High nutritional value/low residue commercial diet post-op?

[Marie and Hoka]

Ok, my poor Hoka is hopefully on the road to recovery after 2 big intestinal surgeries in 2 weeks (squeaker removal for which I will never forgive myself and a partial small bowel resection- 20% or so due to inflammation/infection 11 days post-op).

He is obviously nutritionally depleted at this point. Prior to surgery he was on Zignature lamb formula, at ideal weight and very fit. He is will be one year old at Thanksgiving.

We are feeding him the dreaded Hills ID wet food post-operatively at the moment, but I want to switch him to another, better quality diet for the possibly next month or so. I do not want to prepare it myself... I am looking for a canned food.  I am giving probiotics as well since he is on antibiotics.

I would most likely just go to the Zignature wet food, but I am not sure it is "easily digestible". He always had probably more stool than desired on it, and a little bit mushy.

Wish list:

• easily digestible (least work for his system)
• feeding in several small meals per day ( we don't want to distend the bowel)
• commercially prepared wet food (he doesn't chew his kibble, ever even with slow-bowl)
• Chicken free
• was feeding grain free

We will plan to feed him this way for at least a few weeks to a month.

Thanks!!!!  

And again a public service announcement :  

• No Squeaker toys! (we thought we removed them. as soon as he started to destroy it but he obviously got one)
• Do the homework then buy pet insurance.  Total Cost of the is to date is over $10,000! We have 80% coverage.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Wellness Simple Solutions, either the turkey or the salmon formula. LID, grain free, easy to digest, widely available. 

I'm sorry to hear about this, Marie. I hope Hoka heals quickly and has no further complications. 

[Marie and Hoka]

Karen, thanks so much!

I am heading out this morning to find the food and will switch him over from the ID.

His weight is down from 45lbs to 40lbs, even after rehydrating.  Luckily, he is always hungry and not picky at all.  That was how we knew he had compilations, he started turing up nose at his food, and even let Moxie eat his.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Marie, I truly hope this isn't the case with Hoka, but a foreign body in the digestive tract with inflammation, and then the surgery, are risk factors for Inflammatory Bowel Disease. I'm assuming that Hoka is under the care of a veterinary internal medicine specialist who has discussed this with you. It's extremely important at this point that you not introduce any new protein sources in his diet, because if Dog Forbid he does develop IBD, he is going to need a novel protein diet. So you want to keep some in reserve just in case. 

Please feel free to PM me if you need any help or vet referrals. 

JD has done very well with the Simple Solutions dry food, I hope Hoka does equally well with the wet. :) 

[Marie and Hoka]

Thanks so much Karen!  He was getting the lamb only Zignature for a month or so, so I gave him the Simple Solutions lamb.

Fingers crossed, but no matter what he is truly a wonderful boy and I am praying so hard that he has no more complications.  His happy-go-lucky nature is so awesome, I never want to see it change.

Hopefully things will settle down!  They did the resection for both abscesses and for inflammation.  They are thinking there was a leak into the peritoneum at some point, although no leak at the time of the repeat surgery. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I hope all goes well for him. Please keep us posted. 

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

I am so sorry for Hoka and hope he heals quickly.

[Gail and Bailey]

Sorry to hear of Hoka's tummy problems and the surgeries!  Hope he is well on the road to feeling better! 

[Jill, Woody & Maxi]

Sorry to hear about Hoka! Wish you both the best!!!