[Jane E]

Before I did anything,I would take them to your vet and check for pancreatitis. Pure Vita is a terrific food for Boxer,specifically the turkey and sweet potato

[Jane E]

Pure Vita ,Nature’s Logic or Fromm Puppy Gold

[Jane E]

Before I considered changing food I would run a FULL thyroid panel through Jean Dodds at HEMOPET or ask your vet to run tests that include T4,Free T4,T3,Free T3 and TgAA. A low thyroid is not at all uncommon in an older dog. Anything less than a full thyroid panel is not truly diagnostic

[Jane E]

In all honesty if the food has been working with no issues before this ,I would consider adding a fish oil…Grizzly salmon oil or some other high quality fish oil. Or a few sardines in oil to the food

[Jane E]

well that’s downright unnerving…a 25% weight loss. Any blood in her stool?

[Jane E]

Gosh I am hearing more and more about Merrick and that issue. Seems that Merrick was bought out a few years back and their formulations must have changed. I would try Pure Vita turkey and sweet potato if I were you. Also Nature’s Logic has a nice turkey formula.

[Jane E]

Let me initially state that I have never had personal experience with a dog with lupus. I have had other auto immune issues in dogs however (currently a Cushings dog and in the past Addison’s). In my experience I have found turkey to be the best tolerated across the board and lamb being one of the most problematic on the GI system. This is over many years in dogs with a variety of issues. I like Natures Logic ,Horizon and Pure Vita. I love Ziwi Peak but they don’t have a turkey but they are an excellent company with the highest of standards. If you are even flirting with the idea of feeding raw get in touch with Answers Pet Food…they are gold standard and are very well versed in nutrition and what can help a dog,speak to Jacqueline

[Jane E]

Another really nice food with little if any tansitional issues is Pure Vita and specifically the turkey and sweet potato

[Jane E]

I don’t think it’s that simple (the price of the food). I think that going from Purina to Merrick that you have changed absolutely everything about her diet,proteins,carbs,KCAL etc… You didn’t mention how long it’s been . Was this the first day on 100% Merrick? Did you see none of this at all during the transition? At the very least I would rest her gut and skip a feeding altogether and then begin back at 1/2 the feeding amount for 2-3 days and if during that time if there is any vomitting I would discontinue the Merrick. The large pooping amount can be transitional and I would tolerate that for a while to see if it changes. I am a little more than curious about her reaction being to the protein rather than the formula (grain free) itself. Is she self feeds I would consider feeding her twice a day during the transition so you can have more control. Is there a reason you chose the duck over the same protein that was in the Pro Plan she’d been eating all along?

[Jane E]

crazy4cats-what a great link,it’s new to me…I can’t get it to reset however…any suggestions?

[Jane E]

This is a great line…I’ve been rotating through it for a few years now https://www.natureslogic.com/dog-products/#dry

[Jane E]

a typical letter when contacting Dr Harvey
s company:
Thank you for your email and you interest in Dr. Harvey’s. Dr. Harvey has read your email and would like to speak with you concerning your specific issue and questions.

He is usually available Monday through Friday from about 11 AM -3 PM EST.

Please call our Toll Free number, which is 1. 866. DOC H -123

(1.866.362.4123).

If calling during this time is not possible for you please let us know by email where and when we can contact you.

He is a wealth of information and hopefully can help you with your question and particular situation. Of course there is never any charge to speak with him.

We look forward to your call and to helping you and your companion.

Yours in Truth and Health,

Wendy Shankin-Cohen

President/CEO

Dr. Harvey’s

[Jane E]

http://www.theurbandogstore.com/uploads/5/5/4/1/55413847/pet_parents_handbook_for_keto_and_canine_cancer.pdf

Also Dr Harvey is a good one to talk to…

[Jane E]

muscle fatigue

[Jane E]

I have used this product with 4 dogs now with impressive results. Call and speak to the founders,Andrea or Julie and they will give you details and very specific recommendations https://www.adoredbeast.com/products/leaky-gut-protocol

[Jane E]

Origen white paper is worth reading from top to bottom (Goggle it). Here is an excerpt:
Protein requirements actually increase by about 50% in older dogs, while their energy requirements tend to decrease. When insufficient protein is provided, it can aggravate the age-associated loss of lean body mass and may contribute to earlier mortality.

[Jane E]

I always enjoy advice from someone who’s been in dogs for years.I raised Poodles for many years and always used Eukanuba with great results…I’d add tuna packed in oil and some hard boiled eggs when I needed a little something extra when growing show coat. I used calf manna when a bitch was nursing…they never ever lost coat quality. Over time and then changing breed (to Boxers) and discovering that so much of the time the Boxers had “sensitive stomachs” for a myriad of reasons I changed how I fed. I began home cooking,went to grain free dog foods when they first hit the market (I used to meet the Innova distributor in our area in parking lots at night to buy in bulk).I bought Solid Gold dog food by the pallet. I bought a commercial meat grinder and made my own raw food. I joined co-ops to be able to feed more economically. You name it and I have done it. Right now I have 2 dogs in the house ,an older UK import Boxer and a Brussels Griffon rescue and they each eat something different and I just shake my head. I remember when things were not this complicated and much of the time I wonder if they have to be. Your post is making me stop and do a reset. Thank you for that. Could you provide a link for the Dumor product you refer to? I have Googled it and cannot find anything that matches your specific description.May I ask what your Labs typically succumb (COD) to and at what age as a rule? Dumor white 5 lb container with red lid is what I am asking to see a link for.
Thanks again for your years of experience. I agree that genetics play a huge part in health or lack thereof

[Jane E]

Sure wish Answers was more affordable…it is by far the highest quality raw food I know…I couldn’t agree more

[Jane E]

I have had Boxers for years and I know only too well those sensitive guts. Right now I have a 9 1/2 y/o and I feed Canine Caviar Limited Ingredient Free Sprit and Nature’s Logic Canine Chicken Meal Feast. I look for dry foods without peas,legumes or beans of any kind. I find that with the newer formulations of even Champion Pet foods (Acana and Orijen) these are being added and are in the first 3-5 ingredients and so many dogs are just incapable of digesting and utilizing legumes. I fed Acana for many years but I do not anymore. I love the company and their transparency and their mission statement.
May I ask how you feed,i.e.: twice a day or are they given food to free feed throughout the day? I’ve had a lot of Boxers which also include over 60 rescues and Boxers live to eat….unless they are ill. They do best with two feedings a day 10-12 hours apart. My hunch is that your guys just may have residual upset stomachs and hence why they are spitting food out

[Jane E]

Something I’ll be interested to learn too because I feed this and have for some time

[Jane E]

I think dryness can be seasonal and linked to the colder dryer air. That being said it is not always the protein either,meaning salmon does not always offer a higher fat content (which would affect the skin). Larger breeds can do well on adult formulas too…this allows for slower growth. There are many brands which a great,Pure Vita,Canine Caviar,Fromm and I have even heard good things about Victor or Costco’s brand of dog food. Adding some fish oil to the existing food may be a way to go too

[Jane E]

Here are some great foods…you do the homework to see if it meets your dietary needs however…Canine Caviar Limited Ingredient,Nutrisca,Horizon,Lotus,Zignature.

[Jane E]

Try Canine Caviar Limited Ingredient line. I use this and am very happy with it http://www.caninecaviar.com/product/free-spirit/

[Jane E]

First let me say I have no personal experience with your breed. I own Boxers and they tend to stay lean up until about 3 years old. Lean is preferred over heavy.
Does he have loose stools or does he throw up from time to time? It is not uncommon for hooks not to show up in a fecal,most of the time the vet does a floatation fecal and they are less than effective,always ask for direct and floatation. I’ll get back with you as to another very accurate test for parasites.
Did you see his parents? Did their sizes meet breed standard? Was this pup a smaller than average pup in his litter?
Many times higher protein and a grain free food will make it difficult to put weight on a dog. Although overall I am not a fan of a LOT of grains,it seems that oats are easier than most digest and they add calories and can soothe the gut too.Do you give a good probiotic?
Alana makes nice foods, several people I have talked to lately are having success with Acana Regional Red (beef). I like Canine Caviar Free Spirit Holistique and First Mate chicken and blueberries. I don’t know if any of these are available locally in your area. Can you order from Chewy or PetFlow? They are fabulous

[Jane E]

What breed is the dog? More times than not in a medium to large breed dog I have known many people to find the puppy formulation just too much of a good thing…just too rich. You may want to consider an adult formula

[Jane E]

Honest Kitchen has some nice grain free formulas. If I were you and you are looking for a grain I would use oatmeal instead of rice. It just seems to be better tolerated. Also turkey is tolerated well as a rule by Boxers. Have ups considered cooking ? I make a few crockpots up at a time and then portion it out into individual servings and freeze it…

[Jane E]

Have you discovered what things she is sensitive to? Is it GI upsets? Do you feed twice a day? Is she a picky eater ,is that why you are looking for a wet food?

[Jane E]

http://vet.tufts.edu/wp-content/uploads/low-sodium-diet-list-for-dogs-2015.pdf

[Jane E]

http://www.primalpetfoods.com/communities/read/id/4

[Jane E]

/forums/topic/congestive-heart-failure-dietfoods/

[Jane E]

what about a prepared raw food?

[Jane E]

http://www.championpetfoods.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/Effects_of_High_Protein_on_Renal_Function.pdf

[Jane E]

Gosh there are so many nice ones…Pure Vita is a good one and tolerated well by older dogs,Zignature, Horizon if it’s available near you and Nutrisca…another nice one…Pure Vita I think is the best bang for your buck and it’s a quality food

[Jane E]

The treat I give around here and have for many years now are Fruitables (crunchy ones) because they are low fat and a great size…they seem to address all the needs (older dogs with pancreatitis,younger dogs you are training and you don’t went to increase calories and last but not least can be carried in your pocket without making it greasy)…just all around great IMO…they aren’t cheap but I ONLY give them when a certain behavior is accomplished…around here they are always given one when they go in the crate …no treats just because so they aren’t used freely…As I was potty training dogs I used these smaller pelletized treats from BilJac and they are the perfect size and they just gobble them up and really don’t have to chew because they are softer…I’d probably use those again if I were to be potty training a dog….then they would only be used for that…the moment a dog *goes* outside I click to mark the behavior and give a treat and celebrate by clapping my hands and doing some sort of celebration jig!!! Have fun with the new pup

[Jane E]

When was the last time you had a her cortisol level checked…she may need an adjustment on dosage…thinking less. I say this because my 52# Boxer who had Cushings was well controlled on 15MG of Vetoryl. I had it compounded so the doses could be given twice a day which is optimal. I home cooked for her ,I also used Honest Kitchen. I think overall the less processing a food goes through the better assimilated it is…

[Jane E]

Pure Vita turkey and sweet potato

[Jane E]

Zignature is a great food. I also like Nutrisca for it’s simplicity

[Jane E]

Can’t wait to read the replies. I have wondered about it too

[Jane E]

The next time you do any thyroid testing please consider doing a full panel. The T4 is not a diagnostic test,it’s a waste of money. Both Antech and Idexx do this and I have never been able to figure out why. A dog can have a T4 within normal range and still be hypothyroid.

[Jane E]

I have experienced this many times but it typically happens much earlier…definitely before a year. To me it is a signal that they want less (amounts and frequency). I feed all dogs every 12 hours,or as close to that as my schedule will allow. I do not dress up or top the food with anything…I just give what I want them to have and I put it down and set the timer for 10 minutes and then I pick it up. It does;’t matter if it’s finished or not. I think this creates good eaters…when the bowl is in front of you EAT. If it is unfinished I will not offer anything again until the next meal. Your dogs are healthy so they will be fine and the lesson is typically learned pretty quickly

[Jane E]

Could it be that he has a denser coat right now (age/seasonal?) and that he never dries well after a bath…also any really coated breed should be bathed twice and rinsed very well. I think anal glands need to be left alone unless there is a problem and then it is something a vet should do. Damage can be done to the anal glands when they are manipulated unnecessarily (they can be ruptured internally). Does he require a flea and tick shampoo? If not a gentler shampoo might be in order (oatmeal based or the best one I think is Eqyss Micro Tec maximum strength pet shampoo) I’ve used it for years. Also with a heavily coated breed it’s hard to *see* if they are having skin issues unless they loose hair. Is he scratching or chewing on his fur?

[Jane E]

Honest Kitchen would be great…it’s dehydrated and can be eaten easily

[Jane E]

Please hold off on the spay,at this point it’s elective and not at all a priority. I understand your angst about invasive diagnostics but IMO that is the ONLY way to proceed…you have to have a definitive diagnosis to be able to know what to do next…anything less is too much trial and error. I had my Boxer bitch scoped (endoscopy and colonoscopy) a little after 2 and she’ll be to this May (IBS/colitis). It has been helpful to know how and what to feed her. We’ve had other GI issues along the way (hemmoragic gastritis,bowel resections,polyps,pancreatitis flares with the IBS…) but overall she has fared well and you’d never know to look at her she copes with illness. I’ve had success with Hill’s Ultra Z/D,Honest Kitchen Zeal and Force and home cooking….turkey and oatmeal and veggies run through the food processor.

[Jane E]

Honest Kitchen Force,Pure Vita turkey…depends on if you have narrowed down what irritates your pups sensitive stomach….It is always good to trial with a single douce protein and in fact the simpler the product the better

[Jane E]

I think I would quickly go back to what was working. In the meantime closely compare the ingredient list between the two foods and try to nail down what may be so different and objectionable…maybe a different fat source that she is having trouble digesting? I used to spend a lot of time trying to make something work…or thinking that it eventually would,but I rarely do that anymore…and with a dog that is actively being shown there is too much too loose to continue on with something that is working well all around.

[Jane E]

I think Champion Pet foods addresses these questions about as well as I’ve seen. Look over this FAQ page and also a white paper that explains in detail any concerns one may have when it comes to protein (grain free) and see what you think http://www.orijen.ca/faq/

[Jane E]

This is worth reading I think. http://www.whole-dog-journal.com/landing/food-allergies.html/?st=PPC

[Jane E]

I’d consider Acana…it’s a great company with superior foods….Lots of Boxer people go right into that when weaning and they do very well

[Jane E]

Pure Vita seems to so well with dogs with sensitive guts…. But I always transition slowly with dogs who have ANY history of digestive issues. She just may be one of those that don’t tolerate change…period…and as much as it pains us to leave them on a lesser food because we think another label just reads better…we sometimes have to

[Jane E]

Have you taken your Golden to the vet and had the vet determine if it’s yeast or bacteria? His ears need to be treated effectively . True food allergies are not very common. It’s much more likely that the sweet potato (starch and sugar) is aggravating and feeding the yeasty ears IF that is what he is dealing with… I would look for a food without sweet potatoes and even one without potatoes altogether. Pure Vita has some nice foods,Fromm,Zignature. I would look for a single source protein (you may have success with a novel protein) and of course grain free.

[Author]

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