[Sue W]

Hi Everyone and thank you so much for your help. I have 7 dogs (4 rescues) each need a different food – 1. Chico(Rescue) (kidney disease) 2.Riley(Rescue) (allergic to Rice, Oats, Yeast, Peas, Fish and all fish oils) 3 & 4 Moosha and Rumer (Prone to putting weight on and need low calorie but quality food) currently on Metabolic, ugh. 5. Murphy has a GI disorder can only high quality wet food – was on I/D but now on Natural Balance Chicken Formula. 6. Bugsy(Rescue) is a senior who after 1 dental and 10 teeth pulled will have another 18 pulled next month – so needless to say a soft diet is in order – he is currently eating Natural Balance Lamb Formula. 7. Little Bixbi (Rescue) newly adopted – this little dude is messed up – about 80% blind, has the ‘wobbles’ falls down a lot and has a few ruptured discs in his neck so he can’t move his head up and down – has(had) a UTI was on C/D. So there it is – I would LOVE to feed all my dogs 1 food – not sure raw is the way to go however I do like the ‘benefits’ of it and I do, when I have it, give them raw goats milk as well. I want to be able to feed my dogs a high quality organic non-gmo food – but with all the dogs having different needs I am spending – 100.00 a month on K/D roughly 33.70 for 12 cans 1 can daily. 44.00 a month on Chicken canned food and 40.00 a month on Lamb formula canned and of course 65.00 for a 17 1/2 pound bag for the 2 who need a low calorie food and 53.00 on Riley’s Nutro Essentials small Bites non gmo – has NO peas- most foods are being supplemented with peas/pea fiber Riley cant eat peas or the fish that’s also in almost all foods now and of course he can’t any brown rice, white rice oats or brewers yeast – thats basically everything good in dog foods, right? It’s a nightmare!!! All I want to do is feed my dogs an organic diet without spending more than I already am (or less would be ideal – with all the medical bills headed this way). The ‘just for dogs’ food is great – but a 72 oz bag is 33.00 and I would need at least 3 bags a month just for Chico. I am at a lost as to what is best for them( the priority of course) but what also doesn’t cost us 300.00 monthly just in dog food. I have found all the people ‘Susan’ suggested – Rodney and Dr. Judy, joined the canine kidney support group but couldn’t find the ‘K-9 Kitchen’ on facebook too many weird sites popped up and nobody named Monica. Thank you ALL for your help. And before the haters – start hating- I love my rescue dogs – and I am not crying about money and no I didn’t know how ill some of them were when I rescued/adopted them (except for Chico) so I am trying to help all them the healthiest way I can.

[Kim B]

I am still trying to figure out how to do the calculation on the food. I am looking at Canidae. I have fed their food in the past and now they have grain free options.

Life Stages Dry Dog Food for Puppies, Adults & Seniors

Here is a link to see a screen shot of the ingredients, etc so how do I turn this information into the equation to confirm if it is a well balanced food for a giant breed?

Thank you for your help with this!

[anonymous]

PS: Most likely the Heartworm Disease and the stress of being in a shelter and a new home are her main problems, if she makes it through the next 3 months, you will see a much different dog in 6 months.
Don’t expect too much now. She is sick. See what the vet advises, talk to the shelter.
Good luck

Oh, I almost forgot, for some reason dogs like Mighty Dog, it comes in small cans so there is less waste. You can find it at your local supermarket.
I had a dog that was having a rough recovery from dental surgery and Mighty Dog was the only thing he would eat. Vet said it was fine. Actually he thrived on it for a few years afterwards as a senior. Some of them have bacon flavors, yum.

[a c]

I use Orijen puppy since he was 6 weeks old with no problem. Tootsie roll stool. 3-4 times a day. Groomer noticed his beautiful fur. I have heard a lot of bad things about Orijen lately. I am trying to mix some Horizon Amicus puppy to Orijen puppy food. So far so good.

I wish I can feed a Orijen senior to my 10 years old. Unfortunately, it may be too rich for her. She has pancreatitis history. Our vet put her on Purina One Smartblend Healthy Weight Management. I feel so bad to feed her that, but don’t know what to do. I do add a little Natural Receipe wet food to make it taste/smell better.

[Nancy J K]

Hi
I have a mixed terrier, she is 13 years old. I noticed an immediate change in her energy, when I changed her food from Blue to Orijen SENIOR. It was like night and day! My dog’s arthritis was so bad she couldn’t even jump on the sofa. I have had her on Orijen now for 4 years, and for my dog it has been extremely successful. 2 weeks ago, this 13 year old dog caught a rabbit! That should tell you something!

It is a little pricey, but it is worth it. My other two dogs are on Orijen Fit and Trim. It’s amazing!. It’s important to know, none of the meat in Orijen or Acana come from China. Just because a product says made in USA, you need to know where the products used in the food are imported.
Good Luck.
Oh one more thing… I used to get my dogs food from Chewy. Unfortunately, they sold the Orijen and Acana contract to PetSmart. I now order through http://www.hollywoodfeed.com
Nancy

• This reply was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by Nancy J K.
• This reply was modified 8 years, 4 months ago by Nancy J K.

[Rea S]

I have been reading now for the last week on what food to switch to. I’m driving myself beyond crazy. My baby is a 10year old lazy boy. He has a heart murmur and arthritis. He has aged so much in the last year. The only exercise he gets is swimming in the pool about 4 days a week. He will swim for several hours.
For the last year he’s been on Chicken Soup Senior. My husband went to get him another bag and came home with the large breed. I knew something was wrong when my Buddy wouldn’t hardly eat it. He’s very food driven. The food actually smelled funny. Smelled stale. I threw that out and got him a bag of Whole Earth Farms Salmon and Whitefish. This doesn’t agree with him. He has bad gas and the kibble is very hard in texture.
(PLEASE HELP ME WITH ANOTHER FOOD)

[Nancy J K]

We have 4 dogs, 2 are on Orijen Senior (which I think is the best!) and the other 2 are on Acana Duck and Pear… now that Orijen Fit and Trim is new and finally available in the USA. My next order will be with the Fit and Trim (I’ll keep you posted with our dogs performance and acceptance of the new brand)

I was very disappointed that Chewy.com no longer contracts with Orijen and Acana Foods. I was lucky to find http://www.Hollywoodfeed.com with the same free delivery service and auto ship, and same price as Chewy.com. If you have been ordering through Chewy and now they have cancelled your orders, checkout Hollywood Feed!

[pitlove]

Hi Dawn-

The % fiber listed on the bag of food is always the MAX amount of fiber that COULD be in the food. Usually the true value of fiber is much lower. Any food you are interested in, I would recommend emailing the company and requesting the fiber % values found on their typical analysis. If they do not know what that is, or refuse to give you the info, avoid that company.

I have one dog that requires a lower % fiber in his diet now as well. He is not a senior, but as he ages his stomach is getting increasingly sensitive.

[anonymous]

Then he needs to be taken out for bathroom breaks more frequently.
Seniors are like puppies, all over again.
High maintenance, they need bathroom breaks at least every 2 hours.
It is what it is. They can no longer wait 8 to 10 hours for you to come home and let them out.
There is no magical food that will change these basic facts.
This is not veterinary advice; consult your veterinarian.

[anonymous]

Has he had a senior workup? A physical exam, lab work, etc? Seniors are vulnerable to all sorts of stuff.
It’s important to rule out any medical causes for a change in bowel habits first, before assuming that diet changes are in order.
Ps: I just noticed that you mentioned that you consulted your vet. Just saying, some folks don’t bother…

[anonymous]

Zignature, wet or dry, presoak the dry food and add water.
However, at age 16, the ailments you describe are most likely age related.
Food can only do so much, some seniors need a bathroom break about every 2 hours for optimal results. Minimum, every 4 hours.
Feed 3 or 4 or 5 small meals per day with water added, rather than 2 meals per day. Always have fresh water available. Don’t expect the dog to hold his urine all day, that’s how bladder stones develop.
Talk to your vet about prescription meds for the arthritis pain, care and comfort.

[Dawn]

I have a 16 year old Lhasa-huahua. I am looking at switching his diet to a low fibre food from the store bought stuff he has been on all his life.

He can’t make it through the long nights that I work without soiling. I am hoping that a low fibre diet may help with this. He is very lean and I have always had trouble keeping weight on him so I don’t really think I need a “Senior” formulation for weight control. He is also having issues with arthritis. He has always done better with wet food.

There are so many to choose from and all my vet said was go with a premium brand. Can anyone make suggestions?

Thanks
Dawn

[anonymous]

“my question is .. does it ever stop ?? or do you have episodes with your dogs every now and then ?? Also do you leave your dog in a crate when you are at work ?? and if you do how long is he confined . I just hate the thought that he will eat something and not pass it … but as this only happens occassionally i would hate to have him crated all the time while i am at work . What do you do?”
@ Rita M
See my above posts and Dennis M’s. Of course no one here is a veterinarian that has examined your dog. Nor is anyone here in a professional capacity.
I strongly encourage you to work closely with your vet, ask questions, ask about anticonvulsants. Maybe your vet has a veterinary neurologist she could consult with that will offer some recommendations if you are hesitant to do a lot of testing on a senior dog.
Some of us have owned dogs with neurological disorders and know what they look like, that’s why we suspect seizures, as there are many types. Often a low dose of medication (daily) does the trick and the episodes stop 🙂
This is not veterinary advice; consult your veterinarian.

[InkedMarie]

Why are you choosing to put her on a senior food? Most are too low in protein with Orijen being the exception. If your dog is overweight, try Annamaet Lean or Wellness Core reduced fat.

[Lindsay B]

My German Shorthair is turning 8 and we think it’s time to start transitioning her to a senior dog food. Any suggestions for a mid-range food that is low calorie? Are there any other factors we should consider?

[pitlove]

Breeding is complex and yes everyone will have their own opinion. So will people on the internet.

Breeders who’s goals are betterment of the breed are carefully selecting their breeding stock, importing new bloodlines and adding them to their program and constantly looking for dogs to add to their program without genetic ailments plaguing their breed. Those breeders are the ones that we need to help move away from the belief that pure breds are less healthy than mutts. For example Golden Retriever breeders are working to breed cancer out of their lines. Slowly they are accomplishing this. Nutrition plays a huge role in the health of any individual animal, but so does genetics.

Also as a breeder you have a responsibility to your breed to keep up with current research. That being said, the myth that “high protein” diets affect growth in large and giant breeds was debunked over 20 years ago with a set of excellent studies done on Danes. Dietary calcium and over nutrition, coupled with genetics are now recognized as the leading causes of DODs in growing large breeds. A growing puppy should never be put on a “senior” or adult maintenance diet. This was an old practice before companies developed quality foods geared towards large breed puppies. Now with all of the excellent foods available there is no excuse for having them on such an inappropriate diet.

[Elise S]

That’s one of the problems every breeding has their own opinion of what is the “Best feeding program” only based on thier experience. Some people swear by a for but when you really start to read about it’s not something I wasn’t my dog on.There doesn’t seam to be one general train of thought. Are hip/elbows getting better or worse, if better because of diet what are people feeding.

Because of this unusually giant breed with the average life spam of 7-9 yrs. Weve seen huge improvements in the overall health of the breed. With correct health testing, breeding, exercise and yes diet, we’re starting to see these guys life long healthy lives 11-13 yrs.

When I breed a bitch I monitor and control everything about her food from the day she goes into season. Giant breed puppy foods can be just as hard because of to much protein. Some breedersput puppies on senior foods for lower protein, but I don’t believe the puppies are not getting calories and calcium.

[Susan]

Hi Teagsmon,
if you go to a pet shop then you can feel the kibble size through the kibble bag, that’s what I do, the Canidae kibbles are as small as your small pinky finger nail. here’s the Canidae link again, my fist post link isn’t working, I left out a few letters…
Canidae shows a picture of their kibble size, just click on one of the Pure formula’s, Pure Wild or Pure Meadow Senior on page 3, then scroll down & you’ll see Daily Feeding Guide, Ingredients, Guaranteed Analysis, Kibble Size….. https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

[Jude N]

Hello,

My senior chihuahua/JRT mix had a bout of acute pancreatitis several years ago. He had bloodwork done a few months ago and didn’t have anything elevated enough that it concerned the veterinarian.

I’ve been trying to feed him a raw diet, but he only likes beef, and is clearly unhappy when he feels forced to eat anything else. He’d rather not eat for several days than eat pork, venison, duck, or chicken willingly. This inability to rotate him on proteins has me nervous about trying to stick with a “homemade” raw diet, and I’m looking to switch to commercial raw. Budget is a major concern for me.

There’s a good deal going on at Chewy’s right now for a food called Tylee’s. Here are the ingredients:

“Nutritional Info
Ingredients
Beef Heart, Ground Beef, Water (Sufficient For Processing), Beef Liver, Spinach, Broccoli, Zucchini, Sweet Potato, Mangos, Tricalcium Phosphate, Chia Seeds, Sunflower Oil, Ground Flaxseed, Potassium Chloride, Salt, Cod Liver Oil Powder, Dried Parsley, Ground Cinnamon, Dried Kelp, Zinc Amino Acid Chelate, Iron Amino Acid Chelate, Rosemary Extract, Manganese Amino Acid Chelate.”

I read in another post on this forum that it has a very high fat content…something like 34-38%. Yikes.

His pancreatitis attack was the result of a dogsitter feeding him a fatty, greasy, smoked ham bone that she had thought was a yummy treat for him. He was on a low-fat diet for several months afterwards.

Chip refuses kibble, wet food, re-hydrated raw, and Nature’s Instinct raw patties (I think he’s just bored of the Nature’s Instinct; he used to eat it well). Primal , THK, and Darwin’s are too expensive for me.

There’s another food called Ollie’s that I’m looking into, but I’m not thrilled about a couple of the ingredients (potatoes and peas, specifically).

Does anyone have any advice/experience on how long a pancreatic attack needs to be considered in a dog’s diet? Does anyone feed Tylee’s, or Ollie’s?

Thank you 🙂

[Susan]

Hi teagsmom,
why not feed wet tin food or cooked soft meals, even if its just 1 meal wet food then the other meal a kibble….. kibble is very hard to chew, the only kibble I know is small & very easy to digest & goes soft all the way thru when water is added is the “Canidae” Pure Meadow Senior but it’s Chicken, Chicken Meal Turkey Meal, Sweet potatoes…here’s Canidae’s site look at all their formula’s, there’s also their Pure Wild Boar, Pure Land, Pure Sea, Pure Sky all have no chicken, all Canidaes kibbles are very small & very easy to digest… https.www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
if you do feed a wet tin food, read the fat % & stay under 5%-fat, wet & raw pet foods aren’t converted to dry matter fat & protein, so 5%min fat is around 20%-25% max – fat if it were a kibble…

[Susan]

Hi Ginger,
Sorry its a long post but it’s hard to explain everything in 1-2 paragraphs hopefully some of this information will help your girls itchy skin…
Your girl sounds like my boy who will be 9 yrs old in November, he suffers with IBD, Pancreatitis, environment skin allergies & food sensitivities causing itchy smelly skin,paws, ears, gas & diarrhea, we thought he had diabetes a few months ago cause he was drinking & drinking water but blood test were all fine thank-god, I couldn’t handle another health problem, I feel so sorry for sick animals. 🙁
I wouldn’t try the Cytopoint injections with your dog yet, has your vet explained how Cytopoint works? My vet looked into the Cytopoint injections, she explained once you’ve given the injection it stays in the dogs system up to 6-8 weeks, so if it makes them ill there’s nothing that can be done to reverse any side effects cause Patch reacts to certain medications & it’s a newer drug we don’t have any real research results yet, after a couple of years vets will know more how dogs react that have certain health problems like our dogs have, when the dog is younger & heathier yes I think CADI is the best thing for itchy dogs better the Apoquel, now Apoquel has been out over a few years vets see all the side effects so in a few years when vets have used Cytopoint, they’ll know & can report any bad side effects if there are any?…

My vet said Apopuel doesn’t help when a dog has itchy skin from secondary Malassezia (Yeast) Dermatitis, Apoquel cannot resolve inflammation or treat yeast, she said Apoquel
has helped a few of her dog patients that have IBD but I was to scared to try Apoquel with Patch cause one of the side effects with Apoquel is nausea & vomiting, my vet did have a few dogs that become very sick while taking the Apoquel, so I changed his diet, bathed him weekly to wash off any allergens on his paws & body to relieve his itchy skin paws & I use creams. As they get older the allergies get worse..

They are finding Cytopoint works better then Apoquel for environment allergies & itchy skin, CADI blocks the receptors completely, where Apoquel blocks the reaction from the allergens receptors, there’s a good face book group to join “Dog issues, allergies and other information support group” with really good information about CADI & Apoquel.. a lady called Petra that runs the group can explain things better…

I would be changing her diet first, when my Patch was eating the Hills I/d wet & dry formula’s & other foods that had the ingredients he was sensitive too he got his red paws, smelly yeasty itchy skin & that’s only cause he’s a sensitive to the chicken, oats, barley tapioca, corn gluten meal in the I/d vet diet & other foods he was eating, once I remove these allergens he is OK thru the cooler Winter months then when Summer comes he gets his environment allergies so I bath more, I use hydrocortisone 1% cream to relieve the itch & feed treats that are high in omega 3 fatty acid like K-9 Natural freeze dried Green Lipped Mussels, ask your vet can your try the Royal Canine HP wet tin food the fat is 2.5% you’ll have to email or ring Royal Canine & ask them what is the max fat % when converted to dry mater?? it’s probably around 7-8% fat when converted to dry matter (Kibble fat), Hills have already converted all their wet tin foods on their internet site, I wish other pet food companies did the same cause people don’t no this & read 5%-fat on a wet tin foods or raw foods & think the fat % is low when 5% fat is around 20% fat when converted to dry matter, the Australian R/C HP is 3.5% in the wet tin food, when converted it was 13% fat, it has the omega 3 oils & everything needed for skin problems, or I’d say look at the R/C selected proteins formula’s PR-Rabbit & Potato or PD-Duck & Potato or PV-Venison & Potato but the R/C in the wet tin wet tin foods the fat is too high for Pancreatitis 4-5% when converted to dry matter is around 15-20% fat but the dry R/C select proteins kibbles are lower in fat at 10%max but your feed wet tin..

Have you joined the “Canine Pancreatitis Support ” Face Book group,
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1435920120029740/
join & look in their “Files” there’s 2 links “Low Fat Food” click on the first link & scroll down, all the low fat wet tin foods come up, on your right there’s the converted fat %, it’s been converted to dry matter fat % also read the ingredients in the Hills Wet tin food she is eating at the moment, try & avoid those some of those ingredients if you can, she is probably sensitive to a few ingredients in the I/d wet tin formula’s, that’s why I recommended the Royal Canine vet diet HP wet tin it’s a Hypoallergenic formula, your dog shouldn’t react & itch to any of the ingredients but Patch got acid reflux from the fish oil & his poos were soft but he always does softer poos when he eats wet tin foods, that’s why I feed 5 small meals a day 2 meals are cooked meal or a wet tin food & the other 3 meals are a kibble & his poos stay firm…
“Canidae” makes a really good small easy to digest grain free kibble, that’s low in fat 10.80%max called Canidae,Pure Meadow Senior grain free page 3 & Canidae Life Stages Platinum less active has grains page 4, https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products….
It can take anywhere from 1 day up to 6 weeks for a dog to react to an ingredient & start scratching get yeasty smell paws. ears, skin gas & sloppy poos….Patch only reacts 15-20mins after he eats chicken he starts itching & scratching, gets red paws but with some ingredients in a kibble he takes about 5-14 days to start reacting with smelly yeasty skin paws & ears, carrots cause itchy smell ears.
Look for proteins like Rabbit, Venison, Pork, Duck & kangaroo in wet grain free tin foods, kangaroo is a lean novel protein & your dog probably hasn’t eaten much of the Kangaroo before. Can your girl eat a kibble even if you only feed 1 of her meals kibble then the rest of her meals wet tin food.

[a c]

Susan,

Thank you for your reply. He is a 12 weeks old miniature schnauzer. He has no problem with Orijen puppy kibble. His stool is like toosie roll, solid but soft. 5 times a day. He is also getting Freshpet select chicken and turkey roll and little vegetable as topper. I just want to rotate him with some other quality puppy food.

Both Holistic Select g/f puppy kibble and Eagle Pack kibble have Carbs at 47-48% in dry matter. Wellness Core puppy has Protein at 40% in dry matter. I am looking for kibbles that’s not too much on one component.

Besides Freshpet select roll, I have not introduced any raw or can diet for him. I know most of the raw diet have pretty high fat. I have learned my lesson from my senior dog with pancreatitis history.

[Susan]

Hi Ashley,
yes Canidae’s cheaper brand “Under The Sun” is very chickpea heavy, I tried UTS formula with Lamb & rice but I think they’re discontinued now ….
Chickpeas & Lentils are the new filler’s in grain free foods & Barley in grain formula’s, Chickpeas & Lentils are harder to digest & can cause gas/wind if your dog has sensitive stomach/bowel, if there’s a grain free formula that has chickpeas as 5-6th ingredients then there’ll be less chickpeas, Patch seems OK with the Canidae grain free formula’s, no bad farts or wind pain…. but when chickpeas are 2nd, 3rd ingredient then there’s more chickpeas in those formula’s…..that’s why I like “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb, it has sweet potatoes & NO chickpeas but I’m pretty sure the TOTW made for American customers has Salmon Oil 🙁
I posted the Canidae link in my first post, go on page 2, look at the Canidae Pure Land formula, Patch did real well then go on page 3- Canidae Pure Wild Boar & then the Canidae Pure Meadow Senior has very good ingredients 3 proteins as 1st-Chicken, 2nd-Chicken Meal & 3rd-Turkey Meal then 4th ingredient is Sweet Potatoes then chickpeas are the 5th ingredient & my boy did really well the only problem with the Canidae Pure Meadow Senior it has Chicken & Chicken Meal & my boy gets red paws & gets a bit itchy when he eats chicken so I rotate & only give him the chicken formula for a few meals a week, if you go on page 4 look at the Turkey Meal & Brown rice large breed formula, I email Canidae & asked can a small to medium breed & a senior dog eat any of their large breed formula’s & the lady said yes… the Duck meal, Brown Rice & Lentils large breed is also good on page 5…the Lentils are further down the ingredient list….If I find a large breed kibble with ingredients Patch can eat, I feed a large breed kibble in my rotation & try it out, the only problem with some large breed brands, some brands make a bigger size kibble but Canidae doesn’t…I like small size kibbles, my boy gulps his food & when the kibbles are smaller then they digest easier when they’re swallowed whole…

I just came across another kibble called “Performatrin Ultra” look at the Ultra formula’s with grains, the grain free formula’s are chickpea & lentil heavy… http://www.performatrin.com/products-selector/
also Hills “Ideal Balance” formula’s don’t have fish or fish oils..

[Susan]

Hi Ashley,
yes you are right, it’s so hard to find a 3-5 star kibble with no fish or fish/salmon oils…
My boy cant have salmon oil or fish oil he gets bad acid reflux….. I live Australia & most imported American kibbles change their formula’s to come here & don’t have any fish oils (they go rancid quicker) the “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb we get & Europe gets doesn’t have the Salmon oil it has the Canola oil instead….

Have a look at “Canidae” & “Under The Sun” formula’s, here’s their link https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
I know Under the Sun formula’s don’t have any fish meats or oils unless it’s a fish formula & I know the Canidae Pure Wild Boar & Pure Meadow Senior formula doesn’t have any fish either Canidae has their Pure grain free formula’s & their All Life Stages formula have grains…look thru all their formulas…

Look at “Wellness” also “Holistic Select” & “Eagle Pack” all made my Well Pet..
Wellness- https://www.wellnesspetfood.com/natural-dog-food
Eagle Pack- http://www.eaglepack.com/

also “EarthBorn Holistic”- https://www.earthbornholisticpetfood.com/dog-food-formulas
“Pro Pac Ultimates” – https://www.propacultimates.com/
“Wholesomes Sportmix- https://www.sportmix.com/dog-food/wholesomes/
the Chicken & Rice & the grain free formula’s have no fish, all made by Midwestern Pet foods…

[Susan]

Hi LISA P,
this post is long, it’s too hard explaining everything in just 1-2 paragraph post, start feeding a diet that has just 1 protein & limited ingredients, less ingredients are best while you work out what foods are causing the bad gas & bloating, sounds like your boy might have IBS or IBD being 7 yrs old it’s probably IBD, you need to see a vet that specializes in IBD, the only true way to diagnosed IBD is biopsies either thru Endoscope or cut him open, I will not let Patches knife happy vet cut my Patch open, 2014 vet did Endoscope thru the throat
& biopsies, if the pyloric sphincter flap from the stomach to the small bowel is open they can go thru into the small bowel & get a biopsies as well, you need the biopsies cause Patches stomach looked excellent then the biopsies results came back he has Helicobacter-Pylori & IBD but I don’t know what type of IBD the results said he need further investigation, even if I knew what type of IBD I asked my vet, would you do anything different in medications? she said no we’ll just have a name of the type of IBD he has…
Patch was getting the rumbling & grumbling bowel noises early hours of a morning when I first rescued him, we found out he has food intolerances to certain foods, this is what your boy probably has too food sensitivities, most vet diets for Intestinal stress have the foods Patch can’t eat, I have found kibbles & cooked meals that have sweet potato, egg, potato & a little bit of peas work the best for Intestinal stress, stay away from fermentable carbohydrates, ingredients that ferment in the stomach & bowel like rice, barley, oats, beet pulp, soybeans, legumes, no ingredients that are hard to digest like Chick Peas, lentils they can cause wind/gas…
The Ziwi Peak he ate was it the wet or air dry Ziwi Peak cause Ziwi Peak have changed their formula’s & have added chickpeas to the wet tin formula’s.

The vet would have prescribed your boy Metronidazole, was he better while taking the Metronidazole?? sometimes dogs are kept on a low dose of Metronidazole it stops the bad bacteria from taking over stomach bowel & has anti inflammatory properties that helps with any inflammation of the stomach & bowel, Patches vet writes out a repeat script of the Metronidazole I can take to a chemist & take out & when I noticed Patch doing smelly farts, whinging & wanting me to rub stomach & Pancreas area & or starts doing sloppy poos for 2 days straight & start him on the Metronidazole for 10-14 days straight away before he has a IBD flare & gets real bad….

Have you looked at cooking his meals or I feed kibble for some of his meals & cooked meals for the other meals, Patch eats 5 smaller meals a day this has helped heaps when his stomach & Pancreas isn’t working properly its easier to digest smaller meals then to digest 2 bigger meals….Patch was the same pain in the Pancreas stomach area blood test say Pancreas was OK even ultra scan said the pancreas looks good, so his vet said it’s his IBD & I put him back on the Metronidazole again & it seems to help him & I feed his TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb kibble & don’t give anything else cause I know the TOTW kibble is very easy to digest…

Have a look at “Canidae” Pure Meadow Senior the fat is low at 10.8% max, I’ve emailed Canidae to find out the max fat %, the protein is 28%, it has limited ingredients, but cause it has chicken Patch gets his red paws then starts getting itchy cause he’s sensitive to chicken but he did really well when on the Canidae just wish they didn’t use the chicken & I feed “Taste Of the Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb kibble it just has 1 protein Lamb & has limited ingredients, sweet potatoes, egg, potato & peas & I was feeding the Hills I/d Chicken & Vegetable Stew but then I realized the new formula has beet pulp & Patch didn’t really want to eat it no more, he had his red, I was taken out the rice & carrots, he can’t eat boiled rice it irritates his bowel causing sloppy poo’s….
I have found when Patch gets a rumbling grumbling bowel I give him 1 teaspoon – 5ml of liquid Mylanta that I keep in the fridge, when the Mylanta is cold it soothes the throat & stomach & it stops the gas rumbling thru the bowel also dry toast only use white bread the toast helps relieve the grumbling bowel & Patch finally goes to sleep, but since I’ve worked out what foods he’s sensitive too he hasn’t had his rumbling bowel…
Your best to do a cooked elimination diet, add 1 new ingredient every 6 weeks & see does he react to that ingredient & get bad wind pain & bloat up, it can take 1 day to 6 weeks to react to an ingredient in a kibble or wet tin cooked food or feed a vet diet like the Hills D/D Venison & Potatoes as long as you know your boy is OK with venison & potato, the D/D has just potato & venison, it has no beet pulp, no peas, no soy protein, it’s grain free, gluten free & high in omega 3 fatty acids what’s needed for the stomach & bowel to heal, Patch does OK when he eats the D/D Venison formula, I rotate between the TOTW Lamb breakfast & the D/D Venison for lunch then TOTW for his 2 dinners, When a dog eats the same diet for years & years then sometimes they start to react to 1 or 2 ingredients this is why I always tell people to rotate between different brand kibbles with different proteins & add cooked fresh ingredients to your dogs diet…Vet diets are good to get the dog stable then you start to work out a new diet for your dog……
Is he doing real well on the Vet diet he’s eating at the moment which formula is it?? Patch hasn’t done well on any of the Hills I/d vet diets, he did Ok on the I/d Digestive Care kibble & the I’d Chicken & vegetable stew wet tin but after 1 week eating the I/d kibble his poos when sloppy & he started getting gas & bad farts then he started to itch, the Hills D/D Venison + potato is the first vet diet he’s doing OK on & it helps with his skin allergies no red paws & also helps with his IBD, it’s also lower in protein-19% the fat is 16% its does cause some acid reflux sometimes so I feed the TOTW for all the other meals for that day & only a small meal of the D/D venison for lunch he really likes it….

Here’s “Balance It” site, https://secure.balanceit.com/ there are recipes on this site & then you add the Balance it powder to balance the meals also have you tried giving a probiotic? Purina Forti Floria is suppose to be a good dog probiotic & when it was tested it had live bacteria & made it on the best 10 dogs probiotic list, I give Patch some of my Yakult probiotic drink, also only change or add 1 thing at a time in a week in his diet so if he gets pain, gas bloating diarrhea you know what caused the problem if you start a few things at once & he reacts you wont know what caused what….

Your boy is only 7 yrs old, he’ll bounce back, start to read the signs & rub his stomach & bowel area & help push out any of the wind he might have my boy is very vocal & tells me straight away when something is wrong, his vet said she has never seen a dog that can understand everything we are saying & talks back…. Hopefully in 1 yr you’ll have his diet all worked out & know what he can & can’t eat & he’ll be doing real well once you work out his diet also be careful with treats, Canidae make healthy biscuit treats limited ingredients, the Canidae Pure Meadow Senior kibble is on page 3 ….just remember when introducing any new formula’s do it very slowly over 12-15 days so he doesn’t get any gas wind pain…
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

[Susan]

Hi Linda,
is Hagen a small breed? I looked up the Hills t/d Dental Health, it’s low in protein 17.2% & fat is 16.7% & is very high in crude fiber at 10.4%, the high fiber might be making him poo more, his normally diet probably isn’t as high in fiber, I stay around 4-5%max for crude fiber, Hagen normal diet is probably higher protein diet with higher Kcals per cup then the Hills vet diet is…..or he may need to be on the Metronidazole a bit longer, 21 day course is normally the best when they have had a bout of diarrhea & a bit older… has Hagens poo’s stayed firm since stopping the Metronidazole?
I’d still be giving him a probiotic, you can give kefir instead, I give Patch the Human “Yakult” probiotic drinks, I have 1 everyday & Patch gets some as well..
Your vet should have put your boy on the Hills I/d Digestive Care dry kibble, the dry I/d Digestive formula is high in electrolytes & vitamin B, has ingredients that are suppose to improve digestion & should make Hagen’s poos smaller & less pooing times, I found the Hills I/d Digestive Care Chicken & Vegetable stew was the better out of all the I/d formula’s, there’s a few different I/d formula’s, the normal I/d Digestive Care wet tin loaf formula made Patches IBD worse, some of these vet diets don’t work for some dogs Gi problems, the Vet diets never seem to help Patches IBD, his skin problems became worse…make sure you write down the vet formula’s Hagen was put on so you remember next time if vet prescribes them again….that’s why I asked is Hagen a small breed with teeth problems for his vet to put him on the Hills T/d formula??

The Hills Metabolic & Mobility dry & wet formula would have been another good vet diet for Hagen to eat being 11 & 1/2 yrs old, the Hills Metabolic & Mobility dry & wet tin food is higher in protein & has better ingredients then the Hills T/d Dental Health formula.

Have you looked at the Canidae Pure Meadow Senior, the protein is around 28% & fat is 10.80%max, Canidae Pure formula’s are excellent for dogs with Gi problems, the Pure Meadow Senior is on page 3….
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

If you Hagen keeps having Intestinal stress on & off then the “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb formula is excellent for Gi problems, it has only 1 protein Lamb & has limited ingredients sweet potatoes, egg & potato, it has the matching wet tin food as well, Patch does excellent size poo’s & poo’s on time everyday when eating the TOTW & Canidae formula’s….

[a c]

I have a 10 years old miniature schnauzer with pancreatitis history. As a senior dog, she can’t have high protein. With pancreatitis, she can’t have high fat. Does that mean, she can only go with high carb food?

Our vet told me to put her on Pruina One Smart Blend Heathy Weight Management.
Other suggestions?

[anonymous]

Feed him separately, all pets should be fed separately and observed during meals anyway.
Maybe feed him 3 or 4 small meals per day instead of 2. Do not free feed, in example: don’t leave food down all day. Add water. Long walks as tolerated.

Follow him around when he is due for a bowel movement, immediately scoop and discard.

He is a senior, I went through this with one of my dogs, they gradually get a form of dementia, they don’t remember when they last ate and are constantly hungry.
Talk to your vet about medication to keep him comfortable. It’s a cognitive disorder, not related to the food.
If your vet approves for him to come off the prescription diet. I recommend Zignature.
Ps: One of the side effects of anticonvulsants is increased appetite.

[anonymous]

Has he had his senior physical exam and lab work done? If not, I would start there, the findings will help you regarding your decisions about food choices.

[Susan]

Hi Jude,
You may need to see vet & get an X Ray, so the vet can see what’s happening, there’s an monthly injection the vet can give to bring relief….I don’t know the name..
Also apply a heat pack for 20mins, this will bring relief to your dog….

Why don’t you buy the human grade Glucosamine & Chondroitin capsules? they are cheaper & work the best for joint inflammation, anything sold as a dog supplement like Sasha Blend etc the price is doubled……

Just be careful when giving any of these joint supplements as they can cause Acid Reflux & upset the stomach….they MUST be taken with a meal…Krill Oil capsules are the best for people & animals that suffer from stomach problems…

Have a look at “Canidae” Pure Meadow Senior dry, it’s excellent for aging dogs, my neighbours dog eats the Canidae Pure Meadow Senior dry Kibble & acts like he’s a young dog again, his owner also feeds tin Sardines in Spring water, he gives him a few sardines as treat daily…. https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products
I give the freeze dried Green Lipped Mussels daily, he gets about 2-3 mussels a day…

[Jude N]

Prescription meds often have longterm side effects that can negatively affect the health of my dog. He’s been to the vet recently, had a senior blood panel done, an exam, etc. He has a low grade heart murmur but nothing else was mentioned in his bloodwork, other than being a little dehydrated.

I disagree with your stance on supplements, but thanks for the comment.

Still looking for input regarding which supplement would be best to try.

[anonymous]

In my opinion, your money would be better spent going to the vet for an evaluation and treatment options for pain management and inflammation such as prescription meds.
Has he had a senior workup? If not, that would be a good place to start.
Aqua therapy which is offered at some veterinary clinics as rehab, swimming in a pool or walking in water on a treadmill a few times a week can help a lot. https://www.vetinfo.com/aquatic-therapy-for-dogs.html

Supplements are not only most likely ineffective but they often have side effects.
Perhaps you will find some helpful information here http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=mercola
and http://skeptvet.com/Blog/?s=glucosamine

This is not veterinary advice; consult your veterinarian.

[Jude N]

I’ve read through quite a few older topics on here from ~2013, and it seems like several of the recommended Wysong products are no longer in production…so I was going to ask for more help.

I have a roughly 11 year old rescue dog, probably a chi/JRT mix, who has recently begun showing his age. He’s had inflammation in his back before, and over the weekend he’s been crying when we’ve moved him. Otherwise, he acts perfectly normal.

I’m looking at a Mercola pet joint supplement, but it lacks the ingredients I’m used to seeing with hip & joint support: chondroitin & glucosamine.

I’ve looked into a hip & joint supplement by The Missing Link.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a small dog?

Thank you!

[suztzu]

Hello I have two dogs an elderly shih tzu 13yrs with cushings on trylostane and very stable and an 9 yr pom I just adopted a year ago, the senior tzu is ok with weight my pom has gotten a pound and a half overweight. They both have been on Natures Variety raw boost kibble for about a year the small breed variety which was 13 % fat and 33 % protein, but they are now changing the formula and pushing the fat up to 16 % fat same protein content. I would really like to get them off kibble altogether. They both get freeze dried raw a couple times a week ( northwest naturals or primal sometimes stellas ) But usually I give them Weruva canned food with the kibble. I am thinking of going just straight pre made raw maybe freeze dried I think this will help my pom shed some weight with the higher protein levels and moisture low carb. I am hesitant on my shih tzu because of his age and the possibility of pancreatitis. So I am thinking maybe a lower fat raw and good fiber content might be ok since he’s done well on freeze dried raw, which I know is the same as reg raw but it is mixed with kibble so it hasnt been exclusively fed as raw. Should I be worried about pancreatitis with raw diet ? They are not used to such a high level of fat, I have combed through the reviews and cannot find one under 30% fat. SO MANY QUESTIONS UGH !! Which brands should I go with Stella and Chewys or Primal or Natures Variety we sell all those at my work I am a dog groomer. I get a 20% discount so I would like to got with one of those brands, but I did pick up a bag of Northwest Naturals freeze dried which they really like. Thanks in advance for any help it is much appreciated.

[Tammy J]

Hi All,
I think this is a great forum. I’m hoping some folks can help me find the best food for my Sweetie. She is turning 9 in September. She is a shorkie (shih tzu/yorkie) She weighs about 15 pounds. She developed bladder stones about a year ago. The vet treated her with medicine and switched her food to urinary SO. The stones actually dissolved, no surgery needed. However, I was told she would need prescription food for the rest of her life. I was previously feeding her primal freeze dried nuggets. They said raw diets are the worst choice. Sweetie has always had allergies, and she did great on raw. She’s been super itchy and eating her feet since changing food. She’s developed a bladder infection and we are now on Hills urinary c/d. She’s licked her paws raw and developed a yeast infection (didn’t know that was possible on a paw) and is on medication for that. I understand that the prescription food has a reduced amount of calcium, magnesium and phosphorus. I’ve read some not great things about Hills food. Sweetie has never been a big drinker, the other thing to prevent the crystals from coming back. She also benefits from glucosamine for her stiff joints. While researching senior foods, they seem so high in the minerals. Any ideas on the best food for keeping Sweetie healthy and happy? I wouldn’t mind making homemade, since we only have one dog. Thanks for your help!

[Linda H]

I am looking for diet answers also. My black lab has been recently diagnosed with kidney disease. He has elevated Lipase. BP is WNL. Does have protein in his urine. The vet wanted to change him to Royal Canin renal support. My concern was the ingredients. The first few ingredients are: brewers rice, corn, chicken fat, chicken by product meal, died beet pulp, wheat gluten… We have been feeding our dog Go fit Senior formula. The protein & phosphorous are much higher than the renal formula.

[anonymous]

Excellent!
However, the suggestions that your regular vet made regarding starting Prozac and taking an ultrasound to rule out neurological anomalies (or whatever he is looking for) made sense too.

Your dog is a senior, vulnerable to all kinds of things, and his age may be a factor as to how aggressive you want to be with treatment (discuss options with the vet)
Make a list of questions for the vet.

When your dog has one of these episodes, see if you can capture it on video to show the vet.

[Susan]

Hi Laura,
“Canidae” Pure Meadow Senior, grain free
“Canidae” All Life Stages, Platinum Senior, less active –
https://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

“Holistic Select” Chicken Meal & Rice Senior
http://holisticselect.com.au/recipes.aspx?pet=dog

“Ziwi Peak” Air Dried
https://www.ziwipets.com/catalog/ziwi-peak-dog-nutrition

“Wellness” Complete Health Senior

[pugmomsandy]

I just finished up a bag of RAWZ Meal Free and Core Wild Game for my senior pugs and their output has been solid. 2/3 cup a day with some other foods I give as treats.

[Laura E]

3 Boston terriers ages 9, 12, 13. Looking for a healthy dry food for these smaller, senior dogs. I’ve tried a few but not happy with them. Nutro Ultra seems to make them poop more and messy. Any suggestions appreciated.

[Susan]

Hi Ann C
Yes it’s best to feed wet tin or a balanced cooked diet if a dog has had or is prone to Pancreatitis, I buy the Hills I/D Chicken & Vegetable Stew 156g cans 24 in a cartoon online & keep in the cupboard has long use by dates, & if I see Patch isn’t well & going down hill, he start’s whinging & lifts his front paw up & wants me to rub his stomach/pancreas area, I stop what I’m feeding & feed the Hills I/D for a few meals to rest the stomach & pancreas & rotate his kibble, he does best when I rotate between kibble formula’s & don’t leave him eating the same kibble… he has IBD as well..
Years ago vet diet’s were feed to get the dog stable then you look for another food, but cause a lot vets were leaving these pets on vet diets around 2013-2014 the vet diet companies re did some of their formula’s & balanced them so they can be eaten for a life time, it’s written on the packaging now, its good you pick the Hills, Hills have started improving all their I/d formula’s they’re are for Intestinal Stress, Pancreatits etc, Hills once had the worse ingredients but since Rodney Habib exposed these ingredient & said these poor dogs are having Intestinal Stress & these vet diet are full of corn, wheat, tallow, how are they suppose to get better?? Hills cleaned their act up, now Purina has do the same,

Try not to feed any high fiber, high carb diets, back in the 1970-1990’s before processed quick & easy kibble became the big rage, dogs were feed table scraps, they ate what we ate, home cooked meals, they were more healthy & they seemed to lived longer, they didn’t have all these new skin allergies problems & cancer like we are seeing now, they are saying dogs are at their sickest now, we need to start doing what we did years ago, start adding some fresh healthy lean foods to the dogs diet, “Rodney Habib” face book Nutrition blogger has a video where Researchers found by just adding 2 spoons of healthy foods to a bowl of kibble a day reduces your dog from getting cancer & feed a very low carb, high protein, medium fat diet, Follow & Friend “Rodney Habib” on his face book page, he’s trying to show pet owners how to read pet foods ingredient list, how to prevent cancer & how to help & feed your dog if they have cancer, there’s a video on his F/B page about a dog called Cali she was pregnant but after having a ultra scan she just had 1 puppy & a big cancer mass Hemangiosarcoma, Hemangiosarcoma is an aggressive cancer she had 1-2 months to live, she now is cancer free all cause of a “Ketopet” diet, Ketopet is saving & helping dogs with cancer….Ketopets story is a beautiful story, Ketopet went to pounds around America & rescued these dogs on death row that their owners surrender cause they had cancer, these dog are now cancer free & now they all need homes a beautiful story…
https://www.facebook.com/rodneyhabib
Read ingredient lists, the first 2-5 ingredients should be a proteins then a carb,
for eg, “Canidae’s” Pure Meadow Senior formula, Chicken, Chicken meal, turkey Meal, Sweet Potatoes, peas, chickpeas, chicken fat, the fat is 10.80% max & protein is 28%….

[anonymous]

Cancer tends to be genetic, some cancers such as hemangiosarcoma strike between 8 and 10 years of age. Often, by the time they show symptoms, it is too late.

Some dogs do better on canned food (especially seniors). You can presoak kibble in the fridg overnight, also, adding a splash of water is a good idea, a lot of dogs don’t drink enough water.

This is not veterinary advice; consult your veterinarian.

[anonymous]

@ Ann C
“I took her stool to the vet’s office this afternoon. I was told to put her on Science Diet ID can food for a few days and transition her to Purina One SmartBlend Healthy Weight Formula on maintenance program”.

Sounds like a good plan. Especially since your dog is a senior and has specific health concerns. I would continue to work closely with your veterinarian to prevent a flare up of symptoms.
Pancreatitis is a serious medical condition for a dog and requires the expertise of a veterinarian for treatment and stabilization.
Prescription foods are especially formulated for specific medical conditions and can be effective towards keep pets stable in conjunction with other recommendations made by the examining vet..

[Susan]

Hi Ann C,
yes sounds like the pet shop owner knows her foods, “Canidae’ is EXCELLENT, have a look at the Canidae Pure Meadow Senior grain free, I’ve contacted Canidae about this new formula, Pure Meadow Senior the max fat % is 10.80%max fat, that’s pretty good & low in fat & the Canidae Life Stages Platinum is also good has grains, very low in protein at 20%. I found the Platinum formula kibble breaks down real easy, all crumbs are all down the bottom of kibble bag or container too much crumbs…
all Canidae formula’s are very easy to digest, very good for dogs with skin, stomach, bowel Pancreatitis……
I have fed all the formulas you have mentioned above except the weight management formula vet advised against feeding Patch any weight management formula’s the fat may be low but the fiber is very high…..stay around 5% & under for fiber…. 4% is best…
Holistic Select Chicken & Rice senior has a few ingredients & has Beet Pulp, Beet Pulp is also in vet diets & gives my boy acid reflux….Beet Pulp is a fermentable fiber it suppose to help promote healthy Gi tract but it can do the opposite as it does with my boy, makes his breath smell bad like food is fermenting in his stomach & gives him bad acid reflux so I avoid any wet or dry foods with Beet Pulp….
Here’s the Canidae link… http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

I’m glad your getting help with lower fat diets, here’s some wet tin foods that are from F/B “Canine Diabetes Support & Information” group in the “Files” the fat has been converted to dry matter (Kibble)…
Weruva – Cirque de La Mer- fat-9.8%
Weruva – Bed & Breakfast-fat-12.4%
Weruva – Grandma Chix Soup-fat-12.5%
Natures Recipe – G/F Chicken Recipe in broth fat-11.11%
Natures Recipe – Chicken, Wild Salmon Recipe in broth fat-11.11%
Pure Essentials G/F – Salmon Recipe in broth fat-11.76%
Simply Nourish G/F – Chicken & Beef Stew fat-11.76% Sold only at Pet Smart
Simply Nourish G/F – Chicken & Venison fat-11.76%

[a c]

Thank you for your replies.

I took her stool to the vet’s office this afternoon. I was told to put her on Science Diet ID can food for a few days and transition her to Purina One SmartBlend Healthy Weight Formula on maintenance program. Does anyone has experience on this dog food? It seems like my vet is very concerned about the easy access to the food and the economical value.

I actually went back to that pet store last Thursday and talked to the owner. I told her that my dog is a senior dog, she had pancreatitis, and her stool is kind of loose and greasy. She think the raw still the best, and she didn’t think the fat content are too high for my dog(in her words, those are good fat). I was told to put 2 teaspoonful of pumpkin with the raw food and that should firm up her stool.

I also stopped by another pet food store this morning. I told the owner about my dog’s situation. She has suggested Canidae All Life Stages Platinum, Holistic Select Senior with chicken and rice, and Holistic Weight Management with chicken and rice. My vet is not very thrill towards any of those food.

I emailed some of the dog food companies this afternoon. I explained to them my dog’s situation and ask them whether they have products for my dog. Some of them reply, but they didn’t answer all my questions. They suggested the ones with the lowest fat content within their line of the products, but some of those still have pretty high fat content.

[a c]

Hi, I am new here. I feel very frustrated and don’t know what to feed my girl.

I have a 10 years old miniature schnauzer who had an episode of acute pancreatitis back in end of April. Miniature Schnauzer are pron to pancreatitis. She was on antibiotics and fluid therapy for 3 days. The vet put her on Science diet ID can food for few days and told me to transition back to her normal diet after that. The lab report from end of May suggested she level was back to normal.

She has been on Science Diet food since she was a puppy. I thought Science Diet was the best dog food out there. How dumb am I? I thought about switching her to something else.

I went to a local pet store in mid May. I was told the best dog kibble food for my girl is Orijen senior. They also sold me the idea of raw diet. I purchased Stella and Chewy’s duck frozen patties. I feed my girl half Orijen and half raw with additional blue berries, zucchini, or pumpkin. Her stool was firm but every so often with a little greasy look.

Once I finished the bag of Stella and Chewy’s duck. They told me to try Primal lamb frozen nuggets. I also brought a bag of Primal freeze dried nuggets in turkey & sardine for easy travel. I have also tried Honest Kitchen Force. Then, I noticed the fat level on Orijen senior is high, so I cut back on the kibbles. This is where problems begun. I noticed her stools are more greasy and even looser.

To make long story short. I put her on plain chicken and rice with a little pumpkin starting yesterday. I noticed she is not passing stool during our twice a day walk. She has been doing it very regularly for the past month and half after the pancreatitis. She just had a yellow, greasy, loose stool about a hour ago.

I am very frustrated right now. I don’t know what to feed her. I made a call to my vet’s office. I was told they will put her on Science Diet ID or Purina EN which I knew both of those are full of carbs, fillers, and by-products. What should I do? Can anyone help?

[Kathy B]

I wish I had some advice for you unfortunately I don’t. Our OES is 11 years old and is the love of our lives. It is very difficult to see her decline in health but I do keep contact with our Vet to make sure she is getting everything she needs to give her the best quality of life possible. They have given her Metacam to help with her arthritis and Tramadol to help with the pain. She also has to take Proin because she has a tendency to “leak”. Our vet offers a blood work up for a senior dogs and although it gave us a hint of her health it didn’t help in finding that magic pill that makes her 5 years younger.

[anonymous]

Is he on medication? I would go back to the vet that knows the dog’s history and make sure everything is being done to keep him as comfortable as possible.
Sorry, I don’t have much faith in supplements, but see what your vet advises.
He is a senior and has some serious health conditions so I would focus on care and comfort vs aggressive treatment.

This is not veterinary advice; consult your veterinarian.

[Susan]

Hi Lorena E,
sorry about your loss, sounds like you did everything for her, you didn’t just put her to sleep, you tried to help & save her, you weren’t to know how it would turn out, say she did get better, you did the right thing & she knows that…she’ll be waiting for you at rainbow bridge….It took me 2 yrs to get over my Angie my Boxer, I also tried everything & spent thousands of dollars on vet bills, I too wish I let her go earlier but I know in my heart I tried every thing to make her better again….
If you want another really good senior food have a look at Canidae Pure Meadow Senior grain free, it’s a really good kibble, the kibble size is small, so very easy to digest, dog will have a beautiful shinny coat & has supplments for an aging dog…..
Here’s “Canidae Consumer Affairs” site Canidae gets 5 green stars for overall satisfaction rating & has no bad complaints. https://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/canidae.html?page=2
here’s “Canidae’s” link for the Pure Meadow Senior it’s on the 3rd page.
http://www.canidae.com/dog-food/products

[Lorena]

I switched my dogs from Nutro to Diamond last fall 2016 and my dogs were not eating the food as much. I wanted to finish the bag before putting them back on Nutro. I mixed the Costco canned food with Diamond and they started to throw up once in a while, both dogs had same symptoms. This was closer to November when I started to notice every time I open a can to mix with the food they smell it and walk away. I took that as them being very picky and eventually they would eat it when they are super hungry but it could be a day or two. I suspected the batch maybe was not good so I took a picture of the lot # of the cans just in case before I returned the remaining cans to Costco. My Frenchie was getting sick and I took her to the vet and was diagnosed with anemia. The vet doesn’t know what caused it but I believe it was the food because as soon as I took them off Costco food, no more vomiting for both dogs. Unfortunately my 9 yr old Frenchie died a month later as the meds for anemia caused her to be paralyzed, including her stomach muscles so no she was no longer able to digest food and would throw up after I gave her cyclosporine. I wish I would have never put them on Costco food, I’m sure this caused my dog’s illness because she had xrays and everything checked and nothing was found. I spent more than $3000 (including one blood transfusion) to try to save her, I’m devastated. This happened in January and I’ve been meaning to send the info to the FDA to check the food by the lot # as food manufacturer’s are supposed to save a sample of each lot for testing. I wish I would have saved one can before returning. I will no longer ignore vomiting, had I taken her in sooner she probably would have made it before the anemia got bad. I knew nothing about anemia until I went through this treatment from hell, I wish I had put her down instead of having her suffer but her vet didn’t give me any info on the risks of putting her on this treatment, of course he wanted to make money. Had I known anemia is tough to beat, especially an old dog, I would her put her down. My poor baby I cannot stop thinking about her. I have my remaining dog (9 yr old Boston Terrier) on small & toy breed senior chicken meal, rice, and barley recipe from Science Diet and she loves it. Has not thrown up once since she’s been on it and never turns her face away when she smells the food like she did with Costco food. Don’t get cheap food to save money because you’ll spend more on vet bills. Taste of the Wild is great too, she loved the bison, but I wanted to make sure I give her a senior dog food. I also mix it a little with Trader Joe’s canned food, it smells great.