We've had a few struggles with Storm's (who is now 4 months) food. She was reacting with tummy spots and gunky eyes whenever we moved her off science plan I/d. She was on this for digestive issues following campylobacter. The vet thinks she has an issue with pork so we are now on purina puppy food for sensitive digestion. Now if this works I am not looking to switch anytime soon but I just wanted to make sure that she is on a decent food from a nutrition standpoint. Any thoughts?
We are having a terrible time with Libby. She's 4 months old and has diarrhea every day. She went through a bout of roundworm a couple months ago, then it came back. That was 2 weeks ago so we wormed her again and the vet said she had a 'bacterial infection' but did not specify what. So after a week of antibiotics, a second worming Monday, and having her up 3 times in the middle of the night pooping again last night, I guess we'll head back to the vet with another 'sample'. Maybe the bacterial thing is still there. She acts totally normal, eats everything in sight and this definitely hasn't slowed her down. She is on Pro Plan Puppy. She came to us on Costco food but we don't have a Costco card. We switched her to Blue Buffalo at 10 weeks but was told that it can give them tummy problems (that's when the first round of worms happened). She's been totally on Pro Plan for over a month. I really don't think switching food will make a difference at this point (of course, we just spent $40 on a new bag!). At a loss....... We've never had a dog with tummy problems.
We took a new 'sample' to the vet yesterday and no parasites or anything wrong. So now they have started Libby on prescription food and Diawin to see if things get under control.
That's one good thing. we had campylobacter and had to have a 2 week course of antibiotics! Seemed to take forever to sort out. Thinking of trying Millie's wolfheard for food. Anyone have any feedback. It costs a fortune trying to get this food thing right!!
'Things' are much better after only a couple days, however, I'm not sure if it is because of the food or the Diawin. We took back the new bag of Pro Plan we had purchased a week ago. Fromms has been suggested. Wondering if I should go to a limited ingredient food when we put her back on regular.
My friend and someone on here can't remember recommended a probiotic. I used yudigest. Rory was incredibly ill with colitis as a pup we had to take him to the vet every 3 days at one point and lost an enormous amount of weight. he was steriods and anti biotics for the first few months if his life. He was so ill it destroyed me. Its incredibly hard to talk about I never felt so powerless. His digestive system didn't develop properly. He had soft abnormal stools most of the time whatever he ate. I tried all different foods and always it was the same. 2 years after he was still the same with occasional flare ups of colitis. He also had a chicken intolerance. i tried the yudigest without much hope. But it worked he now does 2 amazingly solid normal poos everyday. this happen almost straight away, 3 days after he started them things improved.He's on a white fish and potatoes food and now 90 percent better.some people don't believe they work but my vets amazed and my specialist vet says just keep on with them. I don't know if you can use them for puppies but it worked for Rory. He started them in August. . He still clearly has tummy ache sometimes but he's so much happier. He's 3 years old in a few days and it's taken such a long time to find something which helped . I just feel so relieved finally something which helps.I don't know if they would help your dog but they did mine.
I had received probiotics from the vet a few weeks ago after we had a run-in of worms and continued the probiotics after the worms were long gone but my husband insists the probiotics make things worse so I've quit giving them to her. The last 2 days, things are greatly improved but possibly could only be because of the Diawin. They didn't really specify how long she should stay on it. Libby is only 4-1/2 months. I'm not finding many puppy foods that don't contain chicken so I'm not sure what to do. I could go to a 'limited ingredient' type of food such as Wellness or use the Fromm's Whitefish / Sweet Potato but that's for adult dogs and not puppies.
Yes we tried the vet probiotic when Rory was very ill and it only had a limited effect, but when He was older and his stomach was more mature we used these everyday probiotics and they worked. Rory had to come off puppy food when he was about 4 months because he couldn't tolerate it. He went onto an adult food. I spoke to the company who produced it and they recommended how much.
babs, My Sparky never really had diarrhea issues, however his poo was always soft and leave alot of residue when picked up. On top of that, the vet said he had exposure to Giardia and had to be treated. He did Panacur and Flagyl and it didn't do much. It was still soft and I put him through a second round of Panacur after that still with the same result. Everyone else says that their poo should be "kickable." I gave him Drontal thinking he may have some other worms. Still same result. I gave him Pumpkin, and probiotics. Still the same. Then it dawned on my that I may be overfeeding him. I was feeding him what the bag said and whatever else the whole family gives him as treats. I started cutting back 10%, no change. When I dropped down 20%, bam! His poop has been solid. He is on Blue Buffalo Wilderness Large Breed Puppy. For a while I thought that it can also be the food since I was weaning him off the breeder's diet. I'm glad it's not the food and I just bought a second bag for him.
Millies Wolfheart is a really good quality kibble, my three thrive on it. Saying that, although they say you can Millies Wolfheart to feed puppies, personally I wouldn't because I prefer to use a puppy food especially for larger breed dogs. The nutrition they get as youngsters, really sets them up later on when considering their joint development (combined with a tailored sensible exercise regime of course). I used Bob and Lush puppy food as it has single source protein (duck) plus a low calcium phosphorus ratio, good for slower growth in larger breeds. Both my pups have had this and have done very well. Bramble was on a cheap puppy food at 8 weeks, and she did have a bit of a dicky tummy when she arrived, which took a few weeks to sort out. We also fed at a much lower rate than suggested on the pack, smaller meals more frequently, plus I also gave a little Bob and Lush wet food with a scoop of probiotic (Protexin Pro Fibre for dogs) when she had eaten cat poo or had a runny stool. Now my youngest dog is 11 months old and has just transitioned onto Millies Wolfheart Salmon and veg, again a good quality single source protein feed. My vet has also been in contact with the company to check out the feed quality and is very happy with Millies Wolfheart, this was when we have problems with our older dog. Some of the other forum members have had their pups on Royal Canin for larger breed puppies and they have ( I think) thrived.
I had loads of problems with Harley until she was about 6/7 months old (diarrhoea, blood in it etc). We tried a few different foods, but nothing see,ed to help. We tried Royal Canin, didn't work. Bob and lush did work and her tummy settled but it was costing me a fortune every month. Eventually I decided to go for a BARF diet ........I can't do raw as wouldn't trust myself to get it right in terms of balance, and there are some things I just wouldn't touch. Anyway, natures menu frozen barf has completely sorted her out. I get a pack out of the freezer (500g) and it lasts her 3 breakfasts (evenings she gets a bit of Wainwrights kibble or fish). Because her tummy has settled we slowly introduced new foods/treats and now know what she can/can't tolerate.
What does it say on the back of the packet? Are you feeding medium puppy, or large puppy? The composition of the medium puppy food is: Chicken (16%), Wheat, Dehydrated poultry protein, Animal fat, Gluten, Maize, Rice (7%), Soya meal, Digest, Dried beet pulp, Dried chicory root (1%, source of prebiotics), Minerals, Dried egg, Fish oil, Dried colostrum (0.1%). So you are feeding chicken, wheat, maize, rice....it's not quite clear to me why this is for 'sensitive digestion' - apparently the food has an added probiotic 'optidigest' which is the dried chicory root. If your puppy does ok on this, it's possible you could feed most chicken and rice based foods. Unless there is something in other foods, but not in this one, that is upsetting your pup of course.
The Fromm Heartland Gold grain-free large breed puppy does not contain chicken or chicken products, but it contains multiple protein sources (not sure if you are looking for a single source). I've also been searching for a large breed puppy food that does not contain chicken - there are not many options outside of grain-free/super premium foods it seems (in Canada anyway).
Thanks Beanwood this is helpful. She was on Royal canin and her poo was perfect but she was getting a spotty tummy and gunky eyes. When switching back to chicken and rice I/d it went away. The vets compared ingredients and it seems pork could be the culprit?! She is on 4 meals a day still (at nearly 20 weeks). I do feed her the amount on the bag but she is only just starting to get to a point where I can't see all of her ribs! I was underfeeding her when she was on I/d.
Thanks @JulieT this is really helpful. She is on be medium puppy one. She has been on 100% of this for about 5 days now. Her poos are a good colour now (had gone yellow on the I/d) but still very soft. I feed her the full amount allowed each day but only because she is skinny worried to let that slip again if overfeeding is not the cause of the soft poo. On the food compare websites that someone shared. Purina only got 2 stars and I really want her I have all the benefits of a good diet. Good health, healthy coat etc. Any thoughts?
[QUOTE="JulieT, post: 258940, member: 161 If your puppy does ok on this, it's possible you could feed most chicken and rice based foods. Unless there is something in other foods, but not in this one, that is upsetting your pup of course.[/QUOTE] Any recommendations @JulieT x
Cooper came from the breeder with ProPlan Sport but it wasnt a great food so slowly switched him to Fromm and, as he got bigger, to Fromm Adult Gold. After a few months he would not eat this so I wondered if he was bored with it....so switched him to Blue Buffalo Wilderness Duck (no grain) and then I mix in half and half of Orijen 6 Fish.....he is now in heaven! Oh, by the way, he is 2-1/2 years old. So food can have a big impact on their tummy's. I know what you mean about $$$.....Orijen is double what Fromm is! That is why I am doing the 50/50 thing!
Have you gone on line and looked under website FOOD ADVISOR.....which is a comparison of all dog foods. They give you the star rating for each one. This was one reason I got mine off Purina and went to Fromm, then to Blue Buffalo Wilderness and now to Orijen 6 fish.....I mix the Blue and Orijen half and half......Check the website.....there are hundreds of dog foods on it with the star rating AND a lot more info....such as contents,etc.
