When does a Basenji need "senior" food

[Tayda_Lenny]

I'm just wondering this cause my little potato just turned 6. I think I heard somewhere that a dog becomes "senior" status when they are about 2/3 through the average life expectancy? Which for a basenji would be…. 8ish? I have already switched Tayda to a senior food because of her elevated BUN/Creatinine values hoping to bring them down with a lower protein food, but I was wondering when is a B officially considered a "senior"?

I tried to give her the Innova senior because of the probiotics which are supposed to help keep UTI's away, but she hates it. hates. I've mixed with different things - baby food, cottage cheese, etc etc.. and she will literally lick the stuff off the food and leave it. I had both Lenny and Tayda on Wellness Core which they both LOVE. I think she's pissed he still gets to eat it and she doesn't. So now, I switched her to the senior blend of the Wellness line and she seems to like it better.

Anyone else out there feeding their B a senior food?

[tanza]

I think each dog is different and while I did have mine on Senior food but not till they were over 10 or 11, I didn't like the way their coats were, so put them back on regular food. I for one do not consider 6 a Senior… even AKC thinks that Veterans are 7+.

And again, there are many, many different opinions on the protein about and kidney's in dogs and what should or should not be fed.... I know many people with Basenjis that feed EVO straight through all stages of their lives....

[Tayda_Lenny]

Yeah, Tayda is not "technically" a senior… I just switched her food per Dr. Gonto's suggestion to see if I could bring her BUN/Creatinine levels down.... we'll see when I bring her back to the vet at the end of January... fingers crossed!

[tanza]

@Tayda_Lenny:

Yeah, Tayda is not "technically" a senior… I just switched her food per Dr. Gonto's suggestion to see if I could bring her BUN/Creatinine levels down.... we'll see when I bring her back to the vet at the end of January... fingers crossed!

It is a tough road… when you are trying to "help" them.... but you still want them to eat...... been there, done that.... but if she is refusing straight senior food then I would try one of the other foods that might be higher protein then senior, but lower then the meat only foods.

[Knipper]

Senior food made Blaze crazy. We attempted at 7, then 10, then 14. He ate it like his old food and would not stop for a second. He chewed everything, he had so much energy, it was worse than when he was a puppy. He was under everyone's feet, he was aggressive towards children, other dogs, cats, horses, pigs, chickens, sheep, and cows. He's turning 15 on the 10th and he is on regular lamb dog food. He has the energy of a dog his age, and he is not aggressive. So we are keeping him on it until he loses his energy level, but when he can run with a five year old border collie and poop him out… I think Blaze will be on it for a while...

[ibi_n_sane]

I always wondered, WHY give puppy food or senior food etcetera? the commerce is loving it as people are buying it and with that buying their new commercial bogus crap.
Sorry to say, but in the wild, dogs of all ages get actually same food ( not the very young pups ofcourse )
when you give a good brand of nature diet or BARF you dont need the senior or puppy crap.
anyway when you stick to commercial food, you dont need to feed your dog a senior diet when it turned 6 and is a happy active dog. Commercial senior food normally has less proteins and fat, as a senior dog has less activity so you can feed the same amount as you are used to without giving the dog too much protein and fat which makes the dog very fat when theire exercize level has turned lower as they are getting older.
I have an 8 year old basenji which I give a normal food ( so no senior ) as she still is highly active and I dont see any use of giving senior to her.
anyway that is my opinion

[nomrbddgs]

IMO unless a dog has specific health problems, I've never given senior food. My old heeler/am esk mix is over 10 and she still gets what everyone else is on - Nutro for sensitive stomachs. She's still a PITA and wants to play all the time.