URGENT!!! Eating Very Slowly Now

[Omarable]

So our bulldog is now 8 months old. Ever since we brought him home, when we fed him he would scarf his food down in minutes. However, when he turned 7 months old he started eating really slowly to the point where it's so drastic that it's concerning. We feed him breakfast at 7am and he typically doesn't finish his entire meal until 3pm. He won't even touch his breakfast when we put it down, he comes and get s few bites a few hours later but eats slowly. He will eat the food if it's on the floor with a few pieces or out of our hand. He's been on the same food (Royal Canine Bulldog Puppy) for a few months but we did increase how much we are giving him around the 7 month mark. Increasing his food should make him want to eat more not less though. His bowls are stainless steel and washed between each meal so that shouldn't be the problem. He drinks out of the same kind of bowls.

He has also recently developed a sore on each side of his mouth. They are slightly elevated and pink with out hair on them. They are spreading with one on top of his eye now. I wonder if he's developing an allergy to his food so it hurts his mouth to eat a large quantity out of the bowl because the food rubs on his face. Just not sure what to do. If it is an allergy to the food, how do we know what in the food he's allergic to and what to switch to?

 

[2BullyMama]

Yep, his system is not liking something in that food. Royal Canin really is not a very good food (lots of fillers) are in it. Look for a grain free chicken free food to start with and switch him over a few good ones are Earthborn, Taste of the Wild, Acana, Fromm, Orejin.... you can place him on a bland diet (boiled meat a rice) to see if he will eat.

My first bully was allergic to rice... we did not know it till he was about 2 yrs old, but he was the same way -- barely ate and was slow to do so when he did. Once we got the rice out of his diet, he went back to eating normally.

 

[Vikinggirl]

Hi Olga, I totally agree with the great advice 2BullyMama has already given you.
When I bought my 2 guys, the breeder was feeding them Royal Canin Puppy as well, I knew from reading the ingredients that it was the best of food choices and started researching food and nutrition. That's how I found this site, and after reading the dog food Ratings, I switched their foods. I've had to switch their foods 4 times due to allergies and insensitivities to chicken, salmon, beef and grains. Many EB's are allergic to chicken and sensitive to corn, grains and other fillers. Royal Canin is a chicken based food and has too Amy fillers including corn, which is not good for dogs.
We are currently feeding Fromms Lamb and Lentil with good results. It's really trial and error to find a food that your dog tolerates. It's best to do a slow transition over 2 weeks when doing any food changes to avoid tummy upsets and diarrhea. When you do a slow transition, you start with 2/3 of his old food mixed with 1/3 of the new food for 3 or 4 days, then mix 1/2 and 1/2 for a few days, and then mix 2/3 of the new food with 1/3 of the old food , and then finally all new food. You mentioned that Davey is 8 months old, so he is old enough to switch to an adult dog food, so this would be a good time to switch his foods. Its best to choose a 4 Star or better food that is chicken and grain free. Examples of these are Fromm's, Wellness, Orijen, Arcana, Blue Buffalo, or Go Natural. It can take up to month to see any benefits to a food change, as it can take this long for the old food to leave his system. You can add some natural supplements to his kibble to help boost his immune system. Allergies are caused by a abnormal immune response, so by boosting the immune system it can help with allergy symptoms, infections and parasites. I add 2 Tbsp's of plain unsweetened yogurt to the morning kibble for the Probiotics, its good for digestion and boosts the immune system. I also add Coconut Oil to their evening kibble for the Omega Fatty Acids. These are good for for the skin, coat, bones and joints. The sores on his face could be caused from allergies, but just keep an eye on them. It could also be the beginning of mange so if it doesn't clear up after a food change, then have the vet check it out. I hope you find a food that works for Davey, Good luck and keep us posted on how he's doing.

 

[TyTysmom]

Yea, exactly what [MENTION=2894]2BullyMama[/MENTION] and [MENTION=6311]Vikinggirl[/MENTION] said, Id start to transition his ASAP so he starts to heal. Keep those bumps cleaned everyday with some witch hazel so they dry out. Poor baby. Hope she feels better soon after a better food.


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[Omarable]

We just got him new food and mixed it in. He's still hesitant to eat it. It's 3pm and he hasn't finished his breakfast but we will see what happens while we continue to transition and maybe when its 100% the new food and his sores are gone he will be more likely to eat. Thanks everyone!