Puppy with sensitive stomach

[Amy Fratiello]

Hello everyone! I am a mom of a 5 month old goldendoodle Lucy who is the love of my life. She is my first doodle and I have always had shelter dogs. Since we got Lucy she has bouts of diarrhea every 3 weeks-ish. I can’t find a cause except for a sensitive stomach. Vet has her on Royal Canin High Energy GI wet dog food but I am looking for a dry kibble that is good for her. I can keep her on this but wanted to see what other pet owners had their dogs on. Dog food is so confusing I am trying to figure out the best food for her. Any help would be greatly appreciated. She has been on Wellness Complete puppy and Diamond large breed puppy (from the breeder). Every time she has these bouts the vet usually does bland diet and a probiotic called VetriScience Pro line fast balance GI pro. It is only this last time a different Vet put her on the Royal Canin High Energy GI wet food. Only on an antibiotic once and it was back in December.  No more treats really because of tummy issues so recommendations for natural ones would be great, I am willing to make them myself as well.  Thank you for any help! 

[Gina]

This is my personal experience: I have a 6 month old pup who was having diarrhea every other week. He was getting Orijen Kibble with Stella and Chewy kibble enhancer. My local pet store said a lot of dogs can’t handle the protein content and overall “richness” of it. They said it was the best dog food they had in the store but it seemed his tummy couldn’t handle it. They recommended Earthborn Holistic Meadow Feast - main ingredient is lamb and lower on protein content.  Lots of good stuff in it too- organic fruits and veggies and probiotics and grain free. He seems to actually enjoy it more than the Orijen. His poops are nice and solid (sorry TMI) and I give him a little pumpkin everyday just because he likes it and I figure it is good for him. He also gets plain Greek yogurt on top of kibble in the morning. Good Luck! :)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

"Richness" in food refers to fat content; the higher the fat, the "richer" the food. While it is true that dogs with sensitivie stomachs don't do well with high fat foods, the clerks in the pet supply store are retails clerks, not nutritionists, and their information is incorrect regarding protein content. 

At any rate, none of the foods that Amy has fed her dog are high in either protein or fat. 

I'm glad though that your pup is doing well with the Earthborn, it is one of our recommended brands. 

[Amy Fratiello]

Being a puppy that food has enough of what puppies need? 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yes, all-life stages formulas have everything puppies need. Many puppies never get "puppy" formulas. In many ways, they are just marketing tools. :) 

I have a 10 week old who is eating an ALS food.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Amy, the first thing I would do is get Lucy on the Proviable probiotic I mentioned in your other discussion. 

Dogs with sensitive stomachs usually require a grain free, LID food with a single protein, and it's best if that protein is one the dog hasn't eaten before. Simpler formulas with fewer ingredients, lower fat and a good fiber content usually help. There are several good lines on our recommended brands list. I would suggest Wellness Simple Solutions Salmon or Turkey, or one of the Zignature formulas; turkey, venison, duck, salmon, or whitefish. 

I'd wait until she's been on the Proviable for a week or so to switch her. 

For treats, I'd stick with dehydrated pure protein treats like Pure Bites. You can check our recommended treat brands for other options. 

[c zoomer]

Karen, would you known if the African duck in signature is being farmed here?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Zignature's website says their duck comes from Western France, but I don't see anything about it being African Duck, where did you see that? 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

There is apparently a brand of food called Signature, However, that's not what we're talking about here. We're talking about Zignature. 

[Amy Fratiello]

I ordered it and it should be be this week. Any recommendations for what to try next?

[Cynthia Shoe]

Hi Amy,

We have been through the ringer with GI issues for our pup. In the end, when we keep him off beef (and it seems to be in everything if you look closely!), he only gets sick every few months rather than every few weeks. You might want to do some food eliminations and see if there is a protein your pup is sensitive to. We did away with everything but chicken, added in fish, then pork, and as soon as we added beef, there was a problem. Most people and vets do not associate GI issues with food, but for us it is a sure connection. We have used Fromm's, Royal Canin Hydrolyzed, and a few months ago moved to Farmina.

Good luck! I know how frustrating and expensive it can be. And oh so sad to see them sad!

[Amy Fratiello]

Thank you!  Every time we try a few pieces of kibble into the Royal canine GI high energy her stool loosens.  I am at a lost right now with what to try next.  We have tried Wellness Core Puppy and by morning it was loose.  I guess my biggest concern is she is a puppy (5 months) and there isn’t any puppy food for sensitive stomachs. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Puppies don't need "puppy" formulas. They do just fine on all-life stages formulas. :)