# 4Health Causing problems?



## Dakota09 (Mar 25, 2009)

I recently switch Dakotas dog food from Natures Recipe to the 4health performance because he stopped eating the natures recipe and noticed it seem like his coat was always oily. When I first got it he ate every meal right when I filled his bowl then he stoped eating again more or less when he felt like it. So the past couple days he can not keep a solid stool and will not eat. Also has been throwing up yellow. I had to get the kennel back out because my carpet was taking some abuse from all this. I have given him Pepto Bismol and has not seemed to help his stools. I have feed TOTW, Blue Bufflo and he gets the point where he wont eat those either and the cost was getting expensive. I would say his stools are not a consistently solid stool with any of the foods I have feed. He just over 2yrs old. Any advice?


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

I feed it to one of our dogs and we haven't had any problems.


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## sable123 (Jul 11, 2010)

Dakota09 said:


> I recently switch Dakotas dog food from Natures Recipe to the 4health performance because he stopped eating the natures recipe and noticed it seem like his coat was always oily. When I first got it he ate every meal right when I filled his bowl then he stoped eating again more or less when he felt like it. So the past couple days he can not keep a solid stool and will not eat. Also has been throwing up yellow. I had to get the kennel back out because my carpet was taking some abuse from all this. I have given him Pepto Bismol and has not seemed to help his stools. I have feed TOTW, Blue Bufflo and he gets the point where he wont eat those either and the cost was getting expensive. I would say his stools are not a consistently solid stool with any of the foods I have feed. He just over 2yrs old. Any advice?


Fast him for a day, then just plain rice and a banana. If he is not better in 3 day or has a fever then off to the vet. After than put him on Pro Pac Adult Chunk.


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## ChancetheGSD (Dec 19, 2007)

Pepto wont help with stools. I'd suggest getting some plain pumpkin and mixing 1-2 tablespoons into his food. Did you just switch him all at once or slowly? How long has he been eating it?

As for puking bile, that is from an empty stomach. How many times a day do you feed him? Treats?


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## rjvamp (Aug 23, 2008)

That particular brand is a 30/20 (protein/fat) formula and some dogs do not do as well on higher fat foods. I know one of my dogs doesn't do as well with additional fat in the diet.

You may want to try a lower fat food - vs. the performance brand.

of the 4Health there is a Large Breed version that is 24/12.

or an adult that is 26/15.

I'm not sure who makes the product but you may want to call them up and get some information on their testing protocols - do they hold before shipping to suppliers? Do they get any ingredients from questionable countries like China (or do their suppliers)? Just to get a better idea of who you are dealing with. Then you can do some searches to see if they have had any recall history. Most of the companies out there farm out their manufacturing - so you really should want to know who they farm out to and who their suppliers are - some are better than others.

In the end it could just be an upset tummy - sometimes dogs do get stomach upset or just don't want to eat.

The yellow bile I agree as well is from an empty stomach but they are ready to eat. 

The plain rice with chicken or plain rice with boiled beef might help settle things with a little added pumpkin (not pie mix) in the can (not too much - maybe a tablespoon to start). I've not heard of the banana and rice - I thought banana would cause more loose stool - well at least it can in humans if eaten in large quantities 

If none of that works or if you are having issues with stool consistency, keep in mind that a dog food with corn in it can help firm the stool up better than a food with just rice or barley (there are studies on this). Fat can also cause some dogs to have looser stools. My Angeles is one of those that if he gets too much fat it is liquid city! So is my girl dog.

And switching to often and quick can cause stomach upset as well as pickyness in some dogs.


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## Jax08 (Feb 13, 2009)

Banana's are high in potassium and shouldn't cause diarrhea. I've never heard of it either. Jax won't touch a banana so it wouldn't even have crossed my mind. I would go with chicken and rice. Make sure to cook it with twice the water. A little pumpkin will help firm up the stools as well.


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## sable123 (Jul 11, 2010)

rjvamp said:


> That particular brand is a 30/20 (protein/fat) formula and some dogs do not do as well on higher fat foods. I know one of my dogs doesn't do as well with additional fat in the diet.
> 
> You may want to try a lower fat food - vs. the performance brand.
> 
> ...


That is a Diamond product. I agree a 30/20 may not be suitable for some dogs. 

Around 15% fat is more than enough for a companion GSD. The food I mentioned is great for a GSD, especially if you are on a budget.


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## Veronica1 (Jun 22, 2010)

A friend had her Doberman on 4Health, but was having similar troubles as you are. She believes her dog has a sensitivity to chicken. I'm not sure if she switched brands or formulas.


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## Dakota09 (Mar 25, 2009)

Hes feed 3 times a day. Sometimes he wont eat what I put out in the morning till 5 or later and I will not give him anymore. What other foods would you rec. I don't really have problem spending $40 for about 30+lbs of food.


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## Franksmom (Oct 13, 2010)

my 3 eat the 4health lamb and rice formula without any problems


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## sable123 (Jul 11, 2010)

Dakota09 said:


> Hes feed 3 times a day. Sometimes he wont eat what I put out in the morning till 5 or later and I will not give him anymore. What other foods would you rec. I don't really have problem spending $40 for about 30+lbs of food.



Pro Pac in my opinion is the best mid-priced food, 44lbs of Adult Chunk 26/15 is maybe $30. I luv the stuff for the money. Palatability is exceptional and the kibble size is large. 100% money back GTY. I know guys that travel with hunting dogs that will use only PP because the stools are always perfect and dead tired dogs will always eat it. It made is the same EU facility as Earthborn.


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## rjvamp (Aug 23, 2008)

*Another kibble recommendation*

I have Kumpi delivered to my door - 35 lb bag for $55. It has about 530 or so calories per cup so it stretches well. Never any recalls. Nothing from China - made at Crosswinds in Kansas. Real Food for Dogs and Cats - Kumpi


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## rjvamp (Aug 23, 2008)

I forgot - My cats also eat the Kumpi Kat and a 20 lb bag lasts all 5 for 2 months  And they all look great - good coats, good breath, even my feral is more friendly. And the best part is the litter doesn't have that bad smell.


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## Dakota09 (Mar 25, 2009)

They both have corn right off that bat almost?


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## rjvamp (Aug 23, 2008)

Dakota09 said:


> They both have corn right off that bat almost?


ProPac and Kumpi does have corn. The Kumpi Kat doesn't. 

But I don't care - the Kumpi formula as a whole has helped my Jack, along with his meds, to stop his seizures. I've gone from liking grains to not liking grains to liking grains to not liking them -....but in the end...the formula as a whole is what matters to me...and the one with CORN IN IT - and if I get bashed for a food with corn I don't care - Is the one that works for my dogs and Jack hasn't seized since January 2. So at least with what I've tried in the Kumpi, that formula AS A WHOLE, is working for my Jack (and the others too).

Now there may be other foods with less quality ingredients that also happen to include corn that my dog wouldn't do well on. And I wouldn't feed those. I tried Raw, Pre-Made Raw and Grain-Free stuff...didn't help. And I'm not about to switch from something that is working (a combination of things) to the guessing game with Jack's health. He went from 1 seizure to 2 in a day to 3 in a day to 5 in a day - I can't have him go through that again.

Corn does help the stool be more firm over rice studies have shown - and one of the OP issues was stool. 

So not sure what makes a potato better than corn or rice other than good marketing. I mean you don't feed just one ingredient you feed a whole formula!


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## Dakota09 (Mar 25, 2009)

Im by no means bashing what you feed and why. Im just going by what people have told me and if corn is one the first ones on the list of ingredients that its a no go. I personally do not know what all this food stuff is. I just been going by dog food reviews/ratings online and some of what I have read on here.


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## rjvamp (Aug 23, 2008)

I'm sorry. Stressful day at work and I read your question wrong. Sorry about that.


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## sable123 (Jul 11, 2010)

Dakota09 said:


> Im by no means bashing what you feed and why. Im just going by what people have told me and if corn is one the first ones on the list of ingredients that its a no go. I personally do not know what all this food stuff is. I just been going by dog food reviews/ratings online and some of what I have read on here.



People say this because they don't know any better. You cannot judge the food just by looking at the label. Corn is very heavy so even a little swings it up the ladder. Corn is no more an allergen than rice, proven over and over again by every Vet school in the country. If you look at virtually any dog food for performance dogs, whether its sled dogs or hunting dogs, they all have corn. 

I recommended Pro Pac because the grade of corn is high and it is whole grain corn. I know several nutritionists that wish the corn myth would just go away because it would be their choice as opposed to other grains or starches. Brown rice is fine too but more expensive.

Dog foods with corn are certainly not fashionable on the internet but if the corn is processed the right way it is almost completely digestible. The WDJ has now included a few brands that use corn, so maybe the food snobs are waking up.

If anyone say "blah corn" ask them to show you a published peer reviewed study showing corn is more allergenic than rice. They will never find one.

Excuse my emotion on this but so many people are getting ripped off by the stuff floating around on the internet.

http://www.viandpet.com/viand/corn

This is very fine food made by a very smart guy. Everything in that link is fact. Think about it, in this anti-corn climate, you have to have some set of balls to put that on your website.


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

Btw, GMO corn will definitely set up anyone to have more food allergies in general.

Dakota, sounds like the problem is with sensitivities that your dog is having. I would find something as close to a single protein, single carb source food that you can. 

I would stay away from chicken and turkey for now. Certainly corn, but also wheat and sorghum.

I would supplement with probiotics and l-glutamine to heal the digestive tract.


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