Off topic- dog food?

[StealthDog]

Hi all,

Just curious to know what everyone is feeding their dogs. I know that at some vet schools, students can get Science Diet for little or no cost, but I've heard conflicting opinions on the quality of SD. I'm getting a new dog on Monday, and am wondering what I should start feeding her. I've heard good things about California Natural, Innova, and Canidae.

Opinions?

~m

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[youthman]

I feed canidae, it's good quality at a competitive price. If I only had 1 dog, depending on the breed and age of the dog, I would lean more towards innova EVO and/or raw diet.

 

[chris03333]

Hi all,

Just curious to know what everyone is feeding their dogs. I know that at some vet schools, students can get Science Diet for little or no cost, but I've heard conflicting opinions on the quality of SD. I'm getting a new dog on Monday, and am wondering what I should start feeding her. I've heard good things about California Natural, Innova, and Canidae.

Opinions?

~m

I feed all of my animals SD (2 cats, 1 dog). I do get a discount but I could get other foods for free (Iams, Eukanuba, Purina). I tried all of them and my animals are happiest with the SD so I fork out the money.

 

[wishes]

Hi all,

Just curious to know what everyone is feeding their dogs. I know that at some vet schools, students can get Science Diet for little or no cost, but I've heard conflicting opinions on the quality of SD. I'm getting a new dog on Monday, and am wondering what I should start feeding her. I've heard good things about California Natural, Innova, and Canidae.

Opinions?

~m

I have one allergy dog and that I've tried on SD Z/D, natural balance duck & potato, and Waltham/IVD duck & potato. He did not do well at all on SD Z/D and does the best on the natural balance. My other dog I feed Eukanuba to and I have been very happy with Eukanuba.
I feed my cat Purina and have also been pleased (plus Purina tend to be slightly cheaper).
I have heard positive things about the new Purina One natural selects so I am considering switching both of my dogs to that. It is a "natural" diet that is not processed and contains low alergen potential ingredients.

 

[HorseyVet]

Hi all,

Just curious to know what everyone is feeding their dogs. I know that at some vet schools, students can get Science Diet for little or no cost, but I've heard conflicting opinions on the quality of SD. I'm getting a new dog on Monday, and am wondering what I should start feeding her. I've heard good things about California Natural, Innova, and Canidae.

Opinions?

I think it's one of those, start with something that not bottom of the barrel (most premium foods are pretty equivalent for a healthy dog) and then tailor as needed.

My story...
I had my dog on the Nutro Natural choice (large breed adult and then senior) for years and then he started having very bad diarrhea and was on and off i/d dry for a while which stabilized him. Not being to chipper about a life time of $20/kibble or however outrageously expensive that was, I tried him on half Nutro lg breed/ SD sensitive stomatch. Potty problems resolved. I switched him to half, almost 2/3 SD Advanced protection senior 1/3 nutro without problems and am very happy with that....

All that being said, SD supply 85-90% of the prescription diets and they do a lot of research. IAMS does 85-90% of the purebreed/show/performance dog market and also does a ton of research. I've met and done shadowing with vets at IAMS and SD and a lot (more than I really thought) of research and time goes into both their foods....they made me feel bad b/c they both kinda of bad mouthed Nutro (I admittly pressed them b/c I was feeding it) for I guess not doing their own research and sort of stealing theirs. My dog's over 13 though and he's been eating Nutro in some capacity for about 10 years so there's that for whatever it's worth.

Anyway, after visiting IAMS, which I had never fed, I was sort of brain washed into thinking it was the greatest. Resisting the brain washing, I realized that my dog was fine and unless his conditions started to change.

The IMO bottom line...SD is a good food, and b/c it will be cheaper I'd certainly start your dog on it. After a month if you're not happy, then maybe try something else. Just try not to become a crazy person like me and sit in Petsmart with 10 bags of food in front of me reading the ingredients.

 

[mokadet]

Just try not to become a crazy person like me and sit in Petsmart with 10 bags of food in front of me reading the ingredients.

I thought I was the only person that did that! It took me about 45 minutes of deliberating in the Petsmart isles when I got my cat. My first reach was for Eukanuba, which is what my sister feeds her cat, Oskar, and he is very healthy and happy. I eventually decided on Purina One for two reasons 1. my dogs always ate Purina One and one lived to be 16 and the other is still going strong at 14. 2. It's a good mid-range food that I can afford to keep her on. So far she is very happy with the food and couldln't be healthier (she was a starving stray when she was found and the doc she goes to can't believe her turn-around).

I have thought about switching to SD when I get in to vet school, just because I will be even more poor then and it will be free! But I will burn that bridge when I get there.

 

[UKYWildcat]

Hi all,

Just curious to know what everyone is feeding their dogs. I know that at some vet schools, students can get Science Diet for little or no cost, but I've heard conflicting opinions on the quality of SD. I'm getting a new dog on Monday, and am wondering what I should start feeding her. I've heard good things about California Natural, Innova, and Canidae.

Opinions?

~m

My current trainwreck of a rescue eats Royal Canin Skin Support, my own dog eats Wellness Fish & Potato and my cat eats Natural Balance (the protein source has completely slipped my mind) It's all about feeding a product that works best for the individual animal, that you're comfortable buying and that you can afford. Do I think Science Diet is decent? Yes. Do I choose to feed it? No, because what I'm doing works here. I could get Hills products cheaper than dirt through our student/staff feeding program at the vet school but I choose not to.

 

[StealthDog]

Thanks everyone. I was a little surprised when I was cruising dog forums how often Science Diet was badmouthed- and how often vets' knowledge of nutrition was badmouthed. It seems to be common "knowledge" that vets only get two weeks of training in nutrition, that they are all sellouts who recommend Science Diet because that's who sponsors all the nutritional seminars, that foods like SD are the cause of most food allergies, and that all of SD's prescription diets wouldn't be necessary if the dogs or cats had been eating higher quality food in the first place. Sheesh. All seemed a little harsh.

I will wait and see what kind of food she's on now, then decide if we should stick with that or switch to something new. She's just a little corgi, so price isn't a big issue.

Thanks again!

 

[chris03333]

I thought I was the only person that did that! It took me about 45 minutes of deliberating in the Petsmart isles when I got my cat. My first reach was for Eukanuba, which is what my sister feeds her cat, Oskar, and he is very healthy and happy. I eventually decided on Purina One for two reasons 1. my dogs always ate Purina One and one lived to be 16 and the other is still going strong at 14. 2. It's a good mid-range food that I can afford to keep her on. So far she is very happy with the food and couldln't be healthier (she was a starving stray when she was found and the doc she goes to can't believe her turn-around).

I have thought about switching to SD when I get in to vet school, just because I will be even more poor then and it will be free! But I will burn that bridge when I get there.

Purina will be free when you are in vet school. SD may be free,or you get a discount, depends on how your school does it.

 

[MissBehavior]

I feed Canidae, also. I researched many different brands when I finally got my own dog a few years ago. Canidae had the highest meat content that I could find, as well as being fairly "natural" like Eagle Pack, ProPac, Solid Gold, etc. It doesn't have as many herbs as the others, but I question their efficacy anyway once they've been cooked in with the kibble. It's also reasonably priced.

 

[Iain]

My dog gets home made dog food from a local company - he has been on it for about a year and looks great.

 

[birdvet2006]

It's all about feeding a product that works best for the individual animal, that you're comfortable buying and that you can afford.

This is my way of thinking, too. When I raised a guide dog puppy, Guide Dogs required you feed Purina Puppy Chow. It worked just fine and was cheap. I think their recommendations are different now, but obviously Purina worked for their dogs (and they have hundreds) for long periods of time.

It irks me that the "public" on the forums such as dog/cat/bird think they know more about nutrition. I have a degree in animal science and took 3 pretty hefty nutrition classes, and THEN I had vet school where I received more nutrition education (and not just from Hill's).

 

[chris03333]

It irks me that the "public" on the forums such as dog/cat/bird think they know more about nutrition. I have a degree in animal science and took 3 pretty hefty nutrition classes, and THEN I had vet school where I received more nutrition education (and not just from Hill's).

👍 Right there with you 🙄

 

[HorseyVet]

and that all of SD's prescription diets wouldn't be necessary if the dogs or cats had been eating higher quality food in the first place.

Sometimes that's true......I remember when I worked emergency almost every blocked cat that can in seemed to be eating the cheapest food the owner could find and sometimes not even cat food at all...I know that's unscientific but I do try to advise people against feeding the bottom rung food, especially for male cats I've tried to scare people by comparing the cost of one hospitalization to unblock in reference to the extra few bucks a bag....

Some foods and supplements boast that you'll see a significant improvement in coat and skin in 2 weeks and often offer a garentee to that effect....If you pet was on a fairly good food to begin with, and was generally healthy you're probably not going to see that difference...The ones I know that advertise like that, at least around me, are Purina one and missing link....I use missing link (more for my piece of mind I think than anything else) and I know a lot of people with very good looking animals on purina one, but I do find the radio comercials a little annoying....it's like with some people though they'd rather feed crap and then add a supplement then just feed good food to begin with...I guess as long as the pet gets the nutrients some how it's better then nothing...

BTW...has any one seen this "old yeller" dog food...What were those people thinking? Why would you name your product after a dog that died of rabies?? Anyway, I don't get that one at all.

 

[mammalmama]

I feed my dog wellness super 5 mix in the green bag. It works great for them. I have a min-pin and chihuahua terrier mix. When I go looking for dog food, the first thing I look at are the ingredients. Wellness, Nutro, Canidae, Innova, California Naturals, and Natural Balance are my top choices for ingredients. If you want a good quality dog or cat food at an affordable price, I recommend Nutro. Both of my aunt's work for dog food companies and you would be surprised as to what some of the companies put into their foods. I'm not gonna say what foods I don't like so that I do not stir up a bunch of controversy. Like I said before, the best thing to do when choosing a pet food is to look at the ingredients.

 

[verbal_kint]

what kind of ingredients do you look for?

what kind of stuff do pet food companies put into their food?

and lastly, what companies do you not like? controversy is a good thing. i mean, this is an online forum.

i'd really like to know. i pretty much know zilch about nutrition. i have naive trust in pet food companies.

 

[birdvet2006]

what kind of ingredients do you look for?

what kind of stuff do pet food companies put into their food?

and lastly, what companies do you not like? controversy is a good thing. i mean, this is an online forum.

i'd really like to know. i pretty much know zilch about nutrition. i have naive trust in pet food companies.

I have similar questions. If a pet food company uses horse meat as the main ingredient, does this bother you because you think it's poor quality or are you just anti-horse meat or what (just for example)? If a pet food company uses corn as their first ingredient, would you think this is worse than one that uses lamb as the first ingredient and why? Just to start a discussion here.

I don't have a problem with most of the ingredients, with dog food at least. If they're using pig penises and cow cheeks (animal by-products) to feed my dog, I don't mind. I'm certain that my dog would eat that anyways! Dogs will eat *anything*. 🙂 I am not sold on the idea that filet mignon or brisket will turn my dog into "superdog" as compared to by-products. Are you?

Cat food is a bit different because cats have different metabolic pathways than dogs and truly require their protein source from meat. I prefer to see meat (in the form of by-products or better) near the top of the ingredient list in cat foods.

Personally, in the past I have fed these foods to my pets: Purina Puppy Chow, IAMS, Hill's prescription diets, Eukanuba prescription diets, and the foods (Kirkland brand or possibly "Nutra Nuggets") they sell at Costco. I've had no problems with any of these foods. Now "Meow Mix"...we used to feed that way back when (when I had no brain? Like when I was younger) - and my cat became blocked. So I don't recommend that. 🙂 Switched to Costco brand food, and he's been fine since.

 

[mammalmama]

Ok, I'll tell you the brands I don't like. Those would be Hill's SD, and Purina. I'm a person who likes human grade ingredients in my animals food. I don't want my dogs to eat feet and beeks. I'm sure that dogs in the wild would eat those things, but I don't want my dogs to eat them. Also the sources of animal fat that are in Hill's SD and Purina are questionable. Who knows what mammal they get it from. It could be road kill for all we know. Here are the ingredients I like to see in my pets food:
Lamb, Fish Meal, Whitefish, Ground Brown Rice, Ground Barley, Oatmeal, Rye Flour, Ground Millet, Amaranth, Whole Blueberries, Whole Clove Garlic, Alfalfa Leaf, Yucca, Schidigera Extract, Taurine, Lactaobacillus Plantarum, Enterococcus Faecium, Lactobacillus Casei, Lactobacillius Acidophilus, Glucosamine-HCL, Chondroitin Sulfate, Beta Carotene, Potassium Chloride, Zinc Proteinate, Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Vitamin E, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Niancin, Manganese Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Sodium Selenite, d-Calcium Hydrochloride, Thiamine, Mononitrate, and Folic acid. The flaxseed and canola oil give the food the proper balance of fatty acids which is needed for skin. My dogs have done great on the wellness dog food, which is where I got the ingredients that I listed. This one and other wholistic dog foods I recommend highly. I have 2 dogs currently, my one dog that passed away a few years ago started out on SD and did horribly. He was a pure bred sheltie. Once I started feeding the nutro and the wellness there was a big difference in his coat and overall health. My vets were amazed as to how well my dogs do on their food. I have also noticed that there is less stool on feeding the wholistic foods than on say SD. So when it comes to food, I'm not a bi-product person. I don't like it. I don't think it's good for the animals. I think either feeding a wholistic food or a raw foods diet is the best way to go.

 

[HorseyVet]

I have also noticed that there is less stool on feeding the wholistic foods than on say SD.

Just on a non-scientific level the "low stool" foods sort of worry me. On one hand, yeah it's better if they're using more of the product because there are more available nutrients in there to use (rather then "junk") but on the other hand don't some of those foods have like no fiber....I like a little fiber in my diet and would think my dog would too....
I get worried when all some owners seem to care about is less poo.

I don't have a lot of formal animal nutrition so I could be way off. Thoughts?

 

[HorseyVet]

Now "Meow Mix"...we used to feed that way back when (when I had no brain? Like when I was younger) - and my cat became blocked. So I don't recommend that. 🙂

ugh...I feel you...That's how I feel about that "Come and Get it" dog food that my old collie mix used to get when niether I or my parents knew any better about animals....he actually lived a long time, but knowing what I do now I'm still cursing the nine year old me that didn't do more for him out of ignorance. Maybe that's why my dog now is on every joint supplement known to man.

 

[dvm'08]

Just on a non-scientific level the "low stool" foods sort of worry me. On one hand, yeah it's better if they're using more of the product because there are more available nutrients in there to use (rather then "junk") but on the other hand don't some of those foods have like no fiber....I like a little fiber in my diet and would think my dog would too....
I get worried when all some owners seem to care about is less poo.

I don't have a lot of formal animal nutrition so I could be way off. Thoughts?

Dogs can tolerate up to 40% CHO in their diet, but for the most part they dont have a "required" daily amount. As for protein - so long as the protein source is animal based, it will typically have high biological value... regardless of whether it came from a bloody hoof, or prime rib... some people get ridiculous with their expectations when it comes to dog food - like the idea that dogs should be eating the same protein sources as people....

As for essential fatty acids - provided they're animal based as well, and not plant based, the dog will be able to utilize them as well, regardless of the source.

Incidentally, regardless of the type of dog food - 200 bucks or 10 bucks per bag - the food is required to be nutritionally balanced - meaning that all the daily requirements must be present in the food in the proper proportions... so you can actually get by with feeding cheaper food, and the dog can actually be quite healthy. Oh many will disagree, but its true. Typically the more expensive foods have higher quality protein, and less by products. Half the time the challenge is finding a food that the dog likes.

 

[youthman]

Cheaper foods vary in the quality of their ingredients from batch to batch. Their whole marketing edge is that they are cheaper, and this is the driving force behind their product. Premium foods stay consistent in quality from batch to batch. Their marketing edge is their quality, and that is the driving force behind their product.

You certainly cannot make a blanket statement that ALL dog foods regardless of cost are quite healthy for your dog. Theoretically you can meet all your nutritional requirements by having McDonald's for EVERY meal. Try doing that for 10 years and see if you consider yourself quite healthy.

Different dogs, and different breeds can have vastly different nutritional requirements. I'm too lazy to do the research now but do a search for carbohydrate utilization in dogs.

 

[youthman]

Just on a non-scientific level the "low stool" foods sort of worry me. On one hand, yeah it's better if they're using more of the product because there are more available nutrients in there to use (rather then "junk") but on the other hand don't some of those foods have like no fiber....I like a little fiber in my diet and would think my dog would too....
I get worried when all some owners seem to care about is less poo.

I don't have a lot of formal animal nutrition so I could be way off. Thoughts?

I was going to get scientific but I'm too lazy to provide references. There's good fiber and bad fiber. Stick with premium foods and you will probably give your dog good fiber. 😉

 

[HopefulUGACVM]

I feed Eukanuba's NZ Lamb and Rice and I LOOOVE it. I get it through the clinic I work at since I can get the kennel bags (44lbs) for less than what petsmart/tractor supply sells their 35lb bags for.

I bath my dogs maybe every 2 months. Dirt literally falls off of them and they have the shiniest, softest coats and they are in excellent weight. My younger dog comes to the office with me quite a bit (the other is too aggressive) and I get a lot of comments from clients on how great her coat is and what kind of shampoo do I use etc.

 

[HorseyVet]

I was going to get scientific but I'm too lazy to provide references. There's good fiber and bad fiber. Stick with premium foods and you will probably give your dog good fiber. 😉

Well dietary fiber essentially makes/helps you go...which is why those "low stool" formulas make me wonder if they don't accomplish that by simply constipating your dog....the fiber in these foods is a least halved if I remember correctly. Again, I'm forget what else was different years ago when I read every bag in the store...there may be something else different that contributes more so to making less stool (that's where I was thinking it had more to do with a difference in available/digestable ingredients).

I remember this rescue pit I had once....I was just feeding it purina regular dog food and I kid you not it pooped like 8-10 times a day and I could literally see what I can only deduce to be corn in the poo. My shepherd, which was about 20 lbs heavier was on nutro natural choice....and it poo-ed about 1.5 times/day.

btw..."poo-ed" is a technical term

 

[youthman]

Well dietary fiber essentially makes/helps you go...which is why those "low stool" formulas make me wonder if they don't accomplish that by simply constipating your dog....the fiber in these foods is a least halved if I remember correctly. Again, I'm forget what else was different years ago when I read every bag in the store...there may be something else different that contributes more so to making less stool (that's where I was thinking it had more to do with a difference in available/digestable ingredients).

I remember this rescue pit I had once....I was just feeding it purina regular dog food and I kid you not it pooped like 8-10 times a day and I could literally see what I can only deduce to be corn in the poo. My shepherd, which was about 20 lbs heavier was on nutro natural choice....and it poo-ed about 1.5 times/day.

btw..."poo-ed" is a technical term

actually, certain types of fiber help increase nutrient absorption. Here you go:

Influence of fermentable fiber on small intestinal dimensions and transport of glucose and proline in dogs.

Buddington RK, Buddington KK, Sunvold GD.

Department of Biological Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi State 39762, USA.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether intestinal dimensions and nutrient absorption are influenced by different types of dietary fiber. ANIMALS: 10 adult Beagles of both sexes. PROCEDURE: Dogs were randomly assigned to 2 groups and fed a diet with fermentable fibers (beet pulp and oligofructose) or a nonfermentable fiber (cellulose) for 6 weeks. Effects of the diets on small intestinal dimensions were measured, and transport rates for glucose and proline were determined. Kinetics of glucose and proline uptake were defined in the proximal and middle regions of the small intestine, respectively. RESULTS: Small intestines of dogs fed fermentable fiber had 28% more nominal surface area and 37% more mucosal mass, were 35% heavier, and had 95% higher capacity for carrier-mediated glucose uptake than those of dogs fed a diet with cellulose. Differences were more pronounced in the proximal portion of the intestine. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Diets containing fermentable fibers increase small intestinal dimensions and the capacity for nutrient absorption in dogs. These changes may reduce the risk of enteric infections or aid in treatment of intestinal diseases, particularly those involving reduced nutrient absorption.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/...ve&db=PubMed&list_uids=10188819&dopt=Abstract

And here is something from Iams:

Fiber Levels and Fermentability
Iams research shows the optimal crude fiber level for healthy dogs ranges from 1.4 to 3.5%. At these levels, nutrient digestibility is maximized.

An important characteristic of fiber is its fermentability—how well it can be broken down by the bacteria that normally reside in the dog’s intestine. This breakdown of dietary fiber produces SCFAs which provide energy to the cells lining the intestines. Different types of fiber vary in fermentability. Fiber sources used in pet foods include cellulose, which is poorly fermentable; beet pulp, which is moderately fermentable; and gums and pectin, which can be highly fermentable.

Research has shown that moderate levels of moderately fermentable fiber, such as beet pulp, provide the benefits of energy for the intestinal lining and bulk without the negative effects of excessive stool or gas.

High Fiber and Weight Loss
High levels of poorly fermentable fiber are used in some weight-reduction pet foods to dilute the calories in a serving. Iams research shows that this is not a good practice because high fiber levels can decrease the digestibility of other nutrients in the food and, therefore, reduce the nutritional quality of the diet. Pet owners also see a marked increase in stool quantity in the yard due to the undigestible fiber.

Fiber in Iams Dog Foods
When choosing a pet food, fiber is an important consideration. However, remember that the dietary fiber needs of dogs are not the same as those of humans. A moderate level of moderately fermentable fiber, such as beet pulp, provides proven nutritional benefits for dogs. Diets containing high levels of poorly fermentable fiber to dilute calorie content do not provide nutritional benefits.

All Iams products are formulated with optimal levels of moderately fermentable fiber to promote a healthy intestinal tract and enhance the well-being of your dog.

Interesting stuff isn't it?? What I really like is nutrition for canine athletes. I mean people were supplementing dogs with creatine and free form amino acids before they started selling them to humans. I used to train with police K9's and I always thought of these dogs as professional athletes!

 

[HorseyVet]

In response to Youthman's very long post ...."oh yeah...well I know how grass works in horses.....and stuff" 😀

lol...I think by trying not to go into the fiber thing I left myself open....I really don't know though which types of fiber are included on the label where it gives the percentage.
We're always looking at horse poop, hay, and grass/field analysis and thus I think my major knowledge of fiber lies in the salad type variety.

Nutrition is pretty interesting stuff. I'm hoping I'm able to get more than just the 2 week crash course that I hear you get in school...

 

[StealthDog]

Haha... Here's how things have turned out:

Winnie's previous owners fed her Science Diet, but when she got here she wouldn't touch it. After three days of not eating, I got her a bag of Innova and some canned food. I gave her a little Innova, a lot of Science Diet, and mixed it with some canned. She plucked out all of the canned and Innova, leaving only Science Diet kibbles in her bowl. I guess she was ready for a change!

Here she is!

 

[eaglemeag]

Is it horrible that I feed my dogs Purina? My family has always fed their dogs Purina and they always live to be older than dirt. My English Setter is 12 and going strong; her only health problems are mild allergies (usually at the same time I'm a little sniffly) and hip arthritis. I just can't imagine spending more on more expensive brands when they seem to do just fine with this stuff.

 

[vesper9]

Sometimes that's true......I remember when I worked emergency almost every blocked cat that can in seemed to be eating the cheapest food the owner could find and sometimes not even cat food at all...I know that's unscientific but I do try to advise people against feeding the bottom rung food, especially for male cats I've tried to scare people by comparing the cost of one hospitalization to unblock in reference to the extra few bucks a bag....

SO TRUE! When we first got our cat we switched him from his previous diet of Meow-Mix to an organic cat food from Whole Foods(which didn't seem low rung at the time) and he blocked up within two weeks. Ever since then we've been using SD by the vet's recommendation (first the RxP kind, then the light one when he needed to loose weight, and now regular and natural kinds) and have had no problems at all.

as a side note, the ER vet who squeezed the obstruction out of my cat's penis by hand on our 3rd night in the ER became my instant hero (and saved me $$$)!

 

[HorseyVet]

There's been a lot of talk about SD and a little about nutro on this thread...what are everyones thoughts about IAMS(specify the line)?

like I said, I never fed it but when I shadowed there and talked to everyone and saw the plant I was really impressed. Maybe just fanfair.

Just curious what you all think


btw: been slow here ...any interest/allowance for a totally OT thread ?

 

[wishes]

Is it horrible that I feed my dogs Purina? My family has always fed their dogs Purina and they always live to be older than dirt. My English Setter is 12 and going strong; her only health problems are mild allergies (usually at the same time I'm a little sniffly) and hip arthritis. I just can't imagine spending more on more expensive brands when they seem to do just fine with this stuff.

No 🙂.
In recent years Purina has made big strides in the quality of pet food that they offer and now even offer many prescription diets. Also, I have heard very positive things about the new Purina Pro Plan Natural Selects and I am even trying my two dogs on it.
My kitty cat has eaten Purina One Senior since I have owned him and does great on it.
While I don't think Purina automatically scores at the top of "premium" pet foods, I certainly don't consider it a bad choice by any means. Just my two-cents.