[anonymous]

Take her swimming, Aquatic Therapy. One minute of swimming = four minutes of running.
My dog is thriving since I’ve been taking him to the lake at least 3 X a week.
My veterinary clinic offers a heated pool and underwater treadmill, if it was within my budget I would try that.

No free feeding, 2 meals per day (measured amounts) I tend not to use senior dog food and add a little cooked lean meat to kibble……. it depends on the individual dog as to what food would be best, trial and error.

[Hattie H]

I’ve just begun my self education into better dog nutrition and weight loss and could use some advice. I have a 7 year old female lab that weighs 80lbs. We travel a lot and thus her activity level varies week to week from very little when it’s just her and I at home to highly active when we she’s with her 3 year old Australian Shepard cousin. I determined she’s a 7 on the body condition scale and that her ideal weight is likely around 65lbs -70lbs. Based on Internet searches, talking to people, and using the different formulas I’ve come up with a wide range of recommended daily calorie intake, from 850-1400, to get her to her ideal weight. I’ve been feeding her 1300 cal/day for a couple weeks and was going to drop it closer to 1000 as I haven’t seen any weight loss. When I started this weight loss campaign I also switched her from blue buffalo to a mix of Fromm Gold senior (3 cups/1077kcal) and honest kitchen Keen (.5 cup/235kcal) I was advised to put her on a senior food based on her age and activity level but the senior foods typically have less protein and from my research I’m seeing that a lot of people recommend higher protein. The protein/ fat amounts for these foods are 23/11 and 21/15, respectively.

Aside from needing to shed a few pounds she has no other health problems and recently got blood work done everything came back great. She just turned 7 a week ago and I want to get her in optimal health so she’s with me for a very long time. The plan is to keep researching and learn all I can about dog nutrition and start adding in raw and better foods as I figure out what those are…

So, does anyone have thoughts or advice on the calorie intake, food choices, protein amount?

[Susan]

Hi Jennifer, have a look at “Honest Kitchen” Zeal, its formulated for senior dogs & it’s lower in fat 8.5% then Royal Canine UC , with the Honest Kitchen you just add water so the diet is a moist diet what is needed when a dog has kidney problems, kibbles are no good to feed dogs/cats when they have health problems, that’s how they probably got the health problems from eating kibble…….
There has to be better foods then what your vet is recommending…. Have you looked at cooked diet & going thru “Balance It” they do special meals as well thru their nutritionist for dogs with certain health problems, you just add the “Balance It” to your premade meals so the meal is balanced…..Just fill out the questionnaire about your dogs health problems then they will give you recipes for you to make & add their “Balance It” too…If your dog has a complicated health problem, it will say to contact their Nutritionist…. so maybe re fill out questionnaire with the health problem he has now & this way you can just order the “Balance It” & follow their recipes or The Honest Kitchen also has Base Mixes you just add to your cooked meals that balance the meals & you can make a few meals & freeze or put in the fridge….
https://secure.balanceit.com/
Shop All Dog

[C C]

We have had a terrible, terrible experience when the Acana Pacifica that our Sheltie was on for years stopped being produced. In its place was the new US version vs former Canada produced. My dog got sick almost immediately, even though we were very slowly transitioning her over with only about 10 kibbles or less. In a short time we noticed an awful puddle of greasy “goo” at the bottom of the bad as well as in the smaller container we had put some in. It was awful, probably rancid or soon to be, and we returned it to the pet store. They took it back immediately but then suggested we try another, this time the mackerel. Our dog continued to be sick and 3 visits later to the emergency clinic now over a month later, she refuses to eat ANY kibble at all. They put her on a temporary prescription canned formula for easy digestion which she ate for awhile, but now again, not eating it. Now I am having to make rice and boiled chicken for her and she only eats less than 1/4 cup of anything and has lost 3#. Many tests and x-rays reveal no other problem other than the “hit to her liver” that bad dog food did. I have contacted the company, Champion, who refuses any accountability whatsoever other than to admit that early batches of food “appeared wet” and “the problem is being fixed”. We are really upset about what she has had to go through and want to avoid other dogs and pet parents suffering, so contacted Dog Food Advisor for suggestions. They suggested this blog and also included helpful links to other resources we can contact. Has anyone else experienced this? Granted we do have a senior dog (10) with an autoimmune disease that could make her more sensitive, but we have never had a problem like this before she had absolutely no problem and thrived on the original Canadian produced Acana Pacifica. Thank you.

[marie d]

Hi, im trying to get some advice for taking my boy off kibble and putting him onto raw please. Im so nervous to get it wrong and cause him any harm so would really your help. A little background on him, he is a 9 1/2 year labrador that has been on kibble his whole life. I stupidly thought that as we were getting him the expensive kibble we were feeding him the best. He has been on royal canin gastro for the past 2 years due to him having gastro issues sll his life. The vet came to the conclusion he has an intolerance to fat so needs to be on the low fat diet which has worked for him as we havent had any gastro issues for 2 yr now whilst on this food. Whst he has though is cancer now twice in the past 18 months, both mast cell tumours which led us to start looking into whats in his food. We really want to get him off kibblebas strongly feel that this has contributed to him getting cancer. Ive red so much conflicting info on how to change from dry to raw and am so confused as to what will be best for him. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for the long post 🙁

[Ryan K]

My 14 year old Old English Sheepdog is pretty much at the end phase of her life and we are all heartbroken over it. She has been fairly sick over the last few weeks with a lack of appetite and her hind legs giving out. Our vet has said that she has nerve degeneration in her spine that is causing her back legs to gradually slide out from under her. With a small dog this is a bit easier to handle with carrying them and getting them around but with a 65 pound dog it’s not that easy. I wondered if there was any supplement that people have given their dogs for aiding the nerves in regenerating or getting better? I read that the mushroom Lion’s Mane is great for humans but haven’t heard how much a dog could tolerate. I would love to keep my dog going cause she’s so vibrant despite her age and these new hindrances. We love her so much and this has been a rough couple weeks with thinking the end is near. Is it a waste or stupid to try new supplements at this point? I brought her in to the vet today thinking it was the end for her after a long night of heavy panting and only eating canned food that she KNOWS has no pills in. She has suddenly become a detective with finding her meds hidden in wrapped treats and spits them out and it’s just crazy! But, he said that although she is old and not feeling well he thinks she looks good and can go a bit longer and he didn’t recommend euthanasia which was a relief. I don’t want to prolong her pain or make her stick around just to avoid that decision.

Any recommendations for senior dog supplements for the nervous system would be great. Also, she is allergic to brewers yeast so I have to avoid that ingredient. Thanks!

[InkedMarie]

This is an updated list of grain & white potato free foods. I included dry food only, no wet, raw, dehydrated or freeze dried. I included no part of white potato. Some foods on the prior list have been discontinued and a couple I can’t find ingredient lists for. I used the foods websites, not a pet food sellers website.

ACANA-Meadowland Regional
Wild Atlantic Regional
Appalachian Ranch Regional
Heritage
Heritage Freshwater Fish
Lamb & apple singles
Pork & squash singles
duck & pear singles
Wild Mackerel singles
Grasslands

AMICUS-small & mini breed adult
small & mini breed senior & weight management
small & mini breed puppy

ANNAMAET-Salcha Poulet

ARTEMIS-Osopure salmon
Osopure bison

AVODERM-senior health
joint health grain free chicken
Revolving Menu-all

BACKWOOD-buffalo & field pea
chicken & field pea
salmon & field pea

BROTHERS COMPLETE-all

BY NATURE-grainfree turkey & sweet potato
grain free ocean whitefish & green peas

CALIFORNIA NATURAL-all grain frees

CANIDAE-PURE Land
Pure Wild

CANINE CAVIAR-grainfree puppy
Leaping Spirit
Open Sky
Wild Ocean

CHICKEN SOUP-grainfree beef
grain free lamb

DAVES-both grain frees

DOG FOR DOG (formerly Freehand) both grainfree’s

DOGSWELL-Live Free salmon
Live Free chicken
Live Free turkey
Live Free lamb

EARTHBORN-Great Plains Feast
Meadow Feast
Large Breed
weight control

EVANGERS-grainfree whitefish & sweet potato
grain free chicken
grain free Meat Lovers Medley

EVO-all

FROMM-4 Star lamb & lentil
4 star pork & peas

GO! Sensitivity & Shine LID Duck
Sensitivity & Sine LID salmon
Sensitivity & Shine LID venison
Sensitivity & Shine grain free turkey

GRANDMA MAE’S COUNTRY NATURALS-grainfree only

GREAT LIFE-Dr E’s LID buffalo
Dr E’s LID duck
buffalo
salmon
chicken

HALO-Vigor turkey, chicken & salmon

HEALTH EXTENSION-grainfree buffalo & whitefish
grain free venison & chickpea
grain free duck & chickpea
grainfre salmon, herring & peas

HI TEK NATURALS-lamb, sweet potato & herring
chicken & sweet potato
Alaskan fish

HOLISTIC BLEND-Marine 5

HOLISTIC SELECT-grainfree adult health

HORIZON-Pulsar: fish
chicken
turkey
Legacy: salmon
adult
puppy

I AND LOVE AND YOU-salmon & trout
Nude: Simply Sea
Poultry Palooza
Red meat medley
Naked Essentials-lamb & bison
chicken & duck

KASIKS-Wild Pacific Ocean
Free Range lamb
Free Run Chicken

LOTUS-oven baked grain free turkey

MERRICK-grainfree rabbit & chickpea
grain free venison & chickpea

MUENSTER-grainfree all life stages

NATURAL BALANCE-Wild Pursuit: Trout/Salmon/Tuna
chicken/turkey/quail
lamb/chicken/guinea fowl
LID: legume & duck
legume & Wagyu Beef

NATURAL PLANET-rabbit & salmon
duck & whitefish

NATURAL PLANET ORGANICS-all grain frees

NATURES RECIPE-grainfree chicken, sweet potato & pumpkin

NATURES VARIETY-Instinct: all

NRG-Optimum line

NULO-all

NUTRISCA-all grainfree

NUTRISOURCE-grainfree chicken & pea
grain free seafood select
grain free lamb & pea
grain free small breed chicken
grain free Prairie Select

ORIJEN-all

PET BOTANICS-Healthy Omega chicken
Healthy Omega salmon
Healthy Omega lamb

PET KIND-all

PINNACLE-grainfree trout & sweet potato
grain free duck & sweet potato
grain free chicken & sweet potato

PIONEER NATURALS-all grain free

PRECISE-both grain frees

SOLID GOLD-Mighty Mini
Lil Boss
high protein with duck

SPORT DOG FOOD-Elite Beef
Elite whitefish
Elite chicken
Elite venison

TASTE OF THE WILD-Appalachian Valley
Pine Forest
Southwest Canyon

TUSCAN NATURALS-Ocean

UNDER THE SUN-All grain frees

VICTOR-grainfree active dog & puppy
Yukon River
lamb
chicken
Ultra Pro
Hero

WELLNESS-Core Wild Game
adult chicken
Tru Food: adult salmon & turkey
adult lamb
adult chicken
puppy

WILD CALLING-Rocky Mountain Medley-all
Western Plains Stampede all
Xotic Essentials-all

WYSONG-Epigen 90

ZIGNATURE-LID trout & salmon
LID kangaroo
LID turkey
LID lamb
LID duck
LID whitefish
Essential multi protein

ZOIC-all

4 HEALTH-puppy
small breed adult

[Alecka S]

I’ve got a papillion/chihuahua mix named Coco Bean that is 18 years old (yes, 18 years old), &I was wondering if there is a good food out there for extremely senior pets like mine? It’s got to be something soft, her teeth are bad now and she can’t crunch up hard kibble anymore.

Right now I have her on FreshPet rolls and cans of Solid Gold (I normally feed her FreshPet but have been transitioning her to Solid Gold to see if she likes it). She’s eating fine any is somewhat active, I don’t have any issues with the food I’ve been giving her but I still wanted to ask and see if there were any brands of dog food that would be better for her since she is as old as she is..

*NOTE:* Please don’t start to tell me about how hard food is much better for her because it helps clean her teeth etc, etc. I know that, but her teeth are really bad and it wouldn’t be safe to put her under at this point in life to attempt to clean her teeth.

[Kristi G]

Does anyone know if there is any connection or validity to high protein food increasing kidney levels in senior dogs?

[Jo C]

HI,

I was looking on a couple post about senior dogs and dry dog food. Some people say to feed a senior dog my baby is 13 years old a higher protein food. Does the carbs and fats matter as when I’m looking up dog food to see what they are rating at. When I look the brands up I see the percentages and I usually see 22-25 % range for protein but the carbs and fats are high, basically I don’t know what to look for as a proper diet for her she has no digestive issues or anything like that.

[Robin F]

Thank you Anonymously! We did have senior exam done just days ago. She does get walked 3-4 times daily. Morning 6am, noon time when my husband comes home for lunch, 6pm when he gets home from work and then just a short walk to urinate at 10/11. We have two dogs, so feeding multiple times in the day is almost impossible.
I did purchase the very lean beef I mentioned. They both seem to be only eating the wet food and leaving most of the dry. I think for a few nights I will not add anything. I’m afraid she will not be nourished properly.
I appreciate your advice. Thank you so much!

[Robin F]

Hello Everyone,
My Natasha is almost 10 years old and weighs 125 pounds. She has arthritis and has a fatty tumor which I was told should shrink when she looses weight. I finally trained the husband not to give table food or cook chopped beef to mix in food! She is eating Wellness Cores Reduced Fat dog food. She hardly never eats all of what she is given (2 cups once a day) which I do top with half a can of one of the stews from Blue since the chopped beef is gone! Does anyone know if there are supplements to help the weight loss, but without her getting diarrhea or having to go potty all the time? She is limping quite a bit and is already on pain meds (Tramadol and Rimadyl).
Thank you, Robin

[Val C]

Hi Amateria,
I have a photo of the hair in the Sunday Pets Deliganics (for Senior) dog food.
How do I post it in this forum though?

I’ve asked the pet shop (in Singapore) who sold me the food and it seems like there’s been multiple complaints before of the same issue.
The pet shop was nice enough to allow me to exchange for another product.
The response from Sunday Pets to the pet shop was that those are part of the herbs ingredients. Those little short strands of black & white “hair” certainly do not resemble any herbs I know of, in my view. It brings me to wonder what animal and what was the process of producing the food. With a very imaginative mind, I see the image of whole animal parts (with fur / hair etc.) being thrown into a grinding machine! 🙁

[Jennifer R]

Does anyone know of a dry dog food that has absolutely no form of legumes or poultry but that has a rating of 4 or 5? I’m probably looking right at it, but I can’t for the life of me find one.

I have a senior Akita who has liver and gallbladder issues and food intolerances. He’s refusing homecooked food and canned food (refusing as in not eating for days). He will eat kibble right now, but I’m having a hard time finding a quality kibble without legumes and poultry. He’s also sensitive to corn, soy, and goat, but he really can’t tolerate any form of legumes or poultry.

His vet recommends Royal Canin, which has chicken fat and causes gas. I was ready to try Natural Balance LID or California Natural but then I saw the ratings. At this point I realize grain free foods are out because they replace grains with legumes, but isn’t there a quality meat-based kibble that uses grain not legumes? Are all kibble with grains plant-based?

Any ideas would help! It’d be great if the kibble were also low fat while still being high in protein, but I’ll settle for meat-based, above 4 stars with no legumes or poultry of any form.

Thanks!

[C4D]

Hi Kyle E,

That seems to be Merricks new marketing tool. Your dog would have to eat roughly 1 kg or 2.2 pounds of food to get a 1200mg dose of glucosamin and chondroitin on the Backcountry Game Bird and Great Plains recipe. The other 2 formulas have 800 mg/kg(2.2 lbs). Most joint supplements have a higher dosage than that and when you have a dog that already has joint or hip issues you definitely need separate supplementation. It doesn’t necessarily have to be from the vet. Some of the supplements Susan mentioned could be a good possibility. I use a supplement that has Green Lipped Mussel. I haven’t used the Turmeric Golden paste yet as my dog hasn’t showed any symptoms of pain. Anonymously is right about the senior blood panels and feeding a lower calorie food if your dog is getting on the heavy side. I do yearly blood panels on my dogs. It gives you a heads up on possible issues before the symptoms appear or have progressed too far.

I also have an almost 12 year old Lab that has bad knees due to torn CCL’s several years ago. I have been supplementing with fish oil (human) and joint supplements for years now. She does well, even though she has diagnosed arthritis in both knees. She goes for a brisk 1-2 mile walk daily, with her choosing to jog most of the way. The other most important thing you can do is to keep your dog on the lean side and daily walks to keep the joints from getting stiff. If you haven’t been walking or exercising your Lab on a daily basis, start very slow.

Edit: I don’t know how much 1 cup of Merrick weighs (I couldn’t find it on their website) and all dog foods are different, but as an example, I use Earthborn in my rotation and it states on it’s website that an 8oz cup of Great Plains holds 4.8 oz of food. So, if Merrick’s weight is comparable and if I did the math right, that would be feeding over 10 cups of food to get the 1200 mg dose of supplement. That’s a LOT of food.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 5 months ago by C4D.

[anonymously]

First, has the dog had a senior workup? Exam and lab work. If not, I would start there.
Supplements are not medication. I would find a veterinarian that you trust and that your dog likes, and go by his recommendations.

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=glucosamine
http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/herbs-and-supplements/

“The internet is no substitute for talking with a vet who knows you and your pets about their specific needs.” copied from a response to a question: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/2016/07/things-holistic-vets-say-about-cancer-that-should-make-pet-owners-run-the-other-way/comment-page-1/#comment-119501

PS: It doesn’t hurt to go with a higher quality food, however, some of the better foods are higher in calories, so, if you have a senior inactive dog, that is something to keep in mind.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 5 months ago by anonymously.

[pugmomsandy]

Foods do not contain a therapeutic dose of joint supporting supplements so that shouldn’t be a deciding factor for choosing a wet (or dry) food. I would check into separate powder, liquid, capsule or chewable joint/senior supplements. And if you haven’t already, check to see if she has any dental or gum issues and have a check up with blood work.

http://www.dogaware.com/health/arthritis.html

[Kyle E]

My good Labrador friend is getting old and beginning to have problems with her joints and energy level. She’s also not eating very much of her food anymore, even though I buy her the expensive Taste of the Wild dry food. I want to switch to wet canned food to see if that improves her appetite. Does anyone have information on a quality, healthy, and tasty canned food that is formulated for all the problems senior dogs have, especially aching joints?

[Shawna]

Hi Katie C,

There definitely is LOTS of opinions on right from wrong with raw feeding. I think there are three really important factors and everything else is just opinion — 1. No matter what you decide to feed, minimally processed food is always going to be an improvement over highly processed food. 2. The diet MUST be balanced. That said, except for calcium/phosphorus, the balance can happen at every meal or over a weeks time. 3. Variety in the diet (even if feeding commercial prepared, balanced foods) is absolutely a must.

I’ve been feeding raw to about 35/40 dogs over the last 11 to 12 years (my own and foster dogs). I’ve weaned pups onto raw and fed 19 year old seniors raw. I personally don’t feed grains or many starchier vegetables but if the pup isn’t having specific issues these can help keep the diet financially friendly. 🙂 I personally DO like small amounts of fruits (about 5% of total diet) and veggies (about 15 to 20%). They are not necessary, I will totally agree, but they do add a lot of nutrient bang for the buck when properly processed. Since our pups live in a somewhat toxic environment those extra antioxidants etc can only be beneficial in my opinion. I live pretty clean but my pets are exposed to formaldehyde in a few pieces of particle board furniture in my house as well as the anti-stain coating on furniture and rugs. I don’t spray my yard but my neighbors do. Then there’s car exhaust and………

I mostly feed commercial raw, right now I have more money than time. But I do buy meat on sale and use a premix to help balance it. I also have freeze dried raw, and even kibble, on hand for those days I literally run in to feed the dogs and run back out, or maybe I’ve got the flu and don’t even want to get out of bed let alone dish up meals for seven dogs.

There are recipes in books and online that you can use but, as mentioned, I don’t think it’s good to rely on one recipe all the time. Dr. Karen Becker has a book with recipes called “Dr. Becker’s Real Food for Healthy Dogs and Cats”. She uses a few supplements but, in my opinion, it’s better to use supplements (even synthetic ones) than to omit that vitamin / mineral from the diet all together because of a bias. Balance IT website is another place where you can create recipes using ingredient you chose and then use their supplement mix to balance the diet. You also DEFINITELY CAN balance over a week but you have to be way more committed to finding and using harder to find ingredients/foods.

To recap, best thing you can do is not get too wrapped up into what is wrong or right and just strive for balance using whatever fits best into your lifestyle, price range and belief system.

[pitlove]

Hi Jennifer-

To answer your first question, those numbers are the recommendation from the NRC (National Research Council) which in conjuntion with AAFCO, sets the minimums for the nutrient profiles in all dog foods. As far as I know there is no legal obligation to NRC for companies unlike AAFCO, however they influence AAFCO greatly and are a good rule of thumb. These are nutrient guidelines you would want to consider in preparing homemade and raw diets as well.

For number 2, my best advice is what you already know. Keep them lean, all throughout life. I find that I can still feed my older large breed (8 year old 75lb Lab) high calorie foods, but still keep him at a good weight, so long as I consider his activity level and any extras that he gets. I also do prefer leaner meats like chicken, turkey and fish. The other thing that certainly helps their metabolism is them being intact. It’s going to be much different with neutered/spayed dogs, as their energy requirements change. It’s said now, with some of the new research, that senior dogs require more of a high quality protein because of their inability to metabolize protein as efficently as their adult counterparts. Some still argue that high protein damages the kidneys etc. Others argue that processing excess protein is a passive process of the kidneys and has no effect on a healthy dog.

[shannon J]

Thanks! The Pet Wants less active senior food is actually the same calories as the Simply Nourish (I think)…it’s listed as 348 kcal/cup..? That’s why I don’t understand how the old dog would gain 5 pounds eating the Pet Wants.

I did notice Pet Wants is higher in calories for their grain free selections than the Simply Nourish Salmon and Sweet Potato – the younger dogs aren’t gaining weight though. A lab and a labradoodle.

[Jennifer H]

Ok so I have two questions to pose for my fellow Large/Giant Breed folks:

1 – In the article “How to Choose the Best Large Breed Puppy Food and Lower Your Dog’s Risk of Hip Dysplasia” it states:

“Yet fortunately, there’s general agreement among the experts that any food intended for large breed puppies should not only meet AAFCO nutrient profiles for growth, it should also contain:
◾3500 to 4000 calories (kcal) per kilogram of food14
◾3 grams of calcium per 1000 calories of food. That value should not exceed the safe upper limit of 4.5 grams15
◾A calcium-to-phosphorus ratio between 1:1 and 1.5:116
Although most AAFCO compliant puppy foods are suitable for small and medium breeds, only a few meet these special guidelines and can be considered safe for large breed puppies. ”
I am in complete agreement on the grams of calcium and the calcium to phosphorus ratio, but can’t help but wonder about the recommendation to have what I would consider high calories per kilogram of food? Please share your thought and opinions on this as it has me scratching my head:)

Ok, for question 2 — this is a great sharing of information regarding the nutritional needs for Large/Giant breed puppies but I am wondering once your BIG PUPPY reaches adult status and is now a BIG DOG, what is the general opinion/consensus of nutrition needs for the adult or even the senior large/giant breed?

[shannon J]

Hi,

There’s a food called Pet Wants that’s locally sourced and made in Cincinnati, OH (where I live) that we’ve switched our dogs to. Now I’m wondering if it’s really as good as they say. It’s made in small batches and you only buy enough to last 1 month so that your dog has fresh food each month.

Well, we have 2 younger dogs that eat the grain free whitefish and duck flavor and a senior dog (dachshund) that eats the less active senior formula. The dachshund gained 5lbs over the last couple of months and my sister insists it’s the Pet wants food. When I look at the ingredients/nutrition of this food and the Simply Nourish limited ingredient salmon and sweet potato they were previously on they seem about the same to me.

The Pet Wants website is: http://www.petwants.com/

Just looking for some more opinions. The other dogs haven’t gained weight, so. I’m just not sure what to think. We are going to switch the old dog back to Simply Nourish and see what happens, though.

[Elizabeth A]

This is my first post so I’m hoping I’m posting in the correct area.

I’m fostering a dog that’s about 26lbs and has severe skin issues. I was feeding him Nutro Ultra which I was feeding my other dogs. He didn’t seem to have too many problems or maybe he did I just didn’t notice at the time because he was dealing with a severe skin infection. I bought the Senior Small Breed food to give him a more tailored food a few days ago and immediately noticed more chewing and itching so I discontinued and today bought some Merrick Limited Ingredient Salmon + Sweet Potato (dry) and canned just to wet his food down a little.

I’m going to try this food and see if he does better on (he is NOT picky and eats almost anything but all the foods he’s had have been salmon based so we stuck with the Salmon). Has anyone tried it and had good results with Merrick Limited Ingredients diets?

I don’t know how much to feed him. He should be about 15-17 lbs, though some has said around 13 lbs. I’m just trying to get him below 20. Here’s the guidelines from the bag in the relevant ranges:
IW Cals Feed (IW=Ideal Weight)
10lbs 342 1 cup
15lbs 464 1-1/3 cups
20lbs 575 1-2/3 cups
30lbs 780 2-1/4 cups

I don’t want to starve him so do I feed him for the 20lb guide until he hits 20lbs and then go down from there? Or do I feed him for the end goal weight? He’s always looking for a snack, but I don’t want him to be too hungry or starving. Can someone help with what I should start to try and feed him?

Thanks

• This topic was modified 9 years, 5 months ago by Elizabeth A.
• This topic was modified 9 years, 5 months ago by Elizabeth A.

[anonymously]

It may not be about the food, I have a senior peke who needs help to have a bowel movement. The anal sphincters sometimes don’t work as well as these small breeds age.
I have a medical background so I deal with it, I realize that not everyone can.
Have your vet examine the dog and advise you.

Add water to the food dish, they will lap it up to get to the food, this may help.
Don’t free feed, 2 or 3 small meals per day, and increase exercise, even a couple of 10 minute walks around the block every day can make a big difference.

Just my opinion, but I would stop all supplements including the coconut oil, unless the vet advises you differently.

[pitlove]

Hi D L M-

I wouldn’t say there is a specific food that neutered dogs do better on than the other. Some choose to use lower calorie foods, since neutering/spaying decreases metabolism. I think the most important thing to think about when feeding an altered dog vs an intact dog is calories. Most pet parents will not adjust the dogs daily caloric intake when they neuter or spay the dog. That is what causes the weight gain.

I’ve had great success using the Dog Food Calculator tool on the homepage of this website. For your dog I would choose the option “Senior, Neutered, Inactive” for activity level.

/dog-feeding-tips/dog-food-calculator/

[C4D]

InkedMarie is right. Gravy Train isn’t a very good food. Try to find a 3-4 star rated food to begin with since your dogs are eating such a low quality food. There are a lot of foods that cost about the same and are much more nutritious with better ingredients. You will have to do a slow transition, but it will be better for your dogs in the long run.

Salmon oil is much better than vegetable oil. I would add some fresh cooked meat or adding some canned, as IM suggested. If you are feeding only oatmeal and egg daily, that’s not nutritionally complete, even for a senior dog.

[john s]

HI,I a newbie to this site.
I have 3 dogs all Heinz 57 breeds,2 are less than 8 yrs old,1 is a senior citizen about 13 yrs old.
I have been feeding the older dog a mix of dog food,2 caps of veggie oil,1 cooked egg,1 cup of oatmeal twice a day and right now he seems to be ok with that mix any thoughts on that
food mix would be appreciated.
The other just get GRAVY TRAIN with water,thanks for the site

[anonymously]

I would never give a dog apple cider, it’s acid….It gives me heartburn, lol.
I presoak my senior’s kibble in tap water and this seems to work for him as he doesn’t have much left for teeth.

My dog with the sensitive stomach does well on the Nutrisca because it is a limited ingredient food and has small kibble.
I recently tried her on Orijen and she vomited a little up, I suspect because it is larger kibble, higher in calories and has more ingredients. So, back to the Nutrisca for her. My youngest dog likes the Orijen, I may keep him on it (as a base).
I add a splash of water to their meals and a topper.

PS: Ask your vet if Pepcid would be helpful 1/2 hour before a meal once a day.

[anonymously]

What are you feeding him? My dog that has a sensitive stomach does well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea as a base, no supplements except a fish oil capsule every day.
You could try presoaking the food thereby making it easier to digest.

Has he had a senior workup recently (labs etc)? There could be something else going on…..
I lost a corgi at that age due to an aggressive form of cancer that showed up suddenly without warning.

Some Science-based Veterinary Medicine here: http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=probiotics
If you are interested.

[Shawna]

Hi Elyce M,

You are right to question this. There has been LOTS of science over the last 20 years that proves protein is not only not damaging to kidneys but the science has shown that protein does not further damage the kidneys of dogs that HAVE kidney disease. Protein does increase BUN in the blood and if BUN gets too high it makes puppy not feel well but it has no ill effects on the kidneys whatsoever. My favorite source of scientific information on this is “Mythology of Protein Restriction for Dogs with Reduced Renal Function” by Dr. Kenneth Bovee http://www.championpetfoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Myths_of_High_Protein.pdf

Something as simple as dehydration can cause elevated BUN but if creatinine is high on the blood work than that is an indicator of kidney disease. Elevated BUN AND creatinine won’t show up on blood work until the kidneys are about 75% damaged so an elevation of both should be looked at more closely by doing more testing – urine specific gravity as an example.

If your pup really is in the beginning stages of kidney failure than lowering protein isn’t necessary but feeding “high quality” protein can be very beneficial. It is also advised to feed a wet food over a kibble. It is also beneficial to look at foods that are lower in phosphorus than your average diet as phosphorus can begin to build up in the blood and once it does it CAN damage the kidneys further.

For what it’s worth, my puppy had kidney disease from birth and ate a HIGH protein raw diet (between 45 and 54% protein) her entire life. She lived to almost nine years of age and passed from complications not related to normal progression of kidney disease.

Seven years of age is not old for a Shih Tzu but they also now know that senior dogs require a diet higher in protein than their adult counterparts due to a decreased ability to digest. This is taken from Purina’s website
“Protein for senior dogs. Healthy senior dogs require increased dietary protein in order to maintain lean body mass. We formulate our senior dog foods to contain more dietary protein (compared to adult maintenance formulas) in order to ensure that your dog gets the appropriate levels of nutritious protein he needs.” https://www.purina.com/dogs/understanding-dog-food/is-a-high-protein-diet-best-for-my-dog

Most better quality diets already exceed the minimum suggested for seniors of 25% (minimum not suggested amount) but this is a science based paper discussing the increased needs of protein in senior dogs. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18656844

• This reply was modified 9 years, 6 months ago by Shawna.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 6 months ago by Shawna.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 6 months ago by Shawna.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 6 months ago by Shawna.

[anonymously]

What foods did your vet recommend? I have two seniors that have been doing well on Nutrisca dry as a base, both recently had senior workups, lab work came back normal.
One of them (peke) will turn 16 next month.

I have recently added Orijen, more for my youngest dog, Orijen has a senior kibble but I haven’t checked it out.

[anonymously]

Orijen and Nutrisca for dry food are my favorites, check Chewy.com. For a reasonably priced wet food/topper, check out Newman Organics.
Your dog is a senior and therefore prone to developing bladder stones (breed) so I would soak her kibble in water prior to serving and maybe add a splash of water especially if she is not a water drinker. Make sure she gets out for frequent bathroom breaks/opportunities to urinate.
Also, check her teeth and get a cleaning and extractions if needed. Brush her teeth daily (see YouTube for how to videos)

PS: I just reread your post, if you want to feed only dry, presoak the kibble in water overnight, it will be soft, easy to chew and digest. If the food you are using agrees with her, then stick with it. You can always add a bit of scrambled egg or cooked chopped up lean meat/chicken (no bones)
Has she had a senior workup? Ask the vet that examines her what he recommends.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 6 months ago by anonymously.

[Kelly P]

Your situation sounds very similar to mine. I have a 13 yr old mini Schnauzer and had heard several bad things about the food I was feeding her. Always dry food, no table scraps, etc. I finally got that smack in the face that your dog is getting old when she started collapsing if she got wound up. Sure enough, she’s got an enlarged heart and nothing we can do other than a few meds to stave it off as long as possible. My first Schnauzer suffered from the same thing.

But, the news about the other brand, her prognosis and her age made me think it was time to switch. I went with Wellness Core small breed and she ate it at first as I was mixing it up with her old food so as to ease the transition. That was fine but once I got to 100% Wellness she would sniff it and walk away. I even pulled the Nick Nolte “Doen and Out in Beverly Hills” trick where I stuck my face in the bowl. It actually works, but I can’t do that every meal.

Eventually at some point during the day, she would eat it. I suppose she was just hungry! Kind of like when you’re on a road trip and you stop at a place you’d usually speed up to get past.

Anyway, I made my decisions based on the recommendations here, I just recently tried Orijen Senior Formula. It’s not a small breed food, so the kibble is bigger. I put the Wellness in 1/2 the bowl and Orijen on the other side. She was all over the Orijen and left an almost perfect line where the Wellness was. I also bought a little 4 lb bag of Merrick Grain Free Real Buffalo & Sweet Potato if the Orijen didn’t work.

Like you, I think she likes bigger chunks and that Wellness was pretty small. Unfortunately, I don’t have any other data or info to share. The Orijen is not cheap by a long shot, but the people on this forum aren’t here because we value savings over health and well being of our dogs.

[Susan]

Hi, from another Australian, I was taking Blooms Green Lipped Mussel capsules & I got bad indigestion, acid reflux, I also took the capsules with a meal…. then I google side effects Green Lipped Mussel & it said Nausea & indigestion…So I have stopped taking the Green Lipped Mussel capsules, I was going to give Patch 1 green Lipped Mussel Capsule with a meal & see how he goes…..

Ivory Coat’s Ocean Fish & Salmon is new, I got some samples the kibbles felt very greezy & has fish oil, Patch gets acid reflux when he eats any kibbles with Fish or salmon oil… Ivory Coat kibbles are hard to digest I found & the kibbles are too big, so the dog needs to really chew the kibbles… Probably the Sasha’s Blend & the Ivory coat kibble has either made Rusty feel sick or given him indigestion (Acid Reflux) irritated his stomach. .
I’m waiting for Pet Circle online pet shop to get in more “Holistic Select” Chicken Meal Senior, it’s a 5 star kibble, ingredient’s are healthy & the kibbles are smaller & easy to digest & its high in Glucosamine….Patch is 7yrs old, he’ll be 8 in November, his joints seem OK at the moment but I want to prevent any joint problems, I have Arthritis & its very painful & I can’t take NSAID pain relief irritates my stomach…
http://holisticselect.com.au/senior-dry-dog-food-chicken-meal-and-rice

I also feed Patch K-9 natural Green Lipped Mussel Snacks, Patch loves them, he gets 2 treats a day, they’re high in omega 3 fatty acids excellent for brain, joints & skin
http://www.k9natural.com/dog-food#catpage=2

This way I’m not giving Patch any supplements but I’m feeding him foods that are high in omega 3 fatty acids. I have found Patch doesn’t do well on any Fish or Salmon oils when in foods or as supplements…
also next time you try another supplement give with a meal, so you line Rusty stomach with food, sounds like he has a sensitive stomach, you don’t mention what breed your dogs are?
I’d still give Anja the Sasha’s blend cause it’s expensive & feed Rusty a senior kibble like Holistic Select Senior that’s high in Glucosamine… ask vet or look online what’s doesn’t cause stomach upsets supplements for dogs joints….
if you want to feed a Grainfree kibble have a look at Artemis Osopure there’s Salmon or Bison or Duck I sent Artemis a stamped address envelope & got samples of all the Osopure formulas, they’re small kibble, easy to digest & Patch loves them…
http://www.artemispetfood.com.au/products/osopure-dog-products/

How you test a kibble is get a cup of very warm water & put a couple of kibbles in cup, look at the time & see how long the kibble takes to go soft….Ivory coat kibbles sank (No good) & took over 2 hours to soften, a good easy to digest kibble only takes about 20mins to 50mins & it’s soft….
I also rotate Patches kibbles I feed a grain free Taste Of The Wild Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb at the moment but will be buying the Artemis Osopure Bison, second ingredient is salmon meal & Patch will be getting his fish & the Holistic Select Chicken meal Senior has Anchovy & Sardine Meal & Pork meal, I feed 1 kibble for breakfast & the other for dinner or sometimes ask Patch which one does he want & he licks the open container & says this one…

[Susan]

Hi,
One thing about senior foods some are higher in fiber & lower in fat, as a dog gets older they aren’t as active, cause your dog is young will that be OK?? make sure you read the Guaranteed Analysis & make sure fat is 10% & higher & fiber is around 4%…. Holistic Select Chicken Meal Senior looks pretty good & I seen salt under Sodium Selenite in the ingredients but pass half way, so does that mean there’s less?? also salt will be in some of the ingredients, so your best to find a few kibbles you like even normal adult kibbles & email companies for the Sodium %…..
http://holisticselect.com.au/senior-dry-dog-food-chicken-meal-and-rice
Canidae Pure Formulas are also very good so email Canidae & ask for the Sodium % in a few Pure Formulas….
http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

[becky p]

Zach, my 3 1/2 year, 130 pound Lab Mix has high blood pressure. He is very active and not overweight :-). I have been giving him medication to lower his blood pressure for 2 years now. His latest urinalysis had a slightly abnormal specific gravity reading. In 6 months, the vet will retest Zach’s urine. I asked him if there was anything I could do now that would help and he suggested a low sodium diet. He said that most senior dog foods are low sodium.

Does anyone know how I can tell which dog foods are low in sodium?

[anonymously]

I would rule out medical causes for the change in appetite, at the age of 11 a senior workup (lab work etc) may be a good idea.
If you are not brushing their teeth daily, they may very well need professional cleanings and extractions.
After medical clearance, I would consider Nutrisca dry foods as a base, my senior dog and my dog with allergies do well on this product. I recently tried Orijen and I am impressed with it for my younger dog, it may be too rich for a senior. Check Chewy.com and compare prices.
Can you take them out for a leisurely 10 or 20 minute walk twice a day? It makes a difference (in my experience).
PS: Add a splash of water to the kibble, don’t free feed, and take out for frequent bathroom breaks, every 2 hours or at least every 4 hours.

[boobear27]

Looking to switch my senior dog’s food..I have an 11 year old Rat terrier and I use to feed her Wellness complete health small breed dry food, but it was causing her to gain weight even when I gave less her less she just wasn’t shedding the pounds..When we took her out to the yard to play and have some exercise she will play for a little then just lose interest and not being too active like our Toy poodle is..She is kind of a couch potato too:) We switched her to Wellness core reduced fat and she loved it! She loved the bigger sized kibble she’s a small dog but a large dog chewer:) She actually crunched and munched on this formula, with the Wellness small breed tiny sized kibble she would just inhale it..This was also why we had to buy a small feeding bowl..She shed all those unwanted pounds and started being more active again:)..The problem I’m having now is that she lost interest in this formula..She is a food obsessive kind of dog everytime I use to give her her meal she will dig right in and now everytime I give her her meal she looks at it and walks away for a while then will come back and she will eat some of it then walk away again for awhile and then come back eat some more and then walk away again..It’s like she’s just forcing herself to eat it because she’s hungry and she won’t eat the whole portion I give her..The only way she gets excited about the food is when I put water or chicken broth in it and then she will dig right in and eat her full portion, but I don’t wet her food all the time I switch it up by giving it to her dry or wet..She also has a gas problem she has really stinky farts and I noticed she gets these loose or soft stools..We have to express her anal glands like twice a month. I was looking to switch her food to a different grain free food something that’s also reasonably priced..I was looking at the brands taste of wild, Victor, and 4Health, but can’t decide which would be the best choice..I’ve read some mixed reviews and they had some recalls in the past..Has anybody had any luck on these brands? Which will be the better choice for my senior dog? I’m gonna make a vet appt to get her teeth checked, but I think I’m done with the Wellness brand..My toy poodle doesn’t seem to be interested in her Wellness small breed either.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Linda C-

Both Victor and NutriSource have senior recipes that are higher in protein than most senior foods that I have fed. But, I think the best thing you can do for your dog is to add meal mixers or toppers to your dog’s meals to increase the nutritional value of dry dog food.

Adding less processed foods such as, eggs, sardines, canned and/or fresh foods, I believe is a big boost to my dogs’ meals.

Here is a download that may be helpful:
http://www.dogwise.com/ItemDetails.cfm?ID=DN330EBK
It is only $2.95 and may give you some good ideas. Here is another link that can give you some free ideas:
http://www.dogaware.com/diet/freshfoods.html

Hope this helps. Good luck!

[Linda C]

What would be a good budget friendly food recommendation for a senior Bernese Mountain dog? He’s currently eating Kirkland’s dry for seniors which is okay but we’d like to up the quality while still adhering to a giant breeds nutritional needs.

[anonymously]

I have a dog with environmental allergies and she has been doing very well since starting allergen specific immunotherapy four years ago. Her diet is varied, a quality kibble with a bit of cooked meat, chicken, egg or turkey as a topper.
We just started Orijen 6 fish, but she also does well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea as a base.

The dermatologist told me her diet has nothing to do with her allergies, she does have a sensitive stomach however. I add a little water to her meals also.

I would be careful about making dramatic changes to a senior dog’s diet, maybe check with your vet as there are prescription dog foods specially formulated for specific conditions.
I might be concerned about the possibility of diarrhea with all those veggies mentioned in your diet, I’ve never heard of DH Hash.

How about Malaseb shampoo? Weekly bathing might help. My dog gets bathed twice a week with Malaseb.

[Laney W]

It would be helpful in our household of an 11-1/2 year old American Rat Terrier, a 3-1/3 year old Shorthaired Collie, and a 2 year old American Rat Terrier, to sort dog foods by additional choices. For example, we are looking for 5-star dry dog foods for a Senior, Reduced Fat, Small Breed dog, but to get to this level of discrimination requires a whole lot of reading and searching.

[Debbie G]

After reading Dogfoodadvisor, I now have my 11 yr old 91 lb lab on Orijen senior food and my 12 week old 15 lb puppy (have no idea what breed) on the Orijen puppy food. I was in a pet store and the were trying sell me on feeding them raw food and said that dry kibble is hard on the dog’s kidneys and actually worse for their teeth since the starch turns to sugar on their teeth and that’s what creates plaque! Since I wasn’t sold on switching food brands again, they convinced me to buy a carton of raw goat’s milk to add to their dry food. They said dry food should be soaked in a liquid (even if it’s only water) because then it’ll expand the food before the dogs ingest it. I saw that the Orijen dry food didnt expand at all (which I’m thinking is good?) I’t’s expensive and I want to know if this is just a new thing to sell to customers.

[Gail G]

Blue Buffalo is my nomination. It’s sort of a new dog food, in our grocery store in several varieties, and I read all the ingredients, and I couldn’t find anything wrong that I’ve read about on the ingredient list. Now, I’m not anti-grain, don’t mind if corn is in it, chicken is the first ingredient and the only meal was chicken meal, and it has many vitamins other foods don’t, and ingredients for the dog’s coat. I guess one of the exceptions that you list must apply to this food and, if possible, I’d like to know just how negative that might be… if the company was simply uncooperative because they’re into making food and not filling an office to answer inquiries, that sort of thing. I REALLY want to get it, they have a Life Protection Formula that I like and also Puppy Formulas. We lost our dog two months ago and are ready now to adopt a new pup, anywhere from 4 months on up to a year… we’ve adopted a couple seniors and “Gone Too Soon” (Michael Jackson) SO applies, so this time it’s going to be a life dog, as we’ve had before. So, if you could give me ANY positive reaction to this food, or any WARNING about it, I want to hear back. Also, if it’s been recalled, I’d like to know why. Thanks for this website! GigiMac

[anonymously]

In response to: “What is the best dog food for senior with kidney stone” by Amy S

I hope you have seen these posts via the search engine: /forums/search/bladder+stones/
Post in this section if you have any questions for me. Best of luck.

[Amy S]

I have a 11yrs old Maltese he is current on S/O but he hates the food, preferred to starved himself rather than eating the S/O, any suggestions?

[Shawna]

laconrad,

I spent an hour creating a post last night only to have it disappear. I’m guessing it was all the links include so in this post I’m only going to include a few links but I most certainly can provide them if wanted.

I definitely agree that dogs shouldn’t eat nothing but meat, or even meat and bone exclusively but it is an absolute fact that they have no physiological requirement for carbohydrates. Waltham is a reliable source of info on this —
“Cats and dogs can sythesise their own blood glucose from amino acids.
Carbohydrate, therefore is not an essential macronutrient. However,
if provided in their diet, cats and dogs can utilise carbohydrates and
they are used in pet foods as sources of energy and dietary fibre.
Carbohydrate levels tend to be higher in dry pet food than in wet
pet food.” https://www.waltham.com/dyn/_assets/_pdfs/waltham-booklets/Essentialcatanddognutritionbookletelectronicversion.pdf

In fact, the AAFCO (as of 2008 at least) doesn’t have any requirement for carbohydrates in the canine diet. There’s a minimum for fat and a minimum for protein but no required carbs. Many complete and balanced canned foods have no added carbs at all.

For the record, I do think certain vegetables and fruits are beneficial in the canine diet but protein and fat should not be displaced with any carbs. I personally have no use for most grains but I do utilize foods with millet or quinoa sometimes (to mix things up).

Dogs have been eating kibble for less than 200 years. Evolution doesn’t happen in 200 years. Yes, I would agree that my dogs ancestors probably got some carbs as table scraps however carbs in kibble is not the same as carbs in fresh, albeit possibly cooked, carbs. From my understanding grains weren’t processed in the manner we process them today either. Not to mention GMOs, glyphosate / etc and hybridization to increase the protein content wan’t a thing back then.

Ammonia is not toxic unless the liver is damaged and I’ve never read any research (even in humans) suggesting excess protein caused cirrhosis. Yes in cases where the liver is excessively damaged, or a shunt, limiting protein and feeding certain kinds, like dairy, helps alleviate ammonia from building up but it doesn’t damage the liver. I would agree that 78% of the amino acids in certain meat proteins is all that is used but the bioavailability of commonly used plant proteins aren’t any better and often worse.

Excess fiber in the diet can actually bind up minerals and prevent their absorption. Grains and legumes have anti-nutrients like phytates and enzyme inhibitors as well as lectin proteins which in susceptible persons and pets can lead to illness including some pretty nasty disease (even autoimmune disease). Although possibly not “nasty” I recently read research suggesting gluten as a cause for “Canine epileptoid cramping syndrome” in Border Terriers. In humans these lectin proteins from certain carbohydrates is also considered a factor in IgA nephropathy (a form of kidney disease) as well as type 1 diabetes (the kind dogs get).

Protein absolutely does not “cause” damage to the kidneys and some reports suggest dogs with kidney disease actually have an increased need for protein. They now know that “senior” dogs actually have an increased need as well – “as much as 50% more protein” and minimums for seniors is suggested at 25% — “minimum”. My favorite source of info on protein as a cause / contributing factor to kidney disease is “Mythology of Protein Restriction for Dogs with Reduced Renal Function” http://www.championpetfoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Myths_of_High_Protein.pdf

There are two papers published in the Journal of Nutrition suggesting that overweight dogs, even “obese” dogs, lose just as much weight (albeit slightly slower) on a high protein diet, 56% protein, as those fed higher fiber diets without the “muscle wasting” that is often seen in lower protein fed dogs. The body will break down muscle when it’s amino acid requirements aren’t being met through diet.

[Shawna]

laconrad,

Although I do feel small amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables are quite healthy for dogs, carbohydrates aren’t a necessary requirement – even in the modern dog. Yes, when properly processed, they can utilize them but they still aren’t a necessary macronutrient. Waltham is a reliable source of information on this – they state “Cats and dogs can sythesise their own blood glucose from amino acids. Carbohydrate, therefore is not an essential macronutrient. However, if provided in their diet, cats and dogs can utilise carbohydrates and they are used in pet foods as sources of energy and dietary fibre.
Carbohydrate levels tend to be higher in dry pet food than in wet pet food.” https://www.waltham.com/dyn/_assets/_pdfs/waltham-booklets/Essentialcatanddognutritionbookletelectronicversion.pdf

In fact, carbohydrates aren’t even required in complete and balanced foods. There is a minimum protein requirement, a minimum fat requirement but no minimum on carbs. AAFCO guidelines as of 2008 http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+1659&aid=662

They now know that the MINIMUM protein requirement for senior dogs is actually 25%. ” Protein requirements actually increase by about 50% in older dogs, while their energy requirements tend to decrease. When insufficient protein is provided, it can aggravate the age-associated loss of lean body mass and may contribute to earlier mortality. Older dogs should receive at least 25% of their calories from protein, typically provided by diets containing at least 7 g protein/100 Kcal ME.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18656844

It’s also a myth that higher protein amounts have a negative impact on a dog’s kidneys. In fact, dogs WITH kidney disease can safely eat a higher protein diet as long as phosphorus is watched. Here’s my favorite source of info on this “Mythology of Protein Restriction for Dogs with Reduced Renal Function” http://www.championpetfoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Myths_of_High_Protein.pdf

The bioavailability of the protein is every bit as important as the overall amount. The more bioavailable the protein the less blood urea nitrogen is created. So the better the quality of the protein the more that can be fed. An ounce of protein from beef, as an example, will be better utilized, leaving less waste, than an ounce of soy protein. Additionally raw protein will be better utilized then it’s cooked counterpart due to amino acid loss lowering bioavailability.

I have never read any literature suggesting protein as a cause of cirrhosis however I would agree that lowering protein would be advised if the liver is already severely damaged. NOT because the protein is further “damaging” the liver however the ammonia not being converted is quite toxic. Even in this article relating to humans they don’t suggest excess dietary protein as a cause https://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000302.htm

Excess fiber in the diet has been shown to act as an anti-nutrient. I just this week read a research paper on this but I bookmarked it at work and don’t have access right now.

You’ve mentioned the liver and kidneys several times so I thought I’d add a little more research on the kidneys. “Long-term renal responses to high dietary protein in dogs with 75% nephrectomy. These results do not support the hypothesis that high protein feeding had a significant adverse effect on either renal function of morphology in dogs with 75% nephrectomy.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/3702209

Purina Veterinary Diets
“A University of Minnesota study revealed renal aging does not occur in geriatric dogs, at least to the extent that it has been reported in people. When fed a diet of 39% protein and 15% fat (dry matter basis), geriatric dogs maintained relatively stable glomerular filtration rates and had no greater incidence of glomerulosclerosis than those dogs in the protein-restricted (19% dry matter basis) diet group. These and other studies indicate no need for restricted dietary protein, fat, sodium or phosphorus to help minimize renal disease progression in healthy geriatric dogs. Still other studies have shown high dietary protein alone will not cause the development of kidney disease. In addition, research has shown that older dogs may actually require more protein than younger adult dogs, just to maintain normal protein turnover, and to support lean body mass and normal immunocompetence.

Obesity has been associated with arthritis, cardiovascular disease, diabetes mellitus, neoplasia and decreased survival. Therefore, efforts to maintain ideal body weight and body condition are far more important and appropriate than protein or phosphorus reduction for maintaining health in geriatric dogs.” https://www.purinaveterinarydiets.com/research/senior-dogs-do-old-kidneys-need-new-diets/

Interestingly, at least two papers published in the Journal of Nutrition have shown higher protein diets to be beneficial for weight loss in dogs.

“High-Protein Low-Carbohydrate Diets Enhance Weight Loss in Dogs” http://jn.nutrition.org/content/134/8/2087S.full

“Weight Loss in Obese Dogs: Evaluation of a High-Protein, Low-Carbohydrate Diet” http://jn.nutrition.org/content/132/6/1685S.full

[Audrey E]

We have been feeding our dogs Homestyle Senior Blue Buffalo canned dog food for over 1 year. The last 3 months the quality and consistency have deteriorated greatly. The food is now gritty and loose/almost runny. My dogs were frequently experiencing diarrhea and regularly experiencing loose stool. I contacted Blue Buffalo and got the typical customer service response so I returned the rest of the cans. I am now feeding the dogs a much better quality of dog food recommended by our fabulous vet of 15 years. Our dogs no longer have loose stools and are enjoying their meal times. I am sincerely disappointed in the Blue Buffalo company. I hope my dogs are not affected long term by Blue Buffalo’s lack of quality control.