Senior Dog Food

**anna_66** · 08-31-2002, 08:28 AM

We just recently put Angus on senior dog food (about 2 weeks ago). He just seemed to be really gassy and have horrible, horrible farts We have been feeding them Eukanuba Maintienance Formula & Roxey & Huney don't have any problem, just Angus & just recently.
So we thought maybe it was bothering his stomach and the senior wouldn't be as hard on him. Well..it seems to have worked! He might have a little stinker now & then, but that's about it. He didn't even get gassy when we were in transition between the 2! He even seems to be a little more active now (a little more "spring" in his step!)

Now, my questions are:

Has anyone else had this problem?
Is senior better for him?
Should I have started him on senior sooner? (the bag says 7+)
Could it really be the change is dogfood that has made him more active (or is it just me!)?

**Cincy'sMom** · 08-31-2002, 09:57 AM

I really don't know much about the senior foods. My friend has a dog who is 9 and the last time at the vet the recomended he be switched to senior food. I don't know that it has changed anything for him, except he doesn't seem to like it (it has been 3 mos. since he switched) Brutus is setter mix and has always been very active...they walk him 3+ miles everynight, he has lots of doggie friends to play with, they have a full size pool he swims in. Overall he is a very active dog. Maybe it was too soon to switch him.

On another level changing our girls food made a huge difference and that was just going from Iams to Sensible Choice...we switched about 6 mos ago and they are less gassy, there "presents" stick less and they seem to like it better. I definatly think food can make a difference in the dog.

Glad Angus is doing well!

**ChrisAK** · 09-03-2002, 07:35 AM

Good morning,

1) Yes
2) Yes, depending on the age
3) Dependent on the dog's general health and activity.
4) Yes.

When my late Bo, began showing signs of his senior age: his regular food starting disagreeing with him, and his activity level dropped. Our vet did his physical to include blood work. This was when we changed his diet to his senior. He was about 8.5 -9.

Up until then, his symptoms weren't noticeable. As for changing sooner, the packages are guidelines. Changing to senior food is best done with guidance from your vet and your ability to notice the changes in your pet.

The nutritional changes between foods are designed to meet the changes in dogs. They may have the same basic ingredients, however, the vitamins and oils may increase/decrease depending on the type of food.

The other big difference in foods are the brands. If you are using the commercial store brands, (ex: Purina, pedigree, etc) you are getting a lesser nutritional quality food than those of your premium brands (iams, eukanuba etc). This too also makes a difference.

Remember each animal reacts differently to changes. What worked for my Senior, may not necessarily be the same for yours. Only your pet can really tell you by his actions and health.

Good luck.

**pupper-lover** · 09-03-2002, 08:25 AM

Did you ease into the new food or make a complete and immediate switch?

If you did not gradually change foods (mix old food and new senior food), Angus could get a belly ache trying to adjust to the abrupt change in his diet. Other than that, I really don't know what the tummy troubles could be from. I hope Angus feels better soon.

**anna_66** · 09-03-2002, 08:56 AM

Originally posted by pupper-lover
Did you ease into the new food or make a complete and immediate switch?

I hope Angus feels better soon.

Yep, took a couple of weeks actually. He don't seem to do well unless he has a couple of weeks to "ease" into the new food.

He feels great! Like I said he seems to act alot better, and be happier

Thanks for the concern!

ChrisAK: on the bag it says senior is 7+, I guess we never talked to the vet about it before...we just never thought about it

He had some other problems & we just never imagined the food would have a something to do with it.
I'm just glad we did it and he feels GREAT!

**ChrisAK** · 09-03-2002, 09:24 AM

Glad to hear he transitioned okay. Before I really got into rescuing, I never thought about it either.

In the last 2 years I have learned soo much from my dear friend. I now go to the vets as minimal as I can; I've learned symptoms and home remedies, that I would not have otherwised thought of.

I also have put 2 and 2 together in the training aspect of things. One of them being, that diet is a major contributor to health problems or cures.