Dog food review: Purina Pro Plan Small Breed Puppy vs Science Diet Small Breed Puppy

[@TheCardboardPizza]

Thank you for this! I have a 10lb chiweenie. He wouldn't eat Blue Buffalo, and Orijen gave him bad poops and upset stomach as a puppy. Once I got him on Hills Science Diet after researching the topic, the difference was night and day. So much better. Also got my mom's older dogs on HSD and they improved significantly in terms of coat, energy level and poos.

[@AnimalDocRea]

Nice!

[@deniseshephard3347]

I was the proud owner of a rescue chihuahua when he was diagnosed with severe Ibd and chronic pancreatitis the vet prescribed his id digestive care every day he also was on different medications

[@AnimalDocRea]

One if my favorite breeds. My childhood dog was a chi, lived to 16 yrs.

[@rigobertov4670]

We switched to purina pro plan and my dogs cant get enough of it they love it

[@AnimalDocRea]

great to hear

[@sheilaparsley9655]

I asked my vet about the hills science diet perfect digestion 7 + for my dog that survives parvo and he said dogs that survive parvo should always be on a digestive care dog food for the rest of there lives because the parvo really messes up there intestines so I'm glad I made the choice for the perfect digestion for seniors

[@melanierose9015]

How often does Hills, Purina and Royal Canin do feeding trials? Is it on going quality control?

[@AnimalDocRea]

It is ongoing quality control. As far as trialing, I believe that is specific to the formula and if they change the formula.

[@sheilaparsley9655]

Hills has a million checks a yr according to there plant in Kansas

[@khristvnx]

Any thoughts on blue buffalo life protection for small breads ?

[@justinhann3401]

We are currently feeding nutisource kibble but after watching your review of the food we would like to know what you feed your dog? Farmina? We have fed PPP and hills in the past but my mini schnauzer stopped eating them.

[@AnimalDocRea]

I don’t publicly provide information on my personal preferences as it may present the impression of being biased. In reality what I feed my pets should not affect what you choose as it depends on the individual needs of the patient and the pet parent. I review foods based on request, not on preference

[@hwc12345]

Is there a reason why the Purina Pro Plan Puppy Small Breed has higher protein levels (33%, 37% on dry matter basis) than the regular PPP puppy (28%, 31% on dry matter basis)? Do small breed puppies require more protein? I am considering feeding this to my small breed pup, but I am concerned about the 37% protein on a dry matter basis being higher above the AAFCO recommended range (the data was provided by Purina after I contacted them). Thoughts?

[@AnimalDocRea]

I’m not aware of a reason for that medically. Good catch.

[@TheThedlc19]

Thanks for sharing I been feeding my yorkie cesear didn’t know the harm i was doing to him with that junk

[@AnimalDocRea]

I’m glad your on the try right track now

[@Nisk66]

Hi Doc, Hey. After a month or so studying foods amd nutrition. I think I've narrowed it down to purina pro plan puppy and a farmina ND ancient grain. This is a for a brand new puppy we will be bringing home soon. A male Pudelpointer. The only thing tripping me up before purchasing either, is I don't know whether my puppy lands in small/regular or large breed puppy. The average weight is in a borderline range. 45-70lbs. Others say 46-67. Do you have any thought on which I should go with? The purina pro plan puppy versus large breed puppy varies so much as well as the guidelines you use for both sizes. Thanks for any help you can provide

[@AnimalDocRea]

Since it is so close to both ranges and not a GIANT breed I think you will be fine with either lifestage.

[@Nisk66]

Thanks so much. I will probably lean towards large breed as it seems like fewdinf a smaller breed witv large formula is better than feeding a large breed with small/regular formula ​@AnimalDocRea

[@AnimalDocRea]

I’d say I could agree with that

[@warrenhorowitz-vp6ul]

Can you please review Canadian Nutrience Infusion

[@maggiemoo578]

Ok so I’m having issues finding salmon puppy Food. Is salmon bad for puppies? I have a dachshund, 8wks old. I do not feed my 2yo weenies chicken and the salmon has helped their skin SO MUCH. Pup is on SD small paws puppy, and I do notice her scratching and I’m just like “is it the chicken ?!”.. should I swap to the Pro Plan puppy Lamb to get her off chicken ?

[@AnimalDocRea]

At 8 weeks you should ask your vet at the next puppy visit about itching, unlikely at this age to be food related. Also remember, no otc diet is likley to actually be devoid of chicken so these diets would not be suitable for food trial. Check out my Otc vs prescription diet for more on this. Thanks for the questions.

[@duffyscourt]

Ive started my little girl on this science diet kibble, is it ok to also give her a tiny bit of the science diet puppy wet food as well ?

[@AnimalDocRea]

Sure!

[@nicklunning3694]

Question, if you’re a vet why didn’t you go over the ingredients?

[@AnimalDocRea]

Nutrient profile must make sense before ingredients are considered.

[@huykicks3213]

Hi I have a 8 month old Shih tzu puppy he has a habit of eating his poop we changed his diet to a different brand but he still does it. I’m not sure if it’s a nutrition thing. What would you recommend?

[@AnimalDocRea]

Very good and common question. The answer is that no one really knows why they do it, but it’s not likely nutritional. It’s likely a behavioral bad habit. Obviously the first thing is to make sure with your veterinarian that there isn’t any medical reason for the behavior and if not start behavior modification. This is done by leash walking and not allowing them to do it at all. And picking up all feces from the yard. There are additives you can add to the diet ( forbid is an example) but I don’t think it helps.

[@iananderson7569]

Thanks for this great review Dr.Rea. I look forward to my new pups arrival soon.

[@AnimalDocRea]

Wonderful!

[@JeffErin]

Hi Dr.Rea, for a welsh corgi 7 months should I feed the small paw puppy or Puppy Small Bites?

[@AnimalDocRea]

Im not 100% sure but those sound like they may be the same thing

[@faithgrace4644]

I have a now 2 month old Chihuahua and possible jack russell mix puppy. I got her at 5 weeks and the owners started her on wet food. When can i switch her to dry food? Thank you for video's they are very helpful.

[@AnimalDocRea]

Plenty old enough for dry food

[@donald6845]

Thank you so much for your time knowledge educational I feel very blessed to find this channel🙏

[@AnimalDocRea]

You are very welcome

[@stephaniep7566]

My vet recommended Hills oral care for my Maltese mix. He would not eat the rx one, but he will eat the otc one. My question is the kibble size is huge. He only weighs 12lbs. He eats it but it looks like he has a hard time with it. Is it ok to mix the small breed kibble in with it?

[@AnimalDocRea]

I believe the oral care kibble is large to encourage chewing so mixing regular kibble may negate sone of those benefits

[@stephaniep7566]

@@AnimalDocRea ok, I was worried about that too. I just want to make sure he is eating enough. Thanks for answering.

[@linat70]

What about the corn ? I thought that was not the best for the dogs? My puppy was on this and was looking for something better Fromm or diamond naturals large breed for my American bully

[@AnimalDocRea]

Corn is not an issue as long as it makes sense in the overall garunteed analysis. Corn is used to provide essential nutrients such as fiber and carbohydrates, if you take out corn, you just have to add in something else. Companies in the USA ( or I should say foods made in the USA) tend to use corn because we have that readily available here in the states. Companies that use other sources of carbs alot of times use those becuase they are manufactured overseas where other sources of carbs are more readily available. It is the marketing that vilifies the corn, not the nutritional values. Also make sure your bully's ** ideal ** weight at maturity is at least 70lbs if you are feeding a large breed, I see that mistake alot too.

[@Tia-Izzy]

I have a 12 week toy puppy. I started her off with Blue Buffalo chicken and vegetable dinner. She does not like it. Any food recommendations for her?

[@AnimalDocRea]

Puppy Food kzbin.info/aero/PLpfecaMYsipLoBnSc0YJjNNMS-4wGkhxK

[@sheilaparsley9655]

Can you tell me of a puppy that survives parvo can have digestive issues for the rest of there lives because my Decker rat Terrier had parvo as a puppy and he's now 9 yrs old and has digestive issues so I'm curious if there's a connection

[@AnimalDocRea]

I think they can. Parvo blunts the intestinal villi so I think there can be permanent damage. I don’t know of any studies to prove it but it makes sense.

[@jessiebrown4062]

Are you ever concerned about the high carbohydrates percentages in hills products? I know some of there food goes as high as 54%

[@AnimalDocRea]

There is no official recommended amount of carbs established for dogs. Carbs are needed to provide a source of sugars for body and brain function or the body will result to gluconeogenesis and break down its proteins. With that, the acceptable typical range of carbohydrates is between 30-60% depending on the formulation and life stage.

[@jessiebrown4062]

@@AnimalDocRea Absolutely carbs are an essential macronutrient. I am just wondering if a dog is on a diet that is up to 60% carbs, will that not contribute to various health concerns e.g. obesity, diabetes, etc?

[@AnimalDocRea]

No we do not consider carbohydrates to be a concern for precipitating certain health conditions, hence they are not required to be included on the guaranteed analysis. In vet med, we only see insulin dependent diabetes which is akin to type 1 diabetes in humans. There is such thing as insulin resistance, but it is somewhat rare (only seen 1 case in my 15 years of practice). On occasion, some vets will switch these pets to a high fiber diet, but there is much debate on that topic. Now, there is a link between obesity and diabetes in cats and some cats can go into diabetic remission if properly regulated with insulin, but it doesn't have to do with the carbs in the diet, usually its just overfeeding any diet.

[@PlaneGeekTravels]

What would you recomment for a very picky puppy?

[@AnimalDocRea]

Picky in what way? How old, what breed?

[@PlaneGeekTravels]

@@AnimalDocRea He is a 6 month old cockapoo. I feed him with the purina pro plan puppy food but after few weeks he would just sniff it and will not eat. I often have to mix rice, shredded chicken and broth for him to eat. I wanted him to go back to the pure kibble diet. The 15 min rule does not work for him. If its pure kibble, he would simply not eat. I am thinking of trying to switch out his kibble to a tastier one to see if he eats it.

[@AnimalDocRea]

It can be hard sometimes to find the right one. Maybe try one in small bites as it may not be the flavor but the texture. I would 100% avoid adding human food to entice him because 1. it unbalances the diet 2. you will be stuck with doing that forever.

[@PlaneGeekTravels]

@@AnimalDocRea Ok. Thank you for the advise. I only feed him the chicken+rice diet whenever he doesn’t it at all. Because sometimes he would vomit up bile out hunger/acid from empty stomach. Otherwise, he is a healthy playful dog.

[@marissanicosia1201]

Could you also do a video on you vitamins that humans take that we can give our pets. I did get fish oil and vitamin B for energy and etc. is there anything else over the counter that we take for a vitamins that we can get our dogs

[@marissanicosia1201]

Can you plz do a video for Great Dane and what is the best food out there for them . I have a 3 year old Dane that I show so I’m looking for anything that will keep her energy up and for her joint health. I did have her on Science diet and pro plan sport she is currently on Petco dog food 30/20 what would you consider out of the three dogs food is the best or is there something out there that’s even better if you can do a video for great Danes/show dogs I would really appreciate it she does have slight allergies we stay away from chicken as much as possible

[@lsesam]

Do you recommend eukanuba diet or science diet one ? This is for a pug breed

[@AnimalDocRea]

i dont acctually make recomendations on this chanel, I just give you the tools to review whats best for you. For a pug, I would make sure the calorie content is appropriate because pugs are prone to obesity.

[@CarolinaHernandez612]

What should I give to my little pug

[@AnimalDocRea]

Lots of options, just keep weight in mind as pugs can be prone to obesity

[@holtsteele3976]

I have 2 am bullies male is 2 yrs female is under a year 60lbs both And a frenchie 40 lbs , 2 yrs , is it fine to feed them all large breed puppy food from pro plan?

[@AnimalDocRea]

A puppy is not appropriate for any adult ( over 1 yr), by definition

[@zh-anqi]

Hi, may i know where to get the nutrition label for puppy, small breed etc? I have small breed dog but he is adult now, i try to find one so i can choose the perfect dog food for him using the method you use in the video, but i cannt find it, hope you dont mind to share it with me

[@zh-anqi]

I want to compare which one better betweens proplan and hils for adult small breed dog, or may be you can discuss about that to since in this video uou just discussed for puppy only

[@AnimalDocRea]

ill add it to my list to review

[@lolbruh5896]

relieved that my puppy is already on purina pro

[@Madzellas]

Could you do a review of the Costco Kirkland brand dog food (lamb and rice)!? Is it really a good brand at a better price?

[@AnimalDocRea]

I’ll work on that this week. I don’t have a Costco where I live so this will be fun

[@Madzellas]

@@AnimalDocRea thank you so much!!!! I’ve been researching for a while and it’s very overwhelming. The other food I lean towards in the pro plan which I understand the benefits of but I like the affordability of Costco

[@Madzellas]

@@AnimalDocRea thank you!!! ♥️

[@AnimalDocRea]

Comming at you tomorrow hopefully 🙏

[@sheilaparsley6277]

My Vet Put my dog on the Hills Science Digestive care ID Low Fat three weeks ago and he wouldn't eat it until today he also gets the Purina One Digestive Care Dry and eventually transitioning him to all Science diet digestive Care ID low fat His poop is now solid after a while month of antibiotics and inflammatories medicines I am a very happy momma he finally ate the wet food today and loved it Thanks Hills and Thanks to all Vets in this country for loving Animals

[@bobbycarter1578]

Diamond lamb and rice what is your review

[@AnimalDocRea]

ill have to do one on diamond, thats a popular one

[@Manus_0813]

I recently changed my French Bulldog’s diet, I used to feed him Taste of the Wild but I started doing more research, saw really bad feedback and decided to change it to Purina Pro Plan.

[@AnimalDocRea]

Is it going well?

[@Manus_0813]

@@AnimalDocRea Yep, he looks buffer, his coat looks healthier, the food is not as expensive even though there’s more food in the bag lol, everything has been great. Also, whenever the company finds something “bad” in their food they always make sure to let the customers know which is something great and something that most companies don’t do, which tells me they do care about the animals.

[@AnimalDocRea]

Agreed

[@raineyjaneway5430]

Can you do a review on unkibble and nitro?

[@melanierose9015]

What’s the biggest difference between a sensitive diet vs a prescription sensitive diet? I’ve been told to feed PPP sensitive and also told to feed a GI prescription.

[@AnimalDocRea]

I would live to go over the difference of prescription diets vs regular diets.

[@abnerruiz1848]

The problem I find with Science Diet is that dogs do not like it at all. Many people that I know say the same thing, which it’s a bummer. I had two Labradors. I fed them Science diet, but when I gave them Purina literally their faces lit up.

[@AnimalDocRea]

That’s really odd, I’d say the complete opposite and I see over 2k patients a year. Not all obviously on SD, but no different than most brands, outside of rx diets of course. Nothing wrong of course with finding a balanced diet your pet enjoys, I just disagree with the qualifier.

[@abnerruiz1848]

⁠@@AnimalDocReaI’m kind of bummed out about it because I want to feed them SD but I can’t afford to keep switching and one of my dogs not liking it. My two Labradors passed away because of old age. Now I have two labradoodles. My bigger one is sooooo picky, the smaller one not so much lol😂. Right now I’m feeding Farmina chicken and pomegranate with grains. She does like it, but in my mind I’m continually thinking what if??? My bigger labradoodle stopped eating purina pro plan after I switched her to the adult. Literally I tried different recipes and it was a no go. So I’m just really hesitant to switch to SD. My fear is as she gets older I’m going to have to make a decision regarding the food. I am currently feeding the farmina chicken and pomegranate selection. But we’ll see. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CHANNEL!! I’ve learned so much!

[@AnimalDocRea]

I find farmina and SD have very similar nutrition profiles so if your pets like the farmina better I don’t see any need to stress or change, if budget is a concern, there may be other brands in the 7-10 playlist that your pets may find both palatable, of similar nutrition value, but more budget friendly. Lastly, if you have your heart set on a particular diet and want to increase the palatability, you may consider adding vegetable or chicken broth on top, that will not alter the nutrient composition.

[@deplorableforlife]

What about value pack

[@duffyscourt]

Science diet small paws puppy is now saying on there website thos product has a new recipe/formula🤔 with not one single review

[@duffyscourt]

Im still going to for it i think, just adopted a little paperanian ❤ shes 8 weeks, sooo precious

[@AnimalDocRea]

@duffyscourt congratulations 🍾🎊

[@duffyscourt]

@@AnimalDocRea ingredients slightly altered, the new one doesn't start with, or have any chicken, it starts with, and only has, chicken meal , with some different whole grains. Still think/hope this is the best to start her on🙏

[@flash_point8272]

I would never feed my dogs this Purina Pro Plan formula. Corn Gluten Meal , Poultry by-product Meal, and Whole Grain Wheat in the top five ingredients is outrageous. You don't need to be an animal nutritionist to know that this is horrible. I would be curious to know just how much of the protein content is from the chicken itself as the ingredients are prioritized by weight BEFORE processing or cooking. Once the chicken is processed (cooked) down, it's weight and protein content is significantly decreased and would actually be located much further down the ingredients list since it has been removed of water that makes up good portion of the raw chicken weight. Don't trust me, look it up, if you really care for your pets health. Vets recommend Purina Pro Plan, but it is trash in my opinion.

[@AnimalDocRea]

You are 100% right about ingredient list. That’s why I avoid it, it’s a major place companies try to manipulate you

[@henryhill6637]

It's hard for me to buy anything science diet after they Killed thousands of dogs few year's back.

[@AnimalDocRea]

Are you referring to the calcium formulation issue?

[@sheilaparsley9655]

What food in hills killed dogs cause I feed my Decker Rat Terrier hills Perfect Digestion 7+ Is there a recall on hills

[@barrygreen755]

I do remember a couple years ago that several dog food brands were linked to some deaths and hills science diet was on the list. I don’t know what the issue was but I have been looking for a good safe food for my yorkie and would like to know what the issues were that contributed to the animals deaths. I currently started feeding my dog Purina one small bites and he seems to love it but I want to make sure I give him the best and safest nutrition.

[@andregiroux9839]

How can you promote these brands the ingredients are garbage compared to other brands for the same price?? Hard to take you seriously.

[@AnimalDocRea]

I don’t promote anything in this Channel, I break down the marketing, what you choose is up to you. My goal is to instruct you how to properly read the labels