Canned Food? Vitamin Supplement? (for a senior dog at 14 yrs old)

ChancetheGSD · 11-27-2011, 10:46 PM

So, I posted this on another site hoping for help but unfortunatly, all I got was "it'll kill your dogs teeth", "your dog is going to get sick", "canned food is bad for them", ect.

Let me start off by saying that she is nearly 14 years old and has all her teeth, her teeth are HEALTHY, I brush them, she gets stuff added to her water to keep them clean and my dogs get plenty of chews and raw bones. I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT DENTAL HEALTH!! Regardless if I neglect them on kibble or canned, they're going to get bad. But I *DO* care for them! She also has a steel stomach (minus the awful run in with Nutros rat poison...excuse me, "dog food") so I have no worries about that either.

All I want to know is what your dogs favorite canned foods are and the type of textures they are. I want to switch Zoey to an all canned food diet but want some ideas for variety.

Also thinking about putting her on a multi-vitamin supplement as well if anyone can recommend one of those. Right now she gets 1/2 scoop of Bio-Coat power and 1 level 3 GNC Mega Skin & Coat Essentials softgel capsule each day as well as garlic gel (it's in a capsule as well) most days of the week. Maybe twice a week I throw in a 400IU vitamin E capsule. But I want to throw in a multi-vitamin supplement because she doesn't eat even half the recommended amount of kibble, I know she wont eat even half the recommended amount of canned food either and while she's been ok this far, I want to add it just in case. Can't do any harm at this point.

cci058 · 11-28-2011, 06:50 AM

We feed Canidae Bison and Lamb. It comes in kibble and canned. We feed 25% canned and 75% kibble at each feeding. The canned is a soft paste and Maverick LOVES and I mean LOVES it!!! We also supplement with a daily vitamin. We shop online at Only Natural Pet. We buy the Super Daily vitamin. LOVE their products. I HIGHLY recommend them. Good luck!

**MaggieRoseLee** · 11-28-2011, 01:35 PM

She's 14 and doing great, think you should keep up with what you are doing!

There are a ton of quality canned foods out there now, alot with ingredients so good I bet we humans would enjoy a meal if not told it was for DOGS! Flip those cans over to look at the ingredients, watch the carb/sugars, watch the preservatives, and then have the rest be as nutritious as you can afford!

N Smith · 11-28-2011, 01:40 PM

I have used Ziwi Peak off and on for 5 years - it is a little more on the expensive side where I live (Yukon, Canada) but worth it to see the happy dog faces!

Natural Range Of Premium Pet-food Products - Ziwipeak - Natural New Zealand Pet Nutrition

Ali B. · 11-28-2011, 02:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ChancetheGSD

Let me start off by saying that she is nearly 14 years old and has all her teeth, her teeth are HEALTHY, I brush them, she gets stuff added to her water to keep them clean and my dogs get plenty of chews and raw bones. I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT DENTAL HEALTH

Can you tell me what product you add to her water. I'd like to check it out.

ChancetheGSD · 11-29-2011, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaggieRoseLee

She's 14 and doing great, think you should keep up with what you are doing!

I just feel like canned might be a little more nutritious. I feel like a good canned diet would involve more digestible foods like animal proteins and fats.

I want to eventually go raw for both dogs since I've got an excellent source of variety (chicken, turkey, beef, rabbit, deer, variety of fishes, deer, even BEAR and SQUIRREL, ect!!) but no place for a spare freezer right now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ali B.

Can you tell me what product you add to her water. I'd like to check it out.

I'm currently using Nutri Vet Breath Fresh Dental Rinse:

And having good results with it.

Also used Four Paws Pet Dental:

and Synergy Labs Dental Fresh:

Both with good results as well. Just check the ingredients because one brand (Can't remember which) for some REALLY STUPID reason contains xylitol!!!! Which is VERY toxic to dogs! How it gets by, I have no idea. Might as well make dog treats with real milk/dark chocolate because xylitol is just as, if not more toxic.

**JakodaCD OA** · 11-29-2011, 05:47 PM

I like Merrick canned food if I go that route at whatever point.

I also use the 1st dental product you posted, love it

Stevenzachsmom · 11-29-2011, 05:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaggieRoseLee

She's 14 and doing great, think you should keep up with what you are doing!

There are a ton of quality canned foods out there now, alot with ingredients so good I bet we humans would enjoy a meal if not told it was for DOGS! Flip those cans over to look at the ingredients, watch the carb/sugars, watch the preservatives, and then have the rest be as nutritious as you can afford!

Good luck with the changes. My girl is also almost 14. Her current kibble is working and I would be terrified to change that. Maybe your dog's overall health is better than my dog's.

Thanks for mentioning the dental rinses. I'm going to have to try that.

ChancetheGSD · 11-29-2011, 06:03 PM

Zoey is in great health overall, she does have a low thyroid (diagnosed September 2010) but it's managed well by meds. She has plenty of energy still and wrestles with Eevee each day. Lol! I don't think there is really too many concerns health wise to changing unless anyone knows of something I may not have thought of?

Stevenzachsmom · 11-29-2011, 07:31 PM

Sounds like Zoey is doing really great. Since her health is so good, I don't see a problem with you trying something new. If it doesn't work, you can always switch back to what does. Please keep us posted. I would be interested in seeing how she does. And yeah - it sounds like she is doing better than my girl.

11-27-2011, 10:46 PM	#1 (permalink)
ChancetheGSD Elite Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,912	Canned Food? Vitamin Supplement? (for a senior dog at 14 yrs old) So, I posted this on another site hoping for help but unfortunatly, all I got was "it'll kill your dogs teeth", "your dog is going to get sick", "canned food is bad for them", ect. Let me start off by saying that she is nearly 14 years old and has all her teeth, her teeth are HEALTHY, I brush them, she gets stuff added to her water to keep them clean and my dogs get plenty of chews and raw bones. I'M NOT WORRIED ABOUT DENTAL HEALTH!! Regardless if I neglect them on kibble or canned, they're going to get bad. But I DO care for them! She also has a steel stomach (minus the awful run in with Nutros rat poison...excuse me, "dog food") so I have no worries about that either. All I want to know is what your dogs favorite canned foods are and the type of textures they are. I want to switch Zoey to an all canned food diet but want some ideas for variety. Also thinking about putting her on a multi-vitamin supplement as well if anyone can recommend one of those. Right now she gets 1/2 scoop of Bio-Coat power and 1 level 3 GNC Mega Skin & Coat Essentials softgel capsule each day as well as garlic gel (it's in a capsule as well) most days of the week. Maybe twice a week I throw in a 400IU vitamin E capsule. But I want to throw in a multi-vitamin supplement because she doesn't eat even half the recommended amount of kibble, I know she wont eat even half the recommended amount of canned food either and while she's been ok this far, I want to add it just in case. Can't do any harm at this point. __________________ Gretchen -7.5 week old GSD Zoey -14 year old Pekapom Chance -(GSD/Kelpie) 6/2007-6/23/2011 Last edited by MaggieRoseLee; 11-28-2011 at 01:54 PM.

11-28-2011, 01:35 PM	#3 (permalink)
MaggieRoseLee The Agility Rocks! Moderator Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Bushkill, PA (The Poconos!) Posts: 22,213	She's 14 and doing great, think you should keep up with what you are doing! There are a ton of quality canned foods out there now, alot with ingredients so good I bet we humans would enjoy a meal if not told it was for DOGS! Flip those cans over to look at the ingredients, watch the carb/sugars, watch the preservatives, and then have the rest be as nutritious as you can afford! __________________ MACH2 Bretta Lee Wildhaus CGC TC TQX Glory B Wildhaus NA, NJ, NF + LOL (still) "*Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much." - Oscar Wilde*

11-29-2011, 05:47 PM	#7 (permalink)
JakodaCD OA Moderator Join Date: May 2000 Location: Old Lyme, CT USA Posts: 14,237	I like Merrick canned food if I go that route at whatever point. I also use the 1st dental product you posted, love it __________________ Diane Danger Danger vom Kleinen Hain aka Masi "Angel" Jakoda's Bewitchen Sami CD OA OAJ OAC NGC OJC RS-O GS-N JS-O TT HIC CGC "Angel" Steinwald's Four x Four CGC HIC TT Harmonyhill's Hy Jynx NA NAJ NAC NJC RS-N JS-N HIC Jakoda's Jagged Edge

11-29-2011, 06:03 PM	#9 (permalink)
ChancetheGSD Elite Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,912	Zoey is in great health overall, she does have a low thyroid (diagnosed September 2010) but it's managed well by meds. She has plenty of energy still and wrestles with Eevee each day. Lol! I don't think there is really too many concerns health wise to changing unless anyone knows of something I may not have thought of? __________________ Gretchen -7.5 week old GSD Zoey -14 year old Pekapom Chance -(GSD/Kelpie) 6/2007-6/23/2011

11-28-2011, 06:50 AM	#2 (permalink)
cci058 Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Muskego WI Posts: 54	We feed Canidae Bison and Lamb. It comes in kibble and canned. We feed 25% canned and 75% kibble at each feeding. The canned is a soft paste and Maverick LOVES and I mean LOVES it!!! We also supplement with a daily vitamin. We shop online at Only Natural Pet. We buy the Super Daily vitamin. LOVE their products. I HIGHLY recommend them. Good luck!

11-28-2011, 01:40 PM	#4 (permalink)
N Smith Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: Whitehorse, Yukon Posts: 310	I have used Ziwi Peak off and on for 5 years - it is a little more on the expensive side where I live (Yukon, Canada) but worth it to see the happy dog faces! Natural Range Of Premium Pet-food Products - Ziwipeak - Natural New Zealand Pet Nutrition

11-29-2011, 07:31 PM	#10 (permalink)
Stevenzachsmom Knighted Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Maryland Posts: 2,494	Sounds like Zoey is doing really great. Since her health is so good, I don't see a problem with you trying something new. If it doesn't work, you can always switch back to what does. Please keep us posted. I would be interested in seeing how she does. And yeah - it sounds like she is doing better than my girl.

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