Normally I pick up Hills Science Diet Canine Advanced Fitness anywhere from $81 - $89 per 12kg bag.
Currently the cheapest I could find was $89 per 12kg.
I came across this deal, 2 bags for $155 which makes it $77.5 a bag which is the cheapest I think i've ever picked it up for.
I generally buy 2 bags at a time so this works out ok for me.
They have a few varieties at different prices, i'm not sure how the other ones fair compared to regular prices.
I've always been hesitant to change as i've fed my dogs Hills from the beginning and they have been healthy + never had a problem eating it, but i'm open to suggestion. What would be a similiar cheaper alternative?
Also the ingredients list on the page seems much longer?
Chicken, Whole Grain Wheat, Cracked Pearled Barley, Whole Grain Sorghum, Whole Grain Corn, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken Meal, Pork Fat, Chicken Liver Flavor, Dried Beet Pulp, Soybean Oil, Lactic Acid, Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, Iodized Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Choline Chloride, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Biotin, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Oat Fiber, Taurine, Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Natural Flavors, Beta-Carotene, Apples, Broccoli, Carrots, Cranberries, Green Peas
Please google if Hills Science dog and cat food is good for your pet and you may be amazed.
Well opinions on the internet are easy to come by, especially in a competitive market such as dog food. Do you have a specific link?
https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/
good food here
https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/dry-dog-food/best-dry-dog-…
Hills Science here
https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/dry-dog-food/hills-science…
ingredients of what I feed my dog
Ocean Fish, Salmon Meal, Peas, Potatoes, Tomato Pomace, Pea Fibre, Ground Flaxseed, Fish Oil, Canola Oil, Sweet Potatoes, Carrots, Kale, Broccoli, Spinach, Parsley, Apples, Blueberries
surprisingly this food is cheaper (most times) than Hill's Science :)
Thanks, will check it out.
Sounds like Ivory Coat.
Good food. We transitioned our dog from Hills to Ivory Coat a while ago as Hills didn't agree with him even though it was recommended by many.
Hills didn't agree with him even though it was recommended by many.
my vet recommends Hill's
I once asked him if dogs could digest corn
he said no it passes right through them
He is probably never bothered reading Hill's ingredients, and I've always wondered if Colgate Palmolive pays him for displaying their food/ if gets a good margin from them :)
@docians: Yeah, Hills was recommended by the RSPCA when we got our pup. Totally understand why they push it, as it's generally what the dogs are fed, as I think Hills donates it to them (or at least supplies them at low cost).
Not sure why vets seem to recommend it though. Must be some financial incentive…
Let me google that for you
https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/dry-cat-food/hills-science…
Type Google.com.au then is hills science pet food bad for my pet
https://www.petfoodreviews.com.au/dry-cat-food/hills-science…
Unfortunately we have to feed hills mobility for hip dysplasia. I'd much prefer to feed ivory coat. Happy healthy pups though.
Which particular prescription kibble?
We had them on hills joint diet (jd) for a fair while, around $150 for 12kg. Moved to Hills mobility for $90 for 12kg (non prescription), because their condition improved and jd was too expensive.
trying to figure out how/ why it would help mobility
main ingredients
Chicken Meal, Whole Grain Wheat, Brewers Rice, Whole Grain Sorghum, Cracked Pearled Barley, Brown Rice, Soybean Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Chicken Liver Flavor, Pork Fat, Soybean Oil, Fish Oil, Lactic Acid, Flaxseed, Pork Liver Flavor
not having a go at you
Just wondering if there is anything in this that would help mobility or is Hills pulling wool over our eyes.
Understand though, that you are doing your best for your furry friend
main ingredients Adult regular
Chicken, Whole Grain Wheat, Cracked Pearled Barley, Whole Grain Sorghum, Whole Grain Corn, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken Meal, Pork Fat, Chicken Liver Flavor, Dried Beet Pulp, Soybean Oil
main difference is mobility diet has no corn
can't imagine stuff like wheat/ pearl barley/ brewers rice/ sorghum being good for a dogs/ cats mobility.
Then again I am neither a vet nor an animal nutritionist
@docians: No worries. Happy to have a chat.
I'll talk you through my way of thinking.
Back when the hip dysplasia was discovered we had the choice of hills jd or regular food and supplements or needles or something for the joint support. We opted for the food.
When the 2nd dog got it we opted for mobility instead due to the price, but i cross checked it with the common joint supplements on the market and the key ingredients lined up; chondroitin, glucosamine, L-carnitine. But the supplements were very expensive on their own.
Heres the blurb.
*Mobility Large Breed also contains glucosamine and chondroitin, the building blocks of healthy joints and cartilage, as well as l-carnitine to maintain lean muscle mass and calcium for healthy bones. With a clinically proven antioxidant blend containing vitamins C and E, this formula will also help to support your dogs immune system.
Optimal levels of omega-3 fatty acids proven to improve mobilityMains healthy joints and cartilage with glucosamine and chondroitinL-carnitine to maintain lean muscle massCalcium for healthy, strong bonesClinically proven antioxidant blend for immune support*
@teacherer: Do you actually believe their blurb?
eg on their website it states
Your dog deserves a food as delicious as it is nutritious, so we make our foods using only high-quality ingredients, including chicken, lamb and salmon
the reality is different
most of their foods have fillers like
Whole Grain Wheat, Cracked Pearled Barley, Whole Grain Sorghum, Whole Grain Corn, Corn Gluten
none of these are high quality or have an science to their addition
the only motivation seems to be $$$
now here is a link from Arthritis Australia wrt glucosamine and chondroitin
https://arthritisaustralia.com.au/managing-arthritis/living-…
TL DR
It is thought that taking glucosamine and/or chondroitin supplements may relieve the pain and prevent or slow the breakdown of cartilage in OA.
Note, most of the studies have looked only at OA of the knee, with very few studies of other joints (for example, hips, hands, back).
To date there is no evidence that these supplements are effective for any other forms of arthritis.
If they haven't done any studies on glucosamine and chondroitin on hips/ hands and back in humans, do you think they would bother doing such studies in dogs? Or perhaps Arthritis Australia has not kept up with Hill's cutting edge scientific research, those slackers :)
@docians: I understand where you're coming from. Thanks for providing a link.
However I plan on doing whatever would even have a small chance of helping them and their joints.
What would you do instead?
What would you do instead?
please understand, I was not having a go at you, but at the clever marketing of Hills
my dog is only 3 and hopefully he does not have joint issues yet
what I would do when he has joint issues?
dunno- check with a vet maybe
possibly get some human glucosamine tablets, powder them and add a tiny sprinkling to his food
The vet could possibly tell me how much glucosamine he needs
(If the vet advises Hills, Ill run if my joints permit me)
I think surely the amount in a bag could not be more than a sprinkling, otherwise it would be listed in bold in the ingredients.
again I am not a vet/ animal nutritionist
but I refuse to be swayed by Hills marketing
@docians: Perhaps it would be worth shelling out for the hills JD then as there are many more ingredients that I don't recognise and could perhaps be attributed to aiding in joint pain.
But you reckon just go with human joint supplements? Not a bad idea
Whole Grain Wheat, Whole Grain Corn, Flaxseed, Chicken Meal, Soybean Mill Run, Corn Gluten Meal, Pork Fat, Chicken Liver Flavor, Fish Oil, Powdered Cellulose, Pork Liver Flavor, Lactic Acid, Dried Beet Pulp, Potassium Chloride, L-Lysine, Calcium Carbonate, Iodized Salt, Choline Chloride, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of Vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Biotin, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), L-Threonine, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Taurine, Glucosamine Hydrochloride, L-Tryptophan, DL-Methionine, L-Carnitine, Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Natural Flavors, Chondroitin Sulfate, Beta-Carotene.
@teacherer: Not sure if you should be shelling out more
@pet circle a 12.5kg bag costs 126
thats over $10 per kilo
No kibble costing 10 per kilo should contain cheap fillers in this case
Whole Grain Wheat,
Whole Grain Corn,
Soybean Mill Run,
Corn Gluten Meal,
Pork Fat,
Chicken Liver Flavor,
Powdered Cellulose,
Pork Liver Flavor
Dried Beet Pulp
these are the major ingredients
beyond this if the kibble does contain glucosamine chondroitin it will be in smaller/ miniscule amounts
J/d Mobility contains high levels of EPA, an omega 3 fatty acid from fish oil that helps to break the cycle of inflammation in arthritic joints
any good good contains fish oil anyway; this food also contains pork fat which does not help with either calorie control or joint health
among other things your JD formula contains things that I had to look up definitions for
soy bean mill run
“Floor sweepings” used as a cheap filler.
source http://www.luvhappytails.com/healthy-pet-food/ingredient-def…Because obesity has a major role to play in osteoarthritis, J/d Mobility has a controlled calorie content and added l-carnitine, to help to support lean muscle mass and burn fat
yet pork fat is a more prominent ingredient than l carnitine or chondroitin. The more to the left a particular ingredient is, the more the food will contain in general. In this case there is more pork fat than fish oil.
Should you pay top dollar for this- no
does it help with joint health- probably not given the minuscule quantities of good ingredients
now compare Hills with Ivory Coat which I buy on special for $6.15 per kilo
Turkey Meal, Duck Meal, Potatoes, Peas, Dried Turkey, Dried Duck, Pea Fiber, Tomato Pomace, Chicken Fat (preserved with Mixed Tocopherols), Ground Flaxseed, Salmon Oil, Carrots, Sweet Potatoes, Kale, Broccoli, Spinach, Parsley, Apples, Blueberries,
good sources of protein; more importantly turkey and duck are the first two ingredients (in JD it is wheat then corn, then flaxseed and then chicken at no.4)
plenty of fruit and veggies- natural antioxidants
salmon oil for omega fatty acids
no rubbish and cheap fillers
if my dog had joint problems I'd probably sprinkle a bit of chondroitin/ glucosamine to this food
I'd be saving $4 per kilo,AND feeding my dog a better food
just my 2c
Picked up 4 bags thanks
ingredients: Chicken, Whole Grain Wheat, Cracked Pearled Barley, Whole Grain Sorghum, Whole Grain Corn, Corn Gluten Meal, Chicken Meal, Pork Fat, Chicken Liver Flavor, Dried Beet Pulp, Soybean Oil
if you insist on feeding your dog food with wheat, barley, sorghum, corn and corn gluten, there are cheaper options available :)