Low Residue Commerical Food?

[Poodle wrangler]

You can look up BARF.

Trial the raw suggestions made my Miranda to start with?

Low- residue= low fibre, so most raw meat-based foods would qualify (meaty bones, carcasses etc.).

Do any GSP people have any ideas?

Perhaps post a link in the GSP breed subforum in case anyone has had similar problems (doesn't sound breed specific, though ).

If worse comes to worse and you feel you need to rehome this dog, they may be able to make suggestions.

Rescues will require the dog to be desexed before assisting with rehoming.

Fingers crossed you will see some improvement with an affordable change in diet.

Are you up to date with worming (Drontal allwormer covers all the intestinal worms)?

[westiemum]

Spanner has your dog had whipworms? I was just wondering because one of the main cause of an inflamed and infected caecum is a chronic whip worm infestation. They actually live in the caecum and attach to the intestinal wall causing bleeding and mucous, if they're not eradicated inflammation and infection can occur and sometimes the worms burrow right though and actually cause the intestine to attach to the body wall.

Or does your dog have a form of colitis? What was the vet's diagnosis?

Hi Spanner,

Just thought I'd add my two bobs worth - Miranda's earlier post on feeding raw and her latest post on worming are both spot on - suggest you give them a try.

A couple of questions? As well as wondering what your vet's diagnosis was - what breed is your dog and have you been back to the breeder for support and ideas?? Sick so soon after you got him sounds a bit suss to me and I think the breeder should be helping you out..

As to diet - my two westies who are prone to weight gain and skin problems are not allowed any commercial non-barf dog food - I've become a weight nazi (at the encouragement of my vet who's one too!!!) and find their skin is sooo much better when I don't feed them any of the cr*p thats in most commercial non-barf food - even most of the premium brands. They are fed Home Brand sardines, mackeral, (once a week) and a cup full of veggies, chicken necks, bones, the bought barf patties (I think these things are a god-send) and some raw meat once or twice a week. And once you get in the habit of feeding this way its easy - frozen chicken necks in the morning ( frozen slows them down and stops them hoovering them) with Joint Guard, and then protein and veggies at night (fresh veggies on special or from the market - a dollar a bag or frozen mixed Black and Gold). I must admit although I haven't found any research or literature on it, I worry about a solely dry food diet for dogs - it doesn't have any moisture in it (needed for kidney health) and has lots of fillers and I wonder if that has any long-term detrimental effects.

And barf is sooo much cheaper than commercial premium dry food - I feed two dogs 14 meals (or really 7 snacks and 7 meals) for about 12.00 a week - and my vet bills have plummeted as well cos my guys do so well on it! All it takes is a bit of organisation ( eg freezing chicken necks individually) and about ten minutes at night and five minutes in the morning (including feeding the cat!) - and once you get in the habit its really easy and no big deal - and its something you could involve your kids in to teach them about good nutrition for dogs as well (just a thought).

Anyway I hope that helps. Much luck to you. Have a consistent go and I think you might be pleasantly surprised...

Best,

Westiemum

Ed cos I saw you have a GSP...

Edited December 15, 2007 by westiemum

[Spanner]

I am assuming he was up to date with worming etc before I got him (I know his heartworm was) and I changed him to advocate last month due to having ear mites, he's due for his next dose tomorrow (It says it treats whipworm on the packet).

I've been in contact with the breeder (have been since he first got sick early on). Yes I know it sounds suss to have such a sick dog a week after getting him but maybe I just lucked out, they said he had never had anything like this before.

I'm having more problems with OH now (he's pretty unsympathetic with anything to do with the dog now because of the stress he's put on the finances) as he took him for a walk and within 5 minutes of being home he totally destroyed his comfy outside bed. OH is refusing to let me buy another one and I do have a smaller, thinnner inside bed for him and I'm hoping like mad he doesn't destroy that one as I think it will be the straw that breaks the camels back so to speak. It suprised me as its the bed he's had for 7-8 weeks and he's never even moved it from its spot on the veranda let alone destroy it.

I realise I must be sounding despondant at the moment, probably because I am, its a hard time of year to be cash strapped and I'm a bit physically immobile at the moment with an injury so everythings feeling a little too hard at the moment (plus we have some big issues at home with selling a business and starting a new one so we're all a bit stressed out). Poor doggie, its not his fault, he really is a beautiful boy, I feel like I'm really letting him down

PS I can't remember the vet actual medical term in his diagnosis "try-something or other" bascially said it was like canine appendicitis only in dogs you can't completely remove it (the caecum) so there is still a "pocket" there for stuff to get collected in and start the inflammation/infection all over again, hence the need for low residue food.

Maybe I could rehome the husband

[Poodle wrangler]

Get Drontal Allwormer from the vet or online.

Won't hurt to worm him again if you've had him several weeks.

Get the correct number of tablets for his weight.

Get husband desexed and we can put him in the rescue subforum

[Spanner]

Husband already desexed, but not housetrained