New rescue and digestive issues

Dog Food Advisor Forums Diet and Health New rescue and digestive issues

Viewing 12 posts - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #101211 Report Abuse
    Jennifer D
    Member

    I have adopted a two year old bully that has some vomiting issues. She was not spayed when I got her, and when I took her in for her appt, the vet said she needed to gain some weight before they would do the surgery. 4 days later she went into heat. Ugh. The problem is that I have a hard time getting her to hold down enough food for her to actually put on weight. She was throwing up a lot (A LOT) while she was in heat, and it seemed to have calmed down for a few days after her heat was over. Now she is vomiting about 8 – 10 hours after she eats a meal, undigested kibble – I have been feeding her the Natural Balance Chicken & Sweet Potato Dry Dog Formula, watered down to soften up the kibble a bit, mixed with the Prescription ID formula for digestion issues. I am not sure why she isnt digesting the food, but I am hesitant to change her food as it seems to be so hard with her sensitive system. Does it mean anything – the fact that it sits in her system for so long undigested? Also, I am thinking she needs the soft pallet surgery and might wait to get her fixed till I can afford to do both surgeries at once so she only has be be put under once. She basically has sleep apnea and has a hard time breathing at night. Any suggestions are welcome!

    #101215 Report Abuse
    anonymous
    Member

    How about 4 or 5 small meals several times a day instead of 1 or 2 big meals. Same amount of food, just divided up.
    I would presoak the kibble overnight (fridg). I would stick with the prescription food till she’s stable or as your vet recommends.
    When you go to commercial dog food, I would look for a kibble with no potato, such as Zignature Whitefish. Some dogs with sensitive stomachs find potato and sweet potato hard to digest.
    Make sure she is drinking water, if not, add a splash to the presoaked kibble.
    Continue to work with your vet, and I wouldn’t dispense over the counter meds unless okayed by the vet. Good luck
    Ps: ask your vet if it would be okay to add a bite of boiled chopped chicken breast or homemade plain chicken broth (no onion) to her kibble?

    #101216 Report Abuse
    anonymous
    Member

    Also, is she gulping down her food too fast? If so, you may want to get one of those dome dishes designed to slow down her eating.
    Hopefully her issues are stress related and as she feels safe in her new home, they will go away. If they don’t, I’m sure your vet may suggest additional diagnostic testing.
    Otherwise, I would give her a little time to adjust.
    Can she tolerate a bite of chopped up broiled chicken liver mixed in with her kibble? It’s yummy and fattening. Of, course, if your vet wants her on a strict diet for now, listen to him, not me.

    #101226 Report Abuse
    elaine c
    Member

    I had severe digestive problems with my rescue… the best food you can give, one that will cure her.. no kidding cure.. is a food called ANSWERS PET food check it out on dog food advisor and then go to their web site.. My little pit was thoughing up and pooping blood. I am a trainer and I have heard this food was unbelieveable because of all the good healing stuff they put in it… I have changed foods and never looked back. Also if you have any questions email them they are great.

    #101305 Report Abuse
    Susan
    Participant

    Hi, so sad I also rescued a bully bread (Staffy) & Patch was vomiting up undigested kibble 8hrs later also, they have a very un healthy gut….who said she needs soft pallet surgery?? this isn’t the case, her food isn’t being digested, so the body rejects the un digested food & vomits, kibble is the hardest food to digest, no matter what the vet diet dry kibbles say on the front of the bag, raw/cooked & wet tin food digest quicker & are easier to digest then a high carb dry kibble….
    if you can borrow the money find a good vet who can do or organize a Endoscope + Biopsies of the stomach, you need to do the biopsies to see what’s wrong in her
    stomach & why she isn’t making enough Hydrochloric acid, my boy had the Helicobacter-Pylori + IBD…or ask a vet can he give you the triple therapy meds for Helicobacter-Pylori infection, the meds are: Metronidazole, Amoxicillin & Omeprazole, these meds will fix the stomach & kill any bad bacteria in the gut, but the Helicobacter will come back, Ive been fighting Patches for 3 yrs until he was left on Omeprazole ant acid med this finally helped Patch & a low carb diet
    ….cause she isn’t digestion her kibble it’s best to change both kibbles especially the Vet Diet they’re crap TRUST ME they do not go soft within 50mins the Hills vet diet kibbles & Royal Canin kibbles take 1-2 hours to go soft but not all the way through, so the kibbles just sit in her stomach so she vomits the undigested kibble back up cause her stomach isn’t working properly,
    its called “Hypochlorhydria” low stomach acid where the Helicobacter breeds & lives, she needs meds the ones I mentioned above triple therapy to kill the Helicobacter infection & a diet low in carbs preferably gluten free & more meat then carbs so kibble isn’t good to feed.
    … a lot of rescue dogs have Helicobacter cause of their poor diet while growing up also she could of left her mum way to early & never got all the proper nutrients from her mums milk that’s needed for a healthy stomach, now you need to make her gut healthy you do this once her triple therapy meds are finished…
    If you want to feed a vet diet feed the wet tin foods like Hills vet diet I/d Chicken & Vegetable stew but Hills have stopped making the big cans of I/d Chicken & Vegetables Stew in Australia & now only make a small 156g can instead.. Patch needs 8 cans a day, you cant afford 8 small tins a day, so he gets 2 cans a day & gets his Canidae or Taste Of The Wild lamb kibble… or buy some chicken breast & sweet potatoes & cook & freeze meals
    “Canidae” make very easy to digest kibbles like Canidae Life Stages, Chicken Meal & Rice, “Canidae Pure Meadow” it’s a senior kibble but it won’t matter she’ll get extra Omega 3 & DHA fatty acids & glucosamine in her diet for her bones & it has higher protein & less carbs what is needed for easy digestion & it’s Chicken, Chicken meal & Turkey Meal & Sweet Potato same ingredients as she is eating at the moment BUT will be easier to digest cause the protein is higher…
    Start testing her kibbles, get a glass of very warm water, not boiling water just very warm water, add about 2-3 kibbles to the glass of water, does the kibbles float? a good kibble should float & how long does it take for the kibbles to go soft all the way thru?? a good easy to digest kibble should only take about 15-40mins to go soft all the way thru… another very easy to digest kibble is “Taste Of The Wild” Sierra Mountain, Roasted Lamb, its a single protein limited ingredient kibble & grain free as well, after Patch tried all the crappy vet diets that didn’t digest easy like they say they do, finally 3 yrs later I tried TOTW Sierra Mountain Roasted Lamb & finally Patch started to get better, gain weight & he did the triple therapy meds 3 times as its very hard to kill this Helicobacter-Pylori, he still takes the Metronidazole a low dose 200mg with food on & off when I see he’s going down hill & getting his acid reflux bad again, he takes the Omeprazole (Losec) 8.30am every day now, it’s a ant acid medication cause they don’t make enough stomach acid, the helicobacter breeds & takes over their stomach & lives in the stomach walls & keeps breeding they get bad acid reflux, vomit, eat grass, feel sick, loss weight & cant digest their food properly, she probably gets bad acid reflux as well this is why she is thin & under weight, she needs a IBD Specialist vet….her vet doesn’t seen to be working out why she is thin & why she isn’t digesting her food & vomiting ?? she’s young her gut should be healthy so something has happened in her past her mum may have past on the Helicobacter infection, Ive had it & its awful you feel so hungry all the time & your stomach gets a norring feeling, you need a vet that will listen & knows about IBD..
    yes don’t desex her yet she she’s too sick, my poor boy was desexed, vaccinated, wormed, flea, all on the same day that’s what happens here in Australia when a rescue dog is rescued from a pound before going to their career, its straight from the pound to the vets then career…Patch was too sick to be adopted & I fell in love with him & adopted him…..
    Your girl needs 4-5 meals a day not 2 big meals, Patch gets 5 meals a day 7am, 9am 5pm he gets 1/2 cup kibble one of the kibbles I mentioned above & at 12pm & 8pm he gets the Hills I/d Chicken & Vegetable Stew wet tin food…he was getting a cooked meals but last March he started to vomit up the cooked lean pork mince & sweet potato again so he got put back on the Metronidazole & was already taking the Omeprazole ant acid meds & I asked vet can I try the Hills I’d Chicken & Vegetable stew can it has digestive enzymes in it..
    Watch her does she lick lips/mouth & swallow, burp? my boy grinds his teeth when he gets his acid reflux, when I first got Patch he was licking & licking his paws continually of a night when he was at his worst, his vet said the licking paws sets off his endorphins then
    he would burp….

    #101306 Report Abuse
    Jennifer D
    Member

    so much good info! My other dog is on Honest Kitchen and does really well. I am thinking of moving them to a raw diet to see if that helps, and getting her on tripe and other stuff to help with the gut. I am emailing my vet right now and just tracking her food intake and bowl movements to make sure she is moving food through her digestive system. It seems kind of random so I am actually starting to track it in my calendar to make sure I have a clear understanding of what is going on.

    Thank you for your response – I am going to have to read it a few times to absorb it all!

    jen

    #101307 Report Abuse
    Jennifer D
    Member

    ya, I feed her twice a day, any more than that isnt really something I can keep up with. I am home some days but not others and I think that the infrequency of the feeding times would be hard on her system too. Plus it makes bathroom time harder to track..lol

    #101308 Report Abuse
    Jennifer D
    Member

    I think I am going to start putting her food in a few different bowls so she has to eat it more slowly – and see if that helps before spending money on different bowls..good idea!

    #101348 Report Abuse
    Jennifer D
    Member

    Thanks! I have been thinking of moving to a raw diet. We have a co-op here called SF raw that is a great company and lower priced cause its a co-op. I might check them both out and see what seems to be the best way to test it out and see if it helps.

    #101390 Report Abuse
    Susan
    Participant

    Hi, I don’t think a raw diet is a good idea at the moment especially if her immune system is compromised, tripe made my boy feel real sick & vomit, tripe is very strong & rich, if you do feed raw, only feed fresh human meats, no pet meats, pre made raw & no bone, the bone is very hard to digest & premade pet raw has bone in it unless you get the cat pre made raw, cat pre made raw seems to be of better quality of all the pet meats, cats are very fussy…..Patches Naturopath advised not to feed any pet shop pre made raw meats, it’s bad quality especially if you have a sick dog…. I used a supplement to replace the bone & organ meats… “Natural Animal Solution” Digestavite Plus Powder it balances the diet, strengthens the immune system & fixes the gut, you only need to add to 1 of the meals added once a day, but it’s Australian made by Naturopath Jacqueline Rudan she does export her NAS products but not to America, she helped me get Patch onto a raw diet here’s her link click on the “Maintenance Diet.. http://naturalanimalsolutions.com.au/Shop/2016/03/15/maintenance-dog-diet/
    you pick 2-3 veggies & 1-2 fruits, I pick broccoli, celery, carrot & apple, peel & de seed, chop up & put thru a blender & blend to a pulp then I froze in 4 spoon sections, what I needed for 1 day meals & I froze the Kangaroo mince & chicken breast all cut up in 1 cup sections, I had to add 1 cup raw meat & 1-2 spoons of the veggie/fruit mix.. but your dog will lose more weight on the raw diet, she needs to fix her stomach first make it healthy again, she’d be better eating a cooked diet, feed at least 3 meals a day, feed her the amount of kibble she needs in smaller meals, then a cooked meal for another meal & see which meal she keeps down & digests best.. I like the Canidae Pure Meadow you don’t need to feed as much, all Patch needs is 1 & 1/2 cups a day & with the TOTW it’s 2 cups a day so not much to digest when you break the meals up…
    Jacqueline made me add a digestive enzyme & probiotic to the raw meals but I think the Digestive Enzyme digested the meal too quickly in Patches stomach cause 20mins after eating the raw meal, 1 cup kangaroo mince mixed with 2 spoons of the blended veggie/fruit mix Patch would burp & all digested raw bits of meat & water would come up into Patches mouth & onto the floor, I thought his sphincter flap wasn’t closing properly from his stomach to his esophagus & foods was coming back up but I think the digestive enzymes made the raw meal digest way too quickly & when he burped the raw was still in his stomach & it came flying back up & out of his mouth, raw didn’t work for Patch, he kept regurgitating it back up & got bad acid reflux, back then I didn’t think it was the digestive enzymes causing the problem but now when I look back it was the digestive enzymes, I should of stopped adding them to the raw, but I think his stomach wasn’t healthy enough to cope with a raw diet at the time, I started to cook his raw food made into rissole balls baked in the oven & boiled sweet potato & mixed it all together, he did heaps better on a cooked diet then a raw diet, I’d cook once a week every Sunday & freeze it all but I still feed kibble TOTW 7am & 5pm feeds & the cooked meals for 12pm & 8pm feeds the kibble seems to work the best for him once I found a kibble that digest easily…It’s hard to keep the weight on so more smaller meals are needed thru the day this way the stomach & pancreas don’t have to work over time digesting 1 big meal of food, you can buy those feeding machines you put the kibble in & set the timer so she gets a small meal while your at work, you need to work out how much to feed her & feed her an extra 1/2 a cup that’s when I feed the cooked or wet tin foods as extra meals to keep the weight on… Patch should be 18kg +40lbs…
    If a dog eats 4 or 5 times a day they don’t poo 4 to 5 poo’s a day, my boy just does 2 firm brown poo’s a day & he eats 5 smaller meals….
    Have a look at her poo’s, what colour are her poo’s, yellow, green/black, are they soft, cow patties or firm? I’m just wondering if she is doing yellow sloppy poo’s or a greenie black poo’s ?

    #101489 Report Abuse
    anonymous
    Member

    In response to:
    “I think I am going to start putting her food in a few different bowls so she has to eat it more slowly – and see if that helps before spending money on different bowls..good idea!”

    https://www.chewy.com/qt-dog-brake-fast-stainless-steel/dp/132965
    QT Dog Brake-Fast Stainless Steel Dog Bowl is a brake-fast stainless steel bowl made to help slow down your dog while he’s eating. It’s the original slow down bowl that’s veterinarian tested and approved to help him feel satisfied and full in the process to reduce the risk of bloating. Works great with kibble or canned food and is dishwasher safe.
    Key Benefits
    Helps to reduce bloating by forcing your pet to slow down when they eat
    Slower eating allows your pet to feel more full and reduces instances of re-eating
    No tip shape and no skid ring around the bottom keeps the bowl secure and in place while your pet enjoys their meal
    Works with both kibble or wet food so you can use the same bowl for all meals
    Made from durable materials and are dishwasher safe for easy clean up
    Ps: If you are interested in science based veterinary medicine, go here http://skeptvet.com/Blog/
    I have found the above site to be very helpful and informative, use the search engine at that site to look up specific topics.

    #101498 Report Abuse
    Kathy B
    Member

    I also have a rescue (OES) and when first got her she had constant diarrhea so I researched looking for a higher fiber food and went with Blue Wilderness Large Breed so now I get an occasional firm stool but at least one very loose stool daily, then I started noticing the gas. In looking I saw that ProPlan Sensitive Stomach is good and helps reduce shedding. Does anyone have any experience with this or have another recommendation. I most definitely want a good quality food. And one of the reasons I chose Blue Wilderness Large Breed was because of the glucosamine and chondroitin.

    • This reply was modified 6 years, 9 months ago by Kathy B.
Viewing 12 posts - 1 through 12 (of 12 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.