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Post by valliesong on Feb 25, 2010 4:07:57 GMT -5
I have heard of people using Solid Gold Holistique for severe stomach issues. It has rice as the first ingredient, so I don't think I would really recommend it longterm as the usable protein level is so low, but it would be a good thing to use until you figure out what is going on. It was recommended to me as an alternative to Hill's I/D. A second opinion from another vet or specialist may be helpful. It could be a food allergy/intolerance or even a more severe bowel issue. They may want to do a bowel study or some kind of allergy panel.
Light or senior foods are lower in fat, so if fat is the issue, they may help. For a long term food, I would still suggest going with something that has meat as the first ingredient, or since your dog seems to do ok on it, add the boiled chicken to increase the protein. (You could do this with the Holistique as well.) In rare cases, your only option is to do research and create a balanced homemade diet. In this case, I suggest adding a high quality vitamin/mineral supplement to make sure nothing is missed. I usually suggest Missing Link or Nupro, as those are what is available where I work, but others may have better suggestions.
You should probably cut out the treats until you find out what is going on, to make sure those aren't a contributing factor. And I would start adding a probiotic and digestive enzyme supplement. If it is IBD, propulsid/cisapride is an option as a medicinal treatment. I would discuss this with your vet as an option, at least in the short term. If you are using it, you have to make absolutely sure you give every dose, or the diarrhea will return. It has no residual effect.
I hope this helps a little bit. I'm sorry I don't have too much personal experience, other than my parents' dog that had this issue at the end, and I was unable to get them to leave the prescription diet. They do have a 16 year old dog that they cook for now, and she has been doing much better since they added the Nupro. Her coat was getting horrible before that. She is on a mixture of ground beef (chicken is better for most dogs, but she can't tolerate it), rice, hard boiled egg, and cottage cheese. I really don't think that is a balanced diet, but it is what works for her. It is about quality of life at her age.
Oh, I forgot to add, some people have had excellent results by adding canned pumpkin (plain, not the pie filling). It helps with both diarrhea and constipation.
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Post by sugar on Feb 25, 2010 10:01:15 GMT -5
Pumpkin has def. helped Chubs "firm up" a bit. I just put a spoonful or two into his kong and let him have at it. he loves the stuff!
Word tot he wise, I once gave him too much and all his farts smelled like pumpkin, lol.
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Post by maryellen on Feb 25, 2010 10:10:16 GMT -5
some dogs cant handle richer foods,wellness is known to cause soft stools, cal natural is too rich for some dogs (mine cant have both ). you can try purina pro plan senstive skin/stomach as its a good food for dogs with tummy/skin issues. its not as rich as the higher end foods, but it works pretty good. you can also try Dick Van pattens natural balance LID foods,they are based for allergy dogs and have one protein/one carb and is not a rich food and works well .
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rkg
Member
Posts: 30
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Post by rkg on Feb 25, 2010 11:40:46 GMT -5
Thanks everyone! I've tried the pumpkin before too - he's just so sensitive. He is also fearful and reactive so I unfortunately I still need to use treats when we go on walks (click and treat when he sees dogs b/c he is very reactive). I think next I'll try Maryellen's suggestion of Van Patten Natural Balance and go from there! Thanks
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Post by michele5611 on Feb 25, 2010 12:00:13 GMT -5
Just be careful with the pumpkin...too much and it has the opposite outcome! Don't worry about bringing treats with you when you go on walks. I have had my dog for 7 years and I still carry treats..she is reactive as well..so better safe than sorry.
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Post by carlovago on Jun 28, 2010 20:32:28 GMT -5
When I go to google and start typing all the brand names, it always shows a recall entry for alll the brands. Weird!
I started to use Blue Buffalo because i can get it at the store and I purchased the ShowStopper since everybody says it is great. Am I in a good track?
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Post by RealPitBull on Jul 1, 2010 9:45:37 GMT -5
It seems like almost every food on the market has had some recall for some product at some point. Supposedly this brand has never had a recall: www.precisepet.com/
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Post by bubsy on Jul 1, 2010 12:06:06 GMT -5
Is Precise the new brand that Great Dane Lady recommends now? I just started Murphy on a bag of Orijen fish, he's been on it before and did well.
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Post by RealPitBull on Jul 1, 2010 12:54:45 GMT -5
Is Precise the new brand that Great Dane Lady recommends now? I just started Murphy on a bag of Orijen fish, he's been on it before and did well. Yes, she recommends it.
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Post by bubsy on Jul 1, 2010 17:17:09 GMT -5
I found someplace local that sells Precise, I might check it out.
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Post by kmavrosfsu on Jul 6, 2010 13:22:51 GMT -5
I feed my pup Iams puppy food...is that a bad one?
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Post by adoptapitbull on Jul 6, 2010 13:56:14 GMT -5
Iams is not the best, nor is it the worst food. A lot of these top shelf foods also carry top shelf prices. For some, the cost is just too much. You can always supplement food with healthy treats and mix-ins if you think your food isn't living up to what your dog needs. I can't afford some of the top name foods with 5 dogs, so I give lots of veggies, lean meat, eggs, yogurt and ShowStopper. What works for some dogs may not work for others. Find what works well for your dog and adjust supplements as needed.
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Post by RealPitBull on Jul 8, 2010 7:38:22 GMT -5
Iams is a pretty crummy food. They are also owned by Proctor and Gamble which is a nortorious animal-testing company.
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Post by bridgeportchicago on Jul 23, 2010 23:07:27 GMT -5
Hi, Zoe (18 weeks) was moved to Innova from Science Diet recently. Innova, only because that is what small store suggested to daughter. After on Inova, I think her bowel movements were okay. But, this past week, loose stools and two accidents in her crate. (I just purchased a smaller crate today.) We borrowed a 35 inch, but according to what we read, 30 was the size we need. Maybe the treats are causing the loose stool issue? What are good treats for training? She did go to vet this week, also. She got the Lymes vaccine and flea/tick topical. Any general tips/comments appreciated.
Thanks. Jim
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Post by bubsy on Jul 25, 2010 16:33:02 GMT -5
Hi, Zoe (18 weeks) was moved to Innova from Science Diet recently. Innova, only because that is what small store suggested to daughter. After on Inova, I think her bowel movements were okay. But, this past week, loose stools and two accidents in her crate. Is she on the regular Innova? I never had good luck with that one, it was always a bit rich for my dog, and loose stools were normal. Didn't have that issue with the Evo, which is also rich, but I wouldn't feed that to a growing pup. Keep an eye on her, I always get a little concerned w/diarrhea and a pup...if it doesn't improve, a vet visit is needed. There is a product that I really like, made by vetri-science called fast balance gi. It's a paste that helps heal and upset tummy. Other probiotic products are good as well.
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Post by bridgeportchicago on Jul 29, 2010 20:20:53 GMT -5
Hi, Thanks for the info. We had her tested for worms and negative. She is doing better now. In looking at dog foods, there is so much information out there, that it is too difficult to sort out.
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Post by bridgeportchicago on Aug 1, 2010 18:27:35 GMT -5
Hi, Was sorting through the net on food and realize there might be too much information, since much of it has a conflict. I did stop by a local store, The person in the store noted that they will not be selling INOVA in the future because Procter & Gamble is taking over. She would not say anything negative about PG, but just noted PG purchased the company that makes INVOVA and EVO? I also get the impression that when a big company takes over, quality may go down. The other perspective was that non-grain foods may help in preventing certain allergy issues. Also, the grain can create high glucose levels in the dog. The other side of the coin often talks about the non-grain foods being "too rich". One critic claiming liver disease and another claiming some type of cancer. To be honest, it all sounds very confusing. The store I was visiting is supposed to be "natural". One food they had was noted here: www.consumersearch.com/dog-food/orijenThe down side is price, but then the argument is: Do you want vet bills, or dog food bills. Just sharing where I am. The only issue I have right now about the non-grain is the claim by some (Could be just a minority), the the high protein is bad for the dog. Any comments appreciated. Thanks. Jim
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Post by maryellen on Aug 2, 2010 13:16:16 GMT -5
if you switch a pup/dog cold turkey you can get the runs for a week or more, some dogs cant handle cold turkey switches of food.. normally you are to gradually add a little of the new food to the old food and take out some of the old food when adding a little of the new food so that the dog/pups system can slowly get used to the new food. putting a pup from science diet to innova is like you eating bagels then switching to croissants with sausage on them, you went from plain to rich too fast... you can do an All Life stage food, Canidae is one of them their food is formulated for puppies to seniors, i have used their food and its a good food.. you can also do Wellness - they have a nice selection of mixes from Super 5 to core.. all low protein which is needed for growing pups as you dont want them to have too much calcium/phosperous to damage their growing joints (its not the high protein its the calcium/phosperous levels )
DVP Natural Balance is a good middle not too pricey food that is low protein but good for dogs and is not a rich food.. Merrick is a good food too, not too rich and good protein levels..
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Post by brandigirl on Sept 15, 2011 15:58:28 GMT -5
Did you guys start with dry or wet? I've heard from a friend that cooking your own food is good also. I would rather buy...
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daves
Full Fledged Poster
Posts: 188
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Post by daves on Sept 15, 2011 18:50:32 GMT -5
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