Just wondering if anyone has fed/feeds either of these kibbles? I'm looking for a low allergen diet. I've never heard of menhaden fish.....which is in the RC Skin Support Vet Diet.

Also looking at GO! Natural Salmon and Oatmeal.

Any opinions on either appreciated. TIA

Info on the menhaden fish
http://www.chesapeakebay.net/info/atlantic_menhaden.cfm
I used to had a different link as to why it was good for dogs but don't know where it went.

Thanks BH. I did Google this fish and had already read the website you noted. I'd be interested in why it would be used in dog food if it is not considered a "culinary" fish and is mostly used for fertilizer. I'm sure there must be a reason, but I couldn't find anything pertaining to dog food.

I currently am feeding this food to one of my dogs and have to say I am happy with the results. This is a dog who has been very itchy. She started on the food about 4 weeks ago and the itchies have definatly decreased - almost gone completely.

If you'd like more information I would suggest you contact Dawn Nacey of Empress Labradors as she's a Royal Canin rep (but not on the vet side). She can likely put you in touch with the vet rep in your area who can give you the specific answers you're looking for. Good luck.

Thanks to the two people who replied. Judging by the lack of responses I guess these products aren't used much by people who visit this site.

You might also look at herring and sweet potatoe diets before going any veterinary. Some of these can work just as well without the heafty price.

Duck and Potatoe
Fish and Potatoe

There are a lot of companies out there who make these adn you can buy at independent retailers.

Thanks for the suggestion Erin. The Go! Natural is a Salmon & Oatmeal formula. It was suggested as a good one to feed if your dog has allergies. It is a one protein, one carb, one oil diet. I'd really like to get some opinions from others...especially anyone that feeds/has fed it.

My Vet suggested the RC Skin Support Diet....he sells it and seems to think it's a great product. After Googling... the one thing that I'm unsure about is the menhaden fish (the protein source in the RC Skin Support). I haven't been able to find anything referring to it's use in dog food. In fact it doesn't sound like it's generally used as an eating fish, but more for fertilizer. I'm sure it must be fine, but I'm just not at all familiar with it. Also most RC foods seem to contain Citric Acid, and I keep reading that that's not a good thing in terms of bloat. (according to the study someone mentioned in another post anyway) I guess as long as you don't wet the food the citric acid is okay, but a lot of people do.

My husband (god bless him for putting up with me) is a Marine Biologist and pointed this out to me for the Menhaden question.

Value Of Menhaden Fish
Menhaden contains only one third as much salt as meat meal and less than either lamb or chicken meal, yet contains more than double the amount of natural potassium than lamb meal and 53% percent more than meat meal.

Menhaden's protein profile is also without peer.

It contains 91% more Lysine per gram than meat meal, 65% more than lamb meal, and 35% more than chicken meal. Lysine is essential for dogs to attain their maximum growth.

There is 146% more Tryptophan in Menhaden than is found in lamb meal, 66% more than in meat meal and 20% more than in chicken meal. Tryptophan is a nutrient affecting brain chemistry and neuro-transmitter function.

There is 60% more Valine in Menhaden than in meat meal and 30% more than in lamb meal. Valine is involved in muscle metabolism.

There is 161% more Methionine in Menhaden than in meat meal, 140% more than in lamb meal and 57% more than in poultry meal. Methionine is an anti-oxidant and free radical scavenger and is vital in forming the structure of nucleic acids, collagen and in the ability of each cell to synthesize protein. It also supports the immune system.

There is 90% more Tyrosine in Menhaden than in meat meal, 70% more than in lamb meal, and 17% more than in poultry meal. Tyrosine is essential in the production of thyroid hormones. A deficiency can cause thyroid problems. Tyrosine is also vital in maintaining pigment in skin, coat and soft tissue, preventing them against colour changes.

Low blood pressure can also result from inadequate levels of Tyrosine.

There are significantly larger amounts of Glutamic Acid, Histadine, Aspartic Acid, Threonine, Phenylalanine, Leucine and Isoleucine (all vital amino acids) than are found in any of the other meals.

Last but not least in Menhaden's uniquely fatty acid content.

There are two types of fat required for animal survival - the visible or hard fat and the unsaturated or invisible fats.

The invisible fats form part of the structural material in the cells of many of the body's vital organs, i.e. the brain, heart, kidneys, testes, thyroid, spleen and muscle cells.

There are two critically needed unsaturated invisible fatty acids - Linoleic and Linolenic.

Linoleic acid is fairly abundant in some vegetable oils and is found in variable amounts in some animal meals. Linolenic Acid, on the other hand, has virtually disappeared from commercially prepared animal meals as a result of modern commercial farming and feeding practices. As a result, Linolenic Acid does not appear at all, or appears only anecdotally in many commercial dog foods.

Although the dogs body can manufacture a facsimile of Linolenic Acid if there is an abundance of Linoleic Acid (which is rarely the case) the facsimile made by the body is but a poor imitation of the original linolenic and therefore cannot perform the complex intra-cellular functions of the original.

Progressive retinal atrophy and other eye disorders, as well as thyroid, kidney, malformations of the brain and heart are becoming increasingly more common in dogs. Linolenic Acid is vital for the formation, maintenance and function of these organs. A shortfall of this critical nutrient in commercial canine diets should be a matter of growing concern to dog owners.To make matters worse, dog food manufacturers have no incentive to include Linolenic Acid in their diets or assure its availability, since the standards generally used by the Industry are based on the previous erroneous scientific position that the facsimile of Linolenic Acid made by the body from Linoleic Acid functions as an adequate substitute for the original.

Bad as the situation is concerning the virtually non-existent supply of Linolenic Acid in commercial diets, it is made even worse because the availability of even a limited supply is put into question by popular methods of manufacturing dog food. Baking and extruding chunks with steam, under pressure, are known to interfere with the release and, therefore, availability of both Linoleic and Linolenic Acids.

Hope this answers the question!

Susan - Wow! Thank-you for taking the time to give me all that information on menhaden fish...and thanks to your husband too. It sounds like it would be good. I wonder why it apparently (from what I've read) is mainly used as fertilizer and isn't considered a "culinary" fish. I'm going to go back and read your reply again. I'm also curious as to how it compares to salmon (the Go! Natural is made with wild salmon).

If only I worried as much about my own diet!

Thanks again.

Menhaden are not eaten by people, as salmon are, due to their oily nature and very fine bones. Thus they are commercially fished, but not for restaurants or supermarkets.
Menhaden are actually one of the fish that form the base of the fish food chain on the east coast due to their nutritional content.