Protein need for a 6-year-old Labrador?

[colograndma]

3 months ago we adopted a 5-year-old Labrador (turned 6 in April). Our lovely Lab is doing great and enjoying his new life. From the beginning on we fed him Taste of the Wild, but after reading about the DCM cases and the lack of research (at least published) by TotW, we decided to switch to Hill's Science Plan Large Breed 6+. He loves both Hill's and TotW and seems to be doing great.

What I am curious about is why Hill's has a way lower protein share (18% for the type we feed) compared to not only TotW but also RC or Purina Pro Plan. So my question is; does someone know what the protein need is of a 6-year-old Labrador with 2,5-3 hours of activity per day? I can't find really legit sources (research papers or alike).

Thanks!

 

[sheba92766]

@colograndma Dogs are type of carnivore so more protein is ideal. However it’s important to look at the source. Protein should be coming from meat. Not peas, corn, etc. my lab eats a mixture of meat based kibble, and high quality raw and canned food. He is in great body condition and it has helped his skin allergies.

 

[modestmatty777]

@colograndma I found this article and you may find it interesting. The article is from this year and discusses different perspectives from vets (old and new school varieties) and veterinarian nutritionists. A number of studies are sourced and helpful links are provided.

The TL;DR of the above article is that many older dogs are overweight or have kidney issues, so certain foods have a much lower protein percentage. But, there isn’t even a consensus over kidney functionality in terms of a higher-protein diet. This quote sums it up:

“Note that there are more opinions about protein levels in dog food than there are veterinary nutritionists. This shouldn’t be a surprise; there is little consensus among experts in human nutrition about ideal protein levels, too.”

Personally, I wouldn’t start on senior food just yet. He sounds like an active dog, and it doesn’t sound like he is displaying age-related ailments. As he gets older, he may benefit from joint support, increased fiber, or nutritional addition/change. Starting him on senior this early in the game, may limit your feeding options down the road as he ages and will legitimately need more joint support, etc.

 

[filledefleur]

@colograndma I'd recommend Purina Pro Plan Sensitive Skin and Stomach Salmon Formula instead personally-either the regular adult formula or the senior version Unless he actually has kidney issues or other definitive health issues it is unnecessary to feed him such a low protein diet.