We are still on our quest to conquer the itchy & scratchy skin condition currently afflicting Jersey & Jazz! We did not have good results with the food switch experiment conducted over the past week. Jazz was thrilled with the change in flavor but his condition grew worse by the end of the week. There wasn’t much change in Jersey at all.
One of our readers, Amy, suggested that we eliminate corn from their menu. We immediately checked the ingredients of each bag of food we have on hand. The very first ingredient on the bag of the expensive brand……ground yellow corn! We had purchased this specifically for Jazz because the bag advertised “Healthy Radiance for a Shiny Coat and Healthy Skin”. The economy brand, which Jersey prefers, had an even higher content of corn ingredients…..ground yellow corn being the first one listed followed by yellow corn gluten further down on the list. This may explain why poor Jazz got worse after a week on the economy brand. Poor guy….we were feeding him twice the amount of corn than before! Still, however, we can’t be certain this is the cause, however all the arrows sure seem to be pointing in that direction.
Off to the market! I visited our local chain store to compare dry dog food and attempt to find one which is corn free. Every national brand and the store label brand listed corn as the very first ingredient. Some of the “scientific” brands put it further down on the list or called it corn meal instead of ground yellow corn. Even the “designer” brands…..you know the ones with the celebrity’s picture on the package which claim to be all natural, they too contained corn, ground corn, corn meal, or corn gluten. Obviously corn is a natural ingredient and vegetables are part of a healthy diet for pooches and human’s alike….but corn appears to be the main ingredient in most “all natural” recipes. I spent over 40 minutes turning over one bag after another looking for one that did not contain corn! After a few minutes I did notice one common denominator….nearly every bag, regardless of the brand, had corn on the front of the package. Apparently, in an attempt to appeal to the puppy parent wishing to provide the best natural dog food, almost every bag featured a tasty picture of corn on the cob, a stalk of corn, or pretty yellow corn kernels.
I was just about to give up on the local chain store and head off to the big super size pet store when at last I found one. The store carried just one brand of dog food that I was looking for. Not only did it not contain corn but eliminated wheat as well. It was very clearly marked with Features and Benefits…. which was the first thing I learned in Retail Marketing Class! “No wheat or corn”…..the exact Feature I’m looking for! “Omega fatty acids promote healthy skin and coat”….definitely a Benefit to our pooches! Labeled as organic it contained a very impressive list of ingredients and a hefty price tag. We spare no expense when it comes to the health of our pups! Especially when they are as miserable as our two have been with the scratching, chomping and biting!
I proudly display my find when I get home…..and we investigate further. The contents look bland and blah! This feed is a plain tan color with no variety in shapes or kibbles. The scent is as appealing as cardboard. Now I wonder if I just wasted a wad of dough on something neither of our pups will touch! No better time than the present to find out. Jazz is the first guinea pig….because he will eat most anything! We fear potential failure as he sniffs and then begins licking the food! “Why is he licking it and not digging in”? I wonder. It takes a few minutes but suddenly the bowl is empty! Cleaned it dry! “Whew, we are home free”, I announce! But wait; there is one finicky girl in the house who has yet to approve this menu change. Jersey proves us right once again with her picky eating habits. Not only will she not go near the bowl, but also refuses to be coaxed into trying it by hand feeding her. Jazz even tried to prove to her that it really was yummy by eating the offering I was holding in my hand for her. “Thanks Jazz, I appreciate you trying to help buddy!” Maybe Jerz will come around but if not, she is the less effected with scratching of the two pups. She may benefit from limited corn intake if we are not able to eliminate it from her diet all together.
Thanks for your suggestion Amy. I chuckled at your comment, “Poor corn! It’s getting such a bad reputation these days”. I will undoubtedly have to agree with you!
This is our last attempt at a home remedy. Next stop is the office of Dr. Doolittle for a cortisone shot and what will no doubt be an even larger tab! A cure is on the horizon none the less.
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