Rory has had colitis all his life . I have tried different foods some from the vet some recommended some not. The only one I have found he can manage to eat most of the time is Arden grange sensitive. Not the best but does tolerate it with only a few flare ups. His poo is not always solid and he still has occasional colitis needing medication perhaps once or twice and year. I have just tried a food which was highly recommended but he had colitis this morning. I am going to put him back on to his old food as an interim measure but wondered if anyone has any ideas. His old food is not totally ok but he needs to eat. I would Just like feed him something which helped his tummy to maintain it's health. Please bear on mind we have tried prescription and some very expensive high quality brands which have made him worse.
Have you tried noting down the composition of the food that makes him better/worse? Just swapping food could take you forever to identify what it is that upsets him (if anything to do with the food). When Charlie had problems, I put him on a single protein and single carbohydrate food and reintroduced protein sources one by one. It's much more likely for trouble to come from a protein source than a carb. By doing this, we identified that the problem was related to chicken, and most likely some additive in mass produced chicken. You need to get a spreadsheet going, perhaps....
The only commercial thing I've found that doesn't irritate Riley is Chappie but I doubt he's as sensitive as Rory. In general he's on Kronch grain free kibble and Wainwright's (Pets at Home premium own brand) grain free wet food. I definitely think he tolerates wet food better than dry.
Rory can't tolerate chicken and we do have a spread sheet. Strangely food he can tolerate does have a small trace of chicken
So what foods have you ruled out and in so far? That will guide any food suggestions. If you say what he can't eat, and can eat, maybe members can say if they know of any foods that only contain what he can eat?
Harley has a very sensitive tummy and we tried different foods over the years. We found that she does really well on Natures Menu BARF food. That, along with Wainwrights kibble are the only foods that we have found with no adverse effects.
Yeah I'm thinking along barf lines too don't know Much about it so I'm going to let him stabilize again and have a think. So far anything with chicken and grain on is a nono. Tried him on Simpsons science diet royal canin diffent vet ones.wainwrights origen various arden grange finding their sensitive ok most of the time he's been on that despite his ups and downs. I do think he's a bit of a stress head do yhat doesn't help either.
Just tried a salmon and potatoes food and he's just started with colitis symptoms again. White fish and potatoes is ok ish though. I keep hopping to find one which he can use consistantly and avoid flare ups. I might try wet food next not tried thay yet
Natures menu is like wet food, except you keep it in the freezer. I take a block out at night then she has half the next morning, then Wainwrights for tea each day. She used to be just on Natures Menu but we needed to find a kibble for when we away in our camper as it doesn't have a freezer. We occasionally gave her some veg with it.
I've had a look and am going to do s bit more research. Just have to see ehen he's a bit less squirty
@SwampDonkey I searched 'colitis' and found this post. How did they find out Rory has it? This was something mentioned today that might be wrong with Libby!
I agree. Kona had itching problem, due to food additive (my conclusion). She usualy eats barf, but over the summer months we feed her kible, totw lamb, with only one protein source so that we could easily detect what is causing the problem.
He was a very poorly pup for a while. From about 15 weeks he had bloody diarrhoea and was sick alot. My vet was away and I saw a junior partner who did not treat him properly. his colitis ment he he couldn't eat with out being sick and having bloody diarrhoea. He would be ok for a few days then the whole cycle would start again. My old vet returned from his holiday saw Rory and me and just said bloody hell read the records put him on course of anti biotic,2 types and steriods. He tested his poo came back clear. his stomach was always in a state if gassy wind and he was always uncomfortable. his tummy would not settle . The vet was worried his stomach would not develope properly and that he would always have issues with d&v.we tried all prescribed vet foods but none worked. He wad always on chicken I wondered if that was doing it. Once I stopped his chicken his colitis started to get better his tummy seemed to settle but he still had flare ups and had to go back on anti biotics. things are much better now hes in a potato and white fish kibble. I'm careful but he can eat almost normally now he does occasionally have flare ups but it's all very manageable I just give white fish for a few days until its all settled again. I don't need anti biotics now as much. I introduced a probiotic and that really helped . He's about 90% normal now, I just have to watch him closely if his mood changes i know he's in pain and thst he may be getting a flare up. It was a horrible time he was dangerously underweight I had to go to the vets every other day for a while during a very low point . We got through it he's a lovely dog but if the first vet had taken me seriously things would have been a lot better. She's now left the practice .
Poor little Rory, must be painful, they never complain bless'em. BJ had a very dodgy tum his last few years which was mainly caused by his epilepsy meds. He was very squitty and would sometimes vomit 'coffee grounds' which was digested blood because his gut was ulcerated. We found the only thing he could tolerate was tinned Chappie.
@SwampDonkey thanks for such an informative reply. Poor little soul sounds like he was in a lot of pain. I'll watch out for chicken/wheat/other things.
