Diet change

[Josie]

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Dennis has been suffering recently with his health. First he’s had a bout of diarrhoea which was treated (thought we’d fixed) but has now returned.

Plus his styes.

We got the results from his poo back yesterday and everything looked clear which is good and also bad because now I need to work our what’s causing this diarrhoea still.

So my thinking is: Diet.

He’s been on the same diet for years and has never had an issue before.

Can this change with age?
Is it too late to try raw?

I don’t know what to do for the best.

Any help would be much appreciated

 

[Kara 1]

I swapped my old lurcher onto raw at 10 years old ...best thing i ever did xx

 

[JoanneF]

Older dogs (and people and other mammals) have less efficient digestive systems and don't draw nutrients from their food as easily as when younger. A plant based enzyme can help (try Lintbells). I don't know if it will help with the diarrhoea but it would make sure he was getting as much nutrition as possible from his diet. Live natural yoghurt might help balance his gut bacteria and help too. He hasn't had antibiotics has he?

And never too late for raw!

 

[Mad Murphy]

Benny was 8 when he got digestive problems we switched his diet to raw without problem...

Good luck

 

[excuseme]

It's never too late to feed raw, (an excellent suggestion) and as @JoanneF has also mentioned try some "live natural yoghurt", a desert spoon full twice a day will do no harm. The Kefir make of yoghurt is reported to be very good and full of good bacteria, goat yoghurt is another good one.

The change over to raw can be very easy.
Don't forget my favorite little book, "Honey's Natural Feeding Handbook for Dogs". This is easy reading and has excellent advice for beginners.

 

[Josie]

Thank you all for your replies!

He has been on antibiotics recently yes. Does that affect things @JoanneF?

The vets have given us some probiotic powder but I’ll get some yoghurt also (he’d never turn his nose up to that!)

And look into the raw diet - silly but I’m so nervous to rock the boat even though something needs to change!

 

[excuseme]

I see @Mad Murphy made the change at 8 years of age. It may be interesting to find out how easy it was and how long for the benefits to show.
I have done it with an 8 week old puppy and had no problems at all. I did it in no more than 2 days.

 

[JoanneF]

@Josie yes, antibiotics can upset the gut bacteria - their purpose is to kill bacterial infections but they don't distinguish between bad bacteria and the good bacteria we need in our digestive system. So they can cause digestive upsets.

 

[excuseme]

Antibiotics can kill both the bad and the good bacteria in the gut. It can affect some dogs more than others.

 

[excuseme]

Sorry @JoanneF , I was still writing and posted while you beat me to it !

 

[JoanneF]

Sorry @JoanneF , I was still writing and posted while you beat me to it !

Great minds and so on!

 

[Josie]

Thanks @JoanneF @excuseme

He’s been on a double dose because the diarrhoea came back they put him back on another weeks worth so that probably hasn’t helped the poor chap!

He has been off them a week now though so seems a bit of a long time to still be suffering... but maybe not now he’s older!

 

[niamh123]

I would certainly try Dennis on raw he will probably love it I would try him with something which has tripe added although stinky dogs love it plus it's full of nutrients

 

[DixD]

As somebody who’s recently been on antibiotics, they can DEFINITELY interfere with gut bacteria, and cause exactly what you describe!

Just to add to the diet debate, I read about therapeutic fasting, which is supposed to mimic the dog’s natural way of eating, ie., 18 hours without food, and fed at beginning and end of the six hours left. I did this as there were a couple of minor health oroblems going on, and I anticipated a couple of unhappy, hungry dogs. I was really surorised. My dogs took to it really well, from Day 1. I feed them around noon, and about 6-7 pm. In the morning, they come downstairs, have a quick widdle in the garden, then go to their beds by the radiator and slumber on. One dog is middle aged, tge other one older. We then go for a good walk. We come back, they settle down again, and sometimes I need to wake them up to feed them! Always ready for night time meal though...

 

[Biker John]

Off topic, but as to fasting, my dad had one dog and all through her life she would put herself on a fast day, I would think about every ten or so days. During that day she would not eat anything, including treats. In herself she was fine, behaving totally normally including bringing letters and paper from the door, (my dad always had one dog that had that as a job and for a chunk of Shandies life it was her job), but would not take her reward for them. She did live a long and healthy life but if it had anything to do with the fasting I do not know. Other days she ate quickly.

 

[Josie]

Thanks all!

I’ve contacted a raw food company that is local and am waiting for their reply to hopefully get some samples.

Will keep you posted.

Fasting a Labrador is a difficult task!

 

[excuseme]

Fasting a labrador should be as easy as giving no food, surely that is not difficult @Josie.

 

[DixD]

I bet! We had a retriever, ate anything, up till the day she died of old age!

 

[JudyN]

When it comes to fasting a dog, you have to consider their mental health as well as their physical health I'm pretty sure if I fasted Jasper for a day he'd be completely traumatised... and I wouldn't be much better myself!

 

[DixD]

I totally agree. i was apprehensive about the 18 hour gap, especially with a sighthound notorious for counter surfing, very much a foodhound. But, the strange thing was both dogs became very chilled, though full of energy when out. So, for these particular dogs, it benefitted their mental health. But, as you say, it depends VERY MUCH on the particular dog (and owner).