|
Welcome to the YorkieTalk.com Forums Community - the community for Yorkshire Terriers. You are currently viewing our boards as a guest which gives you limited access to view most discussions and access our other features. By joining our free community you will have access to post topics, communicate privately with other members (PM), respond to polls, upload content and access many other special features. You will be able to chat with over 35,000 YorkieTalk members, read over 2,000,000 posted discussions, and view more than 15,000 Yorkie photos in the YorkieTalk Photo Gallery after you register. We would love to have you as a member! Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please, join our community today! If you have any problems with the registration process or your account login, please click here to contact us. |
|
| LinkBack | Thread Tools |
10-12-2009, 07:12 AM | #1 |
No Longer A Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: NEW YORK
Posts: 16,218
| Urgent help needed with senior food. I need some of your expertise on food for my grandpup MinPin, Epcot. Epcot will be 12 next month and has been eating Wellness and Halo. He has blown up, I believe from this food. He is no longer getting as much excercise and needs a low calorie, low fat, high quality kibble and or wet food. His health is fine. Having no experience in this I am coming to you for help. He has eaten kibble and home cooking for years, thinking it best to only feed him dog food after his grandpa passed, he took care of him, his food was changed to Wellness and Halo. I saw him for the first time in months yesterday and was shocked to see so much weight on him. He needs to thin out and fast. His grandma and aunt are caring for him and only wants the best for him. He's also depressed since loosing grandpa well over a yr. ago. It's sad. He eats only once a day with minimal treats I'm told. It has to be the food. Please help me with some ideas of high quality food for seniors who do not get the excercise they once did. This was my daughter's pup until my granddaughter arrived 8yrs ago. The dog acted out so bad after the baby arrived her in-laws took him. I couldn't because I had a terrier who did not like other dogs. He's a love and we love him to pieces but he has to slim down fast. Thanks in advance. |
Welcome Guest! | |
10-12-2009, 07:24 AM | #2 |
And Rylee Finnegan Donating Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Metro Detroit, MI
Posts: 17,928
| Welllness may have a senior food. Innova has one that's worth a look. I'd replace some of the food with vegetables (like green beans) to make him feel full. If he is very overweight, he may need an rx diet. I per sonally wouldn't go with once day feeding. I'd split it into at least two. If he truly isn't eating much and doesn't get many treats (which should be changed to veggies now), then he will need bloodwork because it's very likely a medical problem (i.e. hypothyroid or something).
__________________ Crystal, Ellie May (RIP), Rylee Finnegan, and Gracie Boo🐶 |
10-12-2009, 07:31 AM | #3 | |
No Longer A Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: NEW YORK
Posts: 16,218
| Quote:
Thanks for responding, I hoped you would. No, he's fine. Had all his blood work done last month with his yearly. Doc say's he's just getting older and still depressed, which is very obvious. He eats only once a day because he won't eat twice. Strange I know but this is Epcot. I mentioned 2x to them, they tried and he won't eat in the am. Just looking for a food with less fat and calories in it. I don't know anything about senior food, yet. | |
10-12-2009, 07:34 AM | #4 |
Phantom Queen Morrigan Donating Member | wellness does have a senior dry and canned forumla. it has less fat and protein and more fiber. since he's used to eating wellness i'd probably just switch to that. otherwise i'd go with innova senior. i don't know too much about Halo brands. also a senior wellness check and blood panel couldn't hurt
__________________ Kellie and Morgan |
10-12-2009, 08:01 AM | #5 | |
No Longer A Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: NEW YORK
Posts: 16,218
| Quote:
He had his yearly last month and all his blood work came back fine. Thanks for the info. I will pass it on this way at least they have a couple of selecitons to choose from if one dosen't work for him. | |
10-12-2009, 08:12 AM | #6 |
I ♥ Joey & Ralphie! Donating Member | I would cut the food they are feeding by 1/3, and weigh weekly to see if he's losing the weight. Green beans are a low calorie treat and act to help make them feel full, so if by reducing the food by 1/3, he still seems like he's starving, adding a few green beans will help. Just like with humans, rapid weight loose is not the way to go. I'm not sure how much weight loss they can expect each weight, but when Joey had to lose a pound, the vet said 1 to 2 ounces a week would be a good goal. This is based on percentages of their weight, for example, a 70-pound dog might be able to safely lose 8 ounces a week. Remember, anytime an organism loses weight too fast, it loses more muscle than fat, and while muscle weighs more, it also keep metabolism high. This is especially important as a dog ages, because he's not building that much new muscle. I made Joey work for some of his meals, and playing fetch is a good way for them to get exercise and every little bit helps. I too think two meals is better, and I would be tempted to reduce his night time meal by ½ and give him part of that in the mourning, if he refused it, no harm done. Again, a few green beans could be added, and they need to stop all other treats. Most actual dog treats are very high calorie, and a few here and there can blow the diet. If he's seriously overweight, they may not realize how much they are giving him.
__________________ NancyJoey Proud members of the CrAzYcLuB and YAP! ** Just Say No to Puppymills – Join YAP! Yorkshire Terrier Club of America – Breeder Referrals Last edited by Nancy1999; 10-12-2009 at 08:13 AM. |
10-12-2009, 08:33 AM | #7 | |
No Longer A Member Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: NEW YORK
Posts: 16,218
| Quote:
Thanks Nancy. I will pass all this info on to them. We all love him to death and want what's best for him. They thought they were doing better by only giving him the dog food but it just blew him up with only one meal a day. way to high in fat and calories for an older dog is my guess since nothing else is wrong with him, except depression. Amazing how this poor dog is moarning the loss of his grandpa after 1 1/2 yrs. Vet said nothing can be done except to keep him as active as possible. He is a larger MinPin to begin with, long legs and body but now with the weight his head looks so small and his body is huge. They didn't see it I guess but when you don't see someone for a period of time then you can see the difference. Thanks again, | |
Bookmarks |
|
|
| |
|
|
SHOP NOW: Amazon :: eBay :: Buy.com :: Newegg :: PetStore :: Petco :: PetSmart