Please Help!--Food Problem

esabbott · #1 06-09-2009, 12:23 PM

I Switched Maggie's food from the Vet Iams Fish and Potato formula to Merrick Campfire Trout Feast. It has been just over a week and I am noticing that she is scratching at her mouth and chasing her butt like she is itchy! I am so frustrated with the food issue! I researched to make sure this Merrick was a good food and I thought that as long as I kept her on a fish and potato formula the switch would be easier. I so much want her on a healthy food. I am not sure what to do now! How long should I wait before switching again now that she seems to be having a problem with the Merrick? Today was the first day she has been on just the Merrick since I started switching her over. I am worried that too much switching will affect her tummy, and she is so sensitive and has had so many problems with loose stools. I was thinking along the lines of maybe trying the California Natural Lamb and Rice formula. Does anyone have any advice on when I should switch her?

**gmacleod** · #2 06-09-2009, 12:52 PM

How about trying her on another (better quality) grain-free food? There are plenty to choose from

Several good fish/potato foods amongst them (or other meat/potato if you prefer).

The Merrick, though a decent food, does not really look suitable for a suspected allergy-sufferer. It has a lot of different ingredients, and quite a few grains. Since she seemed OK on the Iams and not OK on Merrick, I'd be inclined to avoid foods with grains such as rice and barley for a bit (so wouldn't head straight for a lamb/rice formula - since there would seem to be a fairly high risk that the problem could be rice

).

esabbott · #3 06-09-2009, 01:27 PM

I would definitely consider a grain free food, but when I started looking into the change they all seemed to be so high in protein, I am a little scared not knowing how much protein she should have at around 7months old. Everything good seems to be around 40% protein. From what I have read, the higher protein may not be good for a puppy. Maggie has had so many problems with loose stools since we have had her, she has been on hamburg and rice( which bound her up nicely) until we would start a kibble, she has also been on boiled chicken and rice( which did not seem to work well with binding her up) so the vet thought she may have a chicken allergy. She did not seem to have a problem with rice(white)that seemed to be the only thing that would help with her stools. As soon as she would start on a kibble her poop would turn to pudding! She has been on Merrick Puppy Plate, Merrick Chicken Pot Pie, Canidae, California chicken and Rice, the Iams Vet Fish and Potato and Now the Merrick Campfire! Needless to say--I feel so bad for her belly! Would it be OK to change even though it has only been 1 week with the Merrick Campfire? Or should I wait a while?

BxrMommieNAZ · #4 06-09-2009, 01:28 PM

Maybe try Natural Balance's Fish and Sweet Potato? It's geared towards allergy dogs with very limited ingredients, it's grain free. My boy has pretty bad food allergies and he does well on the fish and sweet potato.

esabbott · #5 06-09-2009, 01:51 PM

The Natural Balance fish and sweet potato looks good also, thanks for the suggestion. How soon should I make the switch again? Any recommendations?

BxrMommieNAZ · #6 06-09-2009, 09:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by esabbott

The Natural Balance fish and sweet potato looks good also, thanks for the suggestion. How soon should I make the switch again? Any recommendations?

My boy has an extremely sensitive stomach and does okay on a 7 day switch. 7-10 days is probably a good idea.

Gryphon · #7 06-15-2009, 07:26 AM

Gryphon has been having problems with loose stools for awhile now. It started with moving to Kentucky and his development of allergies. The vet gave us a bottle of fish oil to put over his food to help his coat and regrow some hair, so I thought I would change from Beneful to a fish and sweet potato kibble. I now know that Beneful was an awful choice, but his stools were always nice and firm. His stools started to get really soft with the change, and so at the end of that bag I changed to a fish Wellness mix and then he just got diarrhea. So I fasted him for 24 hours and then abruptly changed him to Taste of the Wild High Prairie. I also found this powder supplement from Eagle Pack that was supposed to contain the stuff in yogurt that helps digestion and sprinkled that on top of his food. His stools firmed back up immediately and I haven't seen a problem since. They also don't smell as bad.

Lunsee · #8 06-30-2009, 11:12 PM

I am having a terrible time with choosing a good dog food. I had my two on TOTW fish and potato, stools was fine but ears got infected. That was for the girl. The boys stools was fine but he started loosing his hair. So I switched them to TOTW High Prairie and the stools is like water for both but everything else cleared up. They have been on High Prairie for almost a bag now. Im thinking of going with Natural Balance L.I.D.. Is this a good move or should I try something else...Thanks,Carl

BxrMommieNAZ · #9 06-30-2009, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lunsee

I am having a terrible time with choosing a good dog food. I had my two on TOTW fish and potato, stools was fine but ears got infected. That was for the girl. The boys stools was fine but he started loosing his hair. So I switched them to TOTW High Prairie and the stools is like water for both but everything else cleared up. They have been on High Prairie for almost a bag now. Im thinking of going with Natural Balance L.I.D.. Is this a good move or should I try something else...Thanks,Carl

Personally it was a GREAT move for us, only food that works for my boy, however it's only a good move if it works for them and you'll only know that by giving it a try.

esabbott · #10 07-01-2009, 05:09 PM

Just to let everyone know that Maggie is doing wonderfully on the Natural Balance Sweet Potato and Venison. per Mehgans suggestion, it has been several weeks now, I can't believe what a difference in her poop! I have been adding 1 tablespoon of the canned Natural Balance Sweet Potato and Vension along with her kibble at each meal. She also has the probiotics along with her morning meal.--- I also feel like I may have been feeding her too much before I made the switch, it just seemed like she was hungry all the time! But now she eats 2cups with 1 tab. of the canned in the morning and 2cups with 1 tab. of the canned in the evening. Compared to the 6 cups of food a day before( and she seemed hungry all the time). She seems much more satisfied, her coat looks great, no ear problems or itching or bad gas!! Yippie! She is also eating the dried venison treats and the Sweet Potato and Vensison cookies. When I give her lots of treats during the day the pet store owner told me to cut back a little on her food and this has been working great!! Success at last!!! She is just over 7 months old!! thanks