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Advice on changing food

emmag

Member
Hi everyone :)
Izzie has been suffering from an upset tummy and she has an eye infection and also I have noticed she is itching a lot. I'm being told that I should try her on a grain free diet as this could be allergies. Does anybody have any recommendations for a new diet. She's currently eating Wellness for puppies, but I am really looking into a 'raw' diet. Is this a good thing? I just dont know what to do. I'm worried that if I keep switching her food she's gonna keep getting diarrea. Any help is massively appreciated..

Emma and Izzie
:paw:
 
Origen and Arden Grange are both grain free and excellent foods. I have yet to encounter any bad effects using these foods. I don't feed raw so am afraid I can't give any advice on it. If you are switching though, do it over a reasonable period of time (maybe a week) of gradually reducing the current food and gradually increasing the new food until it's only new food they are eating. If you do this your dog is much less likely to have a dodgy belly.

Have you read the sections of the site about SM? Unfortunatly, scratching is Cavaliers can be caused by this. However, skin irritation, and dodgy tummies, and food allergies (perticularly grain) go hand in hand and if the poor pets skin is itchy all over then grain free is a good plan. Finding one that suits your dog, esp is they are a bit sensitive, can be a bit of a pain in the bum but worth is when your little one is happy and healthy. Good luck (y)
 
I have switched my Scooby to part raw part grain free kibble and he is doing very well on it so far.
You don't say where you are but I am in England and I feed one meal per day raw food (Nature's Menu - which comes frozen) and one meal James Wellbeloved cereal free (comes in Lamb, Turkey or Fish varieties). He also has Manuka Honey and since I switched him he has had no dandruff, no sore skin/hot spots and firm healthy stools.
I introduced these foods gradually and he has been on them alone with no real variation for about six weeks now. Scooting has become infrequent as has scratching and head shaking.
I am glad I did it for both of us.
 
I looked at the Arden Grange website and don't see any grain-free foods on the site?

Some grain-free varieties that I've used, and have liked are:

Orijen- all varieties are grain free. This is a FABULOUS food, but expensive. I have fed this for 2 years now and love it.
Fromm Four Star, Surf & Turf Grain Free
Acana Provincial Line- I'm trying the "Prairie Harvest" one now. They also have a lamb & fish variety called "Grasslands" that is probably good if your dog is sensitive to Chicken.
Wellness Core line- all grain free

When you switch to a grain-free high protein food, make the change gradually. Their poops could become more frequent and slightly loose at first but within 2 weeks they are firm and perfect. Well, as perfect as poop can be!
 
Trisha, the Arden Grange sensitive is grain free - Ocean white fish and potato- I recently bought some for my 'itchy dog' and my 'dodgy poos' dog, and am waiting to use up the food they are currently on before I start this, but I have great hopes that it will help them.
Charli
 
Hi Charli- Thanks for clarifying. You're right, the allergy formula is grain-free. I have to point out, though, that the first ingredient is potato and there is only one source of meat, and it's the second ingredient. I'm a real freak about food, and this doesn't look like it has enough meat content. If you're looking strictly for grain-free this would not be my first choice. Just my opinion!

They should call it "Potato and white fish"
 
Hi all, firstly can I say a huge thank you to you all for your time in replying to me :) Its so hard to know what to do for the best as there's soooo much choice out there and deciding on what's best for your puppy is a daunting task!
I think I have settled on putting Izzie on a part raw, part grain free kibble diet. I've been advised to try to vary her diet slightly, still sticking to the raw but mixing it up a bit so she gets all the vitamins and nutrients she needs. Plus I've been advised to use fish oil too. it comes in a spray can and a couple of squirts per meal will do the trick. Does anybody else use this?
Also what do you guys think of mixing in some human diet stuff. I've been reading that you can give your dogs raw eggs?? It seems to be important for them to have a high protein diet and not a high carb diet so I am willing to mix it up a bit if that's the case as I want izzie to be on the best diet. I have to agree with Trisha about the potato ratio to meat. I've been reading that potato is not necessarily the best way to go. A lot of kibbles I have looked at are 'potato free' Sorry I'm being a food freak too!!
Thanks for the brand recommendations, I am going to research them now.

Emma & Izzie

(p.s. we are Brits abroad.. currently residing in rainy new York but originate from the sunny ! U.K.)
 
Also what do you guys think of mixing in some human diet stuff. I've been reading that you can give your dogs raw eggs??

I feed raw and mix in "human" food...in the morning they are fed The Honest Kitchen "Preference" line (all veg/fruits, no meats/grains/gluten), and I mix in cottage cheese or goats milk yogurt, flaked barley, oats, pumpkin, salmon oil, olive oil, a few supplements, tripe, and a raw egg about twice a week. For dinner they get their RMBs and organ meat (raw meaty bones - either chicken, turkey, beef, lamb or rabbit) - they also get canned fish sometimes.

I hope that helps. It might seem complicated, but once you're used to it and get into a routine it's easy :) I just always make sure I supervise them when they're eating their RMBs...The Honest Kitchen has several formulas, mostly with a meat source, and it's a great way to start feeding raw (it contains dehydrated fruits, veggies, meat, etc). Then you can slowly add extra ingredients, and if you're not sure about what to add you can call them, they will tell you what you can add and what NOT to add (ex: egg shells), because it will throw off certain ratios.

Good luck! :)
 

"The only thing is all our dogs have fish breath! But secretly I kinda like it. :eek:"

Just found your comment Trisha and it cracked me up!!!!!!!!!! We have to be friends!

Just to let you all know I'm trying the iz dog on raw food and orijen kibble . I also bought some fish oil. Well....
OMG she was soooo excited for her dinner. She was doing '360' jumps which she hasnt done for so long. It was so cute and almost bought me to tears! Its just great to see your puppy excited again about eating after all the struggles we have had over the last couple of weeks.
Thanks again so much everybody :) I sure as hell have one happy content puppy who is currently laying next to me snoring her little head off, probably dreaming of orijen and dancing fish!! :)

Emma and Izzie
 
Izzie has got such a bad tummy. Im not sure what to do :(. She has really bad diarrhea. I put her on raw plus some Orijen kibble. Has anybody had problems with Orijen?
She also got attacked quite badly on friday so I'm not sure if this could have caused it too??
 
Did you switch her food gradually? A quick switch can sometimes cause tummy problems. Has she seen a vet after the attack? Are there infected wounds? If she is on meds that could contribute I'm sure.
 
When I switched my dogs to Orijen and yes, there were some soft poops but not diarrhea. Did you switch gradually? Remember that not all dogs do well on a high protein diet- so keep that in mind.
 
Yes I am switching gradually but she seems so sensitive even to her normal food, which is giving her diarrhea.
She's now just vomited so I'm going to take her to the vet, poor little puppy dog, she's really going through it lately..
No infected wounds, thankfully!
 
emmag - There is a Yahoo Group that I read, which is all about healthy eating. They don't debate raw vs grain-free quality kibble and are only interested in what is best for each person's dog. You might enjoy browsing it. http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/K9Nutrition/

As far as ready-made raw diets, the brands I am familiar with are Primal Pets, Nature's Variety, and Aunt Jeni's. There are other brands that are here in the U.S., but those 3 are the ones I can get locally.

There may be other Yahoo Groups dedicated to raw feeding; ;you can search the Yahoo Groups and probably find more. So far, I have used the frozen ready to eat types. I don't cook much at home, and won't do it for a dog. Food prep is hard on my degenerating neck... all that looking down.
 
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