Umm just wondering.

[efx*]

Is the more expenisve dog food for your dog better? Or is it just becasue its a major brand? Im just wondering because I have a 7 yr old yellow lab. I think shes slowing down and her othritis is getting the best of her. We run her 2 times a day for about 30 minutes each time. We use the lower brand dog food, Will it make a diffrence if we use the expensive kind?

Thanks

 

[moosassah]

I've never known a lab to slow down. Give your vet a call to make sure she doesn't need medicine for her arthritis. He/she should recommend a food that will suit your dog's current needs. If what's suggested is too expensive ask about something in the price range you can afford.

 

[efx*]

Ok, Thanks and we give her these pills for her arthrietis so she should be fine. I will take her to the vet next week.

 

[goReptiles]

Labs tend to age much later, as they tend to stay puppies till their 2ish. A vet check would rule out any health concerns.

I wouldn't say that the more expensive the food, the better. Just check food labels. You want to make sure that the first ingredient is a protein product. Stay away from meat or bone meal. You don't know what that consists of. Chicken meal, lamb meal, and beef meal, are better... You don't want any grain or corn in the first three ingredients. Purina one is a good brand that is decently priced.

 

[efx*]

Thanks, When I get more money I will try it out. Dosn't change of food casue diareah?

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

for 1 meat is a protein such as beef, lamb, chicken, fish, pork, as are eggs and dairy, nuts and seeds and beans (including soy), those are your major protein groups not all of those are a good protein choice for dogs.

Now on food, a name brand is not always better, just compare ingredients carefully, you want the fiirst to be chicken, beef (meat), lamb not a by product of those proteins or something like corn, corn meal etc.

When you cahnge your dogs food you need to do it slowly, put 3/4 of the old food and 1/4 of the new food for a few days, then do 2/3 old and 1/3 new, then 1/2 and 1/2 then 1/4 old and 3/4 new then do all new. It will take about 12-20 days, I usually do eash stage for 3-5 days depending on the size of the dog, a lab I would do 4 days of each cycle.

 

[efx*]

Ok, Right now were just using an adult formula of a grocery store brand of food.

 

[dragonflyreptiles]

Just check your ingredients make srue that something like corn or corn meal are not the first ingredient, something like, beef, chicken, lamb or even some new foods have turkey would be really great.

 

[goReptiles]

meat, bone, and poutry meal should be avoided also as you do not know what that consists of. usually it's the parts that no one wants- i.e. beaks and feet.

 

[MSMD]

I agree wih the above posters.....

I have worked in pet retail for about 10 years now. You definitely want to read the ingredients before buying a food. More expensive does not always mean a better food. I, personally, avoid corn altogether in dog food. #1 it is the #1 food allergen in dogs. #2, it counts toward to overall protein level in the food, and is not really a digestable protein source. Brown rice is the best grain source, although regular rice, barley, etc. is much more desirable than corn. You want to make sure that a grain is not listed as the #1 ingredient (you want a meat source), and you ALSO want to make sure that they don't break the grains up on the ingredients list to keep them from being #1. ie: Chicken, corn, corn gluten meal, etc. In this case, they have broken corn up into 2 groups so they don't have to list it as #1, however the food is mostly made up of corn. Also, more than 1 protein source is ideal (ie: chicken and salmon listed on ingredients). This way your dog is getting a better source of the amino acids it needs.

Just my two cents worth. Hope that all made sense!