[Elisa C. R]

**Reposting under correct category **

Hi everyone,

I am new to the forum, and have a question for you all. Any suggestions/feedback you have would be most appreciated.

I adopted a puppy in January, and have been feeding her Precise Holistic (dry food for puppies). The dog that I lost in October had been eating Precise Senior for a few years and loved it!

My question is this. My pup eats way to fast. I have tried the slow eating type bowl, but doesn’t seem to help. I elevated her food bowl, doesn’t make a difference. She has terrible gas, and I don’t mean occasionally, I mean several times a day / night. Her stool is sometimes firm, and sometimes runny. I cannot figure out if the issue is from eating too fast and getting air in her stomach, or an issue with grain; should I possibly switch to a grain free food and see if that helps with the gas issue?

Thank you in advance for any advice/help you can give.

Regards,
Elisa

[T]

I think both gulping and indigestion could contribute to excessive flatulence (passing gas). Indigestion, food intolerance or some other cause for GI imbalance is likely the biggest factor, though. Especially if the stool is sometimes abnormal.

You might try hand feeding her, one kibble at a time, having her sit and wait in between each bite. This will prevent the gulping and help with self-control and bonding to you. If you try this for a week or so and the gas is still a problem, you might think about trying some different dog foods.

[Elisa C. R]

Thank you so much Tabitha T. I will give that a try! : )

[Susan]

Yes, my boy is another gulper, So I sit with him & just give him one kibble at a time or u can devide the cup & just put a few to 1/4 of cup in her bowl wait then put another 1/4 of kibble in the bowl etc, Ive also been adding some water too soften the kibble, then I get out any water then giving it to Patch that way its half digested for him so if he swollows a kibble not chewed, it will break up in his tummy easier, I hand feed it may take 5 mins but he doesnt have his farts, burps & stomach pain after eating, once you get into a routine its not that bad, also he’s learnt his tricks with his kibble, Id make him sit, I taught him to chew the kibble. I also taught him patients to wait, then slowly, & also not to bite my fingers off, he’s more gentle now with his food, like Tabitha said you’ll bond with her more..I have my cuppa while feeding him now..

[Shasta220]

Definitely agree with Sue. Feeding a kibble at a time (or if you don’t want to take /that/ long, then a handful at a time) is a great way for bonding, and use it to teach good manners. My first dog, Cassy, was a puppy when I was a “puppy”, so I never got the chance to start her with a good “take it nice” and now in her old age, she will still nearly bite my fingers off.
One of my more recent boys I got as a pup, I made sure “take it nice” was the first thing he learned. He got so good at it that I could have my whole hand in his mouth, and he wouldn’t lay a single tooth on anything but the treat (did I forget to mention that he was a “vicious pit bull”? He must not have known…)

[Shasta220]

I posted other suggestions to slow down eating in your other post.

Gas can be signs of intolerance to ingredients, I believe. Try the acv, as it helped my guy (he only needed it for 2-3 days, and now he’s fine), or even try activated charcoal. I think Swanson sells 120 capsules for about 4-5$.

[Elisa C. R]

My thanks to everyone for your help, advice and suggestions. I called my vet tech and gave her some symptoms over the phone (as far as the stool). She suggested a fecal exam; turns out Zoey has hookworms. I have been taking her to the local park for the past couple of weeks, and that is more than likely where she picked it up from because the loose stools started a week or so ago. Also put her on a probiotic for the next week. I am also going to start weaning her off her current food and change her food to Dr. Tim’s grain free.

Again, thank you all so much! It is great to be a part of such a wonderful forum!

All the best,
Elisa

[Author]

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