Search Results for 'senior'

[Steven I]

Hi everyone. I have a soon to be 17 year old female chihuahua.

Her vet advised she should go on a limited ingredient diet because of allergies and age.

She has the fresh pet refrigerated food now but what similar food would be good for her?

She prefers the refrigerated fresh food over kibble and has some teeth missing so she likes softer foods best. Thanks for any suggestions you can give.

• This topic was modified 3 days, 20 hours ago by Steven I.
• This topic was modified 3 days, 20 hours ago by Steven I.
• This topic was modified 3 days, 20 hours ago by Steven I.

[crazy4cats]

I feed our senior dogs Purina Vibrant Maturity. It is Ok for all sizes of seniors. The kibble is quite small. They love it and are doing great on it. Give it a try!

[S R]

I have been feeding my dog Wellness Complete, Small breed, Senior, grain inclusive-deboned Turkey and peas, but I don’t see it recommended anywhere on the dogfoodadvisor site. I didn’t know if you had any experience with this specific dog food?.

Thank you for your comprehensive feed back and continued responsiveness!

[Jenny Rellick]

When shopping for senior food, I noticed that, among the highest quality brands, the only difference in ingredients in their senior food is that it contains glucosamine and chondroitin to help with arthritis. Other healthy aspects of senior foods are that they contain 1. probiotics (to aid digestion and boost the immune system) and 2. omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acids (for heart health, joint lubrication, and skin health.) However, high-quality brands typically include probiotics and omegas 3 and 6 in all of their foods. You can give your dog glucosamine and chondroitin in treats such as Zuke’s Hip Action, which can be broken into small pieces, instead of searching for a grain-inclusive senior food with those ingredients. The CANIDAE All Life Stages Formula Dry Dog Food line may be what you’re looking for. It has 4.5 stars. The label specifically says it’s appropriate for all dog sizes. They only make a specific small-breed size for their grain-free food because the standard kibble size for their grain-free food is larger. Also, even the grain-free senior food that I buy has much smaller than average kibble, which is a good sign the All Life Stages really is okay. If you buy it locally and it’s not appropriate for your dog, you should be able to return it or call Canidae for a refund because it says ALL sizes on the label. By the way, don’t buy this brand on Amazon because multiple recent reviews say it’s counterfeit.

[S R]

I notice you don’t have a separate “small breed, senior” dry dog food category.

With that said, what small dog, senior, dry, grain inclusive food do you recommend?

Thank you for responding

[Farouk F]

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[Abraham]

A common problem that arises in senior dogs from food component mismanagement is digestive problems that said, finding the best senior dog food for a sensitive stomach has just one major problem. The top food for dogs sensitive stomach. https://reviewistic.com/the-best-senior-dog-food-for-sensitive-stomach-reviewed/

[Abraham]

Top best wet dog food for senior dogs on reviewistic.com.

[Susan]

Hi Ryan,
I feed Patch – “Canidae Pure Senior” its has 10.80%max- fat, high protein-30% & low/med carbs around 30%carbs, also the lower the fat% & lower the protein% kibbles are higher the carbs, same with HIGH fiber diets can also cause Acid reflux, too much Omega oils, NSAID, steriod medications, joint, Arthritis, skin supplements, can also cause acid reflux…

Look at Canidae Pure Weight Management kibble its 9%-fat, has same or very similar ingredients to the Canidae Pure Senior kibble & the fiber is 5% alot of Weight Management kibbles are low fat but high in fiber.
https://www.canidae.com/dogs/canidae-pure-grain-free-weight-management-dry-dog-food-chicken/

I try & stick with around 10-13%max- Fat, 30%-Protein & 30%-Carbs, fiber-5% & under & the kibble has to have Potato or Sweet Potato or both.
People don’t realise the dog also needs low/med carbs & try & avoid fermentable grains as they ferment in the gut causing acid reflux – wheat, barley, oats and rye, most vet diets contain these grains Patches acid reflux seems to get worse when eating grain Gastrointestinal vet diets .
What I’ve found over the years, dogs who suffer with Acid reflux seem to do better on a Grain Free Potato diets, when the dog is having a acid reflux attack- I boil Sweet potato in small pieces & I freeze – take out 1 piece sweet potato, put on plate in Microwave to thaw then I mash the sweet potato give to dog, the potato settles dog or human esophagus, throat & stomach…
For Lunch I buy Tin- Yellow Fin Tuna, Tuna is the lowest in fat & low in omega oils, Sardines & Salmon are too strong for Patch, he mouth licks, I add boiled mashed White & Sweet Potato also add the white of a boiled egg sometimes, the yellow egg yoke is high in fat.
For his Arthritis he’s 12yrs old now, I’ve been doing Physiotherapy twice a day as he cant take NSAID drugs, his vet said Physio will extend his life as alot of dogs get Put To Sleep cause they become so stiff & cant walk in the end, he takes Panadol Children Chewable 3+years 120mg when in pain, 10mg per kg..
I do the Sausage Roll Massage as your massaging & rolling dog skin you’ll feel dogs skin flinching stop & hold the twitching roll/skin for 5-10sec it will be a bit uncomfortable at first so offer the dog treats or his kibble after 1 week its not as painful & Patch rolls have stop twitching.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RKNA6swtMlo&fbclid=IwAR2dG5M-q8Y3Q_7ncE_lnzQ8q_zMydLhet7ewCJogkSjVlW_K5z7FFBmiA8

Have you joined F/B group called “Acid Reflux in Dogs” I cant believe how many poor dogs are suffering with Acid Reflux.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1635198406751056

[Amanda H]

I have a 14 year old Jack Russel Terrier who eats just about anything, hhe is in good health and pretty ideal weight. We have been feeding him him small breed kibble, no specific brand, tried staying with Nutro but would switch it up cause he needed to get bored…. Now we have an 8 week old great dane, who came with Diamond naturals puppy food. She has pretty much refused to eat her kibble, but instead prefers the JRTs, cheaper less quality food. Even when topped with large breed puppy canned food. I know the great danes diet is critical for her health. can my senior JRT eat her food and still maintain a healthy life? My jrt has always been a nibbler only eating a little here and there so I can’t just take the food away out of their reach…

[Eiron M]

Hi –
I’m looking for some advice on home to help my senior dog. She recently was diagnosed with the beginning stages in kidney disease. The vet put here on Royal Canin and then Adyzol (spelling?) She got horrible diarrhea and after several more trips to the vet and a handful of medications she was still suffering from the runs. I stopped giving her the Adyzol which has helped some but she’s still not back to normal. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks
EMM

[kerry S]

Hi Everyone,
hoping someone here can provide some advice guidance/recommendations. I have a 13 yr old Shiba whom we just adore, who started having major vomiting /eating grass issues last April. We had him do rounds of tests at a bad vet with no resolution. I suspected he might have food allergies and got him on a protein he had not eaten and food that was grain free. He did GREAT ont his new food majority of the covid summer (had him on Just food for dogs DIY Venison and Squash).
He recently had a very bad episode of vomiting, loose stool and no appetite in November. We got him to the emergency vet and their team there recommended we put him on Ultamino by royal canin for IBD. He eats the kibble but itches and itches/licks his paws 45mins after feeding, and he’ll do this for quite some time (1-2hours sometimes more). I think something in the food is irritating him, but I don’t know what.
I called the vet and she just said to try a different food. However all the Royal canin Hydrolyzed brands seem to have the same ingredients… I can try a different brand… Does any one know of any Limited ingredient Hydrolyzed protein foods? He’s allergic to grains , chicken and beef (those are the ones I know of)
Blue Buffalo makes one (Hydrolyzed Salmon, grain fee, preservative free) , but the vet said there is no science or verified results on that brand that is proven effective for IBD and that the ingredients I think I am getting might not actually be the ingredients I am getting… I heard allergy tests are not reliable. Any advise would be much appreciated! I feel like I am running out of time to get him better since he’s a senior pup
many thanks!
Ker

• This topic was modified 4 months ago by kerry S.

[NaDu D]

Hello, my dog is a maltese, 10 years old and lately she has allergies. I’ve been feeding her from day 1 with Orijen (red, but now Senior). I am looking information for Acana Lamb & Apple, and if it is suitable for a 10 years old dog.
Thank you!

[Susan]

Hi Isabella,
there might be too much organ meats in the pre made raw your buying read ingredients, also too much bone, my boy cant have too much organ meats- liver, heart, kidney, or bone causes diarrhea with him or the fat is probably toooo HIGH in the raw you’re feeding …
The fat in raw diet, cooked meal & wet can foods & dog rolls hasn’t been converted to dry matter like a kibble has, so when you see say-5%min fat, I times the fat % by X 4 = 20%min-25%max fat you’ll get an ruff idea what the fat is, also it depends on the moisture %, if the moisture is 78% max & under the max fat will less, if the moisture is 79% or more then the max fat will be higher.
Or contact the Pet Food Company & ask them which raw formula has the lowest amount of fat you’d be looking for 3% 4% max fat to get around 10-16% fat, ask can you have the fat converted into dry matter.

Best to make your own premade raw diet my vet said cause most pre-made raw is high in fat, when you make your own raw you control ingredients, organ meats, & fat unless you find a local small business who makes pre-made raw with fresh human grade free range meats.

Turkey & Pork is really good lean white proteins when the fat is removed & buy green fresh vegetables – parsley, broccoli, celery, small spinach leaves, apple, peel de seed cut up apple & put veggies thru a blender, blend into a pulp & put veggies/fruit mix into ice cube trays – 1 spoon & cover ice cube trays, then freeze & take out night before put in fridge or use as needed, add 1-2 veggie/fruit mix spoons to 1 cup meat also buy tin Salmon drain the salmon & put in container & store in fridge, add 2 spoons salmon per meal to help balance diet & add Omega 3 to dogs diet.
Or look for Freeze Dried Raw or Air Dried Raw- Ziwi Peak has their Venison formula for Skin & bowel problems & has the lowest fat% but fat is still too high for my boy, in Australia we have Prime SKD rolls – Kangaroo & Pumkin, Wild Boar & Pumkin, Salmon & Tapioca, Duck & Sweet Potato, Crocodile & Tapioca, Kangaroo & Potato, Turkey & Flaxseed rolls, these rolls are really good for dogs who suffer with food sensitivies then you start an food elimination diet what you need to do.
I dont know if there’s same type of rolls you have in US??
So you’ll know what ingredients your dog is sensitive too?? as food sensitivities cause farts, sloppy poos, wind pains, yeasty ears, yeasty skin, rubbing bum on ground, anal problems, vomiting itchy skin,.
Food sensitivities can take 20mins for dog to react after eating a food, up to 6 weeks to react??
Id start a food elimination diet now Winter is coming best time as environment allergens are at their lowest so less chance confusing results.

“Sudocrem” is excellent its an anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, healing cream for skin problems, Eczema, Dermatitis, itchy dry red skin, Sudocrem acts as a barrier & protects skin from Allergens normally dogs who get Hot spot suffer with Environment allergies & yeasty ears, skin paws can be from environment allergies & food sensitivities..my boy suffers with both..
Weekly Cool Baths in a medicated shampoo are the best you can do to wash & cool skin, if dog is really itchy then bath twice a week in medicated shampoo, I use Malaseb medicated shampoo, it kills the yeast & bacteria on skin, days you do not bath buy baby wipes that have aloe extract leaf & vitamin E, wipe the dog down after being outside wipe off allergens, before bed wipe dog down & apply the Sudocrem to stop any itchy skin & heal red itchy skin even ears I use cotton tip & lightly apply Sudocrem & before going outside apply Sudocrem it acts as a barrier to protect skin from allergens.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Sudocrem-Antiseptic-Healing-Cream-125g/553023443

I like “Canidae Pure Fresh Pork -16% fat or Canidae Pure Fresh Duck & Sweet Potato 16-17% fat or Canidae Pure Fresh Salmon & Sweet Potato has highest fat% 18-20% fat a lot of dogs doing really well on Canidae Pure formula’s I buy the Canidae Pure Senior for my old boy.

You can also try “Gastro Elm” alot of people say its really good firm up sloppy poos acid reflux etc its Slippery Elm powder, Dandelion Root Powder and Marshmallow Root Powder.
https://www.gastroelm.com/

[Chipy]

Meleasa, I understand your struggle trying to figure out what’s best for your little seniors. I’ve been there myself… and I know how exhausting it is to be constantly worrying about the right choices that support our fur baby’s well-being.

Both terms “Senior” and “Small Breed” are marketing terms the pet food industry uses to sell more junk food 🙁 My ****-tzu looking little one is also 9.5 y/o. I stopped feeding him kibble & canned food many years ago when I learned about the dangers of these processed diets. I encourage you to watch the documentary “Pet Fooled” on Netflix to learn about the truth and how kibble is made.

Luckily, there are a few amazing holistic and integrative vets educating dog lovers online about the importance of fresh food diets and the essential nutrients dogs need. My personal favourite is Dr. Peter Dobias. He has created a free Natural Diet Course which contains videos and articles full of information on this subject;

https://peterdobias.com/pages/course-rawdiet – It’s super helpful to learn the basics!

He also has an online Recipe Maker, which will help you build healthy meals for your dogs with the ingredients you have available. It provides guidance on amounts of each ingredient and which ingredients are best;

https://recipemaker.peterdobias.com

The key is to offer a variety of both proteins and vegetables, and add essential nutrients to help fill in any deficiencies;

https://peterdobias.com/collections/adult-dog-essentials

I’m so happy we switched from processed food to home-made. It takes some time to learn the principles but it is so worth your energy investment because you will be saving a lot of money on future vet bills. I hope these free resources will be helpful for your pups and you get to enjoy many more happy and health years together! 🙂

[Ryan K]

I am trying to get my dog off his RX diet of Hills Low Fat ID. He has been on it for a few years now and it has really helped his reflux but I really want to get him on something less full of fillers and more healthy but he struggles whenever a kibble has high omega 3 oils. I notice if the oil content goes over 2% it really causes his reflux to go nuts. Does anyone know of a good food for a senior dog without the high oil content? I’m struggling. Any thoughts? I’m also curious as to what amount of protein a senior dog his size should be getting? He’s 11 and he’s 25 pounds. He’s a dachshund terrier mix.

[Taylor C]

Reaching out on here because I’m at a loss on what to do. About a month and a half ago my dog (8ish year old chihuahua cross) started having small sneezing fits as well as “reverse sneezing” with unilateral discharge. I had an appointment anyways to get some pretty major dental work done and upon initial examination the vet found an infection in her mouth which he attributed the sneezing to. She was put on 2 weeks of amoxicillin and healed up great from surgery however the runny nose did not go away, it seemingly got worse. About a week later I took her in for an X-Ray as I was still worried and it came back clear, she was also given another antibiotic which did not work. The vet then suggested a rhinoscopy which I went ahead with. The specialist told me her nasal passages were too small and too swollen to scope but he flushed her nasal passages and she was given yet ANOTHER antibiotic and a steroid to reduce inflammation. The histopathology results from the cells they flushed from her nose came back as nothing alarming, just red blood cells and epithelial cells from her nose. She did alright for a couple days after the scope and now it’s back to bloody, green discharge from her right nostril, difficulty breathing, sneezing, reverse sneezing. My next step is a CT scan however I have to wait a week after she finishes her steroid or else a false negative may arise if they do perform a biopsy and this is also the 3rd time she would be sedated in less than two months which I know is very hard on older dogs. I’m just at a loss as to what’s going on and I don’t know how no one can figure out what’s going on. I’ve tried steaming her in my shower, benadryll and natural allergy drops with absolutely no avail. I’m just wondering if anyone else has experienced anything similar with their dog or if they know anything else I could try to reduce the swelling and inflammation in her nasal passages. I would also like to note she has not lost her appetite or energy during all of this, she’s acting just like herself minus the struggling to get air in through her nose. Any advice would help 🙁

[Patricia A]

Melissa I don’t believe there is a difference in ingredients if a brand says small breed. It is probably just the size of the kibble and nothing should be different in the same flavor/protein of the same brand which doesn’t have small breed on the label. Large breed puppy food I believe would be an exception since large breed puppies have very different nutritional needs then non large breed puppies.
When it comes to senior foods I don’t believe it’s necessary to switch foods. It depends on you dog as stated in this article. If you have a vet check with blood work and your dogs are in good health then no reason to switch their food. Also there is nothing wrong with giving your senior dogs some REAL food at times. That being boiled white meat chicken, string beans, lean steak , watermelon . I’m sure they will enjoy this at their age. Hopes this helps.
Manufacturers “might be increasing protein, decreasing protein or keeping it the same,” Freeman said. “That emphasizes to us to look at the individual animal, and not all aging animals need a different diet. It’s much, much more important to look at individual dogs.”
Respondents tended to assume that senior dog foods were lower in calories, yet this actually varied from 246 to 408 calories a cup. Not all dogs gain weight as they age, some gain weight and some stay the same, Freeman said. Survey respondents also tended to assume that senior diets had less fat, protein and sodium. But, this was also not necessarily the case, with much variation among individual petfood brands, Freeman found.

“The study highlights the diversity among dogs and, consequently, dog food products. Each dog is unique and has distinct needs,” said Kurt Gallagher, a spokesman for the Pet Food Institute.”Attaining senior status depends on several factors, including the breed and weight of the dog. The differing nutritional needs of dogs are exemplified by the variance in the amount of protein senior dogs should consume.”

• This reply was modified 7 months, 3 weeks ago by Patricia A.

[Meleasa C]

I have three littles, two are Shih Tzu and one is Shih Tzu and Bichon mix. They are all seniors at ages 9 and 10. I’ve been feeding them a small breed dog food for many years, but am wondering if I should switch them to a Senior formula. Any thoughts on which way I should lean, small breed versus senior? Thanks!

[Susan]

@ Wonderuspups,
A Colonoscopy is different to an Endoscope Stomach you just need a empty stomach, not empty bowel the camera can only go down esophagus & maybe small bowel only if the sphincter flap is open to enter small bowel for dogs.
Patch has IBD not IBS..
When Patch is having Endoscope + Biopsies, he eats his Dinner night before then no more food after 8pm, no water after 12am, next day he goes to vet 10am, his Endoscope app is at 11am, blood is taken for anesthetic check.
then I get a call from his vet nurse who’s looking after him after his procedure to tell me Patch has woken up come around 3pm to pick him up then he’s back home eating small meal 3-4pm & running around, there’s no pain with Endoscope/Biopsies, he stayed on his Acid Blocker meds weren’t stopped same with me.
I have Endoscope every 5 yrs, no food after 12am I’m at hospital 8am next day, back home 11am same day & I have to take my meds before I leave home that morning, when I was younger I was told to stop my ant acid medication 2 weeks before Endoscope & my god the pain I had bad acid reflux, when my scope/biopsies was finished & I woke up the Gastro Dr told me to take my ant acid medication as soon as I get home, cause my esophagus & stomach is red & inflamed..

Turmeric is hot spice, I cant take it & I’d never give to Patch as it would upset his stomach. Same as Apple Cider Vinegar makes acid reflux worse if dog or person is making too much Hydrochloric acid in their stomach, coconut oil can cause bad acid reflux as well its a hard fat, not a soluble fat.
You have to be very careful with animals as they cant talk & tell owner they’re in more pain after having natural herbs etc.. The only supplement I’ll use is Slippery Elm powder cause I’ve tried it & CBD oil, I always try things first..

@ Sienna.
I’d be trying medications before trying any holistic supplements, Turmeric can cause stomach upset, if your dog has Ulcer Turmeric will make pain worse.
Patch was eating Earthborn Holistic Ocean Fusion & the fish made his acid worse he cant eat any fish kibbles they’re higher in Omega Oils, also dogs who suffer with Pancreatitis have problems with oily fish + fish oils, they can cause a Pancreas flare, if you follow Dr Judy Morgan her old dog he’s since passed away, he kept having Pancreatic flare every month so Judy stopped everything in his diet & did Elimination Food diet & re introduced everything slowly & it was the Fish Oil causing his flares… look at Turkey & Potato kibbles, Pork & Potato kibbles
Here’s Canidae Pure Wild Boar but the fat is 15-16%???
https://www.canidae.com/dogs/canidae-pure-grain-free-dry-dog-food-wild-boar/

Patch does really well on the Canidae Pure Senior it has the lowest fat- 10.80%max are you 100% sure she cant have Chicken you’ve don’t a proper elimination diet?

There’s also 4Health Special Care Sensitive Stomach, there’s NO meat + kcals are low
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/4health-special-care-sensitive-stomach-formula-for-adult-dogs-8-lb-bag?cm_vc=-10011

4Health has Lamb & Rice Kcals are 328Kcals per cup easy to digest ingredients fat -12%min.

Sometimes we have to put aside our strong beliefs & do whats best for the dog, I’m feeding Patch Eukanuba Senior kibble Eukanuba made in Australia, ingredients are slightly different to USA Eukanuba, it has Corn & Wheat & Patch isn’t wanting his grass he normally wants after Dinner, I’m going back to what Patch was first put on when I rescued him 2012 + I know Eukanuba makes low residue kibbles easy to digest ingredients.

[Susan]

Hi Sienna,
May I ask what kibble did you try, what is the fiber % & what is the Kcals per cup, did you give any Slippery Elm Powder or Gastro Elm made into a slurry given 20mins before eating?
When she wants to keep eating , to me this is when Patch has his pain, he follows me into the kitchen, into lounge room, after he has eaten, I have to tell him Patch you have just eaten -Go away now, go to sleep or we go on a walk if its around 9.30am or 5pm, I have him in a strict routine it helped with his anxieties as he knew whats happening next & know the exact time he has his meals, the cat has to be in bed & quiet by 8.30pm or he starts stressing & shaking.
Sometimes I massage his stomach & bowel area while he’s sitting near me waiting while on the computer & sometimes he has wind/gas he farts. He’ll eat the same food & be fine in the morning but at night he’s whinging, he’s pacing, crying, talking, I keep the grass he likes in bowl of water in kitchen for about 5 days,I get tea towel & I dry a few pieces grass & I ask him do you want grassy, he often says yes & takes the grass blade side of his mouth, so he can chew the grass the grass settles whatever is wrong then he often goes to sleep, but since starting Eukanuba Senior he’s stop wanting his grass, so ingredients in the Eukanuba must be OK & aren’t making him feel sick. Our Eukanuba is made Australia now not US so our ingredients are a bit different but it still has corn.
If you’re in America vets don’t do Endoscope & Biopsies they send you to a specialist who cost a lot of money apparently- $2000-$3000, Australia $700-$900 Vets in Australia NZ & UK study longer to become vets, Patches vet is from America she had to do extra studying when she came to Australia to be a vet here.
Biopsies Patch has 2 biopsies 1 on stomach wall & 1 small bowel if the flap is open only cost $60 each biopsies, its the Endoscope that cost the money, this is why some people just ask their vet can they please try the triple therapy medications diet change & see if dog gets better, most vets say OK as nothing else has worked, the Metronidazole does help, has she ever been on medications? low dose Prednisone? this takes away pain makes them sleep. Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Low Fat, low fiber a low residue diet & it can take 1-2 weeks to see a change the meds are needed.

[sienna11711]

Hi!! I am definitely a food is medicine kind of person. I was pretty sad when the raw and homemade diet didn’t work for her, because it definitely made her more calm overall but the stool and weight loss was a no go. I’m hoping that one day we can do a homemade diet especially since she’s a senior now.

We have used various tinctures from Pet Health and Nutrition Co.- they make awesome blends for many different issues, but unfortunately with my dog they would help a lot (almost like a sweetspot) for like, one month tops, and then she would go back to how she was previously. We were doing a hypothyroid blend as well as the adrenal blend. I still have the adrenal blend, so maybe I can try starting it up again.

She was also previously on a supplement called Thyro Complex (Progressive Labs) which has thyroid/pituitary/adrenal/spleen glandulars as well as iodine and kelp. When she was first “diagnosed” with hypothyroidism and prescribed levothyroxine, the vet also prescribed this. Within 2 days her coat drastically improved, even the color (she’s a brindle) opened up, she looked like an orange tiger! Her coat was amazingly soft. But unfortunately she then started dribbling urine nonstop all day, became excessively thirsty, and lost like 5 pounds in one week. Our new vet said it was likely that since her thyroid is not the true issue here, the thyroid glandular was over supporting her thyroid and plunging her into possible hyperthyroid territory. I did used to pour out half the capsule for a while, but gave up on it once we ruled out true hypothyroidism. Perhaps I should re order for the time being just to give extra support.

I’m very interested in turmeric, would you recommend giving it as a powder? she totally has some inflammation going on so turmeric would probably be a good option.

I’m not sure if you’ve ever tried aromatherapy, but Caroline Ingraham ihas an amazingggg essential oil program for animals with behavioral and health issues. I myself never was into oils although I do enjoy the scents, but it’s basically a method of letting animals select their own “cure” by presenting them a bunch of different oils. Animals in the wild will often self medicate by consuming certain plants when distressed so it works with that phenomenon. She’s done this with horses, dogs, cats, and even leopards. Usually during a successful session the animal will totally relax and even sleep. It’s amazing how the animals actually choose what they need. I ordered a bunch from her just to try out and my dog was obsessively trying to lick and eat Violet Leaf Oil- commonly used for stress and anxiety. She actually just keeps going at it over and over so it made it pretty clear my dog’s condition is really taxing to her. Other oils she would sniff for a bit and then turn away and others she just ignored completely.

[Susan]

When a dog is suffering with pain & stress they can bite. nip, a few times Patches vet was pushing & prodding his stomach/pancreas area & he growled at her he’s never growled at anyone but this told her where he was sore she calls it his IBD Pain, she said she suffers with IBD so its good she understands what Patch is going thru
I started to know if Patch was lifting up his front paw, I use to think he wanted to shake hands but no he wants to have stomach area rub, I wait & see was it just 1 day his stomach was sore or more then 1 day & I’d rotate & change his kibble.
a low dose of Metronidazole helps with the pain & kills the Helicobacter, some dogs are kept on a low dose of Metronidazole. Also vet wanted to put him on Prednisone something I didn’t want him on, finally 2017 we tried a very low dose 5mg twice a day, the Pred took away his abdomen pain & he slept really good but he got diarrhea & vomited the first day I tried it, even when we went down to 5mg a day poos were very sloppy, vet said give him the Prednisone 2 days & then stop then as soon as he gets his pain give him low dose prednisone for 2 -3 days again then stop, this did stop his pain, but I learnt once his diet agree with him & Kcals were low he was good no pain.
Royal Canine Intestinal Low Fat low residue kibble vet diet is good, its low fat & low fiber, he doesn’t have any pain when he’s eating R/C Gastro-intestinal kibble, but he starts swallowing mouth suckling some days, so I add 1/2 the R/C gastro with 1/2 another kibble.
When I first rescued Patch my vet called the Animal Behaviourist into our room to teach me how to teach Patch the words “LEAVE IT” I was even told to muzzle him when he went outside & on walks so he couldn’t eat any foods or cat poo when I wasn’t watching it caused IBD flares -pain..
I’d deal with her pain (Meds) then her Behaviour will get better..

With Low fat kibbles just watch the fiber stay 5% & under & Kcals are low, under 350Kcals per cup, the higher the Kcals more dense are ingredients so harder to digest, stomach & pancreas works harder.

Large Breed Kibbles are best as they are formulated to not cause bloat in large breed dogs, Patch is a medium breed, he does good on Large Breed & Senior kibbles, Wellness Core Large Breed, Canidae Pure Senior G/F are really good. Diamond Naturals Senior & the Large Breed Adult looks good especially the Senior,
Protein is higher-25% Fat is low-11%, Fiber-3% & Kcals are low-318Kcals per cup
https://www.diamondpet.com/dog/diamond-naturals/senior-dog-chicken-egg-oatmeal/

[Susan]

Hi Sienna,
Your girl sounds just like my Patch, who I rescued November- 2012. He was weeing blood when I got him & Ultra Scan showed Urinary Crystals he was put on Royal Canine S/O Urinary Wet & dry kibble for 6 weeks to dissolve the crystals & he was desexed, I adopted him cause I didnt see any health problems probably cause he was on the R/C Vet Diet as soon as the vet said his crystals have dissolved feed him what he was eating before this is when my nightmare begun & he was always STARVING HUNGRY eating cat poo… I kept thinking Pancreatitis, but all times we checked his Pancreas its good, he cries whinges after he eats, wet food is the worst if comes back up cause it digests quicker & cause his lower sphincter flap isn’t closing properly the food comes up his esophagus & throat causing acid reflux, a Acid Blocker- Pantoprazole-20mg given in morning really helps Patch even stopped his vomiting finally in 2018 Patches stories are thru DFA Forum section how I nilly put him to sleep 2018 he was 10yrs old but we have really good vets in Australia who wouldn’t put Patch to sleep till they worked out what was happening now.
Vet changed his PPI to 20mg-Pantoprozole it works heaps better then Omeprazole , I take Pantoprazole for my GERDS & asked my vet can we please change his PPI as they all work different till you find the right one for yourself & dogs would be the same + my gastro specialist told me Pantoprazole is best when Lower Esophageal Flap isnt closing properly.

Have you done Endoscope & Biopsies yet? you need the Biopsies so vet can diagnose properly. Or ask vet can you please try the triple therapy meds for Helicobacter all dogs have Helicobacter BUT when a dogs immune system is compromised the Helicobacter takes over the dog stomach also Patch suffers with Environment Allergies in Summer causing his immune system to crash by Autunm cause its been working overtime fighting his allergies this causing bad acid reflux as well, Patch does best on an easy to digest kibble.
Canidae Pure Senior, Wellness Core Large breed adult but they changed their recipe & added Lentils Patch cant eat Lentils he gets Diarrhea, he does really well on Potato & Sweet Potato kibbles.
Patch suffers with IBD, LES =Lower Esophageal Sphincter Flap doesn’t close properly in between his stomach & esophagus causing BAD Acid reflux, 1 yr after I rescued Patch I was told my boy has IBD I didnt believe vet so I asked can we do Endoscope & Biopsies, the Biopsies came back IBD, Helicobacter Pylori he was put on Triple therapy medications for 21 days, Metronidazole & Amoxicillin given every 12 hours with a meal & a PPI -Pantoprazole or Omeprazole-20mg given in the morning before breakfast, a gluten free, low fat diet is best, no high fiber diets, 8 yrs on he still has Pain stomach area, doesn’t eat poo no more as soon as we fixed his Helicobacter & kept him on a PPI the poo eating all stopped , your girl has Pain in stomach & food relieves her stomach pain, the Helicobacter lives in their stomach walls, food stops the pain BUT 20-30mins later they’re starving again how I know is I suffered with Helicobacter when I was younger, get her on the Metronidazole, Amoxicillin & a PPI will help her you’ll see results 5-7 days..then when medications are finished after 21 days continue with teh PPI or you’ll have to do the triple therapy meds over & over again I did research & Drs found when humans stayed on their PPI medication their Helicobacter didnt have the right environment in the stomach.
There’s a few of Patches post thru DFA Forum back 2015-2018..
I havent had time yet to read your posts, I have to feed Patch now its 7pm he’s waiting, he eats 5 smaller kibble meals a day 7am,-1/2 a cup kibble, 9am-1/2 cup kibble, 12pm he either gets 1/3 cup kibble or 1/2 boiled Sweet potato, 1/2 boiled white potato with his lean Pork rissoles but he prefers his kibble some days, 5pm 1/2 cup kibble, 7pm-1/3 cup kibble 9am a dry piece of Milk Arrowroot Biscuit then at 10pm he gets 1/2 his Quick Eze Rapid Chew ant acid lollie every single night they have also found Pepto Bismol kills off the Helicobacter
Hes doing well on his Eukanuba Senior kibble we have just started 3-4 weeks ago, I have to rotate his kibbles as soon as he starts showing he has his stomach pain I change his kibble.. also the Kcals in the kibble need to be under 360Kcals per cup or he gets his pain right side..
are you on Face Book??
join “Acid reflux in Dogs” https://www.facebook.com/groups/1635198406751056
I’m on there you can msg me on f/b if you want…You’ll see Patches photo hes a English Staffy & my name is Susan B

[Daniel R]

GNC Pets Ultra Mega Hip & Joint Health for Senior Dogs – Beef Flavor
There is yeast in it, listed as an inactive ingredient:
Nutritional Info
Ingredients
Active Ingredients: Glucosamine Hcl (From Shellfish) 500 mg, Chondriotin Sulfate (From Bovine Cartilage) 100 mg, Ascorbic Acid 100 mg, Vitamin E 15 IU, Zinc 15 mg, MSM 10 mg, Manganese 5 mg, Copper 2 mg, Hyaluronic Acid 1 mg.

Inactive Ingredients: Brewers Yeast, Calcium Silicate, Cellulose, Dried Beef Powder, Gelatin (Fish), Guar Gum, Magnesium Stearate, Maltodextrin, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Poultry Liver, Povidone, Silicon Dioxide, Stearic Acid, Whey Powder.

• This reply was modified 8 months, 2 weeks ago by Daniel R.

[WondrousPups]

I’m sorry your pup is in pain 🙁 I’ve posted this in another thread, but it is the same issue, so I thought to copy is here. I posted this originally on a turmeric dosage thread:

I’ve been taking some curcumine suppliment for years now for the pain management for my knees and for my senior dogs with surprising success. I have a condition known as Patellofemoral syndrome, which have no known corrective surgical treatment similar to late stage osteoarthritis. A chiropractor gave a bottle of curcumin suppliment that he has been using for free for me to try. I was like, you are kidding me, right? None of the strong prescription meds worked for my pain, and you think a supplement made of a spice in curry take care of it?!? But it was give to me free from a chiropractor who had been helping me for my paint, so I took it. Within a couple of month of taking it everyday, my pain was completely gone! So some years back when my Dane x Lab. who started to limp the same supplement I was taking. He stopped limping, too.

Anyhow, the reason it works is because curcumine is a powerful anti-inflammatory. It won’t stop from my condition or arthritis to worsen or cure it. But it helps with pain because the join pains are caused by inflammations. You need to look for the supplement with Bioperin in it because the body cannot absorb curcumine without the presence of bioperin (black pepper extract). I am 130 lb., and I started off by 3,000 mg of curcumine/day everyday. After my pain was gone, I reduced my dose to 1,000 – 1,200 mg /day. I give my Dane x Lab. who is 90 lb. 1,000 mg/day, and I haven’t taken him back to the vet for laser treatments. I hope this helps!

[WondrousPups]

I’ve been taking some curcumine suppliment for years now for the pain management for my knees and for my senior dogs with surprising success. I have a condition known as Patellofemoral syndrome, which have no known corrective surgical treatment similar to late stage osteoarthritis. A chiropractor gave a bottle of curcumin suppliment that he has been using for free for me to try. I was like, you are kidding me, right? None of the strong prescription meds worked for my pain, and you think a supplement made of a spice in curry take care of it?!? But it was give to me free from a chiropractor who had been helping me for my paint, so I took it. Within a couple of month of taking it everyday, my pain was completely gone! So some years back when my Dane x Lab. who started to limp the same supplement I was taking. He stopped limping, too.

Anyhow, the reason it works is because curcumine is a powerful anti-inflammatory. It won’t stop from my condition or arthritis to worsen or cure it. But it helps with pain because the join pains are caused by inflammations. You need to look for the supplement with Bioperin in it because the body cannot absorb curcumine without the presence of bioperin (black pepper extract). I am 130 lb., and I started off by 3,000 mg of curcumine/day everyday. After my pain was gone, I reduced my dose to 1,000 – 1,200 mg /day. I give my Dane x Lab. who is 90 lb. 1,000 mg/day, and I haven’t taken him back to the vet for laser treatments. I hope this helps!

[WondrousPups]

Hi Chipy!
I don’t use GreenMin brand, but I’ve been using Chrollera supplement for my three senior dogs for over a year everyday now for the same reason you are thinking about using GreenMin. I looked at different detox products from spirulina , chrollera, GreenMin, combinations of these, and after evaluating efficacy, price, and over-all safety, I settled on chrollera for humans from VitaCost. GreenMin seems to be a very solid product, too.

As for when to give it, I think you probably don’t want to give it with a meal because it can inhibit the absorption of minerals that’s in the food which pups need. I give my pups the supplement by itself between meals.

[Jude B]

My miniature poodle, 17 years, is overweight with a lung condition. The vet suggested I feed her a vet recommended food, ProPlan, Royal Canin or Hills. I had been feeding The Farmers Dog. Changed to Pro Plan Bright Mind but she seems to still be hungry. Does anyone have any suggestions for a good senior food with few calories? I appreciate so much your help. I want my Isabella to live forever! ❤️🐾🐾. (she weighs 15 lbs, needs to lose a few I’m told)

[Patricia A]

Hi Tom…You can look at Budget friendly dog food at this site here on the Dog Food Advisor. https://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/best-dog-foods/budget-friendly/
Also, I know my senior dog when at that age really enjoyed some plain boiled white meat chicken, string beans and very lean hamburger mixed in with her kibble. This way you can possibly get a higher rated 4 or 5* kibble and stretch it by giving a little less kibble with simple homemade cooked food. However, please go VERY SLOWLY with any transition of any new type of food as not to upset his stomach. Good luck and since your profile photo has you with a good catch I say happy fishing to you since I also enjoy fishing.

• This reply was modified 10 months ago by Patricia A.
• This reply was modified 10 months ago by Patricia A.

[pugmomsandy]

If you look at Core Reduced Fat Dry, there’s approx 37% protein and 11% fat so approx 30% of its calories are from fat versus protein.

Then look at Hill’s B/D Dry with approx 19% protein and 16% fat with a resulting approx 83% of the calories coming from fat vs protein.

Fat has 2-2.5 times the amount of energy(calories) as protein. Look at the “Estimated Nutrient Content” box in the yellow portion of the reviews and the Calorie Weighted Basis numbers.

Ideally, FPR is near 50% give or take and caloric distribution from protein and fat should be near the same (give or take).

You can also calculate energy basis with this calculator:

https://secure.balanceit.com/tools/_gaconverter/

Puppies and active dogs require more fat and higher FPR where as seniors/lapdogs or dogs with a health issue can use lower amounts of fat and a lower FPR, and then some health issues (like Hill’s B/D for brain health) offers a moderate fat with high FPR food.

I feed moderate to high fat and various FPRs to my pug. Hope this helps a little. I’m not a technical person.

[pugmomsandy]

Lotus Senior/Special Needs Regular Bite and Senior Small Bites are low in protein (20% dry matter).

[pugmomsandy]

KH,

Look into a probiotic/digestive enzyme supplement. 22% protein is considered low considering kibble can contain 18-60%, and the minimum to be dog food is 18% for adult maintenance.

I sprinkle in occasionally some Honest Kitchen goat milk+probiotics into my senior’s food or sometimes he eats raw green tripe.

https://www.chewy.com/s?query=digestive%20health%20%26%20probiotics%20for%20dogs&nav-submit-button=

[K H]

Well, the dog in question is not elderly. Her teeth are traumatically damaged (she’s a rescue, so details are uncertain), not due to age. She’s about four years old now (the youngest member of the pack).

Wellness Senior has done well by our dogs, regardless of age (and we’ve had ’em down to about one year). Flissie doesn’t seem to have lost any of her massive muscle mass (she’s a American Staffordshire Terrier). Perhaps we should look into something higher protein for our elder statesman (nine-year-old Winston), so thanks much for that advice. (We want to keep him around and healthy as long as we can!)

As for getting Flissie a bowl that makes her slow down, she’s already the slowest eater. It’s just that lots of air comes in as she eats. They all have private crates where they get fed, so competition is not a problem, but Flissie still seems upset at not being able to eat as fast as the other two. The others never try to steal her food (crates are sacred in our pack), but she’s still feeling the stress. I’d hesitate to slow her down more. We might try slowing down the other two in fact. Maybe she’d gulp less at least.

Does anyone here know any other ways to reduce flatulence? The stink if not the quantity of gas? It’s that which is making life difficult for the human members of the pack.

Thanks!

[Patricia A]

KH I’m confused with the reasoning that your vet advised a low protein diet . How would that solve the gas problem caused from the gulping of food. Maybe one of those bowls where the dog is forced to eat slowly . Did your vet give you an explanation why she would benefit from a low protein diet. Myvet actually told me to up the protein with fresh meat added since older dogs get muscle mass waste and need the extra protein.
(When dietary protein intake is inadequate, protein will initially be depleted from skeletal muscle, accelerating muscle wastage. General guidelines of 2.55g protein/kg bodyweight (BW) for healthy dogs and 5g/kg BW for cats have been suggested, but senior animals may need up to 50 percent more than this (Churchill, 2018). Although still an ongoing area of investigation, an increased intake of protein appears to be of particular benefit and has demonstrated a reduction in sarcopenia in dogs and cats (Laflamme, 2018). As yet, however, no optimal protein level has been determined. )

• This reply was modified 10 months, 3 weeks ago by Patricia A.

[K H]

We’ve been feeding Wellness Senior Complete Health to our dogs for seven years on the advice of a trainer with canine nutrition education. Our newest dog is passing large amounts of smelly gas, so we consulted our veterinarian. (We don’t think it’s pathological. She’s missing some front teeth and so gulps extra air while eating.) They suggested we find a dog food with less than 21 percent crude protein. We were shocked to find out that our “low protein” senior dog food was packing 22 percent minimum crude protein!

So we began looking for something new.

We found the BalanceIT Guaranteed Analysis Converter, but it only lets you set a minimum instead of a maximum.

How on earth do we find a dog food that actually has less protein than that?

We are doing this on the advice of a veterinarian, so please don’t argue with us about the wisdom or otherwise of doing this.

Thank you.

[Joshua M]

I just registered with this site because of this thread. That’s a huge deal for me. Primarily to express how grateful I am for the thoughtful, sincere contributions made by Cathy, Ryan, Laura and anonymous. In 30 years of forum diving, this thread is my Holy Grail.
I know it’s been a while but hope all your pups are as well as can be. The past few years have been a ridiculous onslaught of healthcare issues for my girl Charlotte. She’s a fourteen(ish) year old Jack Russell mix that was displaced by hurricane Katrina. She was already a senior so her background is a genuine mystery.
Initially I was fostering her and she was in perfectly typical health overall. She was adopted easily enough. So easily in fact that after the 3rd family returned her to me it became clear, I was the one being adopted.🥴
Everything was fine for a couple of years then bam, a grape sized cyst right in the middle of her back. Biopsy confirmed it was benign so considering her age and the cost of surgery, we decided against removing it. Then she tested positive for Lyme disease, followed by kennel cough which was actually bronchitis and finally, collapsing trachea brought me here.
Short story long, although I’ve been feeling terribly alone through it all, this thread has assured me I’m not unique.
God bless you all!🙏

[Chipy]

Hi Lauren,

I’m so sorry to hear you are going through this with your senior pup. My favourite vet, Dr. Dobias has written some articles that I can share with you to learn more about these conditions. I absolutely love his natural approach and hope that it will be helpful for your beloved boy.

URINARY BLADDER INFECTIONS IN DOGS – WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/57048581-urinary-bladder-infections-in-dogs-what-you-need-to-know

5 STEPS TO PREVENT CALCIUM OXALATE CRYSTALS AND STONES IN DOGS – HOLISTIC APPROACH:
https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/53667141-5-steps-to-prevent-calcium-oxalate-crystals-and-stones-in-dogs-holistic-approach

WHY DO DOGS GET BLADDER AND KIDNEY STONES AND HOW TO TREAT THEM NATURALLY:
https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11014185-bladder-and-kidney-stones-and-urine-crystals-in-dogs-natural-approach

Having veggies in the diet can help balance PH. Dr. Dobias discussed within the following article;

WHAT VEGGIES ARE GOOD FOR DOGS?
https://peterdobias.com/blogs/blog/11014993-what-veggies-are-good-for-dogs

I hope this helps and wish you and your pup all the best for good health! 🙂
Chipy

[Lauren S]

Hi folks-
Hoping someone can chime in here with some advice… I have a senior pup who went through the whole urinary crystals ordeal last year. He recently had a scope done because he kept getting UTIs, thankfully no stones. He has developed yet another infection but no crystals in the urine and pH is normal. Do I need to put him back on Royal Canin S/O? Does that do anything to prevent UTIs? I thought that was solely for crystals and stones. When I asked my vet, he didn’t seem to have an opinion one way or another. Any and all input is greatly appreciated. I want to do right by my dog, of course I’d rather keep him on his high-quality diet than the Royal Canin, but will do whatever I need to to prevent infection. Look forward to hearing from you. Thanks for reading. Be well 🙂

[kelly C]

First time here and thank you all for all your tips and advises. Really helpful. I have a little dog that is malipoo who will be turning 13 yrs this coming June. He is a really happy and playful dog full of love and joy always. He’s been on anti seizure med since he was 2 and was diagnosed diabetic Aug 2017 ( He was 10 ) I am planning on switching his food to a new food as recently switched food is not settling too well from stomach to his BG ( Blood Glucose ) fluctuations. Thinking of switching to Orijen Senior Dog Food.
I need to look out for 2 things in his food 1) Diabetes ( low carb, high fiber )
2) Seizures ( No rosemary and grain free which i have learnt )
My question/request now is can you tell me if the ingredients listed below is good ( safe for seizures )

⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

Orijen Senior Dog Food

85% QUALITY ANIMAL INGREDIENTS| 15% VEGETABLES & FRUIT
Fresh chicken meat (13%), fresh cage-free eggs (7%), fresh turkey meat (7%), fresh whole herring (7%), fresh chicken liver (6%), fresh whole flounder (4%), fresh turkey liver (4%), fresh chicken necks (4%), fresh chicken heart (4%), fresh turkey heart (4%), chicken (dehydrated, 4%), turkey (dehydrated, 4%), whole mackerel (dehydrated, 4%), whole sardine (dehydrated, 4%), whole herring (dehydrated, 4%), whole red lentils, whole green lentils, fresh whole green peas, lentil fibre, fresh whole chickpeas, fresh whole yellow peas, whole pinto beans, fresh chicken cartilage (1%), whole navy beans, herring oil (1%), chicken fat (1%), fresh turkey cartilage (1%), chicken liver (freeze-dried), turkey liver (freeze-dried), fresh whole pumpkin, fresh whole butternut squash, fresh whole zucchini, fresh whole parsnips, fresh carrots, fresh whole Red Delicious apples, fresh whole Bartlett pears, fresh kale, fresh spinach, fresh beet greens, fresh turnip greens, brown kelp, whole cranberries, whole blueberries, whole Saskatoon berries, chicory root, turmeric root, milk thistle, burdock root, lavender, marshmallow root, rosehips, Enterococcus faecium. ADDITIVES (per kg): Nutritional additives: Zinc chelate: 100 mg.

Thank you all. 🙏🏼🐶❤️

[Robbie M]

My dog is approximately 10.5 years of age (rescued from southern Cali in 2012 wasn’t sure of age brought him to Canada) he’s a boxer cross either staffordshire or pitbull likely pitbull. His hips have never really been in their sockets per se they are just held in place by muscle which he had lots of but now as he ages I worry. Also don’t want him to be sore or stiff or inflamed. Anyways I put him on Orijen Senior and he has shown good results, we also feed him a scoop or 2 of pumpkin every day, and his food is given 3 time’s a day with 2 scoops am 1/2 scoop afternoon and 2 in evening which equals to about 2.25 or 2.5 cups per day. Pumpkin usually goes in the AM and the afternoon he gets a tiny bit of tuna sometimes as well as a cracker with a bit of peanut butter n a couple small pieces of apple. And at night we top it with a bit diced apple/cucumber/carrot with an emphasis on the cucumber. His snacks are the orijen Six fish which he gets about 1-3 pieces a day. Oops and finally he gets CBD which I generally squirt 10mg onto a mini wheat and that’s twice a day. So with all this taken into account i bought him a bottle of grizzly joint aid with these ingredients:

Active Ingredients, per ounce
Glucosamine Sulfate (crustacean source) 1500 mg
Chondroitin Sulfate (porcine source) 1250 mg
Methyl Sulfonyl Methane (MSM) 1250 mg
Krill Oil 560 mg
Hyaluronic Acid (HA) 10 mg
Inactive Ingredients
Water, Xanthan Gum, Lecithin, Sodium Benzoate, Potassium Sorbate, Citric Acid. Each pump is 0.12 ounces and he gets 4 pumps per day.
He seemed to do well on it but I wanted to make sure it was good.

I’m considering switching it for alpha omega sinew which has:

Ingredients (per 1 scoop [5 g]):

Vitamins:
beta-Carotene………………………………………………………………… 600 mcg (1000 IU)
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine hydrochloride)……………………………………….. 2 mg
Vitamin B2 (Riboflavin)…………………………………………………………. 2 mg
Vitamin B3 (Niacinamide)…………………………………………………….. 20 mg
Vitamin B5 (D-Pantothenic acid)…………………………………………….. 5 mg
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine hydrochloride)…………………………………….. 2 mg
Vitamin B7 (Biotin)…………………………………………………………. 200 mcg
Vitamin B9 (L-Methylfolate)………………………………………………. 300 mcg
Vitamin B12 (Cyanocobalamin)…………………………………………… 100 mcg
Vitamin C (L-Ascorbic acid)…………………………………………………. 100 mg
Vitamin D3 (Cholecalciferol)……………………………………………… 12.5 mcg (500 IU)
Vitamin E (d-alpha Tocopheryl acetate)………………………………… 16.8 mg AT (25 IU)
Vitamin K2 (Menaquinones)………………………………………………. 10 mcg
Choline (Choline bitartrate)…………………………………………………. 10 mg
Inositol (Myo-inositol)…………………………………………………………. 10 mg
Rutin………………………………………………………………………………. 10 mg

Minerals:
Boron (Sodium borate)……………………………………………………. 250 mcg
Calcium (Calcium citrate)…………………………………………………… 50 mg
Chromium (Chromium polynicotinate)……………………………….. 100 mcg
Copper (Cupric gluconate)……………………………………………… 1000 mcg
Magnesium (Magnesium citrate)………………………………………… 50 mg
Manganese (Manganese sulphate)……………………………………….. 2 mg
Molybdenum (Sodium molybdate)…………………………………….. 100 mcg
Selenium (L-Selenomethionine)…………………………………………. 10 mcg

Silicon (Sodium metasilicate)……………………………………………….. 1 mg
Zinc (Zinc citrate)……………………………………………………………… 1 mg
Minerals are in elemental quantities.

Phytonutrients:
Boswellia serrata (Frankincence Resin)…………………………………… 25 mg
Curcuma longa (Turmeric Rhizome)………………………………………. 15 mg

Harpagophytum procumbens (Devil’s Claw Root)……………………. 20 mg

Accessory nutrients:
Chlorella vulgaris (Chlorella Broken Cell)……………………………….. 100 mg
D-Chondroitin sulphate……………………………………………………… 500 mg
D-Glucosamine sulphate………………………………………………….. 1000 mg
Hyaluronic acid……………………………………………………………….. 50 mg
Hydrolyzed collagen……………………………………………………….. 1000 mg
L-Glutamine…………………………………………………………………… 50 mg
Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)……………………………………………. 400 mg

Enzymes**:

alpha-Amylase……………………………………………………….. 15 mg (330 FCC DU)
Cellulase………………………………………………………………… 10 mg (35 FCC CU)
Lipase……………………………………………………………………… 35 mg (42 FCC LU)
Protease…………………………………………………………………… 40 mg (720 FCC HUT)

**Enzymatic Units
FCC (Food Chemicals Codex)
FCC CU (Cellulase Units)
FCC DU (alpha-Amylase Dextrinizing Units)
FCC HUT (Hemoglobin Unit on a Tyrosine Basis)
FCC LU (Lipase Units)

Additional ingredients:
Apple fibre, Citrus bioflavonoids, Spirulina.

The only issue with the sinew is I don’t feed him wet food but that actually leads to another question. Would it be a bad idea to say lower his dry food content a bit and use the Orijen Freeze Dried pucks as a topper instead of other stuff? Or is that too much for an old boy. I’m just trying my hardest to keep him as healthy and mobile as I can to keep his muscles as strong as possible around the hips. He’s always been fairly slow but never overweight I walk him about 2-3km a day at a relatively lax pace he likes to sniff a lot. We often break it up into two walks about 0.6 km early afternoon and about 2-3km at night. Hoping even with the slow pace this will keep his muscles from deteriorating too much. Really considering a water treadmill as I’ve been told that’s a good way to keep muscles without much strain. Sorry. I know that’s a lot to unpack and everything but I truly appreciate the feedback as I’ve been given very sound advice from this website before. Thanks again again my apologies I just love my guy so much he’s been like my best friend and helped me through some serious trauma and the ensuing insomnia and ptsd that goes with it.

[Diane H]

Can anyone recommend a dental chew that is safe for a senior dog with pancreatitis? He is on prescription food but I’ve learned recently that the brand name chews that he loves are not appropriate for pancreatitis. Thank you.

[dogsforever123]

I don’t know much about senior specific dog foods so imho if all the dogs are happy and healthy with the current food you usually feed them then there’s no problem feeding them all the same thing. However, senior dogs do need extra care and that’s where supplements can come in. These days, there are so many types of oils like CBD and fish oils that have a variety of health benefits. There’s also flax seed oil which when combined with cottage cheese has actually helped dogs suffering from diseases like arthritis and even cancer. It can help keep senior dogs thriving and happy for longer. There’s a company in Florida that specializes in this wellness protocol. Switching to senior food is probably a good option, but you should also do some research into supplements to see if they might be a good idea to add to your dog’s diet.

[Jack or Carolyn B]

We have a seven pound Maltese mix and two almost 15 month old Chiweenies, 13 & 14 pounds. I’m having great difficulty trying to find healthiest, safest foods for them. We are currently feeding all three Click to open expanded view
Blue Buffalo Wilderness Small Breed Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food, Blue Buffalo Wilderness Small Breed Chicken Recipe Grain-Free Dry Dog Food By Blue Buffalo but I don’t think they should all be eating the same thing. What do you advise? It’s very difficult trying to figure it out on your web site. Thanks

[Johnny R]

@ Daniel,
id like to discuss your product with you.
we have a senior puggle with uncontrollable diabetes and a brain tumor.
any reply is appreciated

Johnny

[Howard M]

First many thanks for all your work on this site. As our beloved Luck (a King Charles mix) approaches 10 years old we wanted to find the very best Senior Dog Food using unbiased ratings. So thank you for helping us with this. However I noted that the first three or four senior foods were “Grain Free” and I was amazed to see many Grain Free foods recommended or given four or five stars. Our Vet has pretty much “outlawed” grain free (full disclosure she markets Hills SD foods). And in 2019 the FDA issued warnings about the risk of a grain free diet.
Please see this article in the Atlantic- or google the FDA website regarding this. The Pet Food industry has worked hard to down play the risks- but they are there and real. Please reconsider recommending grain free. They should be avoided by breeds like out Lucy’s who are at risk of heart problems.

https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2019/07/grain-free-dog-food-fda-warning/593167/

[Susan]

Hi,
have you asked vet about “Cartrophen vet” weekly injection given for 1 month, Cartrophen vet is all natural, injection is given under thick section of dogs skin near neck & it finds the dogs pain.
My boy suffers with IBD he cant take steroids, high omega oils, medications etc they cause diarrhea, acid reflux stomach ulcers so vet said NO to any meds, Patch is 11yrs old after his 2nd Cartrophen injection Patch was running around like a young pup, I have to tell him to slow down & stop jumping up your going to hurt your back, I couldn’t believe the results.
Cartrophen vet caused no side effects, I’m feeding Royal Canine Intestinal Low fat vet diet at the moment with Canidae Pure Senior kibble, I feed 1/2 & 1/2 mixed together, in Australia our R/C comes from Europe, France they use dried meats, no meat meals & ingredients seem to be heaps better then the American R/C.
I also feed Tin Salmon with boiled Sweet potato for lunch & his vet diet= Canidae is high omega 3 oils, he also eats Canidae Pure Senior, Wellness Core Senior or the Wellness Core Large breed its high in Glucosamine & Chondroitin, start adding Glucosamine & Chondroitin with diet it helps rebuild joints. If you’re going to give a fish oil buy Krill Oil Capsules instead, Krill Oil Capsules are better then Fish or Salmon oil, I also buy Freeze Dried Green Lipped Mussels & give 1-2 Mussels a day as a treat, Patch seems to handle foods that are high in Omega oils but not the supplements, just be careful as Supplements & Meds (NSAID) can cause acid reflux, diarrhea, stomach problems..
http://www.cartrophen.com/for-vets/what-is-cartrophen-vet/

[Empire F]

I had a cat that lived to 17 that died 3 years ago
i have another cat that turned 19 years old this month. STill running around the house having fun
I believe carefully selecting excellent cat food and spring water is the key

My senior citizen dog, i need help what dog food to be giving him. I will look into the supplements but for right now, i need food that, even just a little bit, will help with his joints,cartridge.

[anonymous]

There are no veterinarians affiliated with this site.

Find a vet nearby that you like and trust, make an appointment for a senior checkup, lab work , dental exam and all.
The vet will then advise you regarding diet, and medication (if needed) to keep your senior healthy and comfortable.

Never give OTC meds or supplements to a pet unless recommended by a veterinarian that has examined the animal.
Many products are not intended for veterinary use and can cause harm.

[Shelby L]

So my dog began having these issues after his lipase levels spiked (causing severe vomiting, diarrhea, and loss of appetite) when he was about 1.5 years old. The vet said he was close to having pancreatitis and he was immediately put on low fat food. Then a few months later, the acid reflux arrived. Major gulping episodes where he just swallows frantically and runs to me for comfort would begin, and all he would want to do was be let outside to eat grass. The vet told me to let him eat the grass but not too much or it could cause a blockage. After a year of battling this, he’s a dry food that has 6% fat (currently Solid Gold Holistic food for seniors, but I am switching him to Diamond Care Weight Management), soaked in warm water, with 2 probiotics and some Hills Prescription I/D wet food mixed in. I usually only feed twice a day but I’m thinking I’ll start doing 3 as he is still having episodes once a week or so. I also always have Pepcid and omerprazole on hand (Pepcid 10mg with dinner if I think an episode might happen at night, omerprazole if an episode happens in the morning because it’s 24 hour and stronger. Goodluck everyone, it’s such a tricky condition and from my experience, vets always think it’s something else. I’ve had to do all the research and trial and error on my own.