Need help with rescue Boxer stomach issues

[valshingle]

We adopted a rescue Boxer about a month ago. When we got him he was on Nature's Recipe dog food. Everything about him was fine. My daughter wanted to change his diet to something less expensive (he will be living with her) . She chose Beneful. Within 3 days he developed severe diarrhea and then vomiting. He spent 12 hours at the vet (IV fluids, etc). All lab tests came back negative. Vet said Beneful was the culprit. I put him on Diamond Lamb Meal And Rice and he stabilized. I added canned pumpkin when his poop didn't completely firm up. The canned pumpkin did the trick. A week later I found tape worms in his stool and the vet wormed him. Two weeks after that he was neutered and had his dew claws removed. He still was in significant pain 36 hours later so the vet started him on Rimadyl. Two days on Rimadyl and he started vomiting. Yep, it was the Rimadyl. He was given omeprazole and sucralfate. Vomiting went away. It's now been another two weeks and he's doing fine. However, if I don't give him canned pumpkin every meal, his stool gets loose again. He is about 10 months old and very happy and energetic. My question is - will he have to stay on canned pumpkin forever??

 

[2minis4us]

I would ask your vet about that.

 

[valshingle]

I have. He doesn't know. I was wondering if anyone on here had any similar experiences.

 

[Sterling]

I've found that pumpkin can go both ways. In some dogs the extra fiber makes the diarrhea continue...or can prolong or worsen it. Talk to your vet about pro-biotics for your boy. May help his tummy issues. Beneful is a low on the totem pole dog food and has many dyes and other things not good for a pup. Here are a couple of links that might help you out in determining a good for your dog. Good luck I hope he gets to feeling better.

http://www.dogfoodanalysis.com/

http://www.dogfoodadvisor.com/

 

[minih]

I have two boxers and each have different issues, Angel is a 4 year old female (my baby

) and after several weeks of trial and error we found out she is allergic to corn and soy, she would break out in huge whelps all over her body.....Hank will be 2 in March, he had horrible black gunk in his ears and stayed with red skin all the time...found out he is allergic to any type of grain. I feed them both Grain free Basics from Blue Buffalo. You may want to try a grain free food, Blue Buffalo also has a Grain Free food called Freedom. Just remember if you try the grain free food it only works if you also keep their treats grain free. I do a lot of label reading, and Blue also has grain free treats. Maybe the runny stool is how the allergen is reacting in his body? Good luck

 

[Riverrose28]

I'm surprised the vet didn't recommend science diet ID. Or you could try to make your own dog food, use either broiled, boiled, or baked chicken,or hamburger, mix with rice, you could also add some veggies, such as green beans or peas.

 

[chandab]

Try going back to the Nature's Recipe dog food, since it worked for him before, it might work again. I know it costs more, but you usually feed less of the quality foods, so they cost less in the long run, and you have less clean up. It might work to get him normalized, then you might be able to try the Diamond Lamb and Rice or perhaps another quality food with no corn.

I'd love to feed something like the Nature's Recipe, but its not available in my area, and hubby would have a coronary over the price, so its a very good thing that our ranch dogs do well on what they do get. Hubby also doesn't understand the concept of quality foods can be fed in lower amounts and still keep the dog satisfied.

 

[Boss Mare]

Beneful is an extremely low end food. Nature's Recipe is better.

Pumpkin usually helps with loose stool. Probiotics are a good choice too.

Depending upon budget, what's available and what your dog will eat -- I would recommend grain free. Nature's Recipe does offer grain free formulas.

If you absolutely can't not find grain free avoid chicken, beef and corn.. And dyes. Think of an alternative protein source (duck, venison, rabbit kangaroo).. With the higher end foods you do feed a lesser amount, it's a more concentrated food.

Being a dog groomer for 8 years I see so many skin and digestive problems from feeding less quality dog food.

I personally was/still am a Natural Balance advocate. I did however recently switch my dogs to California Natural's Kangaroo and Lentils formula and Orijen.

I am really loving the effects of Orijen (6 fish) as I avoid beef and chicken. Not to mention my dogs LOVE it and even think pieces of the kibble are treats.

Edited, typos.

 

[chandab]

Our dogs eat beef, but not beef dog food... They help themselves to fresh and not so fresh beef on a regular basis. [We raise beef cattle. They love "lawn jerky" at calving time, and usually manage to find other sources of help themself ranch buffet.

]

 

[jessj]

My boston terrier has food allergies. We had her on natural balance (sweet potatoe and duck) for a while and it was great, but very expensive. Now she is on 4health from tractor supply. It is grain free. She has done great with it and its much less expensive than natural balance.

 

[valshingle]

Thanks for all your suggestions. Nature's Recipe is not carried locally. I'm going to look into the grain free foods that are in my area.

Keep the suggestions coming

 

[chandab]

You can always resort to on-line shopping, but the shipping can really add up.

Check out what Walmart has: http://www.walmart.com/ip/Nutrish-Just-6-Lamb-Meal-Brown-Rice-Recipe-Dog-Food-14-lb-Dogs/19720760 Its a grain free dog food, at least as best as I can tell from what's on-line about it. Walmart has free shipping on qualifying pet food orders. Might be something to further research. [Doesn't look like the other varieties are grain free, but this one appears to be.]

 

[painted-perfection]

We just went through similar thing with our mini aussie- loose stools- terrible gas got worse after having her spayed. Our vet decided to deworm her with Panacur for three days - wait 10 days do it again , and we also treated her for giardia- we used Metro... treated once day for 14 days then every other day for two more weeks.. Took about two days after starting treatment and she is regular and poops are perfect... Sometimes- giardia wont show up in a fecal-- so our vet recommends Metro when loose poop develops for no reason and wont go away.. We also only feed - Taste Of The Wid- venison and buffalo- We get it at Tractor Supply and its grain free...

 

[Marty]

Activia! Promise. It helps.

 

[Field-of-Dreams]

The Diamond is a good food, it's what I've been feeding my guys for years. No corn at all.

Can you slowly cut back on the pumpkin? See if that helps. I'd try the Activia, too. With all the antibiotics and stuff he's been getting, he may be a bit discombobulated inside. I know when *I* was on antibiotics last year, it set ME right fast!!

 

[valshingle]

Hi Lucy!

I think I'll keep him on the Diamond and pumpkin for now, and maybe try to wean him off in a couple more weeks. His poop is completely normal while in this current regimen.

In about a week he is going to live with my daughter (the original plan) . After he settles in there, she can decide how to handle it.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll keep them in mind for the future.