Hill's metabolic and mobility

sadie1502

Hi all my two girls are on this. Is it worth the money the vets have said it is brilliant for them I don't mind paying once I know it's worth it. They need it for mobility and are slighty overweight not hugely but due to restricted mobility can't exercise them too much. Where can I buy this online does anyone have any dealings with this food ? Thank you

cocker5

sadie1502 wrote: »

Hi all my two girls are on this. Is it worth the money the vets have said it is brilliant for them I don't mind paying once I know it's worth it. They need it for mobility and are slighty overweight not hugely but due to restricted mobility can't exercise them too much. Where can I buy this online does anyone have any dealings with this food ? Thank you

Do you mind if i ask do you currently buy it from your vet?

What age are your dogs and what mobility issues are you having?

sadie1502

cocker5 wrote: »

Do you mind if i ask do you currently buy it from your vet?

What age are your dogs and what mobility issues are you having?

Yeah I get it from the vet. 85.40euro. Joint issues for them both. Crutia ligament issue's both dogs. Hips issue with the labs.

sadie1502

sadie1502 wrote: »

Yeah I get it from the vet. 85.40euro. Joint issues for them both. Crutia ligament issue's both dogs. Hips issue with the labs.

Sorry the dogs are roughly 9 to 10 years old got them from the pound so exact ages I don't know.

cocker5

sadie1502 wrote: »

Sorry the dogs are roughly 9 to 10 years old got them from the pound so exact ages I don't know.

OP,

I’m going to be honest and say 9 out of 10 all vets say the food they sell is the best etc, because it’s a commercial transaction and they make money from it not necessarily as it’s the best for your dog or dogs in general.
But that’s up to you everyone if different. Have you google reviews of Hills food? I don’t know I haven’t used it so I can’t comment

You can get it on here:
http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/dogs/dry_dog_food/hills_prescription

There are many ways to reduce weight:
Treats – only feed Veg treats no commercial treats
Reduce portions size of food

On the joints I have a 12 year old cocker with moderate Hip dysplasia and arthritis and treat this with supplements etc if I’m honest I can’t image the food would have that high content of supplements.

I feed my guy RAW (2 years now) and he is lovely and lean which is a HUGE help with hip problems and joint issues in general. Have you ever considered moving to RAW? Not pushing it but I find it great etc.
If you’re interested ill post up what my guy gets for his joints etc and about the raw but only if you’re interested.

sadie1502

cocker5 wrote: »

OP,

I’m going to be honest and say 9 out of 10 all vets say the food they sell is the best etc, because it’s a commercial transaction and they make money from it not necessarily as it’s the best for your dog or dogs in general.
But that’s up to you everyone if different. Have you google reviews of Hills food? I don’t know I haven’t used it so I can’t comment

You can get it on here:
http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/dogs/dry_dog_food/hills_prescription

There are many ways to reduce weight:
Treats – only feed Veg treats no commercial treats
Reduce portions size of food

On the joints I have a 12 year old cocker with moderate Hip dysplasia and arthritis and treat this with supplements etc if I’m honest I can’t image the food would have that high content of supplements.

I feed my guy RAW (2 years now) and he is lovely and lean which is a HUGE help with hip problems and joint issues in general. Have you ever considered moving to RAW? Not pushing it but I find it great etc.
If you’re interested ill post up what my guy gets for his joints etc and about the raw but only if you’re interested.

I have read the reviews on this food and it does to be honest seem good. The raw diet I'd imagine I need a big freezer and to have always loads of raw meet in it. I have a tiny freezer and couldn't store a lot of meet. The vet did say to me look don't buy because we sell it he said we sell numerous foods but this food would be best suited. He said look it up for myself. There are a few vets in the practice and one of the other vets has her dog on it and decided to take her off it but after a few weeks noticed the decline. They said I didn't need to buy all the supplement's as it was contained within the food. Treats now are veg we have cut down on everything.

The lab has hip dysplasia too we got the injection one a week for 4 weeks and I haven't seen any great improvement to be honest.

Does the raw diwt require loads of meet in the freezer and also to add supplement's ?

cocker5

OP if your happy with the food then that’s cool.

Just some reading below regarding Hills -

https://www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/articles/prescription-veterinary-diets.php

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/hills.html

Just on the RAW – no you don’t have to keep huge amount of raw meat etc I buy all mine pre mixed and in containers, its works great for me. But as I said everyone is different.

If you’re interested in reading further here is some reading:

https://www.dogsfirst.ie/raw-faq/
I buy mine for Carnivore Kelly and Nutriment all done etc – I just open and feed and add veg etc.


Just on the Hip dysplasia and supplements…
I’m very surprised your vet hasn’t recommended supplements – they help hugely. The dried food will only ever have a certain amount of supplements etc with arthritis and hip dysplasia more is required.

You guy must be a lot of pain? Is he slipping on the floors?


Has your vet recommended hydro therapy? Its brilliant for the condition


My guy is on the following for his joints:

Salmon oil – Great for joints, coat and overall health
http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/dogs/supplements_specialty_food/hair_skin/219933/520576

Luposan pellets – great for joints
http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/dogs/supplements_specialty_food/bones_joints/luposan/129097?rrec=true

Turmeric paste – great anti-inflammatory I make it myself and give it to him daily, I get a tea spoon amount, put it a slice of ham (he has no idea)

Recipe for Turmeric Paste for Dogs
1. 1/2 cup turmeric powder (125 ml)
2. 2 cups water (500 ml)
3. 1/2 cup water extra, if needed (125 ml)
4. 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper (7.5 ml)
5. 1/3 cup cold pressed Olive or Coconut oil (70 ml)

Sorry he is also on Loxicom daily

sadie1502

cocker5 wrote: »

OP if your happy with the food then that’s cool.

Just some reading below regarding Hills -

https://www.allaboutdogfood.co.uk/articles/prescription-veterinary-diets.php

https://www.consumeraffairs.com/pets/hills.html

Just on the RAW – no you don’t have to keep huge amount of raw meat etc I buy all mine pre mixed and in containers, its works great for me. But as I said everyone is different.

If you’re interested in reading further here is some reading:

https://www.dogsfirst.ie/raw-faq/
I buy mine for Carnivore Kelly and Nutriment all done etc – I just open and feed and add veg etc.


Just on the Hip dysplasia and supplements…
I’m very surprised your vet hasn’t recommended supplements – they help hugely. The dried food will only ever have a certain amount of supplements etc with arthritis and hip dysplasia more is required.

You guy must be a lot of pain? Is he slipping on the floors?


Has your vet recommended hydro therapy? Its brilliant for the condition


My guy is on the following for his joints:

Salmon oil – Great for joints, coat and overall health
http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/dogs/supplements_specialty_food/hair_skin/219933/520576

Luposan pellets – great for joints
http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/dogs/supplements_specialty_food/bones_joints/luposan/129097?rrec=true

Turmeric paste – great anti-inflammatory I make it myself and give it to him daily, I get a tea spoon amount, put it a slice of ham (he has no idea)

Recipe for Turmeric Paste for Dogs
1. 1/2 cup turmeric powder (125 ml)
2. 2 cups water (500 ml)
3. 1/2 cup water extra, if needed (125 ml)
4. 1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper (7.5 ml)
5. 1/3 cup cold pressed Olive or Coconut oil (70 ml)

Sorry he is also on Loxicom daily

Yeah she is slipping and must be in pain I did ask the vet about these supplement's but was told there in the food. Where do you buy the raw food ? What veg do add is it cooked ? One dog is roughly 30kgs and the other 23kgs they are slightly over weight. I'd love to be able to help them more. I'm not over the moon about the food as I don't see any great improvement's and yes she is slipping like she has no control poor mite. I really took the vets advise but clearly I must be doing something wrong. Like how much raw food should they be getting daily and what amount of pellets should be added also the salmon oil. It's just a minefield but I want the best for them to enjoy their lives

cocker5

OP

I’ll help as much as I can

Bedding –

What type of bed does she has?
It’s REALLY important they have good supportive beds with HD (Hip Dysplasia) and arthritis, keep them off the cold floors and near warmth etc

I got my guy an Orthopaedic bed (this one):

http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/dogs/dog_beds_baskets/square/ortho_memory/206850?rrec=true

the covers are washable, super comfy for them etc..

but there are loads on the market i.e.

https://fetchyourpetneeds.com/products/elevated-dog-bed-large
https://fetchyourpetneeds.com/products/dinghy-dog-bed

Slipping –

Have you tried toe grippers / socks? Yes they look ridiculous but do help a good bit.

These helps stop slipping on the wooden and tiled floors – my guy wears a set on his hind legs while in the house, they are great, worth the investment. You get 4 in a pack and as I only use two… I have separate set for when they get wore out.

https://www.dogquality.co.uk/collections/dog-socks
https://www.orthopets.co.uk/mobility-solutions/ToeGrips

Hydro Therapy –

Where are you based ? Hydro really helped my guy, its €25 per session but has made a big difference and if you have insurance they will repay 65% of the fees – here is where I go, of your in Dublin its def worth a trip:
http://sharpwellsk9hydrotherapy.com/


The supplements – I order a big tub of the Lupsosan and salmon oil (see links above) – it’s a small scoop of the pellets each day and a teaspoon of the oil - they last MONTHS.


RAW – you don’t have to go RAW if you don’t want at all but her is where I buy mine….CK and Fetch you pet needs… why not a starter pack and see what you think?

Here are the links to both starter packs so you can purchase a small amount see what you think before you commit:
https://carnivorekellys.myshopify.com/collections/chubs-by-the-box/products/meat-mix-sample-box-for-new-customers
https://fetchyourpetneeds.com/products/nutriment-raw-pet-food-adult-starter-pack-5kg

How much to feed? Here is how you calculate.
http://www.raw4dogs.com/calculate.htm

My Cocker is 17KG very active and I feed him 166g, plus veg… they are slightly cooked carrots, broccoli, asparagus, sugar snap peas etc. I bulk it up with veg.
What I do is I defrost 2 x packs at one time (500g RAW per tub / chubb), I spit it into air tight container and make the veg… they last me 3 full days in the fridge.

Hope this helps!!

Is she on any daily anti-inflammatory for the vet??
The turmeric paste above is a great natural anti inflammatory

SillyMangoX

I use the hills J/D for my cat, which would be the mobility part, he doesn't need to lose weight (can't keep weight on him!) so just went for the j/d. He's been on it I'd say about 6 months now and the difference is unreal. He's only 8 but had muscle wastage and joint deterioration from an old injury that was turning to arthritis.
It took about 6 weeks to see an effect, but he's like a kitten again! He was always walking with a limp, just wanted to sleep all the time and wasn't grooming himself as well as before. Now he has a ton of energy and just wants to run and jump around constantly. I don't like hills food as a rule as I think it's overpriced for what it is, but their prescription stuff really is great

sadie1502

cocker5 wrote: »

OP

I’ll help as much as I can

Bedding –

What type of bed does she has?
It’s REALLY important they have good supportive beds with HD (Hip Dysplasia) and arthritis, keep them off the cold floors and near warmth etc

I got my guy an Orthopaedic bed (this one):

http://www.zooplus.ie/shop/dogs/dog_beds_baskets/square/ortho_memory/206850?rrec=true

the covers are washable, super comfy for them etc..

but there are loads on the market i.e.

https://fetchyourpetneeds.com/products/elevated-dog-bed-large
https://fetchyourpetneeds.com/products/dinghy-dog-bed

Slipping –

Have you tried toe grippers / socks? Yes they look ridiculous but do help a good bit.

These helps stop slipping on the wooden and tiled floors – my guy wears a set on his hind legs while in the house, they are great, worth the investment. You get 4 in a pack and as I only use two… I have separate set for when they get wore out.

https://www.dogquality.co.uk/collections/dog-socks
https://www.orthopets.co.uk/mobility-solutions/ToeGrips

Hydro Therapy –

Where are you based ? Hydro really helped my guy, its €25 per session but has made a big difference and if you have insurance they will repay 65% of the fees – here is where I go, of your in Dublin its def worth a trip:
http://sharpwellsk9hydrotherapy.com/


The supplements – I order a big tub of the Lupsosan and salmon oil (see links above) – it’s a small scoop of the pellets each day and a teaspoon of the oil - they last MONTHS.


RAW – you don’t have to go RAW if you don’t want at all but her is where I buy mine….CK and Fetch you pet needs… why not a starter pack and see what you think?

Here are the links to both starter packs so you can purchase a small amount see what you think before you commit:
https://carnivorekellys.myshopify.com/collections/chubs-by-the-box/products/meat-mix-sample-box-for-new-customers
https://fetchyourpetneeds.com/products/nutriment-raw-pet-food-adult-starter-pack-5kg

How much to feed? Here is how you calculate.
http://www.raw4dogs.com/calculate.htm

My Cocker is 17KG very active and I feed him 166g, plus veg… they are slightly cooked carrots, broccoli, asparagus, sugar snap peas etc. I bulk it up with veg.
What I do is I defrost 2 x packs at one time (500g RAW per tub / chubb), I spit it into air tight container and make the veg… they last me 3 full days in the fridge.

Hope this helps!!

Is she on any daily anti-inflammatory for the vet??
The turmeric paste above is a great natural anti inflammatory

I'm based in Clare I'll look up hydro therapy I looked before and the nearest place was Cork. No on nothing for anti inflammation well she had injections one a week for 4 weeks just finished last week I think they are for her hips I see a little bit more movement maybe I'll give the food a few more weeks.

The tumeric paste do you make it up daily ? Does all that fit in a slice if meat ?

How much do you spend on dog food a week ?

cocker5

Hi OP,

The tumeric paste receipe above (follow it as is) lasts a month and half in a tightly sealed container in the fridge. I just get a tea spoon blob amount, pop it in the middle of the ham slice and give it too him. you can give it to both dogs, its apparently anti cancerous too.

On the RAW i usually buy 40 ish chubbs does me around a month and half so costs €80 ish depending on what meat etc.

tk123

Be careful with the turmeric paste - it's a blood thinner so you can't give it with anti-inflammatories. If the dog is getting cartrophen injections and they aren't helping the next step will be probably anti inflammatories. I gave it to Bailey for months and months but it can be hard on their tummies too and he started having spells of vomiting during the night where he was very uncomfortable so I stopped giving it. I've been thinking if trying it again... BUT the cat wee smell was just awful in the garden from it - cinnamon and olive instead of coconut oil made no difference! He reeked of it too!

I know a few people who feed the metabolic and think it's great - but they weren't feeding any supplements at all before it and the dogs very overweight etc etc My own vet recommended fish oils as she knew I wasn't going to move from raw food to kibble lol

ATM I'm giving YuMove+green lipped muscle powder (trying the Riaflex one as I've heard good reviews from people who use this one brand... AND because YuMove advance has more GLMP... but the advanced has to be sourced from a vet and I'm not paying over the odds for it here lol!! ) +high strength fish oils.... and something else I can't think of atm lol!!??!!
But **SHOCKER** as I've been recommending it for 8 years now - I stopped giving the Lupsosan(!) as the YuMove has the mix of ingredients I want with higher concentrations of omega 3s and hyaluronic acid proven to get to the joints faster etc etc so Imo is a better all rounder..

What works for one dog may not work for another so you may need to find the right combo of food / exercise / weight / supplements.
You'll need at least one freezer drawer to feed 2 large dogs raw food and at that you'd want to be ordering every week or so. Even with their portions cut back for weight loss you'd have to feed around 1kg a day so smaller tubs/chubbs won't be cost effective.

sadie1502

Yeah I'm going to get the fish oils and supplements and see how they go. They have been on metabolic mobility four weeks so I'll get the supplements and give them another month. Yeah the injections for her hip only finished last week that's an anti inflammatory so I'll give it a few weeks on the suppements and head back to the vet to see. I like the idea of the raw diet but ive a tiny freezer and wouldn't be able to keep a monthly supply in it.

muddypaws

Do you trust your vet? If so, talk to them before adding supplements. I don't know much about Hills but if it's a prescription food, personally I wouldn't be messing around with other stuff, as TK123 has pointed out, turmeric may be dangerous with certain medication. There is a company in Kerry I think called Holistic Hound, maybe have a chat with them as well, they won't try to sell you something just for the sake of it, but hopefully can give you some good advice.

boomerang

SillyMangoX wrote: »

I don't like hills food as a rule as I think it's overpriced for what it is, but their prescription stuff really is great

Me too. My cats are on Metabolic, I'd be lost without it and my greyhound is on the dental diet.

sadie1502

Yeah it's a prescription diet they are on. I'll talk to them first before I do anything. Thanks

cocker5

Best of luck OP I hope ur dogs are ok!

Just wanted to say my vet is fully aware of the supplements I have my guy on (listed in my previous posts) and is happy they are all ok.. he's back and forth having check up etc and had bloods done 2 weeks ago etc . I did give her the list and brands a while ago and she spend time researching them and gave me the all clear. She's also happy the turmeric paste and loxicom are fine together etc. All cases are different.

All dogs are different what works for one might not work for another it's all trial and error I think.

Speak with ur vet if yor happy with his / her advice then great! If they are not proactive / progressive in their treatment for your dogs then get a second opinion. So you are 100% happy.

Best of luck! It's not easy when you are trying to do the best by your dog!

cocker5

Hi there OP!

Just wondering how your dogs are getting on ? And did ur vet recommend anything extra to help them a bit? Any suggestions?

Was in with my vet yesterday (my guy has kennel cough) and was asking her again re: anti inflammatories and tumeric paste and the blood thinning effects (as tk123 mentioned was a little worried), she said numerous studies have been carried out etc and the blood thinnng effect is so so minor in animal products compared to say aspirin etc she said the combination of both was fine .. and that many vets recommend both for HD etc.. now she did say she would do some further research in the coming days/weeks and she would come back to me. She did also say it's important in my dogs case to get regular bloods (which we are doing) to ensure no changes etc.

I just wanted to make sure I wasn't giving my guy anything that could have a negative effect etc.. so based on that, some googling and the results I've seen I'm fairly happy he's doing ok and the supplements are helping him etc.

Hope your dogs are doing ok x

tk123

Sorry I got that from the FB group - people are always freaking out that it's a blood thinner! Did you have the cat wee smell giving it?? ... smell is putting it mildly for Bailey(!):eek:
I actually ordered some of the pre-made from holistic hound to try it again - I threw my ingredients out a while back when I was cleaning out the press lol

cocker5

tk123 wrote: »

Sorry I got that from the FB group - people are always freaking out that it's a blood thinner! Did you have the cat wee smell giving it?? ... smell is putting it mildly for Bailey(!):eek:
I actually ordered some of the pre-made from holistic hound to try it again - I threw my ingredients out a while back when I was cleaning out the press lol

Hi tk123 - no its cool id rather you say it so I'm aware and could research so much appreciated!

No smell thank god (:P)... i give it to him rolled up in a piece of ham as he wont take it in his RAW dinner... but so far so good - fingers crossed.

I did buy the golden paste a while ago from HH which i also found very good!

tk123

It arrived a few mins ago and its now sitting in the fridge in work!! LOL LOL

dubjay

My retriever is on metabolic as she is prone to put on weight although it does work by speeding up the digestion and making the dog poo more regularly  she lost more weight by us getting a second dog because she has to be active all the time now instead of lying down relaxing.the younger dog is always playing with her and they never stop which has contributed to more weight falling off her and been extremely fit and healthy better than any food you can buy

boomerang

Metabolic is such an expensive food given the poor quality ingredients, but I must say, it does work. I have two indoor-only cats on Metabolic wet food as they are sedentary and it keeps the weight off, which is so important. For dogs I'd be more inclined to recommend Burns Weight Control food, as the ingredients are so much better and it costs less. Good results, too. Some of the Hills' prescription diets are absolutely invaluable for certain conditions like kidney disease, liver disease etc. Just wish the food was a better quality given what you pay.