Same saga...just more intense

[a.k.a. Rodney]

DerbyDoodle is still struggling with loose stools....once or twice a day.....this has been for 11 days...First the chicken & sweet pot. Was effective for a short period of time....then I went to chix & rice....also from 2 metrodi. to one a day...b/c she got plugged up. The we went back to the "pudding stools"
We revisited the Vet today....he confidently suggested...she gets off Acana for now ...I believe he felt to rich in protein for her while she struggles with her tummy issue. He sold me Royal Canin GASTRO Intestinal fibre food....he honestly, felt it better than lean chopped beef & rice....my thinking is what am I going to him for if I blatantly disregard his advise.....so, I bought it & gave her her first helping...which she promptly gobbled up.....I held off feeding her all day to see what he had to say...just writing this to see what the Doodle world has to say....definitely being torn in two directions....hope this isn't horrible crap that I have to toss out & that it helps her...sitting here waiting nervously on your verdicts...thanks
(She is 11.5 mo & 10.5 lbs...everything else about her is just perfect...actually, you wouldn't know she's having any issues by her actions & her demeanor )

[a.k.a. Rodney]

Nothing added to the chicken or the rice or the sweets...Crazy, i know..

i am hoping she bounces back after a weekend of the Rx stuff & then we are also finished with the Metrod..another friend has a daughter that's a vet in NY..he's going to consult with her..i told him i don't like the idea of the RC/Hills food...see what she says as she has no vested financial interest in the situation...

maybeadult Fromms??

why is she positively responding to the Rx food & not the bland diet??

this really perplexes me

and once she is better..where do we go..back to Acana? maybe adult Fromms??

i think ill put a call into the breeder also

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

She's responding to the Rx food because it contains 14.5% fiber. Period. That's an extraordinary amount of fiber for any kind of dog food, and that's what is firming up the stools. I buy human food grade cellulose (much higher quality than what is in the Rx food) and mix it into JD's home cooked food. Voila. And a LOT cheaper than the Rx, plus he's not getting corn, wheat, & garbage for dinner.

The breeder is not going to be able to help you with this. It has nothing to do with genetics or anything the breeder did. It might give you yet another person's opinions to further complicate the issue. 

Ditto your friend's DD in NY...she may not have a vested interest, but she didn't get any more or different nutrition training in vet school than your current vet did. Unless of course she has a three year post DVM specialty certification in small animal nutrition.

I think you are going to have to ask the vet where to go from here foodwise. 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Ugh, Bully Sticks are just awful on the stool for Spud.   I have not given one in a few years.  Cut those out too. At least for a few months.

[Donna, Emma, Bender & Busby]

We recently went through something similar to his with our foster, Busby. Hs owner turned him over to rescue with about a week's worth of food in a Ziplock bag and we had no idea what he had been eating. I tried to slowly transition him to Blue Buffalo (what my dogs eat) and that started the loose stool. My dogs only get dehydrated chicken and sweet potato chips, both of which I make myself, and those were the only treats Busby got. We also started him on Metro, probiotics, did all kinds of stool testing, blood work, more antibiotics, it was a wild ride for two months. All the tests were negative, over time we reduced his diet to plain chicken and rice ONLY. Believe it or not, turns out Busby was allergic to chicken. We only found that out because the more we limited his diet, the sicker he got. Thankfully, now he's doing wonderfully on limited ingredient venison. His poops are back to normal and he's actually put on weight. Oh, and the best part...we've adopted him! I don't know what the answer will be for you, but sometimes stopping everything (including medications which can also have their own issues) and then adding one thing very slowly over time may give you more of an idea of what's upsetting her.

[a.k.a. Rodney]

So to continue the saga I decided to go to holistic pet store today
There is an incredibly knowledgeable young woman who works there
she said a lot of what has been said on this site and then added a couple of ideas of her own.
One being that boiled chicken made at home ...boil's out all the important nutrients and vitamins that you want the dog to have
Eghads am I getting confused...so to add to my dysfunctional doggie pantry..I bought some raw dehydrated chicken
Based on what we thought could have been the source of DerbyDoodle's problem we decided to limited her intake to only chicken. She did mention that it was a possibility she could be allergic to chicken but that she would be vomiting immediately from it if that was the case. She also wanted to see the dog off of the metrod...So, that's where we are now....according to her, the raw diet will allow her colon to rest a bit as the digestion is quicker than with kibble....I hope this plan works...as I can only imagine how unpleasant this all is for Derby

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Well, I hate to keep "nay saying", but retail clerks generally don't have formal educations in nutrition, or they wouldn't be working minimum wage jobs as retail clerks, lol. I would not be taking nutrition or health advice from them. She's also misinformed about what an allergic reaction to chicken would look like.

Chicken is not really a source of vitamins for dogs, raw or cooked. It mainly supplies protein, and a teeny little bit of iron, and those survive cooking just fine, or we would all have nutritional deficiencies.  Had I heard her say "boiled chicken made at home ...boil's out all the important nutrients and vitamins that you want the dog to have" I would have asked her exactly what vitamins and nutrients those are. It's simply not true.
The dehydrated raw foods like Honest Kitchen and Sojos can be easier on the digestive tract as they contain so much water as served, so if you bought one of those, it might be helpful, and certainly healthier than the Rx stuff. However, if it's a food that is served dry, it's very doubtful that it will help. 

[a.k.a. Rodney]

Honestly, did not ask her qualifications, but she's far more knowledgeable than anyone I've run into at vets office....apparently, including the Vet....that being said I understand your point...she said to serve it wet...just really interested in resting the tummy without Rx food & meds. She offered up a plan & reasons why to follow it...I got none of that from my vet. She even gave various reasons as to why this was happening...possible switch in ingredients by Acana...it was a new bag & they don't have to tell if ingredients Are changed...a Growth Spurt where her metabolism changes, possible reaction to topical flea & tic, Allergy to chix, (but ruled that out) Bully stix...said they are their number one cause of tummy issues for their clients and a few others that escape me now...she wanted DerbyDoodle to be able to have her tummy rest & calm down. Told me easier to switch back to kibble from dehydrated raw vs. Frozen
I dislike thinking Derby is an experiment or that I'm playing here with her health, but as a mom of 3 I know you have got to keep searching till you find the right answers..let's hope my search can stop soon!

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I can assure you that there has been no change in Acana's ingredients. Yes, the companies have 6 months to list changes to formulas, but Acana is made by Champion Foods of Canada, which is the most reliable, ethical company on the planet, and they notify of changes to formulas immediately. 

Growth spurts and changes in metabolism (wonder what that would be) do not cause digestive upsets and Derby is way past the age for a growth spurt anyway. 

The problem with making more than one change at a time (adding, eliminating, or changing diets, meds, treats) is that you then have no way to know what is helping or what is making it worse. 

[DonMarie and Picco]

What about a grain-free diet? Or adding probiotics?  Is there a broader test for parasites?

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

The food advice in the Food Group right here on DK which has been independently researched is far more accurate than any review website. Hours and hours of not only analysis of ingredients but the source of those ingredients goes into it and there are continual updates of any recalls and changes. There is absolutely no need to go anywhere else if you want choice of best foods to feed your pup.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Thank you, Nicky. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

I totally concur. Personally i would never have the patience Karen does to answer the same questions over and over.