[lvnMattie]

Mattie had to take a visit to the vet today and that is the one place she hates more then anywhere's. But she went anyways. She had to get her glands express and they were so full that the vet said we would not been able to do them at home. After Mattie was finished being relifed, and my hubby took her to the car. Vet and I got to talk about food for Mattie. The brand Science Diet has a new thing out about weight loss help for dogs. We were calling it Jenny Hound. And she thinks Mattie is a prefect candidate for this. So she is going to check in to price of it and everything. Mattie is a big big girl and is over weight and she is so food driven that is not even funny or cute anymore. I would love to try it but I just thinking would it really work for her. The vet also thinks since the food is more fiber and less sugar that it would help with her glands too. Which would be wonderful. I just am not sure how I feel about it and feel if I don't try it I don't know what type of diet Mattie should be on to help her lose weight. We try to cut back on her dry food and on her snacks aka milk bones. But we really don't know how to put her on a dog diet.
So does have any ideas or suggestions??

 

[sadeyes2]

To be honest, I wouldn't put my dogs on any Hill's science diet unless there was no other option. I don't think the ingredients are up to much and it is so expensive.

I would cut down on her normal food and replace the difference with vegetables. Green beans, carrots, cabbage, brocolli etc. It wouldn't be a hassle as you can buy them all frozen and cut up and they only take minutes to prepare.

 

[Kirska]

I agree with sadeyes. I, personally, think the Hills foods are very overrated.

I'm in the middle of reading a book called "Good Old Dog" that was written by the vets at Tufts Vet School and there is a chapter on nutrition for older dogs. It actually just came out about 2-3 months ago so it is very up-to-date and current:

Amazon.com: Good Old Dog: Expert Advice for Keeping Your Aging Dog Happy, Healthy, and Comfortable (9780547232829): Faculty of the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts Univer, Nicholas H. Dodman BVMS, Lawrence Lindner: Books Anyway I think that might help with your overall "diet" question. It's also a great resource in general for caring for a senior dog. The only thing I dislike about it is that it constantly refers to senior dogs as a companion you've had for a very long time and uses that as reasoning for doing certain things, but that's not always the case as both of mine were adopted as seniors.

 

[Lightning&Stomps]

When I gave Lightning diet food, it just didn't work, and he compensated by eating more things he shouldn't, like poop. So instead, I give him regular food, just less of it. And he LOVES apples and carrots, so he got those as treats. I would suggest you completely cut out the milk bones and substitute with baby carrots.

 

[lvnMattie]

Kirska, I will have to check that book out..

That is my problem, I guess I am not as educate on what you should and shouldn't feed your animals. My cat is on the Hill Science food (Prescription Diet MD) for his diabetes. And I have been very pleased with it with him. He has gain weight and his sugar has came down. So it makes me wonder if he works for him then maybe it would work for Mattie in the reverse form.

My hubby and I have discuss already about cutting her food intake back and no table food at all. If I could find a vegtable she would eat I would feed it to her, but normally she turns her nose up to vegtables. And Milkbones (her weakness) its not that she eats alot, she buries and hides alot. They are all through my flower beds outside and they are all through my house. She is a horder. So we going to cut food back and go from there.

 

[bubbad]

I have use Pro Plan weight loss formula which worked for my dogs and I have also cut their food in half at times and that worked as well .I have used Science Diet in the past for my cat ,it kept him from getting urinary tract infections so it depends on what you use it for. May not hurt to try the Science Diet weight loss for a month and see if you see any difference. If not go to something else.

 

[Mikey T]

she is so food driven that is not even funny or cute anymore

That is the nature of the beast :lol:




I am not big on most of the weight loss formulas in dog food. Typically they are more expensive based on feeding rate than regular food for lower qaulity ingredients. The idea that more fiber will satify an dog so it will act less hungry is really a myth,. Fiber most be given in massive doses to be effective that way. What most weight reduction fodds do is cut down on meat based protein to eliminate the fat. The problem is protein levels corolate highly to sated feeling in both dogs and humans. So the Ideal weight loss diet is high protein loew calorie wich means low fat/ low carb high fiber. There are very few that meath that requirement and even in the study sighted the protien levels and fiber levels are higher than available in a commercial product. The cloesest I have seen Is Royal Canine weight management food with ~32% protein level. Inmore traditional weight loss products it is not uncommon to see protein levels in the high teens.

High-Protein Low-Carbohydrate Diets Enhance Weight Loss in Dogs

A recent study in dogs showed a greater loss of body fat and a sparing of lean body mass in dogs fed a high-protein (47.5%), low-carbohydrate weight loss diet than those fed a lower-protein diet (23.8%) when energy intake was severely restricted

A high protein high fibre diet improves weight loss in obese dogs

A newly-formulated, high protein high fibre (HPHF) diet has recently been shown to improve satiety in dogs. The current study examined its performance during weight loss in client-owned dogs with naturally-occurring obesity. Fifteen dogs were fed the HPHF diet, whilst a matched ‘control’ group of 27 dogs, received a high protein medium fibre diet (HPMF), with an equivalent caloric density. Baseline characteristics (signalment, percentage overweight, and body fat percentage) were not significantly different between groups. However, percentage weight loss was greater (median [range] 31.8% [12.0–41.2%] vs. 20.0% [5.9–45.0%], P = 0.016) and mean rate of weight loss faster (median [range] 1.0%/week [0.3–1.6%] vs. 0.7%/week [0.3–1.5%], P = 0.028) on HPHF compared with HPMF. Percentage body fat mass decrease (measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) was also greater in dogs fed the HPHF diet (median (range] 58% [32–85%) vs. 37% [15–72%), P = 0.002). Thus, a diet formulated to include high levels of both protein and fibre, improves outcome during weight loss in obese dogs.

What you are paying for with science diet is a complience mechanism ie premeasured meals and snack. That can be more effective for some people but only if you are willing to continue with the program because it does little to teach you how to resist/manage the dogs hunger. IMHO the best approach is feed a normal High qaulilty performance food with portein level in excess of 30% some certainal not most of the grain frees such as Solid gold barking at the moon have protein level in the low 40's Feed at a rate 2/3 to 3/4 the rate manfacture suggests for the idea weight of the dog not what it currently weighs. You can add an equal portion to the amount of dog food of a high fiber vegitable like squash/pumpkin or green beens If you fee the need to give treates periodically to the dog the best thing to do is remove som kibble from each meal and set it aside for this purpose. Also thing like mini shredded wheet, (not frosted) can make good low callorie high fiber treets.


the follow article may be helpful

corpulent canine

 

[Soundtrack]

Hill's seems to be working with outdated science. High fibre diets have been shown NOT to be effective for weight loss.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/e...PubMed&list_uids=9055973&dopt=Abstract[/COLOR]Effect of amount and type of dietary fiber on food... [Am J Vet Res. 1997] - PubMed result

DogAware.com Articles: Weight Loss Diets for Dogs

In fact, a diet high in fat and protein is more satiating, which means that the dog will feel full with LESS food than if they are eating a diet high in carbohydrate.

 

[lvnMattie]

"What you are paying for with science diet is a complience mechanism ie premeasured meals and snack. That can be more effective for some people but only if you are willing to continue with the program because it does little to teach you how to resist/manage the dogs hunger."




Mikey T that is sort of what I was thinking too, that science diet only solves the problem for a little bit, but what happens after she looses the weight. If I don't teach her or myself the resist/manage her hunger then she will be in the same postion as of now.

If gives me alot to think about. I think I will be better off to cut her meals and try to mix some vegts in with her meals. And try to find healthier snacks for her then go on this science diet.

Thanks so much for all of ya's information!! It is very very helpful!

 

[Mikey T]

In fact, a diet high in fat and protein is more satiating, which means that the dog will feel full with LESS food than if they are eating a diet high in carbohydrate.

The real secret of atkins type diets people actual consume less calories. and feeling hungry and 1hr later after eating chinese foods.


High fiber in an of itself is not bad if it is accompanying a high protein diet. What the weight loss food is like in the new science diet program is I don't know so I can't comment on that aspect. But the pre packages portion controlled meals including treats for the individual dog is a new concept in weight management that has worked for some humans so as a idea appying it to dogs have some merit, but it is a service that does come at a cost and whether that cost is justified by better results waits to be seen and if dogs and owners and be weened off the individual pakaging is more for life than simply used for weight loss.