[joanne l]

Hi everyone, so I am a little worried, my dog is not a big water drinker. Since he been on pro plan lamb and oatmeal sensitive skin and stomach he’s been drinking a lot more water. Also he is licking his butt never did that before. I don’t know what to think. He is eating normal and stool looks okay, not firm but normal. I am wondering about Purina anymore, he has been on Purina for 1 year. So far he started having skin issues and than we went through a few days of being sick and now this. I am thinking of changing his food, but I don’t want to upset his stomach, but on the other hand I don’t know if I should continue with Purina.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.
P.S. he don’t have grain allergies or lamb allergies. Just wanted to put that out there.

• This topic was modified 5 years, 7 months ago by joanne l.

[Susan]

Hi,

“I am thinking of changing his food, but I don’t want to upset his stomach”,

his intestinal tract is already upset, if he was doing really well on this Purina Pro Plan Sensitive stomach formula, his poos would be nice & firm, he wouldn’t be drinking & drinking water & he wouldnt be licking his bum…

DRINKING heaps of water- if his poos are soft/sloppy & not firm then he might be dehydrated, something in this formula might be dehydrating him like too many soluble fibers…your dog mighten have problems digesting his foods, your dog might be OK & can digest foods, he might digest his food too quickly like Patch does, so he doesnt need these type of ingredients that are high in soluble fibers that digest in teh small bowel, this could be the reason for drinking excess water??

Licking bum area or rubbing bum on ground/grass could be food sensitivities, something in this Pro Plan formula he’s sensitive too….
or his anal glands are full & need emptying, his poos mighten be firm enough & his anal glands are not naturally emptying now, this happens with Patch when he eats a grain kibble that’s higher in soluble fibers, maize/corn gluten meal, barley, oats, rice, & his poos aren’t firm enough to empty his anal glands…

Have you seen the Purina Poo chart??
https://www.proplanveterinarydiets.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/PPPVD-Fecal-Scoring-Chart-EN-FINAL.pdf

I really think alot of his Intestinal problems is to do with FIBER, Soluble fiber & Insoluble fiber & he cant handle too much soluble fiber ingredients as they digest too quickly in the small bowel & he might be like Patch & digests his food quickly anyway, so when they eat foods that are higher in soluble fibers this is when their poos are sloppy & are not firm.
He needs a dry food that has more insoluble fiber & less soluble fiber & alot of grain free formulas have more insoluble fiber ingredients & less soluble fiber ingredients..

Potatoes- Fiber from potatoes comes in both forms, soluble and insoluble, the “insoluble content is higher”. This is probably why dogs with IBS or IBD do really well when they eat a kibble that has potato in it…

He’d probably do better on a Large Breed grain free kibble that has potato?? or a grain kibble that has potato in it…

Make sure the next kibble you try has at least 2-3 meat protein meals as 1st & 2nd ingredients, so there’s less fiber in his diet & more meat but not too much meat 25%-34%, the Purina Pro plan Lamb & Oatmeal Sensitive Stomach doesnt have much meat protein in it, it has more plant proteins which = higher soluble fiber ingredients….

Have a look at Victor, a few people say their dogs are doing really well eating Victor dog food..
Look at the Victor Select formula’s, Victor uses the Montmorillonite clay.
Chicken Meal & Brown Rice with Lamb meal.
https://victorpetfood.com/products/chicken-meal-brown-rice-formula

or look at “Whole Earth Farms” Adult, it’s made by Purina if you like Purina but I really would look at a different brand for now.
https://www.feedgoodness.com/products/recipe?title=Adult-Recipe&id=6
or
“Whole Earth Farm” Grain Free Recipe with Pork, Beef & Lamb (Poultry-Free)
For All Breeds & Life Stages
https://www.feedgoodness.com/products/recipe?title=Whole-Earth-Farms-Grain-Free-Recipe-with-Pork%2C-Beef-&-Lamb-(Poultry-Free)&id=8

[joanne l]

Thanks Susan, I think switching his food is best. I know I sound crazy when I say I don’t want to upset his stomach, that’s b/c I have seen him throw up and have diarrhea so bad, that with this food I don’t see that, however it is still not right either. He’s been on this for 1 month so far. I think it might be the fishmeal in this food. It is the 5th ingredient and I know that fish sometimes don’t agree well with him. depending on what fish. I know salmon for some reason don’t agree with him. I am gonna go crazy!

[crazy4cats]

Hi Joanne-
How long have you been feeding it? Sometimes you have to give them time to adjust. I’ve learned this the hard way. 😳

Also, I just took a look at the recipe you are feeding. It is extremely high in calories at 498. A lot of the foods I feed are around 350 to 400. Maybe the higher calories and fat are not agreeing with your dog.

Another thing I’ve learned lately is that lamb is not the most digestible protein for dogs. Vets mostly recommend it if the dog needs a novel protein due to allergies or IBD. Can your dog eat chicken, turkey or beef? I think Purina is a good brand. I’d either give it a little more time or switch to a different protein with a little less fat. Good luck!

• This reply was modified 5 years, 7 months ago by crazy4cats.

[joanne l]

thanks everyone, I think you also have a good point about adjusting to the new food, however he was on the lamb and rice for 10 months, and it took him 2 months to adjust to it. Now on sensitive stomach. But ever since I started with Purina he has got skin issues, biting at legs and butt and soft poop. I hate to change his food I am nervous to do so, but I want to see if these things clear up. And yes that food is high in calories maybe to much for his system. I can’t go back to the lamb and rice b/c when he got sick the vet told me bland diet, and he felt better than I introduced the lamb and rice back and diarrhea came back so I don’t know what is what. So that’s why I wanted to change the brand.
P.S. he can’t have chicken what a bummer. I don’t know about turkey and beef is okay. I forgot to mention, I was talking to a friend that owns my dog’s brother, GSD, and he told me he was feeding pro plan for a while than his dog got sick, the vet wasn’t sure what was wrong so he said he had IBS. Well anyway, vet put him on RX diet and my friend didn’t like it so he also tried the S.S. pro plan and again the dog was sick, so at his wits end he bought natures variey lamb formula and he told me the dog took to it very well and he said “I’ll never look back”. I told him I was feeding pro plan and he said DON”T and I said why? he said our dogs just don’t take to it well. Not that the food is bad it is just that.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 7 months ago by joanne l.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 7 months ago by joanne l.
• This reply was modified 5 years, 7 months ago by joanne l.

[Alexandria B]

My dog Roxi has been healthy all her life and she is a 7 year old parsons russell terrier. She began drinking a lot, peeing on the floor, and not wanting to eat suddenly after a dental visit. She had four teeth removed bc she has in the past few years aquired teeth issues. I changed her diet to strictly dog food and even began giving her natural jerky I made with a newly purchased food dehydrator since my vet said it was good for her teeth.
Since this sudden change happened, I ely took her to the vet. She had the dental visit two weeks prior. I come back to the office to check on her and she is brought out with a jagged stitch in her neck running along the jugular and her skin is hanging down around like pugs..
I am freaked out. The receptionist tells me the vet will be bk and she is not a doctor. So when he gets there he explains that her veins were blown and had to go in that way. When I left she had a catheter in her leg. She seemed so strange to me. Her whole personality was off. So, he then tells me my dog is very sick and has renal failure and do I want to know the damage as far a the cost. I tell him yes, but to do whatever he can no matter what.
So, he tells me she needs to be there for about four more days. One day cost me $401. I was assured the other days would be less. $130 a day. I said ok. Three days later I go in and they tell me the bill is another $486. I am beyond tapped out and I could not believe how much they were charging for treatment that didnt work. She still had way off levels. Her bun and creatinine were out of wack. Her amylase and wbc and rbcs were screwed. He sent her home after all that with a script for gatorade and some anti biotic.
I take her home and she is fading fast and being tortured through force feeding of gatorade water and food every half an hour.
I do this with no improvement for three days. I watch youtube and see that vets prescribe subq fluids for the home to give to the dogs and cats. I asked about this and he had told me no. So, I take her to get a second opinion from another vet a friend recommended. He is pissed off and amazed by her health decline and the failure to treat my dog properly.
Turned out my dog had acute renal failure due to leptospirosis. Which is contagious to my pets and even me. If there are rats around your home (they became an issue since a house in derelict conditions was cleaned and rehabbed next door.) or yard. The bacteria is from the poo of an infected animal but normally a rodent. When it is around water it forms the bacteria. If you or your pets come into contact with this water or moist dirt(it can survive in moist soil for more than six months) on their feet and then they somehow rub their eye or have a cut on their foot or etc. It can enter the blood stream and by the time you realize your dog is sick it is normally too advanced.
There is a vaccine and I dont have a clue but my dogs were vaccinated but I hear the lepto is optional. I never heard of the option.
Now my dog is finally recieving the fluids but I have a feeling it is too late. She is less than half of her body weight of 22 lbs less than a month ago. She wont eat,Vomits, has diarhea, and barely drinks. She is suffering so much and I dont know how to handle it if my other dogs are infected too. I am so pissed off. I dont know where to go from here. I am still up. Planning on not sleeping, havent left the house for fear of something happening to her while I gone, and I am taking her to the vet to be euthanized I suppose bc I cant watch her wither away and suffer so much.
The bill at the other vet was another $400 and some odd dollars. So, I am tapped out, $1500 plus all the other shit I have bought to try to help her, missed work, and possibly might end up with two more sick dogs. I have appt. For them so lets add this to the bill…i dont know. Its insane. There was no mention of this at the first vet. The second vet had much more insight but I came to him when it was too late. What should I do?? Anyone??? I am so depressed and stressed and angry and tired and broke. I dont know what to do. I fear for my dogs quality of life and just want what is right for her but I dont know if there is something I am missing. Help me…

[Susan]

Hi Alexandria,

So sorry what has happened with your baby Roxi, ask the new vet will Roxi pull thru or is it too late & is she suffering? if he says yes she is suffering, then say goodbye & put her to sleep, I know its hard but it’s the best thing you can do for her, then ask the vet what do you do now as you have 2 more dogs at home, do they get vacinated for Lepto or is it too late?.. & can you report this first vet to someone? as he sounds like he didnt have a clue, also was he the vet who cleaned her teeth? I wonder if his teeth equipment was dirty & not sterile properly?, I’ve read a few post on a different site where the dog is fine, he/she goes in gets their teeth cleaned then is very ill 1-2 weeks later??

Are you on facebook? here’s a public group called “Dogs with renal / kidney failure”
they might be able to help you more, I saw Puree foods..
https://www.facebook.com/groups/582094775463298/?ref=br_rs
can you puree some Sweet Potato with a few veggies?
I live Australia & we do not have Leptospirosis it’s sounds awful…
Roxi is in my prays…

I just found this Facebook group “Lepto Vaccines & Kidney Failure in Dogs” join
https://www.facebook.com/groups/360769831123715/
there will be someone who can help you….the lady of this group tells her story & leaves her email address aswell, you might get a quicker response while waiting to join the group good luck, here’s her email- vaccinesandkidneyfailure@outlook.com
she also wrote that your vet has to report it to the VMD?

[anonymous]

Call the vet and leave a message for him to call you when he has a minute. I would call the first vet too and have him call you back. I have never been charged for asking a vet that is treating my pet to call me back.

Have your questions written down and try not to be emotional. Clarify your treatment options or lack of them. Ask if the treatment, medication is aggressive? Does he expect the dog to respond to the treatment? Will it keep the dog comfortable? What are your options. Talk to him about euthanasia, if you suspect that the dog is suffering there is no hope, see what he recommends.

Oh, and I would go over what you have spent with the first vet and ask him if he can give you a break. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html

Good luck

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