# Revisiting threads about Purina Pro Plan



## skeller (Mar 5, 2008)

So, after watching the Westminster Dog Show and seeing ads for Purina Pro Plan, I decided to look back at all the threads here about it. I also went on the website and had a nice online chat with a customer service rep who recommended the Sensitive Stomach and Skin formula. They even sent me a coupon for a free bag, and more coupons for $$$ off. We just finished the change over. Benny really likes it, which is good since he snubbed his nose at some of the more reasonably price food. His stools are fine. I am hoping that his dry flaky skin will show improvement as well. 
I know there are a bunch of Pro Plan fans out there, and some critics as well. Looking for some success stories, but I'm sure I'll get the unsuccessful stories too.


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## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

My boy's breeder fed all her dogs PPSS&S including the litters of puppies she's ever had. I continued using it and Deaglan loves it and his coat, skin and stools are all great. Plus Nestle has a distribution center in my area and I always get recently dated bags from the area vendors.
If he's happy with his food then I'm happy.


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## DanaRuns (Sep 29, 2012)

I have four dogs, and they all are eating ProPlan. Not by choice. Two of the dogs are show dogs, and that's what their handlers feed. So we put all the dogs on it for consistency. They all like it, and they are all doing very well. I have no idea if there are long term downsides. But right now all dogs are healthy, happy and strong, and they all like the food.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

My guy's breeder has a dog (different breed) who has a lot of skin issues. He does well on PPSS&S and they just feed all the dogs the same thing. <- Normally, I'd be concerned that would 'cover up' any allergy issues that a dog would have and lead to what they produce, but basically my dog from them can eat anything and everything without any stomach upset or itchy skin.

*** Should add for clarity, I do not regularly feed PP. Both dogs eat something else other than Bertie getting PP Sport added to his food at different times.


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## Eclipse (Apr 21, 2014)

My girl is on Purina Pro Plan Sport. The food she was on when we got her gave her really bad gas and she pooped excessively. She does a lot better on this.


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## Bwilson (Mar 25, 2014)

I have a 9 yr old Rottweiler with a very sensitive stomach and skin I switched to this food when reading about it on this forum. We also put the new golden on it also when she was 8 months old. They have done great with this food. The golden is less sensitive then the Rottweiler. I have tried bunch of different brands through the years. Some he did ok others caused issues or didn't help. He has been on it for 10 months and seen a great change in coat and his stools. Both dogs are happy, healthy, and doing great. Very happy of no more horrible gas.


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## SunnynSey (Jan 17, 2015)

All my goldens are on PPSSS and they all do very well on it, when I tried switching to a "higher end" brand all my dogs ended up with bad gas and really smelly poops. I went back to PP and never looked back.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Our younger dog's breeder raised her dogs on Pro Plan. His great great grandmother lived to 16 on it, his great grandfather to 15 and his other relatives all did well on it. I believe she just changed to the new limited ingredient Purina formula and they are doing well on it. Yogi came home on Pro Plan LB Puppy and I never had a soft stool or any issue from day 1. We switched him to the Sport 26/16 and he did very well until I noticed some ear gunk in one ear. A simple switch to the Sensitive Skin and Stomach formula cured that and we've never had an issue since. Until there is a problem I'm sticking with what works. I know the product isn't co-packed, there is a lot of research behind it (can't say that about a lot of the fad foods) and my boy loves it. 

I read the food rating sites with a grain of salt- one is run by a dentist and the other one is run by a lady who won't give out her background credentials, probably because she has none in the canine nutrition field. All I can gather is she is a concerned pet parent. Well so am I! I'd rather trust someone who has the credentials behind what they say. JMO.


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## hotel4dogs (Sep 29, 2008)

My two bridge Goldens lived to 14 and almost 17 on Pro Plan. My current boy (check out his titles, below) gets the Sensitive Skin and Stomach formula and obviously feels well and looks great on it.


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I'm another Purina Pro Plan feeder. My two eat the Sensitive Skin and Stomach formula because they have sensitive stomachs. 

When I adopted my Remy from County H.S., he was turned in as a stray, was 15-20 lbs. underweight. I took him to my Vet for a full exam and shots the next morning. He was having some stomach issues, loose stools. I tried various brands and formulas without any luck, he was still having problems. I took him to the Vet several times where he was dewormed again, put on stomach meds. 


I saw a thread where a member had switched her boy to PPPSS&S, the transformation was so dramatic. I asked several members that were posting in that thread about the Purina Pro Plan products, this one in particular. I decided to give it a try, I basically had nothing to lose at this point. 

I made the switch to it gradually and within two days I saw a difference in his stools. On the other foods I tried, basically everything he ate was going through him. Over the next several weeks, he started gaining the weight he needed and his coat started growing. He's a healthy 75 pounds now with a great coat. 

I also give my two a fish oil and vitamin E tablet daily, mainly for their joints along with a Dasuquin with MSM tablet.

My two current Goldens have never had a hot spot. My bridge boy that lived to be 15.5 had one his entire life.


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## Ljilly28 (Jan 22, 2008)

I waffle between feeding Pro Plan Premium Performance( because the dogs look great on it and my handlers feed it) and guilt periods in which I feed Fromm or Orijen. Sometimes the backlash against Proplan gets to me- for example my vet feeds Fromm and thinks Pro Plan is a bad food. My other generation ate Eukanuba - I lost them at almost 16, 13, 11, and 9. This generation Finn is looking at 13 on Fromm mainly. I truly, deeply have conflicting feelings about what to feed them. I worry the high protien in Orijen isnt sensible.


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## Jersey's Mom (Nov 25, 2007)

Banyan is on PP Performance/Sport and is doing great on it. It is what his breeder fed and very highly recommended... In addition to the number of good breeders/show folks who feed it, I figured I would give it a shot. My other boys are on a different food. Now I waffle back and forth about whether I should switch one or both of my older boys to it as it is more affordable. But at 9 years old, I don't really want to mess with Jersey's food (he has been on a few things in his life and some of the, he didn't tolerate very well) and with Ozzie's hips I worry that the PP Sport is too calorie rich for him (I try to keep him very lean). Then I have moments of guilt, like Jill mentioned, where I wonder if I should switch Banyan to what the other boys are eating, which looks like a better quality food on paper. So far, nobody's food has been changed but the debate rages on in my head. 

Julie and the boys


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## CAROLINA MOM (May 12, 2009)

I think it's very hard to decide which food is the best for your dog(s). I don't put a lot of faith in the dog food site reviews.

I would have never even considered feeding Pro Plan if it hadn't been for the recommendations I got from the members here on the forum. 

One dog might do great on a particular food while another dog will have problems with it. I think the key is to find what works best for your dog and stick with it. 

I give my two fresh fruits and veggies frequently with their food also. 
As long as they continue to do well on the PPP SS&S and Purina doesn't have any problems or recalls, I will continue to feed it to my two.


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## Karen519 (Aug 21, 2006)

*Purina Pro Plan*

Our dogs, Tucker and Tonka, eat Purina Pro Plan Savor weight management.
Our Smooch and Snobear also ate Purina Pro Plan Senior, because of the glucosamine in it.


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## cgriffin (Nov 30, 2011)

I raised my present golden pup on Pro Plan LB puppy and he did great on it. At around 13 months I started switching him to grain free higher end foods and he did terrible on them. 
I switched him to Pro Plan Sport 26/16 and so far he is doing great on it. He has been eating this formula for 3-4 weeks now. If he starts having issues I will try Pro Plan Select Turkey and Barley formula - that is my number 2 choice of food because it does not have corn, wheat or soy in it - in case he develops an issue with those. But, so far, so good. 

Years ago, I would never have even considered any Purina brands, truthfully. But, on recommendation of my breeder, I went with Pro Plan and I am happy with it. 

But it is true, what diet suits one dog, may not suit another. It is pretty much trial and error to see what your dog likes and what agrees with him.


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## Dallas Gold (Dec 22, 2007)

Another reason I stick with Pro Plan is my older Golden who is IBD, digestive enzyme deficient and has a very sensitive tummy. He is actually on a prescription food that has finally allowed him to maintain some weight at 57 lbs. He went down to 49 lbs with consistently soft stool on some of the other foods like Fromm and Wellness (though he did well on Wellness for a few months, Fromm was a diarrhea disaster from the start). My boys are messy eaters and they sometimes get a taste of the others' kibble. My older guy doesn't have a bad reaction to the Pro Plan SS&S when he manages to nab some. That's a huge positive for me.


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## my4goldens (Jan 21, 2009)

My two seniors are on the over 7 formula, the youngest is on the sensitive skin and stomach. No problems, they are thriving, as per their annual checkups this week. My vet told me the 13 year old and the 10 year had blood panels of dogs half their ages. 
All three are happy, healthy, have great appetites and good coats. Can't ask for more.


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

I am getting confused by the multiple types of ProPlan. I had been using the PP Sport 26/16 but as Brooks age almost 10 years started getting itchy last summer and the vet said it was allergies and put him on Benadryl, I decided to start transitioning him to Sensitive Skin and Stomach. 
I have been mixing his 26/16 (which I still have a bag of) and the new ProPlan *Select* Sensitive Skin and Stomach formula. Today I went to the store to buy another bag of the Select Sensitive Skin and Stomach, and could only find *Savor* Sensitive Skin and Stomach
Are they the same product?


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

@Ignutuh - SS&S is one of the "Focus" line foods.


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

I decided to call Purina to ask (before I saw your reply Megora) and she told me they had moved SSS from the Selects line to Focus as it seemed a better fit (the Focus line focuses on some particular need the dog may have). I was afraid the bag I bought today was different from the last bag I bought and she assured me it wasn't.

So that was good to know.


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## Megora (Jun 7, 2010)

Yep... I do buy a bag of PP Performance every once in a while... my guys both eat something else. So this technically does not affect me as much as others. But I really wish they'd stop with all the label and packaging changes. It's getting ridiculous.


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## lgnutah (Feb 26, 2007)

I told the Purina associate on the phone that all the types and changes were very confusing for me and that it is challenging enough for me (as an older person) to lift the bag of dog food into my car then into my home and then discover (as I had in the past) that I selected the wrong food (once I bought a bag with the dog that had been on my previous package but got home and realized the food wasn't the right one). Fortunately, this time the bag exterior had changed but the food was the same.
Anyway, for my confusion and trouble she is sending me a coupon for a free small bag of food which was very nice.


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## rabernet (Feb 24, 2015)

For the 12 years that I volunteered with Canine Assistants, they fed ProPlan exlusively, large breed puppy for the pups and at the time, they didn't have the different lines, so the adult food line. 

I switched Diamond to ProPlan then, because I said "if Dr. Kent (the staff vet) feels it's good for the service dogs, it's good for Diamond". I was pleased when I joined here to find that many of you use and like it as well. 

But - I too struggle what the best choice is. I did pick up a bag of the Instinct raw puppy yesterday, thinking prepared raw might be a better choice, but I'm re-thinking that. 

Noah transitioned very easily from the Pedigree puppy that he was on to the Purina ProPlan LBP, with no tummy/stool issues. I mixed the two the first two day and the last three, he's been just on the ProPlan.


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