Iams Low-Residue Dog Food / Weight Loss

[Guest Nick]

At my vet's suggestion, I changed my 11.5-year-old grey's food from Orijen grain-free (and Eukanuba large breed before that) to IAMs low-residue to deal with his frequent and smelly gas. It solved the gas problem. It also reduced his stool output by 1/3, and he lost 2.5 lbs.

 

He's always been skinny. Also he's very picky - won't eat wet food, for instance, or eggs or cottage cheese (suggestions for putting more weight on him) - and the more expensive dog foods don't agree with his sensitive stomach. Also, I keep his bowl full and crumble some Stella and Chewy's in it to entice him to eat.

 

I'm wondering if weight loss is normal with low-residue dog food, and I'm also seeking some ideas on ways to fatten him up.

 

Thank you for the help.

[Guest Gemma]

Peyton was on the same low-residue food for about a month when he was having some issues. He lost about 5lbs on that food so I switched him off it as soon as I could. I think it is just not very calorie dense. Have you tried adding plain yoghurt and salmon oil? I've also used vanilla Ensure to get picky eaters to eat all their food.

[3greytjoys]

If this is the food, I'd look for a new food.

http://www.iams.com/dog-food/iams-veterinary-formula-intestinal-low-residue-canine

 

Only 257 calories per cup (Yikes, that's very low. Lowest average I've seen ranges 300+. I prefer foods in 400-500 calorie per cup range.)

 

Poor ingredients that jumped out at me upon quick view were:

Corn

By-products

Ethoxyquin

 

Following link explains a bit about ingredients. Click links within ingredient section; e.g., by-products = slaughterhouse waste to learn more.

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/dog-food-reviews/iams-veterinary-formulas-intestinal-dry/

Edited April 29, 2013 by 3greytjoys

[Guest Nick]

Great information. For some reason, I didn't think to look at the calories. I appreciate the help very much. -N

[Guest RMarie]

James was on the low-residue food when we adopted him. It did nothing for him. It was also hard to keep weight on him and he's only 3. He has a fairly sensitive stomach and now does fine on regular IAMS green bag.

[Guest Nick]

Thanks, RMarie.

 

I just purchased some high-calorie food to mix with the low-residue. If it agrees with him, I'll shift to 3/4 high-cal and 1/4 low-residue or try out IAMS green bag. I also got him some treats.

 

For anyone reading these posts and looking for information on calories in dog food, PetFinder posted this from the Society for Pet Obesity Prevention: http://www.dogforum.com/dog-food/calories-per-cup-popular-foods-7250/. Most pet foods don't provide calorie information on their bags.

[rascalsmom]

Jack was on low-residue IAMS for a long time. It *is* lower in fat, which probably accounts for weight loss. After his diagnosis of lymphangiectasia, he was switched to ULTRA low fat food, and he dropped weight in a quite alarming manner. A LOT of weight. We had inadvertently been kind of treating the disease before we knew he had it, with the low res food; we originally put him on it to try and manage his soft stool. If only we had known earlier.

[Hubcitypam]

Following link explains a bit about ingredients. Click links within ingredient section; e.g., by-products = slaughterhouse waste to learn more.

http://www.dogfoodad...intestinal-dry/

 

Isn't it amazing that chicken feet are slaughterhouse waste but a lot of GTers pay good money for them in the grocery store and sometimes online? Companies have made a ton of money selling slaughterhouse waste like tracheas, lamb lungs, bull penises, tendons, hooves etc for very high prices. Slaughterhouse waste seems to be acceptable when you pay expensive prices for it. My neighbors buy chicken feet, calf hooves, pigs feet, pig ears pig tails and other human grade slaughterhouse waste and they are not so cheap. I could go to the corner and buy a whole pig head for $20 - $25. They are not muscle meat so they are slaughterhouse waste according to that article. The stores here can't keep pig heads in stock around Christmas due to the demand for tamales.

 

My very sensitive Rex couldn't tolerate anything but Iams (either red or green bag). Poodle and Buddy now eat Purina One Healthy Weight as Poodle needs a very low fat diet and Buddy is prone to weight gain. Poodle was eating Natural Balance Ultra Light for a couple of years before Buddy came but has done just as well on the Purina. Barkley could probably eat tin cans and thrive...but he's a terrier.

 

From the link above -

 

 

They include the waste² of meat processing not intended for human consumption. For example…

• Feet
• Backs
• Livers
• Heads
• Kidneys
• Stomachs

ETA - where do these people live? I could go 5 blocks right now to a large chain and buy all of the above intended for human consumption. Add intestines (green tripe, not bleached), beef hearts (very expensive) and tongues. Walmart here carries Pilgrams Pride necks and backs...I'm fairly sure they are for human consumption.

Edited May 5, 2013 by Hubcitypam

[4My2Greys]

The thing is these items are intended as treats, not something the majority of the dog's diet should consist of. Actually, aside from the feathers, every part of the chicken has some benefit in the diet. The problem is when these foods are made up of nothing but those parts. The same goes for the pig. There's a local folk life play that's put on twice a year about life in Pike Co. during the depression that is taken from stories handed down from past generations. In one of the skits they talk about hog slaughtering time and how everyone had to help and no part of the hog was wasted. Everything was used, "from the rooter to the tooter", as they put it, nothing was thrown out. Ideally in dogfood the whole animal, aside from feathers and hide, would be used, not just the muscle meat and not just the "by-products".

[sobesmom]

If he's doing well on an Iams product, why not just switch to regular Iams? More calories, same basic content.