[Dailydrool] Potential Ear Problems - Benefel

[Lynn Lyle]

Happy Monday to All:
I'm a lurker with 2 girly bassets, 1 terrier guy and 20 cats (don't ask). In an effort to mitigate some of my pet food costs I spend weekends demonstrating a premium pet food at Petsmart, Petco and Pet Extreme.  You may want to try switching from Beneful to a something like Nutro Max or  Natural Balance.  Beneful's #1 ingredient is Ground Yellow Corn followed by Chicken By-Product Meal, which, according to AAFCO regulations contains heads, feet and intestines (it's not that these ingredients are bad, it's just the quality control aspect, is it 10% heads, feet and intestines or 90%)?.  Beneful also contains soy, sugar and colors - all of which can cause itching and meat and bone meal is a very low quality product.
Call around for prices, at one of the stores Beneful is actually more expensive (by $.10/lb) than Nutro Max and, since there is no ground yellow corn there's about 48% less yard clean-up (dependent of course on how much wet food and treats are consumed).  I've never fed Natural Balance but the ingredients look good, just watch the Limited Ingredient formulas, most have either Peas or Sweet Potatoes as the No. 1 ingredient. 
As for the Fiber-One cereal - does anyone have a problem with the Aspartame?  After reading some articles I've cut the Aspartame (good-bye Diet Pepsi) out of my diet.
Lynn
with Violet, Nellie, Sparky and their kitty friends and good 'ole Alex (ATB)Message: 15
Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 22:52:52 -0500
From: Ruth Beattie <ruthie4042 at gmail.com>
To: dailydrool at dailydrool.org
Subject: [Dailydrool] Potential Ear Problems
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<ec07117e1001311952j5ac51cf7s6c9fda53d22e0907 at mail.gmail.com>
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Well, Ms. Beasley started to shake her head and scratch her right ear
Thursday night.  Along with that she was licking her nebberminds and when
she stood up, there was blood on the floor where her butt was.  I
immediately went in panic mode as she was shaking, rather listless and
pulling away from me when I would try to check her.  I called her vet and
she told me to give her a tramadol, watch her when she goes outside and that
she would be over to see Ms. Beasley in the AM.   I gave her the pain meds
and she fell asleep (on my pillow, of course).  The next day Doc got here
and started the exam, she told me that Beasley has the start of an ear
infection in the right ear...OH GREAT...not this...not the GOOD ear!  Also,
she has infected anal glands.  So she's on Cipro, Tramadol and an ear
cleaner.  Doc's going to check her in two weeks.  I told doc that Beasley's
been scratching more lately and her skin on her belly looks pinkish.  Vet
asked what food I feed her and I said Beneful-Healthy Radiance and then the
vet said, "Oh that food has a high fat content." I didn't know that, Ms
Beasley weighs 53.5lbs and that is not fat for her frame.  Has anyone else
heard of this high fat content in Beneful?   The doc suggested I give her a
food with no grains or corn, well finding a good dog food on a limited
budget is hard.  If you can spare any "Go Away Ear Infection" drool for my
Ms. Beasley, we certainly will appreciate it.
Snooters,
Ruthie Beattie &
Ms. Beasley Ann BABES Royal Caregiver
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