Looking to switch back to grain free, need help!

[Shannon Querry]

Our 4 1/2 year old labradoodle Fleury has had a multitude of GI issues since we got her. We've done home cooking, grain free, flagyl etc. She had giardiasis which we assumed she got from doggie daycare that had us spiraling for awhile. We were feeding TOTW for some time(at least 2 1/2 years), and I became concerned about Diamond now owning them. I decided to go back to Fromm, and picked up a bag of regular adult. Since then she has been getting progressively worse with the loose stools again :/ Not only that but she has gone back to eating the other dogs stool while at daycare. I had her stool checked and she was clean. Of course we just purchased a 30# bag of the adult formula :/ I'm thinking we need to go back to grain free again though? I had my husband pick up a small bag that we can transition her into it. I see that TOTW is recommended here though? Is that still a good food? I'm going to have the vet do a couple of other tests on her to make sure we're dealing with some sort of other decficiency, but I want to feed her a good food too. Help! :)


Thanks,
Shannon

[Jolene, Sassparilla & Josie]

My girls are on TOTW and are doing great. They weren't fans of the taste in the beginning so I was always adding toppers but now they love the salmon and gobble it up without hesitation. I must be a lucky one, knock on wood, my girls have never had issues?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I truly doubt that the grain in the Fromm is to blame, but Fromm also makes 5 different grain-free formulas in their Four-Star line, so there is no reason to switch brands in order to eliminate grain from her diet.

And there is no possibility of the current food causing any kind of deficiency. If there is a deficiency, it's due to a medical condition and not because there is something lacking in the food.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Also, it is crucial for any dog who has GI issues and for any dog who is treated with flagyl (metronidazole) that they get a good probiotic. I strongly advise you to order Proviable DC and start using it daily. In the meantime, give her a couple of tablespoons of plain fatfree unflavored yogurt with her meals.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

You might also take a look at Wellness Simple Solutions Salmon & Potato or Turkey and Potato, excellent grain-free foods for dogs with food sensitivities and GI issues. 

[Star and Goldie]

This literally sounds like I could have written this myself! I have been through every single thing you mentioned and MORE! We are currently bouncing back from another round of Giardia and I too switched foods... not brands, but protein sources. Blue Buffalo's Basic line has a grain free formula- Basic Turkey and Potato. They have a Turkey and Potato version with grains as well so if you give it a try make sure you look for the one that says Grain Free on the bag.

We use iFlora and it's a great help. We also love our Greeks Plain Yogurt!

We have pretty much been through the entire Blue Buffalo line.  She was on BB Wilderness Puppy which is a chicken formula but I just switched her to the BB Wilderness Adult Bison formula and WOW does she love it and it seems to be very gentle on her and best of all... FIRM POOPS! It has higher protein than the Basics line but lower protein than the Chicken formula so it was a nice meet in the middle range. Bison is also good if your dog has a sensitivity to normal proteins although this particular food isn't a limited ingredient formula like the Basics line.

Also I give her and my older dog both a tablet every night of Coprophagia Deterrent. That way if Goldie gets a craving for some feces, she won't be eating any on my watch!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yes, the Blue Basics grain-free formula would be a good choice, too. Thanks for thinking of it Star, and nice to see you here!

iFlora is also another really good probiotic. :)

[Star and Goldie]

:) I have a lot of DK to catch up on but I think I may finally be getting to a point that I can get a little DK time in once a week... for now!

[Robin & Josie]

This may be a tad off topic, but are you concerned that your day care isn't picking up the poop immediately? Your puppy shouldn't even have the opportunity to be eating it - especially after what you've been through. I'm sure you don't want to be dealing with Giardia again. Just saying...

[Shannon Querry]

Karen, thanks for the recommendation on the probiotic. I just ordered some! I bought some yogurt today to give her until it comes in. I was just surprised to see that TOTW was still a recommended food since Diamond bought them. I switched to the Fromm adult because of that. I don't think that the food is causing her any type of deficiency, I'm wondering if she just has one and that's what causing her to eat poop again and/or the diarrhea despite the flagyl etc.

As fat as daycare goes.....apparently what she does is she will go over to the bucket that they put the poop in! Or she'll get it "straight from the tap". She's such a gross dog lol I *really* would hate to not take her. She is able to exhaust so much energy, and she likes playing with her friends lol

Is there a poop eating deterrent out there? I'd love to try it!


What about glucosamine? I know that can cause upset stomachs in humans. She gets it twice a day because she already has hip dysplasia. We plan on doing her hip next year, but until then I want her to be as comfortable as possible.

Thanks for your help!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I'm feeling cautious about TOTW lately and need to take another look at it. We may have to move it to our "watch" list. It's been hard to get clear information on who owns it and where the ingredients are coming from. It's probably better to go with another brand for now.

Glucosamine side effects included diarrhea and other GI issues in dogs, as well. But that's with therapeutic doseages, which are pretty large. If you're using it on the advice of a vet, ask about reducing the dosage. I don't think that's the cause of these GI issues, though, because they preceded the glucosamine.  

[Emily, Jace, & Maggie Devers]

I'm not nearly as up to date and smart when it comes to dog food and such but I will add something about TOTW that caused me to switch Jace, we were feeding jace that for months (salmon formula sometimes and bison others) and he ate it very enthusiastically every single meal, firm stool, everything was great and then one day we get the new bag sit his meal in front of him and nothing he turned his nose to it and ate very small amounts only when he got super hungry, he started throwing up frequently, and not so consistently good stool... the same situation happened with a friend of ours dog as well, and he had the same formulas. seemed a little fishy to me.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Me too.