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Health / Re: 13 nearly 14 - Kidney Failure - Food Advice
« Last post by katiebiks on April 25, 2026, 07:16:25 PM »
My poppy went through the same, sadly her ckd became acute very quickly and I lost her a few weeks ago. Food is very important for ckd, we tried most of them, she liked pooch and mutt renal diet the best. I used to mix in lots of steamed veggies broccoli and sweet potato are good. They said low protein at the hospital, but that's very difficult to find. I prefered home cooking for her, she loved white bassa fillets of fish steamed or from the t.he
Crockpot.
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Oldies (Over 9s) / Re: Upstairs Downstairs
« Last post by bizzylizzy on April 24, 2026, 06:00:50 PM »
Thanks for your thoughts both, I have managed to find   some better support harnesses online, so we?ll look at those. The idea of the plank wasn?t mad at all but I think it?d be difficult on our stairs unfortunately.

(Back at the vet today ?cos the little wotsit obviously had his head somewhere where he shouldn?t have, probably under some brambles, has  ripped open the wart on his head and has another hole just below it!  :doh: )
Have a nice weekend all!  :luv:
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Oldies (Over 9s) / Re: Upstairs Downstairs
« Last post by Finvarra on April 22, 2026, 06:30:51 PM »
Just a wild thought - could you get a plank, cover it with carpet or something, and fix it up the side of the stairs? Or is this mad?
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Oldies (Over 9s) / Re: Upstairs Downstairs
« Last post by Finvarra on April 22, 2026, 04:14:54 PM »
Sympathies to poor Herr Humphrey, it's so sad to see them struggling as they get older. Min has made a good suggestion, I know there are ramps you can get for them to get in cars and on chairs, but I can't think of anything for stairs other than a doggy stairlift!! We live in a single storey cottage so haven't the problem of stairs, but Dylan (who will be 11 in June, now has trouble and expects a helping hand under his bottom to get on his chair - he now has us on a piece of string, up, down, up down 🙄 :005:
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Oldies (Over 9s) / Re: Upstairs Downstairs
« Last post by MIN on April 22, 2026, 03:10:25 PM »
Have you in the search bar put " support for getting elderly dog upstairs" . It comes up with slings, ramps evev a trolley type thing.  If all fails then I'm afraid it's a bungalow, but they are a tad expensive
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Oldies (Over 9s) / Upstairs Downstairs
« Last post by bizzylizzy on April 22, 2026, 07:31:16 AM »
Hi everyone,
nearly 5 years on from his back operation and as expected, the arthritis is now setting in, Humphrey?s now on a strict diet to help him lose weight, he?s been put on pain killers permanently and we?re back on regular physio sessions.
But we can?t complain, at the moment its all manageable and he?s still enjoying life albeit a bit slower.
Our biggest challenge at the moment is getting him up and down stairs which the  physiotherapist says we absolutely must avoid. At the moment OH carries him and down when we go to bed but he?s 77 this month, also has arthritis, so that?s no long term solution.
I think we could probably help with the going up by giving him some support with a harness or from behind but down is a problem, (he tears down on 3 legs if we don?t stop him). We ordered a type of support thing online but it arrived yesterday and isn?t really what we?d expected.
So, long story, simple question: has anyone got any suggestions, (other than leaving him downstairs which I couldn?t bare to do now )? ANyrecommendations for a suitable support harness?  I?ve done a lot of googling and can?t find much else so I don?t know what I?m expecting   :005: , but COL?ers often come up with hidden tricks out of the bag, just thought it worth a try!
Thanks!  :luv: :luv:
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Feeding / Re: New Puppy Feeding
« Last post by MIN on April 21, 2026, 09:54:02 PM »
18 years since puppyhood. Hope you are prepared because you won't remember a thing.You only remember  the latter years of the old dog. We got miss Molly ( our 2nd spaniel Jan 2024. Around 30 year since we had a puppy. What a shock. It was as if we knew nothing.  Not only older, but less agile as well.  But we are winning.
Again keep with the breeders food for a while and if thriving on it, find another with the same protein ice chicken, salmon etc.   our girl came with a chicken based food ( he used it for all his pups with no problems) but it never suited Molly ( ghastly poops)  eventually we suspected a chicken allergy so we keep away from anything poultry based, treats included.
  Looking forward to hearing your  stories to come.  Welcome to the rollercoaster ride, spaniel ownership brings. LOVE IT
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Feeding / Re: New Puppy Feeding
« Last post by bizzylizzy on April 21, 2026, 06:59:59 PM »
Hi and welcome!
I bet the time?s going SO slowly at the moment, :shades:  it doesn?t seem 5 minutes since we were counting the days until Humphrey?s arrival, can?t believe he?ll be 11 next month!
As Jaysmumagain has suggested, you?re probably best feeding whatever the breeder suggests, at least for the first few  or so until he?s settled in and then take it from there.
I think the general standard of most foods on the market these day is good but the final choice depends on the dog and its often a case of trial and error,  but as Jaysmumagain says, it is adviseable to make any changes slowly.
Humphrey started on dried food but I changed over to raw at around 6 months. I?ve adapted it a bit lately as he?s got older, he doesn?t get as much protein and I cook the vegetables to make them more digestable, but on the whole he?s done well on raw.
My previous two dogs had dried food mixed with tinned, ( there wasn?t so much information around in those days to confuse us! ) and both lived to 15.

Do keep us updated, COL is great for moral support when the socks start disappearing and your best shoes are perforated by little teeth marks! Enjoy your last few weeks of peace!
 :luv: Jayne and Humph?

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Feeding / Re: New Puppy Feeding
« Last post by Jaysmumagain on April 21, 2026, 04:05:14 PM »
Hi and welcome to COL.

Congratulation on the pending arrival.  As for the feeding question.  My Harry is just over 3 years and I was very much guided by the breeder.  She gave me the name of the food and how much she was feeding him. It was called Beta and must admit being an anxious Mum I was not impressed on contents and being a fan with my previous cocker of another - I decided to change him to that!!!

But you do have to be so careful and it was several weeks before I started the process and it has to be done very carefully, gradually mixing the old with about 10% of new and so on over 2 weeks.

After six months I moved to young adult same company and did I have problems, it just didn't suit him and after some searching I settled on another which he has today but with added protien.

Hope this helps and hope someone else comes along too.
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Feeding / New Puppy Feeding
« Last post by Luna2026 on April 21, 2026, 12:13:27 PM »
Good Afternoon All.

We are getting a new cocker puppy early June (Luna). It is 18 years since i last had a puppy so it feels like a new world!

I was just wondering any recommendations for food, i have found a local pet shop that supplies Hickorys (dry) as below, could i ask for opinions on this? they sell quite a lot of it in our local feed shop.

The next question is on raw/wet food, what is the general opinion on feeding both? or is it better just to stick to dry?

COMPOSITION: Rabbit & Turkey 50% (including Freshly Prepared Rabbit 30%, Dried Turkey 18.5% & Turkey Gravy 1.5%), Sweet Potato (21.5%), Peas (9.5%), Potato, Beet Pulp, Linseed, Omega 3 Supplement, Minerals, Blackberry (0.22%), Fructooligosaccharides (FOS, 95 mg/kg), Mannanoligosaccharides (MOS, 25 mg/kg

My last dog lived on just dry for 15 years!

Thank you all in advance.
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