[Dailydrool] Overweight Senior

[Tom Hickcox]

At 11:40 5/9/2010, you wrote:

>hi
>
>I'm looking for food recommendations for an overweight senior.  I
>was / am giving nutra max.  Today was her annual appt & the vet
>recommended pro plan, iams & science diet.
>
>thanks in advance
>Janine
>Hunter J., Porkchop & Hoagie

I would suggest whatever you feed your girl that you purchase a 
decent kitchen scale and weigh the portions.

I have been feeding my Myrtle Iams products since I got her the fall 
of 2003 and quickly discovered there is quite a bit of bag to bag 
variation of the bulk density of their kibble.  I just went in and 
weighed a cup that I measured very carefully, and it weighed 106 
grams.  Over the years I have done this with different bags and the 
variation was plus or minus 20%, so you could be under- or overfeeding.

The reasons for this variation are a lot of things.  The shape of the 
kibble varies a lot from spherical to almost flat.  The former weighs 
less than the latter, everything else being the same.  The color of 
the kibble varies, often within the same bag.  I assume they have 
blended different lines to get the parameters they want.  The density 
of the food itself likely varies, also.  On top of this, measuring 
cups are hardly accurate or consistent

So my first suggestion is the purchase of a decent scale.  I have had 
real good service from Salter scales.  You will have to determine 
from the kibble's label how many grams are in a cup and go from 
there.  A little study is required some times to get this 
information, but it's there.  I have had absolutely no success trying 
to talk about this with Iams' customer service reps.  The ones I've 
talked to have no idea of varying bulk density.

My late wife lost her first basset to her being overweight and she 
was a fanatic for not letting her subsequent hound ladies get 
overweight and I am continuing the effort.  Weighing portions gets 
around a number of inconsistencies.

Tommy H in Baton Rouge