Frenchie - Allergy Issues

[lilyjazzduke]

Hi,

 

I now own a frenchie, she is 3 and we are her 3rd home in 3 years.  We will be her forever home. 

 

Since owning her we now know that she has servere food allergies which cause more internal issues then outwards. 

 

We have given her a 3 month course of antihistamines injection from the vet and have now worked out a food that doesn't cause issues which is the prime 100 spd air dried kangaroo and pumpkin food but the other issue I have is that she is quite light on and I would like her to gain a little weight but unfortunately being kangaroo it is very lean.

 

The other major problem she has is that she seems to only drink at night and gulps and drinks so much water she makes herself sick.  I am not sure if she was only given water at night in her previous 2 homes ?

 

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 

 

Thanks

 

 

Edited September 3, 2023 by lilyjazzduke

[tdierikx]

How often is she being fed? If you are feeding her once a day, and that is in the evening, then maybe her drinking is related to eating what you are feeding her? I'm assuming you are feeding the kibble SPD food...

 

If the above is the case, then maybe try 2 smaller meals a day, say morning and evening, or maybe a mix of kibble and tinned (or roll) SPD might take the edge off her thirst after eating. Kibble can be a bit salty/dry, so many dogs drink a lot more if on a kibble-only diet.

 

T.

[Rebanne]

you could try a slow feeder bowl for her water. I wouldn't worry about being a bit light on, unless she is very thin. You have found a food that suits so I wouldn't change it. Maybe just increase the amount fed slightly.

[Little Gifts]

I can also recommend slow water feeder bowls. We had to use them here for a throat issue for my girl. The disc floats on top so they can't gulp it down. If that fails there is a gel that can be put in a pets water too to make it thicker. I've heard of others using it with success.

 

Besides the kibble have you worked out what other additives your girl could have? Due to food allergies we stuck to 2 different types of kibble but were able to add other things to the top - sardines in oil, eggs, Greek Yoghurt, raw chicken necks, etc. We also fed twice a day but at times of weight loss due to illness spread it over 3 meals with a slight increase in quantity.

 

Another option you could consider, especially for summer is bone broth ice cubes. You'd have to either buy or make it with the ingredients you know are safe for your girl but bone broth freezes quite soft so is easy to chew and gets nutrients and liquids in.

[Mairead]

Run this past your vet:

The inflammatory bowel disease known to occur in French Bulldogs is histiocytic ulcerative colitis.

Reference: The 5-Minute Veterinary Consult, 3rd edition, Tilley and Smith:

Signs are bloody mucoid diarrhoea with increased frequency of defecation, tenesmus [straining], weight loss.

Diagnosis is by appearance of the bowel by colonoscopy and special staining of a biopsy [PAS stain, not just standard H & E stain].

It is more commonly known in boxers.

 

[MeAndMyBC]

Have you tried feeding anything different? Like a different brand hypoallergenic food? We fed SPD (as more a treat) for a while but it seemed to change.