VanCamp, I'm not positive about this, but I think BilJack contains animal fat or byproducts or something that I objected to when I was doing my dog food research. I could be wrong.

Anyway, I feed Solid Gold Millennia. My dogs do well on it; they are in good health, with nice, full, healthy coats. To supplement the kibble, I do give them beef shank bones to chew, and they get fruits and veggies occasionally, as well as apple cider vinegar, small amounts of plain yogurt with acidophilus, tuna fish, and/or raw organ meats (chicken hearts or livers). My Lab is on Osteo Biflex (Glucosamine and Chondroitin). Just because I feed them kibble, does not mean that they don't get a variety of fresh, whole foods in their diet as well, when I am able to do so. When we run out of kibble and can't get to the store to get more, I open up a couple of cans of tuna or salmon, or pull out the leftover chicken from last night's dinner, mix it with some baby carrots, apples, or canned green beans (no salt) and some apple cider vinegar, and feed them that. When I buy cut up fryers, the dogs get the neck, back, and giblets, all raw.

I just could not keep up with a BARF diet (I fed them BARF for about six months) due to family situations beyond my control that interfered with my ability to purchase, store, and prepare a BARF diet.

Bil Jac Select Dog Food:

Fresh Chicken By-Products (Organ Meat Only), Fresh Chicken, Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, Dried Beet Pulp (sugar removed), Fresh Chicken Liver, Brewers Dried Yeast, Cane Molasses, Eggs, Salt, Sodium Propionate (a preservative), DL-Methionine, L-Lysine, Vitamin A Acetate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Riboflavin Supplement, Niacin, Biotin, Choline Chloride, Folic Acid, Thiamine Mononitrate, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Menaione, sodium Bisulfate Complex, (source of Vitamin K), D-Calcium Pantothenate, Manganous Oxide, Inositol, BHA (a preservative), Iron Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Cobalt Carbonate, Potassium Iodine, Sodium Selenite.

Protein, not less than 27%
Fat, not less than 18%
Crude Fiber, not more than 4%
Moisture, not more than 10%

This certainly hit a nerve. Namely, mine. I apologize for going off half cocked, folks. I'm really just pissed at myself. Cat's been licking herself raw lately...::shudder::. The guilt! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

And since she, in fact, only eats the damn stuff (sorry sorry) do these quality brands make a kitty version? I'll just leave it at that. ::tip-toeing backwards out of the room::

Kurz-yes, most of the brands, (if not all) do carry a cat kibble as well. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> If your cat has skin issues, I'd try and veer away from anything w/ the Brewers Yeast in it.

No thanks to the Bil & Jac kibble... <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

Here are a few sites...

Whole Dog Journal top dog foods list:
http://members.aol.com/smplyschnz/nutrition/wdjtopten.html

Dick Van Patten/Natural Balance:
http://www.naturalbalanceinc.com/products/PandD.html

Royal Canin:

http://www.naturalblend.com/products.htm

Royal Canin Natural Blen Holistic Dog Food
Ingredients
Chicken Meal, Brown Rice, Chicken, Oatmeal, brewers rice, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), Dried Tomato Pomace, Natural Flavors, flax, Fish Meal, brewers dried yeast, Dried Egg Product, Canola Oil, Potassium Chloride, salt, Extract of chicory, Apples, Blueberries, Spinach, Dried Cheese, Sweet Potatoes, Dried Kelp, Dehydrated Alfalfa Meal, Yucca Schidigera extract, Cloves, Parsley, Calendula, Dandelion, Basil, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Extract of Rosemary, Manganous Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Vitamin A Acetate, Tuna Oil, Sage, Niacin Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Sodium Selenite, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Riboflavin Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Thiamine Mononitrate, Biotin, dried Lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus plantarum fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus casei fermentation product, dried Lactobacillus lactis fermentation product, dried Bifidobacterium bifidum fermentation product, dried Enterococcus diacetylactis fermentation product, Folic Acid.

Kurzeharre,
I have cats too and went through a bout with my 12 year old DSH - he was literally going bald and licking constantly. We never found out what triggered it but the vet gave him an allergy shot which at least calmed down the itching - and let the hair grow back.

I am guessing you have already been to the vet though and know it is the food?

Wellness and Nutro both make products for cats with human grade ingredients. My current cat is 7 years old and loves the salmon flavor Nutro ..... however she is very healthy otherwise and has never had any problems so ..... LOL!

Amen, Kitty! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif" alt="" />

On the BilJac, it's the chemical preservatives and the corn that I would stay away from. Since folks are posting dog food ingredients:

Solid Gold Millennia (this is their beef formula; they also make a chicken formula, and, I believe, a Lamb formula):

Beef meal, ground barley, ground brown rice, manhaden fish meal, flax seed oil, salmon oil, rice bran oil, garlic, parsley, thyme, dried seaweed meal, cranberry meal, dried sweet potatoes, dried apples, dried carrots, taurine, carotene, choline choride, calcium carbonate, vitamin e supplement, iron proteinate, vitamin A supplement, zinc proteinate, nicain supplement, folic acid, thamine, pyridoxine hydrochloride, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, ethylenediamine dihydrochloride (source of iodine), natural flavors added.

For me, after doing all kinds of research, driving all over town and reading dog food bags, it came down to either Innova or Solid Gold, as they are both available in my neighborhood, and are both in my price range. I went with the Solid Gold because it is about 6 blocks closer, and costs less per pound.

On the cat food, we feed our cats Nutro Natural Choice. We just recently started switching them over to the weight control formula, as one of them is a big pig and becoming quite obese (the other two aren't obese, but it wouldn't hurt them to lose a pound or two). Innova, Solid Gold, Wysong, etc. all make cat formulas. Often, when I'm feeding the dogs something really good, they ACT really interested in what the dogs are eating. But when I try to feed something fresh to the cats, they turn their little feline noses up at it, so I just stick with the kibble. Cats are so much pickier than dogs.

My kitties are pretty fussy too - they rotate between Felidae (kitty version of Canidae), Wellness and Eagle Holistic Select, all good quality foods. (The BHA in Bil Jac would be enough to steer me away.) The doctors and vets I know all are very interested in nutrition, I think it must vary by location.