I just wanted to add, make sure she is getting enough water, a lot of dogs don’t. I would add water to her meals, unless your vet advises different. Most dogs just lap up the water to get to the food. Adequate hydration is a good thing, especially for seniors and dogs that are prone to UTIs/bladder stones. And offer her frequent bathroom breaks, opportunities to urinate…at least every 4 hours.
It is true that you should not reduce the amount of protein for senior pets. In fact, some senior pets actually need more protein as they start to lose muscle mass. We are veterinarian owned and operated facility and specialize in pet nutrition. We are also the author of the Complete Dog Food Reference Guide which is in currently it’s 4th revision. You can read more about this from Tufts University: http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/05/05/surprising-findings-from-tufts-study-of-37-senior-dog-foods.aspx
The only dietary requirement that differs is between puppies and adults. The rest is not an AAFCO feed requirement and is rather a gimmick to increase product sales (i.e. Senior diets, Large Breed, Small Breed, Breed-specific diets, hairball diets, indoor, etc). Only a pet in organ failure may require dietary protein adjustments as specifically directed by a veterinarian.
Everything I have read says seniors need less protein so what food does this site recommend for a senior dog? And may I ask, are you a site administrator or what is your source of this knowledge? I’m new to the site so I’m not sure who answers these questions. Thanks
Natalie,
senior foods, with the exception of Oriken senior, are generally too low in protein. Senior dogs need more quality protein, not less.
I would like a review specifically of senior dog foods please. I don’t see anythign on this site specifically for seniors, or did I miss it? (Just joined today)
Hi Sarah-
Congrats on the new pup! They sure can be a handful! What kind of dog is it? I can relate to your issue. I have four cats and two big dogs. The dogs are lab mix and, unfortunately they love both cat food and poop. I’ve had to strategically place the boxes and food where they can’t get into them very easily. Like you, I have a senior kitty that struggles to keep weight on and I have to make sure her food is not eaten by the other cats or dogs. She is not very open to change either. A couple of the litterboxes and the cat food are now behind a closed door with a cat door. The bad part of that is that it’s my bedroom. Yuck. I also have some boxes under some shelving and in the garage where the dogs can’t get to them.
It sounds like you are getting things figured out. I wouldn’t worry too much about them eating a little of each other’s food as long as it isn’t all the time. Cats food is usually a little higher in fat and calories than dogs and could be problematic if they ate a lot of it. Cats need more protein and taurine than dogs and could be an issue if they only eat dog food over a long period of time.
Please write back if you have anymore questions. Have fun with your new pup. I’m guessing that you like your new addition a lot more than your 19 year old cat does. 😉
Hi Cindy T,
What I’m about to say is completely my opinion, but I’m not a big fan of Royal Canin as I find it to be overpriced with subpar ingredients that has a vitamin pack added to it to make it nutritionally balanced. It may have some science to back it’s formulas, but in truth, everyone and every living thing on this planet really was meant to eat real food as opposed to a nutritionally complete processed food. Whatever your dog is, I really don’t feel that there is enough difference between and Maltese and a Shi Tzu to need to feed a specific breed formula. I foster dogs from Kill Shelters that are of unknown origin (aka Heinz 57) as well as have several dogs small and large, some mixed and some purebred. I feed them all pretty much the same food and they all end up looking great and are very healthy. There are differences in feeding large breed puppies as opposed to small breed puppies, but overall, if you feed a quality food with some fresh food mixed in to an adult dog, there isn’t a great deal of difference. Small Breed formulas tend to be higher in protein and fat as opposed to Large Breed formulas in general. Many dog food formulas have all life stages.
I’m not opposed to grains, if they work for the dog, but I have a dog that reacts to grains so it’s easier for me to feed all the animals grain freee. I always add fresh food to all of my dogs meals. No living thing should be eating dry processed food for their entire life. I add canned food when feeding a kibble meal and make a fresh cooked or raw meal with a balanced premix for the other meal. My “senior” dogs are lively and playful and walk a mile or so daily. They have minimal health problems, and only due to torn ccls (that’s a whole other discussion).
I’m not personally a fan of skept vet either, but ultimately, the choice is yours.
I have a senior dog with stomach issues due to a stomach infection. I too have tried many foods. The one I found that worked was Natural Balance sweet potato and chicken. It seems any food with meat as the first ingredient has bothered him. He had also been on metranidozole, but we found by accident that amoxicillin worked better for an antibiotic. We only found this when he had a swollen lymph node that came back showing signs of infection. Within the first few days of being on that, his stools improved. My vet said it’s not common, but also not unheard of for amoxicillin to work better in some dogs.
I no longer use a lot of supplements. I do add a fish oil capsule once a day to meals, I add water to the food, especially a senior male small breed, as they are vulnerable to developing bladder stones, UTIs, take out frequently to urinate….at least every 4 hours.
Exercise/long walks as tolerated.
If you are feeding a decent diet, they don’t need multi-vits….unless your vet has recommended such. The liver has to detoxify all this stuff.
I’m just sharing what I have learned over the years.
BTW: shih-tzu’s have lousy teeth, if the vet that examines your dog recommends a cleaning and extractions, I would get it done. Then daily brushings (see YouTube for how to videos) may help to prevent any more professional cleanings being needed.
My dogs do well on Nutrisca salmon and chickpea (canned and dry) as a base. I often add a tablespoon of cooked chicken or lean meat or scrambled egg…you get the idea.
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=supplements
What does your vet recommend? I would keep her diet simple. My senior does well on Nutrisca salmon and chickpea (canned and dry) 3-4 small meals a day with water added, kibble soaked overnight.
Homemade diet recipe and tips: http://www.homeovet.net/dynamic/php/downloads/dog-c8470f2c75dbe4b683205c3919ee2310/dog_diet_complete.pdf
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/
PS: I would not give a dog with the issues you describe, raw food, in any way, shape or form. Especially not a senior.
Hi all,
My doggy had a pancreatitis episode 2 weeks ago and was hospitalized for a day. She made a good recovery. Placed her on bland diet sweet potato and puréed chicken breast and transitioned to raw primal venison (she loved it! She was on darwins before). We ended up at the vet Monday with vomiting… She vomited undigested food 6 hrs after her dinner :/ and then vomited several more times even water the next day. The vet thought she ate too fast or she maybe was over fed? I think her pancreas is still upset and she couldn’t digest the food or too high in fat?
I’m at a loss what to give her now. We’re back on sweet potato and puréed chicken doing fine (of course on nausea med). Trying a sample of zeal here and there but she’s not crazy about it. She’s a very picky dog.. Will go on hunger strikes and vomit bile. :/ scared to give her primal.
Looked for homemade recipes but it seems complicated and I’m not sure what to portion out for a 12 lb dog :/.
Appreciate any input!!
Hi Mom T, nice thing you have done taken in an old boy….. I have a 7 yr old with IBD & Skin problems & he has problems keeping on his weight, so I feed 4 smaller meals thru the day & more then what it says on the kibble bag. Patches kibble says 2 & a 1/2 cups kibble per day but I cook as well so I give 1 heaped cup kibble a day…
I would not feed any puppy food, it’s made for high energy puppies, like you said the puppy food would be too high in fat, find a good kibble & I feed 4 meals a day…Holistic Select has their Senior kibble chicken meal & rice that’s easy to digest… http://www.holisticselect.com/recipes.aspx?pet=dog#category5
I cook then freeze the cooked chicken or beef in 1 cup sections & I freeze small kangaroo mince balls, like a rissole that I bake, I add 1 egg, some parsley, some people add Turmeric powder & coconut oil for arthritis, you can bake small balls of beef, chicken or turkey mince rissoles & give as a treat or mix thru the meal…. Patch gets cooked meal for breakfast & dinner, I feed cooked chicken breast, tin Salmon, boiled potatoes, broccoli, zucchini, some times, beef, Kangaroo, sweet potatoes a bit of pumkin, boiled egg etc make sure you add the fish (tin Sardines or Salmon in spring water drained) for his omega’s for his skin… I prefer to add Patches omegas naturally thru food not the fish tablets….. Fish oil tablets made Patch feel sick, you have to remember these dogs were not looked after probably most of their lives & when we rescue them & start adding all this healthy new stuff etc some dogs stomachs/bowels can’t cope…. then I give 1/2 cup kibble for lunch & another 1/2 cup kibble for late dinner….that’s for a 39lb dog……. Kibble keeps & puts the weight on, I have found…. look at the Kcals on the kibbles web page for the Kcal/per cup the higher the Kcal per cup the better around 380-400Kcal/per cup…..Once you start feeding 3-4 meals a day his weight will slowly start to come back, nice & slow, it may take about 4 months but it will be healthy weight not a diet full of fat..
Here’s a calculator to see how many Calories he should be eating a day, it gives you a ruff idea, just enter the weight he should be & he’s a senior dog..
http://www.german-shepherd-lore.com/dog-food-calculator.html
Congratulations on your new family member!
I went through the same ordeal last year with a very elderly and underweight rescue; how to put on weight safely, finding the balance between feeding him enough but not too much, so that his weight gain wasn’t too quick and his system wasn’t overwhelmed with too many fats.
I second the advice above – if at all possible, feed him 3 or 4 small meals a day instead of 1 or 2 big ones. I fed a good-quality puppy food mixed with a good-quality adult food* starting with a 3:1 ratio. As he came close to his target weight, I gradually changed the ratio to 2:2, then 1:3, and then finally all adult food.
Supplements: don’t over-do it. I’d give him probiotics and maybe a joint med, but really, good food is going to wonders all by itself.
*Earthborn Holistics Puppy Vantage, Earthborn Holistics Great Plains Feast, Earthborn Holistics Large Breed (all dry); Wellness Complete/Core Puppy, Wellness Complete Senior and Canidae Large Breed (all canned). I mix up what I feed my dogs; variety is a good thing.
I would be more worried about the dog surviving the heartworm treatment, that is a priority.
Otherwise I would go by your vet’s suggestion, maybe a high quality puppy food (canned and dry). I might add a tablespoon of chopped cooked chicken or chopped cooked chicken liver, add a little water to meals. I might feed 3-4 small meals per day instead of 2 regular ones. I would not add any supplements unless your vet advises so, just more junk for the liver to deal with. I would not give raw food to an old sick dog.
You don’t want rapid weight gain, too stressful, just a gradual increase.
Also, see what your vet advises regarding the flea allergy, frequent baths? Be careful about vaccinations and pesticides with a senior dog like this….
Walks/activity as tolerated, keep him moving.
Hi, did you look at the Honest Kitchen Zeal, the fat is only 8.50% & it already has the protein fish, fish is easy to digest.. http://www.thehonestkitchen.com/dog-food/zeal…
I looked at the Preference the fat is 8.4% & you haven’t added the meat yet….have you looked into cooking? once you cook & freeze everything its pretty easy, just once a week you have to cook & days you feel lazy, I feed a wet tin food, kibble is hard to digest so maybe stick with wet foods less work on the stomach pancreas & bowel…. on Face Book there’s a “Canine Pancreatitis Support” group, post a post asking brands of low fat premium wet tin foods…I know a few feed the “Holistic Select” Senior kibble its easy to digest… just remember the fat % in wet tin food is higher then kibble, if a wet tin food says 5% fat that’s around 22% fat if it was a kibble….
Did you check out Wysong Senior: http://www.chewy.com/dog/wysong-senior-dry-dog-food-5-lb-bag/dp/50242
My senior was doing very well on this, however, I had to switch to one brand of food that agrees will all 3 dogs (Nutrisca).
Hi Karen- Personally I disagree with Anonymously on that advice. While its nice that foods contain glucosamine and chondroitin, they don’t contain a theraputic amount. Especially if you have a senior dog that is showing signs of stiff joints. The only time I’ve ever heard of additional supplements causing any of the problems that Anonymously mentioned is when they were overfed. You can certainly still double check with your vet, but most of these supplements are safe to feed along with a food that contains glucosamine and chondroitin.
Hi All,
I was wondering if anyone has had good experiences with a specific brand of Senior Dog Food. I am currently using Wellness Reduced Fat for my 8+ year old Yellow Lab and am considering switching over. Any guidance would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks for your time and information.
Sincerely, Mark K.
What you describe sounds like environmental allergies. If I were you, I would consult a board certified veterinary internal medicine specialist or dermatologist. Diet/food may not have much to do with his symptoms.
At age 16, I would let the dog (if it was mine) eat whatever he wants, in moderation.
PS: Check out the search engine here at this site, lots of info.
I assume your pet has had a senior workup, if not, that might be a good place to start. The veterinarian may be able to prescribe medications (depending on the results of the exam) that will keep your dog comfortable.
Long time lurker, but joined this forum to address tons of questions that I used to bother Petco employees with and never got a definitive answer to.
I have two senior toy poodles, one (9lb) with medium activity level, the other one (smaller, 6lb) with little to none activity level. Suffice to say I try to get as much exercise for them as possible but the smaller one is just way too stubborn and lazy–let’s save that topic for another day.
We were on Wellness Core Original for some 10 years or so. Now I’m looking to jump ship because I figured the dogs could use a variety in their food life and also I came to believe that limited ingredient diet is better for my aging dogs. Right now we’re on Canidae Pure Salmon but I don’t know if the dogs like it as much as they did Wellness.
In my search for dog food I tried to look at those with protein % of 30 or more but it’s not easy to reconcile that with the limited ingredient factor.
But I recently heard/read somewhere that high protein food isn’t good/effective for inactive dogs. Because if that’s true, I can just feed my dogs Wellness Simple, which comes with relatively low protein %. Is it true that high protein can be bad?
Hmmmmm? Creatinine is only a little high… Something doesn’t jive here. I’m sure there are exceptions to the rules but creatinine is a better indication of how well the kidneys are actually functioning (from everything I’ve ever read). Maybe newer data is suggesting different but data on this site, veterinary medicine dvm360, published in 2011 still agrees “A serum creatinine concentration is the most commonly used measure of severity of renal dysfunction and is the basis for staging chronic kidney disease (CKD) (Table 1). To optimize accurate staging of CKD, serum creatinine concentrations should be evaluated on two or more occasions when the patient is well-hydrated.” http://veterinarymedicine.dvm360.com/laboratory-evaluation-kidney-disease?rel=canonical
Based on a BUN of 77 and a creatinine of 1.6, I personally wouldn’t do low protein but rather moderate amounts of “high quality” protein.
Does your girl have large amounts of very dilute urine? Was there any protein in the urine? Was any other tests done? Is there any other medical conditions? Did you get a second opinion? She doesn’t want to eat often but you said this is just her normal. Does she have any other symptoms such as vomiting, depression etc?
This may help… My Audrey was diagnosed when she was just 13 months old but had symptoms when she was just 6 weeks old. Within the first year of diagnosis I made dietary changes and then had her blood work done every three months. On December 18, 2007 (the second blood work done after the dietary changes) her BUN was 77 (6 to 25 normal) and her creatinine was 1.9 (0.5 to 1.6 are normal ranges for this lab). Audrey didn’t eat a lower protein diet for another almost 7 years.
They also now know that senior dogs actually require MORE protein than adult dogs because they are less efficient at digesting it. Even toy breed dogs – I had a 4 pound Chihuahua live to age 19 eating a HIGH protein diet.
Please take some time to read the articles on this website. http://www.dogaware.com/health/kidneyprotein.html
Okay……..YES – I would highly recommend starting her on Standard Process Canine Renal Support. It’s pricey up front but will last a long time for a four pound little girl. I’ve never used Five Leaf but others I’ve directly talked to felt it helped. The Primal Defense and Acacia Fiber will help lower BUN. I personally would look at feeding foods with higher quality and amounts of protein and getting rid of the cream of wheat and gravy. See if you can find canned tripe — a brand that is just tripe. There is one out with quinoa but I’m not sure how much phosphorus is in quinoa so not sure it is suitable? It may be, I just don’t know. Tripe itself is higher in protein with moderate amounts of phosphorus. Most dogs really really like it too. You can continue the goat milk (best if it’s raw in my opinion). Eggs are a good option but the yolk is higher in phosphorus so, recommendations vary depending on stage of the disease, you might want to feed more cooked whites then whole eggs (maybe a one to one ratio – one whole egg with one white only). I would also suggest against feeding homemade as it is really important to get the phosphorus to calcium ratios correct and to limit phosphorus to appropriate amounts for the stage of the disease (which is early stage based on the numbers you mentioned—unless your lab normals are way different than mine?). There are recipes online if you want to home prepare. Dr. Meg Smart has a recipe – you would want the one for “early to moderate stage” http://petnutritionbysmart.blogspot.com/2013/02/home-made-diets-and-renal-disese-in.html
There’s lots more you can do but you mentioned you have a budget so start with these and then if there’s more for other things you can add on as able–such as herbs that can be helpful.
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This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by
Shawna.
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This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by Shawna.
Hi Karen,
I do feed THK in various formulas and my dogs do love it and I’ve had no problems with stools with the exception of some larger pieces of sweet potatoes in one of the formulas unless I grind it before rehydrating. So sorry your pup didn’t do well on it.
It could be simply too wet a mixture for her, but it sounds like she might have developed an intolerance to something in the food. I have a senior that ate a particular protein with no issues and then, a couple of years ago developed a reaction whenever she had it. Sometimes it takes a bit of time for the body to increase the reaction. As DogFoodie said, it doesn’t make it a bad food, it just doesn’t seem to be working for your dog.
Anyway, glad to hear that it worked out well for you! Keep that sweet senior happy and healthy! 🙂
Call your local shelter, maybe they can mix it with the cheap stuff and the dogs will be able to tolerate it.
You may be able to consider it a donation.
PS: My senior likes Newman’s Organic beef and liver canned, mixed with watered down dry food. If I give him only canned, he gets runny stools.
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This reply was modified 10 years, 1 month ago by
anonymously.
My small breed dogs do well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea (canned and dry), I soak my senior’s kibble in water overnight, plus add a splash of water. I use Newman Organics canned also, I have tried their kibble, one dog does well on it.
What foods did your vet recommend? Do your dogs have any specific problems?
Hi dan g,
I don’t know what you googled, but here are a variety of links that are backed by research studies.
Here’s a link that’s fairly easy to read. This was a study that was in a Purina nutrition forum that found that even dogs with renal failure actually had a higher mortality rate on the low protein diet:
http://www.dogaware.com/files/bovee.pdf
A lot of people like Purina’s research:
https://www.purinaveterinarydiets.com/media/1132/senior-pet-food-protein-facts.pdf
Eating dehydrated food their whole life, leaving them in a constant state of slight dehydration and dental disease are more likely causes of kidney failure.
http://www.dogsnaturallymagazine.com/kibble-never-a-good-option/
http://www.avdc.org/periodontaldisease.html
http://veterinaryteam.dvm360.com/how-periodontal-disease-can-affect-pets-organs?rel=canonical
http://www.iris-kidney.com/education/risk_factors.aspx
I have a senior English mastiff (170 lbs) whose kidneys are starting to decline. Have been feeding Chicken Soup for the Dogs Soul Adult for several years. Can you recommend a dry and wet dog food that has protein 26% range and low phosphorus.
Hi JM-
I have tried to feed my cats a little thawed out raw a while back and not one of them even took a bite. Then, I tried the soft Fresh Pet kibble thinking my senior kitty would love it. No luck! But….the other day I was mixing some freeze dried Orijin treats into my dogs’ kibble as a meal mixer. I got a couple of free samples that I thought I’d put to good use. Two of my cats would NOT leave the treats alone! Their naughty kitty instincts took over and there was actually some growling going on. They loved them!!! It took me by surprise.
Not sure if I’ll be buying much freeze dried food for them as it is so expensive, but I agree with you, they really do love it and will try to give it to them as a treat now and then.
Mike, does the Darwin’s company with its recent formula changes still meet your 5 star
rating criteria?
Darwin’s notified its customers in September, 2015, that “with new AAFCO pet food
nutritional guidelines on the horizon” it was time for them to make improvements in their raw food formulas. The result has been an increase in fat and decrease in protein. An example:
Canine Turkey old formula -protein 46 percent;fat 27 percent vs new formula – protein 43 percent; fat 39 percent. My concern is finding the correct balance for two senior dogs.
Thanks for any input,
Anita
Wow, I went to lunch and come back to lots of great info. Yes Shawna I also believe food is medicine. I went 2 years without healthcare and have successfully treated health issues with health food and supplements (Ginger, turmeric, cinnamon and ginseng).
Anonymously – The prednisone come weeks before and then tiny stones were present (small enough to pass). Then she was on the prescription food for one week and developed acute pancreatitis. That is what killed her. The prednisone I am sure didn’t help her immune system and have read it can cause stones and isn’t good for the pancreas. Just a horrible situation all the way around and especially knowing that if I didn’t take her to the vet at all and just kept treating her myself with “healthy” stuff then she would more than likely still be with me today.
My other dog is a little over weight and gains easily. She is 9 years old, has a history of crystals and UTI’s and has a short nose and has trouble breathing sometimes so I can’t exercise her like I would like to. She is still otherwise healthy and still likes to play (what time she isn’t eating or sleeping LOL!).
I am looking into
Horizon Amicus Small & Mini Breed Senior & Weight Management Grain-Free Dry Dog Food and Annamaet Grain-Free Lean Low Fat Formula Dry Dog Food.
I like the Natures Logic but it isn’t grain free and has higher fat content (except for the fish). The calories are still ok thought which I really don’t get but have moved on.
Thanks again! This has been super hard and have never had to experience anything like this with any of my dogs in the past. Also, in the same week my mother in law had a stroke. Now I just want to help get her healthy and do what I can for my other furbaby.
Thanks for the support here!
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This reply was modified 10 years, 2 months ago by
Ptcbass.
Come to think of it, my senior dog that has occasional anal gland issues does well on Wysong senior dry food, soaked in water overnight in the fridg. I have had him on canned, but a combo works best.
Another small breed of mine who has allergies and has had a positive response to immunotherapy, does well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea dry as a base. Prior to her allergies being treated by a dermatologist, she had occasional anal gland issues. Issues appear to be resolved at present.
So, when the dust settles, ask your vet if he thinks these foods might be worth trying 🙂
PS: check Chewy .com for price comparison
I have added oatmeal, meats, liver, canned foods to my dog’s kibble when the weather gets cold to add a little extra insulation. They basically have a summer weight & winter weight.
My new favorite thing is raw goat milk. I’m starting them on that today. It worked wonders for the hand raised pups. Especially the runt who we wouldn’t have saved if not for that goat milk. I swear by it after seeing how he thrived. At the time I couldn’t find raw goat milk so they had pasteurized. All went home very healthy.
I’ve also been told that Senior food isn’t really necessary unless you have a dog that tends to become overweight due to age. Sounds like your dog would be fine on regular adult.
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This reply was modified 10 years, 2 months ago by
Jenn H.
Hi, change kibble & feed breakfast/ & dinner, not just the big 1 meal a day, half the meal, have a look at Holistic Select Senior, Holistic select also has wet tin foods maybe feed 1/2 -1 tin of the wet tin food for breakfast & the dry kibble for dinner, she probably looks at her boring meal & thinks YUK same boring thing…. My boy has IBD but I still mix things up a bit & I ask him what do you want for breakfast & dinner, (he will lick the cup of kibble or cooked meal in container, I show him to pick from) & he gets excited…. Holistic Select is made by Wellpet who also makes Wellness Core…
http://www.holisticselect.com/senior-dry-dog-food-chicken-meal-and-rice
Hi Larry A,
I’m not sure why you decided to switch from Wellness Core, but if you look at the G/A on both foods you are actually feeding about 75 kcals/cup less with the Ideal Balance. The fat is pretty comparable as there’s only 1.1% more fat in Wellness than Ideal Balance and the protein is considerably lower in Ideal Balance. Older dogs actually need more quality protein as they age since they don’t metabolize it as well. Lower protein causes muscle atrophy.
I would personally go back to the Wellness, since Senior dogs usually need less fat due to underactivity and overweight issues, but this is not true in your dogs case. Also, they often do eat less and can’t smell as well as they age so adding fresh food as Red suggested and bone broth as Bobby Dog or canned food as Dog Foodie and C4C suggested are good ideas. Adding a bit of wet food (canned, etc) to all the meals and mixing it in with some warm water. It might entice your girl to eat more and more moisture is always better for any dog eating a kibble diet.
Good Luck with her! 🙂
Hi Lisa B,
InkedMarie and Pitlove gave you some good suggestions. I’m curious, what food is your dog currently eating? You don’t want to switch to something that’s too radically different if she’s been eating the same food all her life.
I have had and currently have some “senior” dogs (large breed)as well as adult large breed, but I don’t feed any senior foods ever. The only reason people might consider a senior food is if the dog is overweight, and that’s not really a good reason either. It sounds like your dog wouldn’t need it. Try to avoid the potatoes in any of the food, as InkedMarie said, as they worsen arthritis by causing inflamation. Fish oil is an anti-inflamatory, and is also helpful with arthritis, but add it slowly. I use human grade fish oil pills as they tend to be more pure than traditional dog fish oils.
Some other things you might consider feeding is some fresh and/or wet food. This would help keep your dog more hydrated and might encourage eating since they often lose their sense of smell as they age. Again, a word of caution: only change or add one thing at a time, including supplements. They can change stool consistency and you won’t know the cause. Good luck!
OK, so there are a lot of options for every dog out there, and I have 3 with very different needs! I’m hoping I can get some suggestions for food brands for all 3 of them that I can hopefully find from the same (reliable) source. I am on a budget, but I do want quality. No known allergies/sensitivities with any of them.
Roxie:
Medium size
Mature/Senior
Overweight
Kovu:
Medium size
Young Adult
Active
Dessa:
Extra Large size
Puppy
I don’t like most formula’s that are marketed for senior dogs, same as Marie said. They don’t usually meet the protein requirements for senior dogs. I do agree that Orijen Senior is probably the best one out there.
I usually recommend an all life stages food for customers at my job with senior dogs. One with high protein as well. I’d look for an all life stages food that comes in over 30% protein with the first three ingredients being whole meats and meat meals to unsure the protein is coming from animals and not plants. Some foods will have glucosimine and chondroitin in them, which is something else you can look for. Otherwise I’d suggest a supplement like NaturVet Arthrisoothe GOLD, which has Boswellia in it that is suppose to be really good for arthritic dogs.
http://www.chewy.com/dog/naturvet-arthrisoothe-gold-hip-joint/dp/48764
I have no experience with large breed dogs, I don’t know if they need anything special as adults. Senior dogs need a high quality higher protein food. Outside of Orijen senior, I think the rest of the senior foods are too low in protein. With an arthritic dog, I’d find a food without grains & potato as they can be inflammatory.
Is she getting joint supplements? Look into making Golden Paste for her. A large breed dog should be kept lean as opposed to too heavy; can you share a picture of her?
Hi Sabrina-
I will be rotating my dogs to Victor’s Healthy Weight/Senior Formula this week. I haven’t fed it yet, but the analysis looks good to me. It still has 27% protein, only 11.5% fat and 4.5% fiber: http://www.victordogfood.com/pdf/Brochure-Senior.pdf
I have two neutered male labs that got a little “thick” this summer because it was too hot to get much exercise in. I have fed Victor grain free with success. So, I’m hoping they will do well on this food as well. It has less fat and calories in it. However, it is not grain free. It does have some brown rice and millet in it. I’ll check back in and let you know how they do on it. Just thought it might be a budget friendly food that would fit your needs. Good luck!
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This reply was modified 10 years, 2 months ago by
crazy4cats.
Are you sure you need that much fat in a diet? Ditto on the protein. I agree that a good Senior food is the way to go. It’s a fact that too much protein is as bad as not enough and we all know that too much fat isn’t good. I have a dog that has had stomach problems all of her life. I feed her Annamaet lean and am finally off of RX food. Orijen Senior is a great food too. This is of course my opinion and I hope you find the right mix for your pup. 🙂
Hi Cheryl,
I agree with Red in that many dogs are considered senior at 7 and it is always a good idea to run a complete blood panel, urinalysis, and a thorough checkup at that age, if you haven’t done it before. I run these on my dogs every year regardless of their age. He is also correct about the water, but really all dogs should be getting some fresh or canned food mixed in kibble to help keep them properly hydrated. At the very least, add warm water to the kibble to ensure that they are getting more water in their system. Exercise is very important for senior and all dogs as well.
I have had many dogs in my life and currently have several. I never feed them a “senior” dog food, even at almost 15 years of age (large breed). I have a nearly 11 year old dog Lab who has stellar panels and is very active with a daily 2 mile rigorous walk. She eats a combination of canned/moistened kibble and raw or fresh food daily. They all eat that combination. The biggest concern when they are older is to keep any extra weight off and that they aren’t having any health issues that diet would need to address. Senior dog food is really marketing. If you looked at all the senior dog formulas on the market you would find they vary all over the place in protein levels, fat and fiber. As senior dogs age, they metabolize protein less efficiently, so if you choose one that is lowering the protein, you would actually accelerate the reduction in muscle mass.
Keeping the weight off is very important and feeding a better food that doesn’t contain fillers will reduce the poop factor. You also need to feed them according to their “ideal” weight (not their current if they are overweight) and activity level. I feed slightly less than the recommended feeding guides on almost all foods. Even thought my dogs get daily brisk walks, I still consider their activity level “typical” on the DFA calculator. You need to count any treat calories in that daily total. You also need to get an accurate measuring cup for feeding.
Here’s the link to the DFA calculator:
/dog-feeding-tips/dog-food-calculator/
I have a total of 4 dogs to feed at my house. Two are mine, 7 & 8 years old, large breed.
Two are grandpups, both 6 medium sized.
When should I begin feeding senior food? I am trying to reduce the weight of all 4 in addition to trying to find a “poop” free dog food…you know, less to pick up…
Any suggestions? I currently feed all of the Diamond Naturals Beef and Rice. Would love to stay in the $30-35 range if possible. They eat 40 pounds about every 3 weeks, feeding them according to their weight.
Thanks!
I agree with InkedMarie. I’ve had many dogs and one of my current dogs is a lab that’s almost 11. I never feed senior formulas. My large dogs live to the 15 year range. Older dogs need more not less protein as they don’t metabolize it as well. The thing you need to watch is their weight. Excess weight is hard on their bodies and joints in particular. Patti S included an excellent link.
Out of curiosity, what foods are you comparing and feeding? So many vary in quality. You might want to consider adding some fresh food to help your older dogs maintain their health.
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This reply was modified 10 years, 3 months ago by
C4D.
A lot of it depends on your dog’s activity levels. If your dog is doing well on his current food, there’s no reason to change it, simply because of his age. You might want to read this short article:
http://healthypets.mercola.com/sites/healthypets/archive/2011/05/05/surprising-findings-from-tufts-study-of-37-senior-dog-foods.aspx
Did the vet do an x-ray to rule out an obstruction? If it was my dog I would go along with the blood work and other tests, a multitude of things can be ruled out.
Otherwise, I would keep the diet simple, if it is stress related it will resolve on it’s own.
Maybe a quality dry food, with a tablespoon of canned or cooked chicken breast (chopped up) as a topper…maybe add a splash of water.
I like Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea for dry and wet, Newman Organics has Grain Free Beef & Liver (no grains) canned that seems to be easy to digest.
Wysong is worth looking into. What does your vet recommend?
Good luck
PS: I have used prescription foods when recommended by a vet and noticed no adverse effects, it just seemed bland and boring to my dogs, from what I could tell 🙂
Also, at age 6 (7 is considered a senior) a blood panel would not be a bad idea.
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This reply was modified 10 years, 3 months ago by
Anonymous.
Just be careful choosing “senior” dog food formulas. It’s a marketing myth, nothing else. It’s like a slow starvation when lowering protein, calories/fat or quantity. You’re on the right track though, think healthy for your dog’s weight, activity and any ailments. I’d rather the dog not finish than cleaning the bowl hungry.
Nancy B. I watched the video! Very interesting. Origen and Acana are probably what I will use. I have one dog that has lived on Acana grain free. I rotate the proteins/flavors. and now I have rescued an older dog- that was my interest in a “senior” food. (Dori) I am aware that dogs like people need to adjust their diet as they age. So I want to do the best I can for the senior. Some have said it isn’t necessary, but I feel it has a lot of cons to support that theory.
I appreciate all the comments. They keep me thinking and planning. I learn so much from all on the blog.
Susan R. I may have missed it but why do you want to feed your dog a senior food?
Susan,
Senior foods, with a couple exceptions, are way too low in protein. Orijen makes a good senior food. If your dog is overweight, Annamaet Lean & Wellness Core reduced fat are good products. If not overweight, any high quality, higher protein food is fine.
Wondering if there is a suggestion for a Senior Dog food. I’m looking for good nutrition probably with less fat calories and more good carbs. I can controll amount so – not really looking at “diet” food. Thinking that just like humans, we want to eat healthy.
If you soak dry food overnight in water in the fridg (2-3 day batch) it is okay as a base, then add a spoonful of chopped cooked chicken breast, lean meat or chicken liver.
Occasional canned food as a topper instead. Maybe a little dry kibble as a treat now and then.
It’s all good.
My senior does well on Wysong Senior. My other dogs (one with allergies) does best on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea.
Don’t free feed…..see General Guidelines for tips : http://www.homeovet.net/dynamic/php/downloads/dog-c8470f2c75dbe4b683205c3919ee2310/dog_diet_complete.pdf
Hope this helps.
Oh, and brush their teeth once a day, see Youtube for how to videos.
This has been what works for me.
