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01-23-2009 at 4:54 PM
Iheartpink
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Joined on 02-14-2006
Eastern US
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Iheartpink is not online. Last active: 07-23-2009, 5:13 PMBronze

Anyone familiar with Natural Balance food?

We're trying to pinpoint Delilah's food allergy issue and my local store owner suggested we try Natural Balance Limited Ingredient Food. They offer single protein and single carbohydrate grain-free foods. We are going to try the sweet potato and venison.  Anyone have any experience with this food? 

We have to stay away from beef and fish products right now until we figure out this ear infection situation. 



 
01-23-2009 at 4:57 PM
swiora
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Joined on 03-19-2005
Texas
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swiora is not online. Last active: 12-02-2009, 11:10 PMGold
Natural Balance almost killed my dogs and foster in 2007 during the recalls.  They didn't handle the situation very well, so I won't recommend them to anyone...ever. 
 
01-23-2009 at 4:59 PM
k8e_girl
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Joined on 02-07-2005
Atlanta
73,586 Points
k8e_girl is not online. Last active: 03-21-2010, 11:30 AMSilver

It's a good food. However, there were some issues with a recall a while back that left a bad taste for the company with several of us. (Sworia's dogs and her foster were very very very sick due to their cross contaimination and they behaved like the biggest asshats over it)

I moved off it as soon as I could and refuse to go back.



Yes, I am one of those crazies with both a BABY and (mulitiple!) DOGS.
No, the baby hasn't been eaten by the beasts or peed on, yet. :)
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01-23-2009 at 5:09 PM
PurposelyV...
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Washington
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PurposelyVague is not online. Last active: 03-20-2010, 4:04 PMGold
I would never feed it because of their involvement in the recalls and how they handled it.


"Those who trade liberty for security have neither." -John Adams


 
01-23-2009 at 5:14 PM
Iheartpink
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Eastern US
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Iheartpink is not online. Last active: 07-23-2009, 5:13 PMBronze
Obviously their involvement in the recalls is a definite concern for me. Can you elaborate on how they handled the situation? Did they deny any wrongdoing?


 
01-23-2009 at 5:30 PM
k8e_girl
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Atlanta
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k8e_girl is not online. Last active: 03-21-2010, 11:30 AMSilver

Well.. where to start??  First, the recall was due to importing ingredients from China, even though they advertised as never doing this. Once they had an issue they denied it. For a while.. (maybe almost a week, maybe it just felt like it was that long) they denied it was even possible, because remember, they don't import from China, despite FDA results proving otherwise. This resulted in lost time treating the kidney failure, a condtion where time was of the essence. They also failed to pull their food from shelves in a timely manner, and then they publicly lied about the extent of the issue and put on a front like it was no big deal.  All the while they're doing this, we know full well what Sworia's Duke, Raven, and Jojo are going through and how deadly ill all three were.

It's only a testament to Sworia's resolute and fast thinking as well as the skill of her vet and the determination of the staff that D&R are here today.
Once they were in the clear, NB gave Sworia a nightmare about getting her bills paid...  and while they finally came to a settlement, they're not paying for any of the long term expensive care (special food, additional tests, constant monitoring) that D&R need due to their ordeal.

I understand a recall can happen to anyone, but there's no excuse for resulting to dangerous practices, misleading the public, and making worse the strife of those who your negligence put in danger.



Yes, I am one of those crazies with both a BABY and (mulitiple!) DOGS.
No, the baby hasn't been eaten by the beasts or peed on, yet. :)
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01-23-2009 at 5:41 PM
k8e_girl
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Atlanta
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k8e_girl is not online. Last active: 03-21-2010, 11:30 AMSilver

All that aside, I will say that it's really your choice what you feed. Technically, it's a good food, and if it was that or grocery store food, I would feed it to my dog.

That was a highly emotional time for all of us...  Sworia's special to us and her ordeal was a little bit all our ordeal. I still get charged up talking about it. Because of that I can't in good concious ever give them a penny... but that's my issue.

Fromm's makes a great sweet potato recipie... There's also tons of other novel protien foods and while they may be harder to aquire than NB, we'll help you out with that (www.petfooddirect.com is a great resouce and they often have 22% off codes!)

My aussie's ear infections ended up being cheap grain related..  just switching to a higher quality food made a huge difference. What are you feeding now? Are you sure it's a protien issue?



Yes, I am one of those crazies with both a BABY and (mulitiple!) DOGS.
No, the baby hasn't been eaten by the beasts or peed on, yet. :)
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01-23-2009 at 7:09 PM
straymo
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Jacksonville, FL
119,328 Points
straymo is not online. Last active: 03-21-2010, 11:45 AMSilver
I'm really glad this got posted. I did not remember all the stuff about the recall.  When Lily showed up it was only decent food I could find at the store closest to us so we started her on that.

Ironically I just started switching her to TOTW (which Tillie & Max are both on).  I'm almost done with the switch and feel better about that.

Thanks for explaining about Natural Balance.  Lily thanks you.

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Tillie, Max and Lily Belle - fill our house with love and keep us entertained.


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01-23-2009 at 7:56 PM
hollyfp
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Joined on 01-24-2008
NJ
99,706 Points
hollyfp is not online. Last active: 03-19-2010, 10:30 PMSilver

WOW.  Natural Balance is the only food we have found that works for Lily.  Hmmm...

Do you guys think we should change again?  The reason we stayed away from other grain- frees is their high protein contents. Any recommendations of another non-chicken grain free with protein in the 20%s?  I didn't see any other choices that met that criteria at our local petstore, which has prettymuch every good food...Back to dfa

01-26-2009 at 10:13 AM
pepomntpat
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Lancaster, PA
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pepomntpat is not online. Last active: 03-20-2010, 6:02 PMGold
TOTW Pacific stream is 25%.  I"m going to try it with Guinness and see how it goes.  It is Salmon based.




"Then, have I reason to be fond of grief?
Fare you well: had you such a loss as I,
I could give better comfort than you do. "
--Constance from King John Act 3, Scene 4 By William Shakespeare

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