Dog Food Query!

poohzee

Hi

I have a yellow 2 year old labrador who is lovely, but smells, and poos a lot, and also casts a lot! I know most of you are saying well thats a lab for you - but a pet shop suggested that this was because she wasn't getting everything she needs from her food.
She is on Barking Heads just now and always has been - does anyone have any thoughts?

trolleyrun

You might want to check the protein levels in her food. Too much protein can cause tummy problems and also make her itchy. My dog is on Burns dry biscuits, which at 17% protein is one of the lowest you can get. She thrives on it, and no issues with tummy or itchies (unless you count her ear but that's not related and a different story)

Fosterdog

The wheat content of the food can have the same effect on a dogs digestion, maybe try one with a low wheat/maize content or even wheat free.

My boy had terrible wind and horrid poos on his really old food, I switched to CSJ which made him a lot better but made my girl have a skin reaction. I've now switched to Skinners Duck and Rice (wheat free food) and her skin has cleared up completely and his tum is much more settled, except when he counter surfs and steals bread or other food he shouldn't have.

manda1205

I have a lab too and we feed her Skinners, either duck and rice or salmon and rice. We've been through quite a few different brands to find the best one to suit her, which can be just trial and error. But as others said lower protein and rice rather than wheat are generally better for their tummies.

Miss_Poohs

This is a Hills house. One of our dogs has multiple allergies so he's on the prescription ZD diet and has been for about 8 years. We've tried cheaper brands and raw diet but the result is always the same and we end up back on ZD.

zaksmum

Try CSJ Complete Dry Food.

My dogs had the most horrendous poos...just gloopy stinky puddles with my girl dog - nightmare to pick them up.

Both were on Hill's Science Plan.

I switched to CSJ and the improvement was amazing. Firm poos, shiny coats and boundless energy. Also my girl dog who's 10, was getting quite stiff in her joints...all that has completely stopped with the CSJ.

It works out at just £1 per kilo delivered which is an excellent price for good quality food.

If you look at their website they will send you some good size samples to try to make sure the dog won't turn his nose up.

niandsa

We had Poppy on CSJ for a few months and the effect on her was the opposite! Very loose poo's and itchy skin. We then tried Fish4Dogs which was great until they changed the recipe. She is now on Eden which is high in protein but suits her great. Poos are nice and firm, itchy skin has gone as has a minor infection in her ears. It is based on 80:20:0, 80% meat, 20% fruit, veg and herbs and no grains or gluten.

I think all the replies on here show that what suits one dog will not be beneficial to another. It's a matter of trial and error as to which is best for your dog!

rising_from_the_ashes

niandsa wrote: »

I think all the replies on here show that what suits one dog will not be beneficial to another. It's a matter of trial and error as to which is best for your dog!

Fosterdog wrote: »

The wheat content of the food can have the same effect on a dogs digestion, maybe try one with a low wheat/maize content or even wheat free.

Absolutely agree with both the above.

Maisie (lab) has colitis (unknown when I got her) and it took ages & several different brands to find something to suit her - she's now on Skinners Salmon & Rice and, touch wood, her tum's hugely better:D and we're now starting to mix some good quality wet in too :T

I'd certainly try wheat free (my old lab was wheat intolerant) but if you can find a totally cereal free one that's affordable that's best.

There's a good range on Zoo+ - I'm afraid it really is just trying something until you find the one that suits them.

When introducing any new foods, do so really gradually - a switch over of foods should take at least 2 weeks and probably a bit longer.

Best of luck - I know how frustrating it can be!

krlyr

Adding some form of oil to her diet may help with skin health and moulting - fish body oils are better than liver oils for I'd go for something like salmon oil over cod liver oil, but equally you could go for fish oils in capsules from somewhere like H&B.
Excess poo can indicate that the food isn't well digested - either bulked out by cheap, poorly digested fillers, or the dog isn't tolerating the food as well as it could be. Going for food with less fillers usually results in less waste, e.g. a food with a high amount of meat or fish rather than lots of wheat, maize, alfalfa, etc.

pawsies

Barking Heads is usually a good food though, but may not suit your dog