[growler~GateKeeper]

Originally Posted by liltigera1

he eats the green bag of iams dog food. he is about 3 and a half years old

Originally Posted by liltigera1

This is Liltigera1's stepmom - he is getting a good quality food - and is losing weight now (this time of year he is active and we keep him moving), we are wondering if he should have extra padding to sleep on or if we should be adding something to his food like oil to help combat the dry skin. he likes to sleep on the bare floor when it is hot out.

I think every dog likes something soft & cushiony to sleep on, with the option to lay on bare floors to help cool.

Does the limping seem to stem from the legs or the hip? It would be a good idea to have hip xrays taken given that GSDs & Great Danes are both prone to hip issues, it would also make a great reference tool for later in life to compare to should there be any hint of dysplasia.


As for the food I'm assuming you mean the Iams® ProActive Health™ Large Breed

Chicken, Corn Meal, Ground Whole Grain Sorghum, Chicken By-Product Meal (Natural source of Glucosamine), Ground Whole Grain Barley, Dried Beet Pulp, Chicken Fat (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Dried Egg Product, Fish Meal, Chicken Flavor, Potassium Chloride, Brewer's Dried Yeast, Dicalcium Phosphate, Salt, Flax Meal, Caramel, Choline Chloride, Fish Oil (preserved with mixed Tocopherols, a source of Vitamin E), Minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Potassium Iodide, Cobalt Carbonate), Dried Chicken Cartilage (Natural source of Glucosamine), Calcium Carbonate, Vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, Ascorbic Acid, Vitamin A Acetate, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Thiamine Mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), Vitamin B12 Supplement, Niacin, Riboflavin Supplement (source of vitamin B2), Inositol, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), Vitamin D3 Supplement, Folic Acid), DL-Methionine, L-Tryptophan, Rosemary Extract.

In red - corn is an unneccessary filler & not easily digested, chicken by product meal could be any number of discarded bits not normally eaten, dried egg product cheap waste product of the egg industry, Fish meal & Fish oil doesn't specify what kind of fish is used, chicken flavour indicates artificial flavouring unspecified, Brewer's dried yeast is a waste product that can cause allergies & liver toxins, salt unneccessary


Compare those ingredients to Acana Adult Large Breed http://www.championpetfoods.com/acan...ormulation=alb

Chicken meal, steamed oats, fresh free-run chicken, peas, brown rice, fresh deboned salmon, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and rosemary), chicken liver, fresh whole eggs, sun-cured alfalfa, salmon oil, pumpkin, chicken cartilage (natural source of glucosamine and chondroitin), red delicious apples, carrots, turnip greens, cranberries, Saskatoon berries, organic sea vegetables (kelp, bladderwrack, dulse), burdock root, marshmallow root, juniper berries, fenugreek, sweet fennel, angelica root, sea buckthorn, chicory root, stinging nettle, red raspberry leaf, milk thistle, peppermint leaf, marigold flowers, chamomile flowers, Lactobacillus acidophilus, Enterococcus faecium. Vitamins (vit. A, vit. D3, vit. E, niacin, riboflavin, lysine, thiamine mononitrate, vit. B12, pyridoxine, folic acid, biotin). Minerals (iron proteinate, zinc proteinate, manganese proteinate, cobalt proteinate, copper proteinate).

or to Orijen Adult http://www.orijen.ca/orijen/products...gredients.aspx

Fresh boneless chicken, chicken meal, turkey meal, russet potato, fresh pacific salmon (a natural source of DHA and EPA), herring meal, sweet potato, peas, fresh lake whitefish, fresh northern walleye, chicken fat (naturally preserved with vitamin E and citric acid), chicken liver, salmon meal, fresh turkey, fresh whole eggs, fresh deboned herring, sun-cured alfalfa, salmon oil, chicory root, dehydrated organic kelp, pumpkin, carrots, spinach, turnip greens, apples, cranberries, saskatoon berries, black currants, choline chloride, psyllium, licorice root, angelica root, fenugreek, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, peppermint leaf, chamomile flowers, dandelion, summer savory, rosemary, sea salt, vitamin supplements (vitamin A, vitamin D3, vitamin E, niacin, vitamin C, thiamine mononitrate, riboflavin, vitamin B5, vitamin B6, folic acid, biotin, vitamin B12), mineral supplements (zinc proteinate, iron proteinate, manganese proteinate, copper proteinate, selenium), dried Lactobacillus acidophilus, dried Enterococcus faecium fermentation product

Which would you rather eat? The first eight ingredients in the Iams there is only 1 acceptable protein source where as the Acana and Orijen have 5.

A change in diet to a healthier food will help to clear up the dry skin issues.