Member

Posts: 160
From:Columbia, SC, USA
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 01-12-2004 07:08 AM         

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Sorry about all these dog food questions. I have been to all the sites everyone has mentioned, there are just so many varying opinions and choices.

The reason I ask this question is because this is what my older dog is on and she seems to be doing better on it than she was. Hopefully, I can stick with this food. I was wanting to get the puppy on the same brand of food, at least, (right now I am going to two different pet stores to get their food), when he switches to adult food.

Anyways, Samantha is on the Chicken Soup for the Dog Lover's Soul food, the Senior formula. The only difference between the senior formula and the adult formula, that I can tell, is the inclusion of glucosamine and chondroitin, and there is less protein/fat in the senior formula (22/12 as opposed to 24/14). The ingredients seem the same, just some are in a different order.

The only reason I would want to give the puppy this is because it has the glucosamine and chondroitin in it, and the protein/fat ratio isn't as high. This seems like a silly question as I am writing it, it seems like it would be OK to me, I just don't know if there is something I am missing.

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Member

Posts: 1392
From:
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 01-12-2004 07:11 AM         

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Usually senior foods have more fillers in them (like fiber), taking the place of some of the protein and fat. I would not feed senior food to a puppy, but perhaps someone else can make a more educated statement than I.

Jamiya

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Member

Posts: 1387
From:Portland, Oregon US
Registered: Sep 2003

posted 01-12-2004 11:28 AM         

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It would help you greatly to go to the food for thought thread on this site and seek out the links that will show you HOW to read a dog food label. The reason those ingredients are listed in a different order is because there are different amounts of it in the food. Which changes the nutritional values. A puppies needs and a senior dogs needs are differnt, I would not feed senior food to a puppy unless there was a specific reason. I would also ask your vet about feeding Glucosamine and chrondriotin to your pup, I have heard and read conflicting opinions on this in puppies.
I have three dogs, and for a time had to feed all of them a different food, it's a pain in the butt, but it makes sense to feed for each dogs needs. Those needs will change so it also makes sense to go ahead and learn all you can about nutrition now. I now feed both of my big dogs Canidae half the week and a raw diet the other half of the week. My cats and Poodle get the raw all the time. The Poodle gets cranberries and blueberries in addition to help keep his urine pH where it belongs. It's not the funest thing to spend time on but the benefits make it worth while.

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Member

Posts: 169
From:New York, USA
Registered: Aug 2003

posted 01-12-2004 12:34 PM         

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Jamiya and Maisey bring up good points. Definitely check out the food for thought thread. Max has eaten senior dog food occasionally when we visit my in-laws. They free feed and sometimes we just aren't quick enough to pick the food up before he eats it. Well anyway on those rare occasions he has gotten severe diarrhea. We assumed there was some ingredient in the senior food to make it easily digestible.

I can only assume they make three stages of dog food (puppy, dog, senior) because dogs require different nuitrition at these various stages in their lives. So feeding senior food to a puppy doesn't seem like a good idea to me.

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Member

Posts: 27
From:UK (Staffordshire)
Registered: Dec 2003

posted 01-13-2004 01:33 AM         

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Hi,

its not a good idea to feed a puppy on senior food. Puppy food contains all the nutrition that the pup needs to grow, which isnt going to be in a senior food. I know that its a pain going to different stores for your dog food, but its best that the puppy is on puppy food. Puppies have different needs to Senior dogs, Senior dogs dont need food that helps them grow

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