growth / Maint / Blood 0.21 MG/KG Biotin Metabolism / Skin / Coat 0.14 MG/KG Vitamin B12 Blood 0.08 MG/KG Choline Liver / Kidney / Nerves 1,548 MG/KG Minerals Function As Fed Unit Calcium Bones / Teeth / Muscle 1.90 % Phosphorus Bones / Teeth / Muscle 1.35 % Potassium Body Fluids / Metabolism 0.65 % Sodium Regulate Body Fluids 0.29 % Chloride Regulate Body Fluids 0.73 % Magnesium Bones / Teeth / Muscles 0.27 % Iron Blood 260.00 MG/KG Copper Blood 12.00 MG/KG Manganese Bones / Teeth / Muscle 52.00 MG/KG Zinc Reproduction / Skin 220.00 MG/KG Iodine Thyroid 3.90 MG/KG Selenium Bones / Muscle 0.40 MG/KG Amino Acid/Fatty Acids As Fed Unit Calcium Bones / Teeth / Muscle 1.90 % Phosphorus Bones / Teeth / Muscle 1.35 % Potassium Body Fluids / Metabolism 0.65 % Sodium Regulate Body Fluids 0.29 % Chloride Regulate Body Fluids 0.73 % Magnesium Bones / Teeth / Muscles 0.27 % Iron Blood 260.00 MG/KG Copper Blood 12.00 MG/KG Manganese Bones / Teeth / Muscle 52.00 MG/KG Zinc Reproduction / Skin 220.00 MG/KG Iodine Thyroid 3.90 MG/KG Selenium Bones / Muscle 0.40 MG/KG

 

[jwemt81]

We recently started using California Natural and I'm amazed by what it has already done for Tucker's coat . He's prone to dry skin and he has done very well on it. We started using it because of his recurrent ear problems and it has worked wonders. CN is specifically made for dogs with allergies and sensitivities. It's made by Natura Pet. They have a few different formulas. We use the Herring & Sweet Potato and pay $42.99 for a 30-pound bag.

 

[Jax's Mom]

I was researching your post, especially since I saw yucca as one of the ingredients. I previously read on a website, and yet again today, that the yucca plant is toxic for dogs, yet they also say on different websites that dogs eating yucca can help with arthritis pain and swelling. It's confusing. I'm no scientist, but maybe switching something without yucca may help.

 

[mycal0789]

OK thank you!

 

[Mighty Casey and Samson's Mom]

I have Casey on a grain free food, Origen. In the winter I have him on the fish version with more oil to help with dry skin. I also add a sardine to his food once a day. Good luck!

 

[MyCodyBoy]

That food she is on now seems VERY grain(rice) heavey, way too much rice imo. 3 diffrent types of rice is not neccessary and it really looks like they are just trying to cut costs with all that filler. By the time you break it down there is probably more rice in that food then meat.

We are switching right now to Acana Grasslands(same company as Orijen) but a little more cost effective and not as high in protiens if you are concerned about the protein carb ratio.
Grasslands is Lamb meat and grain free. We are dealing with ear infections right now.
We were using Wellness Super5mix, a very good food so I decided to go completely grain and chicken free to see how he does.

I think because of the skin infections you should just go straight to grain free and not mess around. Wellness Core, Orijen or Acana are the BEST grain free foods out there. Wellness may be more cost effective for you being in the US. Acana and Orijen are canadian made and might be more expensive because of shipping costs to the supplier. But phone around and check prices, you never know what the price might be.

 

[Bock]

Wellness Core, Orijen or Acana are the BEST grain free foods out there.

While these are good grain free foods, this is not an exhaustive list. Others include EVO and Nature's Variety INSTINCT. There are others I am not thinking of as well.

 

[AquaClaraCanines]

Blue Wilderness is grain free, too

 

[fostermom]

I would also make sure that you aren't dealing with fleas. I keep my dogs on flea preventative year 'round (unless we get a good long freeze) and just recently Danny started scratching. Sure enough after about 4-5 weeks of his scratching and having rashes, I finally found a couple of fleas on him. But it took that long, even with checking him every single day, to find one. I had to Capstar all the dogs and sprinkle Borax on all the carpets. Within 2 days he stopped scratching and all of his rashes cleared up.

 

[mycal0789]

Ok thank you that gives me a good place to start!