# Royal Canin, Blue Buffalo, Authority, Nature's Recipe?



## lauracutler86 (Jan 30, 2009)

I am limited to Petsmart foods and I have a 7 yr old Australian Cattle Dog. I know a little bit about nutrition and have narrowed it down to these:
Royal Canin
Blue Buffalo
Authority
Nature's Recipe
Avoderm

He is currently on Castor and Pollux's Ultra Mix Weight Control. I am not sure that he needs to be on Weight Control so much anymore since he is now at a healthy weight, I just need to maintain it. He does have arthritis in his left elbow so joint friendly feeds are welcome!

I am going to do some more research myself but thought maybe some people with more knowledge could give some insight. 

Are any of these feeds better than or comparable to the Ultra Mix?

Thanks,
Laura


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## odp1979 (Jan 5, 2009)

Oh man... hmm. I would see if your local petsmart carries the blue buffalo wilderness. It's grain free and has lots of protein and will help maintain your dogs weight very nicely.


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## StellaLucyDesi (Jun 19, 2008)

Of the foods you have listed, the best IMO are:
1. Blue Buffalo - the Wilderness Blend is their high-protein (not entirely grain-free because it has oats in it) formula. I like this food the best.
2. Avoderm - I have used this food with good results.
3. Authority - the only formula I would ever consider is the Harvest Baked.
4. Nature's Recipe - this food is just okay.
5. Royal Canin - IMO, this food is the worst of those you mentioned. I believe it contains by-products and possible glutens (but not sure about this).

One question....why do you want to discontinue the Castor & Pollux Ultra Mix?
They have an adult formula along with the weight control don't they?
Also, some of the Petsmarts around here have a food called By Nature that isn't bad. I actually would use it before Authority, Nature's Recipe or Royal Canin. I hope this helps. 

Oh, and IMO, foods that do contain glucosamine for joints do not contain enough to actually help. So, I recomment supplementing with a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement, if needed.

Oh, and IMO, foods that do contain glucosamine for joints do not contain enough to actually help. So, I recomment supplementing with a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement, if needed.

Sorry about repeating myself LOL....computer glitch!

Sorry about repeating myself LOL....computer glitch!


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## lauracutler86 (Jan 30, 2009)

Thanks ODP, I will check it out!

Thanks for your input! I think I will go with the Blue Buffalo.

I am wanting to switch mostly because I have moved and it's harder to get the Castor and Pollux. I do think it's an excellent food but I think it seems like the Blue Buffalo is comparable or better. I am going to compare the Blue Buffalo and the C & P closely and see what I find. If I am not satisfied I will stay with the C & P. I just took a job at Petsmart so that is part of the motivation too. I want to be 1. educated about the feeds we carry 2. be able to feel good about reccomending one by using it myself 3. I get a discount! 
In doing a quick comparison of the ingredients I see that C & P has "oat groats" listed much higher on the list than Blue Buffalo. C & P has lots of dried fruit and vegetables and the BB has alot of vitamins and nutrients that aren't listed in C & P and the BB has some probiotics etc. 

Here is the BB 
Ingredients:
Deboned Whitefish, Whole Ground Brown Rice, Whole Ground Barley, Menhadden Fish Meal, Oatmeal, Sweet Potatoes, Potato Flour, Canola Oil (preserved with Natural Mixed Tocopherols), Tomato Pomace, Natural Flavor, Whole Carrots, Dried Molasses, Malted Barley Flour,Ground Flaxseed, Sunflower Oil, Sea Salt, Potassium Chloride, Chicken Fat (preserved with Natural Mixed Tocopherols), Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, Zinc Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Zinc), Iron Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Iron), Mixed Tocopherols, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, Yucca Shidigera Extract, Garlic, Spirulina, Lecithin, L-Carnitine, Dried Kelp, Parsley, Turmeric, Green Tea Extract, Lactobacillus Acidophilus, Lactobacillus Casei, Enterococcus Faecium, Bifidobacterium Thermophilum, Niacin, Copper Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Copper), Vitamin D Supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Manganese Amino Acid Complex (source of Chelated Manganese), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Thiamin Hydrochloride, D-Calcium Pantothenate, Calcium Iodate, Riboflavin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Sodium Selenite, Folic Acid, Vitamin K Supplement, Biotin.

and the C & P
Ingredients: Chicken, turkey, chicken meal, brewers rice, ground whole grain barley, potatoes, oat groats, ground whole grain sorghum, turkey meal, rice protein concentrate, dried beet pulp, dried carrots, dried bananas, dried papaya, chicken fat preserved with mixed tocopherols (form of vitamin E), dried apples, dried egg product, salmon meal, natural chicken flavor, chicken cartilage, ground flaxseed, salt, potassium chloride, dried blueberries, choline chloride, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), zinc proteinate, copper proteinate, manganese proteinate, L-Carnitine, vitamin E supplement, ferrous sulfate, zinc sulfate, zinc oxide, copper sulfate, niacin, vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, manganous oxide, thiamine mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), riboflavin supplement (source of vitamin B2), pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), biotin, vitamin B12 supplement, vitamin K1 supplement, sodium selenite, folic acid, calcium iodate, vitamin D3 supplement, cobalt carbonate, Yeast Culture (saccharomyces cerevisiae), dried enterococcus faecium fermentation product, dried lactobacillus acidophilus fermentation product, dried aspergillus niger fermentation extract, dried trichoderma longibrachiatum fermentation extract, and dried bacillus subtilis fermentation extract and fermentation solubles.


Does anyone have any thoughts on "chicken meal" as an ingredient? To me it seems like it wouldn't be good but a lot of the higher end foods have it as an ingredient.


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## StellaLucyDesi (Jun 19, 2008)

Oh, now I understand why you want to change foods now. I feel Blue Buffalo is a very good food, and I also feel it's better than Castor & Pollux. Good Luck and good choice!


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