Posted on 03/30/2011 8:41:54 AM PDT by Immerito
WEDNESDAY, March 30 (HealthDay News) -- Even though most Americans might believe that "senior" dog food is formulated differently than food for young adult dogs and pups, experts say that brands can vary widely in their ingredients and there are no requirements for what goes in foods for older canines. Click here to find out more!
A new survey finds that most Americans think that senior dog foods are lower in protein, sodium, fat and calories.
"But when we actually looked at the diets, there was an incredible range," said Dr. Lisa M. Freeman, co-author of a paper appearing in the latest issue of The International Journal for Applied Research in Veterinary Medicine.
The manufacturers "might be increasing protein, decreasing protein or keeping it the same," said Freeman, who is professor of nutrition at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in North Grafton, Mass. "That emphasizes to us to look at the individual animal, and not all aging animals need a different diet. It's much, much more important to look at individual dogs."
(Excerpt) Read more at health.usnews.com ...
have fed all my dogs, since 1998, on raw meaty bones, offal, etc. My vet bills dropped to zero, except for the required rabies vax.
Much easier poop clean-up too. I don’t trust even the best dog food companies to do right by me fur-friends.
It NEVER ceases to amaze me what “City/Town People” will buy/fall for.
I came across this link & thought those involved with this topic would find it illuminating. Although not addressing “senior” dog food, it gives good insight into dog food in general & rates the most popular brands. The formula for the rating is included as well as the ingredients & their purpose:
http://stormywinnscanecorso.com/id40.html
During the 19th and early 20th centuries, dogs were fed scraps of food; poor families fed them breads and grains, and more affluent families gave them meat and other scraps. My mother mixed a little hard dog food with scraps for our dogs, who both lived to old ages, and never made visits to the vet. I always thought that was the norm, until Purina made Americans feel guilty, and advertised the health benefits of processed dog foods.
We feed “Taste of the Wild”, which is not on your list, but is well regarded. No grains in their food.
I thought Grandmas ate fruitcakes. They seem to love the nasty things.
I think I’ve had discussions with you, and if memory serves me, it’s like having a discussion with the wall. No thank you.
I actually like fruitcake, but I have no grandkids yet. There is something very wrong! :)
not as tasty as the dog food made for younger Americans.
I know that I'm eating less dog food and searching the garbage bins more.
I ate my dog years ago, and the neighbors have been out calling for their great dane {they are a little tough but not bad in a stew}.
I'm still hoping for change {anybody got a spare quarter?}.
Good to know. Thanks. :-)
Thanks for posting that link. Since I have always fed my dogs Innova (on the advice given years ago by a shelter from whom I was adopting a dog), I was pleased to see their stuff rated A+. Not surprising, but nice to know.
It is this kind of thing that has caused me as I age to eat more and more cat food.
So what’s worse, the ‘buy our sr. dog food’ marketing extravaganza or the ‘consult with your vet’ extravaganza?
My 11 year old Lab gets a good-sized dollop of canned pumpkin on top of her Taste of the Wild. The others get a token amount because otherwise they complain . . . .
My dog is allergic to beef. So he has a non beef fancy dog food SIMPLEY S..... Saves all the vet bills for the skin rash. Eats pumpkin for his bowels.
The cat has a low ash cat food CORE which has stopped her from peeing in the house.
Both are expensive but
I was already aware of the almonds and raisins and chocolate poison danger to dogs...but was kinda shocked when I learn that onions are also highly poisonous.
One of the great treats around our house is a small chunk of meatloaf squeezed through their ( we also have an eight yr old American dog as we call it-a true mix wrapped in 50 lbs of ball craziness) dry dog food when I make it...and I load mine with onions. I guess I won't be doing that anymore.
Glad to know about the pumpkin as a good thing for older dogs.
If 2 of my dogs had their druthers (that means their wishes) they would eat nothing but rabbit, fur, guts and all.
Dogs (in general, not individuals, since I’ve seen some that were really picky) are opportunistic, which is why they are pretty darned successful, and probably why they fit so well with humans. Mine, for the most part, will eat anything offered. I’m sure rabbits would be quite welcome. Pauli (current golden) likes to kill lizards but she’s yet to eat one. I think she’s too well fed.
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