[Tal R]

Hi,

Basically, I would like to know the main differences between senior and regular dog foods and should an elderly dog that already gets joint support food supplements and doesn’t have a weight problem be given special or regular dog food?

In specific, my dog is a large (25 kg.) female elderly (14.5 y/o) mixed breed (probably mostly German Shepard).

She is in relatively good health, especially since i started giving her food supplements / drugs over the last 2 years to improve her joint problems (everything was done consulting the veterinarian of course). Her hind legs still show weakness but the condition has improved to a point that she even sometimes jumps now days.

Over time the list of supplements/drugs evolved to the following:

1/2 pill of Previcox (Firocoxib) every 2 days (56.75 mg per day on avg.).
1 pill of 20 mg. Omeprazole a day.
1 tablet of Glycoflex 3 (1000 mg Glucosamine, 1000 mg MSM) a day.
2 tablets of Power Supplements SAMe (400mg) a day.

I would appreciate any advice or tips.

If any additional information is required, let me know…

Thanks!
T.R.

[InkedMarie]

I am not in favor of senior foods. I think one difference is senior foods have lower fat. If someone has a senior dog who needs to lose weight, there are better foods to feed.

Senior dogs need a higher protein and most senior foods are too low in protein.

Grains can be inflammatory so for your dog, I’d recommend a grain free food, one without potatoes. Look at the Dog food ingredients forum here, on top, highlighted in yellow, my list of grain & white potato free foods. I need to update it so use it as a starting point.

• This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by InkedMarie.

[Anonymous]

How about adding some fish oil once a day? My 14 almost 15 yr old peke has shown improvement on Wysong Senior, he even lost a couple of pounds (gradually over a few months) He gets a little chicken or meat mixed in too, I feed him 4 small meals a day and soak his kibble, I also add water to his meals (hx of bladder stones)

PS: Nutrisca salmon and chickpea is potato and grain free, my other dogs like this and I was going to put my old guy on it, but he is doing so well on the Wysong, I think I’ll keep him on it.
I don’t analyze the ingredients and information on the packages, because I figure just like with people food, they lie, use different names for similar ingredients. I do pay attention to the reputation of the company and reviews and what veterinarians have to say, and of course how well my dogs do on the food.

[Tal R]

Thanks InkedMarie.

The reason for recommending the non-inflammatory food is because of the potential for inflammation due to the joint problems?

[Tal R]

Thanks LM

Adding water to the food sounds interesting, I’ll try that… can’t give her more than 2 meals a day though because I live alone and work during the day… 🙁 she seems to be ok with it for now though.

Regarding the fish oil – what exactly should I look for? Omega-3?

• This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by Tal R.

[Tal R]

My love 🙂

• This reply was modified 9 years, 7 months ago by Tal R.

[Anonymous]

I use the human kind, or the pet kind when I find a good deal, omega-3 1000mg-1500mg?.
I have been taking krill oil every day myself, 500mg or 1000mg/depends on the brand….anyway I have been thinking about giving my dogs 1 tab a day instead of the other stuff. I have heard good things.
It is supposed to help with a multitude of things, including dry skin, pruritis. I think it helps my dog with allergies.
Two meals a day is fine. Always have fresh water available. I add water because my old guy was not drinking enough and developed bladder stones. I load him up with water and the stones have not come back. But, you are right, I have to take him out for bathroom breaks every 2 hours.

PS: She’s a beauty! Doesn’t look her age, at all.
At present my dogs are all on Sundown Naturals fish oil 1200mg that I picked up at the drugstore on sale.

[Tal R]

Hmm interesting… I’ll give it a try, thanks! 😀

[Tal R]

Thanks, I think she’s beautiful too 😉

And of course she has fresh water available all the time. 🙂

[InkedMarie]

Yes, Tal.

[Tal R]

Ok, thanks InkedMarie!

[Tal R]

Considering “Acana Ranchlands”, made a new post here:

/forums/topic/any-opinions-about-acana-ranchlands/

[Carolyn H]

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

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