Help! What food should I switch to? Dog develoepd problems

lippylulu

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#21
could be IBS

Yes, it could be IBS out of nowhere. I switched him to Nutro Venison and Sweet Potato last night. I didn't transition since he was a disaster on the TOTW Salmon sea select stuff. Results not good today but I am not surprised. I am tempted to give him some diarhea medicine just to slow it all down while he makes the change. Guess I will see how the day goes.
 

Barb04

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#22
I just want to say that since you switched foods without transistioning over a week or so, the dog is most likely going to have the runs because of getting used to the new food. Again, it takes awhile for a new food to take effect. My vet always says to try a food for at least 4 weeks to see if the dietary change works.
 

Beanie

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#23
I repeat my advice to fast this dog for at least 24 hours. Switching him to a different food abruptly isn't going to help.

Chicken and rice in a crock pot is easy and very cheap as well. A bland diet can help illuminate things.

Nutro is not that great of a food and was involved in the massive melamine recall in 2007. You could do worse but you can certainly do better as well.
I fed Nutro to Auggie when he was a puppy. When I switched to Canidae it cut my feeding costs in half. If you're worried about cost, especially in the long term, I don't think Nutro is a good idea.

High Prairie is TOTW's venison and bison variety. However the ingredient list is going to be quite a bit different from Nutro. If he doesn't do well on Nutro that doesn't mean the High Prairie TOTW won't be fine.

If you're really concerned about finances, going out and buying different food after different food after different food, switching them around rapidly and not giving his stomach time to adjust, and not fasting him or trying a cheap bland diet isn't going to help. You're wasting money buying a bunch of different bags of food.
 

lippylulu

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#24
I see that Nutro isn't exactly the highest rated food. I picked it because of the limited meat ingredients. It also came in a small bag and the feed store I was in had mostly the huge bags. TOTW Venison seems to still have chicken in it but I will double check. I didn't feed him last night, this morning I gave him the Nutro (smallish portion) and things weren't too bad. The good news is that tonight he had 1 1/2 cups, we went on a LONG walk and he didn't poop at all! It may mean he wakes me up in the middle of the night but he doesn't seem gassy or uncomfortable. So, if this Venison based food works out I may look around for a better quality Venison based kibble that I can still afford. Keeping fingers crossed. Part of the problem is that I myself am going through some major health problems (lots of doctors appointments, pain, exhaustion) so taking care of myself, my daughter and the dog is a lot but I think we made progress:) (I hope). Luckily our second dog can eat anything and always looks good so is happy as a clam with all the changes (gotta love that multi-mutt gene pool).
 

lippylulu

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#26
I thought I did take your advice--or at least some of it. I skipped his dinner (doesn't that equal 24 hours?), then fed lightly in the morning. Its hard not to give any food becuase he takes medication in the morning and I didn't want him to throw it up on a totally empty stomach. He didn't poop at all last night after his dinner (a miracle) and this morning things weren't too bad. Keeping fingers crossed.
 

lippylulu

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#27
Now what

What single protein food did you use? I am at my wits end? I thought he was doing better adding Blue Buffalo Basic grain free (turkey base) to the Nutro Venison for sensitive tummies but nope...I think I have to avoid protein and am not sure I have to avoid grains. I am ordering some of this Perfect Form stuff becuase I can't find it anywhere nearby but am at my wit's end regarding food. I simply cannot afford the highest end dog foods (even Blue Buffalo was out of my price range). I yearn for the days when plain Canidae All Life Stages worked for all my dogs. It was affordable and everyone was happy---until now. And what happend to the days when we fed our family dog Ken-L-Ration burger and he lvied to 16 1/2 and that was junk?:mad:
 

Saeleofu

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#28
Again: STOP CHANGING FOODS. You can't tell anything that quickly. Give it 2-4 weeks MINIMUM. Feed ONE FOOD ONLY in that time. No treats, no mixing kibble, nothing.
 

lippylulu

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#29
I have not changed foods. I was adding the Blue Buffallo Basic Grain Free to make a slow change since he wasn't doing so well on the Nutro Venison. It seems to have just made things worse. BTW, he does not seem in any great distress. He is not gassy or having acidents. His stools are just really soft and not formed (can't scoop them up). Something is not right in how or what he is digesting.

Could the problem be something like feeding him too much? He gained weight in the past 6 or 9 months from a healthy 64 to 73 pounds. He was a self feeder but obviously did not self-regulate like all my other dogs have. I am measuring now but its so hard to know how much to give because the amounts on the food bags are too much. Its so confusing...some of the best brands have protein of 32% while others its 20%.
 

Beanie

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#30
I have not changed foods. I was adding the Blue Buffallo Basic Grain Free to make a slow change since he wasn't doing so well on the Nutro Venison. It seems to have just made things worse.
You are mixing kibbles so you can change foods.
This is NOT what you should be doing.
Of COURSE it's making things worse because you keep throwing a bunch of different foods at an already distressed digestive system!



Skipping a single dinner isn't 24 hours... 24 hours is a full day. Two meals. And I would skip AT LEAST two. What meds are you giving him that must be fed with food?

I don't know how you can be at your wit's end when you have not even tried this advice.
First of all, no food for 24 hours. He can have as much water as he wants but no food, no treats.

When you start feeding him again, feed him something very mild. Whenever I have an upset belly around here, I get out my crockpot, put some uncooked rice in it, lay chicken breasts on top, cover with water, and leave it on low until the chicken is cooked through and shreds easily with a fork. Store this chicken and rice mixture in your fridge and you will feed it to him for several days. Start off with just a little bit. You are giving his stomach and digestive system a break so don't load up his bowl with food - think about after you've had a terrible stomach bug. You don't want to go right back to eating like you did before, you start with something bland and just a little bit. Same principle here. So just a little bit his first meal. If he does okay with that, feed him a little bit more next meal, then a bit more the next time you feed him.
I make enough that I can feed bland for about three to four days - it should give plenty of time for his system to clear out anything that might still be bothering him from his other diet.
Come back in five days, after you have fasted him for 24 hours then fed nothing but chicken and rice for the next four, and please report to us then what his stools have done.
We can then help you re-evaluate what to do with his diet from there.


NO
KIBBLE
UNTIL
THAT
IS
DONE
 

MicksMom

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#31
...Could the problem be something like feeding him too much?...
Absolutely. That's what happened with my Lab when he was ready to go from "puppy portions" to adult. I did what Beanine suggested above (fast for 24 hours, chicken & rice for a few days), then slowly re-introduced his kibble.

...He was a self feeder but obviously did not self-regulate like all my other dogs have. I am measuring now but its so hard to know how much to give because the amounts on the food bags are too much.
I've never fed the amount of food recommended on the bags. It's always been way too much food for any of my dogs. At 73 pounds, I'd start with a cup of food, twice a day. You can always adjust up or down to keep him at a good weight, just do so gradualy (like 1/4 cup at a time). Two cups a day may not sound like a lot, but that's what kept my 75 pound Lab mix at a good weight (it didn't seem to matter what food I was feeding). Our current Lab needs 2 1/2 cups a day to maintain his weight (75 pounds also).

Oh, and for what it's worth, our current Lab got the runs from TOTW. Even after a slow transition. There's just something about it that doesn't agree with him.
 
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#32
Nutro Venison and Sweet Potato not great food

I repeat my advice to fast this dog for at least 24 hours. Switching him to a different food abruptly isn't going to help.

Chicken and rice in a crock pot is easy and very cheap as well. A bland diet can help illuminate things.

Nutro is not that great of a food and was involved in the massive melamine recall in 2007. You could do worse but you can certainly do better as well.
I fed Nutro to Auggie when he was a puppy. When I switched to Canidae it cut my feeding costs in half. If you're worried about cost, especially in the long term, I don't think Nutro is a good idea.

High Prairie is TOTW's venison and bison variety. However the ingredient list is going to be quite a bit different from Nutro. If he doesn't do well on Nutro that doesn't mean the High Prairie TOTW won't be fine.

If you're really concerned about finances, going out and buying different food after different food after different food, switching them around rapidly and not giving his stomach time to adjust, and not fasting him or trying a cheap bland diet isn't going to help. You're wasting money buying a bunch of different bags of food.
You’re right about Nutro Venison and Sweet Potato not being a good food, being about 50% carbohydrates.
The main ingredient in this stuff is actually starch (three of the first four ingredients are starches) with only one meat source. Also contains dried beet pulp which is a cheap, useless filler.

All kibble is inferior to raw or canned, but if feeding kibble Orijen Puppy is best by far. Up to 13 meat sources and only 20% carbohydrates. Roger Biduk
 

lippylulu

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#33
progress

He has been eating nothing but Nutro Venison for Sensitive Stomachs for a few days, and yesterday I added some pumpkin to his dinner and then breakfast today. I noticed an immediate improvement last night and again today. I think his problem is poultry so I am going to stick with Nutro Venison for now (also ordered some Perfect Form which feed store recommended). TOTW has a venison based food which I may eventually switch to since people seem to like the brand better and the big bags are less expensive than Nutro. For now I am keeping things status quo and enjoying my non gassy dog whose poop I can actually clean up! Meanwhile, my other dog, who can eat anything, is enjoying the Blue Buffalo that didn't agree with my sensitive dog. Any food changes for her is like yelling "BUFFET"!
 

JacksonsMom

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#34
FWIW, I'm not a fan of Nutro or TOTW.

Google Nutro Consumer Affairs. Check out Diamond recalls. But it's just what you're comfortable with.

With that said, I'm glad you seem to have got his tummy under control and I'd definitely stick with what is working for a while. I don't know why you'd switch to TOTW after though. It's not exactly a 'sensitive stomach' food and while I'm sure lots of dogs do well on it, it sounds like your guy needs less ingredients.

Also, maybe think about going with something a little "less holistic" if you will. Sometimes these foods bring about more problems than they fix, depending. Blue Buffalo is a big culprit of people complaining of GI problems with their dogs.

If/when you want to switch from Nutro, look at some Annamaet formulas. Eukanuba has a Vension formula as well that's not bad (if you're okay with P&G owning them). Also, Regal Pet Foods, Verus and Precise have some simple formulas, all great brands/companies.

I personally have had my dog do well on Acana Singles (Duck & Pear). He doesn't really have a sensitive stomach but seems to do better on less complicated ingredient panels and this food has always worked him best.
 
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lippylulu

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#36
Which food has 13 meat sources?

Dog is still doing OK on Nutro Venison with pumpkin. Yesterday I added some Perfect Form suppplement for the first time. It worked well but my dog HATED it. He only ate because that was all he could eat but he looked miserable, watching the other dog enjoy her dinner without the Perfect Form paste. I can definitely see that he may lose some weight on it since he didn't make the clean plate club as usual. He wasn't crazy about pumpkin either but I can definitely tell he hates Perfect Form. The ingredients are very simple and include slippery elm (an herb people take for IBS), banana, pumpkin seed and fennel. I am wondering if I can just give him the pumpkin and buy some slippery elm in pill form and sneak it to him in some wet food. I have no idea how much to give him but it was sad seeing him eat and look miserable, even if his poop was excellent.
 
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#37
Grains are Very Bad for Carnivoures (Dogs)

:rolleyes:I have fed Canidae All Life Stages for 15 years, starting with a dog who couldn't eat corn, wheat or soy. One of my little dogs lived to 17 1/2, and the senstive tummy dog (Shepard mix) made it to 15 1/2 on Canidae. I now have a 4 year old medium 44 pound black lab mix who can eat anything and a 3 year old English Pointer Mix who is having massive digestion problems. He was checked for worms (negative) and was on Flagyl (antibiotic) since all indications pointed to infection. He did OK on the Vet prescribed canned food while also on diarhhea medication but no good when reintroducing him back to his normal kibble. The vet suggested it was possilbe he was intolerant to meat based foods so I bought TOTW grain free Salmon food because I am disabled and cost is a big factor. I feel like he needs more fiber to firm things up a bit though it seems like most foods are in the 3-4% range for fiber. To make it more complicated, the lab can eat anything but her stools are sometimes rock hard whereas right now my Pointer mix's poop can't even be picked up. Is there a moderately priced seafood based food? Candiae's fish based food is SO EXPENSIVE. Also, why is grain free so important? Don't they need healthy grain for fiber?:confused:
Hello lippylulu,
Grains are one of the cheapest and worst ingredients that a dog could eat.
A page I wrote called Grains are Very Bad for Your Obligate carnivore Cat and Carnivore Dog should answer your questions. Roger Biduk
 

lippylulu

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#38
Dog was doing pretty well on Nutro Natural Choice Venison with Perfect Form added to pumpkin. He HATES the Perfect Form but that stuff sure works. Due to a delivery problem, I was running out of Nutro Venison. He had 2 meals with Nutro Venison mixed with TOTW Seafood Salmon and one with just TOTW, all the time with Perfect Form and Pumpkin and he did great! Eventually I would like to phase out the Petrfect Form because he really doesn't like it (eats it only becuase he has to) but more and more I am leaning toward TOTW because its a grainfree I can afford. Their bison and venison line has some chicken meal in it so I am hesitant in case poultry was a problem for him but at least I have found something he can eat and I can give him the Perfect Form as long as he needs it. TOTW will cost me less for the big bags which is a major concern. Its so nice to have a healthy dog again. I highly recommend Perfect Form. Dogs may not like the taste but when hungry enough they will eat it and I think its a much better natural solution than diarhhea medicine or upset stomachs when needing to change foods.
 

Saeleofu

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#39
I use Enzyme Pro digestive supplement with Logan. It's cheap and he seems to like the taste of it. I don't ever plan to stop...it's not hurting him, and I don't want a diarrhea dog if it is indeed helping him. Gavroche gets it on occasion, too.
 

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