Vet Recommends Tinned Food.

[moggy]

My son and his family have just taken their golden retriever pup for her second vaccination and check up with the vet. When asked what she was being fed and told dry food and "doggy stew" of meat, veges and rice or pasta, he advised this was not a good diet. He suggested a mixture of dry and canned food.

We understood that canned food is not a good option. We are all confused now. I feed my Chi on doggy stew and dried food as well as a chicken neck for breakfast.

Is there a good canned food??

Suggestions please.

Moggy

[DeltaCharlie]

One thing that alot of people don't consider but has a huge impact on the information we receive is that commercial pet food companies sponsor the university courses for vets. So, what are they going to be taught? How bad commercial food is? I don't think so. They are going to be taught how balanced the diet is that is provided in the commercial, processed food. So, many vets then pass on the information to pet owners about how good it is to only feed commercial food. Basically, your vet probably believes that a mixture of dry and canned food is the best option.

In saying that, if you buy a good quality brand, then I would rather feed the canned food than the kibble. If you buy a poor brand then your yard will quickly fill up with poo.

My dogs are fed an entirely raw meat diet (prey model diet) but when I see the vet I tell them I feed them "mainly dry food, some raw egg sometimes, and the occassional bone" because I am sick of trying to argue with the vets. They are always telling me how incredibly healthy my dogs look and how wonderful their teeth and coats are. Thats all the reassurance I need to continue what I am feeding them.

If your dogs are doing well with what you are currently feeding them then keep doing it.

[Kobayashi]

most wet dog foods alone arent very good from what i have heard. But using it as a filler for a good dry food wouldn't be too bad i would think. Just not as the only thing they eat.

I am sure someone who knows a LOT more then me will come along soon

My willow gets dry and a filler, but its not tinned food, its 4legs meatballs and gravy! ;)

[Dogsfevr]

I would imagine they suggest a tim product thats a vet only brand.

Min you we dont feed or recommend pasta.

I guess what i would be more worried about is the diet similiar to what the breeder suggested??

[The Spotted Devil]

Feeding a growing puppy is much more critical in terms of nutrient balance than feeding a healthy adult dog. Adults cope with slight imbalances much more easily.

So, for someone who is experienced in understanding what a puppy requires (in terms of calcium-phosphorus ratio, protein requirements etc) to ensure optimal skeletal growth (basis for soundness in adult life and old age) I say go for the BARF/raw approach if it is convenient.

Without that knowledge, particularly in a larger breed, I would err on the side of caution and recommend an excellent quality dry food (I'm switching to Eagle Pack at the moment) as around 85% of the diet. For the rest I feed Zig half a wing at bedtime, healthy training treats (e.g. Nature's Gift, steamed chicken) and the odd Farrell broken in pieces and stuffed in a Kong. I'm definitely not a vet (and certainly don't believe everything they say) but I am an Animal Scientist, and associate with some excellent nutritionists.

If you MUST feed wet food, I believe Nature's Gift to be one of the better options.

[poodlefan]

When asked what she was being fed and told dry food and "doggy stew" of meat, veges and rice or pasta, he advised this was not a good diet.

I'm not a vet. I don't sell dog food. I agree that it's not a good diet. You don't need an ulterior motive to say that.

If the pup is not being regularly fed raw bones or a decent kibble (what brand do they use), then this diet has the potential to be seriously deficient in calcium and a range of other minerals. That's potentially disastrous for a growing pup, more so for a large breed pup.

If you're going to feed a home prepared food you HAVE to do your homework, especially with feeding pups. I'd either recommend a fully researched RAW diet or a premium kibble with some chicken wings and sometimes the home made stew.

Dogs cannot digest cereals - all the pasta is is filler.

Time for a rethink of this diet.

Edited January 4, 2008 by poodlefan

[koolietas]

I can totally understand how people get confused with what is the 'best' diet to feed their dogs...

I feed my boy BARF only (other than training treats - which are all preservative/colour/additive free) but several vets I have come across don't even know what BARF is (which really surprises me this day and age!) Luckily, my usual vet, is really supportive of this diet and even put pamphlets out about the pre-made BARF rolls in the surgery (until it was banned - long story...)

Most vets I've had experience with don't seem to know a lot about diet (although there are a few exceptions) and often recommend what is sitting out in their surgeries (you can come to your own conclusions about why that is!)

Anyway, DOL site is great to do your own research and get people's opinions...so you've come to the right place!

My last sheltie was fed Advance wet/dry (on his breeder's recommendation) which I followed up until he was 8 - at which time he had developed liver probs and I had to switch his diet to veg & fish. He was like a different dog after changing his diet - much more energetic & looked much healthier - with a beautiful glossy coat. Unfortunately he passed away from his liver probs about a year after they developed - but I have no doubt that the change of diet prolonged his life.

That was what swayed me to consider feeding something 'different'...so when I got my next sheltie, I kept him on dry food for the first month (which is what the breeder had been feeding him) and gradually switched him over to BARF. His breeder had given him chicken necks/wings when he was a pup - so I continued that as one of his meals. He hasn't seen dry food since he was 3 1/2 months old (he's now 3) and has never had canned food. He has a beautiful thick & shiny coat, lots of energy (probably too much for me ;) ) lovely clean teeth and is really healthy. There's no way I would feed commercial foods unless I really, really had to...but if I did for some reason, I would go with a super premium dry food and continue feeding raw bones.

IMO - I would definitely steer clear of canned food and if you want to keep feeding dry food - try some of the premium brands (Eagle Pack/Innova/Advance/Eukanuba/Nutro etc) and feed raw bones (at the appropriate size for your dog) as well. Rice/pasta are fillers only - no nutritional value in those foods for a dog. I would give the doggy stew a miss as well - most of the nutrients disappear when the food has been cooked...so you're going to the trouble of cooking for not much!

Sorry - the post ended up being much longer than I intended!

[ShesaLikeableBiBear]

There are so many products avail in the commercial dry foods, whatever you decide to feed please have a good look at the ingredients list and the guaranteed analysis before making a decison.

Many of the products have been discussed on these forums before, including the whys and wherefores of feeding BARF. If you use the search feature you can find these discussions.

Personally we feed Ziwipeak (which comes in cans) and Nutro Natural Choice, a super premium dry food.

Ziwipeak however do not have a puppy formula.

[persephone]

I concur..the puppy will benefit from a diet change..with more meat and bone.

The vets will often recommend a canned/dry food which they have for sale ;)

[JulesP]

Quite a few of the premium food companies do canned food. I've fed a couple out but still prefer the Natures Gift if I have to use canned.

If the dry food is a super premium one then I don't see the problem in adding a bit of mince, veggies to it.

[laffi]

I concur..the puppy will benefit from a diet change..with more meat and bone.

The vets will often recommend a canned/dry food which they have for sale ;)

I agree with what was said. RAW meaty bones: necks, wings frames are great. I wouldn't cook any meat, always give it raw. Grains (like pasta) are useless for dogs and can cause allergies. I wouldn't bother with these. Not a lot of veggies are needed either. Dog food should be at least 75% meat based, ideally meaty bones.

If you want to try natural diet, research BARF or pray diet. If you want pre-made diet feed a good quality dry food.

Vets recommend what they sell, like a good seller would.

[DeltaCharlie]

Well, if we are getting into recommendations I agree with what most of the others have said. Usually I have people getting stuck into me for trying to educate people on food so I didn't this time, no matter how much I disagreed with the diet. I also missed the part about the dog being a puppy. For some reason I was thinking it was an adult who had been fed this diet its whole life. That changes a lot as puppies really need a good diet to be able to grow properly and healthily.

I would never feed my dogs anything that is commercially produced. I would never feed my dogs the diet that you have described. I would never feed my dogs a BARF diet. Dogs do not need vegetables, they do not need pasta/rice/other such grains, and they do not need the preservatives that go along with preprepared food. Their diet should consist of 75% muscle meat, 15% bone, 10% organs (liver and kidney- the heart is a muscle). They should get fish once a week, raw egg once a week, and a tablespoon of yogurt every couple of weeks.

[laffi]

Well, if we are getting into recommendations I agree with what most of the others have said. Usually I have people getting stuck into me for trying to educate people on food so I didn't this time, no matter how much I disagreed with the diet. I also missed the part about the dog being a puppy. For some reason I was thinking it was an adult who had been fed this diet its whole life. That changes a lot as puppies really need a good diet to be able to grow properly and healthily.

I would never feed my dogs anything that is commercially produced. I would never feed my dogs the diet that you have described. I would never feed my dogs a BARF diet. Dogs do not need vegetables, they do not need pasta/rice/other such grains, and they do not need the preservatives that go along with preprepared food. Their diet should consist of 75% muscle meat, 15% bone, 10% organs (liver and kidney- the heart is a muscle). They should get fish once a week, raw egg once a week, and a tablespoon of yogurt every couple of weeks.

LOL, I knew we would get great info out of you. Do you base the diet on the Lonsdale's book?

Sorry ;)

Do you train your dogs? What food rewards do you use in training?

[DeltaCharlie]

Well, if we are getting into recommendations I agree with what most of the others have said. Usually I have people getting stuck into me for trying to educate people on food so I didn't this time, no matter how much I disagreed with the diet. I also missed the part about the dog being a puppy. For some reason I was thinking it was an adult who had been fed this diet its whole life. That changes a lot as puppies really need a good diet to be able to grow properly and healthily.

I would never feed my dogs anything that is commercially produced. I would never feed my dogs the diet that you have described. I would never feed my dogs a BARF diet. Dogs do not need vegetables, they do not need pasta/rice/other such grains, and they do not need the preservatives that go along with preprepared food. Their diet should consist of 75% muscle meat, 15% bone, 10% organs (liver and kidney- the heart is a muscle). They should get fish once a week, raw egg once a week, and a tablespoon of yogurt every couple of weeks.

LOL, I knew we would get great info out of you. Do you base the diet on the Lonsdale's book?

Sorry ;)

Do you train your dogs? What food rewards do you use in training?

To tell you the truth I have never read his book. I learnt everything from some good websites and by talking to nutritionists and breeders from America that I know through a different site. Mind you, I think they have gained their knowledge from Lonsdale's book so yeh that's where the info originated.

My dogs do obedience, agility, flyball, and herding. Im going to turn into a slight hypocrite here but I actually train Delta with good quality dry dog and cat food! She goes mad for the stuff- I think its all the preservatives. Or I use frankfurts, cheese, cabonossi, bacon, etc. Usually my treat pouch contains a mixture of all these things so she has no idea what on earth is going to come out next. If dogs know what the reward will be they can decide whether or not it is worth working for. Charlie won't work for food, he is a pain in the arse. He works for a tennis ball although Im slowly transitioning that to a game of tug with a tennis ball attached to the rope. Obedience isn't easy to train if the reward is a game of fetch

Back on topic... if you want to know more about it I can PM you. Im actually thinking about putting all the info onto a site so I don't have to find the old posts every time someone asks It has never occured to me to just save it somewhere but it is too much to retype every time.

[Poodle wrangler]

What about a better quality large breed puppy dry food? Many like Eagle Pack, Nutro etc. are about $80+/ 15 kg. It's the easiest option for many people. It doesn't hurt to add raw meaty bones as well. Depends what's affordable.

Most canned foods are high in both sugar and water to make it more palatable. I hate the smell of the stuff and would rather feed a mix of dry food and raw foods.

I'm struggling to imagine a Goldie that needs encouragement to eat ;)