Advance Dry And Thirst

[Bindii]

Hi, i just wanted to get some experiences with Advance dry food.

Fletcher was fed this from a teeny-tiny puppy, so we've continued. I saw no reason to change, if he was doing well on it etc. And Hugo's on a dry (different brands) diet too... Not really interested in 100% raw etc, so that's not really what i'm getting at with the thread. We feed them dry and raw chicken wings. Hugo also gets kangaroo/beef mince but Fletcher's got a sensitive tummy, so we just stick to the Advance dry and chicken.

Fletcher drinks *a lot* and urinates a lot also. He is very healthy and growing the way he should. His coat is doing everything it should, as with his teething etc... so it's not really a concern. I honestly just thought it was a Samoyed thing - being that we have the heater on and i know he gets overheated (sleeps on the the tiles against the back sliding window/door where it's cool.) So i thought that's why he drinks more than Hugo. I also asked his breeder and she said it was probably because he's on a dry diet... but Hugo is too and doesn't drink a lot at all - Hugo's wees are yellow, Fletcher's at times can be almost clear. Shortly after asking this question to his breeder (at a show) another puppy buyer, from a slightly older litter, asked the exact same question - they also continued the Advance dry diet.

Hugo ran out of his dry food today - hills science diet. He's been on everything - eukanuba, hills etc, i can change his diet with no problem and i've never noticed him doing worse on any and in fact he's very healthy and is often complimented for his healthy looking coat... but i've trialled a few to see if i notice anything amazing happen haha. But i'd never given him advance and today i bought it because i thought meh, fletcher's on it, may as well get the same brand.... And now tonight, after his advance/chicken wing dinner, Hugo is drinking heaps too!

It seems obvious to me that it's the Advance. A pet shop that i went to once asked what i fed him, i told them and they said Advance was too high in salt.... is this true? i'm no good at decoding the stuff on the back of the packets - plus i have no packets to compare them to. I assumed their knowledge would have been highly influenced by the fact that they didn't seel Advance so i chose to ignore it.

I've read a lot on here that Hills/Euk aren't usually recommended, but many class Advance as a good quality dry. I'm not really sure where i'm going with this.... I guess i'm just wondering why? If it is high in salt, and has made such a noticeable difference already in Hugo's water consumption, surely it's not a good thing? Or... is it in fact a good thing, and that Hugo actually wasn't drinking enough given that his wees were noticeably more yellow?

Just wanting some ideas or experiences with advance/other dry foods.

Thanks!

[Shazzapug]

What Advance is it? I feed my Pug puppies Advance Puppy Growth and that is after they have been raised on Advance Rehydrateable. So what type of Advance are you feeding Fletch?

[puggy_puggy]

I think the dry food and the fact that Fletcher is ment to be in a cold climate (not in heated comfort) would be the cause of him drinking and peeing alot.

The diluted urine is due to him drinking copius amounts of water.

If it was a medical condition I would be testing him for diabetes.

The difference between the amount of water that dogs on raw diets drink and dogs on dry food diets is amazing. I have pugs staying here sometimes that bring their own dry food and they drink half the water bowl (massive water bowl) a day whereas my two who are on totally raw food will only have a drink every now and again.

[Bindii]

What Advance is it? I feed my Pug puppies Advance Puppy Growth and that is after they have been raised on Advance Rehydrateable. So what type of Advance are you feeding Fletch?

Fletcher is on Advance Puppy Growth - Medium breed. You mentioned Advance Rehydrateable.... Would that help? Like to mix it in? (provided we don't get an upset tummy from it )

If it was a medical condition I would be testing him for diabetes.

Yeah well I was really worried about this at the start!! But asked the vets and they said he would not be growing and looking as good as he does if he had diabetes... and i think that's true too.. Dogs with undiagnosed diabetes appear very frail and ill.

Edit: TBH i really do like the idea of an all raw diet.. i'd just be so afraid i'd miss out on something important. Dry foods are created to give dogs everything they need- while i understand there are fillers and unnecassary items, i would feel so bad if i wasn't providing my dogs with all the nutritional thing they need. Also i have a bit of a paranoia about food going off, and to me raw meat always smells a bit foul so it's hard to tell! Perhaps one day i will sit down and really work it all out and start it out on Hugo - Fletcher's tummy is just too silly to bother with at this stage, hopefully he grows out of it. I'm not anti raw, It's just a little overwhelming!

Edited June 24, 2009 by Bindii

[Mystiqview]

I have had two puppies from the same litter, both on the same diets (Advance) and one has drunk more than the other. It could be the dry food. After all there is no moisture in it. Any dry food will cause a dog to drink more. Check the back of the packet for sodium levels.

The possibility of any medical conditions aside for a minute. As long as they have plenty of water, I would not be too worried at this stage. If the product does contain a higher amount of salts, then long term that could not be a good idea (I have to read the packet myself when I get home). On the short term, the extra water intake should not hurt the dog.

It could also be looked at that the other dog who does not drink as much, is not as hydrated as the one who drinks much more water. I would probably ring your vet and get their professional opinion as they know your dogs than us on here.

[Kelly_Louise]

Sash has Advance dry food - and she also drinks and pees alot. But nothing that makes her uncomfortable or is excessive. Otherwise, it's the only food that makes her poos nice and firm

[huski]

Edit: TBH i really do like the idea of an all raw diet.. i'd just be so afraid i'd miss out on something important. Dry foods are created to give dogs everything they need- while i understand there are fillers and unnecassary items, i would feel so bad if i wasn't providing my dogs with all the nutritional thing they need. Also i have a bit of a paranoia about food going off, and to me raw meat always smells a bit foul so it's hard to tell! Perhaps one day i will sit down and really work it all out and start it out on Hugo - Fletcher's tummy is just too silly to bother with at this stage, hopefully he grows out of it. I'm not anti raw, It's just a little overwhelming!

If you're worried to start off you can buy pre made BARF patties to try them on and see how they go - I've used the Dr Billinghurst ones.

I do it myself now, but am looking at changing Cherry over to them if she keeps going well on her elimination diet as they make a roo based BARF which is what she's eating at the moment (roo).

It's not as hard as you think, but the BARF patties are a good place to start if you want to try them on it to see how they go

[Bindii]

It could also be looked at that the other dog who does not drink as much, is not as hydrated as the one who drinks much more water. I would probably ring your vet and get their professional opinion as they know your dogs than us on here.

You didn't keep reading Hugo is now on Advance and is also drinking more... not as much as Fletcher, but more than before i started him on the Advance.

I'm a vet nurse and the vet's at work know my dogs very well, and when i have asked them about it they say that he wouldn't be thriving so well in every other way if it was something to be concerned about. Especially since he has always been this way, it's not something that has suddenly come on or anything. I don't actually think it's something scary, i absoloutely believe it's the advance dry food... but wanted to hear other peoples experience/understanding on the ingredients. But thank you heaps for your concern

Huski - Thanks for the info on BARF patties! I've done a bit of a search... It seems it's probably not even a bad idea to get Fletcher on.... it could even help his sensitive tummy. Hmmmm interesting! Cheers

[vampy]

Do you just feed kibble and nothing else? I used to mainly do that but after consulting with a naturopathic vet I now add a selection of raw or cooked meat, fish, fruit and veg etc to their kibble. My Frenchies still drink the same amount of water but my Pug has dramatically decreased the amount of water he drinks. I think it's because he is getting water via the fruit and veg. The Frenchies are just water hogs.

[Stitch]

All dry food has to be preserved with something. Sometimes it is chemicals and sometimes salt.

In my experience dogs fed on dry dog food ALWAYS drink more water, in fact you will notice on the bag the manufacturers note that you should always have drinking water available for them at all times. This is not a casual remark, it is absolutely necessary to enable the dog to process the food in its gut, etc. Phone them and they will tell you!

Again, in my experience it is so much better for the dog to eat a raw, all natural diet such as Dr.B's BARF or similar than it is for it to eat dry or even canned dog food because of the preservative, etc. they have in them. Imagine if you had to eat rehydrated noodles every meal, they have an extremely high salt content and you can taste it - however it is the salt content that makes many foods tasty.

A consideration for some people is that if they have a big dog, dry dog food tends to be cheaper to feed than BARF. If that aspect of it all isn't a concern then do your dog a favour and feed it raw, all natural diet.

Edited June 25, 2009 by STITCH

[Ellie1]

I feed Advance Puppy Growth Large breed, my breeder said to always soak the pellets. My pup doesn't drink all that much water, well not more than other dogs I have had.

[Tiggy]

[quote name='huski' date='25th Jun 2009 - 08:44 AM' post='3782135'

If you're worried to start off you can buy pre made BARF patties to try them on and see how they go - I've used the Dr Billinghurst ones.

I do it myself now, but am looking at changing Cherry over to them if she keeps going well on her elimination diet as they make a roo based BARF which is what she's eating at the moment (roo).

It's not as hard as you think, but the BARF patties are a good place to start if you want to try them on it to see how they go :p

I think the roo BARF patties have beef organ meat. I know they use to.

[huski]

Oh, thanks for the heads up Tilly. I will check it out before I buy some :p

[Red Fox]

IThe difference between the amount of water that dogs on raw diets drink and dogs on dry food diets is amazing. I have pugs staying here sometimes that bring their own dry food and they drink half the water bowl (massive water bowl) a day whereas my two who are on totally raw food will only have a drink every now and again.

Have to agree with this.

I have seen a HUGE difference in the amount that Kei drinks on a raw diet vs dry food. When he first came home he was on dry and would drain his water bowl every day, I was refilling it constantly to keep it fresh and full.

As he was changed to raw he gradually began to drink less and less, and now on a full raw diet he drinks very little. I still change his water every day of course to keep it fresh but most of the time he's barely touched it.

I also notice that on the rare occasion that I do give dry food in one of his treat toys that the amount he drinks will increase dramatically. So yes, I do think it has a lot to do with diet.

[karly101]

I'd actually be more worried if they weren't drinking that much on a mostly dry diet...mainly because dry food is REALLY low in moisture so you want them to be drinking enough to fullfill their requirements. I heard about problems with cats on dry foods who don't drink very much.

I guess an easy way of solving the problem (ie. if Advance is the issue) is to try another brand with Fletcher and see if he still drinks just as much water...but if he has stomach issues and is otherwise doing fine on the Advance I'd be reluctant to do that. You could try upping the raw componant of the diet (if that doesn't stress his stomach) and seeing if that alters his drinking...the barf patties would be great to do this as they are nutritionally complete.