Hey Everyone!
I have my first ever GSD and I need some advice from experienced GSD owners. My GSD is 5 years old and 94lbs. I have had him a few months now and he seems to have gastro issues which none of my other dogs have ever had.
So when I got him from the rescue is he was on a gastro house diet dry food (don't remember the name). I transitioned him over a week period to Merrick Backcountry w/ freeze dried raw bites. He stool became very soft and I thought maybe it was because of the raw bites. I transitioned him over to Merrick Limited Ingredient Turkey and Sweet Potato, and his stool was still soft so I added pumpkin to his diet which still didn't help. He got a gum infection, underwent a round of antibiotics and started having diarrhea almost every day. Per vet's orders I made him fast for 24 hours and then for a week fed him only boiled chicken and white rice. On that diet he pooped only once a day and had very tiny stool. I then put him on Royal Canin Gastro Low Fat dry food and it has worked great andhe had ideal stool. I have now started transitioning him (with pumpkin) to Taste of the Wild. My questions are as follows:
1) Are GSDs prone to gastro issues?
2) Has anyone given their dog a daily probiotic that works well?
3) Is there any food that works especially well with German Shepherds with gastro issues?
I am hoping the TotW food works out only because the primary ingredients in the Royal Canin Gastro LF seems to be Brewer's Rice and Chicken By Product, which worries me. I asked my vet if that is a diet he can be on long term and she said yes but honestly it worries me that he is not getting good quality protein. Merrick/Fromm/Origen (what I considered high quality brands) have deboned chicken/turkey etc and then meal as the first ingredients. From what I understand about chicken byproducts its not something I would want my dog to eat. Also Royal Canin is about $74 for a 30lb bag. Why is the food so expensive if the main ingredient is a low nutritional value rice? TotW is not as high quality but it is a bit lower and protein and seems to have more fiber in it that will hopefully help. Maybe if I give him TotW with a probiotic it would help?
Any suggestions or advice? Also I know it is not a parasite issue because we have done 2 fecal exams already and they have come up negative.
I have my first ever GSD and I need some advice from experienced GSD owners. My GSD is 5 years old and 94lbs. I have had him a few months now and he seems to have gastro issues which none of my other dogs have ever had.
So when I got him from the rescue is he was on a gastro house diet dry food (don't remember the name). I transitioned him over a week period to Merrick Backcountry w/ freeze dried raw bites. He stool became very soft and I thought maybe it was because of the raw bites. I transitioned him over to Merrick Limited Ingredient Turkey and Sweet Potato, and his stool was still soft so I added pumpkin to his diet which still didn't help. He got a gum infection, underwent a round of antibiotics and started having diarrhea almost every day. Per vet's orders I made him fast for 24 hours and then for a week fed him only boiled chicken and white rice. On that diet he pooped only once a day and had very tiny stool. I then put him on Royal Canin Gastro Low Fat dry food and it has worked great andhe had ideal stool. I have now started transitioning him (with pumpkin) to Taste of the Wild. My questions are as follows:
1) Are GSDs prone to gastro issues?
2) Has anyone given their dog a daily probiotic that works well?
3) Is there any food that works especially well with German Shepherds with gastro issues?
I am hoping the TotW food works out only because the primary ingredients in the Royal Canin Gastro LF seems to be Brewer's Rice and Chicken By Product, which worries me. I asked my vet if that is a diet he can be on long term and she said yes but honestly it worries me that he is not getting good quality protein. Merrick/Fromm/Origen (what I considered high quality brands) have deboned chicken/turkey etc and then meal as the first ingredients. From what I understand about chicken byproducts its not something I would want my dog to eat. Also Royal Canin is about $74 for a 30lb bag. Why is the food so expensive if the main ingredient is a low nutritional value rice? TotW is not as high quality but it is a bit lower and protein and seems to have more fiber in it that will hopefully help. Maybe if I give him TotW with a probiotic it would help?
Any suggestions or advice? Also I know it is not a parasite issue because we have done 2 fecal exams already and they have come up negative.