I wouldn't consider a 9 year old dog a senior by any means. Mine will be 12 and still gets 30/20 Inukshuk. I have just cut back on the amount she gets. She will hunt like always this year with no supplements. I have hunted my dogs when it was 5 below for waterfowl in deep strip pits where the water doesn't freeze. They have ice all over them and they keep going and never miss a beat. No vests, no dog boots, no supplements. Just the best quality food made. Before Inukshuk it was Eukanuba. For them upland hunting is like recess.
I think humans eat a terrible diet. Processed foods cause a majority of our health problems, along with a lack of exercise, obesity, and a lack of sleep. Some illnesses just can't be overcome or avoided due to genetics but most problems with us come from lifestyle choices.
After a good bit of study and conversation with my vet, I would disagree. I feed a high quality food with Extreme Dog Fuel, but I feel the supplement provides another level of recovery, muscle repair, and enhanced endurance. Their muscle structures are not much different from humans in their need for various amino acids, vitamins, and electrolytes to function and recover properly and quicker. The elevated levels of B12 provides for a healthier blood supply for nutrient and oxygen movement to increase energy and stamina, etc. The amino acids are the kicker in the formula.
I agree with you on our food choices. This became very apparent to me when my wife and I spent almost three weeks in Croatia and Slovenia this summer. They don’t have near the processed food or ingredients we do. The food tastes better and is just better for you.
Amen
When my sugar level started climbing, I asked my doctor about a good diet. He said the truth was just to cut back on the carbs and sugar and don't eat anything that comes in a sealed package. Wow, I started feeling better in a weak!! Now if I could just do something about my looks.
My buddy's setter was running hard past me close when she rammed a sharp stick into her shoulder. Laid her open pretty good. We took her to an old vet that we knew from previous problems and also let us hunt on him in southern Iowa. He said that if he sewed her up, she was done hunting for this trip. But if we soaked the wound in water and Epson salts, we could keep hunting her, it would help draw out foreign material and accelerate the healing. I'll be dammed, we rested her a day, cleaned and held Epson salts compresses on it for 10 minutes at night. The wound started drying and healing in two days. Didn't hardly leave a scar.
Extreme Dog Fuel is 485 Kcal per cup 30/20. Pro Plan 30/20 is 480 Kcal per cup. Inukshuk is 578 Kcal per cup 30/25. Dr. Tims Momentum is 530 Kcal per cup. I have used a ton of different supplements over the years. But Inukshuk has eliminated that need for me. Several years ago I fed Dr. Tims and felt it was the best food you could use. But sometimes it was difficult to get it so went back to Euk. Then switched to Inukshuk and will continue to use it with the results I get. No supplements needed with it.
All really good dog food. FWIW, Nutrisource Performance is 488 kcal per cup, so there are a few that fall into the same range of kcal per cup. A lot don't and like you, I think more calories per cup are better. I fed Inukshuk 30/25 for a while but it didn't work for my Vizsla. Wasn't the food...it's him but I play the cards he gives me.
I’ve used this the past 3-4 years before during and right after my trip out to sd definitely seems to have helped my lab. This year I’ve got him on Furvor as well.As a last minute purchase, before my annual SD pheasant hunting trip, I bought a bottle of the Alpha Dog Resurgence powder for Whisky. I used it a couple of days before the trip and every day during the trip. I sprinkled it on his food, that I also added water to as well. I can't say for 100% it helped, but I feel like he was in better condition each morning. I will continue to use it for the next few days as part of his overall recovery process.
Resurgence Electrolytes for Dogs by Alpha Dog Nutrition
Between hot summer days and high activity days throughout the rest of the year, Resurgence Electrolytes for Dogs is perfect for keeping your dog hydrated no matter the conditions. This dog hydration supplement also helps promote improved stamina as well as reducing recovery times.alphadognutrition.com
I guess my point was that Extreme Dog Fuel, Pro Plan, and throw in Nutrisource if you want are what I would consider mid-range foods. They are all about the same. Inukshuk and Dr. Tims are top tier. Working dogs need a food high in Fat and Protein. The problem with supplements are that you have no idea what you are giving to your dog. These things are monitored and tested really. Like I said, very few studies out there but here is an interesting take.
otassium ATPase activity and the muscle membrane potential, but reduced plasma potassium concentrations and reduced the increase in plasma potassium concentration after exercise.
I carry saline vs epson salt just because I don't want it to dry out too much. I've got other stuff in the med bag to handle the wound, but this conversation has me rethinking what I carry.
Have you had any issues with your dogs and the corn as an ingredient in the food? I've always had an issue with food having corn as an ingredient. To me, I've felt like it was a filler and didn't provide a ton of benefit other than being a cheaper protein ingredient. This is purely just a personal feeling. I've not experienced any sort of allergy issues with the dog, etc.
Never. But I have not fed a cheap food in the last 40 years. I'm sure some dogs have some type of food allergies but I think generally there is something else effecting the dog. Last year, my 5 year old labrador had some thinning of hair on his tail. He always shed more than most dogs I have owned. Took him into the vet. She instantly starting pushing food allergies as the cause (which most every vet will do) and felt I should go to a Science Diet food. I suggested doing blood work and checking his thyroid level. She said dogs with a low thyroid are typically over weight and sleep all the time. They didn't really want to do a work up and said it was a food allergy but did at my request. Well guess what, his thyroid was .6 which is extremely low. Put him on a thyroid medicine and his hair was coming back in within 2 weeks. No shedding anymore either.
My vet is a long time upland/waterfowl hunter and understands gun dogs. She is pretty funny to talk to because she tells me to stay away from what food they sell, etc. She is also the one that helps me stock my med kit with meds, etc. She also loves helping research foods for me and the dog. I think most of the vets have not heard of what I would call specialized foods that guys like you and me, and others on this board, feed. I have thought a number of times about feeding Inukshuk, but it's hard to get away from my current food because he loves it and it's a solid food with a good list of ingredients. I appreciate the study info you have provided. I love reading this stuff!
I hate to hear about the thyroid issue. I had a chocolate lab a few years ago that kept gaining weight no matter what I did or fed him. I took him in and requested a blood panel and they found his thyroid was not working properly. They put him on Synthroid and he started dropping weight within a month!
You know the supplements that we put into our bodies are generally a scam and not really monitored by the FDA. Not that I trust the FDA. Placebo effect for the most part. If you really plan out your diet, you will get better results than supplementing with vitamins and minerals. It is the same with dog supplements, which aren't monitored at all until dogs start to die, they get sued, and put out of business. People see what they want to see in their dogs with supplements. Slip in a sugar pill, they get the same results. The article above suggests just pure water for hydration. None of the studies really prove any benefits to supplements. Feed the best quality food you can get that works for your dogs and keep them hydrated in the field. It makes more sense to buy the most expensive food and feed it year round as to give your dog an average food like Pro Plan then want to supplement them during the season only. Most are weekend warriors anyway and hunt less than 30 days a year. They are not running the Iditarod.