[Regina D]

Why are Blue Buffalo Stews not on this list? They are 5 star rated. My dog loves them.

[Regina D]

Thank you for the info re Pepcid. Not that it changes the warning, but Alf is a 50 lb standard poodle. He has had digestive problems for so long, I am desperate and willing to try anything – not a good way to operate. Thanks again. Any other suggestions welcome.

[Regina D]

Sue: So many good ideas. Thank you for taking the time to share. I am going to print your suggestions and try to incorporate them into Alf’s diet. I want to give the vet’s prescription a trial for a couple more weeks. So far no diarrhea, and gurgling only 1 day in the last 10. I have figured out he doesn’t like to eat in the morning. I was feeding him 3 times a day. I have cut back to twice. I will definitely try the toast & honey next time he has gurgling. I am also continuing Pepcid every AM. That is on recommendation from a friend. If he returns to being ill, I will try wetting dry kibble as you suggested. I am adding a small amount of boiled chicken and rice to his canned Iams. He loves chicken and rice. I may try adding that to dry kibble. I don’t mind cooking for him, but think I should be adding vitamins and minerals if I feed homemade and I’m not sure how to do that.

[Regina D]

We thot we had this thing licked. Then Ralph refused to eat at breakfast & lunch. Early afternoon his stomach started gurgling again. He had one large soft formed BM this morning, no diarrhea all day. Gave him a Pepcid around 3PM. By dinner time he was able to eat 1 can. He won’t eat anymore tonite. We will see how things go tomorrow. It is so frustrating…he does well for 5 or 6 days, then the same old thing again. I wish we could find something to help.

[Regina D]

So glad you had a good report on the tests. I hope things go well for your pup on royal canin.

[Regina D]

I feel your concern and understand how you feel. We have been trying to find something that would help Alfie for 2+ months. I too am willing to use food that may not have the best rating or ingredients if it helps him. Some people can’t understand that, but it is better than having him poop away his life. I am hoping to eventually get him onto a better food. Good luck with your fur baby. He looks so cute in his picture!

[Regina D]

Sue: Thanks for the helpful and encouraging information. My Alf will not eat dry kibble; however, I had him on canned Natural Balance lamb & rice. I wanted to put him on a better limited ingredient diet and someone did recommend Wellness Simple duck and oats. I was just thinking of transitioning him to that when he got sick again. So he is on “tummy rest” for now. The vet said at least 30 days, then ‘re-evaluate”. I was encouraged that Patch was on the intestinal formula for 5 months and that you are now able to slowly add Wellness. I thought if he still wasn’t well after 30 days this would be a permanent thing. I sure don’t want him on Iams permanently. I will check Eukanuba canned on their US website.

[Regina D]

Low residue has easily digested ingredients that are absorbed easily by the body so the digestive system doesn’t have to work as hard. There is little “residue” left; therefore stools are smaller and less frequent. My dog has been sick for 2 months with intermittent diarrhea and anorexia. We have tried many things (along with the vet). The vet feels now that the dog’s system is so messed up it would be best to let it rest as much as possible, and I agree. It is just that I don’t like the vet formula Iams ingredients and yet I haven’t found a good alternative.
I’d like to add that I am also giving probiotics in an effort to boost his immune system. I hope this low residue diet regime will be short term.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 10 months ago by Regina D.

[Regina D]

Need a canned food – Alf won’t eat dry.

[Regina D]

Are these limited ingredient foods, like NB & Wellness, complete foods? Or do I need to add supplements if fed long-term?

[Regina D]

Thanks for the suggestions. I buy from Chewy. They carry Wellness lamb and Oatmeal. I may try that once we get settled in. My husband gave Alf one piece of raw meat & bone chicken wing Saturday & he had an upset stomach all day yesterday – no vomiting or diarrhea, but lots of gurgling & wouldn’t eat a bite – just slept all day. Much better today. We will be sticking with NB & only NB for quite a while.

[Regina D]

Betsy: What is “ACV” and What is “avid”?

Got results back on stool specimen – negative. I will check with my regular vet early next week (there is a sub vet on Th,Fr,Sat) to see what was tested & where to go from here.

I am currently treating it as food intolerance. (He has no skin problems, so I don’t think it is a food allergy). He has had 2 meals of Home-cooked chicken & rice with a chicken & rice only canned food (Canidae). So far, so good, He didn’t do well on Dr. Tim’s dry.
If that doesn’t work, I will try an “unusual” protein, like lamb & rice or duck & rice.

[Regina D]

Crazy4cats: So, if Alf is intolerant, I am considering switching to a limited ingredient canned food, perhaps with lamb and brown rice. Not sure which brand. Natural Balance and Nature’s Choice both have possibilities, but NC is rated quite low on this site. At least NB is 3 1/2*. I know in my mind that stars aren’t that important when looking for a treatment, but in my heart they make me feel like I am feeding my dog an inferior food if it is not 4* or above! lol.

[Regina D]

Crazy4cats: Thanks for recommending the dogaware.com website. I have been there reading all evening. Very informative. I am leaning towards food “intolerance” (as opposed to “allergy”). However, I never received a call from my vet regarding the stool sample I left there today. I am going to call first thing in the morning. I sure hope she checked the sample while it was fresh. It upsets me that she didn’t call me.

[Regina D]

No Guardia diagnosed, just treating the symptoms in case that was what it was. No panacur or Drontal plus yet. Will see what stool shows today. Vet is leaning towards Irritable Bowel. I feel that might be just a catch all when they don’t know what it is. (Sorry vets out there-I was a nurse practitioner and know how frustrating diagnosis can be). I will appreciate your input on holistic. Waiting on results for now. Alf still won’t take anything by mouth, not even a small piece of boiled chicken from my hand. No diarrhea today – just rumbling, anorexia, lethargy.

[Regina D]

Thanks. I took a stool sample to vet this AM. Alf was treated about 10 days ago with Metronizadole for giardia. Today I asked them to check for worms & parasites, including coccydia.
I had just finished another 2 days with chicken & rice and started adding dry food back (Dr. Tim’s) yesterday. This morning Alf had the rumbling stomach again and won’t eat. We gave him a Pepto Bismal (per vet advice) and took the sample to the vet. The saga continues…
Everyone has been so helpful.

[Regina D]

Thank you. This is most helpful information. Alf came vaccinated and “wormed”. In fact, we administered the 2nd & 3rd doses. I will collect a stool sample as soon as possible and have it tested for coccydia. Right now Alf has been fine for almost a week. I took him off all dog food and am adding back 1 at a time, a week at a time, to determine which one is the culprit. I am still on the first food. Regardless, I will definitely get the test done. Again, thank you so much for the information.

[Regina D]

Betsy: If I want to use sardines as topping for dry, are you talking about canned sardines? How about canned salmon or tuna?

[Regina D]

Sue66 – Thanks for sharing. Lots of good info since you have been down the same road with Patch. I hope he is doing better.

[Regina D]

Don’t feel like I have narrowed the problem down to WEF beef yet. If I do, I will follow up to prevent others from being effected.

[Regina D]

Alf is an apricot standard poodle! Sweet boy!

[Regina D]

Thank you very much. You have confirmed my conclusion. I will let you know how it goes in a week or two. I thought the dry/wet digestion statement was a little quirky myself, but I am at a loss, desperate for a solution.

[Regina D]

Thank you to all who have helped. This is what I think I will do, once I finish a couple of days of chicken & rice, I will start to add in Dr. Tim’s dry a little at a time. If that works, I would like to use dry, with canned on top as a regular feeding. I will not leave dry out anymore. I will try to use only chicken Whole Earth Farms for the canned. Dr. Tim’s dry seems to have some good ingredients for digestion, and Alf seems to like the taste. I have never tried dry & canned mixture. It sounds like a lot of people do. One person said it is not good to feed both, as dry & canned are digested in different ways in dogs, which can cause problems. Some say dry alone doesn’t have all a dog needs, others say that about canned! Still very confusing. I just want my poor baby to stop feeling sick!

[Regina D]

I usually order from Chewy; however, while trying smaller amounts than 1 case, I shop at small, privately owned local business.

[Regina D]

Before the sickness, no change. When we first got him, we fed Blue Wilderness that we had left from previous pet. (By the way, he eats no treats, no table food, gets nothing from outside). When the BW was almost gone, we saw here that Whole Earth Farms, by Merrick, was top rated. We also leave out at all times, dry Dr. Tim’s (recommended here). We decided to try that (introduced by weaning off BW till gone). He did fine on that (adult or chicken/turkey formulas) for a few weeks. A couple of weeks ago, I tried the beef stew formula. In retrospect, that may be the culprit. While he was sick, chick & rice, then gradually adding his regular canned. Was tolerating. Yesterday I mixed in about 1/3 can of beef stew with his other food, and this morning the “grumbling” started again (wretching and not eating, no vomiting, no diarrhea). Today the pet food store people sold me Natural Choice chicken,rice,oatmeal (he doesn’t seem to be allergic to grains) and Canadae chicken/rice to try. I don’t like the ratings on these, but thought the chicken/rice formulas may be helpful till he gets better. I am not mixing, just trying the NC first. Someone said to try dry food only, or dry mixed with 1/2 can. Can be so confusing!! Everyone has a different opinion. And vets always want to use a prescription food – I don’t want to go that route if I don’t have to.

[Regina D]

Thanks for the “feed”back. Alf is a 5 year old male standard poodle who we rescued about 6 weeks ago. Your answers make sense. I was told he ate canned in foster home. He is tolerating canned WEF very well. In fact he loves it. I am in the habit of always leaving dry available. He doesn’t eat much of it, but every time I see some gone, I notice the loose stools. I think I will try another brand. Any suggestions?

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