Senior food mongers

[lmcpug]

I thought I would post this with the hope that some day someone else on here would
have the good fortune to have not one but maybe 2 senior food mongers in their lives

I have seen how once a canine reaches a certain age they start to "waste"
I know that some Vets advocate special diets for Seniors at a certain age and/or reductions in the amts to be given to Seniors.............
I would like to disagree with that; unless of course there are special health circumstances.

To date, both Pugsley and Bubs are still eating exactly what they have been eating all the time.
I have not cut back on anything amts and/or type of food.
They are both very healthy and have a healthy appetite to match.
Excluding the "old age" stuff, arthritis, loss of eye sight and hearing, they are fairly healthy.
Pugsley does have issues with his hiney end; he is a bit of doddering old man when he goes out.
He can still lower himself very slowly to whiz and enjoys the walk around to find theeee perfect
spot for my "prize package" as we call it. He does however require aid in squatting for the "prize package" just a gentle hand support on each side of his chest does it and then off he goes for a trott.


So I guess what I am saying is,
I would not necessarily say to cut back on an old puggies food;
after all what do they have to enjoy anymore??
They cannot chew, for obvious reasons, at their age teeth are at a premium
I am seeing 2 very healthy pugmen and would question a Vet about reduction in a seniors food intake
or using a special seniors food that is protein reduced (again unless there is special circumstances)

I wonder if anyone out there with a Senior has also noted this??
If you have a senior, have you changed foods??

[blanche]

Yep.  Yep.  Yep.  I'm convinced the only reason Bob wasn't skin and bones at his death was BECAUSE he was eating raw and a pretty hefty amount.  It's called geriatric wasting and while many people told me he needed to be on senior food and low protein, blah, blah, blah.  I didn't listen.  He didn't have any reason to be on low protein food or a senior diet and he did really well on raw.

Ditto Tank at age 12.  Ditto Hazel at age 11 to 13 (we don't really know her age). 

The only thing I've ever changed with my seniors was to add a senior dog multi-vitamin to their diets.

Now if I could just get Tank to hang onto his teeth!  He seems to lose about one a month.  I usually find them by stepping on them.  He's healthy in all other ways, but seems to be shedding teeth.

[lmcpug]

LOL!!!!!

yeah, or the "spitoon" of teeth 

I have seen so many seniors on these low protein diets for seniors and they are skin and bones
which really freaks me out. They look pathetically on deaths door
Which they probably are without enough protein to keep their body functions up and running optimally.

I make a big bowl of food for Pugman and I let him eat as much as he wants and it seems to me
he is happier with more food than less. What I mean by that, is I used to give him only 1/4 c meat and/or beans + 1/4 c veggies 2 x daily; now I have upped it a bit and it is almost 1/2 and 1/2 2x daily.
He takes in what he wants and usually he will stop when a) he gets tired b) he is full
It takes a lot for him to eat anymore due to the loss of teeth, so he tires out fairly fast trying to gum his way around the dish    poor ol' geezer

[lmcpug]

I guess what I am trying to do;
is have anyone with Seniors, re think how they are fed!

I never in my wildest dreams thought I would end up with 2
Seniors at 16 and 18+ But I have to admit,
that perhaps good food, good oral hygiene care and just all
around good care make a world of difference to their health.

[Jemma]

I think the only change I've made was switching Amir to raw.  I feed him a scoop (a cup I think) of grain free small breed Now and four 1oz medallions of Nature's Variety raw each day.  He gets 2oz of raw in the morning and the other two at supper.  He's always free fed on kibble and the scoop generally lasts him the day.  Some days he's hungrier than others so I give him more kibble.  He also gets yogurt and fruit for treats.  He's lost a little weight lately but is actually down to what he should be.  Way I see it, if he wants to eat it, he can.  

[lmcpug]

http://www.dogquality.com/blog/older-dogs-and-raw-food/

http://www.k9rawdiet.com/FAQ-p-5.html

[clummy]

I have to say, I am very impressed with your guys. To be 16 and 18 and still in good health is amazing - they are very lucky boys to have found you Lori.

[lmcpug]

I have to say, I am very impressed with your guys. To be 16 and 18 and still in good health is amazing - they are very lucky boys to have found you Lori.

Thank you....
BUT I think I am the lucky one to have been graced with 2 very quiet gentle
puggies!  
Abi aka Young Offender is soooooo much another story (much like Bubba's sister
Shy)           I  swear that Shy came back to haunt us :\

Anyhow, I truly hope that more out there will find their furry puggies living
long and healthy lives too! It is such a joy having seniors
It's funny how they rely heavily on you at this time yet only a few short
years ago they were truly ambivilant about hugs and cuddles
Squirming to get away cause "oh dear, she is getting mushy again"  LOL!!
Now i get all the hugs and cuddles with out the struggle.