Should I switch my 12-year-old Labrador with arthritis to senior food?

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Barry. Older dogs do not necessarily need to eat a senior diet. There is no standard as to what constitutes a senior food. Each dog food company will have a different version. Now if you have found a senior food and he is doing well on it, I would stay with that food. As far as kibble size, labs are not picky and do not seem to show a preference. I hope this information helps!

Well the trick with senior pets over 7 years of age is to simply get them on a senior pet food. Most high quality brands such as Hill's Science Diet, Royal Canin, Evo or Eukanuba carry senior diets that are lower in fat content and higher in fiber along with essential vitamins and minerals needed for older pets. Also fatty lumps "lipomas" are not necessarily a result of fatty foods. Fatty tumors are a direct result of old age and changing the diet won't necessarily decrease the occurrence of these. However, having your pet on a senior diet is still recommended for their overall health and well-being.

Hello. I would start with Hill's sensitive Skin & Stomach. It is not a light food, but by feeding the recommended amount on the bag for a 60-80 pound dog, he should begin to drop a little weight. For his joints, you want to give him a name brand supplement & I recommend Nutramax. They make Cosequin & Dasuquin Advanced. I would also start him on a fish oil supplement, 1000-2000 mg daily. As he ages, he may need more help with his arthritis & we have excellent pain modalities for dogs including appropriate non steroidal drugs, & prescription joint treatments called Adequan. You will discuss these with your vet. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Yes keep up with daily moderate exercise. As Lucy ages the length of the walks and exercise may decrease but should still be done at least twice daily. Many people stop exercising their dogs as they age. This results in muscle loss, and increased joint instability causing pain and arthritis. When you maintain the muscle mass it helps support the joints and keeps the tendons and ligaments strong. Dogs with arthritis actually have less discomfort when they are up and moving. So keep up the regular exercise and listen to Lucy and don’t push her when she’s had enough. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Lucy.

I would let the vet that prescribed the Royal Canin mobility know you have switched Sam's food in case they want to add any additions such as a glucosamine supplement or prescription to treat the arthritis in addition to the new food. Otherwise, if he is eating well and seems happy on the diet, it should be OK to switch as long as your vet gives the OK.

Hello. Thank you for using PetCoach. Peanut is very handsome! The most common thing that happens as large breed dogs age is arthritis so I would just put him on a good all around supplement that contains joint supplements in it. I love this supplement by Missing Link. http://www.allivet.com/p-1647-missing-link-vet-canine-plus.aspx Some signs he may have arthritis are: * having a hard time getting up from a down position * not jumping up on the couch, bed, etc like he normally does (if he does that) * slowing down on walks (like he doesn't seem like he can go as far as he used to) Even if he is not showing signs of arthritis I would put him on a joint supplement. The other thing I would recommend is yearly blood testing with your vet to check his organ function. Declining organ function is not something you can see from the outside just by looking at your dog. Usually by the time you do see something abnormal it is often too late to do anything about it. It is better to test yearly so you can catch things early. Peanut looks to be in great shape! You are doing a great job! Hope this answers your questions. Please post again if you have more question. Best wishes.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach! Hershey is adorable! I think you can give it a try. A few pieces of advice, with raw meats we worry about bacteria and food poisoning. Also you have to be sure you balance the nutrients, especially the calcium/phosphorus ration. All commercial dog foods do this for you already. Anytime a client want to either home cook or start to feed raw I recommend they formulate their recipes through Balanceit.com. https://secure.balanceit.com/ I hope this helps!