Dog food - low fat chihuahua recommendations?

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Bigtunatina
Bigtunatina Posts: 44
in Chit-Chat
Sorry if this is completely random.

I been feeding my 4 year old 8 lbs chihuahua a brand called "Wellness Core" They have different formulas.

Currently the "low fat, reduced fat" makes him shed really really bad
The one I used and liked was the Ocean formula (no grains at all, only fish)

But it's getting expensive.

Are there any recommendations of what people have used and liked?

More than likely a low fat or reduced fat or grain free option.

I have no problem going back to the Wellness Core Ocean formula but if there is something else someone has tried.

Thanks!

Replies

  • CelticDestiny
    CelticDestiny Posts: 61 Member
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    Talk with your pup's veterinarian. They will give you their recommendation and if he is having coat/shedding issues it could be something more serious. I only say this because I am a certified veterinary technician and have seen many things that on the surface don't seem to be much and in reality are truly serious. Good luck!
  • MrsT_2009
    MrsT_2009 Posts: 90 Member
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    We have 2 rescue Dachshunds and they both had horrible coats when we got them. Our girl was missing fur and her skin was red and irritated all over and our boy had a really rough coat, he felt like a brillo pad! We feed them Nutripet and it has made a huge difference. They love it and everyone comments on how soft and shiny they are.

    http://www.amway.com/JETENTERPRISE/Shop/Product/Product.aspx/NUTRIPET--Chicken-Meal---Rice-Formula-For-Dogs?itemno=718180
  • LATeagno
    LATeagno Posts: 620 Member
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    Is your dog overweight? If not, why are you feeding it reduced-fat dog food? I feed my dog Blue Buffalo grain-free duck dog food and she flourishes on it. Unless a dog is overweight, there is no reason to feed it low-fat dog food. A holistic food should be fine in general. (?)

    According to my vet friend, 4 to 9 pounds is normal for a chihuahua. Could you consider a higher protein instead of a lower fat food? Or perhaps just a weight-control formula?
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
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    I feed my cats raw and my mom does the same for her dog - you can get it in little frozen patties and just defrost it for them - they eat a lot less total and it has made my cats so glossy and fit.

    Alternately - are you free-feeding him? you shouldn't need a low fat food if you don't.
  • tameko2
    tameko2 Posts: 31,634 Member
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    I feed my cats raw and my mom does the same for her dog - you can get it in little frozen patties and just defrost it for them - they eat a lot less total and it has made my cats so glossy and fit.

    Alternately - are you free-feeding him? you shouldn't need a low fat food if you don't.
  • Bigtunatina
    Bigtunatina Posts: 44
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    I didn't think he was overweight. But when I took him to the vet, she (the doctor) said he was on the side of slightly overweight. Also, he has joint problems, so I want to maintain his weight as to not add extra pressure to his knees
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
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    They make low-fat dog food??

    I know nothing about animals and how to feed them, but I'm gonna go out on a limb here and guess any dog food marketed as "low fat" or "healthy" is just trying to appeal to dieting HUMANS, and not necessarily healthy for your animal...
  • Bigtunatina
    Bigtunatina Posts: 44
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    No I am not free feeding. I usually do 1/4 cup of dry food and sometimes add green beans to it
  • Atlantique
    Atlantique Posts: 2,484 Member
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    I'm not sure why you'd choose a low-fat dog food, even if the dog is overweight. If he's overweight, he most likely needs to be fed a lower quantity of food, not a lower quality of food.

    However, since he's losing hair, I'd ask the vet if a thyroid test is in order. Hypothryroidism is pretty common in dogs.

    Some good foods at the lower end of the price range:

    -Canidae All Life Stages (this is what I feed)
    -4Health Performance (sold only at Tractor Supply)
    -Diamond Naturals
    -Kirkland (sold only at Costco)
    -Merrick Whole Earth Farms

    Many people rave about Taste of the Wild's grain-free formulas and they're fairly reasonably priced for grain-free foods.

    You can also buy the largest bag that you can use in about 3-4 months. If you store it properly in airtight, pest-proof containers, it will stay fresh that long and all foods are cheaper per pound in the larger bags.

    ETA: Saw that you responded again while I was answering. If he's weighing more than he should for the amount of food consumed AND losing hair, definitely ask about the thyroid testing as hypothryoidism could cause both issues (along with negative effects on every body system). Hypothyroidism is easily corrected with a relatively inexpensive daily pill, although he'll need to be re-tested periodically to ensure he's getting the proper dose.
  • zenchild
    zenchild Posts: 680 Member
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    I have Italian greyhounds and they're on Blue Buffalo Wilderness. It's grain-free. They like the duck formula best. They're not that big on the chicken formula and the salmon gave them fish breath. They sleep in bed, under the covers,like IGs are bred to and I try to cut down on anything that makes them stinky.
    That's about half their diet. The other half is raw. You can get either packaged raw or make your own. It's not cheap, but it's the combination that's worked best for me. My girl is prone to seizures and if I cut down on grains and increase her fat, she doesn't have seizures. Also, we had a diabetic dachshund with congestive heart failure. The vet gave her 6 months. We moved her to a raw, grain free diet and she got 4 more good years.
    Don't worry much about the fat content. Dogs are carnivores and meant to eat lots of protein and fat. It's the carbs that get them chunky. When I put together my dogs' raw mix my motto is "what would rabbits eat?" Rabbits are nature's happy meal and they eat a lot of greens. So my dogs get a small amount of ground up, collards/mustards/kale, a good sized scoop of coconut oil, and several pounds of beef/organs/etc along with a couple supplements.
    If you're leery about raw, that's fine. Just cut out as much carbs as you can. They just don't need it.
  • ladyhawk00
    ladyhawk00 Posts: 2,457 Member
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    I'm not sure why you'd choose a low-fat dog food, even if the dog is overweight. If he's overweight, he most likely needs to be fed a lower quantity of food, not a lower quality of food.

    However, since he's losing hair, I'd ask the vet if a thyroid test is in order. Hypothryroidism is pretty common in dogs.

    Some good foods at the lower end of the price range:

    -Canidae All Life Stages (this is what I feed)
    -4Health Performance (sold only at Tractor Supply)
    -Diamond Naturals
    -Kirkland (sold only at Costco)
    -Merrick Whole Earth Farms

    Many people rave about Taste of the Wild's grain-free formulas and they're fairly reasonably priced for grain-free foods.

    You can also buy the largest bag that you can use in about 3-4 months. If you store it properly in airtight, pest-proof containers, it will stay fresh that long and all foods are cheaper per pound in the larger bags.

    This... And also a food too LOW in fat can cause significant hair/skin issues in dogs. They NEED healthy fats.

    I highly recommend Royal Canin food - I'm a small dog breeder and we have tried a LOT of different foods and they are the best we've found. It is somewhat expensive, but a chihuahua doesn't eat that much and a higher quality food means spending less because they eat less of it.
  • MrsB81
    MrsB81 Posts: 20 Member
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    Not sure if you have James Wellbeloved where you are but my little dog (chug) is on it and looks great. Had my two bengals on the cat version for 8 years and they really thrive on it.
  • tabbydog
    tabbydog Posts: 4,925 Member
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    Dogs (like people) thrive on exercise. I would try exercising him more instead of giving low fat food. I know he's a little guy, but he should be able to work up to a mile or two, and he will love it! My dog runs with me (it's a boxer, not a little dog) and it is the highlight of her day! He might surprise you (and me too) with how much he can work up to, I have never had such a little dog so I don't know. Maybe another question for your veterinarian. Good luck!
  • CatFixer
    CatFixer Posts: 15
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    Sorry if this is completely random.

    I been feeding my 4 year old 8 lbs chihuahua a brand called "Wellness Core" They have different formulas.

    Currently the "low fat, reduced fat" makes him shed really really bad
    The one I used and liked was the Ocean formula (no grains at all, only fish)

    But it's getting expensive.

    Are there any recommendations of what people have used and liked?

    More than likely a low fat or reduced fat or grain free option.

    I have no problem going back to the Wellness Core Ocean formula but if there is something else someone has tried.

    Thanks!

    Hi!
    I'm a vet. Love, love, love it that you care about your dog's weight this much!!!! I echo the sentiment, that you may want to do some blood work to rule out medical problems that could cause the type of hair loss you describe (hormonal probs like hypothyroidism, adrenal disease, dietary deficiencies ...). Chat with your vet, though. He/she is in the best position to make those recommendations, because he/she has actually examined your little guy.
    For what it's worth, if your Chihuahua is really overweight, I like Purina OM. It's a veterinary diet, so your vet will have to get it for you. I have not had much success with commercial "low fat" or "lite" diets. For a little 8 lb dude, it shouldn't cost much to keep him on OM.
    Hope this helps!
  • loachlover
    loachlover Posts: 1
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    Hi, I'd like to join in on the fat chihuahua conversation. I have a very fat chihuahua. He is starting to waddle. I have tried putting peas in his food to fill him up, and it seems to help. I have also been feeding him "weight control" diet and 2 small meals a day (1/4 cup weight control dry and 1/6 of a small can of Mighty Dog for each meal). I have another chihuahua, and she is slightly overweight. I also have a chiweenie (chihuahua dachshound mix) who is hyperactive and not overweight at all. The fat one sleeps most of the time, which is most likely why he is fat. In addition to exercise, would feeding him a grain free diet help him? It sounds like the carbs in the weight reduction diet may be contributing to his weight problem, from what I have read in this thread. I think he has actually GAINED weight on the weight reducing dog food! Thanks for any advice! :)

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