Help Needed! calling all food experts!! :- )

[BabyDuke]

Hi everyone.. long story short we switched Duke from DVP duck and potatoe to Nature's Variety Instinct Beef and sometimes we give duck about two years ago. he has done fabulous .. he can't have chicken and also has allergies to wool

in the past few months he has gotten bouts of the runs here and there... again last week for two days.. nothing is wrong ( took him to vet ) went on bland diet and he is ok

in any case the vet thinks maybe we should switch his food!! ???? OMG now those of you who went through this with me will understand my panic??

it took me forever to find a food that he did so well with.. his coat is great and he is very healthy but do you think I should try something else with him getting older.. he is 5 now..

calling all food experts!!!

 

[LucysMum]

Hi Karen--first I am not an expert but I will chime in. Does the vet think he is allergic to a protein in NVI? What does he think is the problem?

Do you give or have you considered a probiotic? I started Lucy on one back in December and I feel it helps her digestion. If you want to know the brand message me. I don't think we can attach links to the site but it is easy--a small scoop at each meal does the trick.

NVI is great food. I switched Lucy to a dehydrated raw food last december. She is doing great on a food called ziwi peak. It is pricy, but I had her to the vet one time this year and it was minor and NOT allergy related. I feel like she is the healthiest and looks the best she ever has.

I am sure other will post more helpful suggestions but I wanted you to consider a probiotic and consider Ziwipeak if you are switching foods altogether. Keep us posted on Duke!

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

Well..I am NO expert here Karen, but I don't understand changing for maybe just a few bouts of runs. I know they are a pain..but could be many reasons besides food. If it were me..I would keep him on bland diet for a week or so and continue with NVI. Maybe try a different protein? Jake can't have chicken and we stay away fom all fowl. Just n case. It seems to me, if it were his food, it wouldn't be random. It would escalate and be constant! But..like I said, I am NO expert!

[MENTION=2291]cowsmom[/MENTION]

 

[RiiSi]

In my opinion if it's only bouts of the runs here and there it must be something else than what he gets daily....are you sure there's nothing else that he eats, chews or gets in contact when he get those runs???

 

[BabyDuke]

Hi Karen--first I am not an expert but I will chime in. Does the vet think he is allergic to a protein in NVI? What does he think is the problem?

Do you give or have you considered a probiotic? I started Lucy on one back in December and I feel it helps her digestion. If you want to know the brand message me. I don't think we can attach links to the site but it is easy--a small scoop at each meal does the trick.

NVI is great food. I switched Lucy to a dehydrated raw food last december. She is doing great on a food called ziwi peak. It is pricy, but I had her to the vet one time this year and it was minor and NOT allergy related. I feel like she is the healthiest and looks the best she ever has.

I am sure other will post more helpful suggestions but I wanted you to consider a probiotic and consider Ziwipeak if you are switching foods altogether. Keep us posted on Duke!

yes please send that to me.. the vet thinks maybe its too rich but he has been eating it for two years??

thank you !

 

[BabyDuke]

In my opinion if it's only bouts of the runs here and there it must be something else than what he gets daily....are you sure there's nothing else that he eats, chews or gets in contact when he get those runs???

we watch him like a hawk so I know he hasn't gotten in to anything but the one thing he does do is licks the kitchen floor all the time!

 

[BabyDuke]

Well..I am NO expert here Karen, but I don't understand changing for maybe just a few bouts of runs. I know they are a pain..but could be many reasons besides food. If it were me..I would keep him on bland diet for a week or so and continue with NVI. Maybe try a different protein? Jake can't have chicken and we stay away fom all fowl. Just n case. It seems to me, if it were his food, it wouldn't be random. It would escalate and be constant! But..like I said, I am NO expert!

@cowsmom

my husband thinks the same as you!

 

[LucysMum]

yes please send that to me.. the vet thinks maybe its too rich but he has been eating it for two years??

thank you !

Check your inbox!

 

[JAKEISGREAT]

my husband thinks the same as you!

Is this a good thing????

 

[BabyDuke]

Is this a good thing????

 

[cowsmom]

Im with Becky I would not be changing food over a few bouts of loose stool. He could have ate a bug or maybe allergies are worse that day. You can do bland diet or add some pumpkin to his food to get him back on track. Yes I give Sarah s probiotic also.

 

[BabyDuke]

Im with Becky I would not be changing food over a few bouts of loose stool. He could have ate a bug or maybe allergies are worse that day. You can do bland diet or add some pumpkin to his food to get him back on track. Yes I give Sarah s probiotic also.

ok I am sold.. I am going to keep on the same food and add the probiotic! thanks everyone!!

 

[kazzy220]

I'm glad you decided to stick with the food. IF it was an allergy to something in the food he would be getting the runs continuously not just occasionally. It has to be a reaction to something else. The bland diet for a few days may just give his system time to rest, that's all.

 

[Ls400ii]

Hi Karen...I read all the posts here and just wanted to add that my dog is 5 years old as well. I have 2 dogs, a small one who is 14 and has been on a raw food diet for a few years now. He acts like a puppy and has no health problems for a dog his age. My bulldog, who is actually my daughters, but has been living with me since last April and will continue to live with me since she moved, has been on the raw food diet since July is doing great on it. Her coat is like silk and she is very healthy. When she poops, they are half the size of what she made on bagged food (blue wilderness salmon, which gave her horrible gas and loose poops) The poop on a raw diet actually turns white within a few days and disintegrates. (Which is kind of nice ). I am a true believer in the raw food diet and the benefits. Anything natural with no preservatives or chemicals is better for the dogs.You should check out the website fiestapetdeli.com the deli is owned by a vet and a nutritionist and they are extremely knowledgeable. Nugget doesn't shed as much and loves the food. No stinky gas either. I do add a nutritional powder for anything she may not be getting in the food. They customize the diet for whatever problems a dog has. My sons dog use to get bumps on his skin and hasn't had one since she's been on raw food which is also a few years. They also do not have to have all those shots each year. They don't need heart worm either. I give Nugget a quarter teaspoon of black walnut hull twice a week for heart worm and also for fleas and ticks, which she doesn't ever get. So I don't have to do any of those flea and tick preventions either. You should check it out for info. Most areas have these pet food delis popping up rapidly, so there could be one in your area. Just something to think about. Good luck!

 

[bulldogs4me]

I'm in no way shape or form an expert on food so not going to even try and help ... but I did want to say, hope things get better and BTW he is so handsome!!