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Decision Time: TO vs EVO RM

November 9th, 2006, 02:16 PM
So Harley's about halfway through the latest bag of Timberwolf Organics. We've been on the TO for several months, cycling through the Dakota Bison and Ocean Blue formulas.

Harley stays about average in terms of itchiness - not rabid about it but still can drive me crazy when she's laying there with her entire foot in her mouth. Coat looks great, still sheds like a demon (although definitely less than when she was on Iams or Nutro). How a shortish-haired dog can shed that much without going bald, I'll never know.

So I'm debating on whether to stick with the TO or switch her over to Innova Evo RM for awhile to see if that helps with the itchies. I bought a small bag of the RM and had been mixing it with her TO, about half and half, but alas we are now out and I have to decide which way to go.

I may end up having to take her in for allergy screening to non-food related irritants, but was willing to give the food thing one more shot.

One issue though - anyone have any poop problems with the RM? I think Harley's been a bit constipated on it. Lately she's been a real pain in the @$$ about going (ha ha - pun intended). She assumes the position, but then will just pop back up without doing anything. We can go through this several times during a walk, and often without her actually doing it before we go back in. Sometimes she'll whimper just a bit.

This can go on for a day or so, then she'll have regular movements several times in one day....size / consistency is still great, no liquidy issues....

Wow..that turned into a mini-novel.....

November 9th, 2006, 02:22 PM
Yeah, there is a constipation factor.. :shrug: We're just finishing (last day) the DVP Natural Balance Sweet tater and fish and that's my main concern about evo RM alone now... But they're doing ok on it otherwise... Jemma's less itchy lately. I also add salmon oil because the food (even combined with the fishy food) alone was drying out the coat but they're supposed to get 5 "squirts" of salmon oil a day and they get 2, so it's nothing major.

The canned Evo seems to be a bit higher in fiber, so when I'm finally working again, they'll probably get half and half, evo RM and evo canned (probably rabbit).:shrug:

So in a nutshell, I'd feed evo RM, but supplement with something fibery..:shrug:

November 9th, 2006, 02:30 PM
Where's the fiber coming from in the EVO canned? I looked at the ingredients on their site, and it's not exactly smacking me in the face. And then, by ratio, the canned looks like its got less fiber % than the dry? (1% vs. 2.5%)

I supplement with Merrick's canned quite often, and their fiber is the same as the EVO canned. Although there are days when I supplement with canned fish (salmon, mackerel, sardines) instead, and when I do that its typically several days in a row.

Hmm, perhaps I need to track this for a bit, days w/Merrick's versus days w/o and see if there's a pattern....

November 9th, 2006, 02:40 PM
Yeah, but canned minus moisture...

It's 78% moisture, and 1% fiber. So dry, it's 1:22, which is 4.5% fiber (once the water is stripped away. :shrug: )

Too bad that Holistic Blend uses menadione because otherwise, this would be ideal:

OMG! WAIT! The ingredient list says K1! Awesome! :D So yeah, that's ideal (depending on his allergies), but make sure you check the ingredients on the can, because I bought one without looking and it had menadione in it.

November 9th, 2006, 02:49 PM
Looks I'd just have to find a US dealer....

November 9th, 2006, 02:55 PM
OOPS! lol It's not on the market yet. (Yeah, I'm confused too, because I have a can of it...). Anyway, Holistic Blend says there were a few cans put out for promo purposes, but they've redone the formula because adding vitamins and minerals negates the organic part of it. So in three weeks, they'll be putting out the new cans, with the new formula without added vitamins/minerals... :o

For the US, it says:
To find a Holistic Blend Retailer in the United States, please send us an inquiry.
Here: just above the map of Canada...

Ok, holistic blend is apparently lost in their own things... I called the store I bought it from and they said they've been carrying the cans for months and the distributer has kajillions in stock and that it's not an "off the market" thing...

Ahh dog food companies. They're my favorite. :rolleyes:

November 9th, 2006, 04:00 PM
Ahh dog food companies. They're my favorite. :rolleyes:

Totally! One of my best experiences is when the website lists a particular store as a vendor, and then you go in and they haven't carried it in months!!!!

*** cough....SG....***

November 9th, 2006, 08:47 PM
oh yeah, nearly ALL of the stores here were bogus. Just ridiculous.