My Cavy eats the Asda tray wet food and I put some bran flakes in as well for her Anal Glands . She has had to have some teeth removed so I now keep her on a wet only diet. (She hated dry food anyway). She has two trays a day. She has half a Dentistick twice a week and one small Marrowbone biscuit every morning. Ironically, she is eating more than before but has lost weight.
No matter how much she eats I still get the sad eyes
My Cavy eats the Asda tray wet food and I put some bran flakes in as well for her Anal Glands . She has had to have some teeth removed so I now keep her on a wet only diet. (She hated dry food anyway). She has two trays a day. She has half a Dentistick twice a week and one small Marrowbone biscuit every morning. Ironically, she is eating more than before but has lost weight.
No matter how much she eats I still get the sad eyes
Oat or wheat bran from a health shop, or horse bran, is better than bran flakes as there are no additives or over-processing and it's cheaper .(Advise from a vet on a cavalier forum)
My cavaliers are both 12 and have few teeth, but can still eat (suck up and swallow) kibble, though they prefer wet food. They have given up on Dentastix, as they are too hard, but do like Fish4Dogs seabiscuits.
Oat or wheat bran from a health shop, or horse bran, is better than bran flakes as there are no additives or over-processing and it's cheaper .(Advise from a vet on a cavalier forum)
My cavaliers are both 12 and have few teeth, but can still eat (suck up and swallow) kibble, though they prefer wet food. They have given up on Dentastix, as they are too hard, but do like Fish4Dogs seabiscuits.
I just use bran flakes ( supermarket own) as the vet said it was fine. She has about 8 flakes a day.
She's seven this year and from day one I had to fight her to eat dry ( tried every brand, cheap and expensive )so I just gave up and accept wet. Where can I get fish4dogs biscuits? Are they similar to dentistixs?
My Cavy eats the Asda tray wet food and I put some bran flakes in as well for her Anal Glands . She has had to have some teeth removed so I now keep her on a wet only diet. (She hated dry food anyway). She has two trays a day. She has half a Dentistick twice a week and one small Marrowbone biscuit every morning. Ironically, she is eating more than before but has lost weight.
No matter how much she eats I still get the sad eyes
For a dog who's already had teeth removed, I really would recommend a bit of a diet overhaul based on this post. Lots of sugars, cereals and fillers in that diet, that aren't good for teeth or the rest of her body.
The third ingredient (so third highest quantity) of Marrowbone biscuits is sugar. Sugar isn't needed in a dog's diet - they source their energy firstly through protein and then through fats (and then, if in the diet, sugars and carbs..but these aren't the most efficient forms of energy for them), and whenever it is present in a dog food, it just makes me question the quality of the other ingredients that means they need to add sugar to make it more appetising. http://www.pedigree.com/really-good-food/marrobone-treats.aspx
Dentastix, no sugar, but they basically consist of cereals and fillers, and added salt (again, why is salt needed to make it more appealing?). Natural chews like pizzle sticks, cows ears, etc. are much more healthy - even a dog with fewer teeth can usually manage those, but if not, I'd go for softer chewy foods like the dehydrated chicken or fish strips. http://thehydrantblog.com/2011/02/05/top-10-ingredients-in-pedigree-dentastix/
And then, the Asda wet trays - again, added 'various sugars' - not needed, not good, and probably added (along with the added oils and fats) to improve flavour due to the low meat content (dogs are opportunistic eaters, but have the digestive system of a carnivore..they thrive on meat, not cereals).
Can't find the trays on here, but the dry food and tins (with very similar ingredients to the trays) score poorly on the Allaboutdogfood site due to their ingredients. http://www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/dog-food-reviews/0684/asda-hero-adult-complete http://www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/dog-food-reviews/0688/asda-hero-puppy-tins
I'm sure there was a post here a year or so ago about someone who'd convinced their relative to switch from Asda Hero to a better quality wet food - not only did their dog's health issues all clear up, but they actually found it cheaper to feed the better quality food, because they were having to feed less in quantity (lower quality foods are full of filler ingredients, so you need to feed more for the same nutritional value). The Allaboutdogfood site linked above will give you a 'cost per day' - they don't seem to have it set up for Asda foods but you could work it out by the cost of a pack and how many days that lasts you. Brands like Naturediet, Natures Menu, etc. - the search lets you look at only wet foods, if dry isn't an option.
She's your dog - and it may be you've tried everything else and this is all that works. But if not, I would definitely recommend changing her diet - even if it's only one bit at a time - for the sake of the rest of her teeth.
For a dog who's already had teeth removed, I really would recommend a bit of a diet overhaul based on this post. Lots of sugars, cereals and fillers in that diet, that aren't good for teeth or the rest of her body.
The third ingredient (so third highest quantity) of Marrowbone biscuits is sugar. Sugar isn't needed in a dog's diet - they source their energy firstly through protein and then through fats (and then, if in the diet, sugars and carbs..but these aren't the most efficient forms of energy for them), and whenever it is present in a dog food, it just makes me question the quality of the other ingredients that means they need to add sugar to make it more appetising. http://www.pedigree.com/really-good-food/marrobone-treats.aspx
Dentastix, no sugar, but they basically consist of cereals and fillers, and added salt (again, why is salt needed to make it more appealing?). Natural chews like pizzle sticks, cows ears, etc. are much more healthy - even a dog with fewer teeth can usually manage those, but if not, I'd go for softer chewy foods like the dehydrated chicken or fish strips. http://thehydrantblog.com/2011/02/05/top-10-ingredients-in-pedigree-dentastix/
And then, the Asda wet trays - again, added 'various sugars' - not needed, not good, and probably added (along with the added oils and fats) to improve flavour due to the low meat content (dogs are opportunistic eaters, but have the digestive system of a carnivore..they thrive on meat, not cereals).
Can't find the trays on here, but the dry food and tins (with very similar ingredients to the trays) score poorly on the Allaboutdogfood site due to their ingredients. http://www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/dog-food-reviews/0684/asda-hero-adult-complete http://www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/dog-food-reviews/0688/asda-hero-puppy-tins
I'm sure there was a post here a year or so ago about someone who'd convinced their relative to switch from Asda Hero to a better quality wet food - not only did their dog's health issues all clear up, but they actually found it cheaper to feed the better quality food, because they were having to feed less in quantity (lower quality foods are full of filler ingredients, so you need to feed more for the same nutritional value). The Allaboutdogfood site linked above will give you a 'cost per day' - they don't seem to have it set up for Asda foods but you could work it out by the cost of a pack and how many days that lasts you. Brands like Naturediet, Natures Menu, etc. - the search lets you look at only wet foods, if dry isn't an option.
She's your dog - and it may be you've tried everything else and this is all that works. But if not, I would definitely recommend changing her diet - even if it's only one bit at a time - for the sake of the rest of her teeth.
The diet she is currently on has had a once over from the vet and is deemed okay. She has actually lost weight on it and has become far more active (as opposed to lazy). She will eventually need more teeth out and the vet has said there is little I can do to prevent it.( I brush her teeth everyday and even that hasn’t stopped it). She has been on this diet for about six months (started after her teeth came out) so this diet isn’t the reason her teeth are bad. She had been on 'better' food before this and it still happened.
I will try and swap to Mornflake (if she'll eat it). The appeal of flakes is that they can be given as a treat on their own. Regarding Marrowbones, She has one of the small (thumb nail sized ) biscuits a day. She also gets a small bowl of chicken on a Sunday with a few table spoons of carrots.
I am aware of the issues with Dentastixs, although I was told there was sugar in them. But, as discussed with my vet, the benefits for the dog(something to chew on vs nothing)outweigh the negatives of the sugar. She chokes on the pigs ears and won't eat the white stick things(no idea what they are called, but they come in shoe shapes as well).
Since she was a puppy, I have tried everything going. Cheap food (bakers, pedigree ect) to slightly more expensive( James well beloved) and more (royal canine) . I am not a softy and don't give in easily. But having taken her to vet and telling him she won’t eat (will eat chicken ect so was fine really) for days, we admitted defeat. Having to take my dog down the vet, with her being Lethargic and not eating is not worth the cost of putting her on 'better' food.
It isn’t cost of the food that is an issue, it’s the stress of her going to the vet too often and then just not eating. I have used the Allaboutdogfood as I was looking for Chapie as it is lower calorie(she won't eat it).
Every dog is different and will react differently. My dog has lost 1.2Kkg since being on this diet and is running around like a puppy so something is obviously working. Everything was fine (apart from her heart mummer) in her last check up.
Thank you for the advice, and I will look into some of it. But right now, both me and my vet are happy with how she is doing. In an ideal world, I would feed her a diet of home cooked food (boiled chicken, carrots ect) but it is time/cost of fresh /worrying about if she needs vitamins ect.
Just bear in mind that vets have very little training on nutrition - a few lectures, usually sponsored by the large name prescription-food manufacturers.
I trust my vet on lots of things, but diet is something I do my own research on too. I would actually be concerned at a vet who thinks a diet so full of sugar is OK for any dog, let alone one who's had several teeth removed anyway.
Just bear in mind that vets have very little training on nutrition - a few lectures, usually sponsored by the large name prescription-food manufacturers.
I trust my vet on lots of things, but diet is something I do my own research on too. I would actually be concerned at a vet who thinks a diet so full of sugar is OK for any dog, let alone one who's had several teeth removed anyway.
With all due respect, I would rather trust my vet than some random person online. I am not taking a dig at you, but I wouldnt ask online for health advice, I'd ( within in reason) trust my doctor.
Lots of people feed their pets a lot more rubbish than I do. As said before, my dog was eating a low calorie diet for several years ( Royal Canine ect) long before she ate Hero and still had bad teeth. So you can hardly blame Hero.
Also, this diet is better than her not eating. Dying of starvation is a lot worse than the possiblilty of bad teeth. As I have said before, her bad teeth are not related to diet( nor sugar content).
I just use bran flakes ( supermarket own) as the vet said it was fine. She has about 8 flakes a day.
She's seven this year and from day one I had to fight her to eat dry ( tried every brand, cheap and expensive )so I just gave up and accept wet. Where can I get fish4dogs biscuits? Are they similar to dentistixs?
Absolutely nothing like Dentastix, which have lots of additives.
Sea biscuits are 1.5-2 cm cubes made form 5% rice and 95% fish. They are soft enough for my boys' gums (they have few matching pairs of molars left), but scrape the teeth they do have gently.
You can buy Fish4Dogs products directly from their website, at the best prices,though they aren't cheap.
As your dog is younger fish skin cubes may suit. My older boy had teeth which the vet said would need constant descaling , as he , like one of my others, was one of those whose body chemistry caused build up, but then we discovered fish skins and he had lovely teeth until old age caused them to fall out.
The cubes (just pure compressed fish skins) are on special offer now. They come in 2kg boxes, but have a very long best before date, which I have often used beyond.
Absolutely nothing like Dentastix, which have lots of additives.
Sea biscuits are 1.5-2 cm cubes made form 5% rice and 95% fish. They are soft enough for my boys' gums (they have few matching pairs of molars left), but scrape the teeth they do have gently.
You can buy Fish4Dogs products directly from their website, at the best prices,though they aren't cheap.
As your dog is younger fish skin cubes may suit. My older boy had teeth which the vet said would need constant descaling , as he , like one of my others, was one of those whose body chemistry caused build up, but then we discovered fish skins and he had lovely teeth until old age caused them to fall out.
The cubes (just pure compressed fish skins) are on special offer now. They come in 2kg boxes, but have a very long best before date, which I have often used beyond.
Thank you for the advice. I might give them ago as my dog loves fish . I know Dentistixs aren't great, she's just so fussy and I wanted something for her teeth. But I will give theses ago
Replies
No matter how much she eats I still get the sad eyes
Oat or wheat bran from a health shop, or horse bran, is better than bran flakes as there are no additives or over-processing and it's cheaper .(Advise from a vet on a cavalier forum)
My cavaliers are both 12 and have few teeth, but can still eat (suck up and swallow) kibble, though they prefer wet food. They have given up on Dentastix, as they are too hard, but do like Fish4Dogs seabiscuits.
I just use bran flakes ( supermarket own) as the vet said it was fine. She has about 8 flakes a day.
She's seven this year and from day one I had to fight her to eat dry ( tried every brand, cheap and expensive )so I just gave up and accept wet. Where can I get fish4dogs biscuits? Are they similar to dentistixs?
For a dog who's already had teeth removed, I really would recommend a bit of a diet overhaul based on this post. Lots of sugars, cereals and fillers in that diet, that aren't good for teeth or the rest of her body.
Asda own brand bran flakes, for example, are 5% sugars. Vs. the Mornflake oatbran they sell, which will have the same benefits for anal glands, are just pure oatbran, no added sugars etc.
http://groceries.asda.com/product/muesli-granola-crisp/asda-smartprice-bran-flakes/67721798
http://groceries.asda.com/product/sachets-boxes-bags/mornflake-oatbran/910001828419
The third ingredient (so third highest quantity) of Marrowbone biscuits is sugar. Sugar isn't needed in a dog's diet - they source their energy firstly through protein and then through fats (and then, if in the diet, sugars and carbs..but these aren't the most efficient forms of energy for them), and whenever it is present in a dog food, it just makes me question the quality of the other ingredients that means they need to add sugar to make it more appetising.
http://www.pedigree.com/really-good-food/marrobone-treats.aspx
Dentastix, no sugar, but they basically consist of cereals and fillers, and added salt (again, why is salt needed to make it more appealing?). Natural chews like pizzle sticks, cows ears, etc. are much more healthy - even a dog with fewer teeth can usually manage those, but if not, I'd go for softer chewy foods like the dehydrated chicken or fish strips.
http://thehydrantblog.com/2011/02/05/top-10-ingredients-in-pedigree-dentastix/
And then, the Asda wet trays - again, added 'various sugars' - not needed, not good, and probably added (along with the added oils and fats) to improve flavour due to the low meat content (dogs are opportunistic eaters, but have the digestive system of a carnivore..they thrive on meat, not cereals).
Can't find the trays on here, but the dry food and tins (with very similar ingredients to the trays) score poorly on the Allaboutdogfood site due to their ingredients.
http://www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/dog-food-reviews/0684/asda-hero-adult-complete
http://www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/dog-food-reviews/0688/asda-hero-puppy-tins
I'm sure there was a post here a year or so ago about someone who'd convinced their relative to switch from Asda Hero to a better quality wet food - not only did their dog's health issues all clear up, but they actually found it cheaper to feed the better quality food, because they were having to feed less in quantity (lower quality foods are full of filler ingredients, so you need to feed more for the same nutritional value). The Allaboutdogfood site linked above will give you a 'cost per day' - they don't seem to have it set up for Asda foods but you could work it out by the cost of a pack and how many days that lasts you. Brands like Naturediet, Natures Menu, etc. - the search lets you look at only wet foods, if dry isn't an option.
She's your dog - and it may be you've tried everything else and this is all that works. But if not, I would definitely recommend changing her diet - even if it's only one bit at a time - for the sake of the rest of her teeth.
The diet she is currently on has had a once over from the vet and is deemed okay. She has actually lost weight on it and has become far more active (as opposed to lazy). She will eventually need more teeth out and the vet has said there is little I can do to prevent it.( I brush her teeth everyday and even that hasn’t stopped it). She has been on this diet for about six months (started after her teeth came out) so this diet isn’t the reason her teeth are bad. She had been on 'better' food before this and it still happened.
I will try and swap to Mornflake (if she'll eat it). The appeal of flakes is that they can be given as a treat on their own. Regarding Marrowbones, She has one of the small (thumb nail sized ) biscuits a day. She also gets a small bowl of chicken on a Sunday with a few table spoons of carrots.
I am aware of the issues with Dentastixs, although I was told there was sugar in them. But, as discussed with my vet, the benefits for the dog(something to chew on vs nothing)outweigh the negatives of the sugar. She chokes on the pigs ears and won't eat the white stick things(no idea what they are called, but they come in shoe shapes as well).
Since she was a puppy, I have tried everything going. Cheap food (bakers, pedigree ect) to slightly more expensive( James well beloved) and more (royal canine) . I am not a softy and don't give in easily. But having taken her to vet and telling him she won’t eat (will eat chicken ect so was fine really) for days, we admitted defeat. Having to take my dog down the vet, with her being Lethargic and not eating is not worth the cost of putting her on 'better' food.
It isn’t cost of the food that is an issue, it’s the stress of her going to the vet too often and then just not eating. I have used the Allaboutdogfood as I was looking for Chapie as it is lower calorie(she won't eat it).
Every dog is different and will react differently. My dog has lost 1.2Kkg since being on this diet and is running around like a puppy so something is obviously working. Everything was fine (apart from her heart mummer) in her last check up.
Thank you for the advice, and I will look into some of it. But right now, both me and my vet are happy with how she is doing. In an ideal world, I would feed her a diet of home cooked food (boiled chicken, carrots ect) but it is time/cost of fresh /worrying about if she needs vitamins ect.
I trust my vet on lots of things, but diet is something I do my own research on too. I would actually be concerned at a vet who thinks a diet so full of sugar is OK for any dog, let alone one who's had several teeth removed anyway.
With all due respect, I would rather trust my vet than some random person online. I am not taking a dig at you, but I wouldnt ask online for health advice, I'd ( within in reason) trust my doctor.
Lots of people feed their pets a lot more rubbish than I do. As said before, my dog was eating a low calorie diet for several years ( Royal Canine ect) long before she ate Hero and still had bad teeth. So you can hardly blame Hero.
Also, this diet is better than her not eating. Dying of starvation is a lot worse than the possiblilty of bad teeth. As I have said before, her bad teeth are not related to diet( nor sugar content).
Absolutely nothing like Dentastix, which have lots of additives.
Sea biscuits are 1.5-2 cm cubes made form 5% rice and 95% fish. They are soft enough for my boys' gums (they have few matching pairs of molars left), but scrape the teeth they do have gently.
You can buy Fish4Dogs products directly from their website, at the best prices,though they aren't cheap.
As your dog is younger fish skin cubes may suit. My older boy had teeth which the vet said would need constant descaling , as he , like one of my others, was one of those whose body chemistry caused build up, but then we discovered fish skins and he had lovely teeth until old age caused them to fall out.
The cubes (just pure compressed fish skins) are on special offer now. They come in 2kg boxes, but have a very long best before date, which I have often used beyond.
Thank you for the advice. I might give them ago as my dog loves fish . I know Dentistixs aren't great, she's just so fussy and I wanted something for her teeth. But I will give theses ago