Senior food

Rubydoo · 10-18-2006, 11:05 PM

Am looking for a good senior food for Ruby which can be purchased from either the supermarket or petsmart.

Ruby has been on Eukanuba FP (fish and potato) for her entire life and has done well on it except lately her skin is too dry. Now that she's a senior gal of 8, we want to introduce something else.

And we don't want to get her food from the vet anymore if at all possible. Too expensive and too much of a hassle.

Thanx and moo from Ruby

AmyB · 10-19-2006, 05:45 PM

Spencer eats Eukanuba Lamb & Rice for Seniors. When the vet recommended a senior food for him & Sadie, I had some trouble finding just the right one. Both had eaten lamb & rice their whole lives & done well on it & I was a little hesitant to change that. In addition, Spencer is allergic to wheat & has a lot of skin issues. My choices were limited, but the Eukanuba is working well for him. I normally buy it at Complete Petmart & sometimes Petsmart. The only problem I have had is they don't stock a lot of it, so I have to make sure I don't run too low before going after a new bag, because sometimes I find myself waiting for a shipment. Just my 2 cents worth!

Beverly Anne · 10-20-2006, 04:33 AM

I tried Francis on Science Diet Senior 7+ but it was too rich or something. He always had a rumbly stomach, gas and loose stools. My friend's dog, on the other hand, does really well on it. So now, we're back on the Iams and we're going to see how it goes. Last night Francis ate 1/2 a sweet potato with dinner and his stool was like butta....

Barbara Winters · 10-20-2006, 12:32 PM

Eukanuba Fish and Potato is a prescription food usually prescribed for food allergies. I had Roady on it for Irritable Bowel Disorder which cleared up when we tried the fish and potato. Often dogs are on these one novel protein source diets for food allergies affecting the skin. Introducing a new diet may cause a return of the condition for which the fish and potato diet was originally prescribed. It Ruby were my dog I would talk to my veterinarian about adding a supplement for the dry skin and discuss the need for a change in food.

I've never had any of my senior dogs on a "senior diet" as I saw no reason to change. I think increased attention to overall health by more frequent check-ups, blood work, maintaining healthy teeth and gums, maintaining normal weight and providing adequate exercise more important than any special food for "seniors.' Changes might be needed in an individual dog's diet, such as more fiber for constipation, softer food for missing teeth, and special diets related to disease states such as cardiac, renal. liver, etc.

I searched for references recommending the need for senior dog food but didn't find anything in the scientific literature. If any one has such references please do share.

biscuit · 10-20-2006, 01:16 PM

i'm not that crazy about senior foods for dogs. one of my biggest issues is that many of them aren't necessarily "senior" --- instead, they substitute fiber for fat, much like the weight loss dog foods do, and call their job done.

but, as someone with a grumpy hip (bursitis) due to an accident when i was a kid --- plus plain ordinary overuse --- i know from experience that fat in the diet is necessary. it really does make all the difference in aches and pains. and senior dogs often have arthritis of some sort and possibly even grumpy joints like me, if they have dysplasia or old injuries. so, it makes no sense to me to deprive them of something which might help those aches and pains.

in addition, my vet told me the ones which add glucosamine and other supplements add so little of them that you have to supplement anyway to get any positive benefits whatsoever. so you pay a premium price for something which isn't going to do much anyway. she told me to keep Lady, who is positively ancient and has dysplasia, on regular food --- whichever she did the best on --- and to supplement her with geriatric doggie vitamins (I alternate between Geri-form and The Missing Link) AND a glucosamine-chondroitin for her dysplasia.

maybe ask your vet why Ruby *should* go on a senior food to see if there's a specific issue --- arthritis or overweight or whatever that he/she wants to tackle.

sadeyes2 · 10-20-2006, 04:02 PM

Personally I think that the 'senior diets' are a bit of a con and basically a marketing ploy . When Toby reaches old age, I may cut the ammount of food he gets and add some supplements if needed . The food which I use (Burns) doesn't do a senior version as they see no need for one.

Rubydoo · 10-20-2006, 09:24 PM

Ruby has a vet appt on Sunday so I'll ask then. Way back when, she was given FP because she had sores on her skin. She takes skin supplement pills daily but maybe she's too used to them; hence the dry skin. I don't really mind her eating the FP food as she LOVES it. $54 for 30 pounds tho.

10-18-2006, 11:05 PM	#1 (permalink)
Rubydoo Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Southern California Posts: 1,681	Am looking for a good senior food for Ruby which can be purchased from either the supermarket or petsmart. Ruby has been on Eukanuba FP (fish and potato) for her entire life and has done well on it except lately her skin is too dry. Now that she's a senior gal of 8, we want to introduce something else. And we don't want to get her food from the vet anymore if at all possible. Too expensive and too much of a hassle. Thanx and moo from Ruby __________________ http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...w/IMG_1340.jpg Take a basset hound to lunch today! --Bassets rule....and drool!

10-19-2006, 05:45 PM	#2 (permalink)
AmyB Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 1,855	Spencer eats Eukanuba Lamb & Rice for Seniors. When the vet recommended a senior food for him & Sadie, I had some trouble finding just the right one. Both had eaten lamb & rice their whole lives & done well on it & I was a little hesitant to change that. In addition, Spencer is allergic to wheat & has a lot of skin issues. My choices were limited, but the Eukanuba is working well for him. I normally buy it at Complete Petmart & sometimes Petsmart. The only problem I have had is they don't stock a lot of it, so I have to make sure I don't run too low before going after a new bag, because sometimes I find myself waiting for a shipment. Just my 2 cents worth! __________________ Amy, mom to Sadie (ATB, 6/9/06) & Spencer (ATB, 8/19/10) - always in my heart and Clifford (gotcha date 7/2/11).

10-20-2006, 04:33 AM	#3 (permalink)
Beverly Anne Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Boston MA Posts: 737	I tried Francis on Science Diet Senior 7+ but it was too rich or something. He always had a rumbly stomach, gas and loose stools. My friend's dog, on the other hand, does really well on it. So now, we're back on the Iams and we're going to see how it goes. Last night Francis ate 1/2 a sweet potato with dinner and his stool was like butta.... __________________ Francis's Bevy

10-20-2006, 09:24 PM	#7 (permalink)
Rubydoo Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Southern California Posts: 1,681	Ruby has a vet appt on Sunday so I'll ask then. Way back when, she was given FP because she had sores on her skin. She takes skin supplement pills daily but maybe she's too used to them; hence the dry skin. I don't really mind her eating the FP food as she LOVES it. $54 for 30 pounds tho. __________________ http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v2...w/IMG_1340.jpg Take a basset hound to lunch today! --Bassets rule....and drool!

10-20-2006, 12:32 PM	#4 (permalink)
Barbara Winters Senior Member Join Date: Dec 1998 Location: New England Posts: 1,960	Eukanuba Fish and Potato is a prescription food usually prescribed for food allergies. I had Roady on it for Irritable Bowel Disorder which cleared up when we tried the fish and potato. Often dogs are on these one novel protein source diets for food allergies affecting the skin. Introducing a new diet may cause a return of the condition for which the fish and potato diet was originally prescribed. It Ruby were my dog I would talk to my veterinarian about adding a supplement for the dry skin and discuss the need for a change in food. I've never had any of my senior dogs on a "senior diet" as I saw no reason to change. I think increased attention to overall health by more frequent check-ups, blood work, maintaining healthy teeth and gums, maintaining normal weight and providing adequate exercise more important than any special food for "seniors.' Changes might be needed in an individual dog's diet, such as more fiber for constipation, softer food for missing teeth, and special diets related to disease states such as cardiac, renal. liver, etc. I searched for references recommending the need for senior dog food but didn't find anything in the scientific literature. If any one has such references please do share.

10-20-2006, 01:16 PM	#5 (permalink)
biscuit Senior Member Join Date: Nov 1999 Location: oklahoma Posts: 5,234	i'm not that crazy about senior foods for dogs. one of my biggest issues is that many of them aren't necessarily "senior" --- instead, they substitute fiber for fat, much like the weight loss dog foods do, and call their job done. but, as someone with a grumpy hip (bursitis) due to an accident when i was a kid --- plus plain ordinary overuse --- i know from experience that fat in the diet is necessary. it really does make all the difference in aches and pains. and senior dogs often have arthritis of some sort and possibly even grumpy joints like me, if they have dysplasia or old injuries. so, it makes no sense to me to deprive them of something which might help those aches and pains. in addition, my vet told me the ones which add glucosamine and other supplements add so little of them that you have to supplement anyway to get any positive benefits whatsoever. so you pay a premium price for something which isn't going to do much anyway. she told me to keep Lady, who is positively ancient and has dysplasia, on regular food --- whichever she did the best on --- and to supplement her with geriatric doggie vitamins (I alternate between Geri-form and The Missing Link) AND a glucosamine-chondroitin for her dysplasia. maybe ask your vet why Ruby should go on a senior food to see if there's a specific issue --- arthritis or overweight or whatever that he/she wants to tackle.

10-20-2006, 04:02 PM	#6 (permalink)
sadeyes2 Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: glasgow Posts: 589	Personally I think that the 'senior diets' are a bit of a con and basically a marketing ploy . When Toby reaches old age, I may cut the ammount of food he gets and add some supplements if needed . The food which I use (Burns) doesn't do a senior version as they see no need for one.

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