FYI only, feeding a dog with skin problems

[Go_Dogs]

I have an elderly pit bull. She has the tan fur with pink skin. Several years ago, she started to develop large, dark 'freckles' on her underbelly, with fur loss. The vet said that this was a common problem with her breed and coloration. He recommended an antibacterial/antifungal shampoo.
I bathed her once a week for 6 weeks, per the instructions- no change other than her skin was getting drier. The vet wanted to add more meds, special food, etc.
I had been feeding her Purina One (Large Breed Formula), with a spoonful of canned food. I quit the canned food and started to add a few pieces of chicken. Just chicken thigh meat, I remove the excess skin and bake them in the oven. Guess what? Her skin cleared up and her fur grew back.
Just an FYI, if anyone is dealing with this kind of a problem. Apparently, the canned food was the culprit, as we hadn't changed anything else.

[dturm]

The marketing by Blue and some other companies has been successful judging by the responses in this thread.

To set the record straight, there is no one diet that will cure or prevent any condition in every animal it is fed to.

Reading ingredient lists is a start, but unless you know how to interpret them and can judge the actual quality of those ingredients in that can or bag, you are pretty much left with useless information.

Eliminating a food because it has byproducts is folly. Quality byproducts are the best way to provide many of the essential nutrients necessary for healthy individuals. Pet Food Nutrition is a website that provides accurate information about pet nutrition including they myths about byproducts and corn :B.

Bone meal provides the necessary calcium for proper functioning animal. Unless there is another source, you could eventually end up with a dead animal. If you design a diet or supplement meat (phosphorus source) without the proper calcium content you will create renal secondary hyperparathyroidism.

I'm glad diet cleared up the problem in your dog, but to everybody else, don't read too much into this situation. The effects could be duplicated in some instances, but by no means are universal.

Doug, DVM

[cinscope]

Glad your baby is feeling better. I don't have a pittie, but I LOVE them! I would love to see a picture of your baby.

[Crowe]

I would never feed Purina to a dog.

I know multiple breeders who use Purina blends with great success. You are correct-read the ingredients. The blends like Focus and Select are fine.

[K_Charles]

Our dog eats the same meat and vegetables that we eat. He doesn't get starchy foods or desert, well maybe part of a cookie or a spoon full of icecreem.

[Golden_HVAC]

I would never feed Purina to a dog.

Check the ingredients. Bone Meal byproducts are something that can not be sold to anyone for human consumption! Chicken byproducts - same thing, anything like skin, animal fat, brains, ground up neck bones, - whatever.

Bone meal is pulverized bones. Tasty! But not for my dog.

Try something without any byproducts. . .

Corn meal byproducts? SO when they produce corn meal, there are left over corn husks, corn cobs, and whatever. I have no idea what part of the byproducts become dog food, but really?

Blue is what I am feeding my dogs.

Good luck!

Fred.

[brewjaz]

Thanks for letting us know about the canned food. I've read what some dog foods have as ingredients. I've been making my own dogs' food for quite awhile now--adding just a bit of high quality kibble for crunch for their teeth.