To People With Long-lived Dogs

[rubiton]

Thats interesting SSM.

Family had lab x died just before 14 from cancer, Afghan that was pts at 14 due to a number of issues - both had dry food meaty bites, pal and table scraps. Golden Retriever lived til 17 when his back legs went fed same as above though as an older dog he also had pasta made up for him.

Our dog gets dry food and tinned food. Rarely table scraps, no longer bones and isnt permitted half the stuff that many feed raw due to her gastro a couple of years back (it took many months to get her back on her normal food). Was surprised at some of the things that the vet said not to give her due to the fat content and generally does nothing for them.

All dogs were allowed inside and all were exercised most days (well ok the afghan wasnt but had no recall, no roadsense and was happy sleeping on the bean bag as much as possible) and all had yearly vaccination. Agree that there is more to diet to longevity of dogs.

Edited April 18, 2010 by rubiton

[WoofnHoof]

Our old family dog (bitza) died at 16 she just got tinned food and scraps from memory.

[RufusTheDoofus]

I saw something on TV about a dog that lived to be quite old and was fed on Nature's Gift alone.

[smooch]

The two kelpies I had before Smooch both died of old age 17 and 18, both were outside dogs living in kennels or shed, both were feed dog food that was on special at the time, table scraps and cows milk. They would have also had cooked bones over the years. Neither were ever vaccinated. (I shudder at the thought.) Neither of them were ever sick.

[WoofnHoof]

I saw something on TV about a dog that lived to be quite old and was fed on Nature's Gift alone.

I bought a couple of tins of natures gift for when I've run out of other stuff and the stink that came from the dogs was unbelievable

[Jed]

My standard smooth dacshund lived to 23. She ate butchers offcuts, which were the edges of the meat, with some fat, bones, eggs, milk, some table scraps (meat, veges, gravy, roast etc), and some treats, toast and vegemite etc and the occasional fish scraps or a couple of sardines. I think the only supplement she ever had was Pentavite.

My boxer lived to 15, on the same diet, but she also had stewed meat and veges and the revolting "all new" dry dog food which was the first on the market.

I have 2 x 13 year old Cavaliers, lost one last year at 12.5 from a stroke, and one at 14 from heart failure. They are rarely sick - the 14 year old one never was, the 12.5 had age related dry eye, and the 2 x 13 year olds are in good health. They basically eat a raw diet - bone inchicken mince, veges, fruit, eggs, bones etc.

[Robbi]

Jess my Kelpie is about to turn 17. Over the years she has eaten a variety of diets, a lot of raw meat and rabbits when I was married to a farmer, scraps from a hotel kitchen(including crumbed schnitzels, steak and kidney and meat off cuts)and in later years home cooked stews, raw mince, chicken necks and a variety of dry kibbles and a raw egg or two a week and horse feed she steals from the horses.

My Staghound ate the same diet and died of cancer at 11, I am inclined to think genetics and type has a lot to do with longevity. Jess has always lived on acreage but been allowed inside whenever she wants and sleeps in my bedroom.

[skip]

I haven't had dogs very long but my BIL feeds his dogs the cheapest no brand dry food and assorted chicken or bones at times. Dogs both lived very long lives. Go figure?

[karly101]

I think it is more genetics that comes into determining lifespan.. plus all the advances with medicine.

Our old dog lived to 19 on canned food and dry food (all supermarket). I can't say anything on the 'premium' foods that the dogs are on now cause all mine are now young!

[animalia]

Most of my dogs lived to at least 14 years and plus. The earlier dogs were fed supermarket pet food, the current dogs were fed the cheapest premium food. The one thing that I can attribute for my Wolf hound X who's about 16 years is glucosamine and fish oil, I started giving this to her at the age of 4 years and she only started to show signs of arthritis at the age of 13years, the same with my bull terrier X Grey hound she lived to 14years and had only just started to show signs of arthritis just before she passed away from a bladder tumor

[dianed]

edited as my cat sat on the keyboard before I finished typing

Edited April 18, 2010 by dianed

[dianed]

My first gsd lived to 13.5, her 2 daughters nearly as old. They lived on a farm and had buckets of fresh milk straight from the cow, fresh veal! from any stillborn calf at calving time,plenty of eggs plus dry food, pets mince and table scraps. They had no illnesses or cancers like my current dogs have had. (My oldest cat from that era made 19.5 years).

Edited April 18, 2010 by dianed

[GoldenGirl85]

Our old family dog (mini foxi X) was PTS at age 13 after she gave up the chase, she was diagnosed with heartworm at age 9 and we were told she would be lucky to see another 12 months, she was fed Pal, if it wasnt for the heartworm I think she would have lived for years, she was a tough old bugger...cranky too lol

[sandgrubber]

The 21 yr old scotty that used to live next door was fed supermarket food and table scraps throughout his life.

[Souff]

I am wanting to conduct a survey, if you will, in order to have some idea as to what is the best diet to feed a dog ??? I would especially like to hear from owners of dogs that have lived to a ripe old age or who are still with us and are past the age of, say 16 years.

I know that a good diet is not always conducive to longevity as other things can step in the way but it sure must play a role in most cases.

15 years old + here and has almost a full set of strong teeth and few joint problems.

Heart and eyes are good - recently checked.

Apart from being neutered, has had no operations and no ailments.

- Fresh meaty bones

- Lots of clean fresh water

- Fat is always trimmed off meat and lean red meat given. Roo and veal preferred. No pet food crap mince.

- Good quality dry food

- Canned or fresh fish

- An occasional raw egg yolk

- BARF patties sometimes

- Natures Gift canned food sometimes

- Table scraps that are good basic meat and vegies - no curry, pasta or junk food, no desserts or cake

- Very few treats

- Soft cheese to get any tablets to be taken :D

- Never has big meals, is not allowed to "graze" so the stomach always completely empties before another meal.

I think these points, and regular exercise, are as important as the quality of the diet. Many dogs are fed way too much food and are eating themselves to an early death, at the owners expense.

Souff

[Cordelia]

I would especially like to hear from owners of dogs that have lived to a ripe old age or who are still with us and are past the age of, say 16 years.

Depends a lot on breed with the age though... a geriatric Great Dane is 10-12yrs old... A Lab is considered geriatric at 12yrs.. a 12yr old Poodle isn't.

That said.. My Lab is 13yrs and has just had her hind left leg amputated and it hasn't slowed her down much at all.. She's predominately fed a raw diet over the years, but now also has Optimum dry food.

My Dane is almost 7.5yrs old (getting quite old for a Dane) and is in great health.. she has Opyimum dry and some raw (she can't be on a totally raw diet as she has issues with maintaining her weight on it).

[Ms Genki]

Incidentally though, we used to give our current dogs dry food and they'd poop out obscenely large pongy amounts 3-4 times a day. My lab is also a poop eater and she'd literally be looking at her behind during toilet time (probably wondering whether the miserly human with the shovel would beat her to it).

We recently switched to rice, carrot, pet mince with a side of chicken neck or wing and the poos are only 1-2 times a day and considerably smaller and almost odourless. Better still, the lab hasn't gazed longingly at them once! Success! :D

Edited April 18, 2010 by Ms Genki

[greytdog]

Sister's GSD lived to 17 on a diet of pub scraps (they owned a pub) which included lobster, balmain bugs etc, supermarket food and supermarket dry food. He had pancreatitis in his youth, and was always a bit sensitive, but did OK in the end. Lovely sable dog. She has a big photo of him lying on the beach and another of him running thru the snow - he looks like a wolf. We miss him.

[hortfurball]

Kuges is geriatric - he's larger than a lab so theoretical life expectancy about 11 - 13 years, he's now 15.

He has been on a variety of diets as my dog knowledge increased and depending on my financial state at the time.

He has had a few different Supermarket dried biscuits, then Eukanuba, often with a little added tinned food or mince. Is currently on a combo of raw mince with a little garlic, vegie scraps, tinned meat and weetbix due to scarcity of teeth and lack of interest in biscuits.

Has had a heart condition for four years that amazingly hasn't taken him yet. Is on Joint Guard for arthritis.

Never gets unhealthy human snacks, except for the very occasional piece of cheese.

Treats are dog treats, a raw egg if I've been baking, tinned sardines (small amount as one tin is divided between dogs and cats), apple peel, fat offcuts (which doesn't happen often as I usually buy lean meat), raw bones when he still had enough teeth to do more than suck them. (bones are kind of pointless now as he can't use them to clean the remaining teeth as he doesn't have enough teeth to gnaw them)

Have always kept him slim and don't leave food down (Ella would scoff it all anyway and she'd get fat).

Eats two small meals a day rather than one large.

Seems like enough variety in the answers to suggest food really has nothing to do with longevity.

Edited April 25, 2010 by hortfurball

[Guest belgian.blue]

Didn't read everyones replies so don't know if this was said but maybe these days it isn't down to diet .. just unhealthy lines?

A lot more BYB these days and who really knows that the pedigree registered puppy you buy isn't from a BYB?

My first dog was fed supermarket foods and she lived to a ripe old age .. that is going back 15ish years since she passed on. She was a real farm dog and with what I'm certian were healthy strong parents.

Supermarket food has changed from how it was, I personally think it's worse.

Aren't humans a lot more sicker these days from a diet that our grandparents did wonders on, back in the day?