[Dog Pack Mom]

No one has currently been diagnosed with yeast by a vet. I have a standard poodle that gets yeasty ears but is currently doing ok. I have a new rescue, Maltese mix, that has severely itchy paws, dis dos discolored nails, and black spots on tummy that look to be yeast from past experience. I am also using chlorhexidine shampoo and spray. I have senior dogs that I believe could benefit from less inflammation that carbs can contribute to. It seems pretty well accepted that dogs don’t really need carbs so it makes sense to me that less is more in regards to carbs.

[anonymously]

Unless your dog has a medical condition and a veterinarian has recommended a low-sodium diet….. Healthy dogs usually do not need a special dog food that is low in sodium. Most brands have a minimum amount of sodium, .3%, for maintenance of body functions that require it.

That being said, I read that Orijen has less sodium than other brands. However, the price might be a deterrent. With the better brands you will find you need to feed less kibble, it is dense and less like sawdust as with the cheap brands.

My dogs do well on Nutrisca dry as a base, with a topper such as a spoonful of scrambled egg (made with water) cooked chopped lean meat or chicken, tuna, a spoonful of homemade chicken broth (nothing added) just boil a chicken for 3+ hours, debone, defat, freeze 2-3 day servings, it makes about a quart.
Check chewy.com for prices. If you get a large bag you can freeze 1/2 of it and store the rest in an airtight container, in the fridg if you have room, or at least in a cool dry room.

I add a splash of water to the food, my senior gets his kibble presoaked with water.

Dogs that are prone to weight gain do well with a one hour walk per day, even at a leisurely pace.
Offer meals twice a day, if he doesn’t eat pick it up store in the fridg and offer at the next meal time. He will eat when he is hungry, if he doesn’t eat times 3 days consult a veterinarian. Make sure he is drinking adequate water. Oh, and he is old enough for adult food.
Also, if his bowel habits don’t stabilize soon, I would take him to the vet.

[Ann-Christin S]

I live in Norway and have a hard time finding good food for my dogs.
What do you think about this food ? :

Hypoallergenic LAMB & RICE Formula for Senior Dogs of All Breeds.

Composition:

lamb meat meal (35%), rice (35%), dried apples, chicken fat (preserved with tocopherols), dried beet pulp, natural flavors, salmon oil (2%), brewer’s yeast, hydrolyzed crustacean shells (a source of glucosamine, 260 mg/kg), cartilage extract (a source of chondroitin, 160 mg/kg), mannanoligosaccharides (150 mg/kg), herbs and fruits (rosemary, cloves, citrus, curcuma, 150 mg/kg), fructooligosaccharides (100 mg/kg), yucca schidigera (100 mg/kg), inulin (90 mg/kg), milk thistle (75 mg/kg).

Analytical constituents: protein 25 %, fat 12 %, moisture 10 %, crude ash 7 %, fibre 4,2 %, calcium 1,5 %, phosphorus 1,2 %, metabolizable energy 3 550 kcal/kg,

Nutritional additives: vitamin A 20 000 IU, vitamin D3 1 500 IU, vitamin E (alfatocopherol) 500 mg, E6 zinc 80 mg, E1 iron 70 mg, E5 manganese 35 mg, E2 iodine 0,65 mg, E4 copper 15 mg, E8 selenium 0,25 mg, Biotin 0,6 mg, Choline-Chloride 600 mg, Folic Acid 0,5 mg, Calcium Pantothenate 10 mg, vitamin B1 1 mg, vitamin B12 0,04 mg, vitamin B2 4 mg, vitamin B6 1 mg,

[Donna G B]

I am new to Food Advisor, I have 3 fur kids: Seniors, Willie Bill 13 years old, full of Allergies, takes shots for the Allergies, has a leaky valve in heart, heart murmur #4-6, little growths on kidneys etc. Poor baby is such a good little boy. He has been on Science Diet for years z/d, I HATE IT. He is allergic to so many things, Food: Sweet Potatoes, white potatoes, eggs, beef, tomatoes, shellfish and borderline on so many others: Rice etc. I need to get him off this z/d but it is scary to try.
My other two are: Walley: Rescue, 8 yrs. All teeth pulled except 4. Had pancreatitis and was put on I/d Science Diet for such a long time. I HATE THAT and put him on Royal Canine for Intestinal problems (with a new dogtor) well THAT is full of grains, etc. So, I decided to put him on “Wellness” Senior Formula just getting ready to switch him and my other Yorkie (Willow) little over 5 lbs. 10 year old Yorkie that has had pancreatitis also, and I find the word CARRAGEENNE in the ingredients. Look on computer and that is NOT GOOD, so called them. They told me it was “Food Grade” and not the harmful one. I BELIEVED THEM and then looked up “Food Grade Carrageene” and it is just as bad, I guess. I don’t know what to do. I don’t see much advice on this site for Senior, low fat Canned Dog Food. Not much about seniors at all. Maybe not looking in the right place. HELP!!!

[Coonhound Mama]

If you look below any of the reviews for a dog food you’ve selected, the analysis of fat content should appear in a pie graph chart. Is there a certain fat percentage you’re shooting to feed at or below? A high protein diet (senior dogs need more protein than most realize) with lower fat would probably be ideal, but for something more specific I would say consulting a holistic vet would be best. My dog did very well on the grain free, carageenan-free Nature’s Variety brand canned food, although I realize the fat content (in the upper 30s) on these may not be doable for your dog.

[Stephanie B]

Hi Teresa B- I totally understand not wanting to return to diarrhea issues!! And it sounds like she’s getting lots of exercise, that’s great! We adopted ours as a senior and she weighed 94lbs…she’s gotten down to 84 with about 6 more pounds to go. Do you feed treats between meals? I know those can add up so if you do you should factor them in to her daily calories (there’s a calculator on this site that helps you figure out the recommended daily calories for a dog’s ideal weight and activity level.)

I’ve never used Natural Balance foods so all I can go off of is the label and lower ratings here due to the high carbohydrate content and low protein (Potato is listed as the first ingredient…ideally I’d try to find something with the protein(s) listed first.) That being said if your pup really does well on it and you can’t find an alternative that isn’t causing diarrhea, it’s only 375/cup which is not excessively high. The very high quality protein rich foods (Acana, Orijen, Wysong, etc.) are in the 450-500cal/cup range. So, you could cut back just a little on the serving size per meal of her current food (either mixing in wet food or not) and see if it aids in weight loss. As far as suggestions see below:

Ones that I’ve tried and like (or I should say Heidie liked 🙂 ) are:
Wellness Core Reduced Fat 360cal/cup
Dr. Tim’s Metabolite 268.6cal/cup
Weruva Caloric Harmony Venison & Salmon w/ Pumpkin 348cal/cup
Orijen Senior 445cal/cup (this one is higher calorie so I tend to mix 50/50 with either Wellness Core RF or Dr. Tims Metabolite to cut down the cals per meal)

Some I’ve researched (but haven’t fed yet) that could be viable options to try are:
Annamaet Grain Free Lean Low Fat 350 cal/cup
Nature’s Variety Instinct Grain Free Healthy Weight 347cal/cup
Premium Edge Healthy Weight I 347cal/cup
Nulo Freestyle Cod and Lentils 368cal/cup
Dr. Tim’s RPM Salmon & Pork Grain Free 389cal/cup

If it seems like your dog is having a lot of digestive issues with new foods it might be worth getting an allergy test done to narrow down what foods you can try based on their ingredients.

Hope this helps…all the best!

[Donna G B]

I am new to Food Advisor, I have 3 fur kids: Seniors, Willie Bill 13 years old, full of Allergies, takes shots for the Allergies, has a leaky valve in heart, heart murmur #4-6, little growths on kidneys etc. Poor baby is such a good little boy. He has been on Science Diet for years z/d, I HATE IT. He is allergic to so many things, Food: Sweet Potatoes, white potatoes, eggs, beef, tomatoes, shellfish and borderline on so many others: Rice etc. I need to get him off this z/d but it is scary to try.
My other two are: Walley: Rescue, 8 yrs. All teeth pulled except 4. Had pancreatitis and was put on I/d Science Diet for such a long time. I HATE THAT and put him on Royal Canine for Intestinal problems (with a new dogtor) well THAT is full of grains, etc. So, I decided to put him on “Wellness” Senior Formula just getting ready to switch him and my other Yorkie (Willow) little over 5 lbs. 10 year old Yorkie that has had pancreatitis also, and I find the word CARRAGEENNE in the ingredients. Look on computer and that is NOT GOOD, so called them. They told me it was “Food Grade” and not the harmful one. I BELIEVED THEM and then looked up “Food Grade Carrageene” and it is just as bad, I guess. I don’t know what to do. I don’t see much advice on this site for Senior, low fat Canned Dog Food. Not much about seniors at all. Maybe not looking in the right place. HELP!!!

[InkedMarie]

Take a look at Annamaet Lean or Wellness Core reduced fat. I honestly don’t know what the calorie count is; both are “diet” foods. Oh, Orijen Senior too.

[crazy4cats]

Hi Tara L-
I feed my dogs Whole Earth Farms Pork, Lamb and Beef. It is poultry free, and I think it is fairly low in protein and fat, but maybe not as low as you are looking for. There really is no standard set for senior dog food. You may want to check out three and four starred foods on the review side. They tend to be lower in protein. Good luck to you!

[Tara L]

We are currently on wellness whitefish and potato due to our 9yo sheltie having corneal lipid dystrophy. We have to avoid all poultry and poultry fat products.
His last 2 sets of labs were a little off, so our vet (who we love) has suggested a food trial ~ senior food with lower protein and fat than what he is getting now. With the wellness, we are getting 22%protein and 11% fat.
We thought we found a new food that would work, but realized after lots of research we missed that it contained some type of chicken fat product that we were trying to avoid. Looking around we discovered NaturalBalance Vegetarian (18%poultry and 8% fat)
Does anyone have any other recommendations for a poultry free, senior food that I can start researching again for the lowest protein and fat I can find? My brain hurts 😊
I’m going to keep looking – but appreciate any help.
Thanks in advance.

[anonymously]

http://skeptvet.com/Blog/category/nutrition/
You may find some helpful information at the above site. I would proceed with caution.
PS: Changes in behavior and appetite suggest a visit to a veterinarian may be in order.
Has the dog had a senior workup? Basic lab work/blood tests could detect things that would explain the changes. Then you could discuss treatment options with your vet.
Think about it, how can anyone who is not a veterinarian and who has not examined your dog advise you accordingly?

[anonymously]

@ Stephen S
You have to use caution with seniors (dogs over the age of 7), they are more sensitive to pesticides (that is what flea/tick preventives are).

What you describe sounds neurological…I would proceed with caution. I use nothing on my 15 year old dog, I just check him every night for ticks and bathe him once or twice a week.

Consider a Preventic collar, supposedly good for 3 months, 1 month is more like it.
Or a topical like Advantix II. I sometimes use both in conjunction with my younger dogs. I would not consider an oral. I also make an effort to keep them out of tall grass and woods, I keep the lawn mowed low.

Of course, I do heartworm preventives every 6 weeks (more pesticides) and have them tested once a year.

[Marionne H]

Thanks pugmomsandy! I’ll have to give some of those kibbles a try! Always great to have recommendations! I’m not familiar with Pro Pac or Nutrisource, I’ll have to look them up.(My last dog was larger so kibble size was not an issue)

And thanks to the other poster as well. My little girl isn’t a senior, she’s about 3, but she’s a Chihuahua x Dachshund and has a smaller mouth. She just did not care at all for the typical sized Acana kibble, too big to eat easily and didn’t seem too excited about the flavor either. I’ve had to use some form of top dressing with my other dogs too, but hoping to find a kibble she’s interested in…and we’ll add broth or top dressing as we need to.

Thanks much!

[anonymously]

I have 3 small breed dogs, two are seniors, one has allergies. They all do well on Nutrisca Salmon and Chickpea dry as a base, I add a topper (1/3rd of the meal) such as cooked chopped chicken or scrambled egg, meat…canned food when I’m desperate.
All 3 (annual checkups) have had lab work within normal limits recently, so I hesitate to try anything new. Although, Orijen and Fromm look good. I may try them at some point.

PS: Add a splash of water, a lot of dogs don’t drink enough water, for seniors soak the kibble in water overnight before serving. Check Chewy.com for prices.
Also, if you pour a tablespoon of homemade chicken broth (no chemicals) over the kibble (any kibble)….they will eat it, unless they are sick.
Kibble all by itself is boring. You have to add at least a spoonful of something. Just my opinion.

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by anonymously.

[Marjorie M]

There are 2 foods that we purchase. The moist food is ordered directly from the Robert Abady company which makes a low phosphorus/lower (but good) protein foods for both dogs and cats. For my 7 year (recently adopted) Lab with kidney disease we use Beef-based formula for maintenance & stress for adult dogs.
The kibble we use is a Blue Basic Limited Ingredient Senior which is also low phosphorus/low protein. That is not the only food he gets but the rest is a meal regimen which is all fresh food.
Yes, aside from baby carrots and lettuce, he is given 2 different dog treats which are seem to be within the acceptable range.
He is also given supplements daily as well as probiotics and occasionally digestive enzymes along with certain protein in an attempt to keep the BUN levels withing normal range. BTW, his last CBC showed everything in the normal range!

[Mallary P]

Hi all:

My beloved (spayed) Shih Tzu will be 9 years old this year and I’ve recently [this month] switched her to the Fromm Surf and Turf Grain Free food, which she seems to enjoy. My dog has LOTS of food allergies and we spent about two years plus lots of trial/error to find her a good food. In the beginning the vet had her on Science Diet and steroids for about a week, but that was not a long term solution. She gets whelps (almost like acne) all over her and it’s very itchy. Poor baby. For a long time, she was on Nature’s Recipe limited Ingredient Chicken and Sweet Potato Food. She did well on it [no breakouts], but it wasn’t as great when I read the report on her. Given that she is moving into her senior years, I want to make sure she has the best quality everything because I love her and I want her around for a long time. She gets a decent amount of exercise for a Shih Tzu and is a good weight–according to the vet.

I see some of the forums on here suggesting that they given their dogs different high quality foods in rotation. She’s really enjoying Fromm, but I would like to give her another high quality food to give her some variety. Any recommendations? Acana, Orijen, etc?

She generally does better with Chicken, Salmon, and duck. Beef, Pork, and too much diary has proven to be no-nos in our house. She loves raw carrots as a treat and antler bones to chew. Sometimes I give her high quality canned food, so if I could get both kibble/ canned food recommendations that would be great!

[anonymously]

Nutrisca dry as a base works best for my 15 year old small breed. I thought canned food would be better, as he only has a few teeth left….but, no, smelly gunky stuff all over his face and constipation.

Back to Nutrisca kibble soaked in water overnight with a spoonful of topper mixed in, 3 small meals per day. Perfect.
I guess the seniors do need a little bit more fiber. Make sure you brush their teeth once a day so that tartar doesn’t build up and lead to infection.

[aimee]

Hi Micheal and Diane,

The phosphorus content of all these foods mentioned are far above what would be desired for a kidney patient and are not what would be considered low phosphorus foods. The phos level on a percentage basis for a kidney diet would be about .3% The Lotus senior diet at 0.5 % would be closest but as I said any OTC food will be higher than what is desired for a dog that needs phos restriction.

[Michael C]

Solid Gold Lil’ Boss, that I mentioned before, is .88% phosphorus. Also, Solid Gold also has Sunday Sunrise with Lamb that is .73%, Native Sun with Buffalo and Dream Catcher with Rabbit that are .74%, Holilstique Blendz with Ocean Fish meal that is .75%, Leaping Waters with Salmon that is .81%, Mmillennia with Beef that is .85%, Fit and Fabulous with Alaskan Pollock and Wild Eye Dreamer with Duck that are .86%, and Star Chaser with Chicken that is .89%. I’m pretty sure my vet once told me that anything below 1% phosphorus is considered low, but check with your vet. Lotus has a senior dog food that is .50% phosphorus.

[C4D]

Changing their diet to a better rated food should help with the gas. Take a look at some of the 3-4 star foods on DFA. I do like the foods suggested by InkedMarie, but if they are older dogs and have been on low quality food their whole life, you will need to do a very slow transition, no matter what better quality food you switch to. I never feed my older dogs senior food. If your dogs are overweight, choose one that is lower in fat and make sure you are not overfeeding them. If this doesn’t help with the gas, you might try to switch to a different protein.

Sorry I can’t help with the poop eating. None of my dogs have ever done this.

[Paula C]

I recently adopted a 10 1/2 year old senior shih-tzu and after 3 weeks she stopped eating. She lost 2 of her 14#.
She became severely dehydrated, requiring hospitalization. Her liver panel numbers were more than doubled — except ALT (not to be over 240) came in at 4300. Medication for her liver helped slightly but not too well for her appetite. She’s had 5 additional blood panels run and her 4300 went down to 3700, then 2400, then 2000, then 800, and now at 329. We are headed in the right direction — WITH the EXCEPTION of her eating. I have tried premium dog foods, dry and wet — home cook a recipe the vet gave me — none of these have any appeal for her. I finally gave her Cesar tubs which she will occasionally eat. I found Shep tubs (turkey) at Aldi’s and she LOVES it — I found Shep dry food rating online which was extremely poor — but I can’t find any nutritional information online for the wet dog food. Can you help me? I’ve had her for 2 months and my vet bills are out of sight. This little sweetheart needs any helpful information you can provide. I should also mention that between her 3rd to 5 week, she would go into “trances” and was totally out of touch. She would stand stock still and stare at the wall for 10-15 minutes at a time, not responding to me at all. Thankfully, that has subsided.

[InkedMarie]

The only way to really stop poop eating is to pick it up as soon as they go.
Neither food you’ve fed is very good. I assume your dogs are seniors and/or need to lose weight. Senior dogs don’t need a senior food; most of them are too low in protein for senior dogs, the exception being Orijen senior.

If they need to lose weight, look at Annamaet Lean or Wellness Core reduced fat. Both may help with the gas; you can try a probiotic as well.

[Susan]

Hi, Holistic Select Senior digest easy the protein-26% fat-10% fiber-3.5% & has 3 proteins… as dogs get older sometimes high fat & high protein diets can cause problems like pancreatitis, acid reflux so keep that in mind…..Holistic Select Guaranteed money back
http://holisticselect.com.au/senior-dry-dog-food-chicken-meal-and-rice#ingredients

[C4D]

InkedMarie is right, but transition slowly if you’ve never rotated your dogs’ food before. A good idea for all dogs, including seniors is to add some fresh or wet food. It will keep them more hydrated, which is important for all the organs body functions. It’s helpful for seniors as their sense of smell tends to diminish as they age.

[InkedMarie]

You dont need a senior food. Most of them are too low in protein. Senior dogs need higher protein. Orijen senior is the exception; very good food. Any high quality, higher protein food is what you want. Head over to the review side & choose a 4 or 5 star food.

Foods I like are Annamaet, Dr Tim’s, Farmina, Natures Logic, Acaca, Orijen

[John H]

Looking for dry food that others have had good results with for senior dogs. No major health issues, etc. just looking to be able to offer my senior Vizslas–age 10 and 11, a different food that may tickle their taste buds. Thanks.
John Heycock

[Rick Dunn]

No disrespect intended here but unfortunately Jakes_Mom “A healthy dog eating appropriate food does not need vitamin supplements.” could not be more wrong.

Even the best researched, sourced and prepared foods either commercially available or homemade (which includes raw diets) fall short in all of the essential vitamins, minerals, metals and nutrients that a dog is intended to have in it’s body by nature. Subsequently their bodies become out of balance which in turn compromises their immune systems. This is a proven fact and just can not be disputed, justified or excused away by anyone.

Proper supplementation brings the body back into balance and allows the immune system go back to its normal level. You can deny this all you wish… my statements are factual, backed by scientific research and proven in dogs for more than 30 years.

What is a Supplement?

Pet supplements are defined as either dietary or therapeutic supplements. Dietary supplements (also called dietary nutrients) are substances added to pet foods to make them nutritionally complete and balanced. Therapeutic supplements (also called nutraceuticals) are foods or food nutrients that are taken orally to provide a health benefit, either for prevention or treatment of disease. To have this therapeutic effect, a nutraceutical is usually taken in a larger dose than the daily requirement of that same food when used as a nutrient.

What is Dr Kruger Pet Supplements?

It is the only complete supplement on the market, covering all aspects of a dog’s health. Dr Kruger Pet Supplements naturally correct commercial, home made and natural pet food’s deficiencies in three crucial ways by adding essential vitamins and minerals, important digestive enzymes for complete food absorption, and beneficial intestinal bacteria to supercharge the immune system. Each formulation has additional ingredients to focus on those particular areas of the pets health that it is deficient in.

Our formulas meet the specific needs of your pet through each stage of life. Whether your dog is a puppy, adult or senior; one that is active, in show or spends most of his time indoors, there is a Dr Kruger Pet Supplements formula that is just right for his needs.

Why use Dr Kruger Pet Supplements?

Since 1986 our supplements have been alleviating gastrointestinal disorders such as irritable bowel syndrome, diarrhea, loose stools, vomiting and gas as well as itchy skin, hot spots, shedding and allergies. Our Supplements will help with both occasional and chronic digestive problems such as bloating, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, Inflammatory Bowel Syndrome (IBS), toxic gut syndrome (TGS), torsion, sensitive stomach, inflamed bowel, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth (SIBO). Other conditions helped by our supplements include allergies, arthritis, inflamed joints, exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) and a host of others.

Dr Kruger Pet Supplements, when used daily provide the necessary vitamins, antioxidants, minerals, digestive enzymes, microbes and other probiotics for the health of your pet. Made from all natural ingredients, Dr. Kruger’s Supplements provide a holistic approach to your pets health helping your dog or cat absorb more nutrients from their diet. When used in combination with a healthy, organic food, Dr. Kruger’s Supplements ensure better health through better digestion… naturally!

Dr. Kruger’s approach was to address the “Whole Dog” not just a symptom, this is why our supplements work so well. Everyday Health Formula is in ALL of our Formulas as the foundation; we then add specific elements to address and make up the additional Formulas we offer. The final reason our Formulas have worked for so many years is Dr. Kruger knew that a dogs health requirements will change over it’s lifetime. He developed his Formulas to address those changes from the beginning of life through the twilight years.

Puppy & Pregnancy Formula
Everyday Health Formula
Healthy Skin & Coat Formula
High Performance Formula
Healthy Skin & Coat Formula
Healthy Joint Formula
Senior Health Formula

All of our ingredients are:

Human Grade
Non-GMO
All Natural
Sourced in the USA Only
Manufacture in the USA
There are NO Fillers in our Formulas; our Formulas are dosed by the dogs food intake as that is the only true way to know how much supplementation should be administered.

The importance of healthy digestion is critical to overall health of your pet. That is why we recommend that at least the Everyday Health Formula to be a consistent supplement to your pets food every day!

We prove this EVERY SINGLE DAY!

[Rick Dunn]

You should check out Dr Kruger Pet Supplements – Healthy Joint Formula to address hip dysplasia and arthritis. While nothing will cure your senior dog of these issues Dr Kruger Pet Supplements – Healthy Joint Formula has a 30 year track record of doing a great job of helping to relieve mobility issues. Along with the same vitamins, minerals, digestive enzymes and live cultures as the Everyday Formula, the Healthy Joint Formula also contains anti-inflammatory ingredients such as Glucosamine Sulphate, Yucca Root, Dandelion Root, Devil’s Claw, Kelp, Chondroitin Sulphate and extra Vitamin E to relieve chronic joint and muscle conditions, including arthritis (hereditary or traumatic), hip dysplasia, elbow dysplasia, (degenerative joint disease (DJD), spinal arthritis (spondyosis), sprains, or other conditions due to illness and injury. It also improves overall ligament and cartilage health..

It costs nothing to check it out!
http://www.drkruger.com/collections/healthy-joint-formula

[Mary Susan S]

We have two bichons. One of them (now almost 12) has been diagnosed with allergies ever since she was two, and the baby of the family (now three) may be developing them. We want to feed them the same kibble in any case. The senior dog’s allergies got worse last year, and we started looking at a food component for the first time.

We have the joy and trouble of having a very particular veterinary allergist. She wanted originally to sell us a prescription diet, which “is not rated due to its intentional therapeutic design” here on the DFA. But the ingredient list speaks volumes: “Dried potato, venison meal, coconut oil, potato protein, hydrolyzed soy protein, natural flavors, vegetable oil, fish oil, ….” I dug my heels in. Luckily for me, they had added the hydrolyzed soy protein when my allergist’s back was turned. Supposedly, this doesn’t trigger allergies the way plain soy does, but I could claim principle. Really, I objected to feeding my dogs potatoes flavored with venison!

At that point, the doctor wanted us to cook for our dogs, which I also refused to do on the grounds that I don’t cook for us, either. However, if you are willing to do so, you will definitely know what your dog is getting. With otc kibbles, apparently, you don’t, not really. Even a high-quality company (one that actually makes their own kibble) probably makes different formulas on the same equipment, and might or might not clean thoroughly enough in-between runs. My allergist knows of a website that helps with balanced recipes for dogs, and if you like, I could find out what it is.

But we forged onward, valiantly. Our allergist likes Champion because they make their own kibble and in general maintain very high quality. So first I went for ACANA Lamb & Okanagan Apple Singles Formula. However, doc cited research at Cornell that a diet limited to lamb is linked to heart disease in dogs. Pork is a common allergen, too, so we first picked a rabbit-only kibble that did fine in terms of allergies but had our younger dog eating dirt. I wish Acana made Singles in the more unusual meats, like venison! But we then tried Acana Singles Pork and Butternut Squash, and fortunately, our dogs seem to be doing well enough on it. (Yes, on top of drugs — Atopica — for our senior dog.)

It’s been rough, because our babies like their treats and kongs and such. The only “limited diet” canned food I’ve been able to find that my allergist didn’t promptly dismiss out of hand is Nature’s Variety Instinct Limited Ingredient Diet. (Although I have to confess, she really wants us to go with baby food. Sadly, the only single-protein baby food we could find was too runny to keep inside a kong.) At least rabbit or pork (and nothing else) treats have been findable on Chewy.com, although they’re expensive.

The key to what you’re doing is to know your kibble ingredient list, cross your fingers and hope that that is actually all that’s in the bag, and not buy anything else. No treats from the table (except for steamed or raw vegetables), that sort of thing. (Oddly, peanut butter was fine with a veterinary allergist!) Oh was there joy in this house when we got to the point of adding cheese back into the dogs’ diet!

Be especially careful with eggs, by the way, because it’s in just about all the quality foods (like the Fromm brand you’re talking about), and is apparently a very common allergen. We probably won’t ever try putting it back. You need to go at least two months with a given set of foods before adding anything, and then one at a time.

I hope this helps, especially the warning about an all-lamb diet. Unfortunately, I don’t have an actual citation for it.

[anonymously]

Check out Newman’s Organics canned food at Chewy.com, my senior small breed likes the turkey (95%) as a topper.
A can covered with a tight plastic lid and stored in the fridg should be good for 3 days, maybe up to 5. I think I have seen it in small cans at the supermarket.

[Marcus A]

I have a senior basset hound that is in good health and I am switching him to a new rotation of foods that are higher in protein. I have ordered him Victor Yukon River Grain Free to start and was wondering if the food already has probiotics in it should I or should I not add probiotics to his food? I was looking into getting him Miracle Probiotics and Miracle Enzymes. Thanks for any advice or feedback!

[C4D]

Hi jenne e,

jakes mom is right. If your vet did a needle aspiration and said it was a lipoma, I would just leave it alone. Lipomas are not cancerous, some vets don’t even like to call them “fatty tumors” because it gives people the impression of being a cancerous or dangerous condition. My dogs have had them and my current older lab has a couple of small ones. My vet also recommends leaving them unless it becomes a comfort or mobility issue.

There are various theories as to what actually causes them. Some breeds, like Labs, seem to be more genetically prone to them. Middle age and overweight are often other contributing factors. Some of the more natural, holistic vets think it might be linked to toxins in the body. I have no scientific proof, but after my first Lab mix had several lipomas as he aged, and my current senior Lab started developing a couple of small lipomas (definitively diagnosed) I have started feeding fresher foods, including fresh meat and premix and/or commercial raw as a part of the daily meals. Her lipomas have stayed very small. I’m not sure what you’re feeding now, but better, fresher food is better for the dog’s health overall. It may not help prevent lipomas, but it will improve the dog’s general health.

[Bill K]

Hey Pitlove,
It shames me to say that the criminal owner that I saved her from is a niece of mine and her crazy mother. When they literally kicked Zoey out for the night they broke her leg and ribs several times, she would roam around the 230 person town with the bad leg and other injuries till she got into trouble trying to find food and water. Animal control kept picking her up over and over till she supposedly bit a little girl that was trying to approach her scared as she was of people who were never ever kind to her. They then slit her vocal cords per an order from the towns judge to debark her and keep her quiet and not have to listen to her scream at night all night in the freezing Utah cold. Her only visit to a vet was to debark her, not to fix her leg or rib breaks. Small towns can be the pits…everyone knows everyone’s everything. The town judge got tired of the whole mess repeating itself over and over and instead of punishing my niece and her mom for their cruelty he had animal control put her in the pound and ordered Zoey to be put down as the best solution to fix things since he knew the supposedly bit little girl and her family. Some solution HuH? Lucky for us we were able to have a good close family member that lived in town convince the Judge to let Zoey live if someone would remove her not only from the town but from the state itself. So now it’s up to us…

I am feeding them Now Fresh, a senior adult, small breed, grain free food by Petcurean out of Canada. It’s $39.00 for a 6lb bag, and $52.00 for 12lbs. They had a 24lb bag for $80.00 on the shelf once but they didn’t have any more in stock so I ordered it and asked them to call me when it arrived. We didn’t grocery shop for ourselves for a few weeks but when the called us to come get it, upon arrival they said that their distributor for Petcurean no longer carried the 24 lb size.

I haggled with them and convinced them to pro rate the 12 lb bags to me for the 24lb price of $80.00 that they had advertised it on the empty space on their shelf ($40.00 for each 12lb bag instead of $52.00). That’s at the 24lb pro rate price for each 12 pound bag. So one 12lb bag lasts my babies one month at 1 cup each per day or $1.29 per day or $3.33 per pound.

Without the prorate 24lb price it goes up to $52.00 per 12lbs or $1.67 per day or $4.33 per lb.

I would like to see if I can come close to $2.00 per pound if 12lbs can still last me a month for both pups.

The Petcurean Now fresh, adult senior, small breed, grain free is the only food that has stopped Little Ones constant vomiting and frequent seizures. Whoops…I did not even mention Little Ones seizures before, just the cancer and surgeries…my bad. On all the other brands he starts getting sicker again. And since I free feed I’d like to feed them both the same good food.

Thanks Pitlove, for your reply to my post and story…It’s a long and sad one. You letting me vent and tell it has helped me already to deal with my pain and start to heal.

Keep me in your thoughts and prayers please. Maybe you can share your story with me someday!

Awaiting your reply,
Bill

[Bill K]

Can anyone make some suggestions on a food that our babies can eat that won’t upset their systems.?
Please help. We survive on a very small Social Security payment to feed us all. We are just about broke, but my two little dogs come first. They eat first before we do.

They are both rescues. Our boy, Little One is the oldest and Our girl, Zoey is the latest addition to our family. We got her this past Thanksgiving. A Utah judge was going to put her down if someone from out of state did not take her.

Our sweet boy, is a near blind and completely deaf 16 yr old male 10.5 lb Jack Chi with cancer that is very food sensitive. He wonders why Mommie and Daddy won’t talk or sing to him anymore now that he’s deaf. He looks up at you with so much love and wonder. After several surgeries for his cancer he still is not doing well. He vomits and coughs all the time so what he eats is very important. We need to try to make his last years good.

Our little girl is a six year old, debarked, 4.5 lb Chi that doesn’t even know how to play, or that she is a dog. She was kicked, punched, yelled at, thrown out in the cold and hot every day. Never being trained on how to be indoors without having “accidents”. Her owner kept her inside for 12 to 20 hrs, locked up in a room while she was at work. The owners Mom was home all day but would not do anything but leave her locked in the room, so while locked up she had no choice but to go in the room she was in.

When her owner finally came home, she was kicked, beaten and thrown like a object outside for the night. The next day would be the same. Bring her in, lock her up and throw her out. No one ever showed her any love or gave her the least bit of training. They didn’t even give her food or water often. She now has no idea on how to act at all. I have never seen such terrible abuse on a sweet little one. All she can do is freeze motionless except for shivering, wondering if someone will hit her again since whatever she does is wrong. So she does nothing…
So please help us out with some good brands to keep them healthy and happy that won’t break our bank.

[Marjorie M]

Although it is a small company, I’d like to suggest The Robert Abady Company which makes a canned food which we’ve found very helpful for our recently (within the last 7 months) adopted dog with kidney disease.
As I recall, I found this food because of the contribution of someone on this site.
Although our most recent CBC results were not entirely based upon the Abady Complete Beef-based formula for Maintenance & Stress, life has been less stressful for me knowing that this food has only a maximum of 0.51% phosphorus and uses “good” protein sources.
Having both his creatinine and BUN levels fall to within normal range has made it easier to stick to a 3 meal a day schedule which includes supplements, egg, sweet potatoes, beans and probiotics.
BTW although he is only about 7, because of the kidney disease he was started on Blue Basics Limited Ingredient Senior before we adopted him. That is the kibble he is still devouring.

[anonymously]

@ Jenn H
I had a senior poodle mix that had some vague symptoms, lameness etc. By the time she was properly diagnosed with Lyme (they assumed her symptoms were age related) kidney damage had occurred.
Lyme attacks quickly, she had tested negative 4 months prior. That is why I suggested twice a year testing for dogs in high risk locations.
Thanks, for your response.

[Christine N]

Hello!
I was looking for advice on a supplement for my Chihuahua with a hear murmur. He will be 12 this August. The vet said on one side he is a grade, and 4 on the other. She said it has progressed since the end of last summer. I was looking for advice on a supplement that may help him with his condition.

Thanks so much!

[Karen D]

Hi, I started feeding my soon to be 14 yr. old the Orijen Senior on recommendation from this site last Nov., she loved it for the first 15# bag, the next 28# bag not so much, to the point of spitting it out… she has been diagnosed with a heart murmur recently & put on Vetmedin & Vet says the Orijen Sr. has too much protein at 38% & she would like to see it around 26-27%. I don’t know if not feeling well contributed to her not liking it or what, so I ordered Acana Duck & Bartlett Pear with 27% protein. I gave the neighbor dog a sniff of the Orijen instead of her usual Fruitable treat & she walked away. maybe I got a bad batch?

[D L M]

I have a 9 yo female lab that gets ample exercise. Currently feeding her Orijen Senior and wanted hear what others have to say about this food for a senior. Thanks

[Jan C]

My 12 yr old Chow mix has loose, mushy yellow stools. could this be a food allergy? one of his liver enzymes is elevated, but not the other. He has been checked for addison’s disease, negative. his stool has been tested for O and P, I don’t know the results yet, grrr.
I feed him Nutro senior for large breeds. Any ideas for an alternate food would be appreciated. not sure if I need to eliminate grain, or go low protein?

Thanks, Jan

[Karen D]

I guess I’m the only one who has had a dog faint? Back to Vet yesterday & showed her the ingredients from Orijen Senior & she says all good stuff EXCEPT too much protein 38%, she would like to see 27-28% & she recommended dry Hills W/D, I bought a 8# bag against my better judgement. Pnut spit it out but she has also spit out the Orijen since she fainted but ate it with gusto for the past 3 months but eats the Acana Duck/Bartlett pear I bought as a sample.

[Carolyn H]

Actually, I think there is a a very good reason senior foods are lower in protein. My eight year old has developed hepatic nodular hyperplasia, which is a lesion on his liver and is extremely common in middle aged to old dogs. It was discovered when an ultrasound was done after his liver enzymes were measured and found to be extremely high. The high protein and fat in dog foods increases liver enzymes, and as dogs get older they are more prone to get these lesions. In one study, lesions occurred in ALL dogs over 14 years old.
http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/endocrine/c_dg_hepatic_nodular_hyperplasia

[Carrie P]

For your senior dog, you must try Fido Active Supplement and to improve your dogs health and to be much healthy than before. You must try it now.

[Karen D]

Hi all I posted here in Dec. regarding HK Keen causing diarrhea & was happy to be directed to Orijen Senior which I have been feeding ever since along with a few TBLS of Newmans own canned Turkey/Chicken. She loved the Orijen then 11 days ago my husband came home from work at midnight & let her out, she had some sort of “episode” (vet isn’t sure) out in the yard where she passed out cold….she woke right up & seems fine but after many tests & xrays Vet put her on Vetmedin for her heart & now she spits out the Orijen, but will eat it if I mix it with the newmans. Vet mentioned a low fat diet as her triglycerides are high. I mentioned cooking her boiled chicken & green beans with rice & Vet said that would be good, but it caused immediate diarrhea, I told her the Orijen was 15% fat & she said not bad, so am at a loss here. Anyone have any experience with something like this?

[Lisa P]

My 12-year-old toy poodle has had to have surgery twice for bladder stones: once in June 2015 and again in January 2016. I am now resolved that I cannot feed him treats anymore, and will have to feed him special food. My vet recommended Purina ProPlan NF prescription food and wants me to keep him on it. That’s fine, I don’t mind the expense, but I just want to make sure that’s safe for him to eat all the time. I’ve heard that you’re NOT supposed to feed them the prescription diet for extended periods of time. Help?!?

[anonymously]

Thanks, c4c, They worry us with these things, don’t they. Took my 7 year old poodle mix in for routine heartworm check and went along with the senior labs (results pending).
Big old rotten molar tooth popped out the other day while I was brushing her teeth.
Vet couldn’t believe how good her teeth looked, she has never had a professional cleaning. I do brush every day.
Anyway, he thinks the tooth was way in the back and where it fell out is healing nicely.
She does not need a cleaning. Yay!

PS: This is what income tax return checks are for 🙂

[boobear27]

What is wrong with Wellness brand? I’ve been feeding my other dogs Wellness for years and they do great on it..They had allergy problems and ever since I switched to Wellness the allergies went away and their skin and coat look great and are very active…I switched my senior dog’s diet about 4 months ago due to weight gain and she loved the Wellness core reduced fat she shed the pounds and started to have more energy…The senior dog tends to be a fast eater maybe that could have triggered the upset stomach, I might have to get a new slow feeding bowl because she figured out a loophole for the one I got her:) She has a trip to the vet tomorrow to get routine check up to see if everything is good, but she seems to be much better now. Yesterday she actually started to eat the kibble I mixed with the chicken and rice and did great. What do you suggest for a diet for senior dogs?

[InkedMarie]

Anne,
I agree with a vet visit but a) Blue ihas had their share of problems; a quick google search will show you.
Your dog doesn’t need a senior dog food. With the exception of Orijen senior, most of the rest are too low in protein for senior dogs. Pick a high quality adult or all life stages food. I’d say do a slow transition to a new food but since he’s having issues with Blue, use a probiotic and digestive enzyme, slow transition anyway & expect tummy upset.

[boobear27]

Thanks Pitlove!..I’m gonna try mixing the canned food in with the dry..I guess she might be associating her upset stomach with her food..She did fine eating that kibble for 4 months and now she won’t eat it..She use to eat Wellness for small breed but she was gaining alot of weight..She is also a senior dog..I gradually switched her to Wellness core reduced fat and she shed the pounds and started to be more active.

[anonymously]

After a visit to the vet to rule out medical problems, maybe a senior checkup with routine lab work, as indicated. Check the search engine here for food ideas. Example: /forums/search/senior/