Pricey canine feeds not always the best

VERY recently I had to have my beautiful Labrador (eight years old) put to sleep. One moment he was vibrant and full of life and the next would not eat his food.

After several consultations with our local vet, my dog was diagnosed with 4th-5th stage cancer of the liver. I was told that with chemo treatment he might have a life expectancy of nine months to a year. However, after the first treatment his health nosedived until it was only humane to put him to sleep. This was all very traumatic.

As a consequence I have since spoken to many dog owners about his illness only to discover that they too have lost dogs mostly to cancer very often at around five to six years old.

My own Lab was on a very expensive (joint mobility) food costing R800/12kg bag which presumably at the price should be fantastic.

While on this food for the past six months he gained 6kg despite me walking him every day.

Surely all these very expensive pellets on which most dogs are now fed could be responsible for what appears to be too much of a coincidence of such a high mortality rate?

If I get another dog I will definitely resort to feeding it ‘’from the table’’ as we used to do and not go near the fashion foods we give our pets because it is so much more convenient than cooking them anything with decent nutrition. DAVID PROCTOR

Botha’s Hill