[Spy Car]

Again, about the worst thing one can do for a dog experiencing abdominal pain is to stuff it with low-calorie high-fiber foods.

When a dog is fed a low-fat diet the difficulty is that the dog will not experience the kind of satiety that have when they are fed the essential fats they were shaped by evolution to thrive on. So such dogs always feel hungry and act hungry. In response, pet food companies add massive amounts of fiber to such formulas, often in the neighborhood of 28% fiber. The poor dogs fed such a ration have to carry and move all this excessive fiber through their systems, producing massive amounts of stool in the process. It is both uncomfortable, irritating to the GI tract, and is extra weight to carry in their bellies.

It is unkind, in the extreme, to have a dog with hip or disk issues (and digestive issue) to place such an extreme tax on its digestive track in my estimation.

And for what purpose? To deny it the fuel it actually needs for optimal energy delivery and good health so it can be (poorly) substituted with not essential calories from carbohydrates.

The less food, by mass, that a dog in such a condition needs to move the better. Think about it.

The higher fat ration provides the nutrients a dog actually needs and reduces the need to add fillers that are hard to process. All that extra poop (and it will be dramatically more) is evidence of what a dog needs to process to manage such an unnatural and unhealthful diet.

Ryan, try to find a formula with over 20% fat. The high-carb/low-fat road really isn’t a good one. I really isn’t species appropriate. The amount of fiber is an assault on the digestive track designed to make the dog feel “full.”

Instead, much smaller amounts of high protein/high-fat foods would serve your dog much (much) better.

Ryan, I realize you are getting diametrically opposed advice. I’d ask yourself what makes sense? What did nature shape dogs to optimally consume? Was it heavily processed cereal loaded with extra fiber to fool a dog into thinking it was getting the fuel it needs? Or actually giving dogs a proper portion of what they thrive on?

Think about it.

If triglycerides are high, the likeliest culprit is hypothyroidism. Has your vet ruled that out?

If this is related to diet it is far (far) more likely that it is related to high-carbs than fat.

Best,

Bill

• This reply was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by Spy Car.
• This reply was modified 7 years, 10 months ago by Spy Car.