longevity and dog food??? - Page 6

 Michael,

Is this the "what doesn't kill you makes you stronger" school of thought?  If only it were so  Unfortunately we know that poor nutrition in a pup can ruin the structure for life if it isn't corrected before the growth plates "close".  So why would poor nutrition not weaken a genetic  line. But I wouldn't want anyone to set up a study to find out for sure - i.e. feeding nothing but "fast food" to a generation of pups (or kids) and see what happens to the following generation. Oh right we've already done that   And now we have a health crisis not only in the human population but also among pets and livestock.  You can argue longevity has increased - though I'm not sure it's true for pets or not - but long term chronic illness is a real problem and not just in the elderly - it's sad really.

Susan

So thanks to this topic and some advice here I have done some more investigation with regard to feeding my 13 year old male Iams Chunks.  In talking with my vet and several dog food manufacturers at a trade show, I am now switching my boy to Orijen - Senior.  Folks here are correct, it's not the amount of protein a senior gets that is most important, it's the quality and source of that protein.  I'm wanting him to be as long lived as is possible...he's my baby.

I still firmly believe raw diets are the healthiest options for dogs, but it is not a practical option for me.  Hopefully Orijen is a good 2nd best.

Great topic and good advice.  Thanks folks!