[scottNY]

I love this forum and have used it to find good 5-star foods for my dog since I got him over four years ago. It’s a great resource.

My 84 lb. pit mix gets plenty of exercise, but as he approaches five, he needs to lose a pound or two, and I don’t know what foods to try. He usually gets 2.5 – 3 cups a day of Earthborn Holistic Primitive Grain-Free Natural Dry food. I have cut it back closer to 2 cups, but the fact that he always eats it all, which he often didn’t do before, makes me think he’s still hungry.

Any ideas for 5-star grain-free, dry food that might be lower-calorie so I can give him a little more, while he slowly loses weight? I don’t want him to be hungry, but I don’t want him to get fat.

As a side note, my baby is fighting lymphoma [a year and thank God his nodes have shrunk so we’re not treating, just doing regular follow-ups] and I want to make sure he continues to be healthy. I give him a VetriScience Multivitamin and probiotic, along with Sardine-Anchovy oil daily, if that helps.

Thanks, in advance!

[zcRiley]

Is his Lymphoma in remission for the first time? I’m really sorry to hear about it, can’t imagine.

Is he taking any meds that would cause weight gain or bloating? I wouldn’t lower the quantity of food, it’s the correct amount or he’ll constantly feel hungry. Stop the probiotic, as it can have bad side effects for a those with a weakened immune system. Stop the oil (i.e. Calories in Sardine Anchovy oil? Calorie Content: 10 calories per 1 gram. 1 Litter (33oz) =10,000 calories). Get low calorie treats and bones.

My pit mixes are around 78 lbs at 4.5 yrs old. They eat 2.5 cups of food total in two meals per day. They also get Dasaquin MSM, broccoli and meat toppers, treats, bully bones and they love Pasta and pizza!

I feed Zignature Zssentials dog food because they have a lot of food intolerances. The brand also makes limited ingredient formulas.

[pugmomsandy]

Look into Annamaet Lean, Dr Tim’s Metabolite, Wellness Core Reduced Fat.

[scottNY]

Thank you, both. I appreciate the suggestions.

@zcRiley, I’m sure I am not explaining this properly, but we caught it very, very early. One day after a bath, I was playing with my baby and felt a lump in his neck. I went to the other side and there was one there, too. My heart stopped beating, I’m sure.

The next day we went to my vet, who sent me to a veterinary oncologist. After doing an aspiration, it confirmed very early stage lymphoma. Since my dog was otherwise healthy and young, they decided to wait and see if the body could heal itself. The lumps went away!

We’ve are coming up on a year and monitor every few months – so far, so good, no lumps. We go back in about two weeks, which are always very stressful appointments!

[crazy4cats]

Hi scottNY

Glad to hear your dog is doing well. The Earthborn you are feeding is very high in calories in my opinion. It has 445 calories per cup! I usually try to feed my large dogs kibble that is around 350 calories so I can feed them more food to keep them satisfied while keeping their weight under control.

I tend to lean towards weight control, large breed and/or senior foods. They are six year old neutered male labs. They did great on Authority’s GNC Pets Healthy Weight and Joint turkey formula. It’s a little higher in fiber, but not excessive keeping them fuller. It is not yet rated on this site last time I checked. But, I worry a lot less about stars these days and more about how my dogs do on the food and the reputation of the company that makes it.

Best wishes to you and your pup!

[pugmomsandy]

Earthborn Venture foods have 325-355 calories per cup.

[Author]

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