Hello newbies here

[Mrspepper]

Hi,



We're from Buckinghamshire and Basil is 12, he's been fed on Hills JD light for many years due to early onset arthritis and I thought he was on the best we could give him for his needs as it was recommended by our vet.

However, recently I've become more aware of feeding options and feel that this is probably not the best option for his diet but have no idea where to start as I want to ensure he is still getting all of the support that he needs for his arthritis too.

Looking forward to reading through and hopefully getting some advice from people who have a lot more knowledge that me

Thanks

[Dottie]

Hello and welcome to the forum. We have a thread on feeding senior dogs here which might be helpful.

The main thing with arthritis is not to let the dog become overweight. Also, gentle but regular exercise for short periods of time is important. I’m a firm believer in hydrotherapy and if you are interested in this, have a look for practioner in your area.  It’s not cheap but well worth the money IMHO.

Regarding supplements, some companies add joint support ingredients to their food but when a dog already has arthritis it might be better to give these separately because the therapeutic dose can be accurately administered. The main ones are glucosamine/chondroitin, green lipped mussel and devils claw.  Of these, David mentions the latter as being helpful - see here. Friends have used Nutraquin + and found it beneficial for their dogs.

If you want advice about choosing a better quality food for your dog, please let us know what type of food you want and if you want to buy online or from a shop. A bit more information about your dog might be helpful too.

[Tinyplanets]

Hello and welcome to the forum.  Basil looks like he is a cheerful senior.  Dottie has given you some good advice. It would be helpful to know if Basil has any allergies and if he needs to lose, gain or maintain his weight.

[Mrspepper]

Thank you both for your replies.  Basil has no allergies that I'm aware of and is in need of losing about 1/2 kg of weight to be his ideal weight and is currently doing hydrotherapy twice a week.  I don't mind if i buy his food online (this is what i currently do) or in store as long as it's the right one for him.

He's currently on Yumove advance 360 since sustaining a cruciate ligament injury but prior to this I was just relying on the science diet JD to provide the supplements needed for his arthritis.

I'll take a look at the info on feeding a senior dog , thanks for the heads up.

It feels a bit like a minefield currently with so many different feeding options out there

I'm also unsure as to whether I should be upping his protein intake significantly as a senior dog, he has no known kidney issues but I am always a little over cautious with him

[COASTER]

Nothing of additional value to add here for now .......so I will just say  welcome 

[Dottie]

IIRC the linked article advises to select protein percentage according to the dog's condition but also states that in the absence of renal or other disease, it doesn't need to be restricted. What we do know is that animal protein is easier for a dog to digest so you need to look for something with a named meat source at the top of the list of ingredients.

I think it might be best if you look for a product with a protein content of circa 25% to 30% because if you hike it up too high all at once your dog might struggle a bit after having the current food. Because your dog needs to lose weight, it might be helpful if you select those foods with a fat level between 10% and 12%.  If you use the filters on the Dog Food Directory and select these parameters on the sliders, plus the 'no red ingredient' tick box it will return the better quality foods. One type of food that meets the criteria suggested is cold pressed. There is more selection nowadays and we have a dedicated thread on them in the Dog Food section.

Whichever dog food you choose, be sure to weigh it accurately because if a dog needs to lose weight it is the only way of adjusting the amount properly.

[COASTER]

Ok so I have a little more time today.

I totally agree re the comments on separate supplements being the best route.

Just as I wouldn't expect a pharmacist to recommend a human medicating on fish fingers high in omega 3 to improve a health condition I would not look to feed a certain brand of dog food to improve health in a dog with a clinical condition.

Above said.....an appropriate doest can arguably help with overall health or specific health issues. I personally wouldn't entrust my mobility improvement to diet alone.

I know of an owner on another forum whose dog showed night and day mobility  improvements after glucosamine and chrondotin suppelemted into diet....I should add that the doses were significant but a lethargic dog in pain became a runaround happy dog. I have seen videos and the poster was a well know forum contributor known personally to other members.

Bottom line is supplements are key not food albeit good good better than lesser quality food.

As for what is a good food....that depends on budget,  food type (ie.  Wet, dry extruded kibble,raw,cold pressed etc etc),  dog specific need etc.

The directory is good but I have prior valued lso recomendations....especially in early days of wanting to head in the right direction whilst still learnin about dog food.

[moragh]

Hi there - I noticed your post re older dog and arthritis.  I have a thirteen and a half year old staffy who has suffered from arthritis/stiffness for a number  of years.  At different times I have supplemented his diet with Yumove, greenlipped mussels, fish oil, turmeric (golden paste) which I felt have all helped to some degree.  However after a severe bout where I took him to the vet and was offered painkillers, anti-inflammataries and a course of injections which would be over an intense period then monthly thereafter (I accepted the painkillers) I contacted our breed club and SERAQUIN was suggested.  I immediately ordered some and highly recommend them .  What a difference!  I guess each animal is different just as we are!  We can only try our best.  Hopefully you will find your own solution.  Best of wishes

[Dottie]

Hello Moragh - welcome to the forum. Thank you for this interesting and useful information. I hope that your Stafford continues to do well. It is hard seeing them stiff and in pain.

[Tinyplanets]

Hello and welcome to the forum. Yes thank you for sharing your experiences. Hopefully others may benefit .  It must be a relief to see such an improvement in your Staffy.

[Mrspepper]

Thank you all so much for your input, after much research I've decided to change over to Tribal for Seniors which is grain free and has some added joint support too.  On top of this I've also changed over from Yumove advance supplements to Riaflex Joint + HA and Green Lipped Mussel powder which both come in a much higher dose than the Yumove, plus we're adding in cold pressed salmon oil too.  It's too soon to know if any of these are making a difference as he's only been taking them a week and we're only just starting to swap over his food but I feel much happier with the nutrients he'll be getting from this new food (although it does look like guinea pig pellets!).  I'll update once we've had a little more time on both the new food and supplements but I'm hoping research pays off! 

[Dottie]

Thank you very much for your feedback - it is much appreciated. You have researched it and the cold pressed Tribal seems to be a good choice. I hope the new regime helps. I agree about the appearance of cold pressed food but you soon get used to it. It is dense so you don’t need as much in amount as kibble, which tends to be lighter. If you can let us know about your dog’s progress it would be helpful.