Healthy Dog Foods? - Maxximum Nutrition
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Maxximum - Wal-Mart Brand Dog Food
Maxximum Nutrition Dog Food Review
- Animal Digest - Plus 1 point = No Animal Digest
- Corn - Plus 1 point = no corn
- Wheat - Plus 1 point = No wheat
- Soy - Plus 1 point = No Soy
- Gluten - Plus 1 point = No gluten
- Extra Goodies - Minus 1 point = Natural Flavor, dried beet pulp, dried egg product
- By-Products - Plus 1 point = No by-products
- Animal Fat - Minus 1 point = Chicken Fat
- Pet Food Recalls - Plus 1 point = No Recalls Maxximum Pet Foods
- Class Action - Plus 1 point = No Class Action against Maxximum Pet Foods
Dog Food Rating for Maxximum Dog Food
Total Score = 8/10
Ask Susan Peters Dog Food Review
There are some questionable ingredients in this product but from what I can see from the ingredients listed this is a much better product than most of the high priced products like Science Diet and others like it. I would use this product in a pinch. I consider Maxximum Nutrition Pet Food to be a fairly healthy choice in dog food.
Ask Susan Peters Other Sites Of Interest:
Cat Food Review - Cat Food Ratings
Cat Food Safe To Feed After The Cat Food Recall
Free Online Pet Food Recall Information - Buyers Guide - Understanding the Pet Food recall and why cats and dogs continue to get sick and die - written by Susan Peters
Dog Treat and Snack Review and Dog Food Ratings
Dog Food Safe To Feed After The Dog Food Recall
Class Action Lawsuit Settlement - Pet Food Companies Barking and Biting
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Comments
Candace,
I've been trying to find out who is the producer of this pet food for quite a while now with no luck. I have been feeding this to my dog and cats. There seems to be no cross contamination with this product for I have not seen any of the side effects of corn. My clients are having good results with this very affordable pet food. Good for Wal-Mart for choosing to carry Maxximum!
Susan
the follwoing link will take you to the manufacturer of this particular product for Wal-mart. I took my dog off of Ol' Roy brand when I discovered just how much arsenic is in that particular brand and have gone through a few brands since then. I trust Purina products and honestly thought that Maxximum was in the Purina family. When I discovered Maxximum it wasn't a Purina product I started researching deeper to find the manufacturer and I feel a bit disturbed to find that Maxximum and Ol' Roy are made by the same company. My dog has been doing wonderful on Maxximum but it makes me nervous knowing that a company willingly puts arsenic in their dog food to manipulate the hunger of it's consumers (the dogs). I am looking very deeply into what else might be snuck into Maxximum which saddens me because my dog really seems to have been doing well but I don't want to poison him either. http://www.doanepetcare.com/
Aselin,
Bless your heart for letting me know about the production of Maxximum. I, too, feed this product to my dog when I'm not cooking for her. I, like you, will be checking into this product. Thank you for the link.
Susan
Aselin,
How is it you found Maxximum to be produced by Doanepetcare?
Maxximum is produced by Mars. Actually.
Jessica,
How did you find out Maxximum is a Mars product?
Susan
How did you find that arsenic is in the food?
I am also trying to research Maxximum, I live in a very rural area and don't have much choice!
Linda,
I didn't make the comment about the arsenic, one of my readers did. I have found that for a very rural area Maxximum dog food is a pretty good choice. I read the ingredients in the cat food formulas and decided the Maxximum cat food is not an option.
I, too, live in a very rural area and Maxximum is the best that is available here.
Susan
Now, I am concerned, with six dogs, I hae been feeding Chicken Soup Senior with canned wellness, fowl, turkey and or chicken. But, recently, I purchased a small bag of Maximum Nutrition, Lamb and rice also chicken meal. The ingredients are not as numerous as Chicken Soup Senior, but, they are similar. With six dogs from 11 down to 5, five are dachsies and one is a feist black mouth cur. I am concerned.
How did you find out about the arsenic ??
Also, Masterfoods bought out Doane and also Nutro
Sandi Ruscetta
Massachusetts
Wonderful site and very informative
Sid,
Glad you enjoyed the site.
Susan
Sandi,
I used to feed Chicken Soup. After my pets developed reactions to Chicken Soup like the reactions of pets on grains I discontinued feeding Chicken Soup. Since my dog developed bloat, ear infections, fever, etc. a number of my clients' pets have developed the same symptoms. I know of several people from my salon who have had dogs die from eating Chicken Soup. The town I live in has a population of only 2500 people.
Diamond Food has contacted me about the reasons why I removed Chicken Soup from my Safe food list but has failed to do any follow up research.
Diamond Foods and Nutro each have a class action filed against the companies. I was in court just this morning listening to the lawyer for Nutro. From what Nutro's lawyer was saying it doesn't sound like Nutro is planning any changes in their killer pet food ingredients.
Boy with six dogs, 5 dachsies, two have physical problems. One is disabled, one, may be pre cushing's . Anyway, since switching to Maximum Nutrition, (which I fed in the past) less peeing during the day on their beds. With this crew, we wash numerous times a day. Less peeing at night, as with 2 seniors I now leave piddle pads at night. ALSO, THEIR STOOLS DO NOT SMELL.
I need a corn and wheat free product, due to osteo arthritis, I need some either cranberry or blueberries, to prevent uti's in the disabled dachsie, she is a mini and we express her bladder.
When, I volunteered at a local shelter, I ran the shelter pro bono, I was volunteer manager the ACO would throw some Max in my car, as we despite having over 40 dogs at times, were at times overwhelmed with food.
I am ecstatic, Now, I have to monitor a mini and a tweenie, they have the tendency to gain weight.
Thanks for the reply
I am a frequent to the site.
Sandi
Sandi,
You have a big heart. Bless you!
Susan
What are the best meals to cook for an adult labrador and a puppy labrador? I have been buying the Purina One Puppy and Adult Dog Foods and after reading the comments and point system, I am very concerned. I looked at the Maxximum Puppy and Dog Food today and decided against it because it is an unknown product to me. Do you have specific meal recipes to cook for your dogs? Do you really feel Maxximum Foods are the best alternate choice?
Thanks.
Michelle,
Never feed corn, wheat, or soy. These three grains will kill your pet and Purina One is loaded with these three grains. There are better pet foods on the market than Maxximum if you have a choice feed something better if you don't have a choice Maxximum will due in a pinch.
Here are some recipes http://hubpages.com/hub/Home_Made_Dog_Food_Recipes
I cook for my pets and it can be fun and not a chore.
Susan
Susan-
Thank you for responding to my concerns. In your opinion, what are the top 5 choices of dog foods I can buy for my adult lab and lab puppy? I am just now searching this out and have found your site to be very helpful. We love our pets and they are very much an important part of our family. We don't know what we would do without them.
Thank you so much for your advise.
Michelle,
I could not come up with 5 choices from the reviews I have done (1,200) but here are 4 and pretty close in order, too.
ORIJEN ADULT Dog Food Acana Pet Foods Solid Gold Dog Food Review - Hund n Flocken Adult FlakesWellness CORE Grain FreeWenaewe Adult
If you find one you would like to have reviews on please let me know.
Thanks for the inspiration,
Susan
Do you have any information on the Pro Pac dog and puppy foods that do not contain corn, wheat, or soy?
Thank you so much.
Michelle
Michelle,
When I see a company uses those grains in their other pet food products it makes me question if they are also in the grain-free products but not listed on the label. I've taken a quick look at the puppy lamb and rice - seems to have a lot of ingredients from a beer or wine run.
The Born of the Earth Holistic has the same beer/wine by-products. I will give these products a full review once I get caught up on the other reviews I have slated to write but for now I'm saying Pro Pac grain-free products are fair but certainly nothing special about them.
Susan
I have been feeding my six cats Maxximum Adult and Indoor recipe for many years now. They have beeen thriving on it. now WalMart has stopped carrying this brand at several of their stores. WHY?? I live in a rural area in the panhandle of Florida and now I can't find Maxximum anywhere. I would like to contact the manufacturer directly, but can't seem to find the website. HELP!!!!
Paul,
I have been a bit nervous about Maxxiumum when I began seeing itching and scratching and ear infections with my dog. Each of those conditions tells me the product has corn, wheat, or soy in the mix. The bag clearly states the ingredients are anything but those three grains. I have not attempted to purchase any Maxxiumum cat or dog forumulas for quite a while. Due to lack of trust in the pet food companies I have been cooking food for my cats and dog.
About the web address for Maxxiumum, seems there is none. Maxxiumum (I thought) is a Wal-Mart exclusive item yet Wal-Mart claims not to be responsible for what the manufacturer puts in Maxxiumum (see Wal-Mart's web site). I've search, to no avail, to learn who claims ownership of Maxxiumum. Guess what ... it is a mystery the pet food companies do not wish the pet owners to learn the answer to. Hmmmm (scratching my head)....
Pet owners are advising me that many Maxxiumum products are no longer available at our local Wal-Mart (no real surprise in this small town nothing is available) but now you tell me Florida does not have Maxxiumum products available.
I'll keep you advised.
Susan
Mars, who manufactures Maximum Nutrition has told me that they are getting more and more calls from distraught pet owners (like myself) due to the recent unavailability of the product. Supposedly it's the Walmart regional buyers who decide which stores will carry the product. Mars is still producing for Walmart....but which stores....who knows? I was told that Mars manufactures various brands for numerous distributors/wholesalers EACH of which specify what ingredients are to be included in their branded product. If this is true, I would be surprised... but could be valid as I do know that even for people food, there are "food factories" that manufacture product under the strict recipe guidelines set up by the Distributor. I spoke to 2 Walmart stores in NH who have told me that they are no longer getting Max. Nutrition, but at the same time are getting LOADED with Iams in its stead. My guess is that Iams has a "sweetheart deal" now with Walmart, possibly by paying more than most for what's called "slotting fees" to get premium position on the stores' shelves. Economics as is typical, rules what we can and cannot obtain. I would suggest boycotting Iams purchases at Walmart... and if economics allow...don't buy ANY pet product at Walmart to teach them that consumers do have a voice. I myself am very annoyed and now don't know what food to purchase for my Bengals...
Susan, the reason why you don't see a web page for Max. Nutrition is because it's manufactured exclusively for Walmart so you'd only see it on Mars web site...is my guess...only because I haven't punched up the Mars site to see what's included. If Max. Nutrition was not an exclusive Walmart product, I would guess that there would be a web site utilized for this product.
I just went on the Mars site. Guess what? They manufacture Royal Canin, one of the most premium cat foods made for general consumption that won't break the bank. So, evidently Mars manufactures pet food from one end of the spectrum ala junk like "Ol Roys," to Max. Nutrition to Royal Canin. Too bad that you can't get Royal Canin at Walmart as my budget won't allow for the mutliple cats that I have.
So Susan, you seem to have your views (mostly negative) of store bought cat food. Some of us who have to be out of the house for a full day or so, simply cannot cook for their cats. We all know that cats are "pickers" or whatever the term is...and thus prefer to pluck at their bowl (of dry food) somewhere between 6, 8 12X/day. My question is: why can't you endorse a brand(s) of cat food that you feel is nutritous while at the same time, not break the bank?
I now buy Max Nutrition for my 60 lb dog that I have had for nearly 2 years. I first fed her Ol Roy as that was the food she was used to. The problem started with the fact that she had horrible gas problems from day one, So I changed her food to Purina One Lamb and rice. With in two months on that food she no longer had gas, however she was also losing her fur on her rump because of uncontrollable inching. So my next change was to Max Nutrition. She stopped itching, nearly stopped shedding (I could have had several dogs over with all the fur I was sweeping up), her fur is softer and of course fuller, and she doesn't eat nearly as much as she did with the cheap stuff. And no more gas. With one dog I go through 1 large bag every 2 weeks, I was going through the ol'roy dog food every week and half. If I could afford the "vet" food I would get it, however I am happy with this food for the present. If walmart ever does stop selling this food, then I guess I will have to make the 60 mile trek to the nearest Pet smart, find a comparable choice and stock up.
I have been feeding my dogs Maximum Nutrition brand food for 15 years. Science diet makes the food for Wal-Mart. All of my dogs young and old are in excellent health. Do not and never had cancers or digestive problems. Only time they had to go to the vet is for their well check ups. Vet says they are all in excellent health. Large and small breed dogs.
Ever since I've switched my dog's food over to Maxximum, but the Chicken recipe, my dog has been the HEALTHIEST he's ever been! He's always had stomach problems, but once we started feeding this and also feeding our homemade meal in the evening, he's been so healthy!
Unfortunately for us, this product is not being sold or made anymore, forcing me to find another alternative and I don't happen to have a bag with the ingredients for me to use as reference so I'm stumped now :\ I hate that I'll have to switch my dog's food with no real switch-over, which is why my ideal is to find a dog food that is almost identical in ingredients and all.
And Yulanda, Walmart is the only place you can buy Maxximum..Petsmart does not sell it, although I wish they did, but Walmart is the place that 'makes' Maxximum, and so now that they're not making it, there's no way to get it. :\ Makes me want to beg Walmart to keep providing it because it's the BEST food I've ever given my dog, and I've fed him much more expensive and 'higher quality' foods before, and all he's done is just throw it back up.
Ever since I've switched my dog's food over to Maxximum, but the Chicken recipe, my dog has been the HEALTHIEST he's ever been! He's always had stomach problems, but once we started feeding this and also feeding our homemade meal in the evening, he's been so healthy!
Unfortunately for us, this product is not being sold or made anymore, forcing me to find another alternative and I don't happen to have a bag with the ingredients for me to use as reference so I'm stumped now :\ I hate that I'll have to switch my dog's food with no real switch-over, which is why my ideal is to find a dog food that is almost identical in ingredients and all.
And Yulanda, Walmart is the only place you can buy Maxximum..Petsmart does not sell it, although I wish they did, but Walmart is the place that 'makes' Maxximum, and so now that they're not making it, there's no way to get it. :\ Makes me want to beg Walmart to keep providing it because it's the BEST food I've ever given my dog, and I've fed him much more expensive and 'higher quality' foods before, and all he's done is just throw it back up.
Oops I misinterpreted your last sentence, but yes, I think I'd have to do the same :\ I've found a very similar food, Kirkland's, sold in Costco, but the problem is that I'm a member of Sam's Club, and their comparable food there has corn in it as if it were just put in there instead of a variant, a big no especially for my dog :\
I'm in central IL and Walmart here has just discontinued carrying maximum. I have been feeding this food for several years now and have had no complaints. My lab does have a lot of gas and has recently started having an itching problem but since it has been so cold and dry, I felt the itching problem stemmed from the conditions. I just searched through the dog foods tonight trying to decide on a new brand. Was quite surprised that Iams has corn listed as the first or second indgredient on several of their selections. Picked up a small bag of Natural Life Nutritional Pet Products (Adult Lamaderm-Lamb Protein & Raice Formula. Does anyone have experience with this food? The first few indg are Lamb Meal, Ground Brown Rice, Oatmeal, Ground Grain Sorghum, Poultry Fat.
my dogs love this dog food and i feel it is the best for them. however, my store does not carry this anymore and i don't know where else to get it. they are currently eating something i am not completely sold on. please help!!
I am having a terrible time finding the Maxximum Adult Chicken a7 Rice
dog food. It's the only dog food that my 3 dogs from young to senior seem
to be able to tolerate. Where canI get it? Our Walmarts in the Kansas City area
don't seem carry it anymore. We've tried other dog foods and our girls seem
hungery all of the time. Please help me.
I too am angry walmart is no longer selling the Maxximum nutrition brand. I loved that food. Great quality and price.
I am so angry with Walmart for no longer carrying Maxximum Nutrition dog and cat food. I have been feeding it for ten years, and my animals are extremely healthy as a result. I will no longer purchase ANY pet products at my local Walmart. Iams will NOT be on my shopping list ever. If more of us boycotted pet products in Walmart, maybe they would begin to listen to their customers' voices. I live in the panhandle of Florida and will be ordering my pet foods from the internet from now on, unless Walmart will once again carry MAXXIMUM NUTRITION. February 2, 2009
We have used Maxximum nutrition since 1996 and have had nothing but excellent results as well. Our 16 year old German Shepherd passed away just after Christmas and loved Maxximum. Our 11 and 9 year old dachshunds have been on maxximum since we brought them home; now our 11 year old is slowly starving herself to death. We have tried everything that appears safe as well and it all makes her extremely ill. We wrote to Mars and begged them to please continue making and selling this product. Waiting for a response. Maybe if they are flooded with requests they will distribute it elsewhere. February 2, 2009
I just spoke with someone at Doane Pet Care Enterprises, Inc. at (800)789-4639. They said they are upgrading their plants. They will have new packaging. Plants will continue to be located in the USA and the formula won't change. They are still under contract with Wal-mart.
I live out West and my dog loved Maximmum Nutrition! I had to try several others and nothing compares. I am now feeding him Nutro Max from Petsmart. He seems to like it o.k. I also am very angry that Wal-Mart stopped supplying it and not advising consumers before they just stopped putting it on the shelf. I'm sure they knew that product was a big seller, they were always out of it here locally and I'd have to go back a second or third time to get it. I agree, we should flood Mars with calls, letters, etc. asking them to distribute it somewhere else. I'm curious if what Doane Pet Care Enterprises said to BJ above is really true. February 20, 2009.
I live in Southern Colorado and have been trying to find Maxximum Nutrition brand dog food. I've checked the stores within 200 miles of me and no luck. I talked to the pet food manager at my local store and he wasn't any help.
I agree with Craig Hill & the others. My groomer told me to buy Maxximum Nutrition Chicken & Rice. I live in Michigan, & our Walmart's no longer carry it. First they told me it would be a month or two,that was before Christmas,they still don't have it. My dog had a tear duct problem,the groomer told me to try the Chicken & rice. I bought that & after about a week it cleared up.Both of my dogs like that food,plus it is cheap. Now that I can't find it anywhere,I buy I different dogfood from a per store,now both of my dogs are having tear duct problems. I WILL NOT buy dogfood from Walmart anymore,unless they bring back Maxximum Nutrition,even my vet said that dogfood was good,and she sells her own.
I bought my dogs Exclusive Dog Food. Do you know if this is good for them? they are distributed exclusively through PMI Nutrition Dealers. Made in Brentwood,Missouri # 1-800-332-4738
Thank you
Lori
Pittsburgh PA has also told me that Walmart is no longer going to carry Maxximum Nutrition!
Thanks for the great info on selecting the right pet food. I deeply regret not knowing about the poisons found in grocery store bought dogfood. I lost my beloved "Daisey" just a few months ago and have since dedicated my own site to her memory. Here it is and I would appreciate your comments, take care...
ALL of you ARE NOT reading the fine print!!! I cannot believe it! Yes, i was excited about Maxximum when I first heard about it. But, and a BIG BUT, is that it contains the liver toxic ingredient, "menadione socium bisulfate complex" (source of Vit K activity). Would everyone please read, http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=menad & http://www.dogfoodproject.com/index.php?page=label then decide what is healty for your pet!!!!!!!!!! Education is a very powerful tool! I have been a healthy dog food advocate for 4 years now, and I want my "Kids with fur" to live a long, healty life with me!!! READ! READ! READ! There are plenty of now healthy foods for our "kids with fur". Just educate yourself and they too, will reap the rewards of being the best dogs they can be because of a parent who cares! Please pass this information on!
I agree this Maxximum Nutrition Dog Food is great and very good for any dog that is suffering from an Immune system disorder. My dog has Symmetrical Lupoid Onychodistrophy and has been doing good on this food..........When I ran out of it about 5 weeks ago, I STUPIDLY purchased Purina Lamb/Rice from Walmart without paying attention to the ingredients. I on my 4th dog food now in less than 5 weeks trying to get him better from the Inflamed colon that he has now.........Unbelieveable, looks like his Immune system is now attacking his colon besides attacking his nails.
Note: I started him on home cooked Rice/meat 3 days ago, and he appears to be doing better.........I have an appointment to take him to the Vet, but I know there is virtually nothing that he or she can do for IBD.
Got email from Walmart that stated the producer of Maximmum, Whiskas, old Roy, is having Production problems. email didn't say what kind of problems, but the company had to shut a plant down last fall..........http://www.petcare.mars.com/ and I am sure most of the production at the other plants is being diverted to the Higher Profit-margin food. Think about how much you pay for the food with Walmart labels compared to the other foods
I also went to Walmart and found no Max dog food and also bought the Purina One only to have my Chocolate Lab also itching like mad and hair loss on her tail and back. The only other brand she could eat without these horrible problems was B.J's Club brand of lamb and rice. I wonder who manufactured that for them as they also have stopped carrying their brand. I feel helpless for my poor dog Molly the best dog I have ever had! It is making me sick also.
I have been feeding my two dogs Maxximum Lamb and Rice for four years and they have done wonderfully on it. Now it is no longer available so I've been scrambling to find an alternative. It looks like I will go with Wellness Super5Mix Lamb. Unfortunately, it is almost twice as expensive. I am retired on Social Security, so that is going to hurt!
My local Walmart, Swansea Mass, no longer carries Maximum Nutrition.
Any link between the closing of the Mars plant in PA, due to salmonella?/
I know many do miss the food, a good value.
A post mentioned companies paying more to stock shelves with their products, I see Walmart stocks alot of Iams and Pedigree.
I suppose the companies pay more to stock particular brands.
Sandi
Massachusetts
I very disappointed in Walmart's decision to stop carrying the Maximum dog food. I did notice that they have increased the selection of the Iams brand of dog food though that is twice the cost as Maximum.
Only one Walmart about an hour away from me now carries the Maxximum food. The next best thing they still carry locally is Lamaderm by Natural Life. It's not 'as' good, but comparable although a bit more expensive. I switched my dogs to this and they did fine, but I decided to bite the bullet and switched them to Castor and Pollux at a much heftier price. Now that I have only two dogs it's not a drain on my wallet. But there was no beating the Maxximum Lamb and Rice for quality and great price. I hope they'll carry it again some day.
If youre looking for an alternatile thats not as expensive, but similar in ingridients, try either Diamond Naturals or if you have costco membership, Kirkland Brand dog food. You can find Diamond at feed and tractor supply stores. BUt check their link for store locations:
I found that I can search what is the closest store to purchase Maxximum food by the Wal-mart website. I make a trip every three months and buy as much as I need/can to keep my dogs healthy and happy with thier food. I do not want to settle for less, they are my children.
Our 13 1/2 year old dog has lived on Maximum Nutrition since she was 12 weeks old. I used to stock up on the food from our local Jacksonville, Fl Wal-Marts. Non of the 4 Wal-Marts HAD ANY IDEA of the brand or why it was gone...Hopefully some one can advise to where to buy Maximum Nutrition...
It has been, oh, a year or so so, since the Seekonk and Swansea Walmart's in Mass, have not carried Maximum Nutrition. My dogs dogs well on it, as well as my cats.
Maximum nutrition was made by manufacturers of Pedigree. I wonder if closing the Pennsylvania Plant due to not being able to remedy the salmonella problem with Pedgiree is the reason.
But, I will be upfront, I have a disabled dachsie, who for over a yar we have had problems regulating her inflammatory bowel and or irritable bowel, days of vomiting, and having the runs. Prescription foods, I cooked, flaxseed is an enemy of dogswtih this problem, Finally three weeks, ago, I began adding dry Pedigree Healthy weight maintenance to her Hill's W/D chicken kibble and pedigree lo fat canned food, with the forti flora supplement, oh, boyis our life easier, no more washing all night and day, and to boot she is only 9 pounds and about 9 years old.
SOOO, I am not criticizing Pedigree, it is saving on using the washer and adnausem, no more bloody stools, and to boot we have septic system.
Sandi
Massachusetts
I also forgot that she has had a few close calls wtih pancreatitis, so, Pedigree is working for her.
My other dogs get science diet,yes, and it works, we feed it at the shelter, and it works, many shelters areound here and in Rhode island use Science Diet, it is consistent, e pay for shipping costs only. Less cleanup dogs and cats,
I have seen the difference. i now mix Peidgree weight maintenance with science diet, that I get thru the shelter where I volunteer. My cats and dogs do well, as well as our daughter's two rescued dachsies who are 6 years old
Sandi
candace says:
2 years ago
I am an avid user of the Maximun Nutrition products. My canines have done very well on both the Grey bag- lamb and rice and the Red bag- lamb, chicken, and rice (feed different bags due to energy level of the individual dogs). Have been searching for the source of this brand of dog food. Who is producing this food for Walmarts? I have rated this dog food with a detailed evaluation for dog food - it rated very high. This evalutian is more detailed than the one listed on this site. Hope someone can answer my question!