wet food

barneysmom2510 · 10-12-2011, 07:56 AM

Since weaning barney off of the chicken and rice an onto a kibble I am struggling to get him to eat enough he needs to gain some weight. Is is ok to put some wet food ith it. He is on Merrick right now and I know they have some canned food. Some people say the wet is bad for the teeth but if I add a little to make the food more interesting is that a big deal?

MollyMcFrecklesMom · 10-12-2011, 08:35 AM

I did it for a while when Molly was small. She is a picky eater (or was...). I weaned her off of it so she wouldn't gain too much weight as she got older. She's completely off it now. It was a matter of finding food she liked.

I think a little wet food is ok. If you are worried about teeth, give him a decent chew bone and/or brush his teeth

Mikey T · 10-12-2011, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Since weaning barney off of the chicken and rice an onto a kibble I am struggling to get him to eat enough he needs to gain some weight

that is exceedingly rare the case. Wet food on a volume basis is less calorical dense so if it is a physical issue of geting enough food in the dog it will not help/ What happens is dog can quickly develop a preferrence which is fine if that preference is what you want if not then it is general a bad idea to cater to the dog because what the dog learns is to be a picky eater by holding out it can manipulate you into fed something different and diferent general = better.

With puppies feed no more than they will eat in 10 minutes and pick-up the bowl do not get overly concerned if they leave some etc thier needs chage as they grow and not on a stright line basis. growth is not regual or stead so there eating pattern ar not as well.

It is far healther for a puppy to be skinny in fact for a large preed puppy it realy needs to be skinny compared to adult it grow up with the least chance of incurring an orthopeadic issue related to too fast a growth, Overfeeding is the number one cause of developmental orthopeadic abnormalities in large and giant breed dogs see

Dog Diet Do's and Don’t's

Quote:

Feed whatever amount is necessary to maintain a BCS of two during the growth period, realizing that dogs have varying growth rates and activity levels. Once his adult stature is achieved, you may allow him to reach a score of three.

Optimal feeding of large breed puppies

Quote:

act the skeletal development of puppies, the diet is one factor that every owner can control. Several orthopedic diseases of dogs can be precipitated by improper feeding practices during growth. Large breeds of dogs are predisposed to these problems because they have the genetic potential for excessively rapid growth. In rapidly growing, large breed puppies, maximal growth, and therefore increased body weight, can cause stress on the immature developing skeleton. Large breed dogs have decreased bone density compared to smaller breed dogs at this stage (Dammrich, 1991). Additionally, fast bone growth results in structural defects of bones that are in turn unable to accommodate an increased body weight (Dammrich, 1991).

..

It is necessary to feed the puppy enough to allow for controlled growth, but it is equally important to avoid overfeeding. Many people believe that a round puppy is a happy healthy puppy. However, maximal growth is

not optimal growth. Adult size is principally influenced by genetics; however, the time
to reach adult size can and should be controlled by proper nutrition. Excess calories can predispose large breed puppies to developmental bone disease, including hypertrophic osteodystrophy (Dammrich, 1991).

While any food has the potential to cause problems with skeletal development if overfed or supplemented, maximal growth in puppies is commonly occurs with feeding a highly palatable, high energy density growth diet. These types of diets are often overeaten if fed on a free choice basis, or simply too much is fed on a meal basis. There is currently no perfect formula to guarantee an optimal rate of growth for an individual puppy. It is especially important to avoid overnutrition during periods of the most rapid growth, which will vary with breed and between individuals

...
One very general suggestion is to provide an amount of food that the puppy can eat in 10 minutes three times a day. Using this as a starting point when the puppy is weaned at seven to nine weeks old, it is recommended to continually assess the puppy’s body condition and activity level and adjust the amount of food being offered accordingly

Let the puppy grow at its own pace do not try and force the issue.

Mikey T · 10-12-2011, 10:15 AM

as for the specific question their is nothing inheirently better or worse about caned vs moist vs dry food other than the fact the dryier food tend to be more calorical dense because of lower warer content so a a caloric basis it cost less to feed.

Issues about teeth etc should can can be handle by brushing and just because you feed dry does not less the need for doing so.

henry'smum · 10-12-2011, 11:06 AM

Hen had wet and dried food together. When he was small he wouldnt eat all but the tinyest bit of food and at 16 weeks weighed 16lb and was pronounced thin by the vets. After finding a food his tummy could tolerate the vet recommend we mix it with a little chicken and that is what we still do today. He is now 46lb and nice and sleek. The sad thing is that the only foods he can eat without getting a poorly tummy are purina and some horrible red fake meat looking type pellets - Ole Roy!!!! He has a mix of that morning and night with his chicken and is doing great. I wish he would eat a good quality kibble, we tried him on everything you can think of but as soon as he had more than a teaspoon full mixed in he would get an upset tummy. So now we stick with what we know and everyone is happy, but mainly Henry!
Long story short, alot of places do trial sized samples of food. Try them until you can find what puppy likes and can tolerate

barneysmom2510 · 10-12-2011, 02:01 PM

Barney is only 18 pounds at 15 weeks. You can clearly see the outline of his entire rib cage. I know rolly polly is not good but the fact that every rib is very defined is what is causing the concern with his weight. I was thinking if I mixed the two together he would find it more interesting. He was on the chicken and rice only because of how bad his diarrhea has been because of the giardia. I don't mind always giving the combination it is just when we go out people comment on how thin he is. Is it normal to see a basset's whole rib cage when they are young. I have not seen any other basset puppies before? e has plenty of energy and has a beautiful shiny coat I just had thought that seeing the rib cage whilt they are standing was not good.

barneysmom2510 · 10-12-2011, 02:22 PM

maybe just the last three ribs but you can see the outline he has nice muscular legs. I am probably just being overly worried have always had small dogs.

henry'smum · 10-12-2011, 02:28 PM

I think you are worrying, Hen was called skinny even last week as he isnt fat - we tell people he is a racing basset! If you are seriously worried next time you are at the vet ask them to condition score him and then you have some thing fixed in your mind. I do agree with Mikey though, let him develop at his own speed, find a food he enjoys and youl find soon he will grow into a beautiful big boy!

Mikey T · 10-12-2011, 03:33 PM

Quote:

You can clearly see the outline of his entire rib cage

as you should now if every vib were clearly decernible with large depression between both then yes under weight but being able to see the ribs what you want. Puppies at that age have rather thin coats so givent the same amount of fat covering the ribs there are more vissiable compared to an adult. If you had a Aussie and could se the ribs that is a different matter becasue of the coat difference. A short hard coat makes seeing the rib esier. Visual of the rib is a poor indicator of weight veause of this you need to put your hands on the dog. That said even the ribs are a rathe ppor indicator and by the time there is a fat layer on the ribs the dog is quite over weight It alwa dangeriou to make interspecies comarisions and generalization however I am certainly over weight and with my shirt off you can see every rib clearly defined,

for more of graphic of how the pribs should feel take you left hand and make a fist. Rub the back of your hand. Notice you can feel but it is a bit difficult every rib with a layer of fat and skin over the top. If this is what your dogs rib feel like it is over weight. Now rub you hand over the knuckles notice only a slight layer of skin and no dercernable fat with fairly deep depression beween each rib this is too thin. With you hand still in a fist rub at your fingers between the knuckle. bone easily felt with maybe a slight layer of fat and a slight depression between each bone.

from diet do's and don't link above defining a two

Quote:

Ribs easily palpated and may be visible with no palpable fat. Tops of lumbar vertebrae visible. Pelvic bones less prominent. Obvious waist and abdominal tuck.

I thing the verterbre and hips are better indicators of body condition than the ribs because of the limitation I mentioned before

see corpulent canine

Quote:

<LI type=a>To check the neck, press your thumb and index finger deep into the side of the neck just ahead of the shoulder, and pinch them together. If your fingers are more than 1/2" apart, the dog is overweight. (Note: this is where old dogs tend to carry most of their excess fat, and they may actually be thin in other locations.) <LI type=a>To check the ribs, stand with your dog beside you, facing his butt. Place your thumb on the middle of his spine half way down the back and spread your fingers out over his last few ribs. Then run your fingers up and down along his skin. You should be able to feel the bumps of his ribs without pressing in.
To check the hips, run your hand over your dog's croup. You should be able to feel the bumps of his two pelvic bones without pressing down.

Mariah a 4 on the purina BCS scale of 1-9 4-5 equals ideal

Macey is about a 5

Mikey T · 10-12-2011, 03:54 PM

Quote:

is only 18 pounds at 15 weeks.

which using the growth chart in royal canin's Growth of large and giant breed puppies translate to a 50+ lb for a large breed adult dog.

10-12-2011, 07:56 AM	#1 (permalink)
barneysmom2510 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Rockport ma Posts: 633	wet food Since weaning barney off of the chicken and rice an onto a kibble I am struggling to get him to eat enough he needs to gain some weight. Is is ok to put some wet food ith it. He is on Merrick right now and I know they have some canned food. Some people say the wet is bad for the teeth but if I add a little to make the food more interesting is that a big deal? __________________ -LISA Mini daschunds Sadie Lou & Daisy dukes Chihuahua Lola Bassett Hound Barney

10-12-2011, 08:35 AM	#2 (permalink)
MollyMcFrecklesMom Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Southeast PA Posts: 1,182	I did it for a while when Molly was small. She is a picky eater (or was...). I weaned her off of it so she wouldn't gain too much weight as she got older. She's completely off it now. It was a matter of finding food she liked. I think a little wet food is ok. If you are worried about teeth, give him a decent chew bone and/or brush his teeth __________________ Michelle - proudly owned by Molly (21 mos) and Winston (14 months). Molly McFreckles' World: The adventures of a Basset Hound living with Addison's Disease and a baby brother named Winston

10-12-2011, 02:01 PM	#6 (permalink)
barneysmom2510 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Rockport ma Posts: 633	Barney is only 18 pounds at 15 weeks. You can clearly see the outline of his entire rib cage. I know rolly polly is not good but the fact that every rib is very defined is what is causing the concern with his weight. I was thinking if I mixed the two together he would find it more interesting. He was on the chicken and rice only because of how bad his diarrhea has been because of the giardia. I don't mind always giving the combination it is just when we go out people comment on how thin he is. Is it normal to see a basset's whole rib cage when they are young. I have not seen any other basset puppies before? e has plenty of energy and has a beautiful shiny coat I just had thought that seeing the rib cage whilt they are standing was not good. __________________ -LISA Mini daschunds Sadie Lou & Daisy dukes Chihuahua Lola Bassett Hound Barney

10-12-2011, 02:22 PM	#7 (permalink)
barneysmom2510 Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Rockport ma Posts: 633	maybe just the last three ribs but you can see the outline he has nice muscular legs. I am probably just being overly worried have always had small dogs. __________________ -LISA Mini daschunds Sadie Lou & Daisy dukes Chihuahua Lola Bassett Hound Barney

10-12-2011, 10:15 AM	#4 (permalink)
Mikey T Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2000 Location: West Warrwick, RI Posts: 7,729	as for the specific question their is nothing inheirently better or worse about caned vs moist vs dry food other than the fact the dryier food tend to be more calorical dense because of lower warer content so a a caloric basis it cost less to feed. Issues about teeth etc should can can be handle by brushing and just because you feed dry does not less the need for doing so.

10-12-2011, 11:06 AM	#5 (permalink)
henry'smum Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: arkansas Posts: 686	Hen had wet and dried food together. When he was small he wouldnt eat all but the tinyest bit of food and at 16 weeks weighed 16lb and was pronounced thin by the vets. After finding a food his tummy could tolerate the vet recommend we mix it with a little chicken and that is what we still do today. He is now 46lb and nice and sleek. The sad thing is that the only foods he can eat without getting a poorly tummy are purina and some horrible red fake meat looking type pellets - Ole Roy!!!! He has a mix of that morning and night with his chicken and is doing great. I wish he would eat a good quality kibble, we tried him on everything you can think of but as soon as he had more than a teaspoon full mixed in he would get an upset tummy. So now we stick with what we know and everyone is happy, but mainly Henry! Long story short, alot of places do trial sized samples of food. Try them until you can find what puppy likes and can tolerate

10-12-2011, 02:28 PM	#8 (permalink)
henry'smum Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: arkansas Posts: 686	I think you are worrying, Hen was called skinny even last week as he isnt fat - we tell people he is a racing basset! If you are seriously worried next time you are at the vet ask them to condition score him and then you have some thing fixed in your mind. I do agree with Mikey though, let him develop at his own speed, find a food he enjoys and youl find soon he will grow into a beautiful big boy!

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