# So stressed. Best dog food for GSD w/diarrhea??



## amber fletcher05 (Mar 31, 2009)

My 8 month old still has diarrhea ALL the time. Its been for almost 4 days now. The only thing that seems to "stop her up" is i use some canned I/D.... I feed 2 1/2 cups AM and PM of Blue Buffalo Large Breed PUppy food. I love the ingredients and my parents dog does very very well on this food ( Dutch Shepherd) but mine keeps getting diarrhea. She has to go so bad sometimes by the time i get to her she goes all over herself in her crate and it breaks my heart. No idea what to switch to?? I hear Taste of the Wild is good, but has A LOT of carbs, and not very much protein, and not good for young dogs. And so i thought maybe Wellness but I hear its low grade. I cant afford Orijen...i thought about doing raw food diet but i have no idea what to feed. I can only afford about 50$ a month of food. My GSD has a very sensitive stomach, does anyone else? and what do you feed?


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## GSDTrain (Apr 21, 2008)

Although Buffalo Blue is a good food, and your parents dog does good on it does not mean that it is right for your dog. All dogs systems are different and they handle things differently. How long has she been on BB?
I feed Ivy eagle pack, with a mix of RAW. I would really recommend trying a different food with your dog just to see if it makes a difference.
Good Luck and keep us posted.


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## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

I started mine on Natural Balance Venison and Rice but mine has SIBO and possible IBD. Take a look at the food that is recommended. There are alot under the Health and Wellness section for Nutrition.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

Have you tried feeding her LESS of the kibble? 

5 cups a day is a LOT. Especially of a kibble that is as high in calories as what you are feeding. Overfeeding is the NUMBER 1 cause of "bad poops". Cutting her back won't cost you anything if it doesn't work, and it will take almost no time to see if that is the cause or not. My young female is pretty active, she was only eating 3 cups of kibble a day at that age.

Also however told you that TOTW has not much protien is just plain WRONG. It is higher in protien than the Blue Buffalo. Wellness is also NOT a "low grade" food! Many people consider it to be BETTER than the Blue Buff.


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## BowWowMeow (May 7, 2007)

Don't switch to anything until she is over the diarrhea. The rule for diarrhea is to fast for 24 hours and then slowly introduce a bland diet of overcooked rice (cooked twice as long with twice as much water) and boiled chicken breasts. Some people add in a tsp of pumpkin per meal to help firm things up. I personally also use sweet potatoes in this bland diet because they are healing to the gut. 

Start with small and more frequent meals and then gradually increase the amount and decrease the number of meals. Once you've got solid poops again you can try to figure out what to switch to. 

Has you dog been checked out by the vet? Your dog may have food allergies or SIBO or giardia.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

I re-read the origional post and it sounds like maybe this pup has more of what is called "explosive" diarrhea? (More like water than "pudding plops".)

If that is the case, and it has been 4 days, I would take her to the vet.


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## amber fletcher05 (Mar 31, 2009)

Thank you everyone. 

i just started feeding her 5 cups about a month ago because she is a little thin & i started walking her more. 

I started feeding her BB 5 months ago..when she was 3 months. 

She is still on puppy food. I am thinking of switching her to an adult food once diarrhea is gone...

Also i cannot believe but am relieved that TOTW and Wellness are good foods. Those were my "last hopes" but online reviews were all complaints, so i feel better if i do switch.

I am thinking of maybe doing half RAW and half kibble eventually since i see a lot of positive results.

I will try to overcooked rice, boiled chicken, with pumpkin tomorrow!


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

There are quite a few folks on the board that feed TOTW or Wellness. (My 3 are on the TOTW High Prairie formula. Though I waited until my youngest was over 12 months before I started feeding it.)


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## jaggirl47 (Jul 18, 2009)

Good luck and I hope she feels better! Runny







is never fun.


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## amber fletcher05 (Mar 31, 2009)

Well its 8:05am..

she had it again at 5am

and again at 8.

My vet it closed on Sundays, and i feel too hopeless to even take her to ER vet b/c after all the tests and the many times she has had it before and i took her they found nothing. So i guess until the diarrhea stops i will feed her chicken and rice, and once it does i will start the 2 week gradual change to another food...no idea what to feed still. I just want her healthy


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

No one likes it when I say it but dealing with touchy bowels in doggos, Hills Perscription Diet W/D is pretty good at firming them up. Once they are firmed up to get the right consistency I blend some W/D with my other food \

BTW I stopped using puppy food with my last pup. I wouldn't recommend it at all so switching would be fine.


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## BlackGSD (Jan 4, 2005)

The diarrhea might NEVER stoip if she doesn't go to the vet. It has been 5 days already.

WHat about taking her to a "regular vet" tomorrow?


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## allieg (Nov 4, 2008)

First off do a vet check to rule out worms/parasites or bacterial infection.Then find a limited ingredient food.Most people recommend Natural Balance LID but it is on the high side price wise from what I have found.I have been using California Naturals which to me is a real LID food since it has one protein,one grain and the needed vitamins and minerals.It is also about $10.00 cheaper in price for me.Do the rice and chicken or hamburg till the diarrhea stops or the vet oks her for the above problems.Good Luck I know how it feels to have a dog that is sick with no hope in sight.


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## amber fletcher05 (Mar 31, 2009)

I think i am going to take her to the ER vet but like i said i feel hopeless because i have taken her to the vet several times over the last few months for the same reason...i have had all tests done, blood lab work, x rays, worms, parasites, poisenings, everything and all came back clean and healthy...I think its the Blue Buffalo because it has a lot of carbs in it and a lot of fiber? i dont know i am running out of ideas. 

I like the HIlls I/D it helps "stop" her up, my vet recommended it last time i was in.

will be switching to TOTW....i think someone just told me its for dogs 12 months and older only...mine is 8 months.

Also i am taking her off puppy food now. 8 months is old enough i guess.


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## slaen (Apr 27, 2009)

Kai had the same problem. I started him on a raw diet feeding him Muscle meats and Chicken necks. It is a night and day difference.

After seeing how much better he is doing from a raw diet I will never feed another dog dry dog food again. It is actually cheaper than bag food. But it just takes time to cook the food and portion it out.

Oh I had Kai on Solid Gold Wolf Pup.


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## onyx'girl (May 18, 2007)

> Originally Posted By: SlaenKai had the same problem. I started him on a raw diet feeding him Muscle meats and Chicken necks. It is a night and day difference.
> After seeing how much better he is doing from a raw diet I will never feed another dog dry dog food again. It is actually cheaper than bag food. But it just takes time to cook the food and portion it out.
> Oh I had Kai on Solid Gold Wolf Pup.


If you are feeding a RAW diet, why are you cooking it??


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## crazyboutdogs (Aug 26, 2007)

I use Acana Grasslands in the morning with a small amount of Natural Balance canned food. At night I do a commercial raw food called Bravo. I've never experienced better stools in all of my dog owning life. If I can't get out in the yard to do poop patrol, by the next day, it is white and powdery. Then it blows to the winds! You can get the Bravo in 10 pound rolls for under 2.00 a pound if you do the chicken or turkey. Prices do vary in different areas, but it is much cheaper then some other commerical raw diets, especially the Nature's Variety which I find very expensive. Even my pug/terrier mix who i suspect might have IBD does great on the raw!


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## slaen (Apr 27, 2009)

> Originally Posted By: onyx'girl
> 
> 
> > Originally Posted By: SlaenKai had the same problem. I started him on a raw diet feeding him Muscle meats and Chicken necks. It is a night and day difference.
> ...



Ok sorry I should have said Prepare.

Food Processor, Carrots, parsley, Hamburger meat, Beets, other random veggies. processed to mush and portioned out and served later on. 

I dont cook anything. Sorry should have clarified that one.

But when I said cook I meant cut up portion and prepare.


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## MikeB06 (Mar 12, 2006)

I agree your dog needs a vet check and stool sample run for everything already said above. Once cleared by the vet... here is my thoughts. 

If the ID works, is it the canned formula? I don't think it comes in dry food. Canned ID is very low protein and fat. 

Your dogs problem may be to much food, to high protein/high fat puppy food or the combo of both. 

I would pick a single protein, lower protein/fat adult food. 

Natures Recipe Easy To Digest formulas like Lamb/rice/barley 20/10 or Fish Meal/Potatoe 21/10, their Chicken/Rice/Barley is 25/14.

http://www.naturesrecipe.com/dog_easy_to_digest.aspx

Natures Recipe is one of the best priced foods at Petco or PetsMart considering the super high prices of pet food today. 

Hope that helps, 
MikeB


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## apogee1mars (May 29, 2020)

Red Raw Meat, (I use round steak, no bone) with 10% total weight some type of organ meat, BID... I keep a log and weigh the portions out for the GSD............


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## Magwart (Jul 8, 2012)

This is a 2009 thread. The original poster hasn't been on the forum for over a decade, and I doubt the original dog is even still alive.


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## Sunflowers (Feb 17, 2012)

Please, please give your dog some bone. Please research the correct way to feed a raw diet


apogee1mars said:


> Red Raw Meat, (I use round steak, no bon


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## Sadie 4415 (May 14, 2021)

amber fletcher05 said:


> My 8 month old still has diarrhea ALL the time. Its been for almost 4 days now. The only thing that seems to "stop her up" is i use some canned I/D.... I feed 2 1/2 cups AM and PM of Blue Buffalo Large Breed PUppy food. I love the ingredients and my parents dog does very very well on this food ( Dutch Shepherd) but mine keeps getting diarrhea. She has to go so bad sometimes by the time i get to her she goes all over herself in her crate and it breaks my heart. No idea what to switch to?? I hear Taste of the Wild is good, but has A LOT of carbs, and not very much protein, and not good for young dogs. And so i thought maybe Wellness but I hear its low grade. I cant afford Orijen...i thought about doing raw food diet but i have no idea what to feed. I can only afford about 50$ a month of food. My GSD has a very sensitive stomach, does anyone else? and what do you feed?


Blue Buffalo was sued 92.5 billion for wrongful information and killing dogs 
I changed my gods to a beef pork blend kibble food


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## WNGD (Jan 15, 2005)

Hey Sadie this is an old old thread


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