Food transistion underway!

[Cami]

Newest issue.....Raine is really interested in her bum! Not sure if she is on "clean-up" duty or if her anal glands might be bothering her. I don't SEE anything wrong there and of course she can't tell me.

I am not going to be able to go for a few days to see if the massively loose stools clear up as she gets used to the new diet.

The TOTW comes it at 4% fiber. Her stools were the best on this food but never perfect. Nature's Variety Instinct is at 3.2% and Orijen is at 3%.
I just don't think either is enough so I am heading to the pet store today and will be picking up Acana. Their Grasslands (lamb) and Wild Prairie (chicken) versions come in at 3.5%. That is plan A for the time being.

I may also pick up a bag of frozen green beans and add about a 1/4 cup to hear meals just to give her an added boost of fiber. Also considered peas thinking they might produce less gas? Raine already passes plenty of gas however most often void of odor (good thing)!!

I have tried pumpkin in the past with no luck. Also considered adding The Missing Link supplement as it claims to be high in fiber but can't locate any specific percentages and only find "grams".

Another option would be to get a diet food since they seem to be higher in fiber but it will be hard to figure out how much of that type of food to add to regular food and yet keep enough calories in her. Plus.....finding a grain free version might be difficult since it appears to me (with little research) that diet foods are higher in carbs to help keep that "full feeling".

So many decisions to make just to feed one obnoxious puppy!

 

[Gatorblu]

You might try adding psyllium to gain some fiber. You can find in some stores with the laxitives. I just buy from the Vitamin Shoppe. It worked for Thor when he had issues. Hope Raine's system straightens out soon!

It was suggested a tsp with each meal but 1/2 tsp worked for Thor.

 

[entelekia]

The fiber issue was big at our house as well. I had to end up feeding Wellness Core Ocean, which comes in at a whopping 7% fiber.

The dogs' stools have never been better, honestly. The only issue I have with Core is its price.

 

[Cami]

Back from the pet store and ended up with Acana Wild Prairie.
I am going to just start her on this tonight for dinner.....cold turkey. She is already experiencing problems with her stool that it can't get worse (well frequency could get worse).

Protein content is only 1% higher at 33% than TOTW Wetlands-32% so that shouldn't be an issue with the "richness" of the food. Would like to eventually get her closer to 40%, something similar to Solid Gold's Barking at the Moon's 41% (but sadly recalled).
Carbs are pretty low at 26% (can't locate that analysis on TOTW bag).
Lower in fat by 1% than TOTW too. That should be a good thing for any girl!

What I don't like having to figure out is this.....
TOTW feeding guidelines are far more simple.
Weight 40-60 pounds feed 2 1/4 to 3 cups per day. She weighs 50 pounds and is extremely active. Fed 3 cups/day. Easy-peasy.
375/calories per cup.

Acana.....not going to be as simple!
45-90 pounds
2 3/4 to 4 3/4 cups.
425/calories per cup.

Each cup will have an additional 50 calories. I don't think I should stick to 3 cups per day due to that however based on her weight she should be eating at least 3 cups if I stay close to the feeding guidelines. I know nothing is set in stone but I want to un-complicate my brain.

After talking to one of the people at the pet store who is very knowledgeable in nutrition we came to the conclusion that perhaps Raine was just being fed TOO MUCH (with the most recent addition on Sun. of the newer foods). The Instinct is very high in calories!
At any rate this is the plan for now. I am not going to add additional things to her food.....just yet. I will give this new food at least 5 full days (10 meals) to see if we can turn this around.
If not the journey will continue.

 

[Cami]

You might try adding psyllium to gain some fiber.

Did you have to do this long term or remove it once things firmed up?

I had to end up feeding Wellness Core Ocean, which comes in at a whopping 7% fiber.

I almost went with the new California Natural Salmon which was 6% fiber. I just feel it is too "new" for me to have formed an opinion yet so didn't (also not reviewed on dogfoodanalysis). In fact just peeking at the nutritional info online and it shows only 3.6% fiber (bag said 6). It also comes in under 30% protein (too low for me to feel good about). Carbs are pushing nearly 39% too. Yikes!
To me that equates to not enough protein to provide energy so they get it from the carbs.
Another thing about this food is that it is considered a limited ingredient diet. With Raine not two years old yet I don't want to start eliminating various ingredients from her diet with no allergy-type signs. I am a firm believer in that exposure, especially at a young age can be helpful. Could be totally wrong on this though. :D

I do tend to think she has a minor issue with beef. Since I stopped feeding bully sticks she stopped itching her face but starts up again when she has a beef RMB. Going to try a lamb bone and see how she does once this food thing is solved.

 

[whiskers]

What I don't like having to figure out is this.....
TOTW feeding guidelines are far more simple.
Weight 40-60 pounds feed 2 1/4 to 3 cups per day. She weighs 50 pounds and is extremely active. Fed 3 cups/day. Easy-peasy.
375/calories per cup.

Acana.....not going to be as simple!
45-90 pounds
2 3/4 to 4 3/4 cups.
425/calories per cup.

Each cup will have an additional 50 calories. I don't think I should stick to 3 cups per day due to that however based on her weight she should be eating at least 3 cups if I stay close to the feeding guidelines. I know nothing is set in stone but I want to un-complicate my brain.

375 cal x 3 cups day = 1,125 cal a day on TOTW

1,125 cal / 425 cal = 2.65 cups

So, she'd need just over 2.5 cups a day of the Acana in order to be getting the same amount of calories she was getting on TOTW.

 

[Cami]

So, she'd need just over 2.5 cups a day of the Acana in order to be getting the same amount of calories she was getting on TOTW.

OK smarty pants! Thank you so much for that interpretation.
I would not have come up with that on my own. I would have literally started counting pieces of food to figure out how much 3 cups of the TOTW contained 375 calories and then did it with the Acana as well. My brain tries to avoid math at all costs! gradicon
Now I need to get out a different measuring cup. Tonight I was winging it and it was close but probably more than she should have gotten.
I need to feed 1.32 cups each meal or a smidgen over 1 and 1/4.
Explaining this to DH is going to be a challenge! Tonight he freaked when he saw how "little" she was getting for dinner.

 

[whiskers]

I can't take the credit, someone else had to show me that formula when I switched Juno to a food that had way more calories than what she was previously eating My brain likes to avoid math, too!

Boy I hear ya - it is SO hard to get everyone else on board when you cut back on the amount of food! Good luck with that :D

 

[Gatorblu]

Did you have to do this long term or remove it once things firmed up?

I had to use it as long as he was on what ever food he was eating didn't have enough fiber. Once I switched to a higher fiber food I stopped.

 

[Gatorblu]

I need to feed 1.32 cups each meal or a smidgen over 1 and 1/4.
Explaining this to DH is going to be a challenge! Tonight he freaked when he saw how "little" she was getting for dinner.

Something that might help in measuring is 1.333 is 1 1/3 cups, so instead of guessing how much over 1/4 mark, use the 1/3 mark on the cup.

My husband and I have been "debating" on how much food Arabella gets for a while. She had put on weight and then they steroids added more so now she is on Wellness Reduced fat. You is getting her finally waist back! (Now if only I could do the same...sigh...)