Further on vegan dog food, Natural Balance

[Guest guest]

Hi Kristen & List,

 

My dogs were on vegetarian Natural Balance for the first few months I was a vegan six years ago. It's a fine dogfood, and the dogs were healthy and happy, but I struggled with the fact that the profits are going to a company who sells mostly meat-flavored dogfood. On the one hand, by buying the veg dogfood you are communicating to the Natural Balance company that veg food is profitable for them, but on the other hand, V-Dogfood sells only vegan dogfood and they use the word VEGAN in their marketing, so I know they "get it."

 

Best wishes, Bonnie Knight, San Francisco

 

In a message dated 4/24/2010 9:02:16 A.M. Pacific Daylight Time, kristen_johnson writes:

 

 

 

 

Thank you to everyone for all your responses!! I feel MUCH better about feeding my kids the vegan dog food.I did my research and I've been feeding them "Natural Balance" - it got good reviews from users, seems to have the important nutrients, it's certified by the same society that certifies the other dog foods (of course, not that that's worth much), and most importantly - my dogs LOVE it!!I do get a lot of flack from people, but the honest truth is that I get a lot of flack from a lot of people anyway!! People just want to bury their heads in the sand, eat their dead animals, and tell me, repeatedly, "I don't want to know." Pathetic. It doesn't make any sense! It is easier to live in the bay area, but let's just say I'm not from around here.....my family is elsewhere and loves to butt in with their WRONG opinions. :-)Anyway, I do truly feel that if I'm going to invite an animal into my home, I'm not going to then feed it other animals that weren't so lucky!! It's so reassuring to know that others feel the same way, and have had animals fed this way for a long time and that they're happy and healthy!!Has anyone else tried the Natural Balance food? I'm also feeding them vegetarian dog-treats - I haven't found a vegan version yet. Anyway - I really appreciate all the comments, and I'd love to hear more, if anyone would like to say anything else.Warm regards,Kristen--- On Fri, 4/23/10, S Moreno <smoreno109 wrote:

S Moreno <smoreno109Re: Vegan dog food?"Kristen Johnson" <kristen_johnson, "Bonnie Knight" <BonbonsfCc: Friday, April 23, 2010, 10:00 PM

 

 

 

 

 

The last time I reseached, all the vegan dog food on the market is made with NON organic gmo soy.

I think it was V-dog I contacted, and asked if they would put an organic version on the market, (I would have sold a kidney to no longer have to make my dog's food!!!) but you can guess in this econonomy what the answer was.

 

I make my dogs's food. It's a damn pain in the ass, but they eat ORGANIC ingredients from a recipe I got from a a wholistic vet as SF VETspecialist. Dr Carlo Vitale is my doggie-soulmate. My little Gizmo bear had (and sadly still sometimes has) the WORST allergies. He provided the meds, and a female dr there gave me the recipe for the homemade anti allergy food. WHEN I follow my dog's diet to the T, he has 98% NO allergies. Still gotta give him a bath in some stinky stuff once a weekk but no biggie.

 

I DO make his dog food with lamb or tuna. VERY easily substitted with Living Harvest Hemp (better than the one that comes in the black plastic, less toxic leakage for whatever reason) and an organic tofu mixeed with lentils and other high protein foods.

 

Do your research. Figure out what amino acids add up to what. ASK the lady at Vitale's office to figure it out for you!!! Damn an office visit there is probley around the price of ??? haha just kidding but not! They are worth EVERY DAMN SACRED penny. It's VERY seldom I don't feel "buyers remorse" when I part with money. But never after spending time with Dr Vitale or his office did I feel like I wasn't not only given what I needed but a gift to keep my only little loved gift in this world happier and more comfortable.

 

500mg (for a little dog) of taurine for heart function and added calcium. is also esscential.

I do NOT all allow meat in my home, unless is is my my babies. I am vegan, except since I moved to Las Vegas (living hell on earth) I cheat with cheese now out of weakness.

And beer lol!!

 

My little Gizmo bear IS 18 YEARS OLD. and still happy, playing with his toys.

 

I no longer live in SF (sadly)

but IF you do and you can afford an animal SF VEt specialist is the way to go

play with the recipes. It's all just nutrition just like you and I need, only midified amounts of protein, cal/phos and the extra taurine.

BUT it's a 2 day process to cook and mash all the stuff together- and freeze and blah blah blah

OBVIOUSLY they are my only children, and I don't have much else goin on lol!!!

 

Dr. Vitale (and the female dr I forgot your name- whoever gave me the recipe) I LOVE YOU!!!!!!!

Dr. Carlo Vitale I LOVE YOU!!!!!!

 

Good luck to all of you-

 

S

 

PS If your dog has allergies in Las Vegas, Dr Trimmer is excellant as well.

Don't waste your time or money going anywhere else in SF or vegas OTHER than these 2 ppl. Dr. Vitale and Dr Trimmer KNOW how to treat allergies and then will fix your animal right the first time around.

 

Also, the holistic female in Vitales office is the one with the recipe. She's good too, but if your dogs needs meds to clear the infection, see Vitale first then the female.

 

Buying Vdog (unless I'm wrong) is supporting the non organic tofu growers than spew the earth with chemicals and support monsanto and everything evil and wrong. What is the toxic residue in the tofu products your dog is eating. Is is isolate taken out with hexene??? I don't even know.

 

NOT here to start an argument or debate with ANYONE. This is JUST my 2 cents- and if V dog or ANYONE made an ORGANIC vegan alternative I'd be the first in line to sell a kidney to buy it.

 

PS you want a GREAT organic dog cookie for breath?

8 bucks a bag (good thing I have 2 kidneys) haha in sf god only knows what it would cost buy maybe you can order off theri website

ALASKAS

100% organic

I get the peanut butter flavor bc there is nothing to make gizmo allergic in that flavor.

 

My dogs ge half a cookie each after each meal to clean their teeth. A whole cookie would mean I'd need a 3rd kidney lol

 

They are here out of Las Vegas and only sold at Whole Paycheck.

 

www.alaskasbakery.com

 

I've never even visited their website but heck, maybe with enough support THEY will make an organic vegan dog food!!!

 

 

Seriously, good luck to eveyone!!

S

 

 

 

 

--- On Sat, 4/24/10, Bonnie Knight <Bonbonsf wrote:

Bonnie Knight <BonbonsfRe: Vegan dog food?"Kristen Johnson" <kristen_johnsonCc: Saturday, April 24, 2010, 3:58 AM

6 years on V-Dog (vegan, dry) and Avoderm canned vegetarian (vegan, wet) and the dogs are thriving.Bonnie Knight, San FranciscoSent from my iPhoneOn Apr 23, 2010, at 10:07 AM, Kristen Johnson <kristen_johnson@ > wrote:> Hi everyone:>> I've been a vegan for many years, but I recently switched my dogs to > a vegan dog food and they LOVE it. However, I'm getting the usual > negativity from family who think I'm nuts......:- ) I'm just > wondering if there is anyone out there who has had their pets on > vegan or vegetarian food for a long period of time, and the results?>> Thank you very much,>> Kristen Johnson> kristen_johnson@ >>>>>> ------------ --------- --------- ------>> ............ ......... ......... ......... ......... .........> ............ ......... ......... ......... ......... .........> : BAY AREA VEGETARIANS BayAreaVeg.org :> : Charter/Post Guidelines http://bayareaveg. org/charter :> : Events Calendar - http://bayareaveg. org/events :> : Newsletter - http://bayareaveg. org/news :> : Ultimate Guide - http://bayareaveg. org/ug :> : Veg Food Finder - http://bayareaveg. org/finder :> : Volunteer - http://bayareaveg. org/volunteer. htm :> ............ ......... ......... ......... ......... .........> ............ ......... ......... ......... ......... ......... > Groups Links>>>