Hills Prescription Diet Dog Food R/D

susanann_2

The vet thinks our dog is overweight and should be put on diet dog food. She has suggested the food they sell which is Hills Prescription Diet Dog Food R/D. This is extremely expensive, I checked it out online and although you can buy it online and it is cheaper than the vets it is still very expensive. Can anyone suggest another diet food which is not so costly as this is.

sandy71

What are you feeding your dog now? Most of the major dog food companies do a light version of their food. Hills also do a general light food as well as the R/D.

MrsTinks

I have to say that personally (unqualified btw) I set very little faith in diet foods... same as I don't in manufactured human "low fat" diet foods
Healthy food, exercise and portion control... definitely the way forward... what food is he on at the moment?

Fire_Fox

There is anecdotal evidence that raw feeding (BARF) is successful in helping dogs and cats with weight management. IIRC there is also scientific evidence that a higher protein/ lower carb diet is associated with greater fat loss, can link to it when at home if anyone wants me to.

beachbeth

I took in a Cavalier a few years ago when she was three. Even though she was a large Cavalier and should have been around 24lb, she was actually 30lb. It was obvious to me that she was a bit chubby, though not obese. I just cut down on the amount of food her previous owner gave her and took her for 3 short walks a day (she hated going for a walk which made it obvious her previous owner never took her). Just by doing these 2 things her weight just fell off. I then increased her food a little so that she kept to the right weight of 24-25lb. She was never 30lb again and ended up really enjoying and looking forward to her walks.

As sandy71 says, most dog food companies do a "light" version, but I think all you need to do is give the dog less of what he/she is already having and give more exercise. No extra treats such as dog biscuits etc and anything that is fattening to a human will be fattening to a dog. If you need to give treats for training then give low fat treats such as cooked chicken.

I know a lot of people swear by the BARF diet but I personally know a vet who saw lots of dogs with bones and bits of bones stuck in their throats and had to be operated on and I wouldn't want to risk this with my own dogs. Just my opinion.:rolleyes:

Another thing I was going to say is that vets don't always get it right when they say a dog is overweight. I know someone with a Cavalier who is quite skinny (the dog not the owner!) and her vet told her it was overweight. It very obviously isn't! If the vet hasn't got experience in certain breeds then they may not know how the dog should look.

As a rule of thumb:

If the ribs can be seen sticking out then this usually means a dog is underweight. If you can't see the ribs but can feel them easily under the skin then they are probably ok weightwise. If you can't feel the ribs then they are overweight. Some dogs, such as greyhounds, do look emaciated to me but that is how they are supposed to look!

beachbeth

susanann wrote: »

She has suggested the food they sell which is Hills Prescription Diet Dog Food R/D. This is extremely expensive,

They recommend this food because it is what they sell. There are plenty of cheaper foods that will suit your dog and be much cheaper. My own dogs love Chappie and it is quite cheap and nice and gentle on their stomachs.

Fire_Fox

beachbeth wrote: »

I
As sandy71 says, most dog food companies do a "light" version, but I think all you need to do is give the dog less of what he/she is already having and give more exercise. No extra treats such as dog biscuits etc and anything that is fattening to a human will be fattening to a dog. If you need to give treats for training then give low fat treats such as cooked chicken.

I know a lot of people swear by the BARF diet but I personally know a vet who saw lots of dogs with bones and bits of bones stuck in their throats and had to be operated on and I wouldn't want to risk this with my own dogs. Just my opinion.:rolleyes:

Canine and human metabolisms are not the same, it isn't healthy for a human to follow low carb diets nor to eat any quantity of saturated fats whereas these provide essential nutrition to our furballs.

Many bone-related incidents are due to people feeding cooked bones which easily splinter and should never be fed to pets. If this is a concern you can opt to feed minced raw meat/ bone/ offal such as the ready-made products from Food4Dogs, or you can feed softer, rounder bones such as chicken or turkey necks and carcasses.

beachbeth

Fire_Fox wrote: »

Canine and human metabolisms are not the same, it isn't healthy for a human to follow low carb diets nor to eat any quantity of saturated fats whereas these provide essential nutrition to our furballs.

This is true. Humans need vegetables but dogs can't process them like we do and so don't need them. I sometimes give my dogs a bit of raw carrot because they love to crunch it, but it isn't good for them in the way it is for humans. They don't process vegetables like humans do.

What I meant really was that if you feed your dog human treats such as biscuits, crisps or cake etc, then if it is fattening for a human it will be fattening for a dog.

chris_n_tj

My dog has an under active thyrod its not really been under control fully as of yet. We are getting there slowly. because of this he is carrying a bit of extra weight. I fight a daily battle with wieght and TJ is on Roayl cannine weight manegment food.

We weigh every morsel. We pay £25 per 5k bag and this lasts us over 6 weeks, it works out no more expensive than any other food.

With Vets adivice we do give veg a few times a week as a filler upper, (its hard seeing a dog thats hungry.) A bowl of veg = a happy content full TJ lol.

All I can say is plenty of exercise, weigh all the food you give your dog, and remember most pet food companies give a feeding guide that needs knocking down by at least 25%. We have knocked it down by nearly half, they do tend to be generous on portion weights.

If your dog has a treat then knock it off the daily food allowence, many dont think of that one. If you were to write down every morsel of food be it treats or the odd human titbit then you really would shocked. Also the odd drop of tea/ coffee and or other human drinks, extremely fattening. Dont give in to the wide eye i am starving look, we have all been there i bet lol.

Try giving little and often, that way it wont come as big a shock. Yes it is going to be hard but you can do it. If you want moral support just shout up, there`s plenty of good folk about in here

It is hard but if TJ can do it, and he loves food then any Dog/Cat can, remember its down to yourself not the animal, after all its you that feeds him/her.

Good luck
Chris n TJ

Fire_Fox

You can't assume the feed rates need knocking down by 25%, some companies certainly overestimate but others are simply based on a dog of a given size who is getting the recommended amount of exercise. Too many dogs (and indeed humans!) don't walk frequently or far enough.

chris_n_tj

Fire_Fox wrote: »

You can't assume the feed rates need knocking down by 25%, some companies certainly overestimate but others are simply based on a dog of a given size who is getting the recommended amount of exercise. Too many dogs (and indeed humans!) don't walk frequently or far enough.

Of course i agree with you about the exercise it goes without saying really.
As for the feeding guides it was my Vet who advised me on this, it wasnt something I did for myself. I always used to follow the recomended guides until then. As with most things I think its trial and error in most cases.
All I can say is it works for us, and as we will have this problem for life its not something I take lightly.
Like everyone I want whats best for my best friend. I still think its a factor worth looking at if your dog/cat is a trifle over weight.
Chris n TJ