Recommendation for food to replace Hill's j/d

[RKMaine]

I have a 3 year old Golden that I love and got from a rescue league about a year ago. He was diagnosed with mild joint disease. The Vet I used to go to placed him on Hill's j/d, Synovi63 granules, and Previcox (as needed for periods of inflammation). Through exercise I've gotten 8 lbs off of his weight in the past 3 months.

I did away with everything but the Hill's j/d because I didn't know what else to give him. I now feed him 1 1/2 cups of the j/d twice a day and add a tbsp of Missing Link Plus for the glucosamine/chondroiton, two tablets of Nutri-vet brewer's yeast, and two capsules of 1000mg Fish Oil concentrate.

After reading many of the comments in this forum, I'm realizing that I probably should find a different dry food for my dog that isn't so high in carbs (not to mention price!). I'm a single bachelor but willing to cook if that's what my dog needs.

I just need a simple, good recommendation for a dry food and what other meat/vegetable combination I should add to his feedings. I would greatly appreciate all responses.

Thank you for your replies!

[kandy]

The first ingredient in this product is corn. The only meat protein source in this food is chicken by-product meal - which means it can contain whatever left over chicken parts are handy for that particular processing batch. It could be anything from beaks & feet to feathers.

If you are already giving a g/c supplement, and a fish oil supplement, then you've already eliminated the supposed benefits of feeding this particular food. I would caution you on the brand of supplements you are using though. Because supplements aren't regulated, they may not contain what they claim, or the strength may vary from batch to batch. For the g/c - there are studies that suggest that the addition of MSM and ASU's to the supplement increase the benefits of the supplement. In general, the cheaper the brand of supplement, the more likely it is to have questionable levels of what you are buying it for.

My newfie girl had to have knee surgery, and the ortho vet told me that she had to be put on a g/c supplement. They recommended Cosequin because its formulas have been independently tested on a frequent basis and found to contain what they claim. A short time after we started her on the Cosequin, I was doing research and found that the makers of Cosequin had developed a new product called Dasuquin. The Dasuquin comes in a form with MSM and another with MSM and ASU's.

[RKMaine]

Thanks Kandy,

I was at the pet store today. There was a brand of Nutro that advertised itself as either all natural or organic. There was also a Wellness brand for adult dogs that seemed okay to me. Opinions welcome.

I bought some chicken and carrots to cook and add to my Golden's diet. I'll check on the supplements you suggested and appreciate the info.

It's cold here in Maine. I'm starting to dream of warmer climates.
Robert

[kandy]

Don't be fooled by claims on the bag of "all natural" or "organic". You need to look at the ingredient listing. When I'm looking at a dog food, I look for no corn (in any form), no by-products, no unspecified protein sources (meat meal vs chicken meal), no wheat and for me, no barley because I have a dog who does not tolerate barley. I also don't like to see tomato pumace or beet pulp which are both stool hardners and can mask problems - but I will tolerate those if the rest of the ingredients are good. I also avoid any food that lists a grain as the first ingredient.

IMO, Wellness produces a better product than Nutro.

Also, a dog will eat more of a poor quality food trying to get the nutrients that it needs so you end up feeding more, and the excess comes out the other end of course. The benefits of a good diet (whether that be kibble, raw or homemade) is that you'll feed less and have less waste to clean up and of course your pet will be healthier.

I have people comment all the time that the newfs must cost a fortune to feed or that their poops must be the size of a chihuahua. The newfs on average eat less than 3 cups a day of food, and their poops look like they came from a dog less than half their size.

[RKMaine]

Thank you for all of your opinions. It's obvious you've given this a lot of thought. I looked at the ingredients and thought the Wellness adult dog food looked like a better product.

I was in Trader Joe's in Boston yesterday and picked up some COG10 and a bottle of glucosimine/chondroitin supplements. As I type this I am boiling a chicken and some carrots (brown rice later).

What do you think would be a good proportion of the items I am cooking to add to a cup of his dry food along with the supplements?

Thanks once again!

Robert

[DianeL]

I am not a big fan of Science diet but I have a german Shepherd that has had a severe limp since he was 4 months old at first They thought it was pano or elbow displasia after trying several X-rays, Vets, suppliment and foods nothing seemed to make a difference. now he is 2 and his last xrays showed he has digenerative bone disease in the knee joint of his left front leg. The vet said it will continue to get worse until he can't walk any more. I was so upset at only 2 years old he had already spent most of his life limping. Now I am told it will only get worse. As a last hope I reluctantly put him on SD JD I also had a Custom fitted leg brace made to help take to pressure off the joint. Well it has been 3 months now that he has been on JD and having him wear the brace 24/7. He now has NO limp at all and hasn't worn his brace in over a Month. I don't know if it was the brace or the food or the conbination of the two but my boy can run and play like a normal 2 year old. I would love to take him off the JD but I am so afraid that his limp will come back.

[RKMaine]

Thanks for your reply and comments about your experience with Hill's j/d and your German Shepherd. It's very hard to decide to know what the right thing is to do after I read everyone's comments. Different vets (even those without an interest in selling me the food) have told me to keep my dog on the j/d, make sure he gets plenty of exercise and he should be healthy.

Now I've come to this forum and read so many negative comments about j/d and it's overload of carbs, "floor scrap" ingredients, etc.

My 3-year old Golden has been on j/d for about 4 months, seems to be doing well, but if there is something I can do regarding his diet that is better then, of course, I want to do it. Just trying to figure out what is best in this maze of information.

Thanks again,

Robert

[DianeL]

Well even my Vet was surprised at the difference in Hectors leg and admitted that he didn't think the JD would have made that big a difference. I am just glad that he is no longer in pain. 3 Months ago he couldn't play ball for more than 3 throws and he would be limping so bad I would have to make him stop. Now he goes out and run and plays with my other shepherd for hours with no limp at all. I actually found this forum when I was looking for other success story and all I found was all this negative.

[kandy]

For a dog with joint problems of any kind, the management of the condition includes keeping the weight at a healthy level, keeping the exercise at a consistent & moderate level and the use of nutriceuticals (g/c supplements, omega 3 supplements (fish oil), and anti-inflammatories when needed). I have a newfie girl with bone malformations, and my son has a male newfie with degenerative arthritis in his elbows, so I'm not unfamiliar with what it takes to manage these kinds of joint problems.

The only thing beneficial that is in the JD is the glucosamine & chondriton and the omega 3's. Looking at their nutrient listing (the website says they are 'average nutrient contents' - which logically indicates that the nutrient levels vary) this food is 51% carbs and only 20% protein. I can't even imagine trying to keep my newfie girl at a decent weight with that many carbs, even during the summer when she's more active! Guess that's why they had to add that 'extra ingredient' to keep them at a healthy weight.

The companies who manufacture poor quality kibble hope that pet owners don't take the time to learn what those ingredients are, that pet owners don't take the time to actually read an ingredient label - that pet owners rely on their advertising to make their decisions. Sadly, it seems to work. :sad: Most of the good folks here do take the time to learn and read - and that's why you won't find many people here saying that the JD is a good food.

While I've done tons of research on dog food, I always encourage people to do their own research. The best site I've found for explaining what the ingredients are, without making judgements on different brands of food, is this one: http://www.doberdogs.com/foodcht1.html

Personally, I'd rather give my dog a g/c and omega 3 supplement and feed them a good, low carb food with appropriate protein levels rather than feed them junk to get the supplements. Just my .

[Dianalyn]

I was just searching the internet to find out where in Canada I could buy this food other than at my vet's as it is very expensive, and I find all this info about it being not a great food. My vet suggested it as my dog went from 107 lbs to 115 lbs and recently has been very fussy eating anything. She told me to try this and he does like it, I should also tell you that he has had cruciate ligament surgery 2 years ago(he is 5yrs old, a yellow lab hound cross) and is on Cartrophen injections for life. I am very disappointed that my vet would suggest a food with chicken by products and high calorie as described in above messages. I am looking for a healthy dry food for him that is tasty and will help him lose this weight, please any suggestions would be greatly appreciated; I am glad to be a member here

[kathryn]

Originally Posted by Dianalyn

I was just searching the internet to find out where in Canada I could buy this food other than at my vet's as it is very expensive, and I find all this info about it being not a great food. My vet suggested it as my dog went from 107 lbs to 115 lbs and recently has been very fussy eating anything. She told me to try this and he does like it, I should also tell you that he has had cruciate ligament surgery 2 years ago(he is 5yrs old, a yellow lab hound cross) and is on Cartrophen injections for life. I am very disappointed that my vet would suggest a food with chicken by products and high calorie as described in above messages. I am looking for a healthy dry food for him that is tasty and will help him lose this weight, please any suggestions would be greatly appreciated; I am glad to be a member here

It might not be available but Active Care by Breeders Choice is a great replacement for anyone who just uses the kibble Ark Naturals makes some great supplements and treats as well, as does Zukes & Dogswell. DGP (Dog Gone Pain) is also worth a try!

[reanne]

My dog is also on cartrophen for life. I chose not to have the surgery as he did not completely tear the ligament, but it did mean a long time off, and now he is restricted again (he is older though).

I just feed him Acana Pacifica and also a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement.

For weight loss, I would start with a little bit less than the recommended feeding and go from there-you may have to decrease or increase. Adding pure pumpkin puree is a great way to add bulk (if he is not satisfied with the amount of food he is getting) without adding calories (plus it has many other health benefits). I add it to both of my dogs' meals (and it's great for putting in kongs, and for getting them to take pills. Great for their digestive systems!

[jensol01]

I have a 9 year old German Shepherd who had pano, hip-elbow-knee-joint displasyia. He had been on pain meds since he was a puppy. He is fixed and severely overweight. The very suggested Hills J/D. With all the comments on here i just don't know what to do. He doesn't move very well and is in a lot of pain. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[hazelrunpack]

Frankly, jensol01, any high-quality food would probably be better for your baby.

I would start a glucosamine/chondroitin supplement if he's not on one and cut back on the amount of food so that he loses weight. Excess weight is very hard on joints. We have had multiple dogs over the years with joint problems--mostly we just keep their weight at light normal, make sure they get moderate, low-impact exercise (swimming is great for joint problems if your dog likes water), supplement with glucosamine/chondroitin, and treat with anti-inflammatories as needed. Often, joint problems can be managed well enough to minimize the need for pain meds.

[Qimmik]

We had a husky for 16 years and finally had to put her down a couple of years ago. We just got a rescue husky from the local Humane Society and they provided Royal Canin, and my vet provided a free Hills Prescription JD. When I looked at the ingredients of both I realized that we will return to the food we fed our original husky, NOW (fresh) which contains nothing but real ingredients. I may supplement that with a g/c as the dog is showing early signs of hip issues and her age in unknown but probably about 6. We fed our last husky this product from puppy to senior versions and she was amazingly healthy, mobile and never had digestive issues. It may be worth a try. a bit expensive but a small bag might we worth the effort. meat, fruit and veggies and little else which seems to make sense to me.

[zefig]

I always feed my pups organic food. Its always a safe choice! I recommend the Taste of the Wild brand.

So far no problems.

[hazelrunpack]

Is Taste of the Wild brand considered organic? It's not making that claim on their website...