# Nutro Ultra



## KLZ86 (Nov 1, 2012)

Is this a pretty good dog food? I was told to feed this to my new GSD upon arrival along with EITHER boiled chicken tenders or lean beef (ground) 2x per week.

I was also told that fresh peeled carrots and organic plain yogurt was a good source to their diets at well (in moderation of course). Who would have known.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

My dogs got sick on Nutro food. Seems a lot of people have had issues.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

I don't care for Nutro. 
We do use Diamond products such as Diamond Naturals or Kirkland Signature from Costco.


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## ChancetheGSD (Dec 19, 2007)

Please please please don't feed Nutro!!! They nearly killed my girl Zoey and even though other animals were getting sick and dying at the same time, the company refused to recall the food or take care of the damage they did. Nothing worse than having to carry your lethargic dog out to go potty and then back into the house because she could barely walk, having to clean up bloody diarrhea, bloody vomit...

1,259 Complaints and Reviews about Nutro Pet Foods

1,259 reviews and not even a full 1.5 stars. 74% giving 1 star ratings, 22% being 2 star ratings. (Leaving a whole 4% to give 3+ stars) Take the advice from those who've fed it and RUN! There is more to a "quality" food than a pretty ingredients list.

Where are you located and we could probably help you find a better food? Victor is a favorite of mine if you can find it. Victor Super Premium Dog Food Some other good choices would be Eagle Pack, Earthborn Holistic, Fromm (Gold or Classic would be good bang for your buck without losing quality), Dr. Tims, ect just to name a couple other good brands to check for.


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## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

You can search the RAW threads...at least YOU will be in control of what your dog eats instead of spinning the roulette wheel of kibbles trying and hoping you end up w/a brand/batch that doesn't cause diarrhea or kidney failure.


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## x11 (Jan 1, 2012)

i would not suggest RAW is better for the inexperienced, a good quality kibble is going to be better for a dog than someone who hasn't put the research and has the time and discipline for a balanced RAW diet, its a lot of hard work and extra expense to start with. 

i think a poorly planned RAW diet is worse than an average kibble.


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## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

x11 said:


> i would not suggest RAW is better for the inexperienced, a good quality kibble is going to be better for a dog than someone who hasn't put the research and has the time and discipline for a balanced RAW diet, its a lot of hard work and extra expense to start with.
> 
> *i think a poorly planned RAW diet is worse than an average kibble*.


I totally agree, however a properly planned one is optimal. 

Unfortunately premix sprayed on synthetic vitamins from China on GMO grains, corn, soy, or high carbs if grain free, with carcinongenic rendered fats that start to oxidize as soon as you expose to air (open the bag) to entice an animal to eat an extruded product of meat that did not make the cut for human consumption and is devoid of natural enzymes and amino acids (building blocks)

IMO, is worth investigating a properly prepared RAW diet...in my dogs case - a lot of work, but he was a kibble dog for 4 yrs. and it did a lot of damage (GI tract), but throwing down a simple ratio of meat, bone and organ and mixing it up is a lot less costly then then ending up on the veterinary hampster wheel.

Plus there are dehydrated foods like Honest Kitchen to get started for ease (work days and fear of not getting enough/right balance) and easily mixes with RAW when have time.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

I agree...raw is best, but must be researched! There are several good raw distributors thruout the US(and I assume Canada) where you can get mixes and organic or exotic meat fairly reasonable. I personally don't like to do the pre-mades but am ok with the grinds from certain distributors. 
I think green tripe is the best thing ever....so do my dogs


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## Landa220 (Oct 28, 2009)

Sorry to hear about all the issues out there. My GSD has been on Nutro varieties (as suggested by the breeder) since he was a pup.

He'll be 11 in February (2012) and is still going strong. True, he's of good stock due to proper breeding, but it has never made him sick. He's never had any issues that were food related. In fact other than a slight hip tenderness, he's great.

He's moved up to one of Nutro's senior varieties for the past year or so. I guess your mileage may differ, but it's good to hear all sides and experiences of a brand.

Happy Thanksgiving all.


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## WilsonRandy (Oct 27, 2012)

ChancetheGSD said:


> Please please please don't feed Nutro!!! They nearly killed my girl Zoey and even though other animals were getting sick and dying at the same time, the company refused to recall the food or take care of the damage they did. Nothing worse than having to carry your lethargic dog out to go potty and then back into the house because she could barely walk, having to clean up bloody diarrhea, bloody vomit...
> 
> 1,259 Complaints and Reviews about Nutro Pet Foods
> 
> ...


Wise advice. Victor is a great food. Dr. Tim's is another, in fact Dr. Tim's is the only food on the market that discloses the maker of the vitamin/mineral supplement, DSM.


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## KLZ86 (Nov 1, 2012)

Thanks for all the reviews.

This food was recommended to me by the breeder/trainer because it is most comparable to the food that they were giving him in Germany. Unless it causes any problems I think I am going to continue to feed this along with boiled chicken 2x per week.

Out of curiousity how many cups do you feed your GSD? I am giving mine 2 cups, 2 x a day.


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## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

i give 5 cups for a 90 pound working dog

chance eaglepack has corn in it, for a dog like hers use to getting a good diet you think it is a good idea? IDK


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## pets4life (Feb 22, 2011)

Ingredients: Chicken, chicken meal, whole brown rice, ground rice, rice bran, chicken fat (preserved with mixed tocopherols), lamb meal, salmon meal, natural flavors, flaxseed, sunflower oil (preserved with mixed tocopherols), dried plain beet pulp, rolled oats, potassium chloride, egg product, tomato pomace, dried pomegranate, dried blueberry, dried cranberry, dried pumpkin, dried spinach, dried carrot, salt, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, zinc sulfate, zinc proteinate, ferrous sulfate, l-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), l-carnitine, biotin, niacin supplement, potassium iodide, copper proteinate, calcium pantothenate, vitamin B12 supplement, riboflavin supplement (source of vitamin B2), vitamin A supplement, beta carotene, pyridoxine hydrochloride (source of vitamin B6), thiamine mononitrate (source of vitamin B1), sodium selenite, manganese proteinate, manganous oxide, vitamin D3 supplement, folic acid


IT seems like a nice food its not the best of the best but it does seem like a good food, i think it seems better than eagle pack. My dog could Never handle it ever but for a dog that has a strong stomach I think it is a nice food. I just dont like how it has normal white rice in it.

The food that made my dog the most sick and disgusting looking was orijen and people love that food.


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## msvette2u (Mar 20, 2006)

For the price difference, we like Costco's Kirkland, which is also creeping up in cost, but not as much as some of the "brand names".


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## vom Eisenherz (Feb 13, 2012)

Nutro has been involved in serious recalls in the past as well as inexplicable cases of animals sick and/or dying. I wouldn't feed it to my neighbor's dog who never shuts up and destroys my fence. 

If you want to feed something that grainy, I would say Kirkland (Diamond plant, FYI) or go with something "clean" (family company, no recalls) like Fromm that has grain recipes. Even the Purina "Infinia" is a good line of food for the price, though still made by a big mfr. 

If you must feed kibble, my personal choice would be Orijen, Acana, Fromm grain frees, etc. 

I also use Honest Kitchen with both raw and kibble.


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## WilsonRandy (Oct 27, 2012)

vom Eisenherz said:


> Nutro has been involved in serious recalls in the past as well as inexplicable cases of animals sick and/or dying. I wouldn't feed it to my neighbor's dog who never shuts up and destroys my fence.
> 
> If you want to feed something that grainy, I would say Kirkland (Diamond plant, FYI) or go with something "clean" (family company, no recalls) like Fromm that has grain recipes. Even the Purina "Infinia" is a good line of food for the price, though still made by a big mfr.
> 
> ...


Purina Infinia is not the Purina that makes Pro Plan and all the other foods. It is Purina Mills which is part of Land O Lakes. Years back Purina Mills was part of Ralston Purina, which is now Purina we all know.

Infinia is actually made by the same company that makes Precise.


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## GatorBytes (Jul 16, 2012)

vom Eisenherz said:


> Nutro has been involved in serious recalls in the past as well as inexplicable cases of animals sick and/or dying. I wouldn't feed it to my neighbor's dog who never shuts up and destroys my fence.
> 
> If you want to feed something that grainy, I would say Kirkland (Diamond plant, FYI) or go with something "clean" (family company, no recalls) like Fromm that has grain recipes. Even the Purina "Infinia" is a good line of food for the price, though still made by a big mfr.
> 
> ...


 
Economically Motivated Adulteration

The FDA itself provides some pet foods with a free license to economically motivated adulteration. Every pet food that contains the ingredients *by-product meal*, *meat meal*, *meat and bone meal*, *animal digest*, and or *animal fat* could be considered adulterated according to Federal Law. *FDA policy* (which by the way does not override Federal Law but no one of authority seems to care) *tells Field Inspectors to NOT enforce Federal food safety law*; it is acceptable to FDA that diseased, dying, dead, and disabled (4D) animals can be rendered into the above common pet food and pet treat ingredients. *Animal protein ingredients from 4D animals are neatly packaged into a shocking number of high priced pet foods and treats*. The key to the vault; economically motivated adulteration.


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## ChancetheGSD (Dec 19, 2007)

I've never understood people who won't change until there is a problem.  What if that problem is your dogs kidneys failing because of this food? Do you really want to experience the "fun" of a lethargic dog, bloody diarrhea or in mine and a couple others case; the scene of your dog PUKING straight blood "before you change"? Did you read the reviews of the problems people have on this stuff? Isn't it better to take precautions NOW rather than later??


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## WilsonRandy (Oct 27, 2012)

GatorBytes said:


> Economically Motivated Adulteration
> 
> The FDA itself provides some pet foods with a free license to economically motivated adulteration. Every pet food that contains the ingredients *by-product meal*, *meat meal*, *meat and bone meal*, *animal digest*, and or *animal fat* could be considered adulterated according to Federal Law. *FDA policy* (which by the way does not override Federal Law but no one of authority seems to care) *tells Field Inspectors to NOT enforce Federal food safety law*; it is acceptable to FDA that diseased, dying, dead, and disabled (4D) animals can be rendered into the above common pet food and pet treat ingredients. *Animal protein ingredients from 4D animals are neatly packaged into a shocking number of high priced pet foods and treats*. The key to the vault; economically motivated adulteration.


Wow, so are you saying that dogs eat like wolves? 4D animals are what wolves eat everyday. Coyotes as well. Have you ever seen a wild animal turn down a meal because it was diseased, dying, dead or disabled? Sounds like Mother Nature to me.

If you are that concerned use a food from an EU Certified plant.


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## Justaguy (Nov 20, 2012)

Wow I used to recommend nutro/natural choice all the time back in the days when I worked in a pet food store. Then Spots stew and Innova came out which obviously were a better choice. Nutro still is good although not top of the line and it doesn't contain byproducts.


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