# Hills Science Diet



## MaddieMagoo (Aug 14, 2007)

I'd reccomend NOT to. They have icky by-products in them...I'd suggest not. I'd give you a more of a good reason but I have to get going!


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## Lily25 (May 29, 2008)

Err okay.. In South Africa most of breeders raise their puppies on that and it is the "top-of-the-range" pet food...??? Anyone else??


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## shannon (Jun 6, 2006)

expensive food but not good ingredients. you can do much better. nutro or canidaewas my choice. katie ultimately did better on the nutro holistic food. good luck w/ your pup!


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## honeysmum (Dec 4, 2007)

I used to feed Hills as I thought it was a high quality food but after reading about the by-products I switched to a food with no cereals or additives,and the difference in Honeys coat is amazing also on Hills she had a fishy smell and that has gone, and Jade my Great Dane has suffered with allergies for years but since changing her food she is much improved.
Saying all that I know there are a lot of people that feed Hills to their dogs and are quite happy try looking at foods on the dogfoodanalysis website.


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## Lily25 (May 29, 2008)

Wow I am so surprised.. I used to pay almost my whole salary for Hills for a previous dog I owned before I met my hubby and moved.. And the vet I went to recommended Hills from the start.. I was under the impression they have a great reputation... 

Okay here is a list of the dog foods in SA.. Please recommend the best one.. Because other kinds American pet food mentioned we don't get here.

Pedigree
Royal Canin
Hills
Eukanuba...

Im afraid its a bit limited options.. 

Any thoughts?


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## wabmorgan (May 6, 2008)

Take a look here for review of dog foods. 

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/dog_food_reviews/index.php/cat/1

Is there anything else avabile in your area??? 

The brands you have listed are not really good. I know there are people that swear by Eukanuba but it(and others) you have listed use by products, low quality grains and use other controversial fillers. 

However.... if that is all you have to chose from.... Eukanuba may be the best choice of the four. At least it has a named meat product as first ingredient.


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

My Vet also carries and recommends Hills....I hate it. My first boy Sam, was on it for a short while. It gave him the worst, most god awful gas. He'd empty a room.....and this was a puppy! I took him off after a month or so. Ike is on Purina Pro Plan. My breeder uses and recommends it. I know of other's here who also use Pro Plan. I'm sure you'll find the right food for you.


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## paula bedard (Feb 5, 2008)

"wabmorgan" I see you're a star trek fan. Tidewater Golden's has many dogs with this theme for their names. I found them when researching Ike. I think it's more than just 1 litter, there were too many. One that sticks in my mind was Tidewater's Galaxy Enterprise. :curtain:


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## JimS (Jan 2, 2007)

She may be limited in what she can get. My girlfriend is from South Africa (near Durban), and she's mentioned her parents make their own dog food because they can't find decent commercial food.


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## ecspc (Apr 12, 2008)

I used to feed my puppy Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy but recently changed to Canidae ALS. She was quite alright with Eukanuba, although it is not considered to be a "good quality" food. Now I am quite happy with Canidae, but watching her for any negative sign.


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## Lily25 (May 29, 2008)

I forgot to mention Purina.. there is some Purina products available and then something called Vets Choice but I think that's a South African brand? 

But I saw now on that dog analysis website Purina very bad cons.. 

Now since all these choices so bad how do I choose which one? The LEAST bad one??


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## linncurrie (Jan 25, 2008)

JimS said:


> She may be limited in what she can get. My girlfriend is from South Africa (near Durban), and she's mentioned her parents make their own dog food because they can't find decent commercial food.


Hmmm ... that does not sound right. South Africa has unlimited stock of high premium foods, ie. Hill's, Royal Canin, IAMS and various other new premium foods coming into the market (and Durban is actually the first city where it normally gets promoted). Furthermore, there are other very good brands available at vet clinics.

Obviously there is a stack of cheap brands, readily available in supermarket stores, and even at stores at petrol stations


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## linncurrie (Jan 25, 2008)

Lily25 said:


> then something called Vets Choice but I think that's a South African brand?


Yes, Vet's Choice is a South African brand, sold by vet clinics. In fact, it is produced by the Royal Canin factory in Johannesburg, South Africa


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## Lily25 (May 29, 2008)

*linn*

What dog food do you use linn?


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## wabmorgan (May 6, 2008)

paula bedard said:


> "wabmorgan" I see you're a star trek fan. Tidewater Golden's has many dogs with this theme for their names. I found them when researching Ike. I think it's more than just 1 litter, there were too many. One that sticks in my mind was Tidewater's Galaxy Enterprise. :curtain:


 
That's AWESOME!!!! Yeah.... I'm a BIG Star Trek Fan. Especially Star Trek:The Next Generation. If someone reconsigns the name... they get a real kick out the Jean-luc name. (That's one reason I just had to use it again for my new pup. I also decided to name him in my Jean-luc's honnor.)

I'd love to have the whole crew. Jean-luc, Data, Gordi, Riker, Dr Crusher, Deanna, and of course Worf. Let's see that would be 6 Goldens!!!! Oh my.... I just can't imagine. Jean-luc,jr is a handful by himself at times. LOL!!!!!!!!!!

You should have seen my post on a differant forum for Jean-luc, jr getting his Orijen dog food. Jean-luc,jr made a Captains log entry ordering the USS Enterpise 1701-E to sector 0,0,1 to pick up his new dog food. LOL. It was so funny. LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## linncurrie (Jan 25, 2008)

Lily25 said:


> Okay here is a list of the dog foods in SA.. Please recommend the best one.. Because other kinds American pet food mentioned we don't get here.
> 
> Pedigree
> Royal Canin
> ...


Lily, in what city are you? I don't know why you state that we have limited options of good quality, high premium dog food in South Africa, because that is simply not true. 

There are a lot of newly imported foods readily available at the large vet stores, as well as at vet clinics. 

I feed Hill's to my pup Harvey; Hill's feline and Royal Canin feline to my cats and kittens. Never had a supply problem either.


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## linncurrie (Jan 25, 2008)

Lily25 said:


> What dog food do you use linn?


Harvey is almost 17 weeks old and he is on the Hill's Large Breed Puppy kibble. 

Our late Yellow Labbie was on IAMS at first, then Royal Canin and the last four/five years of her life she was on the Hill's kibble.


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## wabmorgan (May 6, 2008)

Btw... Jean-luc was on Purina Pro Plan and Purina HA for a number of years. He had no major health problems til the end other than on going allgeries. Jean-luc passed away in Jan of 08 @ 17 years of age. 

So, I could also recommend Purina.


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## linncurrie (Jan 25, 2008)

Lily25 said:


> Err okay.. In South Africa most of breeders raise their puppies on that and it is the "top-of-the-range" pet food...??? Anyone else??


Lily and forum members, please remember that each country that produces their own Hill's / IAMS / Royal Canin have their own suppliers of ingredients. What is used in Europe and/or USA does not mean is being used in South Africa.

Hill's has an excellent track record in South Africa and I can only speak highly of the quality of the food, ready supply and reasonable prices (compared to other high premium foods).

We do NOT have the seemingly hundreds of brands that you have in the USA, but what we do have (in the line of premium foods) are of excellent nutritional value.


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## Lily25 (May 29, 2008)

I stay in Cape Town and Hills very popular here among vets and breeders...


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## linncurrie (Jan 25, 2008)

Lily25 said:


> I stay in Cape Town and Hills very popular here among vets and breeders...


And with very good reason Lily. I won't advocate a brand if I didn't personally believe in it's good value. Get a copy of the Animaltalk and check out the adverts at the back. Try to find a large vet owned pet store and go have a look at all the newly imported foods. But do remember - those foods have been on ships, in containers, for many many months before it hits the shelves. I would much rather a locally produced product which has not been exposed to severe temperatures.


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## Lily25 (May 29, 2008)

You make a good point linn.. plus I had no idea the Hills in America is different from the one in South Africa. I know my BIL is feeding his husky puppy that. So I'll keep it in mind when I get a puppy one day. Thanks!


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## Faith's mommy (Feb 26, 2007)

my suggestion would be instead of trying to find a brand that a bunch of people online like, start doing some research about what good ingredients are. that way, you can walk into a store, flip a bag over, and feel confident about what you are looking for before you make a purchase. 

i think the following links are a very good starting tool - 

http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=labelinfo101

http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=betterproducts


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## wabmorgan (May 6, 2008)

ecspc said:


> I used to feed my puppy Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy but recently changed to Canidae ALS. She was quite alright with Eukanuba, although it is not considered to be a "good quality" food. Now I am quite happy with Canidae, but watching her for any negative sign.


I was feeding Eukanuba Large Breed Puppy to Jean-luc, jr at first and change to Orijen For Large Bredd Puppies for the same reason. 

I will say the changes I saw were.... Junior was doing some mild itiching while on the Eukananuba. The itiching went away with the change to the Orijen. His fur also got shinnier and softer. 

He also likes the Orijen MUCH BETTER!!!!!!! The Eukanuba would lay in the bowl at times. Not the Origen. He eats it all right away. I can even put the two side by side... he will eat the Orijen and leave the Eukanuba!!!!


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## 3 goldens (Sep 30, 2005)

I kno los of folks don't like Purina, but Purina has been our food for over 50 years. All our dogs were on the chow--and they were active, healhty, lived long lives ad hunted til almot end of life. 

Honey s on Purina One for weight control. I had switched KayCee fomr Purina One senior to Taste of The Wild grainless. Because of her knees, I wanted her on grainless food.

I think Hills has it's placve, the prescription formulaas ahve saved many dogs. KayCee was on the weight reduction after her 2ed knee surger to get weight off. She did and it stayed off. Buck was on the kidne formula for 3 months following kindney infection and he never had it again. BUT neither really cared for the food. My cousin's sheltie has been on Science diet her entire 14 years, just the regular SD. 

I gotta be honest and say I never worried at all about by product. If my dogs were running wild and killing,they would be eating the entire thing. I hvae seen talk about not wanting food that contained any by product then tal about giving their dogs whole chickens where the dogs ate the entire thing incuding a lot of feahers, or entire rabbits wshere they did eat most of the fur. So by products have never worried me.

PS I never could get into the "new" Star Trek shows. To me, only Cpt. Kirk, Mr. Spock, Mr. Zulu, Mr. Chekov, "Bones" McCoy, Scottie and Lt. Uhura (?) were suppose to be on the Enterprise. A couple of my favorite of the old ones was The Trouble With ribbles" where they had all those little powder puff critters on board, and the one whee theyere on a planet and anything they thoguth came to happen. Can'[t recall the exact name of it.


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## Thalie (Jan 20, 2008)

Lily25 said:


> .. plus I had no idea the Hills in America is different from the one in South Africa. ...


I had no idea either so I searched a little and lookee...

Hills Science Diet Puppy Large Breed USA
Ground Whole Grain Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Chicken Liver Flavor, Animal Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Fish Oil, Flaxseed, Soybean Oil, Iodized Salt, Potassium Chloride, L-Lysine, vitamins (L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, L-Tryptophan, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid, L-Carnitine, Calcium Carbonate, Beta-Carotene, Rosemary Extract.

Hills Science Plan Puppy Large Breed South Africa
*Chicken *(minimum Chicken 34 %; minimum Chicken and Turkey combined 45 %): 

Ground maize, chicken and turkey meal, maize gluten meal, digest, dried beet pulp, animal fat, dried whole egg, potassium chloride, salt, flaxseed, oat fibre, vegetable oil, L-carnitine supplement, disodium phosphate, L-tryptophan, vitamins and trace elements. Naturally preserved with mixed tocopherols, citric acid and rosemary extract.​This is not to say that I love either list since both have some stuff I personally do not like (no, I do not eat kibble but I have tasted canned food on occasions ). However there are differences in the composition and in the level of detail on the vitamins and trace elements. :scratchch


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## Lily25 (May 29, 2008)

Lol thanks for going to all that trouble Thalie... I guess there IS a difference lol..


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## RileyStar (Mar 24, 2008)

I've read in "foods Dogs Die for" by Ann Martin that Hills Science Diet will pay for the vet's scholarship or part of it if they suggest it to their customer and siplay it in their office.

Thats what my vet recommended when we brought Riley in for the first time, and ever offered us a free bag with our "puppy package". After alot of research, and seeing with my own experience what a better food will do, I decided not to continue feeding the Hills food.

I changed my other dogs diet to Caniade Platinum she was 8 years old at the time and before that she had been fed grocery store medium priced food such as beneful, purina etc..

After the change her coat was shiny, she was shedding less, not in huge clumps (shes a shepard chow mix) her energy level went thru the roof! And less poopies (ALOT less)


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## Zookeepermama (Nov 12, 2007)

Thalie said:


> I had no idea either so I searched a little and lookee...
> 
> Hills Science Diet Puppy Large Breed USA
> Ground Whole Grain Corn, Chicken By-Product Meal, Corn Gluten Meal, Dried Beet Pulp, Chicken Liver Flavor, Animal Fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols and citric acid), Fish Oil, Flaxseed, Soybean Oil, Iodized Salt, Potassium Chloride, L-Lysine, vitamins (L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Vitamin E Supplement, Niacin, Thiamine Mononitrate, Vitamin A Supplement, Calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin, Folic Acid, Vitamin D3 Supplement), Choline Chloride, Vitamin E Supplement, L-Tryptophan, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), preserved with Mixed Tocopherols and Citric Acid, L-Carnitine, Calcium Carbonate, Beta-Carotene, Rosemary Extract.
> ...


Nice research Thalie..I never really gave a thought that food of the same brand but from other countries might be different. I wonder what other foods are different in other countries??


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## Blaireli (Jun 3, 2008)

I have tried multiple foods over the years, including Nutro, but everything makes Luke sick except for Hills Science Diet Sensitive Stomach. So...that's what my dogs are on. Well, right now, Tuck is on the large breed puppy formula since he's only nine months, but in a few months he'll be on the same food as Luke and Maggie. I am eagerly anticipating having them all on the same formula, because now I have to sit with Tuck while he eats to make sure Luke doesn't get to his food. I have never heard of a dog with such a sensitive stomach as Luke in my life.


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## DeeBlueAngel (Nov 14, 2013)

We have Three goldens and we feed them hills. They have great energy levels and shiny coats with this food. However, choose a food which suits your dog as every dog has different needs


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## Melfice (Aug 4, 2012)

Wow this thread is over 6 years old...what a /bump haha


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## SunnynSey (Jan 17, 2015)

I think the whole pet food/mine is better than yours thing never gets old..lol Having said that I dont believe that there is one perfect food out there for all dogs, it really is whatever works best for your own individual dog. I feed mine Proplan, and I know some would say Im feeding them crap but I know it works well for my dogs so I could care less. BTW I have fed Acana and other supposed "5 star" petfood and my dogs did awful on it, point being feed whatever keeps your dog happy and healthy not what others just simply think will.


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## doggymom (May 7, 2015)

What grain free dry dog food do the majority of you recommend. I'm a novice at this sort of thing. Just want to get the best quality for the $. Thanks

Doggymom



w


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## DogOwner (Jul 30, 2015)

Lily25 said:


> Wow I am so surprised.. I used to pay almost my whole salary for Hills for a previous dog I owned before I met my hubby and moved.. And the vet I went to recommended Hills from the start.. I was under the impression they have a great reputation...
> 
> Okay here is a list of the dog foods in SA.. Please recommend the best one.. Because other kinds American pet food mentioned we don't get here.
> 
> ...


I feel for you. It's probably expensive as well. These are not good choices. I would honestly cook chicken and beef and add vegetables and sweet potato. Add a daily vitamin with oils during each meal (organic coconut oil/Alaskan salmon oil/virgin olive oil) for a healthy and beautiful coat. There are recipes online or perhaps someone can direct you. 

Many vets recommend Hills because they get a kickback. However, if you refer to the dog analysis reviews, you will see for yourself why these dog foods are not good at all. 

Don't forget to begin brushing your puppy's teeth and hair as well as using the grinder or snip the puppy nail a bit. This way it will be an easier task when the puppy gets older.

As it is, I feed a good dry dog food but always give my 9 month old retriever vegetables and oils with his meals. I have in the past cooked for my boxer who had skin issues. I made enough for about 5 days during each preparation.

Good Luck and have fun with your new puppy.


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## DogOwner (Jul 30, 2015)

doggymom said:


> What grain free dry dog food do the majority of you recommend. I'm a novice at this sort of thing. Just want to get the best quality for the $. Thanks
> 
> Doggymom
> 
> ...


You will get many answers. Some of the owners on this site recommend Pro Plan but I would not. If you go to dog analysis review, look at the 5 star and 4 star food and review those.


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