Food recommendations please

[meljoy]

Ok, I recently started another thread about chappie food. Leo had problems with his anal glands and it was recommended I switch to chappie which I did.....that has sorted his anal glands out but now Im wondering if it isnt such a good food and I could give him something else with more protein and meat but still lots of fibre.

Any help would be really appreciated as I only want whats best for my boy.

Thanks Mel

[Kate H]

We had a discussion about Chappie on another forum and one of the reasons it works on sensitive tummies seems to be precisely that it is low-protein rubbish! Adult dogs do not need much protein unless they are doing active work and a lot of 'better' tinned foods are too rich for them - 18% protein seems to be the maximum for both wet and dry food. This is why a lot of vets recommend Chappie. I've found Burns very good for anal glands - since putting Oliver on it last December he's only needed his anal glands emptied after 6 months instead of every 3 months, and Aled (also on Burns) never seems to have a problem at all! I give both of them a heaped teaspoon of very ordinary tinned meat on their breakfast and supper biscuits simply because this makes it very easy to give Oliver his SM pills, and helps Aled, who is a slow eater, to get started.

The only thing that seems to upset Aled's tummy is peas and beans - though he loves grated courgette as a treat. Oliver has never had an upset tummy in his life!

Kate, Oliver and Aled

[chloe92us]

Kate- I've had the same effect using ultra-high protein food.

Casey used to have her glands expressed every 2 months. She's now been on Orijen (40% protein, grain free) for over 2 years and she hasn't had them expressed since. Winston, who we adopted last January, came to us with full glands, and has not had them expressed since. I am a firm believer in this food in particular for helping with their glands.

[Margaret C]

. Oliver has never had an upset tummy in his life!

Kate, Oliver and Aled

Oh Kate,
I hope you were touching wood when you wrote that.

I have found rice cakes (the original with no added salt ) to be helpful when trying to slim my dogs. I got the idea after buying an overpriced 'light' mini biscuit.

Rice cake can be broken up & used as a crunchy treat or reward. I feed half tinned, half kibble so I also put it into the feeding bowl as a partial or complete replacement for the RC kibble.

[Love my Cavaliers]

I use rice cakes also. I have found brown rice cakes with seaweed on them, which according to my breeder should be good for them. They love them (although I wouldn't touch the seaweed ones myself!)