Food Intolerance?! Help

[Edwin Roman]

Hi Everyone.  Aspen, my goldendoodle, has had a problem with mostly regurgitation since she was about 12 weeks old.  She now is almost 2 years old.  I've switched her diet around several times with no luck.  She is currently on a limited ingredient diet and it hasn't lessen the problem.  My vet wants to try switching her to an rx food that might be easier on her stomach.  She doesn't chew on her paws and has never had and skin problems.  This leads me to believe that it might be a food intolerance problem instead of an allergy problem.  Has anyone out there experienced anything like this with their doodle?  I would appreciate any help I can get.

 

Thanks

 

er

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Actually, small frequent feedings are much easier on the digestive tract than larger less frequent meals and are required for dogs with any kind of reflux or regurgitation issue. That's part of what helped JD and what is recommended by both of his internal medicine specialists as well as all of the veterinary literature and research on GI disease in dogs. With any type of delayed gastric emptying, putting too much food into the system at one time forces some of it back up. 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

:)

[Jen and Annie]

are you saying that all dogs should eat smaller, more frequent meals, or that IF Aspen has a GI disease, then that would be a better way for her to be fed to prevent the regurgitation issue? 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Only dogs who have a condition that is causing delayed gastric emptying (or some other GI disease), definitely not all dogs. 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I'm saying don't let the dog get too hungry that it puts a lot ( large amounts in the stomach all at one time)
How do you feel after a Thanksgiving Dinner :)
It's a hunger/gorge/purge cycle.
Let the dog just eat and see what happens
I'm a strong believer in what Karen just wrote. I've got a healthy puker and truly this works best. He is not over weight. I've always fed this way and have never had a fat dog
But... I realize this is not possible for some home situations and also some dogs do get fat. I think some fat dogs don't get exercise, eat too many treats.

[Jen and Annie]

Annie took on the "Lab" side of her geneaology when it comes to her appetite for all things edible.  She would weigh 150 lbs if I let her...   

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

My Labs were free fed.  They never ate too much food. They wanted to get into the garbage, counter surf, eat from the kids hands, steal people food.

My Mastiff used to steal the bird seed even from my neighbors feeder. But I never had them eat too much dog food. Go Fig? 

[Edwin Roman]

Believe me I never even thought of feeding a dog 3 times a day.  When Aspen developed this problem I switched her to 3 times a day on the recomendation of my vet.  At the time he was thinking the food was sitting in  her stomach and expanding cause her to hurl. Less food less expansion.  It became a routine and it has stuck.  I've recently been thinking of changing it back to twice a day.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Your vet was right. More food at one time may cause her to regurgitate more frequently. 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

THE FOOD GROUP
http://www.doodlekisses.com/group/thefoodgroup
Start your research here.
Read all that you can!!
It's been a lifesaver for us all

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I'm not there... But here are my initial thoughts:
- poop is good
- weight is good
- mental health is good
- play is good
- cleaning up frequent Undigested food is a PITA!
Offer small amounts all day- free feed. Don't put a lot in, as you don't want food sitting out all day or for days. Keep Track of what your eats when you do this so you know...
my dog might eat a cup one day or even two days, them lays down to a good full meal and sleeps for 10 hours. There are even days where I might remi d him to eat :) He just eats different all the time. I let him be in control and he does a great job all by himself. Go to the food group!!!!! Read all you can. Join the DK COOKBOOK and make your dogs snacks and training treats. No store bought junk.
Really all we are missing here is BRAND.... And I have a feelin....

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Nature's Domain is the brand.

Jane is also right about consistency. The more water content, the easier it is on the digestion. Lower fat content may help, too.

But when JD had pyloric stenosis from the IBD, it didn't matter. Kibble, home-cooked, raw, dehydrated raw, all came back up when he got too much food at any one time. And you know that quality was impeccable. :)

Some info on delayed gastric emptying in dogs:

http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/digestive/c_dg_stomach_motility...

And pyloric stenosis (Poodles are one of the breeds that are affected by the congential form):

http://www.petmd.com/dog/conditions/digestive/c_dg_pyloric_stenosis...