I have two healthy spayed 17 year old cats. One was overweight for years despite my best efforts until I started giving them canned and raw foods. She dropped her excess 7 lbs and gets around a lot easier, but still has arthritis. Here’s what I already do-they eat Wysong Uretic kibble at night because Tigger needs it to prevent UTIs. During the day they get Paw Naturaw organic grain-free raw food on demand, watered down with Gerber Pure nursery water (that’s all I give them to drink or use to cook their food) to increase fluids. They also get small amounts of cooked organic chicken, cooked grass fed organic beef, and wild caught fish, mostly salmon. They get a daily supplement cocktail consisting of wild salmon oil with Coq10, taurine, L-carnatine, Organic Pet Superfood Immunity mushroom blend, digestive enzymes, milk thistle, and B-complex. When I get my next paycheck I am adding RNA (they’ve taken it before) and grape-free resveratrol. I also just started giving them small amounts or organic apple cider vinegar. They sleep on high density thick orthopedic beds and Tigger has a heated blanket. She also has an ion bracelet that I attached to her collar. She is entirely indoor. The vet suggested Metcam, but I refuse to use anything with a mortality rate, never mind a 30% mortality rate. I don’t want to use glucosamine or chondroiten because they can contribute to diabetes. I’ve already tried turmeric, which did help a bit, but she had difficulty keeping it down and it was an ordeal to get it in her mouth in the first place. It isn’t terrible-she still jumps on the couch and runs up the stairs, but it just bothers me… probably mainly because I have a same age arthritis -free cat to compare her to, and Tabitha still runs and jumps all over the place-nobody believes she’s even half her age, and Tigger really doesn’t jump except to get up on the couch or when I make her run up and down the stairs, although she does walk around a fair bit and will run after the dog on occasion

Sasha is my 7 year old female Husky mix. Lately she’s been having diarrhea. She and her buddy (a 6 year old female German Shepherd) have been eating the same kibble for a long time now. A few weeks ago, we started giving them 2 glucosamine tablets per day (2 tablets for 25-50lb dogs… she’s about 65lbs, but we wanted to see how it went before we gave her 3). It hasn’t negatively effected the German Shepherd. It’s only in the past few days that she’s gotten diarrhea, so I’m not sure that it was the glucosamine. We’re taking Sasha to the vet tomorrow… what could be wrong with her? Thanks!
The glucosamine is for her joints. In the past couple of years, she’s been getting pretty stiff.
1 tab for 11-24lb dogs
2 tabs for 25-50lb dogs
3 tabs for 51-75 lb dogs

I have an 11 year old GSDx that has been doing very well on a base of Evolve Senior dry formula. I wish he was on raw diet, as my other dog is, but the reality is it’s just not for him. He will eat nothing that is ’slimy’. Chicken wings are the only things I have been able to get him to eat at least fairly consistently. As it is, even with food he likes, I have to remind him to go eat his breakfast multiple times before he is finished every morning. He is already quite slender, and at his age I’m just not willing to force the issue with him.

Anyway, Evolve has changed its formula. The biggest reason I fed it (aside from the fact he liked it) is that it had 360mg of Glucosamine per CUP right in the food. (Getting him to eat any kind of capsules or tablets is a total nightmare) Now, the new formula has dropped to only 200ppm. He has joint issues, and needs these supplements.

I plan to switch foods just because there isn’t much reason for me to stay with Evolve anymore. (and because the new formula is senior/lite, the fat and protein levels in the food have also been dropped).

Can I feed him a meal of some new food once a day, and feed him a meal of chicken wings the other? The only reason I’m thinking about trying to get him on daily chicken wings is because of the good natural source of cartilage. Am I going to be over doing it with bone by doing this? Would I be better off just supplementing with something else for the glucosamine? Would it be better to feed wings in the morning or evening?

I’m open to suggestions. I really don’t know what direction I want to head in now.
I like Taste of the Wild, and I can get it locally for a pretty good price. It is likely that will be my primary kibble if I can make it work for him.

I feed based on the 1/3 ratio of cooked fresh meat and cartilage, veggies and starches.

I feed whole grains i.e. brown rice, teff and tubers like potato (with skin) and carrots. They are cooked prior to eating usually by steaming.

He eats fresh and cooked veggies and fruits with a handful of nuts.

He chews on beef bones and gets liver or other cooked meats for treats. He also takes a canine multi-vit and glucosamine supplement.

I know he is meeting his caloric requirements which can be hard because they change based on his work load. He is trim without fat, well muscled, bright eyes and shiny coat.

He used to drink 3- 5 bowls of water a day eating dry kibble and now he is only drinking 1- 1.5 bowls. Is this a normal decrease in water needs based on water already in the food?
Yes, feeding human food has the consequence of the dog gaining weight if you continue to feed dog food. Timber hasn’t seen dog food in 8 months. I travel and camp a lot and sometimes to places where I won’t be able to get dog food at all much less his brand.

I don’t have children and I do cook for my dog everyday. I eat meals that are very close to what he eats. So it is simpler. For instance in the mornings I cook potatoes and eggs for us and then I change the portion (he eats more then me) and add an apple/ berries/ etc for each of us plus something green and bob’s your uncle.

I already know he is healthy and his vet has assessed his menu and said it is great for him. My own doctor and nutritionist have cleared it for me.

I was just surprised the only time he wants water is when he is working hard or at the park. I fill the water bowl at home in the morning and keep emptying it and replacing the water but it is barely touched.