I have an 11 year old Lab. I have a friend that has a 15 year old lab. I have another friend who put his 8 year old lab down.

Based upon the following experience I have a question.

The oldest lab, 15 years, has had a natural diet all its life. Some cooked meat, some raw meat, pumpkin and green beans. Every once in a while it would get dog food but very rarely. This dog is healthy. Lots of grey hair but very chipper, good weight. Trots to get balls, there is no more full sprint ball retrieval, but this dog stays active.

The eleven year old is in pretty good shape but is beginning to fade. Some dog food (upscale, whatever that means), pumpkin and green beans. Gets cooked chicken and fish remnants.

The 9 year old ate nothing but off the shelf grocery store dog food. Whatever was handy. Poor guy had many tumors and cancer in it's intestinal tract. Recently euthanized.

It seems that some of the dogs in my life that have been given a more healthy diet are experiencing greater longevity. The owner of the 15 year old said, "no dog food for my dogs. Only real food."

There is obviously not enough information to make a determination regarding the wellness of the dogs and their diet.

So my questions are

• What are the risks of feeding my dog standard off-the-shelf dog food?

• What are the benefits to feeding a dog a diet of regular real food rather than processed food?

• Are there any studies or correlations of data to support one way or the other having a difference on the health of any pet?

There were some incidents a few years ago of a Chinese food manufacturer putting melanin in their food, and it was sold in the US. The results were horrific and there were quite a few deaths of pets. I can't help but think that in other processed foods there are harmful compounds that may not kill your pet in the short term but will effect its health long term regarding various cancers or other malaise that could have an effect on longevity.

(I looked for a dupe of this but couldn't find one. If it is, let me know and I will delete)

TIA

I have an 11 year old lab. I have a friend that has a 15 year old lab. I have another friend who put his 8 year old lab down.

Based upon the following experience I have a question.

The oldest lab, a 15 year old, has had a natural diet all its life. Some cooked meat, some raw meat, pumpkin and green beans. Every once in a while it would get dog food, but very rarely. This dog is healthy. Lots of grey hair but very chipper, good weight. Trots to get balls, there is no more full sprint ball retrieval, but this dog stays active.

The eleven year old is in pretty good shape, but is beginning to fade. Some dog food (upscale, whatever that means), pumpkin and green beans. It gets cooked chicken and fish remnants.

The 9 year old ate nothing but off the shelf grocery store dog food. Whatever was handy. Poor guy had many tumors and cancer in it's intestinal tract and was recently euthanized.

It seems that some of the dogs in my life that have been given a more healthy diet are experiencing greater longevity. The owner of the 15 year old said, "no dog food for my dogs. Only real food."

There is obviously not enough information to make a determination regarding the wellness of the dogs and their diet.

So my questions are

• What are the risks of feeding my dog standard off-the-shelf dog food?

• What are the benefits to feeding a dog a diet of regular real food rather than processed food?

• Are there any studies or correlations of data to support one way or the other having a difference on the health of any pet?

There were some incidents a few years ago of a Chinese food manufacturer putting melanin in their food, and it was sold in the US. The results were horrific and there were quite a few deaths of pets. I can't help but think that in other processed foods there are harmful compounds that may not kill your pet in the short term but will effect its health long term regarding various cancers or other malaise that could have an effect on longevity.

Thanks in advance.

I have an 11 year old Lab. I have a friend that has a 15 year old lab. I have another friend who put his 8 year old lab down.

Based upon the following experience I have a question.

The oldest lab, 15 years, has had a natural diet all it's life. Some cooked meat, some raw meat, pumpkin and green beans. Every once in awhile it would get dog food but very rarely. This dog is healthy. Lots of grey hair but very chipper, good weight. Trots to get balls, there is no more full sprint ball retrieval but this dog stays active.

The eleven year old is in pretty good shape but is beginning to fade. Some dogfood (upscale, whattever that means), pumpkin and green beans. Get's cooked chicken and fish remnants.

The 9 year old ate nothing but off the shelf grocery store dogfood. Whattever was handy. Poor guy had many tumors and cancer in it's intestinal tract. Recently euthanized.

It seems that some of the dogs in my life that have been given a more healthy diet are experiencing greater longevity. The owner of the 15 year old said, "no dogfood for my dogs. Only real food.

There is obviously not enough information to make a determination regarding the wellness of the dogs and their diet.

So my questions are

• What are the risks of feeding my dog standard off the shelf dog food?

• What are the benefits to feeding a dog a diet of regular real food rather than processed food?

• Are there any studies or correlations of data to support one way or the other having a difference on the health of any pet?

There were some incidents a few years ago of a Chinese food manufacturer putting melanin in their food and it was sold in the US. The results were horrific and there were quite a few deaths of pets. I can't help but to think that in other processed foods there is harmful compounds that may not kill your pet in the short term but will effect it's health long term regarding various cancers or other malaise that could have an effect on longevity.

(I looked for a dupe of this but couldn't find one, if it is, let me know and I will delete)

TIA

I have an 11 year old Lab. I have a friend that has a 15 year old lab. I have another friend who put his 8 year old lab down.

Based upon the following experience I have a question.

The oldest lab, 15 years, has had a natural diet all its life. Some cooked meat, some raw meat, pumpkin and green beans. Every once in a while it would get dog food but very rarely. This dog is healthy. Lots of grey hair but very chipper, good weight. Trots to get balls, there is no more full sprint ball retrieval, but this dog stays active.

The eleven year old is in pretty good shape but is beginning to fade. Some dog food (upscale, whatever that means), pumpkin and green beans. Gets cooked chicken and fish remnants.

The 9 year old ate nothing but off the shelf grocery store dog food. Whatever was handy. Poor guy had many tumors and cancer in it's intestinal tract. Recently euthanized.

It seems that some of the dogs in my life that have been given a more healthy diet are experiencing greater longevity. The owner of the 15 year old said, "no dog food for my dogs. Only real food."

There is obviously not enough information to make a determination regarding the wellness of the dogs and their diet.

So my questions are

• What are the risks of feeding my dog standard off-the-shelf dog food?

• What are the benefits to feeding a dog a diet of regular real food rather than processed food?

• Are there any studies or correlations of data to support one way or the other having a difference on the health of any pet?

There were some incidents a few years ago of a Chinese food manufacturer putting melanin in their food, and it was sold in the US. The results were horrific and there were quite a few deaths of pets. I can't help but think that in other processed foods there are harmful compounds that may not kill your pet in the short term but will effect its health long term regarding various cancers or other malaise that could have an effect on longevity.

(I looked for a dupe of this but couldn't find one. If it is, let me know and I will delete)

TIA