Food for a Normal Dog

[Alex's Mom]

We're moving Patti from the diet food (kibble and meat combo) he was on, to a "normal" senior maintenance food. Laura wants him on meat, or at least mush because she's concerned that dry food will scratch the fistula and open it up again (assuming that it's healing ). I'm not so sure about this because he's an inhaler in the proud dachsie tradition , but will follow her direction for at least a little while.

She suggested putting him on one of the Hills foods, which I've started giving him. However, so far as I can see, it's a lot of gravy, some chicken chunks (one assumes....) some veg and pasta . I'll be going through a can +1/2 a day to give him enough to eat, and a) I can't afford it, and b) I don't think it's a very good food. I've been debating cooking for him, but would rather not go down that route until I have to. I don't (and won't) feed raw, and I keep being scared by commercial foods. (I've been feeding veterinary diets for so long that I have no idea what else there is .)

But I know there MUST be some out there!!! So...any suggestions for a good quality can o' meat I can feed my boy?

[lotsadox]

There are some good canned foods here. I'm not sure what is available to you in Canada though. My vet is really into nutrition. My friend who had a couple schnauzer with pancreatitis was feeding one of the Hills foods. When she showed the vet what she was feeding the vet was like "hmmmm . . . pretty much like living on crackers". She has switched them (slowly, but successfully) to raw. I used to feed Evangers to Sweetums and she loved it and did really well on it. I think that one of the raw food companies also makes a good canned food. I can't think who it is though. Let me see if I can find the Whole Dog Journal list for last year.

Edit: I couldn't find the listing to WDJ best foods, but I did check dogaware.com and here's a good listing giving a lot of brands and analysis on them. http://dogaware.com/diet/cannedfood.html

[Lisa]

Cook for him! It is so much cheaper, you know what is in it and the quality is top notch.

It's really not that tough, in many ways it's easier, you don't even have to make special trips to buy dog food, it's all in your local grocery store!!

I do an oatmeal base, with ground beef, add some coconut oil, eggs, a can of sardines, garlic and a can of pumpkin. I put frozen spinach, blueberries and strawberry's though a blender. I add some "healthy powder" (which lasts well over a year in the fridge). With one dog that food should honestly last about 4 months in the freezer and cost maybe $40 - $50 to put together....given the coconut oil etc will do several meal, it works out to $4 a MONTH. When serving it up, I add a wee bit of greek yogurt and they are done.

You can switch up the meat and grain to use up what you have. I use oatmeal because it really helps Pogo's skin and it defrosts really well.

The only downside to making your own food is storage. When I say my freezer is dog food and vodka, it is only dog food and vodka We only have the freezer over our fridge, so when we make up a batch it is tight. I know I can make smaller batches, but I like doing bigger batches, less frequently.

[Alex's Mom]

I've thought about it, Lisa...I cooked for Alex, and Wen and Jules, and it's not that big a deal as a rule, but at the moment, what with trying to sell the house and moving and working (this full time thing is entirely too time consuming although the regular cheque is nice ), and ElderDog, it just feels like one thing too many right now. In my head I know it's not that big a deal, and I may get there once I get myself settled, but not right now.

[Alex's Mom]

Anybody else got any suggestions??

[oceangirls]

I've always fed Wellness... I don't know if it's considered expensive or not (probably) since I haven't really done price comparison. I fed the Super 5 dry for years mixed with a variety of canned. When Cassie was diagnosed with pancreatitis, of course we had to go with the I/D lowfat (GI Restore) dry but I've transitioned her back to canned Wellness mixed in. I am using the 95% Meat, either chicken or turkey, because at least it makes me feel like I'm giving her something that isn't crackers .

I still have her on dry GI Restore, and I put Angel on regular I/D at the same time. Sounds weird, but I'd feel bad giving one "crackers" and not the other . They are both doing great and love their foods.

Doubt that was much help to you, .