Anyone have experience with chronic diarrhea? I'm desperate!!!

[Dexter, Wrigley & Cheryl]

Both my doodles, golden and lab, have been suffering from chronic diarrhea for the past 3 months.  They've been tested and treated for any intestinal bugs -- nada.  The vet is stymied.  They do fine on homecooked bland diet and as soon as we begin to reintroduce commercial dog food (even prescription)with the homecooked meal,  the diarrhea comes back...in both dogs.  There's nothing new or different in their home environment....The vet believes it is a food intolerance or allergy.

Anyone out there have any experience or suggestions????

Cheryl, Dexter & Wrigley will be forever grateful for any input you may have.

[Dexter, Wrigley & Cheryl]

Yes, it has been frustrating for me and my boys.  However, despite having the poops, they are full of energy and seem absolutely normal in every other way.  Thanks for your words of encouragement!

[Mara, Sadie & Zoe]

Sadie had bouts of diarrhea & vet visits. I finally decided to try The Honest Kitchen, especially after Jane, Guinness & Murphys success. It worked, and so I have stuck with it as a topper. We have tried Emabark, Zeal and Force. Also we have Perfect form in case she eats too many treats or helps herself to something. Anyway we haven't had any more episodes since starting on HK.
Hope you get a solution soon.

[Dexter, Wrigley & Cheryl]

Seems that the Honest Kitchen is definitely worth a try -- many of the responses have mentioned it as a solution for their dogs.  I so appreciate your response and advice -- thanks!

[Barbara B., Sasha & Oliver]

When Oliver was a baby he had the projectile water poops for a couple of days, I took him to the vet and they ran all the parasite tests = nothing.  They gave him some antibiotics and probiotics and he was fine within 24 hours.  Ollie has also never really had a good solid poop.  I switched foods very gradually a couple of time with no change, then I switched to a grain free/gluten free food and he has perfect poops now.  What I finally decided to put him on is the "Taste of the Wild" grain free, he loves it and no soft poops anymore.  He also has a sensitive tummy where I cannot give him all kinds of treats either.  I give him Vital Essentials freeze dried raw food as treats, beef and the tripe which he jumps thru hoops for and no problems.  I really think it was the grain he was having issues with but I am sticking to the low ingreident and grain free food and treats, its better for all of us :)

[Dexter, Wrigley & Cheryl]

Sounds like a great idea!  I will check into the Taste of the Wild.  However, my boys do just fine with the home-cooked brown rice, so I'm not sure whether grains are the trouble-makers.  The vet seems to think -- even tho' he's perplexed -- that it is a reaction to the additives or preservatives in commercial foods.  But I'm willing to give anything a try to get them back on track.

Thanks so much for your comment -- I really appreciate your advice!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Cheryl, what kibble are you currently feeding? There are no additives or preservatives in good quality kibble other than things like vitamin E. I'm curious as to which kibble you had/have been using. It's also possible that the formula was changed, and that caused the symptoms to start in both dogs. You would not necessarily know that from the package, since by law, they can change the formula and still use the same old packaging with incorrect ingredient or nutrient information for up to 6 months.

There may have been a change in fiber or fat content, either of which could have caused loose poop.

Kibble that contains grains could also be responsible, even if your boys to fine with home-cooked brown rice. the grains in kibble are very different from your own homemade brown rice, trust me on that. In cheaper kibbles, the "rice" is brewer's rice, which is basically a waste product.

Also, if you have been continuously trying new kibbles in an attempt to find one that works, that in itself could be the problem.

 

[Dexter, Wrigley & Cheryl]

 They both had been on Proplan since puppies with no problems.  After the poops started and we went on the home-cooked diet, the symptoms disappeared almost immediately.  Stayed on the bland for about a week, then I tried to reintroduce the Proplan, but the symptoms returned in just a few days' feedings.  So again we did home cooking and got things back to normal in a very short time.  I thought that maybe the bag of food was "bad" so I tried Blue which is supposed to be a high-quality food with lots of nutrients, which I was worried about them getting enough because they were on the bland home-cooked diet.  That didn't work.  Same deal.  After a few days of trying to re-introduce gradually, the symptoms were back.  So this time, the vet suggested that we stay on home cooking for longer period -- several weeks -- and they did just fine.  So about a week ago, we tried to introduce the prescription ID diet so gradually, up to almost a cup of kibble per feeding, and the diarrhea returned.  So the vet has said that there's a "novel" protein diet and hypoallergenic diet (both Rx's) that we can try.  But I'm encouraged to hear so many people on this site that have tried the Honest Kitchen with good results.  

Karen, thanks so much for all your suggestions -- never occurred to me that they could've changed the formula.  Also I think that your comments regarding grains is a good one as well.  

I REALLY appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts with me!  I am starting to get discouraged, but your words have helped immeasurably!  And my boys thank you too! 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Proplan is not a food we recommend, and we have a lot of info in TFG about why you should avoid the Rx diets, which are just more garbage which a higher price. Blue is one of the foods we do recommend, but there are lots of different formulas, and not all of them will work for every dog.

Your vet is probably an excellent vet, but there is no nutritional curriculum in veterinary school, and most vets, unless they are specialists with advanced degrees and certifications, are not well-informed on pet foods or feeding. What education they do get is provided by Purina and Hills.

Even the specialists have a tough time pinpointing exactly which foods  may have caused a dog to develop an intolerance.

I would urge you to try the Honest Kitchen, but be aware that it is very, very expensive. Probably not more than Rx food, but it might be. However, since your dogs are doing well with home-cooking, you can probably just supplement their diets with the HK, to be sure that they are getting all of the nutrients they need, and continue with the home-cooked food.

Sojo's is another company that makes a dehydrated raw product similar to HK, and they have a supplemental mixture to which you add your own protein source (meat, chicken, etc) to make a balanced and complete meal. That might be another option for you.

Good luck, and please do keep us posted as to how D & W do.

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

I know Honest Kitchen is very good, however rather pricey. Can you continue to home cook? There is much info out there to assure that you are providing a balanced diet. Check in the Home cooking group for further suggestions. Just a thought. It's time vs money when it comes to home cooking and Honest Kitchen, but whatever works best for your doods and you is the right answer.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yes, the FG even has a PDF file of Jane's homecooking plan approved by her vet and completely balanced nutritionally. Of course, I'll need some help finding it, lol.....

[Sue, Murphy and Bella ()*o*()]

Also Cheryl, Id guesstimate I probably spend about $100 a month to totally home cook. For two dogs. Lots of lentils, meat on sale, veggies that we eat, fresh and frozen. Stock up at Costco. I do give Candidae mostly now as I've been working again, but thoroughly enjoyed cooking for them and watching them eat! Although my two would eat anything so that's not saying much about my cooking. There was a time that they were eating better than us!

[Coco Chanel and Cheryl]

Coco had trouble with diarrhea and we changed her food many times! She is a picky eater on top of it! She really likes Taste of the Wild. It is grain free and she eats every ounce out of the bowl!!