Wellness Core for ear infections?

You sound like Ike and I. He'd always had itchy ears and by the time he turned One, it was one ear infection after another. No meds seemed to work and finally it was attributed to food. I switched him to Merrick's Wilderness Blend, getting away from all typical food ingredients and he did very well and the ears cleared up. I also feed The Honest Kitchen Preference formula, a dried raw meatless food you rehydrate with water and add your own meat source. He loves them both. I've recently started feeding Innova Red Meat formula and Ike is doing very well on it too. I've put red meat back in his diet since I've since learned that chicken, corn, and soy are his trouble foods.

His ears had been clear for more than a year. Unfortunately, Ike is just now getting over another ear infection. He got into my daughter's dog's kibble while visiting recently ...it had chicken, corn, and soy in it and Ike began itching and shaking his head in no time.

intresting. I wonder if chicken is the main issue for most dogs. Otherwise Cody does very well on the food(stool wise) and I love the passion that Wellness has for creating a great food.
I heared of Innova about a month ago and conisdered switching to it.
How long has Ike been on the red meat Innova?
My only concern with the Core foods is that they are much higher in processed proteins.
Raw is another options, but the cost is keeping me away from it.
But then I guess I have to decide if I want to spend $30 a month on ear meds or use that on food.

I just don't know what to do!

I just read on the dog food review sit that Orijen als has a red meat food.

My Gunner's ears were always horrible until I put him on Core Ocean. After a couple weeks on it, they cleared up beautifully.

That said, if you should decide to try the Ocean formula, check the food and be very careful. We started finding little bone shards actually baked into the kibble. (The larger pieces have been about the size of an uncooked grain of rice.) Spoke to the company twice and they don't seem to be the least bit concerned about it.
I wouldn't recommend the food at all, except it's possible that they're just having a problem with one of their manufacturing plants. I've talked to a couple people in other parts of the country and they're not seeing the problem, so depending on where you are, yours might be okay. Just keep your eyes open if you try it.

We'd fed the Core Original for a while and I didn't see any bones with that formula.

My guys are on raw and Bender hasn't had an ear infection for about 8 years. I do know if she gets too much grains in her diet in the summer mostly her ears will turn red, so I just watch what she gets. When she was on kibble as a youngster we were going to the vet for meds a lot.

It would be worth it to try raw for a bit and see, or even doing a grain free kibble...

Lana

MyCodyBoy said:

intresting. I wonder if chicken is the main issue for most dogs. Otherwise Cody does very well on the food(stool wise) and I love the passion that Wellness has for creating a great food.
I heared of Innova about a month ago and conisdered switching to it.
How long has Ike been on the red meat Innova?

But then I guess I have to decide if I want to spend $30 a month on ear meds or use that on food.

I just don't know what to do!

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Ike has only been on the Innova for about 3 weeks. He'd started the ear infection prior to the food switch. I finally have his ears clear, thank goodness. He absolutely loves the Red Meat formula and will not eat the Wilderness Blend any longer. The Honest Kitchen I do not feed as often, it's more an occasional treat now. It is expensive and he sprays the walls behind his food bowls with it...it's a soupy consistency...but he does love it too.

Bender said:

My guys are on raw and Bender hasn't had an ear infection for about 8 years. I do know if she gets too much grains in her diet in the summer mostly her ears will turn red, so I just watch what she gets. When she was on kibble as a youngster we were going to the vet for meds a lot.

It would be worth it to try raw for a bit and see, or even doing a grain free kibble...

Lana

Click to expand...

Hi Lana, Can you give an example of what a raw menu looks like? It doesn't sound that complicated but I wouldn't have a clue where to begin. Thanks!

The Honest Kitchen is a dehydrated raw that comes in different formulas. I feed the meatless Preference formula. I'm sure there are other raw diets also. I have access to venison from my SIL and was able to feed Ike fresh venison last Fall. Some pet stores will keep frozen raw meats for these diets.

I have been eyeing this raw food for a long time
http://www.carnivora.ca/

It is either that or a red meat, or seafood dry kibble. I thinking more towards Orijan at this point.
The raw is so expensive! It is about $13CDN a box, with 8 patties per box and Cody has to eat 3 patties per day.
But I am spending almost $90 a month on 30lbs of Wellness right now.