[Ursa Arctos]

For Basset hounds-

I realize that they are a large dog on short legs- so would they be considered (for feeding standards) a large breed food or medium?

I would assume that the best foods like Canidae and Wellness would be fine-

Are there any additives that you put in their food to help with joint problems? Does anyone here add glucosamine to their dogs diet?

Are there any specific food related health concerns for the basset that are different from other breeds (besides their tendency to overeat?) Are there any specific nutrients that are recommended for this breed?

Thanks!

 

[biscuit]

I've never raised a basset puppy, but I do recall seeing on the forum a number of mentions that you don't want a basset puppy to grow too fast (?) because of their bones --- and I think the suggestion was to avoid foods for large breed dogs.

If no one shows up with the right info, I'lll search around on the forum to see exactly what has been discussed.

As for glucosamine, my vet had me put one of my pups, Lady, on it. Lady is an older girl --- I'm not sure how old --- a German Shepherd with dysplasia. She specified that I should feed her the supplement form and not bother with dog foods with glucosamine because she said the amount in those foods is negligent, certainly not enough to do much of anything except add to the price. I've seen no positive effects from it.

I have seen positive effects with high lignan flaxseed oil. If I forget to give it to Lady for a day or so, her bones are definitely crankier.

I fed Biscuit (a basset) a homemade diet due to anal gland problems. Some bassets seem to require quite a bit more fiber because of their anal glands, and Biscuit was definitely one. A lot of people add green beans or canned pumpkin to kibble, and that seems to work as well as going all out, like I did. But I was desperate. Biscuit's anal glands needed to be expressed all the time, or so it seemed, and a high fiber, homemade diet made all the difference in the world for him.

 

[apaciotti]

I am so worried about my hound Cassie. She is a little over two years old and has always been kind of a finicky eater. She also has lots of anal gland problems. It seems like they always need to be expressed. I like the idea of adding things to her food. The problem we're having right now is that she is not really interested in her food. I tried adding yogurt, cottage cheese, etc.at different feedings, just like the vet suggested. She ate about half and seemed very gassy (burping), so maybe she is lactose intolerant? My concern is that she is not eating, even when I tried to hand feed her. She will still eat her Meaty Bones. She loves those! Is it that she is holding out for bones (treats), or could something be really wrong with her? We just had her at the vet on Saturday for a health check-up and aside from her regular itching (skin problems), the vet said she seemed fine. Possibly, she may be bored with her food, the vet said? Is that true? Or is there somehting more I should be concerned about? Have you ever had this problem before...I thought they are supposed to be "chow hounds"! She seems to go crazy whenever we open tuna cans...should we try that...or is that harmful(mercury)? Please help...I am so worried about her...

 

[Ursa Arctos]

What type of food are you currently feeding her?

Most store bought foods are crap- pedigree, beneful, etc. as they have low amounts of quality meat and also contain corn (almost all dogs are allergic to corn in some form, be it dry skin or nails or more severe).

 

[Lynne & Huck]

This is a food that we discussed on the general discussion post. I ordered some as I was especially interested in the dehydrated food for our boat cruises. I got some and our dogs LOVED it - both the dehydrated and regular dry food. It is expensive but is a great food choice.

http://www.basset.net/phpbb/viewtopic.php?...healthy+kitchen