[NAGDU] very quick food change

Danielle Sykora dsykora29 at gmail.com
Tue Dec 22 00:20:04 UTC 2015


Grains are foods like corn, rice, oats, and wheat. People usually feed
grain free for one of several reasons.

First, grains are a common allergen for dogs. Eating the same food for
years can cause an allergic reaction in certain individuals. Because
grains are one of the most common ingredients in dog foods, they are
subsequently one of the most common allergens.

Second, foods high in sugar tend to exacerbate inflammatory
conditions. For dogs with conditions such as allergies or arthritis,
it can sometimes be beneficial to remove grains from the diet because
of their high sugar content. Other starchy foods such as potatoes have
a similar effect. Feeding a grain free diet or one that is low in
carbohydrates may help with conditions that are difficult to treat
such as environmental allergies. Changing diet may not help at all for
some dogs, but it's always an option to consider.

Finally, feeding a grain free diet often results in a change in stool
quantity--lower volume and more firm texture. This varies from dog to
dog, but it's something I have noticed. The same goes for any high
quality diet; the less fillers, the less poop.

Two of our three dogs currently eat a grain free diet. One had pretty
severe allergies, to what exactly I'm not sure, and switching to a
grain free diet helped. It took some time to find food that actually
agreed with her, just eliminating grains wasn't a perfect solution.
Thai was eating natural balance at the school with no significant
health problems. I decided to switch him to grain free partially
because his stool was always disconcertingly soft and partially
because it was easier to feed both dogs the same food. I notice that
he gets slightly itchy when he scavenges something with grains. It's
definitely not a severe reaction like what he experiences when he eats
chicken (his true allergen), but it's enough for me to avoid grains.
Bonnie eats a food with grains and has no health problems, but she
poops A LOT.

Grain free diets are generally slightly more expensive, which may or
may not be worth it depending on the situation. Some dogs may do fine
on a conventional food containing grains, but it's important to make
an informed choice. Not all food is created equal and every dog is
different, so it's up to each dog owner to decide what's best for his
or her dog.

Danielle, Thai, and Bonnie (GDF puppy in training)


On 12/21/15, Elise Berkley via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> Hello, everyone.  This question may seem juvenile, but what is the concrn
> with grain-free foods?  I feed Becky Natural Balance Lamb and Rice dry food
>
> because this is what the school was feeding her when I got her.  This is
> considered not a grain-free food, right?  If I need to think about changing
>
> her food, I need to understand this better.  I thank you and Becky thanks
> you.
> Elise and Becky
>
>
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