I need advice on changing my senior dog's diet, help?

Question

I plan to switch my Setter to Innova EVO Reduced Fat for seniors dog. She is not overweight but a couple pounds less would be ideal. She will be 8 in September.

I was feeding her Californa Natural and always suplemened it with 1/4 lean cooked meat and vitamins.

This Evo dog food has 52.0% protein whereas California Natural only has 21% protein. So adding more meat with Evo would not be wise, right? Also should I drop the vitamin supplements? Would she be getting too many vitamins with EVO?

Any ideas what I can mix with the kibble to keep my dog happy and not screw up the nutritional balance of this high quality food?

Answer 1

I would quit giving her the meat (or at least really reduce the amounts) when you switch her to the EVO. I would also drop the vitamin supplement (unless it is a glucosimine/chondroitan supplement).

I would just switch her very slowly (over at least 2 weeks) and give her just small amounts of the meat with the EVO. You can also try soaking the dry EVO with a little bit of hot water or broth (salt free or low sodium) until it becomes mushy.

Answer 2

This is probably a question that should be directed to your vet, as she should best know your dog's nutritional requirements.

I have been doing quite a bit of research on dog foods lately, as I wanted to switch my 12 year old terrier's food. She was on Innova (not EVO) Senior and she didn't seem to like it very much after the newness wore off. I began feeding her Ultra Holistic adult a week or so ago - so far, so good! Her stools are much better.

From what I have seen, it is very difficult to give a dog too much protein. Despite conventional wisdom, there has been no proof that high protein levels lead to kidney problems. For senior dogs, it seems that the highest protein level you can find in a food that is between eight and 12 percent fat is best.

If you believe she is going to go on a hunger strike if she doesn't get her cooked meat, continue to give it to her. If you are concerned about doing so, give her a smaller portion. See how her body reacts then decide whether she should continue to get the meat. I would also think you could stick with the vitamins, too, but do some research to determine what is the maximum amount (grams, units, etc.) she should get and how much she'll get from the food and tablets combined.

Answer 3

That sounds like an awfully high protein content. I would also not supplement with vitamins, unless there is a specific need for them.

A friend of mine developed this rating system, which seems to have been copied widely. It will give you an idea of which are the better foods.



How to grade your dog's food: Start with a grade of 100:

1) For every listing of "by-product", subtract 10 points
2) For every non-specific animal source ("meat" or "poultry", meat,
meal or fat) reference, subtract 10 points
3) If the food contains BHA, BHT, or ethoxyquin, subtract 10 points
4) For every grain "mill run" or non-specific grain source, subtract
5 points
5) If the same grain ingredient is used 2 or more times in the first
five ingredients (I.e. "ground brown rice", "brewers rice", "rice
flour" are all the same grain), subtract 5 points
6) If the protein sources are not meat meal and there are less than 2
meats in the top 3 ingredients, subtract 3 points
7) If it contains any artificial colorants, subtract 3 points
8 ) If it contains ground corn or whole grain corn, subtract 3points
9) If corn is listed in the top 5 ingredients, subtract 2 more points
10) If the food contains any animal fat other than fish oil, subtract
2 points
11) If lamb is the only animal protein source (unless your dog is
allergic to other protein sources), subtract 2 points
12) If it contains soy or soybeans, subtract 2 points
13) If it contains wheat (unless you know that your dog is not
allergic to wheat), subtract 2 points
14) If it contains beef (unless you know that your dog is not
allergic to beef), subtract 1 point
15) If it contains salt, subtract 1 point

Extra Credit:
1) If any of the meat sources are organic, add 5 points
2) If the food is endorsed by any major breed group or nutritionist,
add 5 points
3) If the food is baked not extruded, add 5 points
4) If the food contains probiotics, add 3 points
5) If the food contains fruit, add 3 points
6) If the food contains vegetables (NOT corn or other grains), add 3
points
7) If the animal sources are hormone-free and antibiotic-free, add 2
points
8 ) If the food contains barley, add 2 points
9) If the food contains flax seed oil (not just the seeds), add 2
points
10) If the food contains oats or oatmeal, add 1 point
11) If the food contains sunflower oil, add 1 point
12) For every different specific animal protein source (other than
the first one; count "chicken" and "chicken meal" as only one protein
source, but "chicken" and "" as 2 different sources), add 1 point
13) If it contains glucosamine and chondroitin, add 1 point
14) If the vegetables have been tested for pesticides and are
pesticide-free, add 1 point

Score:
94-100+ = A, 86-93 = B, 78-85 = C, 70-77 = D, 69 and below = F


Here are some foods that have already been scored.
Dog Food scores:
Authority Harvest Baked / Score 116 A+
Bil-Jac Select / Score 68 F
Canidae / Score 112 A+
Chicken Soup Senior / Score 115 A+
Diamond Maintenance / Score 64 F
Diamond Lamb Meal & Rice / Score 92 B
Diamond Large Breed 60+ Formula / Score 99 A
Dick Van Patten's Natural Balance Ultra Premium / Score 122 A+
Dick Van Patten's Duck and Potato / Score 106 A+
Foundations / Score 106 A+
Hund-n-Flocken Adult Dog (lamb) by Solid Gold / Score 93 B
Iams Lamb Meal & Rice Formula Premium / Score 73 D
Innova Dog / Score 114 A+
Innova Evo / Score 114 A+
Kirkland Signature Chicken, Rice, and Vegetables / Score 110 A+
Nutrisource Lamb and Rice / Score 87 B
Nutro Natural Choice Large Breed Puppy / Score 87 B
Pet Gold Adult with Lamb & Rice / Score 23 F
ProPlan Natural Turkey & Barley / Score 103 A+
Purina Beneful / Score 17 F
Purina Dog / Score 62 F
Purina Come-n-Get It / Score 16 F
Royal Canin Bulldog / Score 100 A+
Royal Canin Natural Blend Adult / Score 106 A+
Sensible Choice Chicken and Rice / Score 97 A
Science Diet Advanced Protein Senior 7+ / Score 63 F
Science Diet for Large Breed Puppies / Score 69 F
Wellness Super5 Mix Chicken / Score 110 A+
Wolfking Adult Dog (bison) by Solid Gold / Score 97 A