[Pitlove]

This is the GA for the Hill’s Metabolic and Mobility:

Average Nutrient and Caloric Content
Dry 3210 kcal/kg (291 kcal/cup†)

Nutrient
Dry Matter1
%
Protein 28.0
Fat 14.6
Carbohydrate (NFE) 36.2
Crude Fiber 14.9
Calcium 0.95
Phosphorus 0.7
Sodium 0.37
Potassium 0.88
Magnesium 0.159
Carnitine 400 ppm
Vitamin C 324 mg/kg
Vitamin E 741 IU/kg
Chondroitin Sulfate 1174 mg/kg (ppm)
Glucosamine 738 mg/kg (ppm

The protein is highER than most of their formulas and the carbs are low which is why it is meant to help your dog lose weight. I agree that the ingredients are sub-par. Prehaps look for a food with better ingredients but very very close %’s on the GA. This food also contains Chondroitin and Glucosamine for the joints. I’m not sure if a senior formula would contain those ingredients but be high enough protein and low enough carbs to help your girl lose weight. If you switch to something that is better quality and the same %’s on the GA make sure you add a joint supplement.
I have heard really good things about this product: http://www.naturvet.com/index.php?page=shop.product_details&flypage=flypage_images.tpl&product_id=39&category_id=7&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=4

Edit: Remember a “weight loss” food does not work if they are taking in more calories than they are burning. If your senior dog is less active make sure to decrease the amount they are eating as well to aid in weight loss. Also senior dogs have a increased need for quality animal protein, not a decrease. Perhaps consider looking into a raw diet for her?

• This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 9 years, 11 months ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

Ha that explains it! A doggie delicacy

[Pitlove]

My dog would love to get a piece of the cat poop if I let him. We have to kennel him when we aren’t home for that reason and the chewing. I have to clean her litter box very often to prevent him from having anything to look for.

So ya Red is on it again. That is the only way pretty much (that I’ve seen) to stop it. I switch my dogs food a lot because I feed a rotational diet and he still likes the cat poop. I have heard a lot from behaviorists about it being learned from their mothers who will eat the poop after she has a litter to keep the area clean. It’s possible some dogs retain that habit I suppose. That is just conjecture though. I’m no dog psychologist.

[Pitlove]

Hi Sharon- While I can’t give you a ton of advice on raw (others here can and Im sure will chim in) I do know that raw meaty bones help clean their teeth really well and are quite healthy for them.

I’ve also heard from a few people that they don’t feel that puppies in general should eat grain free however that is probably more towards dry food and not raw since raw is the ideal diet and contains no grains or carbs. Dr. Karen Becker interviewed a doctor who breeds Newfies and has all the pups on a raw diet. One of his Dam’s lived to 17 years old on raw.

Perhaps check out Darwins Pet Foods, they do raw and its already complete and balanced. Hare Today is grinds so you have to add your own vitamins etc. I’m sure others who do feed raw can give you some other sites or suppliers to look into. If your Newfie pup is still under 8 months you will need to make sure he’s getting proper calcium and phosphorus levels and make sure hes not being overfed. That will also aid in preventing skeletal disorders and overgrowth.

[Pitlove]

Also I believe one poster here Susan is also from Australia, however I think she feeds a raw diet for her pup. Hopefully if she sees this she still might have some dry kibble suggestions for you avaiable in Australia.

[Pitlove]

Wow, I did not know that. I know with Hawaii they have really strick rules about animals themselves coming to and from the island. That is really unfortunate about Orijen though! I’d say the best of those brands would be Holistic Select and Earthborn. I don’t know enough about Artemis to tell you my opinion. Wellness is good but again the Green Tea Extract issue.

[Pitlove]

Red is right and also some vet’s (mine did this) do cut you a deal with tests. I went in to have a fine needle aspirate done on a lump on my dog and she only charged me for the meds to clear it up. For that reason amoung others do I keep going back.

If you take Red’s advice and kind of talk to them about which tests are needed and which aren’t they might get the hint that you are on a tight budget, but you are deeply concerned about this new behavior.

[Pitlove]

Are you able to order Orijen or Fromm online? I think those would be good choices and Earthborn Holistic seems to be a good brand from what I’ve heard. Someone definitely correct me if i’m wrong but I believe some of Canidae’s lines are manufactured through Diamond and they are notorious for recalls and handling the recalls quite poorly.

[Pitlove]

Hi Claire- Most people consider large and giant breed dogs “adults” at the age of 1, however in relation to the calcium and phosphorus they can start eating foods with higher calcium levels between 8 and 10 months so that info is correct.

Regarding the Green Tea Extract, it is known to cause liver toxicity in dogs. Definitely look into it further to make sure you are making the right decision if you want to feed a food with it. Wellness CORE puppy is recommended for large/giant breed dogs, however it contains it, so its a trade off.

[Pitlove]

Hi Meg-

I wanted to suggest Precise actually, however I found peas in the large/giant breed puppy and adult formulas for the Holistic Complete line. Their GF lines also use peas as the carbohydrate source. I’m assuming you are talking about the Naturals line then. I like Holistic Complete more but that is out of the question for your boy. However, it seems to me that you will have to trade off feeding grain free for grain inclusive.

/dog-food-reviews/natures-variety-ultimate-protein/ -Didn’t find any of those ingredients in this one unless I’m missing something.

/dog-food-reviews/grandma-maes-country-naturals-dry/

I didn’t look super hard but these are the 4 and 5 star foods I found without those ingredients. You weren’t kidding about how hard it is to find foods without them!

[Pitlove]

I use antlers as well for my pit and I haven’t had any issues, however as far as I know my pit doesnt have any allergies. Trying to keep it that way by changing proteins a lot. I also use freeze dried raw treats with one ingredient in them. Maybe that could be something to look into for a nice healthy treat for her.

[Pitlove]

I was having a back and forth conversation and others were posting as well. Do not jump down my throat.

[Pitlove]

While it is true that whats done is done for this current lab, if you were to get another large or giant breed dog it would be good to do more research and talk to a variety of vets about the proper age of neuter for that breed as many of them can keep growing for a few years. It might seem moot to keep bantering about how 7 months seems young but it is helpful to discuss it incase you want another dog.

Personally I plan to have a least 2 more dogs, one a giant breed (Cane Corso) and another large breed (either another pit, rottweiler or GSD) so I need to know as much as I can about large and giant breed dog health and nutrition.

[Pitlove]

So if I as a human get GI upset or food poisoning does that mean I stop eating different foods and eat nothing but chicken and rice for the rest of my life? No. I dont know about everyone else, but I buy medium size bags that last a couple months and switch when I’m done with that bag. I don’t feed different dry foods every meal, so I would be able to tell if my dog was getting an upset stomach from the food I was feeding.

[Pitlove]

Hi Samantha-
You mentioned your pit had a reaction to Orijen Regional Red which contains a large amount of different types of red meat like Angus Beef. If she also has a beef allergy that could explain the reaction to the bully stick. It is made from cow penis as gross as that may sound lol. Probably avoiding bully sticks would be good as well.

[Pitlove]

I think starting out by blending the foods is a good idea. His/Her stomach will let you know how well he/she is tolerating the way you are blending and how much time you are giving the transition. Some dogs need 7 days, some need more, some like Aquariangt mentioned can go to the next food cold turkey. Thats how my dog is, but he wasnt always like that. Took a little time to fix his stomach from feeding him Blue Buffalo for a few months.

[Pitlove]

If my new more integrative vet recommened 18 months for a pitbull I can not imagine 7 months is appropriate for a breed that CAN get upwards of 90 lbs. There is no way a lab is done growing completely by 7 months of age so I have to disagree with that. Proper growth is a huge aspect of large/giant breed puppy health and neutering before growth plates have closed like BCnut mentioned in another thread can cause complications in his growth.

You also had a unique situation with your 11 year old. Something that this person is not going through. You also can’t think that majority of the world is waiting til 11 years old to neuter a healthy dog just for the hell of it. Obviously an older dog, like an older human being, is going to have a harder time adjusting to any surgery. Especially when they are that old. I still maintain that 7months is too young for a large breed dog.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 12 months ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

C4D- I am so thankful and lucky that my boy grew properly and has not had any skeletal issues yet. I can’t imagine how awful that must have been for you and your fur family.

It really bothers me that vet’s are still recommending early spay and neutering especially for large/giant breed dogs with how much it can effect their growth and development. It is so important for people to get second opinions and do their own research. The first vet we brought our pitbull to would constantly “remind” us that we needed to neuter him. Every time we came in the vet would go “its time for those things to go”. Finally went to another vet who had a much better outlook and did not push neutering on me at all. It was really refreshing to talk to her.

[Pitlove]

Hi Haley-

I have fed Fromm and I like Wellness. I too prefer their CORE line. Only problem with Wellness is their recent addition of Green Tea Extract which has been known to cause liver toxicity in dogs.

I do a rotational diet as well along with canned foods. It allows me to feed a variety of foods and its helped my dog become interested in food again. I would feed all three if I were you. Get medium size bags and then switch with the next bag or use a variety of proteins within one line. Fromm has a variety of lines to choose from as well.

Feeding a rotational diet aids in maintaining a healthy stomach, avoiding allergies to one specific protein or carb source, gives your dog variety, helps keep him interested in food and prevents the adverse effects of feeding one food for too many years. Its also really fun to pick out what food your dog is going to eat next!

I used to get very hung up on having to feed only grain free, but now since he doesnt eat grain inclusive foods for long enough for them to have any bad reactions (grains can be inflammatory for some dogs) I can feed a wider variety of foods.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 12 months ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

I third what everyone else is saying. Royal Canin is very good at marketing to both the pet parent and the veterinarians. However that is about all they are good at. Their food IMO is overpriced corn, rice and by-products. Even foods that are meant for “weight management” tend to not really be formulated correctly for weight loss.

If he is at his ideal weight on TotW no reason to switch. Watch his weight carefully and if you notice weight gain cut back on how much he is eating.

I’d also like to add and stress the importance of managing his weight since he was neutered too early in his life for a large breed dog. Added weight can put more pressure on his frame and since he was neutered before his body has fully grown he has the potential to develop skeletal disorders. My vet had recommended 18 months of age to neuter my large breed dog because he would have been through his critical growth period completely by then. His breed can continue growing until they are 3 years old however. We do not plan to neuter him, however if we were going to I would wait til he was 3.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 12 months ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

Im using the Precise Wild at Heart formula which is all life stages. its a 4 star food. Not sure if it meets the calcium req’s for LBP’s though. Mine is over a year old so I’m not worried about that anymore.

[Pitlove]

Hi Laura-

What breed of dog is this? I’m feeding Precise Holistic Complete at the moment for my pitbull. They have small/medium breed formulas and large/giant breed formulas. The large/giant breed formulas are really great foods for LBP’s and they are much less rich than Orijen. I have fed Orijen with no issue for my dog, however he has always eaten foods with %’s higher than 30 for protein and has no problems with it.

So far I really like the Precise and I plan to use one of their Grain Free formulas next. I’m using a grain inclusive one at the moment, however since I feed a rotational diet I am not worried about adverse reactions to grains as he won’t be on it for more than 1 medium sized bag.

[Pitlove]

BCnut literally couldnt have said it more perfectly. But she does have a way with words 🙂 I firmly believe that the responsiblity lies within the pet partner to be the voice of reason that your dog can not be for himself. If you have a secure fenced in yard, your dog is properly socialized, healthy, and you have complete control over him I see no reason to neuter him. Dog Obsessed mention her experience in the shelters and while that is sad and true, those are the people who are not responsible dog owners and allow their dogs to breed just because they “want cute puppies” and forget how many there will be and what will happen to the others they don’t want.

It took me a long time to decide not to neuter my dog and I am very happy with my decision. Ultimately it comes down to what you feel is best for your dog and your situation (and your partner if you have one). My boyfriend was against it from the start but would have neutered him if I had wanted to. Eventually we both decided it wasnt right for our dog.

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

i like the coconut oil suggestion. it is high in calories (something that most people avoid so they feed a small amount) however this could be perfect for you plus you get all the benefits of coconut oil as well. healthy skin and coat, good digestion etc.

[Pitlove]

Hi zuponicafe-

I have a little over 1 yr old intact pitbull, a breed that is stereotyped as being dog aggressive. He has yet to show any signs of aggression towards other intact males or dogs in general. In fact his best friend is an intact Rottweiler.

We have no plans to neuter him what so ever. I enjoy keeping him the way he was born and meant to be and we socalized him early in his life and he is a very dog loving and people loving dog. Neutering is often said to stop aggression, but since he’s not aggressive I see no reason to neuter him.

If you want to neuter him, talk to your vet about what age his body will be completely developed. That is the correct age to neuter him. Or you can be extra safe and wait til he’s maybe 3 years old.

Also, SO awesome that you are watching his calcium levels! You will need to worry about that and not overfeeding him til hes between 8-10 months old. You can always play it safe and even wait til he’s a year old and can 100% absorb calcium correctly. Love the rotational diet too! Sounds like your dog is very lucky to have such a responsible owner.

[Pitlove]

sounds like yeast. his diet could be a factor. if he is eating a food high in starchy carbs like potatoes that could be contributing to it. and he could actually have a yeast infection. My pitbull did and we got shampoo from the vet and anti-fungal meds and it cleared it up. Talk to your vet about the possiblity of a yeast infection and check his food for starchy carbs and switch him to something else. Might have to go grain-inclusive and look for something with just whole brown rice as the carb source to avoid potato.

[Pitlove]

I tried putting it to the side and that didn’t work for my dog haha. He was really really picky. It was bad. He went a whole day without eating and it was at that point that I did not feel like “arguing” with him anymore. I did dry in the morning and canned for dinner for a while and I would throw out so much dry and he would eat the wet with no issue. I was even more convinced I needed to give him wet after reading a few vet’s talk about the benefits of it. Our dogs are smarter than we think and they will let us know in their own way what they want.

[Pitlove]

I second 4Health. I really like that brand. I know you don’t like Walmart but consider their line Pure Balance. The stews are 5 stars on here and they sell for 1.12$/can. Tbh I prefer 4Health and they are .99$ /can.

[Pitlove]

My dog was a picky eater before as well when I was only feeding dry because I thought it was better. Just because you prefer dry it doesnt really mean anything since you are not the one eating it. Once I added wet food into my dogs diet and sprinkled the dry on top he instantly became interested in eating again. I also change his food frequently for variety and to keep his stomach healthy and him free of getting allergies to one type of protein or carb and that has made a huge difference in his interest in eating. Wet food is also often looked at like more of a treat and I disagree with that ideology greatly as I believe it’s an essential part of their diet to make sure they are getting enough moisture in their diet. Drinking water alone is not enough.

[Pitlove]

My boyfriends brother has fed Precise Holistic complete large/giant breed formula for their great dane and he is in perfect health, fantastic coat, no skeletal problems what-so-ever. I ordered a bag yesterday for my pitbull. He’s an adult but i think its a very good quality food. it is recommended by TheGreatDaneLady.com as well.

I would absolutely switch from Pedigree. It is not a quality food at all and does not met the strict requirements for large/giant breed puppies.

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

Nature’s Variety is a good quality all life stages food. Its on the expensive side though.

[Pitlove]

Im lost whats fracking. I dont watch the news if its been on the news at all

[Pitlove]

Lindi- A lot of people don’t know it yet, but other companies are effected as well by the by-product scandel BB is going through. This was just the only one made public. Now I don’t know if BB was aware of it or not, but it was an issue with a certain supplier who ordered the by-product for BB. This supplier has since been dropped by the company. This same supplier is used by other companies like Welpet (Wellness etc) so they too will be getting hit with the same issue.

That being said, I don’t like BB products and I don’t feed them anymore.

[Pitlove]

Naturella- Its like a thing down here in LA it seems. I see SO many dogs outside on tie-outs and they are usually left out there all day if not most of the day. in CT you never really saw dogs outside. It was rare. And I never saw stray dogs or dogs running around in the road. I see it all the time down here now. I’m constantly dodging dogs running out of their yards when Im driving down here.

My boyfriends family Rottweiler is the “outside dog” he comes in at night but its to a small bathroom in the garage. Better than nothing I guess? he just tested HW + too and the vet said he was ok outside…couldnt believe it! but I have no say in anything about him and our apartment is too small for us to have him up here and my cat is terrified of him as well. Feel so bad for him.

[Pitlove]

Naturella- Yes! I moved to Louisiana last July. I lived in CT before that. Much different weather so my dog sheds pretty bad even though hes short coated. I do really enjoy it down here, but its really common for dogs to be “outside” dogs around here and I feel bad for them when the weather gets in the 100s

[Pitlove]

Infections are JUST as lifethreatening as stones…my vet was extremely adament about my cat being brought to the emergency room when I called and said he was not urinating normally. I was told to drop everything I was doing and rush him to the vet. Just because he didnt have to go into emergency surgery because we caught it before it developed into stones does not lessen the problem or mean that a UTI is not life threatening. My best friend also experienced a UTI with her male cat who was urinating blood and he now eats Friskies wet food and has not had another issue since.

I did not advise against the use of the RX diet, I simply stated that while vets will tell you that you can NEVER change the food, it IS possible for a change back to a normal diet once the issue is resolved and the root cause of the stones is determined.

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

My cat is funny she loves the coco oil by itself but didnt eat half her food last night when i put it in it, however my once picky pit will now eat his food regardless of whats in it lol. I guess ill just be letting her lick a spoonful of it every once in a while.

Im not sure if she needs to gain a little weight. She has no hanging belly and seems very lean but I get worried because I can feel her hip bones easily. I’ve always had overweight cats so Im not really sure what is considered too skinny for a cat. any insight?

[Pitlove]

Hi Ann-

I second Marie’s recommendations for foods and would like to add Fromm, Nature’s Variety (which has all life stages formulas), Orijen and/or Acana (made by same company).

I have heard natural foods do help reduce shedding a bit, but with the breed you’ve chosen I doubt you will see a lot of difference. He/She will still need regular brushing to prevent matting and keeping up with the removal of the undercoat, especially if you live somewhere like I do (the south) where the summers are crazy hot.

[Pitlove]

great ty! i’ve been using one level spoonful atm is that too much? and its not every meal.

[Pitlove]

Hi Maureen-

Unfortuntely while there should be laws that govern honesty with companies that make dog food about where the food is made and where it is sourced there is not. Its up to the company to decide how transparent they want to be with their consumers. However, I am aware (because of speaking to a sales rep from Blue who I like and trust) that Blue is MANUFACTURED in the USA. They also do have plans to open their own plant because as of right now Blue does not manufacture their own products. Now, that doesn’t mean that they can’t source ingredients elsewhere from countries you don’t want to see on your bag/can of dog food (China, Mexico).

A regular poster on here once said to me, a company won’t put anything in writing that they can’t back up later. Which is why whenever she wants more details about a product than what is on the label she emails the company asking the direct questions. I would suggest finding Blue’s email address and directly asking the company where the ingredients are sourced from. Especially if there is one ingredient in particular, say the chicken or the minerals and vitamins, that your most concerned about.

[Pitlove]

Hey guys, does anyone know if coconut oil is safe for cats? I just got the Carrington Farms one from walmart. Its Extra Virgin organic cold pressed unrefined etc. I gave her a small lick of it and she loves it and I put it in my dogs food today. Hoping the kitty can have it too

[Pitlove]

i just picked up some at walmart. is it safe for cats? just wondering cuz she seems to love it. its the same one Naturella uses.

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

Your dog is probably bored of the food. Its the same as you changing your diet often so you don’t get bored, your dog would like the same variety.

Give thought to a rotational diet, where you can either rotate the protein source within one brand or the brand and the protein source every 3-4 months to keep your dogs interest peaked. Thats how I solved the problem of my dog being picky and not eating.

I would suggest staying with the 4 to 5 star quality foods and still doing the wet too. I firmly believe wet food should be a part of every dogs diet. Its much healthier for them than dry when you can’t feed a raw diet. Pure Balance is another Walmart brand that is 3.5 or 4 stars I believe for the GF. I feed the dry and wet. I’ve also used Fromm, Nature’s Variety, Orijen, and Precise Holistic Complete.

[Pitlove]

Hi Jeaneene-

Everyone here has offered good advice and given good suggestions. I wanted to touch on a couple points that people brought up and elaborate on them. Firstly the Beneful…unfortuntely Beneful is well known as a very poor quality food filled with artifical dyes, corn, by-products as the only source of animal protein and propylene glycol which is the second cousin to the main ingredient in anti-freeze. Your transition to Blue Buffalo was met with diaherra because like others said, when dogs each the same food for several years they no longer produce the healthy flora (bacteria) in their gut to be able to handle a dietary change. This is why many dogs switching foods need to be transitioned for much longer than the normal 7 day period. Now, I don’t consider Blue to be that great of an all natural food, but it is a much better food than Beneful and that will also contribute to diaherra. A lot of times dogs bodies will detox poor quality foods when fed a better one.

My dog used to have a “sensitive stomach” as most people call it and once I started to give him a digestive supplement during food transitions and kefir/yogurt as a probiotic his whole life changed. I change his food constantly now with no digestive upset what so ever. Lately hes even had one food for breakfast and something different for dinner.

Second point I’d like to make is that the theory about dry food cleaning a dogs teeth is a myth and was debunked a long time ago. Dogs teeth are carnivorus and are meant to tear and rip flesh, they dont have the grinding motion humans do and therefore often don’t chew their food enough for the dry to benefit the teeth. I feed both wet and dry and brush my dogs teeth regularly and his teeth are in good condition.

Lastly, concerning the UTI. I have only experienced it with a cat and yes he was put on the feline Urinary SO dry, which I now find a strange recommendation as the top reason for crystals is eating all dry food. Adding wet to the diet even if it is the RC canned food would keep his system flushed as someone suggested as well. If you are planning to continue feeding the dry I would highly suggest adding a canned food as well and also when the vet tells you he needs to be on an rX diet for life, that is wrong info and a way to get your money. You can certainly in time transition him back onto a normal HEALTHY diet. I would suggest something other than Beneful and transitioning very very slow.

I wish you a lot of luck dealing the the UTI though, I know how awful it can be to see your baby in pain like that.

[Pitlove]

cuteness overload! omg they are all so so adorable. either one you pick will be just gorgeous! though im sure you already knew that 😛

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

I third what Aquariangt and DogFoodie said. My male is intact. We have no plans to neuter him and we have 2 others that are intact as well and healthy.

My intact pitbull shows no signs of aggression with other dogs, infact he was attacked by another intact male and had no idea what to do. He was hurt and left no marks on the other dog what so ever.

[Pitlove]

I do love good poops rofl and yes that is very true. We do try to spoil him as much as we can without going too far and making sure that we spoil him in ways that are healthy for him.

[Pitlove]

bdog- you misunderstood me. I am all for by-products as I am aware they are in raw and im happy to see them there. I meant foods like Fancy Feast that contain anonymous by-products whose quality is questionable. I was not sure if she (like some of us) occassionally feed stuff from the grocery store. I was suggesting that the transition to much higher quality meat AND by-products could cause a detox effect.

• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Pitlove.
• This reply was modified 10 years ago by Pitlove.

[Pitlove]

C4C is right. Dani had runny squirty poos when she ate Nutro Natural Choice and I stopped feeding it instantly. Nutro Max she is fine on though..so weird.

[Pitlove]

Thanks C4C! I work myself into anxiety over making sure he’s getting the best (the cat too of course). I feel a lot better about feeding a lower protein dry now that I know I can supplement with the high protein in the canned food. Didnt think about it like that before!

I have so many foods for him right now its really nice. 4Health and Pure Balance canned. Fromm Four Star GF, Pure Balance and some samples of Precise Holisitic Complete for dry and THK dehydrated raw. He had THK this morning and really liked it. He also got a sample of raw food from this store we went to yesterday and had that mixed in with his canned last night with no dry! he LOVED it! and great poops this morning too 😀

[Author]

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