Poop Issues on Acana

[Sam, Risa and Archie]

Although I think Archie has enjoyed Acana...I am not 100% sure.  Since moving to Acana about 3-4 months ago (maybe longer) Archie has most definitely enjoyed it over anything else weve ever fed him.  He usually (not always) runs over to his bowl when we drop a scoop of Acana down.  With that said though, he has always been a picky and not so big of an eater (sometimes only once a day). 

 

However, Acana has brought on some weird poop cycles.  Archie usually goes one or 2 weeks okay and then has a rough day or two.  Since moving to Acana Archie has never really had a nice firm stool.  Its not always loose, but its just soft.  He also poops about 2-3 times between the morning and afternoon (won't eat until he has done all his pooping for the morning/afternoon).  After about a week or two of normal yet soft poops archie ALWAYS seems to go with a day or two of not eating and having those rumbling and bubbling gassy type noises in his stomach.  (not sure if its gas noises or hunger) but it happens so often that I know whats next....He doesn't eat, gassy bubbling noises in his stomach, and then comes grass eatin outside, followed by diarrhea for a day or two...

 

So we have done plenty of vet visits and all that jazz, but nothing major has come of it. 

 

Do we think its just sensitive stomach and we have to deal with it? 

Could Archie be allergic to Acana?

Archie has only had grain-free dry food...even outside of Acana. 

Should we try food with grain? (I was thinking Fromm, Earthborn, I andLOVE andYOU and Petcurean)

 

Any ideas and help would be awesome!

Thanks,

Sam

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Isn't Archie well over a year old? Did you adopt him as an adult? 

[Sam, Risa and Archie]

Yes, Archie is a year and 2 months old.  No, I got him as a puppy. one of 11 in the litter. He gets together with his brothers and sisters often. Its great :)

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

So you really aren't so new to "this dog thing", lol. 

[Sam, Risa and Archie]

Well, I wouldn't go that far :) I am pretty new to this stuff...As far as being a dog owner is concerned lol 

[Marie and Hoka]

We just changed Hoka to the Zignature line, which is specifically chicken-free AND potato-free. He is on the multi protein and is doing great so far. They also have limited ingredient formulas.  It's a normal price range as well.

[Sam, Risa and Archie]

oh that sounds great!  I have heard Zignature is good stuff and got some coupons from them in the mail that they said they would send me.  I will have to check it out. 

Is it the ZSSential multi-protein with turkey, salmon, lamb, duck?

The Vet tends to think Archie may be consuming too many proteins and that it may be TOO rich....?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The vet is right in that you really need to limit the ingredients if you have any hope of figuring it out. 

(People use the word "rich" when what they mean is complex, i.e. a lot of different ingredients. But richness in food refers to fat content.)

If you want to try a Zignature formula, choose one that doesn't have so many many protein sources. Marie's dog has different issues than Archie, and what worked for her may not work for you. 

Choose a formula with a single protein source. 

[Sam, Risa and Archie]

Ok, makes sense.  I may try Zignature Salmon formula or the Turkey.  May go with Salmon though since turkey and chicken is so close.

While we all know Champion is the best, I have heard great things about Zignature. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I would avoid turkey, as that's one of the protein sources in the Wild Prairie formula you are currently feeding: 

INGREDIENTS

Deboned chicken, chicken meal, green peas, turkey meal, chicken liver oil, field beans, red lentils, whole potato, deboned turkey, whole egg, deboned walleye, sun-cured alfalfa, pea fibre, chicken liver, herring oil, whole apples, whole pears, sweet potato, pumpkin, butternut squash, parsnips, carrots, spinach greens, cranberries, blueberries, kelp, chicory root, juniper berries, angelica root, marigold flowers, sweet fennel, peppermint leaf, lavender, rosemary.

So based on this, you should avoid chicken, turkey,and walleye (not that you're going to find walleye in any other brand of food, lol) 

[Sam, Risa and Archie]

HAHA Walleye is just funny.  Yeah, I think the issue may be too that Acana has a lot of ingredients and just may be too much for Archie.  Especially if he does have JUST a sensitive stomach.

I always just heard the hype of Champion foods so we went with it without any research or true knowledge.  I trust you and everyone that its the best obviously, but like you always say not what works for everyone else will work for me.  I know people who have 15-16 yr old dogs doing great and always healthy who have been on Science Diet (and we know how bad that is) so yeah, maybe Acana just isn't for Archie?

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Sam, I'm getting a little frustrated here, because you keep going back to the brand. It truly has nothing to do with the brand, it is the specific ingredients in any food that could be causing a problem. It has nothing to do with Acana as a brand or with Champion Foods as a company. The body reacts or doesn't react to specific proteins, not to the name on the bag. The fact that the particular ingredients in the particular formula you chose for Archie may not be agreeing with him has nothing to do with the food being made by Acana. And "Acana" doesn't have a lot of ingredients, the particular Acana formula you chose has a lot of ingredients. There are other Acana formulas that have very few ingredients.  I don't know any other way to explain this. You must stop looking at the brand name and look at the particular ingredients instead. The dog is eating ingredients, not labels.

There is no company selling kibble today that is more reliable or ethical than Champion. 

[Sam, Risa and Archie]

Karen,

I understand that, but I am just saying that I think many the ingredients in the formula that Archie is eating just is TOO much for him?