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What is "transition"? |
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Transition is defined as the process of moving a dog from their current food to a new food over a period of several days. The change in diet may be made for many reasons including: age, life stage, special needs, or due to product enhancements.
While many dogs transition seamlessly, some dogs have an adjustment period. Diarrhea, loose stools, and vomiting are the most prevalent symptoms. It is important to understand the underlying causes of transition issues so that they may be minimized or completely avoided.
Causes of diarrhea or loose stools
Diarrhea and loose stools can be caused by many factors other than a change in diet, and other potential causes should be reviewed before concluding that diet is the reason. However, it is known that some dogs experience diarrhea and loose stools for a few days when there is a change in diet. This results from a change in the food matrix that the dog’s gastrointestinal tract is unprepared for. Unlike humans, who continually consume a variety of foods, dogs often spend months or years on a single diet. As a result, dogs develop their system to process a single diet, and when something new is introduced their system can be slow to adjust.
Changes in fiber content or digestibility will affect the dog’s stool. This is compounded when the new diet tastes much better and the dog then eats too much. The expected amount of solids now entering the colon has been changed, which creates an imbalanced environment in the colon that tends to result in an increased ratio of water to solids, thus creating diarrhea and soft stools.
Causes of vomiting
While vomiting is most often caused by other issues than a dietary change, sometimes it results from indiscriminate eating behavior due to the novelty effect of new food. This is simply a matter of the dog consuming too much too quickly, sometimes not even pausing to chew the food. This situation is generally diagnosed by seeing undigested food in the vomit. |
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How should I transition to Wellness? |
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The best way to transition onto a new food is to gradually introduce the food by mixing it with the old diet. This is particularly important when the new food is much tastier than the old, as is the case with Wellness. Mixing the food will allow the dog to acclimate to the new taste and not "gorge” or over-indulge on the new food because of its great taste.
When food transition is not an option, there are 3 other ways to ensure a good transition:
- Feed multiple, smaller volume meals. This will decrease the likelihood of over-consumption and provide for a more consistent, firm stool. This is an especially good option for puppies and senior dogs.
- Add clean warm water to the food to help soften it.
- Add a digestive aid such a boiled brown rice or sugar-free canned pumpkin (sugar-free brands include "One Pie" and "Libby’s")
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What is the shelf life of Wellness? |
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Wellness dry foods have an expiration of 1 year from date of manufacture. Wellness canned foods have an expiration of 3 years from date of manufacture. The longer date on cans is achieved because of the hermetic sealing process (a.k.a. air-tight vacuum packing) |
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I currently "free feed" my dog. What is Wellness' philosophy? |
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Wellness believes in portion-controlled feeding using our recommended amounts on the back of each bag. However, we completely understand that some families prefer to "free feed" their dog based on their busy schedules or the dog's ability to pace themselves and not indulge. Ultimately, we support families that support animals! |
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Since you are all-natural, what do you use to preserve your foods? |
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We chose to use only natural preservatives that come with benefits beyond preservation. Our combination of mixed tocopherols, Vitamin C (Ascorbic Acid on our panels per AAFCO) and Vitamin E preserve the food but also provide additional antioxidants that scavenge free radicals and prevent cell damage. |
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What does "Human Grade" mean? It used to be on your packaging. |
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Although our ingredients are in fact "fit for human consumption" thus, "human grade," we are not currently allowed to use the term on our packaging per AAFCO (Association of American Feed Control Officials) regulations. AAFCO needs to officially define the term in order for it to be used. Also, keep in mind that "human grade" is a great way to talk about quality but our formulas are made specifically to meet the nutritional requirements of canines and should not be promoted to be consumed by humans as a low cost diet. |
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What percentage of your food is "human grade"? |
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At Wellness we believe in using human grade ingredients whenever possible. Our formulas are 80%+ human grade with only two ingredients that are not considered "edible to humans": chicken meal and fish meal. Interestingly, a division of the UN conducted research during the late 1960's on fishmeal because of its nutrient-rich properties. They found that although great for the body, humans did not like the taste. |
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| Dry Formulas |
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My dog won’t eat the dry kibble. What do you recommend? |
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Although we see dogs get very excited over the flavor, there are some that may tend to be more cautious. We suggest adding a little warm water to the kibble. This helps to release the aroma of the food.
For puppies specifically:
- Definitely add warm water to soften and release the aroma. When puppies are teething they may be shying away from their food.
- A puppy’s tastes preference is sometimes determined by the diet fed to the mother. For example, if the mother was fed a lamb diet…the puppy may be inclined to prefer a lamb puppy food.
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My kibble seems to vary in color, why? |
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All of our products in the Wellness line are all-natural. We use no artificial colors or dyes of any kind. Colors and dyes are used to mask the natural colors and give a consistent color. As with many things in nature, there are subtle changes in ingredients based upon geography and seasonality. We try to maintain as much consistency as possible without the use of unnatural colorants. |
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Why are there 2 sets of feeding instructions on the Weight Management bag? |
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One is for dogs that need to reduce their weight. The other is for when the dog reaches their ideal body weight and wants to maintain it. |
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Can I feed Wellness Just for Puppy formula to my large breed puppy? How much should I feed? |
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We would suggest using Wellness Just for Puppy Food however it's important to feed it in limited amounts when feeding large breed puppies. When free fed (food is allowed out all of the time) large breed puppies tend to overeat causing them to grow too quickly with much of the growth being fat. Instead, we suggest allowing your large breed puppy access to food 2-3 times a day for 1/2 to 1 hour at a sitting. For younger puppies (6-16 weeks) we suggest feeding three times a day while older puppies can be fed twice a day. It is important to keep your large breed puppy from becoming too fat because they are less likely to have joint problems as an adult. |
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What specifically makes Wellness so digestible? |
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We use only high quality sources of protein and fat which are inherently more digestible. Additionally, our optimized cooking process is converting more carbohydrates to bio-available energy. Thus, less unutilized solids are being passed to the colon as waste. |
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| Canned Formulas |
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How long can your canned food last in the refrigerator after being opened? |
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If the canned food is well covered or sealed from the surrounding environment, the food should last up to 3-4 days. It is advised to consume before this time. The storage conditions and general hygiene of the refrigerator, as well as how long the food has sit out exposed will have determining affects on the safe storage of the canned diets. |
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Should I worry about my pet getting sick when I leave the food in the can because of the lining? |
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No, the lining of our cans is made of a food grade emulsion coating approved by the USDA and it serves as absolutely no health hazard. Feel free to store the remaining meal in the opened cans but please do cover it and refrigerate it. |
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| Grain-Free, Protein-Focused Formulas |
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What is the Wellness philosophy on high protein dry food for dogs? |
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Dogs will thrive on a variety of different protein levels. Our first priority is to deliver the most thoughtful, balanced higher protein diet for dogs. We understand that higher protein may also mean higher fat (calories), and minerals. Both of these components are healthy when delivered in moderation however, many of the highest protein diets neglect to pay close attention to maintaining appropriate fat and mineral levels. We believe that a higher, not highest protein diet is a very safe option for dogs provided they are fed the correct overall balance of nutrients. |
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Please explain dogs as omnivores vs. cats as obligate carnivores? |
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While cats evolved relying on specific nutrients only available from meat, dogs have evolved to adapt to a wide range of foods. Dogs are opportunistic animals, and are able to turn on and off the enzymes responsible for digesting and utilizing diets with range of differences in protein, carbohydrates, and fat. |
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How does CORE Guaranteed Analysis compare to the leading competitor? |
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We developed CORE Dry Dog diets with three main focuses:
- Supply a higher protein diet, but not the highest. Based upon our study of comparing our 34% protein diet versus a 42% protein diet, we observed no difference in protein absorbed by the dog when the protein guarantee exceeded 34%. Simply put, just because there is more protein content, doesn’t mean the dog absorbs more.
- By having a lower protein we were able to deliver less fat, and thus fewer calories. This is critical since over-feeding is prevalent among owners and their pets. A diet that is rich with fat and calories can lead to obesity, a leading cause of pet health issues.
- Create a higher protein diet that does not deliver an excess of minerals (e.g. Calcium & Phosphorus) that a dog does not need. These nutrients are important parts of a regular diet, however, at extreme levels, these nutrients could become detrimental leading to possible bone abnormalities and iron and zinc deficiency.
Our guaranteed analysis provides these values as MAXIMUMS (leading competitors mostly provide Minimums or don’t list on the bag at all), to assure you that we have your dog’s health and nutrition as or number one concern. |
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Why are some GA’s minimums and others maximums? Do we choose how to list them? |
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Minimum and maximum claims for each nutrient are established by AAFCO. The only necessary claims a pet food must make are for: Crude (Protein, Fat, Fiber, and Moisture).
- Protein is always a minimum claim
- Fat is always a minimum claim
- Fiber is always a maximum claim
- Moisture is always a maximum claims
While these are the only nutrients mandated by AAFCO to carry a min/max claims, ash may voluntarily be listed, but must be listed as a maximum guarantee. Any vitamins, minerals or live microorganisms (probiotics) may be labeled with a minimum guarantee.
In the case of CORE Dog, we want to make the consumer aware that we only used high quality, lean protein sources that have a thoughtful amount of minerals, so therefore we list Calcium and Phosphorus as maximum claims. The consumer can be assured there is no more in there than listed. Some companies list minimums as a way to get the claim on the bag but there could be more in there than listed. |
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Why is CORE Dog listed as appropriate for maintenance but CORE Cat is listed as all life-stages including cats and kittens? |
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We feel very strongly about providing only proven nutrition to your dog. Research has shown that large breed puppies should not be fed a diet that is over 1.3 – 1.5% Calcium or they run a significant risk of developing bone abnormalities. If we listed our CORE Dog diets as suitable for all life stages, we would be irresponsible – knowing inevitably that large breed puppies may be fed these diets (by no fault of their loving owners). In contrast with the CORE Cat diet, there is no supporting evidence that kittens suffer any bone abnormalities from higher calcium levels. We still strived to maintain low mineral content in CORE Cat diet to reduce the occurrence of FLUTD. |
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Why are these diets only for dogs over 1 year of age? |
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We care about dogs and their healthful growth. This is one way that we may ensure that large breed puppies do not eat this food. Large and giant breed dogs have special requirements during their growth phase and our mineral levels are higher than these dogs should have. |
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I noticed the competition says their products are made with fresh raw ingredients. Is this true for our diets? |
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Yes. The truth is ALL ingredients that go into extruded foods start out in the raw form and go through the cooking process to create the kibble. |
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What does “based the on the raw feeding philosophy” on the back of our bags mean? |
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The raw feeding philosophy is to provide a diet to dogs with an extremely high level of meat. By developing CORE, a diet with 80% more meat than traditional dog foods with grains, we have done just that. |
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Why did you name the product CORE? |
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The definition of CORE in Webster’s dictionary: the essence: the vital or most important part. At Wellness, we define CORE as: we care for animals from the inside…out; an animal’s long-term wellbeing is at the CORE of everything we do. This name not only means something to us here at Wellness, but it was also the name consumers had the strongest emotional connection to in research. |
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What is the difference between Original & Reduced Fat Formulas? |
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The main difference with Reduced Fat is that this formula features 28% less fat and 9% fewer calories and higher fiber than Original. The Reduced Fat diet will help a dog lose weight, or help maintain a healthy weight for a dog that tends to put on pounds easily. Both formulas have excellent palatability and are healthful choices. |
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Are CORE diets are safe for everyday feeding? |
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CORE is safe for everyday feeding. We create a diet that was higher in protein, but also had fewer calories from fat, and moderated mineral levels. This means that you can feel 100% comfortable feeding your dog a higher protein diet everyday, without the fear of your dog putting on too much weight and having them suffer from possible long term effects of consuming extremely high Calcium and Phosphorus levels. |
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I have heard that some of these high protein diets can’t be fed to large breed puppies. Why? |
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Research has shown that large breed puppies should not be fed a diet that is over 1.3 – 1.5% Calcium or they run a significant risk of developing bone abnormalities. Many of the high protein diets on the market today are well in excess of 1.5% Calcium. We do not recommend any large breed puppies be fed our CORE dog diets, or any of the other high protein diets on the market today. In fact, we would conservatively say that puppies in general should not feed higher protein diets that exceed 1.5% Calcium. Again, this is why we feature a maintenance claim and promote the diet for dogs over 1 year in age. |
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Why did you choose to keep fat levels lower than competitive diets? |
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Feed management is often very difficult. It is actually quite easy to overfeed your dog, and this is exacerbated when the diet contains high levels of fat. Most people tend to use the same scoop for their pet food no matter what the food. Others use the same bowl and fill no matter the caloric concentration of the diet. Lastly, there are a large number of pet owners that fill their dog’s bowl…and then refill it so it is never empty! We created a diet that is very moderate in fat and fat calories to help reduce the risk of obesity – a number one cause of dog/pet health issues. |
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How did you decide the right levels of fat for these diets? |
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We picked the right fat level based on the same moderate caloric approach Wellness has employed for over a decade with our Super5Mix diets. We wanted to keep the total calories at or about 3,600 kcal/kg, the same level as Super5Mix. |
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How did you keep fat down? |
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We kept the fat and fat calories down by going for higher, not highest protein, and by using lean meat and animal protein sources. This approach allowed us to get the amount of protein desired without also dragging the fat levels up. In a higher protein diet, we felt it was important to have the protein contribute more calories than fat. The leading competitor’s diet which has a 42% protein and 22% fat actually contributes more calories from fat than protein! |
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Could you explain the Fish & Flax Omega blend? |
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Fish oils (salmon oil) and flaxseed are both high in omega 3 fatty acids. Salmon oil is high in the very long chain omega 3 fatty acids (e.g. DHA) and flaxseed delivers the long chain omega 3 fatty acids (e.g. ALA). By using the blend of both types of omega 3 fatty acids, this ensures that your dog gets a complete balance of each type, helping to promote healthy skin and coat. |
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Where do you get protein from for CORE dog diets? |
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We source high quality, natural protein sources from poultry and fish. Chicken, Turkey, and Fish sources deliver the majority in our CORE dog diets. |
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Why did Wellness choose to keep its protein level at 34% instead of going to 40+% like everyone else? |
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We decided to formulate a 34% protein diet for two main reasons.
- First, from our research and development process, we observed that once we increased the protein to 34%, we saw that a dog was not absorbing any more protein. Protein, even the highest quality sources, will still deliver moderate fat and elevated minerals. If we could still deliver a high protein diet, and the dog doesn’t absorb and utilize any more protein past 34%, why would we add more – especially if it would only serve to increase fat and mineral levels a dog didn’t need?
- Secondly, we feel uncomfortable that there are no long term studies done on dry diets fed at extreme elevated levels.
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Is higher protein appropriate for senior dogs? |
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There is no perfect diet for every type of dog. Recent research suggests that many senior dogs can tolerate higher levels of protein very well. It really depends upon the individual dog’s needs and overall health. If you are not sure of the best approach for your dog, it is recommended to consult with your holistic veterinarian. |
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What does low carb mean in the world of dog food? |
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Low carbohydrate dog food generally translates into being a higher protein dog food because protein, fat, carbohydrates and other nutrients are presented on a percentage basis all adding up to 100%. The guaranteed analysis will feature a protein that may range from 30-52% in dry foods and fat levels from around 10-22%, and carbohydrate levels from 12-26%.
NOTE: Since there are no NRC/AAFCO guidelines on what level of carbs is appropriate for dogs, it is not legal from a regulatory standpoint to make a “low carb” claim. There is no baseline on what is high or low. |
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When tested, the carb level in CORE is 32%. Is there an “optimal” level for dogs? |
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Dogs are extremely well suited to adapt and maintain biochemical homeostasis to a wide range of nutrients – carbohydrates being one of them. In published studies (Kroneld), the researchers observed that dogs showed no differences in glycemic response when fed zero carbs and up to 38% carbs as a contribution of calories. This means that the dog’s reaction to a diet with 0% or 38% carbs is no different in terms of absorbing and utilizing carbs. Simply put, there is no “optimal” level as dogs are able to utilize a huge range with no effect on their glycemic response. |
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Can dogs digest carbohydrates? I heard that they are recognized as sugars and easily stored as fat. |
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Dogs are very capable of digesting well-cooked carbohydrates. The carbohydrates may be stored as fats if the diet is consumed beyond the dog’s caloric needs. This is why it is very important to either strictly manage your dog’s diet, or choose a diet that delivers a moderate calorie content (kcal/kg). |
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Why is it important to control the Calcium and Phosphorus levels? |
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High levels of Calcium and Phosphorus interfere with the absorption of trace minerals like Zinc and Iron. Over time, this can lead to deficiencies and result in poor growth rates, skin lesions, and red blood cell levels and many other health conditions |
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I have heard that the calcium to phosphorus ratio is important. What does that mean and why is it important? |
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Calcium and Phosphorus both have important functions for a dog including the building of healthy bones. A very good ratio of Ca to P will range between 1.2- 1.5 to 1 and AAFCO recommends not to exceed a ratio of 2 to 1. This ratio is important to keep at this level to manage the bioavailability and absorption of these nutrients and to prevent bone related disorders. CORE Original and Reduced Fat have ratios of 1.4 to 1. |
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What is ActiCoat as listed on the back of the CORE bag? |
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ActiCoat is our system of coating each kibble, after cooking, with live, naturally-occurring Probiotics that are normally found in a healthy digestive tract. These micro-organisms help support overall digestive health and are found at guaranteed levels in each bag. |
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Does a consumer have to feed more or less of CORE Original vs. Wellness Super5Mix Chicken? |
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Since CORE has been formulated with the same philosophy of balanced calories, the diets are very similar in their caloric contents and therefore feeding instructions. The amounts may vary a little due to the difference in product density. |
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