# What food to feed our 12 year old



## Huntersmom (Apr 28, 2011)

Our vet tells us we need to lower our 12 year old (hip dysplastic) Golden's weight by 10% or less than 74 lbs that he is currently. We are feeding both our old boy and our 1.5 year old Golden Pulsar (Pulses & Fish Formula Grain Free), 1.5 cups twice per day. The vet suggested lowering that to 1 cup twice per day or no more than 275-300 calories daily. We plan on leaving the puppy on the Pulsar food but are looking for a good alternative for the old boy that won't react with his skin allergies (yes, he has developed those too in his old age).

Any thoughts?


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## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

*I had Mick on Wellness Core for his last 5 years. 2 cups a day plus I supplemented with either frozen green beans or low sodium canned green beans. Treats were plain frozen yogurt with a couple of berries or frozen plain pumpkin. Loved apple wedges to. Had to peel them though.*


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## Thalie (Jan 20, 2008)

I would not change the food (you do not want to create a potential poop problem) but would lower his ration to what your vet recommends. Start by giving 1 1/2 cup at one meal and only 1 cup at the other meal for a week then reduce both meals to 1 cup. As said above green beans can be added - my preference goes to frozen ones a bit overcooked in the microwave.

Two cups a day instead of three will reduce his daily caloric intake by 410 (according to the Horizon Guranteed Analysis page : Pulsar | Horizon) which should lead to the desired weight loss.

Are you giving any joint supplements ?


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## Garfield (Apr 7, 2009)

Huntersmom said:


> The vet suggested lowering that to 1 cup twice per day or no more than 275-300 calories daily.


Surely the vet means ~300 calories twice (600 total) per day. If your 12YO is otherwise doing well on the Pulsar, I too would recommend gradually scaling back to two cups per day (that's about 800 calories total/day). If that doesn't take the weight off enough, try the Nutrisca Salmon & Chickpea. It's a similar grainfree, limited ingredient food with fewer calories that is great at taking pounds off without depriving the dog. Also, a quality joint supplement and fish oil might further help the dog.


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## Huntersmom (Apr 28, 2011)

Thalie said:


> I would not change the food (you do not want to create a potential poop problem) but would lower his ration to what your vet recommends. Start by giving 1 1/2 cup at one meal and only 1 cup at the other meal for a week then reduce both meals to 1 cup. As said above green beans can be added - my preference goes to frozen ones a bit overcooked in the microwave.
> 
> Two cups a day instead of three will reduce his daily caloric intake by 410 (according to the Horizon Guranteed Analysis page : Pulsar | Horizon) which should lead to the desired weight loss.
> 
> Are you giving any joint supplements ?


Thank you so much for your response - how many green beans would you suggest adding? We have never added any supplements to Tag's food because our vet says he is not convinced they help. He did however put him on 1/2 a Meloxicam once per day in his supper meal and Thyra-Tab after every meal. I have read a lot of posts that say people have tried and are happy with Glucosamine Chondroitin so I wonder if we could add that along with the meds he is currently on.


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## Huntersmom (Apr 28, 2011)

Garfield said:


> Surely the vet means ~300 calories twice (600 total) per day. If your 12YO is otherwise doing well on the Pulsar, I too would recommend gradually scaling back to two cups per day (that's about 800 calories total/day). If that doesn't take the weight off enough, try the Nutrisca Salmon & Chickpea. It's a similar grainfree, limited ingredient food with fewer calories that is great at taking pounds off without depriving the dog. Also, a quality joint supplement and fish oil might further help the dog.


Thanks for your response - no the vet was adamant that it should be 275 - 300 calories per day for his age and weight. Any thoughts on the salmon aspect? The vet said he feels that salmon is considered a non protein but I don't understand why. I would think it would be a better alternative to some of the other 'chicken additives'.


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## Thalie (Jan 20, 2008)

As far as the green beans go, replace what you take away in kibble with roughly the same quantity of green beans (e.g. half a cup well packed). As far as joint supplements I use the Cosequin DS (Cosequin DS for Dogs & Cats - Cosequin Chewables). I also give body fish oil (not cod liver oil, it is not the same at all).

Something sounds quite wrong with the calorie intake your vet tells you to feed; perhaps he meant reduce by that much.  I mean, 300 calories a day is what I would feed a 30 lbs dog for maintenance. Reducing Hunter's weight by 10 % would bring him around 66.5 lbs; as said above I would say he needs at least 600 to 700 calories per day. It is not just a question of calories but also of other nutrients that are needed for his body to function.

I absolutely do not understand your vet's comment about salmon not being protein. :scratchch


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## Garfield (Apr 7, 2009)

Huntersmom said:


> Thanks for your response - no the vet was adamant that it should be 275 - 300 calories per day for his age and weight. Any thoughts on the salmon aspect? The vet said he feels that salmon is considered a non protein but I don't understand why. I would think it would be a better alternative to some of the other 'chicken additives'.


Honestly, several of your comments have me questioning this vet. No responsible professional worth their salt would recommend only 300 calories/day for a Golden, that's why I gave him/her the benefit of the doubt that he/she must have meant 300/meal twice a day totaling 600 daily - and even that's on the low end of what's safe. I think salmon is a fine protein source if it's what your dog does well on. Also, a reputable joint supplement is extremely helpful.


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## A1Malinois (Oct 28, 2011)

You say thyra-tabs? Does your guy have a thyroid problem? I ask because if so maybe the dose is to low for him. 300 calories once a day is way to low, it could make him weak.


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## sharlin (Feb 26, 2007)

You might also cut back on the kibble by the 1/2 cup per serving and throw in some nice organic green beans as a healthy filler. Even at his age it wouldn't be a shock on the system and his tummy would grateful.


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## MikaTallulah (Jul 19, 2006)

I would just feed less of what he is currently on.

Pulsar | Horizon. It looks like it is 410/cup so 2 cups/day would be 820 seems like a better place to start than only 300/day. My 4 pound yorkie, Roxy, eats more than 300 calories per day! She is super active so she eats 450-500/day. Her mother and sister eat a total of 250-300 each since they are Porkie Yorkie Prone. I doubt a Golden retriever should eat less than yorkies.


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## Millie'sMom (Sep 7, 2012)

If a cup of Pulsar is 420 cal, buy reducing his food by one cup a day, he would lose a pound approx. every 8 days. It take a net calorie deficit of 3500 cal to lose one pound. You would not want him to lose more than a pound a week, it is not safe. 

I don't know why you vet considers salmon a non-protein food. It is an good source of protein 27 grams per 3 oz serving. 

I used Sasha's Blend (its different than glucosamine) with my first golden, and it helped her a lot, along with swimming in a therapy pool 3 times a week. The therapist said swimming one minute was the equivalent of walking 1 mile without the stress on her joints. Not sure 1 min swimming=1 mile walking but I could tell when she had missed a session. I see you are in Waterloo, there is an available indoor pool for dogs in Aberfoyle.

http://www.sashas.ca/


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## MyBentley (May 5, 2009)

I have to agree with the other posters who question the number of daily calories suggested by the vet. Either there is a miscommunication; or I seriously question the science of the vet's recommendation.

My Bentley will be 12 yrs. old in a couple of months and we were told to keep him trim ever since he had knee surgery at age 4 yrs. He gets moderate slow walking, but no one would call him real active.

He eats Acana Pacifica: one cup for breakfast and another for dinner. At 421 kcal per 250 ml cup, that is about a total of 840 daily calories. In addition, he gets bits of apple, blueberries or banana. He easily maintains at 66 lbs. 

My concern with lowering the kibble amount too much would be the potential lack of nutrients which senior dogs especially need. Their requirements for quality protein don't lessen with age from what recent studies suggest according to my vet.


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