[mydogquestion]

Help,I have a nine year old shepherd his food was recalled . For about three weeks had problems with runny stool. The brand of food is back on the shelf (no danger) but since back on his food recurring bowel problems. Shouls I change food?? Has been to the vet no parasites and all blood work OK!! Help

[MrPippin]

It sounds like you are saying that he has been back on his old diet for about 3 weeks and since that time his stool has been runny. I would put him back on whatever food he was on before you switched back and see if the problem goes away. If it does, then stay with that food. If all his blood work is OK and there are no parasites then I would assume it has something to do with the diet. The fact his problems began at the same time you made the change would also make the change top suspect. Let us know what happens when you switch back to the previous diet.

[labman]

From the sticky at https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/dogs/i...tml#post254171

Bland recovery diet for dogs.

3 parts cooked rice, one part boiled hamburger or chicken, or cottage cheese. I think you can substitute boiled potatoes for the rice. Once in an emergency, we bought a plain baked potato from Wendy's.

This is meant for short time settling a dog's digestive tract. It is not the complete and balanced diet they need long term. I have seen it work.

Try putting him on it for a few days and see if his stool firms up. Once it does, slowly introduce a regular chow, whichever he was doing the best on. A sudden change of chow could be enough to cause digestive upsets.

[mydogquestion]

Thanks for info. I have had on a bland diet boiled chicken and rice .When I put him back on his food only his stool becomes very soft in about. Two days. I'm thinking the brand has changed. He has been back on this brand for about two weeks. Should I ditch the brand.
His weight is unchanged and his appetite is fine. Just really loose stool.

[MrPippin]

It is hard for me to say if the brand has changed its ingredients. Did you have the dog on a different food (other than a bland diet) between the time his food was recalled and the time you put him back on it? If you did and he didn't have soft stools maybe you should go back to the previous diet. I am assuming the food you have him on is canned as that is mostly what was recalled. You might want to try adding a bit of dry chow in with it and see if that helps (a bit higher in fiber). I personally prefer the dry chow to canned for my dogs, but many dogs do very well on canned food. Just keep an eye on it and let your vet know if it gets worse.

[labman]

It is possible they did reformulate it. You could check the new and old ingredients list. If he was doing better on the other chow, maybe stick to it. Many people support anything that is working. The bland diets are a common tool.

[mydogquestion]

Well I'm still having problems with the soft stool. He is eating only dry food .I am on day seven of the conversion to natural pack. He has been off the medication from the vet for about five days appetite normal ,activity level normal. Potty times normal just real mushy. Is this just the way it is going to be? He is nine and a German shepherd so I know his system is sensitive but will he ever have solid poop?

[labman]

I merged you new question into the old one. It makes it easier to keep track of what has been done so far.

If his stool was normal before, you should be able to find something he will do OK on now even if they have changed it. I would give what you are feeding a few more days. Do you mean 7 days on just the chow, or 7 days of transition? I have always believed most dogs will do OK on most chows. I am not sure how many cases there are where a dog needs to switch to a different chow. Yours may be one.

If it doesn't firm up in a few more days, go back to the bland diet until it does. Then slowly introduce a new chow, one with a very different ingredient list. Different brand, different protein source.

[RubyPitbull]

I agree with labman. If you find that your dog needs to go back to the bland recovery diet (which it sounds like he does), please do so. Whatever is going on it sounds like the chows are not agreeing with his system anymore. Since he is now 9 years old, while he is on the bland recovery diet, speak with your vet about putting your dog on a higher fiber chow such as Hill's Science Diet W/D. That will give most definitely give him solid stools. After he is fully back to normal stools on the bland recovery diet, I would start to mix the bland diet in with the new chow, increasing the amount of new chow & decreasing the amount of bland diet, at each feeding. By the end of a week, his system should be fully adjusted to the new chow. Let us know how he is doing.

[mydogquestion]

Thanks for the advice my dog has had regular poop for the last two days. He is only eating the dry but it is amix of two brands. Should I continue mixing or can I just go to the new brand? I have been blending for about ten days. His energy level has been good as well as his appetite. Both brands are specialty if I have to I can buy both. One is Sensible choice one is Eagle pack. Any recommondations? Thanks

[bushg]

Dog Foods - Or What In The World Should I Buy? this has some good dog food information on it. :) In fact I believe they mention Eagle pac.

[RubyPitbull]

Mydog, I am so glad to hear that your dog seems to have recovered finally. If both foods are working, is it that inconvenient to keep mixing them? The fact that his system took such a bad hit from the food recall problem, I am hesitant to mess with a good thing. But, if you want to do a test, start increasing the amount of the newer chow and reduce the amount of the older chow at every feeding. In a few days, he should be totally switched over to the new chow. Watch his stools carefully and make sure that as you are doing this switch, that there isn't any change. If they become loose again, then stick with what is working. Let us know how it is going. :)

[labman]

In general I support sticking with what works and keeping it simple. Since you had problems when you were feeding all the old, I would slowly phase it out in favor of the simplicity of only the new chow.

I am not sure dogs are as sensitive to the type of chow as many people insist. I just see too many dogs doing fine on Pro Plan and Iams. I can't belief they have some magic formula making them vastly superior to other chows. There are other factors, sudden changes of chow, whatever else the dog manages to find and eat, the emotions of the owner, etc. You can worry your dog sick.

[mydogquestion]

Thanks for all the input. My nine year old german shepherd is eating again.I had to stay with the mix of two dry foods.His food was recalled.

He has lost a few pounds since the whole thing started in the end of April, but was just at the vet and his weight is fine. He was a little overweight. He is a solid 90 pounds. He does have hip dysplasia and his left leg is losing some muscle . My vet gave me some pills to help with the arthritis pain. I give him a half tablet every other day . It has been a week and no adverse reactions to the meds.

He seems happier and more playful so my question is do I give at the same rate or should give a few days in between. My vet said see what works.

Since he is nine hip surgery is not really an option.I just want him to be comfortable.And I do not want to upset his digestive system again.

[labman]

Everybody here will be happy to hear he is doing well. Mixing the 2 is a bit of a pain, but not like mushy poops. As I mentioned before, sticking to what is working is a good idea. I am glad he is on dry chows even if you are mixing 2. Feeding a commercial chow, or 2, is the only sure way to give your dog a complete and balanced diet. Dry chows also give the teeth and Jaws what they need. Well, at least Shepherds and things that chew their food. I have to wonder how much good dry chows do Labs that inhale the kibble whole.

In order to let everybody see what is happening, I merged all your questions on this into one.

[RubyPitbull]

Mydog, I am so glad you came back to update us on this and I am glad that he is doing so much better. Regarding the medication, if your vet told you to see what works and your dog seems fine with the way you are dispensing the meds, stick with the plan you have set up. If it appears that his hip and leg problem isn't getting better or is growing worse, up the dosage to half a pill a day and see how he does with that. I am assuming the vet told you to give him one pill a day, so it shouldn't be a problem to increase the dosage a little and see how he does with it. Usually older dogs with this problem do need one pill a day but considering what he has been through, your caution in this is very wise.

[mydogquestion]

Thanks to you all for the support. Just an update on my GSD. Went to the vet today for rabies and they were surprised to see how good he looked. No pain at all ,very playful and of course anxious to leave the vet. I have been giving him Deramaxx 1/2 tablet every four or five days. He is like apuppy again.

[RubyPitbull]

Excellent, excellent news! It is so nice to hear about a dog pulling through so well after eating tainted food. That whole recall was such a disaster. I am very, very happy for you! Thank you so much for the uplifting update!