Anyone know any?

Remy's thyroid results have just come back normal, which is a big surprise (genuinely expecting seriously low - he shows several strong hypothyroid symptoms).  I've been advised to try foods without wheat, dairy, corn/maize and soya to see if it's a food intolerance.  It may well be - I think the last time he had a maize-free food was when he was on Burns (about 2 years ago), and the laziness (the main worry/symptom) has really worsened since then.

Of course he may just be a rediculously lazy dog - but considering he's getting nil exercise at the mo (trying to sort a chronic limp), he should be more energetic than the odd play bow when one of the others runs by him!

Trouble is, I'm not exactly rich, so I need to find a food that fits the bill but that isn't stupidly expensive.  At the mo he's on Autarky at a little over £15 for 15kgs - that's the sort of price that would suit if it's at all doable!  Obviously if it transpires that an expensive food is the only option (and assuming that I can't give him a home prepared diet cheaper..), then I'll give him it, but I want to check all the options first.

I'm going to peruse pets at home tomorrow, but my choices there are limited - I'm also trying to avoid foods with additives and chemical perservatives, as I don't like giving them to my dogs.

wafcol samon and potato i think is minus all those and is available from pets at home

ingredients:
salmon (25%), potato (20%), potato starch, lupin, linseed, rapeseed oil, seaweed meal, vitamins and minerals

james wellbeloved lamb and vegetables variety:

INGREDIENTS: Lamb meat meal, pea starch, potato flakes, tomato pomace, lamb fat, whole linseed, lamb gravy, peas, sugar beet pulp, pea protein, alfalfa, carrot, natural seaweed, chicory pulp, sodium chloride, calcium carbonate, D,L-methionine, lysine hydrochloride, threonine, zinc methionate.

CONTAINS: Min. 26% lamb, min. 26% vegetables

I'm not rich either - far from it - but I couldn't skimp on my dog's diet.   I have just started my 3 of Franks Pro Gold and I noticed they have a Sensitive product too which doesn't contain any of the ingredients you're trying to eradicate.   They are VERY helpful when you phone.

Have you thought of Raw feeding. I've been using it for 25yrs with no bad effects, only good. If you don't fancy the preperation and messing, you can always use the wholesellers who will supply 1lb blocks to your door, that you can use like cans. I have a dedicated freezer for mine and I order about £50.00 at a time which lasts 2 dogs for months, not weeks as with kibble.

I think Kelp and spinnach are supposed to help an under active thyroid !

His isn't underactive, it's normal - that's the puzzle!  All the symptoms, but it's not the cause.

Thanks for the suggestions guys - I'll check those brands today.  I have thought about raw, and I've got no problem with the squishy stuff - I've a taste for liver myself :D - but I'd need to do a lot more research, and in the near future time may be a factor as well (am applying for full time jobs today).  But I will look into it.

I don't want to skimp on his diet at all - but I'd still prefer to look for something of a sensible price!  The Autarky he's on now - and the Pero my girls are on - are both excellent foods IMO and a fantastic price, I'd never feed a cheapo food if it wasn't up to scratch.  The Pero and Autarky were both chosen as although they're cheap, neither has sugars or additives in them.

Hi ho, off to the shops I go!

Have a look at the Skinners dog food site. They have a Duck & Rice and  a Salmon & Rice which is supposed to be comparable with James Wellbeloved.  I still prefer to feed James Wellbeloved but the Skinners is a heck of a lot cheaper.  They use oats rather than wheat etc.

Hi Nikita

Yes I noticed you said his thyroid test had come back normal but you also mentioned he was showing symptoms of an under active thyroid.

I know a normal result at the lower end of normal can cause the symptoms, that's why I mentioned kelp.

Maria :)

okay, sorry - thought maybe I'd mis-typed!  Thanks for the tips then.

Looks like I'm going with the salmon & potato wafcol - the skinners sensitive looks good but it doesn't look like there's anywhere near me that sells it, and in any case the wafcol is only a quid more - plus I know it's always in stock at Pets at Home (am dreadful for remembering to order things in time :rolleyes:).

So I'll see how he does on that, hopefully it'll help.  My vet rang yesterday to say they'd received the thyroid results - she suggested his hair loss might be CDA, as I put most of it down to, with luck the more recent loss will improve with his diet.  Fingers crossed.  In the meantime, the vet has suggested doing a biopsy to confirm or rule out CDA, I'll get that done ASAP.  She also mentioned that they carry hypoallergenic diets if I want to try them, but I'll try the Wafcol first.

I've got to say, I really am very impressed with her - after all the faff at my last vet (basically having to suggest anything myself - possible causes included - to get anywhere), this vet has excelled herself!  Yesterday I was further impressed by another vet when I went in with a rat, but that's another story :D So glad I registered with them!

One of our dogs is on wafcol salmon and potatoe and he is thirving on it :)  He had bad skin which included lots of scabs all over his body and he chewed off the hair on his joints.

After afew creams etc one vet suggested changing his diet, what he was on had suited him for a long time (no-one shoot me but it was pedigree) untill we relised his skin got worse after the "new and improved recipe" The vet suggested salmon and potato (wafcol) so went out and brought a bag from PAH and since then his been fine on it! :D

I don't know what you 'do' with your dogs, but most dog food companies have a 'breeder' or 'show' or 'working' system where people who join their club can buy their foods at a discounted price. Means you have to buy from 2 to a few at a time, but that may help out? Depending on your circumstances of course, :)

Because I feed raw I can't really comment but still suggest it:  Bozita.  It's a Swedish canned dog food which consists of pure meat.