food transition, help!

[David]

Hello,

I have a 21 week old golden doodle named Addie who is just fantastic. We got her from the breeder on Science Diet puppy small bites. I am aware this is not good food at all so I wanted to transition her asap. By all accounts, though, she was doing great on the Science Diet. She had lot of energy, good poops, healthy appetite etc. It's been a bit of a struggle to find something that agrees with her. I have transition her very slowly to a number of foods with no success. Wellness puppy gave her bad diarrhea. So did Innova puppy. Natural Balance LID with chicken gave her bad gas. We now have her on Blue Buffalo Life Protection Lamb and Oatmeal for puppies. Admittedly, because of some serious medical issues in my family, we have not transitioned her as slowly to the Blue Buffalo. We eased her into it over about 6 days and now she is getting exclusive Blue Buffalo. She is doing OK. Her poops are formed but soft. I'd obviously like them to firm up. I have the canned pumpkin and yogurt that everyone suggests. Can people tell me how to use the pumpkin and yogurt to get the poops to firm up. How much should I give them? How long should should I give them to her for?

Also regarding the Blue Buffalo, how long should I give it before I decide to switch her to something else or back to the Science Diet? If I switch her to something else, do you have any suggestion. My one firm criteria that it has to be a food you can get in local pet stores AND in petco/petsmart type places. I want the food to be readily accessible. I really don't want to go back to the Science Diet but am starting to feel like nothing else will work. HELP!!!

David

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

I would suggest you give each new food at least a month before you try to switch to something else. It can take some dogs (with sensitive tummies) that long to adjust, even if you gradually ease them into it. She has had many different foods already. Just choose one and stick with it for a while (do lots of research on food here in the Food Group, theres a list of recommended brands - Orijen is a very popular brand for doodles)

 

Her poop likely wont be as solid as it was on Science Diet, due to the corn etc in there - a good poop should be a little soft

 

you could always add some enzymes such as this http://www.prozymeproducts.com/ to help with digestion, it worked great for my kitten who has stinky poop and gas since we got him

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

As for the pumpkin, add it to the food - Cooper (60lbs) gets 1 tablespoon with each meal when she has runny poop, my cats (8-13lbs) get 1/2 - 1 teaspoon. You cant really give too much, as long as they are still eating their kibble (if they fill up on pumpkin and leave kibble then they will eventually loose weight)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

By my estimates, you've tried four different foods in a period of less than 12 weeks; if the pup was 8 weeks old when you got her, you've only had her 13 weeks, and I'm assuming you didn't switch her food immediately. So in less than 12 weeks, you've tried 4 different foods. Way too many changes. Her digestive system is still immature. I agree with Kaytlin, you need to stick with one food for at least a month before switching again.

Grain-free foods produce firmer poops for many of our dogs. If you stay with the BB formula you have her on now for a month and she still has soft poop, I would suggest trying a grain-free formula. BB's Wilderness line is grain-free. Wellness has the Core line, and there are others available at Petsmart and petco. Check our Recommended Foods list for grain-free formulas.  

[Coco Chanel and Cheryl]

I would stick with the Blue for a month and see if it works! You have done too many food changes! Stick with it, the situation will get better!

[David]

My wife would be saying I told you so if I showed her these messages. Interestingly, I tried a little yogurt last night and fed a little less food throughout the day and got a great poop this morning. I brought it to the door to show people and got lots of strange looks. My children got a good laugh though. Let's see if this holds up. Thanks for the wonderful feedback.

[Katie, John & Parker pup]

I am having the same issue with Parker...can't find the right balance of ingredients in these foods that agree's with his tummy...he either has diahrrhea or really soft, formed poops. I had him on Blue Buffalo first but that gave him really bad gas...he switched to a few others in between as well and is now on science diet large breed puppy which is giving him diahrrhea in the middle of the night and he has never had that....let me know if you find a good food that works!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Katie, keep in mind that it isn't the brand so much as the particular formula that may or may not work for Parker. For example, you say you had him on Blue Buffalo, but which particular formula of BB was he eating? Just because one formula gave him gas, that doesn't mean another BB formula would also have had the same effect. Maybe the BB Wilderness formula, which is grain-free, would have solved the problem. Also, it sounds like you may have switched foods too often, which may have contributed to the problem.

Please check our list of Recommended Foods, you can find a link on the main page of the Food Group at the very top of the page. Science Diet is not recommended.

 

[Katie, John & Parker pup]

Thanks, I will check those out. I am still debating whether I should call the vet about his pooping problems for the past couple days since he has never made a mess over night, from the moment we got him. He ate a dead bird last week...that couldn't still be causing issues could it?

 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Sure it could, especially if he picked up parasites from the carcass, which wouldn't be unusual. I would definitely have a fecal done. Just don't buy any Rx food from the vet.

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

BTW it took Peri about 4-6 weeks once she got home from the breeder to get firmer poos.  It takes a while. Stick with the blue for now.

[David]

Just an update. I am being diligent as people recommended and not making any changes. She is still on the Blue Buffalo Life Protection Puppy (Lamb and Oatmeal). I gave her pumpkin for 2 days and cut down the amount I was feeding her to two cups a day (rather than 3). She is now having great poops and seems to have turned a corner. I feel very relieved to have her on a quality food and doing well on it. Assuming all goes well, I will stick with the BB Life Protection Puppy until a year and then hopefully transition her to BB Life Protection Adult or Blue Wilderness.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

YAY!!!!!