# Dog Food in Mexico



## Mr Babykins Jasper (Dec 8, 2012)

Nothing eh? I guess I am going to have to start cooking. --and I would have to cook because I do not think that a raw diet is a good idea in Mexico. I do not want my baby to get salmonella or some other horrible thing.


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## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

I know many of our Canadian members order online from the U.S..Don't know how cost effective that is for you.....I also don't know how reliable the Mexican post office is either! I live close to the border, in San Diego. Traveled to Mexico a lot in the 'old days' before you needed a passport!Hahaha!!!!


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## brownlikewoah (May 3, 2012)

If that is the best brand of food you are able to find for your pup down there, I'd probably go with the homecooked route as well.


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## Mr Babykins Jasper (Dec 8, 2012)

Thanks! I have read some stuff about shipping food, but I hear it is extremely expensive. I am not sure that it is cost effective. I am in Mexico City so I am really far away from the border as well.


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## Mr Babykins Jasper (Dec 8, 2012)

brownlikewoah said:


> If that is the best brand of food you are able to find for your pup down there, I'd probably go with the homecooked route as well.


Ha ha! I know! My baby is so precious I can't even stomach feeding him more of it (after I read the review). I really want to avoid giving him low quality protein with corn fillers.


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## My babies (Aug 14, 2012)

Here is a good website about feeding homemade food and adding certain foods/supplement for a complete diet. Varieties is very important for a balanced homemade diet

DogAware.com: Homemade Diets for Dogs

Here is a website about recipes for homemade dog food

Cooked Dog Food Recipes - Homemade Dog Food


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## Sapphire-Light (Jun 9, 2010)

I can help you as I live in latin america, I know finding a good brand is really hard.

I agree wit the raw or the homecooked but if you still want to feed a better kibble then you can go to a petshop, a vet or a pet boutique.


In those places you can find better brands, maybe they are not the premiun from the us, they are of decent quality at least is better than pedigree.

You can get pro-pac, proplan, eukanuba, science diet, and royal canin.

In wish state are you located? here are some shops were you can find this types of kibble, you can see if there's a store near you.



+KOTA - Pgina de inicio

Liverpool es parte de MI vida

Liverpool es parte de MI vida

http://www.hillspet.com/where-to-buy/mexico.html

http://petshopmexico.dmtienda.com/

http://www.eukanuba.com.mx/es-LA/index.jspx

http://www.purina.com.mx/

http://www.royalcanin.com.mx/


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## Mr Babykins Jasper (Dec 8, 2012)

Oh thanks so much! I am in Mexico City D.F.
I have been to the Liverpool store, but I was unaware that they sold things like dog food. I thought they just sold clothes. I will check it out.

I have tried the Royal Canin, but it really gives him gas and he doesn't like the taste anyway. My next try will be the Eukanuba as there is a vet down the street that is advertising it.

I think, ideally, that I will cook my own food and then supplement with the best kibble that I can get. There is a Tianges (I hope that is the spelling) on Wednesdays just outside my apartment and I usually pick up a precut vegetable blend of potatoes, carrots and peas. I will get some meat from the butcher and then make him a stew with these ingredients. The vegetable blend will really cut down on my prep time so making my own food will be no hassle at all. 

Ha ha! If this works out I will really miss that vegetable blend when I go back to Canada. I have never seen anything so fresh and handy as these premade veg blends. I just throw them into a pot and they make great stews and soups.

I just hope that I can find some Omega oils for him.


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## Sapphire-Light (Jun 9, 2010)

Glad to help! 

Yeah, the Liverpool stores have a lot of stuff, they are pretty big mostly the ones at the shopping malls.

Good luck in finding an easy spot for the kibble, that vet store sounds nice, I like how in the latest years the vets here in latin america are becoming more educated in nutrition, now I see them lecturing when people use foods like beneful, dog chow, pedigree, etc.. :nono: 

This is making a huge progress since a couple of years ago the only foods you could find were those low quality kibble, now they are carring and promoting better brands, maybe in a few years we can have the premium brands from the US. :angel:

I know what you say wit the fresh food at the markets, years ago when I made my first trip to the US (I suppose is the same for Canada) I was shocked to see the green section of the supermarkets full of canned and air tight packaged veggies (and wit preservatives) since in our markets and super markets you can find them most of them loose and even wit the dirt from the ground still on.

When you return to Canada, maybe you can search for one of those food markets /supermarkets for latinos wit imported products from here, since Canada is now having softer laws for latinos to go to work they are now traveling there.

Adding the cooked food to boost the kibble is a great idea, for my toy poodle I make a cooked topper.

I use veggies and meat, like ground beef or chicken, also I use liver he loves it.

Here's a link were I explain how I make the topper Homemade kibble topper recipe


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## AngelsMommy (Nov 3, 2012)

I would go with the homecooked, unless the liverpool is better than the Science Diet or Eukanuba. I have feed both in the past and do not think they are worth what they charge. My mpoo had horrible dental issues because of Eukanuba. She also had other issues my vet advised me were due to a kibble diet. My Angel was on Pedigree when I got her, but she now is on a prm diet. I can tell such a huge difference between her health of when I first brought her home and now. Her energy levels have grown and her coat is superb. We run three miles a day and she now has more than enough energy to do it and still have play time. She went from not hardly eating to eating with gusto!

I know that the foods especially the meats there might not be great for the raw feeding, but I would definitely do the home cooked. But do remember that dogs can handle foods that we could not.

Good luck with finding what is best for your baby.


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## Mr Babykins Jasper (Dec 8, 2012)

Thanks so much for the advice. I will try your recipe for sure. By the way--your poodle looks gorgeous! But is s/he really a toy? He looks like a standard.


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## Mr Babykins Jasper (Dec 8, 2012)

AngelsMommy said:


> I would go with the homecooked, unless the liverpool is better than the Science Diet or Eukanuba. I have feed both in the past and do not think they are worth what they charge. My mpoo had horrible dental issues because of Eukanuba. She also had other issues my vet advised me were due to a kibble diet. My Angel was on Pedigree when I got her, but she now is on a prm diet. I can tell such a huge difference between her health of when I first brought her home and now. Her energy levels have grown and her coat is superb. We run three miles a day and she now has more than enough energy to do it and still have play time. She went from not hardly eating to eating with gusto!
> 
> I know that the foods especially the meats there might not be great for the raw feeding, but I would definitely do the home cooked. But do remember that dogs can handle foods that we could not.
> 
> Good luck with finding what is best for your baby.


I find the dog food much cheaper here than in Canada--but I have also noticed that they really really like the corn fillers too. Since corn is a staple food for humans, they really advertise the corn on the dog food--at least that is the impression that I get. I am not big on corn for my dog so I try to avoid it and really I found that he was doing very well on the Taste of the Wild grain free diet. He favours the water fowl and the fish, which makes me happy because I have the impression that poodles would thrive on waterfowl. heehee this stuff really is marketed to humans!

About raw--I am able to easily get good quality meats--but I worry about cross contamination from water. I also notice that they do not keep meats refrigerated in the same way that I am accustomed to at home. For example, the butcher often does not even have ice to keep the meat cool. I get the impression that they think the outside Winter air is cold enough--but in Canada we call this Summer. They also do not refrigerate eggs--which worries me some. AND-of course-we all know the rule about avoiding eating raw vegetables in countries where water may be contaminated. So I think the best route is "welldone" cooking.


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## Sapphire-Light (Jun 9, 2010)

Thank you, yes he is a toy I take him to the conformation shows so he is in show coat, that's why he looks bigger in the pics  he is 8 pounds including all that show hair lol.

In the cocked meat recipe I added salt back them, but I rarely do it now you can skip this.

I get your concern in how they handle the veggies and the meats, that's very normal around here, what you could do if you are worried is to freeze the meat for at least 24 hours to kill the bacteria and for the veggies wash them wit dishsoap or dip them in water wit a few drops of clorox or veggie cleaner (desifectante de verduras) you can search for it in pharmacies.

The eggs are not in the fridge because they are supposed to be fresh (most of the time they keep them like this only for a few days), when you buy them you can put them in the fridge.


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## Mr Babykins Jasper (Dec 8, 2012)

Well, I have an unfortunate update. My dog really liked the stew I cooked him, but last night he started vomiting all over the floor. He didnt eat again all day so I brought him to the vet in the afternoon. The vet thinks he may have a stomach infection and gave him an injection of antibiotics. I am supposed to bring him back tomorrow for another injection. He has also lost a kilo + since we got here at the beginning of December.

I, of course, got the obligatory DON"T GIVE YOUR DOG HUMAN FOOD lecture and, of course, the vet slammed the Pedigree food that I was giving him as low protein. He also said something that seemed off to me. Shocked that I feed Jasper 4 times a day, he said that he should only be fed once per day! I can't imagine my picky poodle eating just once per day. The amount of food that he would need to eat in that one sitting would cause him to vomit for sure.

How often should I be feeding?

He sold me a bag of Eukanuba and said 200grams once per day.


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## Sapphire-Light (Jun 9, 2010)

Yeah, most of the vets are against natural foods, however you have to remember that kibble has only being for around 50 years only!! so it is impossible for a espieces to evolve in digesting that only in such short time , mostly when the poodle breed has being around since the years 1,500 

Wit the cooked food did you gave a full meal, or did you add a few spoons to the pedigree? 


The problem could be if this the first time the dog has tasted meat and ate a full bowl then the tummy can get upset since is used to digest kibble,the meat could be too rich for him mostly when pedigree is a kibble made wit poor protein, that would be like feeding a child a bowl of healthy salad wit salmon to a child that has only eated fast food and oreos in all his life.

That is why a transition should be done everytime a new food is introduced, no matter if is natural or processed (kibble) 

Wish ingredients did you add in the stew? 

If you added organs like liver sometimes it can be too rich for a dog that get its in a first time, the best is to add a really tiny piece like the size of a human nail and see how the tummy of the dog reacts, if is going well you can make the piece bigger in the next feeding and later do the same, the next the same, etc.. that way you make make progress .


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## Sapphire-Light (Jun 9, 2010)

Ah! about your question in how many meals a day, it would depend in the dogs.

Some people believe is ok wit one a day, but this can be risky in large breeds like your dog since it can cause bloat, and in toy dogs (like mine) it can cause hypoglycemia.

For example I feed Pompadour two meals a day, if he only eats one time then in late at noon or very early in the next day he pukes vile since his tummy is empty.



> The cause of bloat--excess gas--can be prevented by offering a dog multiple smaller meals instead of one large daily meal and discouraging fast eating and "gulping" of air. Dogs predisposed to bloat should not exercise for at least an hour after eating.
> 
> Read more: What Are the Causes of Bloating in Dogs? | eHow.com What Are the Causes of Bloating in Dogs? | eHow.com





> Toy Breed Hypoglycemia
> 
> Some toy breeds (such as Chihuahuas, Yorkshire Terriers, Maltese, Toy Poodles and Pomeranian) are prone to hypoglycemia due to a metabolic disorder. If you have a toy breed dog, it is better to feed her 3 small meals a day to avoid hypoglycemia. Hypoglycemia in Dogs | Canine Hypoglycemia


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## Mr Babykins Jasper (Dec 8, 2012)

I gave it to him as a topper on top of the pedigree kibble. He REALLY liked it and kept asking for more. He had been eating it for 3 days before he puked it all over the floor. The amount of puke was substantial--like he had been saving up. The vomited food (gee this is a lot of gross info) looked pretty close coming out as it had going in. The kibble was still formed into little bone shapes etc. It was almost as though he had not been digesting anything for a couple of days.

Maybe my recipe was too much for him. I made a stew of beef chunks, potato, carrot, a bit of rice and a bit of lentils. There was a lot of broth.

At home he eats Taste of the Wild wet food as a topper so I did not anticipate this would be too rich for him.

Before I gave him the food he was pretty constipated, but after he started eating it he softened up--still formed but wet and soft. Then he firmed up to normal again.

As I said, the vet thought there was something going on in his gut. He got a second shot of antibiotic today and orders to give him only 50 grams of food. Jasper is satisfied with the small amount of kibble and is still generally disinterested in food--except for pork rinds--and he is COMPLETELY disinterested in drinking water. I even went to buy a fresh bottle of water to make sure that the last bottle wasn't off somehow and he still has no interest. When I hold the water up to his face he turns his nose away.

Not drinking water is very worrisome.


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## Mr Babykins Jasper (Dec 8, 2012)

Sapphire-Light said:


> Ah! about your question in how many meals a day, it would depend in the dogs.
> 
> Some people believe is ok wit one a day, but this can be risky in large breeds like your dog since it can cause bloat, and in toy dogs (like mine) it can cause hypoglycemia.
> 
> For example I feed Pompadour two meals a day, if he only eats one time then in late at noon or very early in the next day he pukes vile since his tummy is empty.


I think it is a certain kind of dog--not a dainty poodle--that can be on the once a day plan. A standard poodle is quite rare in Mexico so this vet can be excused for not knowing much about them--but I don't think it will be in our best interests to only feed once a day. As it is, he has lost 2 kilos in 2 months and I directly attribute that to the lower quality dog food. Of course, if he has a stomach infection, that would contribute too.

In general, I give Jasper about 4 small meals because he has been unable to handle eating a large amount at one time.

I have noticed one thing--at home he was satisfied with his food and the amount that I gave him. Here he is always looking for more and sniffing around the table when we are eating--something he never did at home. Obviously he is hungry. My last dog was a dalmation (passed away after 14 years) that required a low protein diet. It was the same thing---low protein meant she was hungry all the time even though she ate a lot of food.


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## Sapphire-Light (Jun 9, 2010)

Mr Babykins Jasper said:


> I gave it to him as a topper on top of the pedigree kibble. He REALLY liked it and kept asking for more. He had been eating it for 3 days before he puked it all over the floor. The amount of puke was substantial--like he had been saving up. The vomited food (gee this is a lot of gross info) looked pretty close coming out as it had going in. The kibble was still formed into little bone shapes etc. It was almost as though he had not been digesting anything for a couple of days.
> 
> Maybe my recipe was too much for him. I made a stew of beef chunks, potato, carrot, a bit of rice and a bit of lentils. There was a lot of broth.
> 
> ...


So he ate rich foods before? I see, then is strange, mostly if he is not interested in drinking.

Try to add a bit of warm water to his kibble to see if he drinks it.

One thing I do at emergencies when my dog refuses to eat or drink is to give gatoraid mixed wit a bit of water using a syringe in the mouth (take the needle off) , unlike Canada and the US, you can buy a syringe in any drugstore/ pharmacy, as long as you have money in hand no one will refuse to sell you one. 

Maybe he has worms? here in latin america is very easy for a dog to catch parasites because of rain puddles, feral dogs, rodents, birds, gargabe etc..


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## Sapphire-Light (Jun 9, 2010)

Mr Babykins Jasper said:


> I think it is a certain kind of dog--not a dainty poodle--that can be on the once a day plan. A standard poodle is quite rare in Mexico so this vet can be excused for not knowing much about them--but I don't think it will be in our best interests to only feed once a day. As it is, he has lost 2 kilos in 2 months and I directly attribute that to the lower quality dog food. Of course, if he has a stomach infection, that would contribute too.
> 
> In general, I give Jasper about 4 small meals because he has been unable to handle eating a large amount at one time.
> 
> I have noticed one thing--at home he was satisfied with his food and the amount that I gave him. Here he is always looking for more and sniffing around the table when we are eating--something he never did at home. Obviously he is hungry. My last dog was a dalmation (passed away after 14 years) that required a low protein diet. It was the same thing---low protein meant she was hungry all the time even though she ate a lot of food.


Yeah, standards poodles are very rare around here, my handler says that in my country there's only 4 of them!! 

Even my boy is rare because he is purebred, you see the mayority of poodles here are mixed since the have flat faces, round skulls and short legs similar in conformation to shi-tzus or "peke-poos" one vet was shocked to see my boy since he thought he was famished since he looks slim and agile (like any healty purebred toy poodle) and not round and bulky like the "french poodles" from here.

Agree, a large or a toy dog should eat at least two meals a day to prevent problems, maybe he feels hungry after eating because pedigree is has lower nutrients than taste of the wild, hopefully he can feel better wit the eukanuba.


See here's an example of a poor protein food in a carnivore making him feel more hungry:



> When ingesting a high carbohydrate diet, the cat's pancreas responds by releasing more insulin which may cause low blood sugar, which in turn causes the cat to feel hungry, requiring more food. Also, low meat protein diets, where the cat cannot down regulate hepatic enzymes, will cause the cat to feel hungry, also requiring it to eat more food to attain its protein requirement. Idiopathic Diseases of Cats | Feline Nutrition Awareness Effort


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## Mr Babykins Jasper (Dec 8, 2012)

He FINALLY drank some water now. He has also been peeing normally despite the lack of water. I think that he probably did pick something up in a puddle or something. I was willing to deworm him at the vet but they thought the dose he got at the beginning of December was enough. At any rate, he has had more anti-biotic and I believe that there is some improvement in terms of his energy level so hopefully things will rectify soon.

About those rare poodles---wherever I go people start screaming and calling him a pellucci (stuffed toy). (I assume that is the spelling). Several people have asked me to breed him with their dog--he has been nuetered so no chance of that.--and I do not want to add to the population of feral dogs--


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## Sapphire-Light (Jun 9, 2010)

Mr Babykins Jasper said:


> He FINALLY drank some water now. He has also been peeing normally despite the lack of water. I think that he probably did pick something up in a puddle or something. I was willing to deworm him at the vet but they thought the dose he got at the beginning of December was enough. At any rate, he has had more anti-biotic and I believe that there is some improvement in terms of his energy level so hopefully things will rectify soon.
> 
> About those rare poodles---wherever I go people start screaming and calling him a pellucci (stuffed toy). (I assume that is the spelling). Several people have asked me to breed him with their dog--he has been nuetered so no chance of that.--and I do not want to add to the population of feral dogs--



Good to hear he is doing better, did the vet made a poop exam?

Besides worms there's also ameobas in water puddles, areas wit grass, etc, mostly if there's feral dogs, cats, birds or rodents in the area.

That's why vets from here recommend to de-worm at least every 3 months, but you have to keep an eye in them since they can catch parasites at any moment, sometimes they can catch them even in less than a month after a de-worm.


Maybe your boy does has parasites, and his tummy was already sensible from them since before the meal, and he reacted to your stew because of the fiber from the veggies made his stools loose.


And yes is very common for people around here to ask about breeding your dogs and mostly if is pure breed, however not all people have in mind making profit wit the puppies, but because they believe dogs have "sexual necessity" that they "need to have an active sex life or else they will get traumatized and get sick" 

This was pushed a lot by old time vets (young vets aren't like that), mostly because if you had a female they will tell you this so she will have a litter and that means more puppies to de-worm, vaccine, tail and ear docking, buying a bag of puppy food from them, etc.. in other words more money for the vet.

I know persons that own female dogs and the vets tell them that if in the second heat she doesn't have puppies then she will catch cancer and die. 

Sadly this was ingrained in the minds of many owners :afraid: when people find out that my dog haven't have sex they think I'm abusing and torturing him , and they tell me he is "suffering and desespered to have sex " and that "if you don't have a female of the same breed you should breed him wit a mutt, he feels sad because he is virgin " 

The stuffed dog is spelled "peluche" that is very close


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## outwest (May 1, 2011)

Mr Babykins Jasper said:


> Well, I have an unfortunate update. My dog really liked the stew I cooked him, but last night he started vomiting all over the floor. He didnt eat again all day so I brought him to the vet in the afternoon. The vet thinks he may have a stomach infection and gave him an injection of antibiotics. I am supposed to bring him back tomorrow for another injection. He has also lost a kilo + since we got here at the beginning of December.
> 
> I, of course, got the obligatory DON"T GIVE YOUR DOG HUMAN FOOD lecture and, of course, the vet slammed the Pedigree food that I was giving him as low protein. He also said something that seemed off to me. Shocked that I feed Jasper 4 times a day, he said that he should only be fed once per day! I can't imagine my picky poodle eating just once per day. The amount of food that he would need to eat in that one sitting would cause him to vomit for sure.
> 
> ...


I feed my poodles twice a day. No way could I get enough calories into them once a day. Also, with standard poodles it is best not to gorge once a day because of the bloat risks. Just smile and nod to the vet and then do whatever you want to do.  Four times a day is unnecessary, but no less frequently than twice a day. In the old days, once a day was normal for a dog. In the wild they do eat more like that, but you have a highly domesticated poodle! 

Are there any on line sources that ship to Mexico City? I would do that if at all possible. Honestly, Eukanuba is better than Pedigree, but certainly not very good. I used to feed it until I actually READ all the ingredients and protein level.


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## Sapphire-Light (Jun 9, 2010)

How your boy is doing? hopefully he is getting better.


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## Mr Babykins Jasper (Dec 8, 2012)

My baby is all better. We actually returned to Canada so this food issue is now a moot point. He is back on his regular food and gaining his weight back.
Thanks for all the advice.

One thing that I have noticed is that he back to being content with what I feed him. No more longing looks at other people's food.


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## AngelsMommy (Nov 3, 2012)

I know that one. Since I got Angel on raw, she will look at tidbits and treats like you want me to eat THAT??? Most of the time she could care less about anything other than her wonderful chicken, satin balls or deer. Everything else is just not interesting enough. So I think that must be that she is well fed.


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## Sapphire-Light (Jun 9, 2010)

Happy to know you both are back home 

So he is in his previous kibble and eating it like before righ? that's good news.


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## Mr Babykins Jasper (Dec 8, 2012)

Yes, he is eating the exact same food that he was on before we went to Mexico and now he is doing well. He really scared me when he started dropping weight.


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