Hi all,
I'm not ready to go back to a raw diet again, and choose kibble for the convenience. However, I'm not convinced that my Lab's oozy eyes and stinky ears are a result of atopic allergies (my vet seems to think he's allergic to pollen or dust). I'm wondering if it might have something to do with his food. Right now, he is on Solid Gold Millennia, which I supplement occasionally with a variety of fresh, whole foods, just because he likes them. He's been on chicken based food, lamb based food, and now, beef based, all with the same symptoms, so I don't think it's the meat that is responsible. I have read that grains can be the cause of such symptoms. Is this true, and if so, where the heck do I find a grain free kibble????????? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />

What grains were in the foods you used? Did he have troubles on raw as well?

The Solid Gold contains ground barley and ground brown rice. He's been on Nutro Natural Choice, NNC Lamb and Rice. He wasn't on BARF long enough (only about 6 months) to see a huge difference, and even then, I did feed pasta and oatmeal occasionally.

You could try something without rice, or barley, like:

Natural Balance Potato & Duck Formula
"Some dogs may be highly sensitive to commonly used proteins, carbohydrates and food additives in their diet. Allergic reactions can lead to irritable bowel, upset stomach, and a number of skin problems. Natural Balance® has created their new "Potato and Duck" formula for dogs with these food allergies. "Potato and Duck" formula combines a single source of animal protein that most dogs have not been exposed to, and a single source of carbohydrate not commonly found in dog foods, along with effective natural ingredients to help rebuild the dog's immune system."

Potatoes, Duck, Duck Meal, Canola Oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Potato Fiber, DL-methionine, L-Lysine, Sodium Chloride, Salmon Oil, Flaxseed Oil, Rosemary Extract, Natural Flavor, Yucca Schidigera Extract, Potassium Chloride, Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Potassium Iodide, Thiamine Mononitrate, Manganese Proteinate, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Calcium Pantothenate, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (Vitamin B-6), Vitamin B-12 Supplement, Menadione Sodium Bisulfate Complex (source of vitamin K activity), Riboflavin, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid.

Wysong Archetype and other packaged raw diets are outrageously priced. Azmira has a food with oatmeal, barley and sorghum - no rice.

I think Wellness has a fish and potatoe or sweet potatoe formula - my girlfriend had her allergic dog on it and it seemed to work well for her.

The Wellness has ground barley and rye flour... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

The Natural Balance Duck and Potato formula looks promising, and there is a retailer in my area that carries it. I'm just wondering if potato starch is a health concern? Potatoes are the first ingredient listed, followed by duck, duck meal, and potato fiber.

It seems that if I want a grain free food, I either have to buy prepackaged BARF at outrageous prices, or go back to making my own..... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Maybe I'll check out the NB Potato and Duck formula.....aarrrgh! I'm just not set up to feed raw right now......

Well, never mind. I'm going back to BARF. Sigh. Guess we'll have to look into getting a freezer.

I did it!
Here is how I made veggie patties:
I chopped up a bunch of veggies that we already had, carrots, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, and squash, in a food chopper, adding flax oil, apple cider vinegar, and chicken hearts for better chopping. Then I mixed in a couple of raw eggs, and made patties on a cookie sheet, and put them in the freezer.
My plan is to put 1/2 lb RMBs and one veggie patty in each container. I'll store them in the freezer until needed. The small, 30lb dog will get 1/2 portion twice daily, and the 80lb Lab will get one portion twice daily. I also supplement the Lab's diet with Osteo BiFlex.
Can anyone see any gaping holes? I don't have kelp or alfalfa at the moment, but I did add the flax oil, the chicken hearts, and the apple cider vinegar, which should cover the same bases as the alfalfa and kelp. Do I need to use kelp if I'm using ACV? Do I need to use alfalfa when I use organ meats? Also, I'm hesitant to add ester C, as I read that dogs produce their own vitamin C, so they don't really need the supplement.
Any other thoughts?

I've always read there's practically no such thing as too much C (particularly in times of stress). It binds and precipitates foreign chemical substances (and passes out in the urine as "ascorbigen"). It's also a vital component to collagen (the bodies concrete) with big time implications on skin and gum health, and just about everything else.

Administer to bowel tolerance.

That goes for humans, too.

Grain and starch free kibble can be found beside the bottled water from the fountain of youth in your local grocery store.

Auster has trouble with every grain but rice, and I still haven't found a kibble that she can eat regularly (haven't tried sensible choice or allergy kibbles yet). She does best with variety (in meat, veggies and grains) so I'm not sure she will ever be able to eat kibble. Not that I want to find a kibble to feed her, but I couldn't find one even if I wanted to.