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How to Grade Your Dog's Food Start with a grade of 100: For every listing of "by-product", subtract 10 points For every non-specific animal source ("meat" or "poultry", meat, meal or fat) reference, subtract 10 points If the food contains BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, subtract 10 points For every grain "mill run" or non-specific grain source, subtract 5 points If the same grain ingredient is used 2 or more times in the first five ingredients (I.e. "ground brown rice", "brewers rice", "rice flour" are all the same grain), subtract 5 points If the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less than 2 meats in the top 3 ingredients, subtract 3 points If it contains any artificial colorants, subtract 3 points If it contains ground corn or whole grain corn, subtract 3points If corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients, subtract 2 more points If the food contains any animal fat other than fish oil, subtract 2 points If lamb is the only animal protein source (unless your dog is allergic to other protein sources), subtract 2 points If it contains soy or soybeans, subtract 2 points If it contains wheat (unless you know that your dog is not allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog is not allergic to beef), subtract 1 point If it contains salt, subtract 1 point Extra Credit: If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points If the food is endorsed by any major breed group or nutritionist, add 5 points If the food is baked not extruded, add 5 points If the food contains probiotics, add 3 points If the food contains fruit, add 3 points If the food contains vegetables (NOT corn or other grains), add 3 points If the animal sources are hormone-free and antibiotic-free, add 2 points If the food contains barley, add 2 points If the food contains flax seed oil (not just the seeds), add 2 points If the food contains oats or oatmeal, add 1 point If the food contains sunflower oil, add 1 point For every different specific animal protein source (other than the first one; count "chicken" and "chicken meal" as only one protein source, but "chicken" and "beef meal" as 2 different sources), add 1 point If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin, add 1 point If the vegetables have been tested for pesticides and are pesticide-free, add 1 point Score: 94-100+ = A 86-93 = B 78-85 = C 70-77 = D 69 and below = F Here are some foods that have already been scored. Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Ultra Premium - 122 A+ Authority Harvest Baked - 116 A+ Chicken Soup Senior - 115 A+ Innova Dog - 114 A+ Innova Evo - 114 A+ Canidae - 112 A+ Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken - 110 A+ Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables - 110 A+ Dick Van Patten's Duck and Potato - 106 A+ Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult - 106 A+ Foundations - 106 A+ ProPlan Natural Turkey & Barley - 103 A+ Royal Canin Bulldog - 100 A+ Diamond Large Breed 60+ Formula - 99 A Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice - 97 A Wolfking Adult Dog (bison) by Solid Gold - 97 A Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog (lamb) by Solid Gold - 93 B Diamond Lamb Meal & Rice - 92 B Nutrisource Lamb and Rice - 87 B Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy - 87 B Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium - 73 D Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies - 69 F Bil-Jac Select - 68 F Diamond Maintenance - 64 F Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+ - 63 F Purina Dog - 62 F Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice - 23 F Purina Beneful - 17 F Purina Come-n-Get It - 16 F Source: "How to Grade Your Dog's Food." Pet Health>Nutrition. Canyon Pet Hospital. 10 March 2008 http://canyonpet.com/food_grading.php

Cat's Cough Could Be Feline Asthma If your cat suffers from coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath or seems to be constantly coughing up a nonexistent hair ball, he or she could be suffering from feline asthma or bronchitis. Asthma is a common and potentially serious health problem in cats. Most often it is caused by an allergy to something. Common culprits in the home are tobacco smoke, perfumes, powdered carpet deodorizers and dusty cat litter. Symptoms of feline asthma can sometimes be overlooked because they are often dismissed as the cat trying to cough up a hair ball. If this occurs often, or the cat suffers from any of the other symptoms listed above, it is a good idea to take him or her to the vet for a checkup. Source: "Cat's Cough Could Be Feline Asthma." Pet Health>Newsletter. Canyon Pet Hospital. 10 March 2008 http://canyonpet.com/newsletter.php