Melo Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 I'll try not to make this an essay, but we are having so much trouble with our now 8yo German Shepherd that we are running out of options. O.k, when we first got him as a puppy nothing seemed to agree with him, he was forever getting an upset stomache and each vet we tried could not seem to come up with an answer. It seemed to calm down on Science Diet Large Breed or something like that, but being quite expensive we changed him to Supercoat Chicken. This seemed fine for awhile but then the stomache upset started again. Even changing back to Science Diet did not stop it, after another heap of vet visits and changing diets around there was still no answer. From this site ( ) I read about BARF diet and thought, o.k. we have nothing to lose will try that. Worked great, had a very happy and healthy dog for a good couple of years. About 1 year ago his upset stomache started again, could not understand it cause nothing in his diet had changed. Off to a new vet we trundled (bare in mind all these vet changes were due to us being moved around with the RAAF), they suggested trying a Salmon based dry food as maybe there was an allergy to chicken (he already cannot eat Lamb, beef or any red meat really). Well we put him on Proplan and once again things went great, happy healthy dog again, passing normal poo. Now this week, starting last weekend his stomache is once again upset and for the life of us we don't know which direction to go this time? ;) ANY suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laffi Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 When he was on BARF what RMB did you give him? (what was the main protein source) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melo Posted February 8, 2008 Author Share Posted February 8, 2008 He could only have chicken, so chicken carcasses, wings, necks etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laffi Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 (edited) He could only have chicken, so chicken carcasses, wings, necks etc. How about turkey? pork? and fish? ETA: roo? Edited February 8, 2008 by laffi Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melo Posted February 8, 2008 Author Share Posted February 8, 2008 Turkey, yep tried that when chicken become a problem (sorry did not write everything cause I would have gone on forever). Pork, did not think it was good for dogs. Roo, a definate no no, goes through almost quicker than lamb & beef. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest magnum Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Having the breed for a number of years now you do hear of this problem & I feel some lines also have this problem. I had a bitch once that was good one day & shocking the next,after looking at it the line had a lot of pancreas problems. We found that Advance Turkey & Rice did wonders, we stayed well away from raw chicken frames, pork or dry food that had Wheat as the first ingredient Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
laffi Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 I would suggest elimination diet. Maybe varying the protein sources between what he can handle (chicken, turkey and fish). Definitely no grains or cereals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dogsfevr Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 I would also go to the chemist & buy some probiotics to re introduce the good gut bacteria. You may also find this dog is very sensitive to all the moves,change off environments etc etc. & things jsut slowly build up. For some dogs the change off water can be enough to produce the finest runs out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kavik Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 My GSD does not have tummy problems but does have skin allergies that flare up quite regularly so I sympathise and hope you can find a food that works! Eagle Pack have a fish based food that is good, have you tried that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InspectorRex Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 have any of the Vets even hinted at Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficency( some GSD lines have issues with this from what I understand) or Inflammatory Bowel Disease? I agree about the probiotics, need to start her on them asap.Spend the extra $$ and buy the better quality ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cavandra Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Perhaps it is not diet, I gather the Vet presumed it to be irritable bowel syndrome or something??? What if it is coccidia, or some other gut bacteria that is triggered by stress, & not necessarily anything to do with what he eats. Maybe teh water doesnt agree with him, giardia type problems. I would suggest a detox diet, and a Holistic Vet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
puggy_puggy Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Have you thought that she might have a digestive enzyme deficiency? I pug sit a pug that has this and she has to have enzyme powder sprinkled on all her food and is restricted to what she can eat. Is your dog underweight? Does she eat her own poo? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottie Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 I would absolutely agree with the people on here suggesting that pancreatic insufficiency might be a problem. My GSD suffers from this & before diagnosis her symptoms were not at all dissimilar to those you describe. I've lost count of how many different foods/medicines we tried before she was diagnosed. GSD's are one of the breeds more predisposed to it. It really is well worth your while asking your vet to do a blood test to check this - the test gives you a definitive answer & if positive could save you an endless amount of time/money/heartache chopping & changing foods etc. If it is EPI it's eminently treatable (though not curable). Dogs with EPI also have a tendency to a bacterial overgrowth in their gut - might be worth asking your vet about this too ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
InspectorRex Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 Also have any of the Vets done a faecal analysis( you collect a poo sample, take to Vet and they send to Lab for cultures etc)? I lost my Champion bitch to Inflammatory Bowel Disease- this is a different condition altogether from Irritable Bowel Syndrome If your Vet won't test go to a Vet who will Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancinbcs Posted February 8, 2008 Share Posted February 8, 2008 I would absolutely agree with the people on here suggesting that pancreatic insufficiency might be a problem. My GSD suffers from this & before diagnosis her symptoms were not at all dissimilar to those you describe. I've lost count of how many different foods/medicines we tried before she was diagnosed. GSD's are one of the breeds more predisposed to it. It really is well worth your while asking your vet to do a blood test to check this - the test gives you a definitive answer & if positive could save you an endless amount of time/money/heartache chopping & changing foods etc. If it is EPI it's eminently treatable (though not curable). Dogs with EPI also have a tendency to a bacterial overgrowth in their gut - might be worth asking your vet about this too ? It sounds like possible pancreatic insufficiency to me as well. I had a dog years ago that developed it at 3 years, after surviving a parvo like virus and it took several years to diagnose. I finally found a vet who looked at the history and made an immediate diagnosis. Rather than charging me for more tests he suggested giving the dog papaya enzyme tablets with his meals. Problem fixed!!!!!!!! We started with a tablet called panazyme but any papaya enzyme from the health food shop worked just as well. It is not a cure but a lifetime treatment. He lived until I lost him to cancer at eleven. If my boy did pick up a stomach bug he would always be much sicker than any of the other dogs that got it but a course of buscopan for a week or so would usually settle his gut again. If the papaya enzyme doesn't work I would suggest trying Traditional Chinese Medicine. This can often fix problems that mainstream veterinary science can't. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melo Posted February 11, 2008 Author Share Posted February 11, 2008 Thanks all for your replies, with the aid of pentosyl(sp?) the medication to help with upset tummys he seemed to have settled again and back on his Proplan for sensitive stomaches with no probs. Although from the suggestions above we now have him on a probiotic and papaya enzyme tablets so will see what happens. THANKS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lilyandjazz Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 I am feeding advance senstive skin at the moment. She does not seem to be getting an upset stomach and her allegeries have improved greatly, from what i can remember i think it is tuna based. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 Thanks all for your replies, with the aid of pentosyl(sp?) the medication to help with upset tummys he seemed to have settled again and back on his Proplan for sensitive stomaches with no probs. Although from the suggestions above we now have him on a probiotic and papaya enzyme tablets so will see what happens. THANKS. If it flares up again you would be well advised to start doing some test and rule things out rather than just try this and that. You need to know what it isn't. I would agree with the Giardia testing and EPI, then if no joy, a Naturopathic consult is worth a try. Pentosyl may just be a band-aid solution for what is a bigger problem. Mel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scottie Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 (edited) With this sort of history I really,really would get her tested for EPI. We messed around for years with our girl before we had her tested & I feel guilty that we didn't do so earlier.If they are diagnosed with EPI this means that they actually can't produce the correct enzymes (amylase/lipase) etc for digestion & however many band aids one applies in the way of anti diarrhea medicines etc - one is not addressing the route cause of the problem. It really isn't a hard condition to treat if that is what she is suffering from. EPI is a condition which gradually deteriorates - which fits in with what you have told us about your boy. Edited February 11, 2008 by scottie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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