Added to my list to review!

Generally I’m of the opinion everything should be in a suitable moderation, and this also applies over time. It’s hard to know when we’re overdoing it as it can take weeks or months before any negative reaction is noticed. On that basis I wouldn’t overdo either Antinol or 4CYTE, but switching between one and the other to add variety probably isn’t a bad thing (or other foods good for joints such as fish oils, turmeric, eggshells, bone broth, or even just regular green-lipped mussels).

Both Antinol and 4CYTE are good quality supplements so it’s unlikely overdoing it a little would cause harm, and most likely diarrhea – something which some dogs seem react to a little more so on 4CYTE than Antinol.

Hi Helen, I’ve reviewed some supplements but there seem to be so many of them these days it’s hard to cover them all. Generally I find most supplements to be very beneficial if the ingredients are sound, especially if the main diet (such as kibble) doesn’t cut the mustard, but they also tend to be expensive for what they are. For convenience, tackling a specific condition, or a health booster, then they’ll likely do a good job, but you could also argue a natural/healthy diet or high quality commercial pet food would also meet those nutritional needs.

Hi Bri, this is concerning and I would definitely recommend feeding something else to see if her stomach improves. If there’s a fairly immediate improvement, then could you let me know?

Sometimes bad batches occur, or as food products they can be affected by heat in transit, ingredient changes, ingredient supplier changes etc, so the best I can do is keep tabs to see if others have similar issues.

Hi Mellissa, the Ziwi Peak wet food is definitely a good option, and one of the better brands we have available in Australia. I feel this page needs an update, and I would happily recommend the Ziwi Peak wet food as well as the air-dried food (which tends to be more convenient for most).

When it comes to cat/kitten food, moisture is essential, so wet foods must be the significant part of the diet even if it’s alongside some kibble. Cats are desert animals so aren’t proactive drinkers, which is why so many cats on dry food suffer in later years. Another key factor is giving your cat something to chew on. Dental health is so important for cats, so the odd chicken wing/neck/drumstick is a great idea, if not full raw.

Hi Jamie, I’ll give the list an update soon, but maybe Open Farm or Weruva? Pikko also looks good as a new Aussie gently cooked style cat food (like Lyka).

Thanks Justin! I confess to not having AI write the reviews, and I also confess to never proof reading what I write before publishing it! Thank you 🙂

Hi Kris, thanks for the feedback and I’m glad the review has helped.

Do you have the link to the video (for Professor Brown)?

Mi Marcia, yes there’s a review of Black Hawk – Black Hawk Dog Food Review

Hi Tee,

There’s some good observations here, but first I think it’s fair to say I can’t judge a pet food based on a recall which occurred 20 years ago.

I don’t think you’ll find a big US brand of pet food which hasn’t had a recall at some stage, and we can assume the probability of a small brand having such an issue is just as much if not more. Major brands sell millions of bags, which is why we hear about issues from big brands more than smaller brands.

It’s also worth noting recalls in Australia aren’t mandatory, they’re voluntary, and I’ve seen many issues with Australian pet foods swept under the carpet or completely denied despite numerous consumer complaints. Good examples for you to look into are Baxters, a home brand of Woolworths which I received hundreds of worrying reports about for a long period of time, and Ivory Coat which for years I continue to receive concerning reports for (have a look at the reports on APOG).

Needless to say, recalls in Australia should be mandatory if a pet food product is suspected of causing harm. This remains unaddressed, and is something which should bother us as consumers of pet food products.

To cover the ingredient observations. They’re good observations, and it’s worth always keeping these in mind – marketing tricks.

Many pet foods will state “Made with free-range [something]” when this can only apply to one ingredient of several similar. For example, a brand could say “Freshly caught fish with our own fishing equipment”, but that doesn’t mean the other fish ingredients aren’t farmed of questionable quality.

Other examples are “Made with human grade ingredients” doesn’t mean all ingredients are human grade. In some cases even the human grade ingredients are no longer human grade once being processed in a pet grade facility.

Tricks like this are used by most pet food brands, and human food brands for that matter. If you go to a supermarket and select 10 random packet products, you could possibly find marketing tricks used with at least 8 of them, if not all.

Hi Johno, I see the DCM scare as largely a corporate power play, and the real issue being most dog and cat food not having enough animal products rather than it being filled with grain or plant matter.

Hi Sandi, I’m so sorry to hear this but glad they have recovered since you stopped feeding the “food”.

I strongly urge you to submit a report to APOG – https://www.apog.com.au/recall-issue-log/leaps-and-bounds/

You’ll see on that page others have had similar issues with Leaps & Bounds, and as a Real Pet Food Co product I suggest you read what others have said on Ivory Coat as well.

Hi Linda, you should find the free welcome pack is added when you go to the checkout. Let me know if not!

Hi Tasha, I see the most common cause of urinary problems in cats to be dry food in general, particularly those made of cereal grains – cats are carnivores who shouldn’t have cereals in their diet. Hill’s C/D dry is made from corn, wheat, and rice along with some chicken, which really doesn’t sound species appropriate to me even if they add a little DL-Methionine and potassium citrate to dilute crystals.

Moisture is so important for cats – more so if they’re already suffering urinary issues. Moisture dilutes the urine and helps reduce crystals forming, and dry food is counter-productive in this respect.

If your vet has told you Frontier Pets (essentially raw prey ingredients your cat would instinctively eat) is causing crystals, then ask why they would recommend you feed your cat a dry processed food made of cereals to fix the problem in your pet carnivore.

A better solution might be to remove the dry and see if your cat’s health improves. Even the Hill’s wet foods are more species appropriate. Or, even if you want to continue with the dry, would you consider giving your cat a raw chicken neck once a day or every other day?

Hi Andrew,

I’ve just written a Pure Life cat food review especially for you – https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/pure-life-cat-food-review/

Many thanks,
Carolyn 🙂

Hi James, that’s good to hear, and a good sign the manufacturing issues were indeed temporary and have now been resolved.

Hi Tracy, I’m not sure if the cat food range has been phased out or just low supply. Applaws dry dog food is still available.

Hi Georgina, sorry for the delay in responding. Sunday Pets were actually one of the first brands I reviewed, and having went away for a while are now back – it’s a good thing, as it’s a pretty good brand.

Here’s a review – https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/sunday-pets-dog-food-review/

I have the same problems feeding my cat and dog separately – harder to do than it sounds!

Although cats shouldn’t have dog food because they have a more stringent requirement for animal proteins and fats (and shouldn’t really consume starchy carbs at all), it could probably said a Zignature dog food formula is arguably better than most terrible excuses for cat foods.

Hi Catherine, thank you for the great feedback!

Petzyo should be absolutely fine for your Golden Retriever. It’s a good well-priced option, and I know many of the top brands I recommend get very costly for larger breeds (and my own Border Collie for that matter!).

I always see variety as a good thing, and the Petzyo raw patties are worth looking into as well.

Hi Samantha, not good news if your cats were vomiting. Did you return the bag or have any other issues later?

There could be a number of reasons – a manufacturing issue or bad batch is a possibility, but also issues with transport and storage, such as bags being left in hot sun or a hot warehouse, so it may not be an issue from Wellness per se.

I didn’t realise Petbarn no longer sell Wellness, so thank you – updated.

Thanks Emmie, my heart goes out to anyone who’s lost a dog from glyphosate and lymphoma, and I’ll never forget losing my own dog Archie 4 years ago – I still think of him often, with so many fond memories.

Thank you for your support. It means a lot to me articles such as this are read and have value. When writing them I never feel like they’re written very well or very useful, but hopefully they are!

Hi Kat, many raw fed dogs have very few carbohydrates if any, so it’s debatable whether they need them at all.

Kibbles can contain up to 60% carbs, and I see the main reasons for that to be low cost (and higher profits). That said, I wouldn’t be too concerned about some carbs in a dogs diet, and some may be beneficial. Maybe 15% to 30% of the diet, with an emphasis on high quality animal proteins/fats/nutrients.

Hi Jamie, I’ve actually just written an article about grains in foods such as Pedigree. Might be a useful read – https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/the-truth-about-grain-allergies-in-dogs/

Hi Annamaria, as long as the Fancy Feast isn’t causing any problems then I would continue to feed it alongside the new food (ZIWI Peak or raw). It’s usually better to transition gradually, although you may find your cat seems to prefer the Fancy Feast due to it being what they’re used to and recognise as food – cats are funny like that.

Hi Jo, I still consider both to be good brands, and they’re still made in New Zealand and the same facilities I believe.

I find calories are often misleading, and it also depends on what those calories come from. Personally I never overthink this stuff, and as long as your dog remains a healthy weight you know you’re feeding them the right type of foods!

Hi Chantal, green lipped mussels are great, but I would always say in moderation. That could be one a day, 3 a week, 1 a week, or whatever suits you.

When you consider most dogs are fed nothing but kibble, even the odd mussel will be a great addition to their diet!

Hi Joanne, I believe it’s been phased out. The best alternative would be Eureka or ZIWI Peak.

Hi Cassandra, assuming your cat’s teeth are okay (always worth keeping tabs on), getting them to transition to something new – even chicken necks – can take time.

Cats won’t go hungry if there’s food around, so you can persist in that way, or you can start with cooked chicken (no bones) and gradually cook it less and less. But if your cat is used to something like kibble, which is arguably addictive, it can take some time and patience.

Hi Alan, generally I find the Prime 100 products decent, and the rolls offer you more moisture than any kibble (moisture is always important in a dog’s diet, which is often sadly unconsidered with a kibble diet). Pumpkin is fibrous so will tend to absorb moisture, and lower fat rolls will also feel less moist. They’re probably the two major factors, but as long as your dog drinks fresh water as well I wouldn’t be concerned. Hopefully that helps!

Hi Li, dogs need a balance of nutrients which are covered in a raw diet by muscle meat, organs, fat, and raw meaty bones. A common ratio is 80% muscle meat + fat, 10% organs (of which liver should be in moderation), and 10% raw meaty bones.

Kibbles tend to replicate these nutrients with vitamin and mineral packs (premixes) combined with some meat, fat, and whatever else they want to fill it with.

So if 50% of your dog’s diet is nothing more than mince beef then you should probably look at adding some organs and raw meaty bones as well, or eggs as a great option. Often this can work out cheaper than feeding 100% kibble, and potentially far healthier.

Hi Jack, Bill who originally formulated M4M is the owner of LifeWise. M4M was originally manufactured by Natural Balance, then switched to Hypro, then switched once more a couple of years ago. So that’s the MFM link, but LifeWise and Hypro are separate.

Hi Cait, I would encourage you to add this information to the APOG report website – https://www.apog.com.au/recall-issue-log/open-paddock/

Hi Liz, there are quite a few options for low fat dog foods which should help, and reducing kibble in favour of wet/raw/dried should generally help. Low fat kibble can often be higher in carbohydrates which is arguably worse, which is why an emphasis on feeding high quality protein and fat can have better results.

Lifewise and Lyka are good options, and it may be worth looking at something like Prime100 SPD low fat, or even Eureka or Ziwi Peak formulas which although not low fat per-se can still be a good addition as part of the diet as they’re species appropriate. Or you can look at supplementing a commercial food with fresh food, such as low fat meats, some organs, raw meaty bones etc.

In terms of kibble you could also look at Wellness CORE reduced fat or Canidae PURE healthy weight formulas amongst others.

Hi David, I don’t mind comments which are critical of myself and the reviews – most of the time I welcome them.

Most reviews aim to offer more information on the pet food based on what we can determine from the ingredients and analysis, or how standards relate to them, but it’s not just that. I use consumer feedback a great deal, both direct to me, on other websites such as APOG on Product Review, or from experience and interactions with a manufacturer or various retailers.

For yourself as a reader you’re welcome to use that information as you wish – it’s free information which hopefully helps, but it’s fine if you feel it doesn’t. Many pet owners over the years have stated they feed one of the poorly rated brands and their pets have lived to a respectable age, whereas I may not recommend those brands based on being a significant amount of grains, food colours, or generally inappropriate for a cat as a carnivore or a dog as pretty much a facultative carnivore.

Hi Alison, dietary sensitivities are very common with French Bulldogs, and paws are often affected.

Take a look at what’s in your current (or previous?) dog food, and if there’s anything like grains (particularly wheat), colourings, or other additives then this is likely the cause. Simply cutting out this stuff (which your dog doesn’t need anyway) will likely solve his paw issue in no time, and also improve his health in ways which aren’t obviously symptomatic.

Have a read of the page on hypoallergenic dog foods for more info, and you’ll be all set to help improve your dog’s condition!

Hi Richard, yes, fresh meat, organs, and bones – can often be cheaper than a above-the-bar commercial cat food, especially if you find a reputable meat supplier.

Hi Renata, well I’m glad you got there in the end! (And sorry the other recommendations didn’t work!!)

Hi Ben, have you considered feeding raw meats, organs, or bones (like chicken necks or wings) as a way to keep costs down? Sometimes this works very well, especially if you can pick up reduced meats at the supermarket, and in some cases it’s likely healthier than some cat foods – just be careful of moderation as cats do need a range of nutrients.

Hi Daryl, Stay Loyal has been on the recommended list at times and a good choice. I tend to keep the best rated list short with options based on availability and price as well as formula etc.

Hypro Premium can be a good affordable option, but also have a read of the affordable dog food page, which although aren’t the cheapest are probably a good starting point for quality vs affordability.

Hi Adrienne,

I assume by accidents you mean diarrhea?

Generally if a dog has been fed a single brand of food for a long period of time then reactions to a new food can be common. The cause may not necessarily be the new food, but the result of an intolerance which has built up from a generally unvaried diet. The same applies to us – if we restrict our diets for a long period of time, such as cutting out milk or dairy, then if we reintroduce such foods we suffer an upset stomach. So it’s worth considering if your dog has become intolerant to ingredients in Instinctive Bite which aren’t found in Eukanuba.

All that said, we should also keep in mind a dog food may be the cause of problems, so I won’t discount Instinctive Bite as the cause.

Hi Robyn, I would strongly urge you read the other consumer reports on the APOG website – https://www.apog.com.au/recall-issue-log/supervite/

I would also encourage to add a report of your own…

Hi Dan, given the severity these symptoms I strongly urge you to log a report on the APOG website – https://www.apog.com.au/recall-issue-log/open-farm/

I would also recommend you contact Open Farm and report the issues, and I wouldn’t recommend donating the other bags – can you return them and stipulate how sick your dogs have been? I hope your dogs have now fully recovered?

Hi Kelly, there were many reasons for my negativity of Prime100 in the past. A lot of this was around honesty and conduct, and certain people I saw responsible for those issues are no longer at the company.

In the past I received many reports of issues such as plastics, but it has been long enough for me to put those issues in the past. From liaising with Prime100 in recent months I have found them to be far more professional, much more transparent, with a willingness to answer my questions and disclose information I’ve asked for. Feedback I’ve received from Aussie pet owners has been far from negative as well, so I feel Prime100 have become the quality brand they could’ve been before.

So in short, I felt it was time to update the review based on how I feel about Prime100 today rather than how I felt about Prime100 a few years ago.

Thank you for your positive feedback!

Hi Theresa, if you read the reviews of some of those “scientific” brands you’ll note the ingredients aren’t very “carnivore” despite the hefty price tag.

As for Fussy Cat, if you’re happy with it then that’s fine and your choice. Hopefully this review has given you an indication of what it’s made from.

It sounds to me like your dog has a fabulous diet, and others should be encouraged by this! Feeding a dog better isn’t as difficult (or as costly) as we often think, and the variety you feed your dog is fantastic!

Thanks for taking the time to write this, and also thank you for the positive feedback 🙂

Hi Joseph,

I would say don’t worry about the complexities of feeding full raw until you feel comfortable doing so. I tend to feel it’s unnecessarily complex, and I personally feel my cat achieves a balance through the variety of foods I feed him – some kibble, dried raw (such as Frontier Pets), and a range of meats/fish/organs/raw meaty bones in the way you’ve mentioned. A little bit of liver here and there, hearts, kidneys etc fairly regularly.

Doing what you’re doing now, with a really decent food like Frontier Pets combined with some cheaper foods and fresh foods sounds pretty decent to me.

Hi Wayne, many vets are still under the illusion grain free dog foods are bad based on an utter farce of an investigation instigated by a notable veterinarian under the employment of numerous pet food companies. Even though the investigation was subsequently dropped due to no conclusive evidence, there are few people (including vets) who took the time to read anything except the headlines.

You can read my thoughts here – https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/grain-free-dog-foods-heart-problems/

My view is neither grains or grain-free alternatives are ideal for a dog as an animal I would consider carnivorous or a facultative carnivore which should have animal ingredients making up the majority of their diet.

I expect your vet isn’t aware Advance, a Mars brand, has actually been one of the most problematic brands of the last decade, which led to an investigation by the Senate back in 2017 into the safety of pet food. You can read more about that on ABC here – https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-04-30/popular-dog-food-suspected-of-making-dogs-sick-advance-dermocare/9699866

That said, the Dermocare issues were unfortunate, and I expect most of the time Advance dog foods are safe. My question would be – if you read the ingredients, do they suit your dog as a carnivorous animal?

If they don’t, then one option could be keep feeding Advance as say 80% of the diet, then supplement with meats, organs, raw meaty bones, eggs, or other dog-appropriate fresh foods as the other 20%.

Hi Amanda, I expect you know I’m not a fan of Pedigree based on the ingredients.

All I can say is kids will happily gobble up McDonalds if it’s on offer at a friend’s house. I’m sure fine in moderation, but would you feed kids such a diet all the time? 😉

Hi Violet, personally I see most of these issues caused from not feeding a cat a natural diet – i.e. meat, meat fats, raw meaty bones. Hills C/D is designed to prevent these specific issues, but on the flipside when you read the ingredients they don’t feel overly appropriate for a cat.

Have you tried introducing some raw to your cat’s diet, even if it’s 20% of the diet at first. Or a brand like Ziwi Peak which is whole-prey dried raw, Frontier Pets or Raw Meow which are freeze dried raw you add water too?

Hi Monica, it gets tricky with a dog who reacts to so many foods. Have you looked into pre and probiotics?

Usually a home made diet is the best option based on what you know works for your dog, and try and tackle dental health with some touch meat chews if raw meaty bones aren’t an option.

There’s some information here which may help on hypoallergenic diets – https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/hypoallergenic-dog-foods/

And here’s some information on pro and prebiotics – https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/probiotics-for-dogs/

Hi Jodie, although some mushrooms can be toxic to dogs this is not the case for white button mushrooms used in the Lyka dog foods.

There has been research into the health benefits of mushrooms for both humans and canines, such as this study by the University of Philadelphia which suggests some mushrooms can help delay cancer, as well as more information here from the Dog Cancer website.

Also note mushrooms in Lyka are in moderation, whereas usually most concerns stem from an ingredient in excess (such as the case with garlic for dogs).

I had an interesting conversation with an ex-Hills rep recently who had advocated the Hills counterpart diets for many years. I asked him a very simple question – should obligate carnivore cats have grain in their diet.

His response was along the lines of how he had often wondered that, and then recalled overhearing some clever Hills scientists in the work canteen about how the best diet for a (diabetic) cat was very similar to that of a mouse.

It’s funny how we so easily overlook the basics.

It gets tricky with large bags – all dog foods spoil, it’s just a question of when, and we usually don’t even notice until our dogs start to vomit. Ideally you want to limit it to 6 weeks at an absolute max.

Here’s a review of Scratch dog food.

Well you could always feed your carnivorous cat a raw meat, organs, and bones diet rather than a kibble made of inappropriate ingredients for them…

Hi Alicia, here’s a Talentail review for cats (there’s also a review for the dog food).

Bit of a delay in responding, but here’s an Animals Like Us review!

Hi Jenna, it depends on the quality of food in question, but the safer bet should always be a quality food tailored to support a large breed (if feeding kibble that is).

It’s important with a large breed to support more rapid growth, and I believe neutering young can also have an affect on their growth. Supplements may also be worth considering.

When a puppy reaches adult phase is usually 1 or 2 years but depends on breed. I see little harm in feeding a puppy formula a little longer.

Hi Wayne, it has to be said they’re very good and catering for all market demographics, which I expect is why they recently acquired Orijen and ACANA which have a reputation for being very high end.

Hi Anna, there are a few variants in a pet food – usually protein and fat are minimum (guaranteed analysis) or average (typical analysis), and often moisture and ash aren’t listed. Therefore carbohydrates can only be estimated, but these will be what remains after protein/fat/moisture/ash are deducted.

Hi Angie, it’s usually around 8%. It’s rarely listed as it’s not a requirement to disclose the amount of ash.

You may have luck by asking Trilogy direct…

If you can stretch to one of the brands on the more affordable list then that would be recommended, but to me it sounds like you’re adding great nutrition with the fresh foods.

I would classify dogs as facultative carnivores rather than the get out clause “omnivore”. Their digestive system is not dissimilar to a cats, and cats are factually carnivore. In contrast, the digestive system of a dog is vastly different to our own as omnivores.

Hi Jose, lots of options, but for what reason do you need a high fibre/controlled calcium dog food?

Hi Lyndall, sometimes it takes a bit of persistence to get a cat to transition back to raw meats/bones from kibble, but it can be done. You can try adding bits of raw chicken to their kibble and go from there, or perhaps try some dried meats which are touch and good to gnaw on?

Hi Kim, there’s a review here for SavourLife (sorry, it was missing from the list of Petbarn foods).

Hi Bec, Tiki Cat looks pretty good from a formula perspective. Here’s a review.

Hi Terri, sorry for the slow response but here’s a Tiki Cat food review.

Ziwi and Feline Natural should always be the better option to a dry processed food, but Tiki Cats feels pretty decent to me.

Good to hear you’re feeding chicken necks too!

That’s great to hear Jan, and I must update this old review to the new formula without delay.

I remember the mycotoxins from corn issues all too well, mostly from the Advance Dermocare saga, but subsequently to a much lesser extent with Veganpet. Credit where credit is due, Mars Petcare with the help of Melbourne University U-Vet failed to substantiate why the Dermocare product, made mostly from corn, was causing megaesophagus. It took Veganpet no time at all to find the cause, and they rectified the situation immediately.

Hi Jens, sorry for the delay in replying to this comment.

To paraphrase from an ex-Hill’s rep, these companies make so much pet food it’s inevitable issues will occur, and the nature of social media means we hear about those cases. Usually they’re rare cases, with little to no substantial evidence – i.e. in many cases it may have been something else like parvo. It’s very hard to prove causality, but also very little methods in place to prove causality.

When it comes to pet foods sold in Australia, some brands I often hear negative reports – such as sickness – and sometimes there’s a trend. Diamond Naturals isn’t one of those brands, but that does not mean it’s 100% safe 100% of the time. If that makes sense?

I’m not making excuses for any brand, and for the sake of affected consumers there should be way more accountability than there is (In Australia: Practically no accountability), but for big brands we almost always hear of issues which are more rare than we realise.

Hi Maddi, here you go – https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/diamond-naturals-dog-food-review/

Hi Sarah, yes little bits of beef heart make a great treat, or kidney, or on occasion a little bit of liver.

If you’re looking to feed a little bit of raw with the kibble then have a look at Proudi or Big Dog. Most pet stores will sell one or the other and they come as small patties (BARF) which you can freeze, then feed for two or three meals per week.

Hi Jenny, I’ve updated the review. For the price, as a more budget-friendly option than similar brands, I find it fairly decent.

Hi Gilly, sorry it’s taken me a long time to reply. Did the scratching stop when you stopped giving her the 4CYTE? Antinol may be a good alternative…

Yep, ingredients change all the time, usually for the worse unfortunately.

Hi Chris, yes you can expect “seasonal vegetables” to be peas or similar legumes.

Have you considered more prey-based diets like Eureka, Ziwi, Frontier Pets etc? Or even homemade or homemade raw? You could still keep a kibble as part of the diet, and use other methods to reduce overall fibre.

Wow, that’s quite a pet food journey! I’m glad you got there in the end and found something he likes!

Hi Karen, cooking it may help rather than wasting it, but dogs are very instinctive so I would wonder what the reason is they won’t eat it raw…

As an advocate for variety, you could possibly feed a combination of both?

Both Petzyo and Vetalogica come across as decent brands with a good reputation, and as long as the poos aren’t diarrhea I wouldn’t be too concerned about soft poos. This is also about fibre, and what works for your dog, and I think it’s good you’re feeding raw meaty bones and chicken soup/broth as well.

Hi Amanda, they source all their proteins from the human grade supply chain including Prime Pantry. Once those ingredients hit a pet food facility they technically aren’t “human grade” any more – a term which I expect will become more regulated over the coming years.

Hi Michael, as a general rule I would stick to 10% mince.

Just note this is a precautionary rule, and not actually something I do myself. Most nutrients a dog needs come from meats, fats, organs, and bones (such as raw meaty bones). Kibble is designed to meet all required nutrients (mostly by protein and fat content combined with vitamins/minerals/fibre), so 1/3 mince may not provide your dog with the right balance of nutrients over time. Therefore this could be considered a risk.

However, if you were to feed mince/organs/bones in roughly the correct ratios – around 80%/10% (limiting liver)/10% – then you could increase that 10% to a third, two thirds, or go full raw. Whatever suits you and what you feel comfortable with.

I get the feeling by your other recent comments you wouldn’t like it if I did!

Hi Becky, it’s as simple as what foods you consider an obligate carnivore should have in their diet. By definition an obligate carnivore should not have some of the ingredients in cat foods such as this.

From Pet Food Australia?

Let me know how you get on!

I fell back into old habits – it’s hard to maintain the carnivore diet when you have a 3 year old and busy work life! However, last week I bought the book Good Sugar, Bad Sugar by Allen Carr and even after reading the first few pages has helped me – easily I should add – get over my lifelong addiction to sugar. Such is the power of a book!

Hi Vanessa, here’s the Scratch review.

Hi Annette, my credentials and expertise can be found on the about page.

Yes, there is advertising on the site – unfortunately running a website such as this takes a great deal of time, effort, and money, so Pet Food Reviews simply wouldn’t exist otherwise. If you’re concerned about a conflict of interest in the foods I recommend, then I understand that due to the advertising, but I always aim to be honest, use common sense, and only recommend foods which I would feed my own pets.

Hi Carol, assuming you’ve removed Ultimates from her diet, has there been any improvement? If this is something you’re yet to try I recommend 2 or 3 weeks minimum, perhaps substituting with a hypoallergenic food for a while even if it costs more.

Hi Kylie, I find in many cases dietary sensitivities are triggered by common ingredients such as wheat, cereals, chicken etc, which usually means a hypoallergenic diet really helps. It’s a complex situation, immune/microbiome related, and for some dogs finding the right diet and getting back on track can be very tricky. In your case perhaps it’s lamb? Although it could be many things.

I’d be interested to know if you’ve found a solution?

Yes, it’s definitely smart marketing. People assume they’ll buy a bag of dog food for, say, $100, and $50 will go to charity. Not so, it’s $100 minus production costs, packing costs, marketing costs, premises costs, expenses, and whatever salaries of staff and executives which are largely fluid.

Sorry to hear it gave the puppies diarrhoea. Noted.

Hi Casey,

I try and keep the reviews fairly short, but the calculations I use are more in depth and we can deduce a number of factors. Carbs are around 40% dry matter, which would come from sorghum, rice, and peas. That gives an indication of the bias towards those ingredients over meat – hence the “con”. When it comes to just the protein the bias is towards meat rather than peas – stated as 68%, the remaining protein will come from the sorghum, rice, and peas. Not accounting for moisture, rice and sorghum are largely carbohydrate, and peas around 1g of protein to 3g carbohydrate generically.

If you were to assume meat was 70% and the other three ingredients were 10%, that would mean 30% of the formula would result in 40% carbohydrates plus the remaining 32% protein from non-meat ingredients (100% – 68%). That isn’t possible.

Or to look at it another way – 68% protein from meat in a formula which is 25% protein would mean 17% of the product is protein from meat. 17% of the entire formula sounds much worse than stating “68% protein from meat” on the packet. Poultry meal is protein dense. If we assumed poultry meal was 100% protein this would suggest 17% of the formula is poultry meal, but realistically we would need to account for percentages of fat (as part of the 14% fat), ash, at perhaps a small percentage of moisture.

I’m not sure if that all makes sense?

Thanks James, link now fixed!

Hi Silvie, Pet Circle are very proactive in stocking many of the brands which are rated highly on Pet Food Reviews.

Hi George, that’s interesting to hear as air-dried isn’t far off a freeze-dried raw food.

Lyka is a slightly cooked fresh food which would likely work, depending on budget. Eureka is an Australian air-dried raw food similar to Ziwi Peak.

Hi Tanya, firstly I’m sorry to hear one of your dogs has been suffering hip dysplasia.

I’m glad this article meant you were in a position to seek help through insurance. I have to say when I wrote this article I wondered if it was appropriate (because it’s not really to do with pet food), but my experience has taught me pet insurance can really be a life saver. I’m really glad it helped!

It may be worth adding a report to the Weruva page on APOG – https://www.apog.com.au/recall-issue-log/weruva/

Hi Josh, thanks for the feedback – noted.

Although LifeWise is a good option in comparison, I feel Pet Food Australia hasn’t met the same level of quality. That’s based on consumer feedback I’ve personally received, although nothing over the past few months. Petzyo use a lot of high quality ingredients, as do LifeWise.

Hi YG, I’ve heard a few reports of this with LifeWise, but it seems they happened over a brief period. I believe manufacturing has changed in part.

As for adding in sardines and chicken legs, I’d say give it a go. 4cyte and other supplements tend to be hypoallergenic so shouldn’t be problematic.

You’re very welcome!

Hi Johanna, I consider chicken fat a much better alternative to sunflower oil for cats as carnivores. If your cat isn’t sensitive to chicken then I wouldn’t consider it problematic in that sense, and I find cats more sensitive to grains (which they shouldn’t be eating much of anyway).

Hi Joanne, I highly recommend you add this information to the following Baxters issue log (if you haven’t already) – https://www.apog.com.au/recall-issue-log/woolworths-baxters/

Hi Jo, SavourLife is currently in the #3 spot above ;o)

That said I’m planning to revise this page shortly so that may change, but it will remain a recommendation.

Very well said

Hi Phoebe, both excellent brands and there’s no reason you can’t feed both (assuming you can get hold of Orijen).

Hi Robyn, I very much hear your concerns and frustrations. I myself hoped for more given the results of the Senate inquiry, but in hindsight should never have expected much to happen as a result. Swept mostly under the carpet, sadly.

Irradiated dog food products should be banned until proven safe, not legal until proven harmful. Especially considering the harm to cats has been proven.

Australia is perfectly capable of being self sufficient in the case of pet food treats, with the main reason companies import (and irradiate treats) these treats being profit and little else. Having a labelling requirement such as “must not be fed to cats” in tiny print behind a flap on a label isn’t sufficient warning – it’s a joke really.

Hi Emma, many thanks for the feedback, and it’s great to hear about the development and success of your whippet on homemade raw!

Yes, unfortunately many pet owners simply want to own a dog and feed it “dog food” without consideration, and even when their pet gets sick in later years they won’t consider diet as the cause. Sadly there will always be poor quality pet foods as long as there are consumers to sell them to, with the result being less than optimum health of pets.

Hi YG, if your dog is itchy from a specific type of food then your best way forward is figuring out the cause, but that might be tricky if the MFM single protein diets didn’t work – most of the time I find hypoallergenic diets really do help. LifeWise may be a good choice, so let me know if it works for you.

Dogs survived millions of years before kibble was invented, so that answers that question, but the concerns are when dog owners don’t feed a balanced diet. Dogs need nutrients from a range of foods – meat, organs, bones, or suitable alternatives at the least. Some non-animal foods provide a dog with essential nutrients. Feeding treats in excess, even raw meaty bones or mince beef, may not provide a dog with all the nutrients they need. This can cause health issues in the long term. I believe this is the reasoning behind a pet food manufacturer telling you you absolutely must feed a “complete and balanced” kibble.

One final thought though – dogs can be sensitive to specific animal proteins, so if the bones are, say, chicken, then try not feeding chicken for a while to see if that helps.

Hi Samuel, these are my thoughts. Let me know what you think!

Orijen has definitely been plagued with supply issues this year unfortunately. ACANA is another good option – not quite as good as Orijen, but it’s made by the same manufacturer Champion (now actually owned by Mars).

Hi Mac, yes I think you might be right!

Hi Dorothy, I expect the brand isn’t profitable enough – which is about profit margins rather than demand.

Have you read the review above?

Hi Miriam,

Yes, but for how long?

You may find the following interesting – Why do vet’s recommend Hill’s Science Diet / Prescription Diet.

Hi Lisa, unfortunately I can’t list them by rating due to a technical reason.

Because the foods on the best rated list are expensive I’ve also created a list for more affordable dog foods here. Even some of those aren’t cheap, but cheaper foods tend to be unhealthy.

There might be some useful tips on the article How to Feed a Dog which discusses ways to feed a dog healthy foods on a tighter budget.

Hi Rebekah, Weruva isn’t a brand I get negative reports from, so it’s worth adding what you’ve said to the APOG website – https://www.apog.com.au/recall-issue-log/weruva/

I hope your cats have both fully recovered?

Hi Julie, it’s worth adding this info to the APOG log. There’s a couple of other reports for Nature’s Gift – https://www.apog.com.au/recall-issue-log/natures-gift/

Hi Marcia, unfortunately this has been the case for a while, so best to buy it when you can, and when you can’t buy something different. Variety is good!

That’s great to hear!

Thanks Nicola,

I find GI upset occurs mostly in dogs who’ve been fed a very limited diet (i.e. one brand all the time) for a long time, so it should be expected they react to anything different. I consider that the root problem, and it would be the same for us if we restrict our diet to one single product all the time!

Thanks Alys, it’s always great to get a positive recommendation from a vet – thank you!

Dogs love their sticks, don’t they! My dog included. I’ve found coffee wood good in the past, although I have more success with bones – which my dog loves to chew on my bedroom carpet, and only on my bedroom carpet.

Hi Amanda, WAG seem to be the most common option but I believe these are sourced from China. Personally I prefer to avoid any Chinese sourced treats due to irradiation issues and previous quality concerns.

NatureDog seem to be an option, but I haven’t had any experience with them – https://naturedog.com.au/product/rabbit-ears/

Hi Lesley, I never pay any attention to feeding charts, and often find they’re only a rough guesstimate – all dogs are different, with different appetites or activity levels.

As with variety, whichever you think looks best. You can always change formula next time around.

Hi Rainy, some prescription diets from Hills/RC are not recommended for feeding for longer than a given period, such as 6 months, but this can be product specific – always worth checking.

In my opinion any dry food comprised significantly of grains or similar alternatives wouldn’t be a good long term solution for any dog, specifically one suffering issues such as pancreatitis. This would be more the case with RC dry than RC wet.

Hi Dominique, the trouble with almost all cat kibbles is the amount of grains or other carbohydrates, but choosing one with a higher protein and lower carbs should always be beneficial. I find Science Diet very grain-intensive, which is just odd for a carnivore, and more odd considering the price.

If your cat isn’t eating then I highly recommend a check-up at the vet. If it’s dental pain, some teeth may need to be removed – and I recommend this rather than avoiding the issue, and cats adapt very well.

Chicken necks may be a good option as a treat, for both nutrition and maintaining strong jaws.

Applaws wet food is supplementary, so fine alongside a balanced diet (Kirkland may be an option). But given it’s supplementary, some decent human grade sardines or tuna are also an option and may be cheaper.

I believe poor quality grains are the larger culprit with sensitives in dogs and cats, and what I see most reactions caused by, but not to distract from the issues with poor quality meat and processing, much more so in pet food than human foods. So whatever problems are faced in the human food industry will almost certainly be worse/less regulated in pet food.

Thank you so much for the positive feedback Abby! If the reviews help benefit the health of our dogs and cats then that’s payment enough!!

It’s good to hear your dog’s joints are good 🙂 I’m actually half-way through an article on joint support but haven’t published it yet. There’s also one on treats for arthritis which discusses how treats such as the Woofin Good Joint Care chews work – https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/dog-arthritis-treats/

Hi Kirsty, I expect significant money changes hands between Mars who make Optimum and Dr Chris Brown. It’s easy to overlook things when there’s money involved.

Royal Canin is also made by Mars, but a more expensive offering than Optimum. From what you’ve said it was very likely an ingredient in the Optimum causing the itchy paws, and any food without that ingredient will fix the issue. If you have time for a bit of a read then here’s some info on hypoallergenic dog foods, and also a review of Royal Canin Hypoallergenic.

Hi Drew, it seems to be your vet believed what they were taught in university, probably by coursework provided by a pet food company, or even a lecturer on the payroll of a pet food company, and never questioned why grains should be good for a carnivorous animal.

I strongly suspect the epidemic of renal failure in cats fed grain-based dry foods is the #1 reason of renal issues in the first place. Wouldn’t you agree?

Moisture is so important for a cat, and given they rarely drink water from the bowl (they’re desert animals, and it’s not in their nature) they must have water provided in their diet. Dry food has barely any moisture whatsoever.

Hi Kristina, in the amount they are in the LifeWise formulas there isn’t any cause of concern. I expect the main reason they’re in the formula is fibre, but they also provide proteins, omega 6 etc.

Hi Lothian, I would suggest keeping kibble to a minimum if possible, particularly any high-carbohydrate kibble. I would also suggest feeding a decent wet, freeze dried (with added clean water), air dried, or BARF patties (not sure what you would call BARF in Canada) – it sounds like you’re doing this already, and the water fountain is always a bonus. Fresh/raw might be a good option as well, even as part of the diet?

I’m not sure if that helps? I expect you’ve changed their diet significantly since the blockage 5 years ago?

Hi Colleen, sorry it’s been a while since you wrote this. Is Nood back in stock? It’s also worth checking the coles website.

Hi Veronika, it definitely sounds like your dog has a dietary intolerance to something in the formula. Has he reacted to any other foods in the past? How old is he?

Hi Liz, what have you been feeding him so far? Low fat dog foods tend to be higher in carbohydrates which I consider counter-productive. I’ve written about this more on the page on pancreatic and low fat dog foods which may offer useful information.

If you’re feeding a vet recommended diet then the wet formulas are less carbohydrates and usually more meat-based.

Hi Tess, you would need to reduce the dry. A good way is to feed kibble in the morning, and the Big Dog at night, or vice versa. 30kg sounds a bit overweight for a collie, but it depends on how big they are. My collies have been between 20kg and 28kg.

I believe only in a few stores or direct from their website.

Hi Judy, if your dog is 10 months then it’s worth continuing a puppy formula until they’re at least a year old. Variety is good, and a mix of grain and grain free can be as well (as long as there’s a focus on animal ingredients which is what your dog needs the most). I wouldn’t be concerned about the grain-free causes heart issues saga – it started as a hypothesis by a vet paid by grain-based food manufacturers, and only after the FDA named and shamed a list of brands without evidence later dropped the investigation due to know real evidence. Viral media has done the rest.

That may be the case, but in my experience most dogs with dietary sensitivities have a complete turnaround in health simply switching to a better diet without grains like wheat. That means for most people a far more affordable range of dog foods than being locked in to one particular hypoallergenic formula.

Interesting observation, and I could only guess myself at the reason why – precautionary, slower processing, offal, or like you say a way to sell smaller packets. It’s possible they would last a week anyway – not that dog’s have much issues with smell meat – and better not to have preservatives as well.

If Orijen was readily available I’d put it at the top of the list, but it proves very hard to get hold of.

Lifewise dog foods are really good and I wouldn’t be worried about any grains in their formulas. They opt for decent grains in moderation.

Hi Liz, Ziwi as a dried raw diet I expect would help – it’s a more true-to-form raw diet. That said, the vet recommended wet foods (for brands like Royal Canin and Hills) tend to be quite a bit better than the dry foods. Definitely adding clean water/moisture to your cat’s diet is a good idea.

Hi Terry, sounds like the dog nutritionist you speak of knows their stuff, and I agree.

Hi Kathleen, good question. I usually add a couple of dashes, or lets say capfuls or tablespoons. You don’t need much, and too much will make the bone broth too acidic.

Hi Glenda, firstly I’m very glad the condition of your girl has improved since the switch away from Ivory Coat. I strongly advise you add this information to the APOG website report on Ivory Coat if you haven’t already? https://www.apog.com.au/recall-issue-log/ivory-coat/

Hi Natalie, given your situation and the fact Prime 100 Salmon & Tapioca is working I would suggest continuing with it. Another possibility is to start adding some fresh or homemade ingredients which work, as this should add some variety. Probiotics may be a good option as well, which can either be off-the-shelf, kefir, natural yoghurt etc.

A good metric to determine whether any cat food is good for your cat is whether it contains grains or other starches/carbohydrates. A cat as factually obligate carnivore means they do not need these ingredients in their diet. If a diet marketed as cat food contains these ingredients, then ask yourself why.

Hi Ashleigh, I wasn’t aware the ingredients had changed. At least in Australia. The ingredients on the Orijen AU website haven’t changed – https://orijenpetfoods.com.au/foods/dog-food/dry-dog-food/original/

I’ve been keeping my ear to the ground since Mars bought Champion Petfoods, but I have to say no negative feedback has come in. Fingers crossed Mars keep it as a premium product and keep it that way.

Hi Mellissa, thank you very much for the positive feedback – it’s appreciated.

With arthritis you could always look at supplements, but adding anything like sardines, salmon, fish oils, chewy bones like chicken necks, wings, or feet, some turmeric etc. I’m sure eggs help too – a wonderful food for dogs.

Hi M B,

Firstly I’m very very sorry for your loss.

Whether the Baxters was the cause or any other factors like age, other food, illness etc is always very hard to ascertain. I highly recommend you add as much information to the Woolworths Baxters log on the APOG website – https://www.apog.com.au/recall-issue-log/woolworths-baxters/

Hi Lauren, very well observed! There’s a few formulas such as this I’ve rated higher for a number of reasons. Lifewise is another example with a formula similar to Petzyo.

Feedback has been very good with these formulas, and although being higher carbohydrate than some of the other top-rated dog foods they’re also more affordable – important for many. I also find Petzyo more balanced in terms of ingredients than, say, a meat + rice formula which is often mostly rice, and some meat. Standard and quality of ingredients matters too, and although I never refer to it in reviews – some manufacturers are clearly better than others, or at least with some manufacturers I get a great deal of negative feedback, and others I don’t.

Hi Helen, I wish I could give you an answer for that but I can’t! It sounds like a chicken intolerance, but as you’ve said chicken is also in the Lamb & Rice formula – perhaps to a lesser extent, rather than a different source.

Chicken intolerances get really tricky as most dog foods contain chicken of some sort, even if it’s the fat content (can be listed “animal fat”). Some dogs react to cooked chicken but not raw, and vice versa.

Or it might be something else in the Chicken & Rice formula entirely, but no idea what that could be.

Hi Jeffrey, it’s not often you’ll find percentages of meat on a pet food. Even if you do they’re often a little misleading, such as having a wet weight percentage which is significantly reduced once extruded into a kibble and moisture is cooked off.

Hi Valda, there’s a review of Scratch here. I can’t say I have any concerns with the brand, and nothing in the way of negative feedback.

Hi Rob, I don’t think the change in size matters too much, and the crumbliness doesn’t seem too much of an issue as long as the nutrition is there. I think most of these concerns stem from a change or an expectation, but I can’t say I’ve heard anything negative other than that. Other concerns I’ve had recently are how the pieces won’t absorb as much water (also an expectation), and someone the other day stated a concern that it smelled like offal, which is a positive thing in my book!

Hi Mik, I believe their new website is imminent. Keep in mind they’re a very new company, and some things take time.

I expect this belief stems back to pet food marketing – they love to lock you in to their brand for the lifespan of your pet.

We have a varied diet, and I see no reason our pets shouldn’t either. All my pets have a varied diet, and I’ve never had any issues. That said, usually when a dog has been fed a single brand of food for a long time they may get some stomach upset when changing brands. For this reason yes I would recommend a gradual change. Like us, our pets develop intolerances when certain foods are excluded from the diet, so it takes a period of adjustment to get them used to those foods again.

Hi John, my recommendation in this case would be why not both? I see variety as a good thing, and it means you can pick and choose whichever is cheaper on on sale at the time.

Hi Kylie, all looks natural to me. Pet grade meats contain preservatives but as Big Dog state human grade ingredients this shouldn’t be the case.

Beef roll ingredients as an example:

Beef, finely ground beef bone and cartilage, lamb, finely ground lamb bone and cartilage, chicken, finely ground chicken bone and cartilage, pork heart, beef and lamb heart, beef and lamb liver, beef and lamb kidney, whole fish (salmon & sardines), seasonal fruits, vege and herbs (kale, spinach, broccoli, bok choy, silver beet, carrots, celery, beetroot, lettuce, cucumber, capsicum, apple, orange, pear, tomato, strawberry, ginger & parsley), cold pressed ground flaxseed, alfalfa powder, whole egg, kelp powder (brown seaweed), brewers yeast, wheatgrass, live probiotics, prebiotics, garlic.

Hi YM, thanks for offering feedback of the Frontier Pets cat food.

My thoughts on what you’ve said would be:

1. Yes, I think many expect the freeze dried pieced to fully reconstitute but they don’t. Warm (but not hot) water helps, but admittedly that’s a bit of a faff. Nevertheless you’re still giving your cat vital clean water which is something kibble doesn’t offer – I see lack of moisture in a cat’s diet to be very harmful over the long term, so even if it doesn’t fully reconstitute it’s still very beneficial.

2. A cat’s natural diet includes offal and liver. In fact these ingredients are the healthiest inclusions in a cat’s diet, so really this is a smell you want. I think the issue might be your cat’s not used to it, and cat’s being habitual and slightly autistic fail to recognise a new food as food. With kibbles these nutrients are often added after the kibble is extruded as a “vitamin/mineral pack”, which is why many cat foods contain inappropriate ingredients like grain and then “fix the issue” by adding essential vitamins and minerals back in.

3. The vomiting is more a concern, and there may be various reasons for this. As Frontier Pets have said, if you keep trying you may find the sickness subsides within a day or too. It’s common for cats and dogs to become sick on a new food, which can be more from being fed a limited diet previously for many months. However, prolonged sickness would be more a concern, and an underlying condition like pancreatitis may be a cause – this is something which should be considered, particularly if your cat is middle aged to senior years, and consulting your vet may be worthwhile if you believe this is a possibility. It may well be a reaction to the newly introduced Frontier Pets, or it could be one of these other causes.

You can expect mostly pork with that one.

Usually formula changes benefit profit margins, rarely anything else. It’s common for an established brand with a loyal reputation to make such changes, and most people won’t notice. ZiwiPeak is almost all meat, so that gives a good comparison to a roll with one part meat to two parts non-meat as the first (most significant) ingredients.

Hi Pat, you find so many arguments for and against grain or grain-free, but the real issue as I see it is lack of animal ingredients – the stuff your dog really needs.

All commercial pet foods exist to make a profit, otherwise they wouldn’t exist. Animal ingredients are expensive, grain or grain-free inclusions are cheap in comparison. That’s why pet foods push as much non animal ingredients into a product they can get away with. A common formula will be minimal meat, minimal animal fat, minimum required nutrients (often as a vitamin mineral mix), and then bulk the rest up with whatever they can get away with. Given it can take many years for the health of a dog to deteriorate, or diet-related conditions such as heart or kidney disease, diabetes et al to develop, they generally do get away with it.

Science and research in pet nutrition is rather skewed, especially when you consider the role marketing departments play in it. Pet food is manufactured by some of the most influential conglomerates in the world. This is why we feed hard nuggets of grain (or grain free alternatives) to animals which are factually obligate carnivore like cats, and believe this is both right and scientific. It doesn’t take much to realise this isn’t right for our cats, so why should it be right for our dogs?

Hi Kar,

Given the main ingredients in Royal Canin Anallergenic are maize starch and feather hydrolysate you have to wonder how beneficial it is to your carnivorous cat!

There’s info on the following guide to hypoallergenic diets, although it’s in respect to dogs. For a cat, avoid grains and high-carbohydrate ingredients as much as possible, and keep moistureless dry food to a minimum if possible. Air/Freeze dried foods are good options for cats with dietary sensitivities, so brands like Frontier Pets, Healthy Active Pet, ZiwiPeak, Raw Meow, or even dry foods like Orijen (tends to be hard to get hold of), Taste of the Wild, ACANA etc (although all dry foods will contain carbohydrate ingredients)

Hi Sally, I find their rolls to be marketed as meat when the main three ingredients in most rolls to be meat/tapioca/bamboo fibre. You can compare this formulation to say the Balanced Life rolls which are meat/rice or meat/pumpkin in respect to the hypoallergenic kangaroo roll which you may also find suitable, and I believe cheaper.

I’m sorry you don’t see company behaviour as an important factor. Personally I see honesty and transparency in high regard for any pet food company, especially if you wish to put the health of your pet in their hands.

It’s not just company behaviour either, it’s issues with plastic and other issues with the products spanning multiple years.

None of the above accounts for the rudeness they have displayed towards the Pet Food Reviews team.

I find it very hard to recommend Prime100 products based on many factors, and because I believe there are better options.

Hi Natalie, thank you for bringing this to my attention – please note the ASIC media release was less than 2 weeks ago, whereas this guide is from May 2022! I can only do my best, and can’t foresee the future.

If you have any other information relating to anything like this, please add it, and I will always try and offer the best information I can.

Hi Sue, good feedback, thanks – I’ve updated so the links go to the homepage.

I believe they’re revamping the website to make it much more user friendly, so hopefully in the coming weeks!

Hi Linda, the rest will mostly be moisture.

Hi Graeme, I’m a big fan of feeding my pets a variety, and it’s not as if we eat the same food every day. When it comes to human nutrition it’s definitely not recommended to eat the same food every day.

Changing formulas, brands, and feeding styles I see as a good idea, although vets (and pet food companies) will tend to say otherwise.

Taste of the Wild makes a really good base diet – it’s reputable and well made – but that doesn’t mean you can’t feed other foods as well.

Hi Jimmy, I think it’s always worth changing foods to see if there’s any improvement, even for a couple of weeks.

Hi Trish, it’s a weird one with Black Hawk. Many dogs are fine, some aren’t. With the Working Dog formula it’s really good recipe-wise, especially when you consider the real truth about most working dog foods being packed with cereals and cereal by-products. I don’t get much negative feedback about the Working Dog formula, but then again it’s sold in far fewer numbers than the main brands.

I would recommend if your dog has any gastro issues on it, then switch to something else.

Hi Claire, both are good, and both are “complete and balanced” in terms of nutrition. Frontier Pets have less overheads from selling directly, and it’s made in Australia as well. Feline Natural has import costs and retailer costs which is likely the reason it costs more, and neither matters to your cat. That said, both are really good choices. Personally I would feed some raw chicken necks, wings, drumsticks as well as these are both good for your cat’s teeth as well as good for keeping them mentally stimulated and occupied.

Hi Dale, the affordable dog foods page might be a good starting point for brands which are in a similar price range. None have as much meat as HEP, but all still decent brands which I get a lot of good feedback for.

Hi Bri, try not to feel overwhelmed! It can be a learning curve but you’re on the right track because you’re thinking about it!

There’s a list of affordable dog foods here – at least more affordable than some. You may decide to try a few different brands, or rotate between them. Take advantage of what’s on sale whenever you stock up! I get a lot of negative feedback about Ivory Coat these days, which is why I wouldn’t personally recommend it. You’ll see this reading the comments on the Ivory Coat reviews.

For now start with dry food as most of the diet, and the rice/meat as up to a quarter of the diet. Once you become more confident you’ll likely change how you feed your dog. It’s important for a dog to have balance in their diet, which in terms of homecooked or raw means a balance of nutrients from organ meats, fat, raw meaty bones etc.

You may be happy to start feeding the mince raw, and keep an eye out for organ meats too. The only caveat is liver shouldn’t be fed in excess.

Go with the flow!

Hi Callie, generally I think too much of anything is a bad idea, and the concerns with too much fish include mercury and other toxicity. Raw fish can cause thiamine deficiency when fed in excess, which although isn’t relevant to kibble is still a good example of why anything in excess can be bad.

Native cats would catch small prey, but also scavenge prey caught by large predators. You make a really good point though. I expect the only reason you don’t get “mouse”, “lizard”, or “gecko” cat foods is because consumers wouldn’t buy them. We humanise our pets which means most consumers would prefer to feed what we eat, so that’s what pet food manufacturers target.

Hi Suzanne, the first red flag is the conflict of interest statement – “Dr. Adin acknowledges research support from Nestle Purina PetCare”. It may say the findings or conclusions did not influence the study, but that doesn’t mean the purpose of the study wasn’t influenced. It was also a retrospective study based on pet food formulations no longer in production today.

The key point neglected by all these studies is lack of animal ingredients. Whether packed out with grains or grain-free ingredients is completely misleading, and makes these studies laughable. The findings in the study may not be anything to do with grain or grain free ingredients whatsoever, instead being a difference in the added vitamin and minerals which make up a small percentage of the formulas. These are often the minimum required nutrition (as per current understanding) for a dog to stay healthy. Get that wrong, with consistent feeding of a processed commercial dog food, will have severe repercussions.

Real considered studies would investigation how lack of animal ingredients in processed commercial dog foods can cause not only DCM, but most diet-related illnesses in dogs. Unfortunately science as rational as this doesn’t sell product.

Hi Rosemary, may I ask what your dog was fed when they suffered pancreatitis? The ingredients of that food may give some real understanding to what triggered the pancreatitis, and give you better information for a suitable diet moving forward. When it comes to dry food it is easy to say fat should be kept to a certain percentage, such as 10%, but it’s not as simple as that – it’s also about formulation and containing the right ingredients rather than the wrong ingredients. Reducing fat would be more effective if lean protein was increased, but in kibble this is very rarely the case. Instead, any reduction in protein or fat means increased carbohydrates/sugars which are problematic in themselves.

Hi, you would need to contact Scratch direct, sorry!

Hi Lisa, not sure where that quote came from? Many dogs survive on terrible processed kibbles with barely any meat ingredients, so there’s an argument a vegan diet can be more nutritious than many kibbles!

Always good to have feedback like this on any dog food. Vegan for dogs may be against my beliefs, but I have no issues hearing positive endorsements for a brand if it’s worked for someone.

Hi Joe, I’m happy to accept your point about Dogs and Grey Wolves.

Regarding stomach contents however, this is definitely not established fact. As a simple example, when a predator kills prey they won’t eat stomach contents first for obvious reasons.

There’s a lot of research which suggests otherwise. I’ll use the word “suggests” as research can “suggest” either way, and there are many variants.

This is what the NRC state:

“Thus, there appears to be no requirement for carbohydrate in dogs provided enough protein is given to supply the precursors for gluconeogenesis.” – Nutrient Requirements for Dogs and Cats.

AAFCO (2016):

“Dogs have no requirement for plant carbohydrate”

Nevertheless, the purpose of this article is to promote the line of thinking that “carnivore” and “omnivore” aren’t buckets of which an animal must only be put into one. Dogs have more similarities, in many ways, to cats as carnivores, than they do to us as omnivores. There will always be many ways to label a dog as one or the other, so it’s a case of coming to a logical conclusion yourself.

Pet food manufacturers will always, of course, find ways to justify keeping the costs of ingredients to a minimum, and labelling a dog as an omnivore does just that.

Hi Trevor, I think it’s positive that your dog is doing well on Advance, and I also think highlights some of the issues I have mentioned on the Black Hawk, Ivory Coat, and other reviews for certain Australian brands.

By the sounds of it you simply don’t want to consider you may be wrong, or the food you’re feeding your dog might not be the best, but the information I’ve given you is free, and the decision is yours.

Hi Candice, I’m sorry to hear this and hope your dogs have recovered. I urge you to leave a report on the following page with as much info as you can give – https://www.apog.com.au/recall-issue-log/woofbix/

Hi Maria, I actually have a review pending. I contacted Raw and Fresh a few weeks ago, but they haven’t got back to me yet.

Hi Joe, the carbohydrates are those stated by HEP as a maximum percentage, and protein and fat as a minimum. Why do you believe these are wrong?

I have no issues publishing your comment, and if you have more information to share feel free to do so for the benefit of other readers.

Hi Erin, here are the Vetalogica reviews. This guide to hypoallergenic diets may also help.

Hi Michael, I think this was meant for Lyka rather than this website, but the Lyka emails have an “unsubscribe” at the bottom which you can use.

Thanks Karen, very much appreciated. I had Sacha Packer slating me for using a click-bait title – not sure if she actually read the article.

Hi Joanna, great comment and great questions!

Firstly, what was your daschie fed when she had crystals? Was it FP/FF or something else? It would be interesting to know, as I find urinary issues less common on moisture-rich “raw” foods.

Not sure if you’ve read the urinary cat food article I wrote yesterday? Or if that led you here?

When it comes to carbs I’m of the belief dogs are more carnivorous than “science” makes out them to be, for the simple reason they are much more similar (in many ways) to cats than omnivores like us. Their digestive systems are very similar, so are their teeth, and also their natural instinct. Over the past 15 years or so I’ve been writing about pet food there always seems to be a trend with overweight or diabetic dogs fed high carbohydrate kibbles, yet on the other hand – like you say – most dogs fed a more natural “carnivore” diet are lean, mean, fighting machines.

My dog has some carbs, and it doesn’t overly concern me, but I keep them to a minimum. Because I feed a variety of foods the ratios of protein/fat/carbs average out, if that makes sense, although I aim for suitable ratios of meat, organs, and bone, and would never feed an excess of lean meat or pure animal fat.

There’s some really interesting research into ketosis in dogs. From Googling a little one study of epileptic dogs showed 10 of 21 improved significantly on a keto diet – 7 had a 50% reduction in seizures, and 3 became seizure free. I should do more digging as an important factor would be what those dogs were fed until that point, which is something most research neglects to consider.

Generally I see the health of dogs improve the more they transition from [cheaper] kibbles to more raw/carnivore/whole prey diets.

Hi Sandra, you would need to contact the store you bought them or Vetalogica. Cats can be picky with new foods though, which is common. From having a quick look at the ingredients of the Vetalogica cat treats (VitaRapid), looks like the four main ingredients are meat, potatoes, peas, and tapioca – so three of those aren’t exactly carnivore ingredients.

Hi Julie, the way I look at it is this – imagine if you were told you must eat the same processed food ALL THE TIME or otherwise you would get sick. Wouldn’t that be a crazy notion?

Why would dogs and cats be any different from us?

I feel the belief a dog must only eat one brand of kibble stems from pet food marketing. Many of the big global conglomerates have done very well convincing consumers they must use their product daily, every day. The makers of vet-recommend diets like Hills, made largely of grains for pet carnivores, are no exception – Colgate Palmolive! I’m guessing you brush your teeth every day, and use shampoo most days as well (I do). I won’t go down that rabbit hole, yet most Indigenous folk had excellent teeth and hair before being introduced to these products!

When I hear of a dog being sick on a new food, most of the time it turns out they were fed a single brand of dog food (usually not that great either) for a long period of time. That means it’s no different from us if we spend a long time on a limited diet and then try something different.

There are risks to feeding raw meat and fish, parasites being one, but I almost never hear of issues in this respect. I’ve fed frozen sardines to my dogs (and cat) for years, and never had any problems whatsoever. We’re probably more at risk of parasites (or salmonella) than our dogs, such as if we don’t wash our hands after feeding them.

I would say the current diet of your dog being varied and full of nutritious foods (and appropriate for their nature) has to be better than a kibble formulated mostly from cereal grains?

Hi Kristy, thanks for the feedback – appreciated!

Animals Like Us, like most NZ pet foods, is pretty good. It’s nice how they offer different mixes of kibble/dried raw to suit different budgets.

I’ll write a review soon – just written it on my notepad.

Hi Debra, Black Hawk isn’t on the list?

Not regarding the price though, but from years of consumer feedback which hasn’t been overly positive.

Hi Donna, I’m very sorry to hear about your cat and hope they have recovered since you wrote this comment.

I strongly urge you to log the issue on the APOG website here – https://www.apog.com.au/recall-issue-log/elevate-coles/

That’s great feedback Cassandra, and good to hear!

I’ve heard Pet Circle can be a little slow to some regions, but on the other hand they almost always have the best prices.

I’m so sorry to hear about your Koolie. Fits are heartbreaking to witness – I had a collie once who had a number of fits after a false diagnosis by a veterinarian, and I’ll never forget how hard it was to witness.

I strongly urge you to add a report to the new APOG website for tracking issues with pet foods in Australia – https://www.apog.com.au/recall-issue-log/purina-lucky-dog/

Feel free to share this review with social media groups as well, as this helps raise awareness (which is surprisingly hard to do against these big powerful pet food brands).

Hi Nadia,

I’ve written about the DCM saga here, but some quick pointers are as follows:

• The FDA investigation was dropped due to inconclusive evidence.
• The brands most harmed from being named in the investigation were Orijen and ACANA (Champion Petfoods), who have since been acquired by Mars Petcare.
• The investigation was launched on the back of a “hunch” by a Dr Lisa Freeman DACVM, on the payroll of multiple grain-based pet food manufacturers, such as the one mentioned above.

Personally I considered the whole DCM “scare” a marketing play by big corporates to successfully damage their growing competitors in the grain-free (or lets say Boutique/Exotic/Grain-Free) space.

I also considered the real problem, the one which nobody viralises over the Internet, to be a lack of meat ingredients in most dog foods (and cat foods). So regardless of grain or grain-free ingredients used to fill out a pet food, keep productions costs down, and profits up.

I see people regurgitate the DCM issues all over the Internet daily. It’s like a cult. Most come armed with an arsenal of website links and videos to prove their point, but on further investigation not many have any credibility. The unfortunate nature of the Internet, with the end result being consumers convinced grain-based dog foods are the only healthy option for carnivorous animals – which is crazy when you think about it!

Hi Mike,

Mould will definitely make a dog sick, and I urge you to add this information to the APOG website (for tracking pet food issues in Australia) – https://www.apog.com.au/recall-issue-log/mans-best/

The issue with mould is a tricky one. It can occur due to a bag not properly sealed from the manufacturer, but also conditions the bag goes through once leaving the manufacturer, such as in transport or in a warehouse. Humidity and temperature are obviously factors.

I find mould can affect many brands over time unfortunately. Some brands it can be less common, from the use of preservatives which in turn may be problematic. Many good brands use natural preservatives (such as rosemary), which means they are more susceptible to mould issues.

Hi Janine, a better suggestion could be to keep up the Vets All Natural + Kangaroo, but alternative with LifeWise. i.e. LifeWise in the morning, Vets All Natural + Kangaroo in the evening.

This may keep cost down a bit, and add more variety.

You could also interchange the kangaroo with other meats which are cheaper, as all will work with Vets All Natural.

As for soaking kibble there’s an interesting experiment here, with some info on the pros, cons, and gotchas (i.e. use warm water, not boiling).

I believe 9.7/9.8 is the top rated at the moment. No pet food is perfect, so I avoid 10/10!

Hi Mitch, personally I’m all for variety. Otherwise you’re putting complete faith in a single product to meet the complex nutritional requirements of your dog!

If a dog refuses to eat dry food it’s worth considering if they’re suffering any dental pain – it’s a reason older pets start avoiding hard food in favour of soft food.

When a dog only eats soft food (and this also applies to dry foods), it does very little for fighting plaque and keeping teeth keen. Personally I feed my dog (and cat) raw meaty bones as well as other foods, as the gnawing action is perfect at fighting plaque.

Mixing wet and dry, or adding some kind of broth (like bone broth) to dry, is a good way of getting a picky dog to eat a dry food, so that may help. Even adding some sardines or mince to dry food can help in that respect. Plenty of other options though, so it’s a case of finding what works. Some dogs get really picky.

Given what you’ve said it does seem your cat is reacting to something in the Applaws, but it might be difficult to figure out if a particular ingredient is the cause. Comparing the ingredients of the Healthy Everyday Pets formula to the Applaws formula may give some ideas, but I assume both are chicken formulas?

Hi Shayne, this review and ingredients are very old. You’ll find the ingredients these days to be more like this:

Wholegrain cereals and cereal and/or vegetable by-products; Meat & meat by-products (including poultry, beef and/or lamb) and/or poultry.

What that means is your dog, which I’m sure you think of as an animal who prefers meat, organs, and blood (as you say), is being fed a dog feed made predominantly from cereals and by-products of those cereals (if you know what they are)?

But, I’m interested if all your dogs were fed only Bonnie, or whether they were fed other stuff too?

Hi Sandra, dogs react to food sensitivities in all manner of ways. Trying to find the cause (if it is diet related) is well worth doing as it will give you answers you can work on. You could try feeding a different brand entirely for a few weeks, such as Orijen, and keep the Frontier Pets and Stay Loyal on hold. If the symptoms clear up then re-introduce one of the two original foods and keep an eye out for re-occurring symptoms.

It may be worth avoiding common proteins of chicken, lamb, and beef to see if that makes a difference too. Eggs can be a problem but I can’t say I’ve really found this to be the case, and I consider them a fantastic addition to a dog’s diet.

At this stage I don’t have any concerns with Orijen and Acana being bought by Mars. My hope is they keep them as premium products and don’t ruin them.

Let me know how you get on!

Hi John, I expect the Baxters dog biscuits are made by the same manufacturer but I can’t confirm. However, given the low protein and fat percentage you can expect the first ingredient of wheat flour to be the most significant ingredient. Sugar as well. As a canine nutritionist I couldn’t recommend them on a nutritional basis, and boiled chicken would probably be a better bet as a training treat.

Well that made me laugh!

Hi Jess, yes kibble can spoil. Personally I try and get through a bag in 3 weeks max, although some will say it can keep longer. It depends on lots of factors – type of preservatives used, packaging, environment (like humidity) from when it was packaged through to opening.

Here’s some great pet food storage tips.

Hi Janet, dogs need all manner of amino acids, animal fat, vitamins, and minerals – most of which would naturally be sourced from prey if left to their own devices. Without these nutrients they will likely suffer ill health. It may not be immediate, sometimes it can take many years for symptoms to show.

Hi Alec, this review should hopefully answer your question on SuperVite. Some alternatives can be found on the affordable dog food page, but it depends where you shop and what’s available.

Hi Prue, here you go – Hypro Premium Review.

Hi Maria, I’ve spoken to Tom about this in the past and his opinion is it’s never too late to start feeding meaty bones. For cats you can opt for chicken necks, wings, drumsticks, or even carcasses. This should protect your cat’s remaining teeth, and healthy gums can be surprisingly strong so your cat may not have the issues you would imagine.

Yesterday I wrote a new review for Hill’s Prescription Diet Kidney Care, and it never ceases to amaze me how much grains are in these products. To think they’re for a carnivorous animal! And when it comes to kidney care even the nature of kibble I don’t consider appropriate. To use Tom Lonsdale’s word – “con”.

Hi Elke, it’s not something I hear of with LifeWise, and I consider it a quality brand with a high standard. I wouldn’t expect your smelly poop issue to return, although sometimes when changing brands a dog will have a big of digestive upset. Especially if they’ve been on the previous dog food a while.

Hi Jules, this seems to occur on Black Hawk – other comments have suggested the same unfortunately :/

Thanks Terry, I must update the review.

Applaws is still a good option, particularly considering the reasonable cost. It’s sad to see formulas change (they pretty much always get worse rather than better). A good idea is always to add some fresh meats which will not only add digestible protein, will also help your cat with moisture – cats aren’t big drinkers.

Hi Lynda, rosemary extract is considered safe for dogs, and when it comes to dog food it’s only a small part of the formulation. Rosemary essential oil on the other hand is a concentrated form which should not be fed to dogs, but these are vastly different. Unfortunately the nature of the Internet skews information – it’s the same for ingredients such as garlic and avocado, but generally anything in excess can be problematic (even a single brand of poor quality kibble in excess!). Rosemary extract is in many pet foods which opt for this “natural” preservative to cheaper chemical alternatives.

There is increasing amounts of misinformation as a result of an FDA investigation instigated by a veterinarian on the payroll of multiple pet food conglomerates which was subsequently dropped due to inconclusive information…

Hi Claire, I would…

Hi Emma, I’m very sorry to hear about your issues with Ivory Coat. Sadly this is one report of many, and I strongly urge you to add a report to the following page – https://www.apog.com.au/recall-issue-log/ivory-coat/

Hi Wendy, yes, unfortunately these pet food companies are very good at convincing you their product is good without actually telling you what’s in it. Pedigree has been a household name for decades, and many people feed it to their dogs without realising what it’s made from.

I don’t see why not!

Hi Martin, cat’s get confused with new foods, especially if they’ve been on the previous food for a long time. They simply don’t recognise the new food as food.

It might be worth persisting, either by adding some kind of broth or fresh meat to the biscuits, or giving them a mix of the two foods. Hopefully you’ll have some success rather than waste a bag.

Thank you for your review – always appreciated, and it’s always good to hear how people have got on with a food.

Hi Tim, when it comes to grain-inclusive foods I tend to prefer those with grains such as oats or barley, or brown rice to an extent. I see wheat (or “cereals”) as a red flag, and in my experience seem to be common causes of health issues. Brands like LifeWise and Canidae All Life Stages spring to mind, but there are many others. Holistic Select is another possibility available at some of the bigger pet stores.

Hi Lucy, from what you’ve said it sounds like your dogs are getting a pretty good diet with some decent variety. I feed my dog in a similar way to you – a variety of commercial dog foods (including kibble for convenience and keeping the cost down) plus a variety of meat, veg, appropriate table scraps, eggs, and anything else nutritious.

Hi Suzanne, if it’s a chicken allergy then that makes life really difficult with dry foods as most contain chicken (even if it’s not the main meat ingredient). If he’s picky with any fish/roo/lamb formulas then have you tried enticing him by adding something – broth, eggs, mince, some kind of stock?

Do you know what he was weened on by the breeder? I think in terms of dry foods Great Danes are usually restricted on protein intake, but I have to say I’m not too clued up on Great Danes.

Hi Dylan, it really is a good question. A couple of weeks ago a dog in Portugal broke the world record for oldest dog, and apparently he’s lived off table scraps his whole life.

From my experience one of the benefits of commercial pet food is it must contain all nutrients which “science” tells us are required for a pet to sustain life. i.e. “Complete & Balanced” based on AAFCO standards.

How nutritious any given commercial pet food is is open for debate :/

When it comes to not feeding a commercial pet food, the onus is on the pet owner to cover all nutritional requirements. The raw feeding trend led to many people feeding their pets a diet of beef mince (or similar) which can lead to all manner of deficiencies. Even pet owners who are more clued up can still miss vital nutrients, and it may take some time – even years – for any deficiencies to manifest into symptoms of a health condition.

If you consider a cat a carnivore (fact), and yourself as an omnivore (fact), would you consider your dog to be more similar to a cat or yourself? That’s probably the best way of considering it… I would consider “scavenging carnivore” or “facultative carnivore” to be more correct terms based on science and knowledge.

Hi Brian, thanks for the info. If you want to send the photo the best way is probably through the Facebook page via message – https://facebook.com/petfoodreviewsaustralia.

Hi Brian, may I ask how big the piece of bone was? As a raw bone there’s less risk to dogs, but I understand your concerns.

I’ve just written it down on my notepad to review next. Long overdue!

Hi Karen, it’s worth adding this information to the following issue log for Fussy Cat – https://www.apog.com.au/recall-issue-log/fussy-cat/

The preservative issue you’ve had might be related to this – https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/v-i-p-pet-mince-preservative-223/

Same manufacturer.

Hi Grace, firstly thanks for the positive feedback – very much appreciated.

To answer your question with my personal opinion, I tend to feed a base diet of decent kibbles (which I vary), combined with some raw/barf foods (also “complete and balanced”), plus raw meats, offal, eggs, and scraps which I consider healthy. Green tripe is good if you can find it. I also feed raw meaty bones for tooth and gum health, nutritional health, and because it’s the best “toy” I can offer my dog.

I realise many raw feeding groups and forums are very stringent on balance and ratios, but I tend not to overthink it.

I bag out any high-carb pet foods, grain or grain-free, and emphasise the importance of animal ingredients for a dog as a facultative carnivore. If you believe they’re an omnivore, which is also a very convenient belief for pet food manufacturers, then consider yourself as an omnivore, a cat as a carnivore, and where you would assume a dog sits in that scale – are they more like you, or more like a cat. Then perhaps ask yourself who you trust – a pet food marketing department, or your own conclusion.

Personally I wouldn’t feed a dog a kibble with a high percentage of peas or other legumes and an absence of meat ingredients, especially not daily.

Hi Barbara, I’ve always found Kirkland well priced considering the ingredients, so I would recommend it in that respect. It’s difficult to recommend cheaper brands because they’re almost always cheap because they sacrifice nutrition to keep the cost down (and profit up).

Personally I mix diets, and take advantage of cheap raw meats/offal/bones, supermarket discounts, or for larger dogs it’s always worth taking advantage of sales or buying bulk. Canidae All Life Stages is possibly another option, only available in big bags, and a good mix of ingredients, price, and decent consumer feedback.

Hi Louise, that’s interesting to hear and I confess I can’t really add to what you’ve said. I’ve been doing some digging and found a lot of mixed results with research, with this summing up what would be my assumptions – https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6132377/

In many cases moderation is beneficial and excess is harmful, whether vitamins, minerals, grains, and more, perhaps even toxins. You often here garlic is bad for dogs, but the research I’ve read shows a dog would need a significant amount of garlic to suffer ill effects, or high levels of garlic over an extended period.

The way we feed our dogs – same food every day – tends to make matters worse in my eyes, which makes a poorly formulated pet food more of a health risk. i.e. if a brand is effected by high levels of toxins, and is fed for an extended period, then this can and does cause health issues.

Here’s another study on folic acid, which further adds to the uncertainty – https://gut.bmj.com/content/50/1/61

But if it puts your mind at rest, in any pet food it should always be a minor inclusion.

Hi Eric, here you go – https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/aldi-natural-elements-dog-food-review/

Hi Adrienne, how big were the chips on average? Given they’re raw they possibly wouldn’t cause an issue, but by the sounds of it I agree they should’ve been ground better.

Thanks Sadie!

(although my response time is usually really poor!!!)

Hi Valerie, perhaps something like Nutrience?

Hi Katrina, did you try mixing Eureka with the previous ZIWI Peak? Sometimes it takes some time for a dog to adjust to a new food. Mixing it with something to entice them is another option, such as some tuna, broth, etc.

Hi Emma, a rule of thumb would be no bones which he could swallow whole, and no weight-bearing bones. He may be okay with a larger bone to chew on. If in doubt, keep an eye on him.

I highly recommend the book Work Wonders by Tom Lonsdale. Tom’s a dental vet and I believe this book of his would answer many of your questions.

Raw feeding groups (such as on Facebook) are quite good sources of information as well. I have some concerns when feeding a BARF food with ground bone combined with raw meaty bones, but you may find your dog as a smaller breed will gnaw the bone rather than consume it – which still offers the dental benefits!

Cunning marketing, isn’t it! This is interesting – Pet Health Australia – can you trust it?

Thank you.

Sometimes it’s worth persevering with fussy eaters, but it’s frustrating isn’t it!

For small dogs chicken necks (and similar) can be a good option. They only splinter when cooked (and we should never feed cooked bones). Dried raw chicken necks are also available as treats for a little more money. I’ve found the Frontier Pets chicken necks to have a really good chewy consistency.

Hi Ekaterina, I’m not sure if anywhere does bulk per se, but Pet Circle have a discount for auto delivery which can save around $5 per bag, and their prices are usually very competitive as well.

Hi Rohan,

I think with most pet foods we need to consider they don’t have as much meat as we may be led to believe, and taurine is generally sourced from animal ingredients (although their are alternatives). And yes, heat does damage nutrients which is another factor.

It has been widely believed for many years a cat needs taurine in the diet whereas dogs can synthesise it, but the evidence is there that dogs too can become taurine deficient. Not surprising given the ingredients of most dog foods.

Most research into canine and feline nutrition is instigated by the big players in pet food manufacturing. For a period of time I noticed those brands included taurine, whereas other smaller “boutique” brands didn’t because it wasn’t a requirement by AAFCO. This has now been amended. I think a good way of looking at AAFCO nutrient requirements is they’re based on what we currently know and understand, which is why the standards are amended over time as new research comes to light.

Personally, when it comes to situations like the “DCM scare”, I usually attribute these conditions more to inappropriate diets rather than whether they’re made of grain or potato for what I consider essentially carnivorous animals. It also should be noted, more so now than ever, that such events may just be power plays and clever marketing.

Hi Ruby, personally I wouldn’t rely on any commercial dog food to clean teeth, although just like us a diet of carbs and sugar can promote bad dental health.

Frontier Pets have an interesting article here, and to directly quote from the section on “Cleaner teeth” about half way down – “The only thing that will clean your dog’s teeth, is a raw meaty bone. We recommend feeding your dog a bone once a week and leaving them to chew on it for no more than two days.”

I also find the Frontier Pets dried chicken necks pretty good for dogs to chew on, which would especially be the case for smaller dogs.

Yep, Arnhem are the Aussie distributor – good to hear there’ll be more in stock!

Hi Noel, feel free to add pictures of the plastic and mould if you can.

Hi Lani,

Puppy foods have stricter requirements to be complete and balanced. Or to look at it the other way, adult formulas require less nutrition. When a brand like ZIWI is suitable for all ages (known as all life stages) it meets those stricter requirements. Actually brands like ZIWI go way above what those minimum requirements are, which is why you can feed from such a young age.

The FDA investigation you mentioned was subsequently dropped due to lack of evidence. Unfortunately due to the FDA naming specific brands without evidence, it severely damaged those companies and you still see “grain free causes heart disease” all over the Internet to this day, even though it wasn’t backed by scientific evidence. Ironically the investigation was instigated by a certain Dr Lisa Freeman (on the payroll of big pet food manufacturers), and recently the brands that were damaged the most by the investigation have now been acquired by one of those big pet food manufacturers. Dubious, isn’t it!?

Congrats on your new pups!!!

Hi Bec, I think if you read some of the other comments you’ll find similar stories. I’ve found for many years Black Hawk products seem to cause gas and loose stools.

It may be worth letting the breeder know. It’s possible they have a deal with Black Hawk for cheaper food, but they could switch to another brand for future litters. Or you could point them in the direction of this review + comments.

Hi Lawrence, have you considered raw meaty bones, such as chicken necks, wings, or drumsticks? I find these a great natural solution for both dental health and also adding moisture to the diet. I often find UTIs common in cats fed a dry diet, especially dry diets made largely of carbs/starches. Ziwi peak has more moisture than a kibble but is still effectively a dried food, so I think anything you can do to increase moisture intake in your cats is good. Perhaps even a water fountain (tend to be a bit hit or miss with cats, but great if they entice them to drink).

I try to take brands based on a variety of factors – ingredients, composition as one, but also consumer feedback, recalls, and other factors. Taste of the Wild has surprisingly good consumer feedback considering how big the brand is globally. There are pros and cons to both small and large manufacturers.

Hi Joe, Petzyo use meats, not meat meals (which is my understanding at the time of writing)

Hi Gloria, here you go – https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/vetalogica-dog-food-review/

Hi Sylvia, thank you for your feedback, and I’m glad the reviews have helped.

I can put your mind at rest a little – it’s illegal to irradiate cat foods imported into Australia, so any main brand cat food should be safe in that respect (although being “healthy” is a different matter).

Hi Freya, I’ll try and review Pure Life for cats shortly. Although it’s good to hear your cats drink (as not many cats do!), it crossed my mind maybe the Black Hawk is the reason they have such a thirst?

I find when it comes to these bigger manufacturers they chop and change a great deal. If a brand isn’t successful they’ll usually retract it, then release an almost identical brand with different packaging as a replacement.

Hi Ally, that’s great to hear! Also great to hear the dog foods I recommend are making a difference!

Hi Sophie, thanks for adding the article, and I’ll correct the cited retailers as well.

I’ll also add the link to the survey as I always find this stuff interesting – https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0265662

I find the survey flawed on many counts, and note it’s a survey not controlled research. They’re important points The Guardian has neglected to mention (which is common with The Guardian!).

Personally I would say some vegan diets, even the kibble diets, are better than many “meat-based” kibbles, which is something which can also be deduced from the survey.

I note no brands have been mentioned, only the categorisation of “conventional meat based diets”. The sad reality is not many dry dog foods are meat-based, they’re almost all grain-based (or carbohydrate based).

A survey which spans only a year can suggest very little. I find with most conditions it can take many years for our resilient pets to even show symptoms. In fact, I would say a dog can be fed an unhealthy diet for as much as 7 years before showing any signs of sickness, such as from renal failure, heart disease, periodontal disease, diabetes and so forth. Or to look at it another way, a dog can be fed a diet of anything for a year, and any required vet visits can be completely multifactorial. The cause of the visit may have been diet-related from the current food, but also the previous food, or it could be viral (such as parvo) or environmental.

The survey found health issues were reported in the ratios of 49% for the conventional (poor quality kibble?) diet, 43% for the raw meat diet, and 36% for the vegan diet. They’re not very conclusive margins considering the lack of control of the survey.

The survey

Hi Katrina, thank you so much for the positive feedback – always appreciated!

Minced chicken frames can certainly be a cost effective way to bulk up a dog (or cat)’s diet, or even just regular chicken frames – the chewing is good for your dog’s teeth. You’re right to be concerned with feeding a high proportion though, as a balanced diet (such as raw) would require a range of nutrients from organ meats as well. Too much bone can be problematic, but only over a long period. But you’re also feeding quality protein as well.

Personally I buy some mince about once a week, which may last a day or two. It’s very cheap per kilo at my local butchers. I don’t feed it every day though.

There’s some great raw feeding groups on Facebook. Most will dictate specific ratios but I don’t tend to overthink it. We don’t eat our meals in fixed ratios!

Hi Joyce, if the previous food was wheat or cereal based then my money’s on that, but if diet is the cause then it can also be a specific meat protein or, like you say, a preservative, antioxidant, or other additive in the food you were feeding.

Try a different food, preferably without grains, for a couple of weeks and let me know how you get on!

Emilie I completely agree. Awareness is the key, and all we can do is try and spread knowledge where we can.

Hi Bruce, generally I try and use a bag within a month of opening. How long a dry food keeps for depends on a few things, such as how you store it and what the conditions are, but also how it’s been stored and transported since leaving the manufacturer.

Hi Vet, salt in most dry dog food formulations sits around the 1% mark. The position salt is on the ingredients list is more a matter of how many “main” ingredients there are. For example, a dog food might have main ingredients of “chicken, potato, chicken fat”, or a whole host of ingredients in lesser amounts.

Hi Julie, I feel Black Hawk seems fine for many, and it’s definitely better than many in terms of ingredients. However, more with the dog food, I find there are many negative consumer reports. It’s worth reading some of the comments on the Black Hawk dog food review – https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/black-hawk-dog-food-review/

Hi Jarod, LifeWise is certainly a good choice and perhaps worthy of being listed on this page…

Hi Amanda, I believe in raw feeding circles a recommended fat percentage is 10% to 20%, but there are other factors – namely moisture. Air and freeze dried foods have moisture mostly removed, so when you account for that (i.e. if you add moisture or your dog drinks water) then that effectively lowers the percentages of protein, fat, and also carbs (if any) of a food. Or to look at it the other way, prior to a dry food being dried the protein/fat/carbs etc would be less as a percentage.

So in short, don’t worry if your dog is otherwise healthy! If a dog is suffering a condition such as pancreatitis then it may pose an issue, but you always have to question what caused the condition in the first place.

[Tin Foil Hat]Another aspect is pet food marketing (and research conducted by pet food companies). It’s not in the interest of a kibble manufacturer to promote fats or (meat) proteins as key ingredients, as carbs (grains/non-grain alternatives) are cheaper and more profitable.[/Tin Foil Hat]

Hi Janice, it’s hard to say without knowing why Balanced Life made him worse – there may be many reasons for this which are worth considering. Firstly, if you weren’t feeding the Balanced Life for long it’s possible your dog has an intolerance, which can be more about the previous diet than the new one. Sometimes it takes a dog a bit of time to adjust, or sometimes it’s just not possible. If it’s an intolerance, it’s worth trying to figure out what – could be a specific meat protein like chicken. Other factors may also be at play, such as pancreatitis, so if that’s a possibility it might be worth checking with your vet to make sure. Orijen, like Balanced Life, is higher protein, higher fat, so you may find the same issues. Then again, maybe not! You could try a small bag and see how it goes, but if there look to be any problems let me know and perhaps we can figure out something else.

Hi Shan, this is something I’ve personally found to be the case over many years involvement in the pet food industry. If I had a dollar for every time I’ve recommended a dog be switched away from a wheat/cereal-based food with any food sensitivities clear up within a couple of weeks I’d be rich. Personally I’ve dealt with numerous dog owners who’ve found allergy or food sensitivity symptoms while feeding Supercoat.

Hi Annie, there’s a few decent raw cat foods available commercially as “BARF” patties. Big Dog (for cats), Proudi, Raw Meow and a few I’ve found reputable. I believe Frontier Pets will soon be releasing a “freeze dried” cat food which I’m sure will be excellent. You should find reviews of all of these (at least for the dog food varieties) on this site, and Big Dog and Proudi are available in most pet stores these days.

Hi Karen, just adding a link to your As Nature Intended group.

Hi Cassandra, the main reason is most people feed dry food. Usually when people buy a dog for the first time it’s dry food which is the go to choice.

Balanced raw takes a lot of understanding which the average consumer doesn’t have, but I hope with the reviews on this website they start pointing people in the right direction or at least plant a seed.

There’s a vast difference in quality with kibble, and I believe many dogs can benefit even if a slightly better kibble is fed. Hopefully these reviews deter people away from some of the worst kibbles in Australia, of which there are sadly many.

Hi Rocky, do you find it surprising Black Hawk claim to not be aware of similar complaints, yet the comments on this review (and other sites) seem to suggest this has been a common issue with Black Hawk products for numerous years!?

Hi Erika, generally I find senior brands have less meat and more carbs, which I don’t consider beneficial for a senior dog. Personally, if cost is an issue, at the very least I would add some fresh meats or offal to your dog’s diet as well.

Hi Roberta, garlic in dog foods is in small amounts which I don’t believe is causing the problems you have experienced while feeding Leaps & Bounds. In fact I find issues such as yours commonly reported on numerous brands made by the same manufacturer as Leaps & Bounds. I urge you to read these issues reported on Ivory Coat – https://www.apog.com.au/recall-issue-log/ivory-coat/ – and would also urge you to add a report to the Leaps & Bounds page here – https://www.apog.com.au/recall-issue-log/leaps-and-bounds/

Hi Bob, there’s info here – https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/about/

Hi Wayne, it depends on the knackery, but abattoir meat would be the safer option.

Hi Erin, I buy “pet mince” from my local butcher which is really good value for money. About $5 for a decent sized bag. It depends on the butcher, but it’s usually all the offcuts and can vary day to day. I also buy meaty bones which are also something I consider a good part of the diet.

However I wouldn’t feed butcher pet mince as a whole diet as it won’t contain all required nutrients which you would get from a raw diet (meat/offal/bones), or a formulated pet food with all vitamins and minerals included.

Hi Ebony, yes this is mostly appropriate for cats as well, it’s just when I wrote it I did it specifically for dog owners. With a cat the best thing to keep in mind is they’re an obligate carnivore, and should have a diet consisting of mostly “whole prey” ingredients – meat, organs, bones. If you read the ingredients of the Hill’s Prescription formula you’re currently feeding and ask yourself if it sounds appropriate for a carnivore then that’s a good starting point. There’s a review of Hill’s Prescription Diet which has some info as well.

Hi Jeanette, when it comes to supermarket dog foods Kirkland and Applaws are probably the top two. A variety is good, and even adding in other stuff like fresh mince or chicken necks etc from the supermarket + the odd can of tuna in spring water.

Hi Julie, that’s good to hear, and a clear sign to me the previous dog food was the cause of the ear infections. May I ask what brand it was?

Hi Rebecca, I find the standard range better for average healthy dogs. More protein, more fat, more meat content.

Hi Jordanna, you shouldn’t need a promo code, only this link which should automatically apply the offer. Let me know if it doesn’t!

Hi Lori,

An “All Life Stage” dog food meets the requirements for all ages, including the puppy phase, which I believe is the case for Lyka, Orijen, and ACANA formulas (ACANA have a puppy specific formula).

Because puppies need more nutrition when they’re growing they shouldn’t be fed an “Adult” formula, but an All Life Stage or Puppy formula should be fine. The only exception I would consider would be specific large breeds such as German Shepherds and Great Danes – in which case it can be worth looking into supplementing a dog food with foods or joint support tablets etc.

Hi Kathy, I need to write one, but for now I can refer you to the Absolute Holistic dog food review if it helps?

Hi Liz, the main page of the website is here – Eureka.co

Hi Tanya, thanks for your feedback, and I appreciate your points. I may add Applaws to the list as another option – good value for money and fairly easy to get hold of.

I just did a quick check and Canidae All Life Stages works out under $7 per kilo with the 20kg bag, and Healthy Everyday Pets approx $9.50 per kilo with the 24kg bag and Taste of the Wild still under $10/kilo.

Those prices are from Pet Circle who tend to be the most competitive, but it seems prices are going up with everything at the moment.

Hi Jana, have you heard of Eureka as an alternative without glycerin? It’s fairly new and works on a subscription model, but personally I would recommend over Absolute Holistic – https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/eureka-dog-food-review/

Hi Derik, this is what frustrates me so much about the veterinary industry. Personally I find most issues such as this caused by a particular brand of pet food, which means simply switching from the brand can show a complete turnaround in the health of the pet.

However, so many (and I’ve spoken to countless pet parents), end up forking out so much money on medications, treatments, and frustrating weeks pouring money down the drain because commercial dog food is almost never considered as a potential problem.

Thank you for taking the time to write the case study, and I hope it proves valuable to others – saving time, money, and offering a happier and healthier life for their pets!

Hi Laura, I thought I’d written an ACANA cat food review, but looks like I haven’t! I’ll write one soon, but for now will refer you to the dog food review – https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/acana-dog-food-review/

Hi Paula, I wouldn’t advise giving a dog biscuit to your cat. Cats have more stringent requirements for protein and fat as well as amino acids like taurine which are often added to cat foods. Over the long term it could cause health problems.

Hi Georgie, when it comes to eye problems in Pugs I must say I’m no expert, but personally I would consider foods such as eggs and organ meats a good option as they provide all manner of nutrients, amino acids, omegas, as well as proteins and fats. Perhaps a little oil added to the diet such as salmon oil. All these foods can be added alongside what you’re currently feeding (i.e. the dry, Prime 100, ZIWI etc), and should help the overall health of your Pugs.

ProPlan Sensitive Skin & Stomach works because it doesn’t contain problematic ingredients such as wheat/cereals or meat proteins such as chicken, beef, or lamb. Instead it contains fish, oats, sorghum etc. Your Pugs may have an intolerance to any of those problematic ingredients, and if one reacted to Frontier Pets then it’s possibly an issue with whichever meat protein was in that formula.

Clean water and chewing on bones may also help, the latter is a good way to prevent periodontal disease which not only affects teeth and gums but also organ health.

Hi Mark, I would strongly suggest switching away from Ivory Coat and let me know in a few weeks if the situation has improved. I would also recommend reading the comments on APOG and adding the information above as well.

Hi Crystal, many Australian vets these days see no issues with raw feeding as long as precautions are taken. After all it’s a far more naturally instinctive diet for both a dog and a cat (obligate carnivore).

From my perspective, I see a great deal of marketing and marketing-instigated “research” which aims to slur raw feeding over a commercial kibble. If you consider the process involved in creating kibble, such as at high temperatures which kill nutrients and enzymes, combined with ingredients which aren’t a great fit for carnivorous animals, then what we’re left with is a logical conclusion.

What would you consider a more appropriate diet for such animals?

That’s really interesting, and explains the difference in cost between brands and home brands of sardines.

Hi Michele, it could be your new pup has a slight intolerance to something in the food. As Meals for Mutts is hypoallergenic I rarely hear about problems such as this, but it could be there’s a slight intolerance to something in the food. It may also be something environmental or their immune system developing.

If it’s a food intolerance then your best way forward is to try a different food, or like your vet has suggested perhaps move away from dry altogether for a few weeks to see if it helps – some good “raw” food options here.

Hi Meredith, you could try returning them to wherever they were purchased?

Hi Nona, I’ve just passed on your comment to Eureka as I think you’re right – it would be useful for delivery and price info to be more readily available. As an air-dried food it works out similar to Ziwi Peak.

Hi David, this is only a review of Baxters. If Woolworths don’t have any in stock you would need to ask them (it’s a Woolworths home brand). Although it’s worth reading this review…

Hi Kate, that’s interesting to know about the Taste of the Wild. Certainly adding the Big Dog and Ziwi Peak should really add benefit. I’m not overly keen on the ingredients of Advance dog foods as they seem to favour grains over meat, but the BARF and Ziwi counteracts that a bit!

Hi Brenda, it’s a good point which I should add to the review. The rating isn’t overly high, and is fair considering the similarities with Meals for Mutts as well as the price point.

Hi Jill, generally dog foods have 1% salt, but there are other factors which can cause a dog to be thirsty. Do you usually feed Providore or is this a first time? I think your best bet is not to feed it for a few days to make sure your dog’s thirst returns to normal, then perhaps try it again. The if your dog becomes thirsty again (especially excessively) then perhaps return the bag? Eureka is a similar brand which is worth checking out, made in Australia.

Hi Stacey, the investigation into DCM was subsequently dropped due to inconclusive evidence.

Most grain-based pet foods are very significantly formulated with grain, often with very little meat. You don’t find dogs in the wild eating grains in any form except from the stomach contents of prey, so you can question that too.

Hi Maryann,

I would lean to “facultative carnivore” as a more correct term given the bias canines (from the Order Carnivora) have towards meat. Some grain-based foods on this website are rated highly, with the real emphasis on pet foods being meat-based rather than mostly grains or legumes.

You speak of heart problems from grain free foods, yet this stems from an FDA investigation which was dropped due to no conclusive evidence. Many of the dogs in the “study” were taurine deficient, which shortly afterwards was added as a requirement by AAFCO to all complete and balanced dog foods.

I see lack of meat and correct nutrition, and also lack of variety key issues in what you have mentioned.

On the subject of Advance, note the following –

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-12-13/pet-food-linked-to-megaesophagus-outbreak-in-dogs/10614742

That in itself caused more issues in Australia then any correlated to DCM.

I’m more than happy to discuss further if you wish – the purpose of this website is to help people and each other, so your opinion is welcome.

Hi Michelle, there’s a review of Hypro Premium here.

Hi Emma, apologies – I’ve now added a link at the top and a “Where to buy” section, and also worked out a $50 off coupon for first purchase!

Hi Sandra, wow they really do sound picky!

Orijen is a fantastic food even though it’s a kibble, so that’s good if your Cavoodles are eating it. Do they eat mince, such as raw beef mince in Coles or Woolies? I’ve found some dogs turn their nose up at BARF, but will readily eat raw – i.e. raw meat, organs, bones etc.

Hi Deb, Big Dog Little Bites are really good in terms of nutrition. I think they’re only available in the small bags for now, but would be good to see them in larger bags which would be more cost-effective. If that happens I’ll definitely add an in-depth review.

Hi Emmie, thank you very much for your feedback – it’s very appreciated, and it helps me feel my time is well spent!

You make a very good point – people spend thousands these days on pedigrees then feed them whatever is the cheapest kibble they can find. I’ve found many consumers simply believe a dog food is safe because it “wouldn’t be sold otherwise”, and healthy because the marketing says so, but that’s so far from true as far as I’m concerned. But sadly beyond that, not many people consider what they’re actually feeding or whether it’s appropriate. A veterinarian friend of mine refers to this as people buying “furry toys”, when the reality is they’re not toys, they’re [carnivorous] animals.

Hi Maryann, I appreciate your comment, and fully understand the difficulties with dogs who suffer food sensitivities and allergies – very prevalent with staffies.

Can I ask if it was only dry foods you tried? Did you try natural or raw with meats? All dry foods contain other possible triggers such as cereal grains, preservatives, and so forth.

Hi Susana, could you add this information here please – https://www.apog.com.au/recall-issue-log/smitten-woolworths/

Thank you!

Hi J, I need to update the article to include Raw and Fresh as they seem a popular brand. At the time I wrote the article I had little experience with them.

Hi Robyn, feeding guidelines are loose at the best of times, and it depends on so many factors. So the best advice is feed them as much as you think they need, and they’ll probably let you know if they’re hungry. Or if they gain weight you can cut back. I usually find more protein (from animal ingredients) in the diet satiate your dog much more than high carb foods.

Hi Jack, this seems so common with Black Hawk. It’s worth you adding this info here – https://www.apog.com.au/recall-issue-log/black-hawk/

For most people on a budget (which really is most people!) it’s worth adding some of these top end foods as part of the diet, even if it’s a bowl every other day or every few days. Adding variety to a dog’s diet I always consider a good thing, as otherwise you’re relying on a single food to be “perfect”.

Hi Lizzie, by the sounds of it your dog is reacting to something in the Cherish – especially considering the rash cleared up after you stopped feeding the food. Given the ingredients it’s possibly a chicken intolerance, but monitor it as you try different foods as it’s worth finding the root cause.

Hi Jordan, can you log the issue with the mould here please?

Hi Grace, it’s a very good question and I’ll do my best to answer…

Have a read of the ingredients for Hill’s Science Diet Adult (I just cherry picked this, but same principle will apply to other brands).

Skip past the barley, wheat, corn, sorghum, corn gluten meal, soybeans, and brewers rice which make up most of the product – all of which you can argue aren’t great for an animal from the Order Carnivora.

All those smaller inclusions such as thiamine mononitrate, calcium pantothenate, riboflavin, biotin, taurine, plus other vitamins and minerals, a dog would normally source from organ meats – because they’re the richest source of those nutrients. Liver, kidney, heart, are prime examples, but also tissue, cartilage, bone, brains.

Dogs have complex nutritional needs which standards such as AAFCO attempt to address – i.e. they set a standard to ensure all required nutrients for a dog are provided in their entirety in that product. This is as they currently know and understand, but it’s worth considering taurine wasn’t a requirement until recently (since the DCM scare in fact – what you read all over the internet about grain free foods causing heart failure). Taurine is now a requirement.

With raw all these nutrients need to be catered for. If any aren’t then the dog can become deficient, which may take a long period of time.

With kibble, especially given most people only feed one product for the life of their dog, it puts complete reliance on that product being complete with all nutrients, in an absorbable form. To me that’s putting a great deal of trust in that product for those complex nutritional needs.

I hope that answers your question, although I’m not sure if your question suggests I’ve recommended simply feeding meat as a balanced diet, which is not how it should read!

Hi Michael, can you report the issue here please – https://www.apog.com.au/recall-issue-log/woolworths-baxters/

Thank you

Hi Kari, cooking reduces nutrients, and with meat meal there’s a two phase cooking process. All kibble is cooked at a high temperature so that’s a factor worth considering in general, and a very good reason why kibble shouldn’t be the whole diet of any dog (or cat). So hopefully that answers that part of the question? There are two products of creating meat meal – the dried meal used as a dense protein ingredient (as well as calcium etc from bone content), and the liquid broth usually listed as broth, natural flavour, fat, or something creative. Historically this was labelled digest until that got a bad name, so you don’t see that very often these days.

There are lots of other factors as well which are often an unknown but play a very significant part. Whether meat meal or “real” meat is used (real meat being the term used for fresh meat rather than meal), neither has any relation to the quality of the ingredients used in the first place. So “real chicken” isn’t necessarily the better inclusion, and in most kibble formulas results in a much more carbohydrate-dense product still marketed as “meat as first ingredient”.

There’s a great deal of ambiguity with by-products as well. Organs are rich in nutrients, but without any clarification a meat and meat by-products ingredients can be meat/organs/bone or perhaps nothing more than chicken carcass with breast meat and organs already removed (and sold as human grade products in the supermarkets).

If a dog food favours meat protein (from meal), fat, and other nutritious ingredients, compared to a “real” meat kibble which actually doesn’t have much meat in it being largely grain/carbohydrates/starches then the former is probably the better of the two for a dog.

As for Australian standards – they provide little clarity whatsoever, and in my opinion are written more for the benefit of a manufacturer hiding the truth than providing transparency to us as consumers.

Hi Lesh, I haven’t reviewed wet foods, but generally if a cat food is rated highly you’ll find the corresponding wet food of the same brand equally as good. In fact wet foods are better for cats due to the moisture content, so a cat’s diet should never be entirely dry food.

Hi Sue, neither “meat” or “meat meal” reflect the quality of the ingredients, so when you see “meat” (or often “real meat”) it can be the same quality of ingredients as “meat meal”. If that makes sense?

Creating meat meal is a process which cooks the ingredients to create a protein powder. The broth cooked off is what’s often used as fat, which can be listed as fat, digest, flavour etc. So even a dog food with “real meat” can have other ingredients from meat rendering (creating meat meal).

The real concern is quality of ingredients, which is often unknown. By-products are fine for a dog – good in fact – but there’s such a variation in quality of ingredients.

Because of that, I rely on consumer feedback, of which Stay Loyal has been really good for years. Other brands, including many made with “real meat”, have much worse consumer feedback.

Petbarn aren’t the manufacturer.

Hi Kate, it doesn’t seem to be available at the moment so it’s possibly being phased out?

Hi Jules, thanks for the comment. I’ve just done some digging and it seems there are some negative reviews about Clear Dog treats, seemingly more since I wrote the review last year. I’m looking into it. In the interim I’ve added a comment at the top of the page and dropped the rating.

Thanks for the feedback Dave, that’s interesting – and appreciated.

Hi Avi, there’s a guide to puppy foods here – https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/best-puppy-food-australia/

It’s worth reading the Black Hawk reviews (and comments) and also Optimum to give you some idea of those brands.

Hi Jill, I think the most important point of consideration is brown rice, fermented rice, and molasses are found in a very small amount (as is everything listed after sea salt in Open Paddock). Most ingredients have some kind of benefit in moderation, if not cost saving, as do rice, fermented rice, and molasses. Molasses can be a source of vitamin B6, magnesium, calcium, potassium, and phosphorous. Fermented rice may have a perceived benefit for gut health. Brown rice is a source of vitamins D and B as well as fiber. Quality of such ingredients or why they’re included is often open to speculation, but given the moderation in Open Paddock I personally see no issues here.

Frontier Pets is a great dog food. I’ve fed it to my dogs and they’ve done really well on it, and they never leave it in the bowl for more than a few seconds unlike kibble. They’re actually over in Evans Head in NSW – I went to visit them last year and it’s a beautiful place.

Thanks Karen, very good point and I’ve added this to the article (most articles on this website are always a work in progress!)

Hi Mendy, it seems to be in stock at Pet Circle. Otherwise Taste of the Wild PREY is a very similar alternative to Canidae Pure.

Hi Ron, here you go – https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/best-dog-food-australia/

Great feedback Rosie, thanks!

Thanks Paul, I’ve fixed the link!

Hi Claire, can you add this information to the APOG website for Ivory Coat please? Thanks – https://www.apog.com.au/recall-issue-log/ivory-coat/

Hi Amanda, it’s worth adding this info to the APOG site if you can – https://www.apog.com.au/recall-issue-log/black-hawk/

Thanks Mitch, I wasn’t aware of that. Question is – are the Costco patties listed as human grade? Other BARF brands in Australian have a human grade variety, and pet grade spinoffs.

Hi Cheyenne, I believe the Healthy Everyday Pets cat food formulas are all “Adult”?

Most decent pet foods are available at Pet Circle, and I know they tend to stock foods rated highly on this website – they’re proactive in that sense. Not all foods on the best rated list are available at Pet Circle, as many like Frontier Pets, Lyka, Stay Loyal etc are available direct from the manufacturers (which cuts out the retailer as the middle man).

Hi Jessica, my memory recalls an average sized dog (like a Labrador) would need to consume around 70 cloves of garlic to suffer any ill effects. I read the research many years ago, yet since then the “garlic is harmful to dogs” thing has propagated across the entire Internet! When you see garlic included in pet foods it’s always in a small amount, and can be considered beneficial.

Hi Gail, which consumer reviews were they, what did they say?

Thanks for the feedback Libby and I’m glad I’ve always replied – I’m actually terrible at replying to people!!