Who Feeds Canned Dog Food?

[shepherdpower]

I have two dogs, and they are fed the BARF way. Now and then they get some Eagle Pack dry food, just as a bit of a change.

A friend has a 19 year old cat, which lives on canned cat food "Whiskas". She previously owned another 4 cats, which were fed the same way. All of her cats have lived long and healthy lives, the current one still fit and healthy on this diet.

I wondered if I'm too, too conscious of feeding my dogs the "natural way", and would like to know your' opinions on canned dog foods, who feeds them to their dogs, which brands, etc., and have your dogs lived healthy and long lives on canned foods?

It has just made me wonder after seeing my friends cat, and looking at photos of all of her previous cats, and how healthy they looked at such old ages.

[Kirty]

Wet food is mostly water and not good for their teeth.

[Crisovar]

I always have Natures Gift tinned food here, it is a good product, all of mine get it from time to time and my 15yo has it daily. My sons dog eats NG and dry every day and has for 9 years.

I groom quite a few old (some very old) dogs that are happy and healthy and eat My Dog every day.

Neighbours feed their dog chum dry and tinned and it looks very well for a 13 yo.

I feed a wide variety of foods to mine, raw is often hard to source and just recently they all had to enjoy Natures Gift for a while due to the supply issue and the floods etc.

[moggy]

We had a Chihuahua who lived to 15 1/2 years on a diet of Goodos. This was about 20 years ago when there was not so much emphasis on the quality of food for dogs. Now I am constantly worrying about my present Chihuahua's diet. Makes you wonder sometimes?

[skyehaven]

only when at away dog shows, I only will use Natures Gift.

[~Anne~]

In my view, fresh is better regardless of the species being fed. In having said that, I don't think that commercial food will kill any dog and I am 100% certain that commercial food is not the cause of as many issues as raw/barf feeders will have you believe.

My dogs are fed a mix of both raw and commercial, except for Olivia who is on prescriptives kibble and therefore is fed 100% commercial.

[lucknow]

I believe canned food is approximately 70% water on average between brands.

I feed dry as I find it cheaper both to buy and in the volume I need to feed.

We do use canned food at work but mainly because of the better acceptance by a wider range of patients.

Pal is brilliant for constipation!

Edited to add, a high proportion of the dogs we see fed on canned food are overweight, I dont necessarily say this is caused by the food itself but maybe more by owners perception of how much their dog needs and allowing them to overeat. These are also more likely to be the owners that switch brands ever couple of weeks because the dog is 'bored' with their food.

Edited February 19, 2011 by lucknow

[shepherdpower]

Yes, it does make you wonder doesn't it. My first German Shepherd, when I was pretty ignorant about a lot of things, was fed Pal canned food, mutton and vegetables cooked together, and a lot of raw meaty bones. He lived until he was nearly 16, and was very active. I guess, as with most things, it's in the genes!!!

Who really knows what's best, when it comes down to it. A friend owns a Staffy female, and all she is fed is whatever canned foods are on special - she's nearly 16, and still chasing the ball everywhere, in great condition, shiny coat, happy - never gets sick....

[poodlefan]

I have fed Hills I/D to Darcy when he's been recovering from HGE.

Other than that I don't use it.

[Inevitablue]

The farts on dry food are enough!

I dont think my senses could handle tin food farts

[sas]

I don't eh, my dogs growing up were all fed good old Pal and lived very long lives.

I couldn't bring myself to feed it though, the amount of additives in it alone worry me.

[poodlefan]

It smells bad enough on the way in.

On the way out?

Dogs fed on it tend to really stink too.

The Hills I/D cans are literally chicken and rice - very firm. I can stomach those.

[_PL_]

We've gotten a couple of dogs in that you could tell were canned food dogs.

They look 'healthy' because of whatever oil or fat is in the food - that's probably the premium tin brands. And are a decent weight but it's not muscle, just a chubbier body.

The teeth (one rescue lost 18 in a dental) and the doggy smell coming from their skin along with the physical change once you get them onto a decent diet is enough of a reason for me not to feed it. Apart from the noxious farts.

[Baileys mum]

My 13 yo Aussie terrier x was fed My Dog canned food for 10 years before I joined Dol & started reading about dog nutrition. In that 10 years she was always very healthy & rarely seen the inside of a vet clinic other than her annual vaccination & check up.

I now feed all my dogs 50% dry food (Advance) & 50% raw & she is still going well for her age, but it just goes to show that she was able to live a healthy life on the canned food too for all those years.

I do have some cans of Natures gift canned in the cupboard for emergencies when I run out of the raw or dry. ;)

[ShesaLikeableBiBear]

I have previously fed both Nutro and Ziwipeak canned foods with no issues

[JulesP]

I've used Natures Gift as part of my dog's diet for about 20 years. Moss & Fern both lived to 15.5 years. I've just been using NG with good results to put weight on a skinny youngster.

I think the water argument is a bit dopey as raw foods have high water content too.

NG is the only tinned food I have been happy with. I've tried the Eagle Pack tins and didn't like them.

[Remarkabull]

I have fed tinned food (Pal) years ago to my old dogs. They always seemed to have firm poos and were very healthy although it was always mixed in with dry food too and they had bones a couple of times a week.

Currently I feed raw only but on the days where I've forgotten to get the meat out of the freezer I have a couple of cans of Natures Gift handy in the pantry. It seems to have no ill effects and the dogs really enjoy it. I wouldn't feed it exclusively but will continue to use it as a 'sometimes' food.

[Kelly_Louise]

I feed Sasha on canned food + dry because her stomach can't handle raw meat (I have no idea why).

I use Advance canned and dry, and she has been happy and healthy ever since... has put on weight, no stomach problems, her appetite has returned and she enjoys eating it.

Not ideal cause it costs me a fortune, but it's what she does best on.

[minxy]

My parents and I always feed a good quality kibble to our pets. Almost all of my friends and their families feed them supermarket pet food. None of them have ever had any particular health issues.

[Miss B]

Mine get 'Fish for Dogs' every now and again, they love it.