What do vets think of dog food?!

[september]

My mum has a cocker that they got as a rescue a few months ago. Lucy is too fat for a start! They are feeding her on Bakers and my mum also gives her some kind of tinned c*** during the week 'you wouldn't like the same food everyday would you'.

I have tried to persuade them to feed something better and to ditch the tinned.  My mum did get some JWB (what I used to feed, were on Harringtons now) but rang me to say Lucy wouldn't eat it.  When I asked her about it she had just given it her for tea one day and not swapped it gradually.  She then gave up because she wouldn't eat it.

I have told her its just rubbish and explained the benefits of decent food etc etc. She went to the vet with Lucy recently and said that she asked the vet about food and the vet said that Bakers was perfectly healthy and that it would stress her to switch her over when she has always had Bakers so she should keep giving her that.

She has behaviour problems and I think a better food might help but i'm guessing I have lost the battle now.  I was quite supprised a vet would say that...

[LizH]

I guess all vets differ - my Vet always said I should feed a 'good quality' food - like JWB - I actually feed Pebs Naturediet

Maybe you should get your mum on here to ask about Lucy's food/behavioural problems - so she can get the COL expert opinion 

[spanielcrazy]

TBH vets are taught precious little about nutrition and what little they get is sponsored by the pet food companies  That is slooowly changing and some vets are educating themselves and realizing the importance of good nutrition and a sound feeding programme but unless you have one of those vets, you will need to do your own research 

[Nicola]

Most of the vets I've seen know very little about the various brands of food available and why one is better or worse than the others. I suppose from the vet's point of view Bakers does contain the nutrients a dog needs but unfortunately it contains a lot of other cr@p as well. My current vet sells the usual Hills range, the first time I went there he asked me what I fed my lot and he'd never even heard of Arden Grange and was very surprised at their half barf diet so I gave him a few websites to look at   I would keep on at your Mum, even if she wants to keep on with some kind of wet food she could try Nature Diet or something instead of the tins.