Option paralysis (giant breed, joints and food)

[joshuajones]

My cats and dog are healthy and happy, but I've recently done some research for joint health in my 6 y/o mastiff, malamute, GSD, Irish wolfhound mixed 120lb male and found that the "joint health" complex in Purina proplan large breed is laughably insufficient.. Now that he's approaching senior status I want to fix this deficiency and decided to supplement with cosequin tablets while turning to a higher quality base food. Unfortunately, given the wsava and DCM debacle, it seems like the "best" options are more expensive and don't seem to have better ingredients.

I'm stuck in a kind of option paralysis, the fields are so broad and my limitations are primarily that he eats nearly 2k calories a day and I can't afford to feed him better than I do myself (which is surprisingly and sadly easy to do). With the cosequin suplement I'd like to keep his food to around 3 dollars a day or 1.50/meal but finding dog food by this criteria doesn't appear to be a methodology that exists. Every other criteria I can discriminate by is mostly useless (grain free, weight management, life stage etc). And damn does doing the math on comparing food A at 350 kcal/cup and 80 dollars a 40lb bag versus food b at 480kcal/cup at 111 dollars/22.5lb bag SUCKS, particularly when you add c, d, e and f to the mix

The food comparitors made by specific brands (Sunday and acana, for example) don't include price and seem to cherry pick specific examples from the comparison brand that I wouldn't buy anyways ( pro plan skin and sensitive stomach, etc).

It's important to me that I do my due diligence to give him the best I can, but damn I feel like I spinning my wheels in an endless mire of options. Is there ANY good comperitor out there or does it all have to be done manually? Is there a search tool anywhere that includes a price/unit mass option? What has helped you in your search for a good food?

Also considering supplementing wet food but damn does that stuff escalate rapidly and at what point are you just paying for water when feeding a monster like mine? I looked at merricks highly regarded wet food and he would need 2 cans a meal... A 60 dollar 12 pack would last 6 days and that's at only half his caloric intake ! Its madness

All of the above also applies for cats, except the male part. They eat orijen original and wellness chicken wet food.

 

[sevilodorf]

@joshuajones What do you mean by “better ingredients?”

PS I recommend r/cat food for cats questions

 

[othersteeve]

@joshuajones Honestly? You are way overthinking this. Purina (and Royal canin and hill's) have carried out decades of in depth scientific research on the varying needs of dogs based on size and age. I think the only better option than a wsava large breed food would be a joint specific one from royal canin or hills. What makes you believe the joint support is inadequate, or that you know better than the team of scientists and industry experts that develop purina foods?

 

[joshuajones]

@othersteeve The available research on joint studies in dogs and recommended ratios of chondroitin/glucosamine provided therein is around 5 times higher than what's in his dog food... I'm not saying I know better, they surely know but for some reason that is probably attached to a dollar sign have decreased the quantity from what is recommended to what they provide.

Similarly the first few ingredients are: Chicken, Rice, Corn Gluten Meal, Whole Grain Corn, I would like to no rice at all and corn lower on the list than this.

 

[othersteeve]

@joshuajones Purina literally conduct this kind of research themselves to use for their diets. You are saying you know better with no qualifications to back that up. If you feel your dogs need a glucosamine supplement speak to your vet. But you haven't indicated any issues with your dogs joints, so I'm not clear why you're so insistent their diet is insufficient to maintain their joint health. The proof is right in front of you in the fact they aren't having any grief from their joints.

There is nothing wrong with wheat, rice, corn or gluten. They are healthy, staple foods that each have their own benefits.