What dog food?

[Brannon74]

i cant do that but this is exactly what my vet told me, and that some dogs have queasy stomachs and that grains were only there as filler,,, after changing to a food that is primarily meat all has been good with my dogs, especially the boxer

Diet can play a big role in gas problems in Boxers. Bad gas in dogs can be caused by:

Dairy products
fiber
soybeans
peas
bean
In addition, fatty foods and spicy diets can bring on gas and bloating. Boxers tend to eat their food quickly, swallowing more air as they eat. This air passes through the stomach and causes even more flatulence in your pet. Allergies can also trigger gas, as well. Foods containing beef or potato products are known to cause gastrointestinal issues in Boxers.

If you must introduce a new diet to your Boxer, be sure to do it slowly. Introducing new foods to your pet suddenly can cause an array of gastrointestinal issues and flatulence, as well as stomach upset. It is best to take it slowly with new foods.

Gastric Torsion in Boxers
Gastric torsion is a condition that is common for Boxers, due to their narrow abdomens and muscular build. Gastric torsion, also known as Bloat, occurs when the stomach fills up with air quickly and dilates. This puts a lot of pressure on the other organs of the body, including the lungs. It can often become difficult for your dog to breathe when this happens.

Symptoms of gastric torsion include bad gas and a round, distended, hard abdomen. Gastric torsion is a very serious condition, as the stomach can cut off the blood supply to the body. If you suspect your pet has gastric torsion, contact a veterinarian as soon as possible, before the condition becomes fatal.

Aerophagia in Boxers










Because Boxers have a tendency to swallow air, they can develop a condition known as Aerophagia. Aerophagia is common in short-headed, flat-nosed breeds of dogs. The condition forces air through the nose and into the abdomen and gastrointestinal areas. Gas is a common sign of Aerophagia, but snoring can also be seen with this condition.

IBD in Boxers
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) can develop in Boxers with an inflammation of the intestinal wall. IBD causes numerous problems in digestion, and can also cause:

nausea
vomiting
weight loss
diarrhea
loss of appetite
flatulence
Gastrointestinal Disease in Boxers
In Boxers, gastrointestinal diseases are caused by:

parasites
bacteria
viruses can trigger gas and flatulence
Vomiting and diarrhea are also common signs of a gastrointestinal disease in your pet. In addition, diseases that hinder the body's ability to absorb nutrients can cause excessive gas.

Gastrointestinal Neoplasia in Boxers
Neoplasia is a type of gastrointestinal cancer, and it can be found in Boxers who have been suffering from gas and flatulence. This is a more serious condition, and should be dealt with promptly if you suspect your pet has cancer.



Read more: Boxer Dog Gas Problems

[Capt.Brown]

Taste of the wild. It's expensive but my 9yr old acts like a 3yr old and only eats about 1/2 the amount he did on cheaper food.

[Guerrero88]

Victors

[Hawkpuppy 1]

My wife is a veterinarian and sees all the problems with the cheap and bargain foods. Stay away from grains. Have had labs to 13 and 14 years that cancer got. Both were always on either Iams Lamb and Rice, or Purina One Lamb and Rice. As far as weight control, read the bag and only feed the proper amount.

[garby]

Shame on your vet.

Sorry I just get tired of people listening to mass media marketing and believing the crap they spit out.








Corn

Corn is a unique type of produce that is considered either a grain or a vegetable, depending on the variety as well as the stage it is harvested and consumed. In pet food, corn can be an extremely nutritious and beneficial ingredient.





Nutrient Composition

Corn can provide a myriad of beneficial nutrients for dogs and cats:
•Protein – a source of highly digestible protein, including two amino acids important for skin and coat health, Methionine and Cysteine.
•Starch – a highly digestible source of energy and also is essential in the creation of kibble structure during extrusion
•Fibre – Soluble and insoluble fibres that are important for gastrointestinal health and promote optimal stool quality
•Fatty Acids – Omega 6 essential fatty acids (linoleic acid, LA) are indispensable for skin health and coat quality
•Vitamins – excellent source of B complex vitamins, vitamin E and vitamin A
•Minerals – excellent source of minerals, including zinc and manganese
•Lutein and Zeaxanthin – powerful antioxidants that contribute to the corn’s yellow pigmentation. They are especially important in supporting eye health and protecting the cellular membrane from free radical attack

Types of Corn

There are different varieties of corn that are grown across the world for different purposes. The corn humans enjoy with butter during the summer months is quite different in nutritional content than the corn used in pet food. Sweet corn is consumed as a vegetable either fresh on the cob or canned or frozen. Sweet corn is high in sugar, giving it a “sweet” flavor and higher glycemic index. Dent corn (field corn) is used in human corn products (such as corn chips) and animal feed. Dent corn is a great source of many beneficial nutrients, including protein, starch and antioxidants (lutein and zeaxanthin).



Digestibility of Corn

Corn requires very fine grinding (as do other raw materials) in preparation for cooking to maximize the availability of corn’s nutrients. The digestibility of starch from corn in dogs and cats has been well documented in the scientific literature. The NRC 2006 (National Research Council) notes that grinding alone increases the digestibility of corn starch in cats from 79 to 94%3. The increased surface area to volume ratio of starch granules after grinding improves accessibility of digestive enzymes to make the nutrients more available for absorption4. Not all corn is ground to the same extent in pet food. The more finely ground the corn is, the more nutrients are available for digestion and absorption.

Corn is also an excellent source of high quality, highly digestible protein. This greatly depends on the type of corn used and the manufacturing processes during pet food production. In addition, corn protein is an excellent source of two sulfur containing amino acids, methionine and cysteine, which are important for skin and coat health.

Corn Products Used in Pet Food

Corn can be processed in a variety of ways to be used in pet food. Each corn product can be specifically chosen to provide a unique source of nutrients to complete the diet.
Corn or Corn Meal – The entire ground corn kernel. It is an excellent source of all the beneficial nutrients discussed above.
Corn Gluten (Meal) – The protein-rich fraction of the corn. It can be used as is or rendered (see info page on rendering) to remove the moisture and fat which increases the protein content. This also provides a more concentrated source of lutein and zeaxathine.
Corn Starch – The carbohydrate fraction of the corn and has a digestibility of 79 to 94% depending on processing. This fraction can be used as an energy source and to support kibble structure.

References
1. Heartland Science 2005. Heartland Science: Ohio’s Legacy of Discovery and Innovation. Accessed on Sept. 2012: http://www.heartlandscience.org/agri...df/yelcorn.pdf
2. Whole Grains Council. Accessed on Sept 2012: http://www.wholegrainscouncil.org/wh.../types-of-corn
3. United States Department of Agriculture. Accessed on Sept 2012: http://ndb.nal.usda.gov/ndb/foods/sh...=&qlookup=corn
4. United States Department of Agriculture – Natural Resources Conservation Service. Accessed on Sept 2012: http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=PLPS
5. Morris J, et al. 1977. Carbohydrate digestion by the domestic cat (Felis catus). Br J Nutr. 37:365-373.
6. Wuersch P, et al. 1986. Cell structure and starch nature as key determinants of the digestion rate of starch in legumes. Am J Clin Nutr. 43:25-29.
7. Corn Refiners Association. http://www.corn.org/products/definitions/

Do you really consider these to be unbiased sources?

[Mudslinger]

All I can tell you is when we switched out Rotts off of corn or grain based feed, we noticed a drastic reduction in the gas they produced. Not scientific, but reality based. Yes they still fart and will run you out of the room, but not near like they did with corn or grain based food. Feed what you want and what produces the best dogs, period.

[Brannon74]

Do you really consider these to be unbiased sources?

Unbiased? There is no such thing.

But that's a article with real references from scientific journals. Not someone's opinion or what they heard?

My point is the public is being bombarded with an anti grain marketing scheme that working great because people fail to do their own research.

What does Rachel ray know about dog Food. She the right person to look for a great tasting dish, but I wouldn't have her design a pet food. Its about the Money.

The point educate yourself and pay attention. Don't believe most of the crap written or said because its opinions, marketing, and money not science and nutrition.

[Brannon74]

ask your self if your dog food company does feeding trials or is your dog the feeding trial. There are a few companies that do research on pet diets and make decisions based on them. I can tell you that very few pet food companies do.

[drwilliams]

Outlaw feed! No corn no wheat no soy. Dogs love it and plenty of energy.

[garby]

The point educate yourself and pay attention. Don't believe most of the crap written or said because its opinions, marketing, and money not science and nutrition.

I totally agree, but I also think it sucks that so many of these studies and "research" papers are not done by independent parties, but instead the very ones with the interest of marketing and selling a product to us.

[Brannon74]

Here you go. See what your feeding your dogs.

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/brand

For the quality of ingredients vs. cost I feed my labs Kirkland from Costco. It is made by Diamond.

By the way dog food advisor is one of the worst places to get info from.

[Browning2008]

Taste of the wild

[Brannon74]

I totally agree, but I also think it sucks that so many of these studies and "research" papers are not done by independent parties, but instead the very ones with the interest of marketing and selling a product to us.

That's true. No one wants to front the cost of research studies. Ave feeding trial cost $250,000. Its the main reason most companies don't do them. A few do and at least they have the research to back up what they are putting out.

[Brannon74]

I just want to disclose that I am a veterinarian. Pet nutrition is one of the subject subjects that I am very passionate about. I do not sell any maintenance diets of any kind at my clinic for one reason, I want to remain unbiased as much as possible. I do sell prescription diets from 3 different companies. There are several good pet food companies out there. There are a millions of pet food companies that are great at marketing.

I could spend days on this subject of how little these companies spend on nutrition and how much they spend on advertising.

[one66stang]

That's true. No one wants to front the cost of research studies. Ave feeding trial cost $250,000. Its the main reason most companies don't do them. A few do and at least they have the research to back up what they are putting out.

What dog food do you recommend?
Or say your top 3